Texas vs Rice ***Game 4 Thread (Sun-1 PM CST)***

[utisdabomb12]

Joey do you think Johnston could potentially become a starter come tournament time? I was impressed with him today. I could see something similar to the way Hollingsworth was used last year. 

 

[joeywa]

Glad you could follow along Worster. Thanks.

John-good info. I like the UTSA program. That university is doing some good things across the board.

 

[joeywa]

Joey do you think Johnston could potentially become a starter come tournament time? I was impressed with him today. I could see something similar to the way Hollingsworth was used last year.

IMO it's too early to tell. Is he capable? Yes. Threw a complete game in the state playoffs last year in HS. With is velo, I think it's certainly intriguing to think about it. It will really all depend on how our starting pitchers pan out over the season. Would it surprise me? No. At this point let's see what he can do in the closing role. If today is any indication, I'll take an inning of shut down ball to secure wins.

 

[streettopeschel]

Went back to reread the thread and double check my numbers and saw this gem, don't know how I missed it during the game. Quoted for future reference.

I'm not one to really call folks out, but there is just so much ridiculousness in this post, I had to reply. I don't mind different opinions or educated baseball banter, but man, you are way out there.

A couple of thoughts;

• You appear to be trying to walk on both sides of the fence. You mention that everyone is trying to find themselves, (which I would think include us,) then in the same breath you say 'season just started.' Which is it? You going to give this team time to create an identity or you going to jump on them for inconsistencies that you see from Texas? Teams 'gel' at different rates.
• How much of Texas baseball have you watched over the last 10 years? You do realize that Augie & Skip use the non-conference games as a time to try different combinations in the batting order/IF/OF/Pitching Rotation to see what works and what doesn't, right?
• Add to this that we lost a weekend starter in Cooper to TJ surgery, and the coaching staff is going to go through some analysis to see who does best in certain situations.

[*]'That isn't stopping Rice from kicking our ass or TCU from spanking S.Ill. 10-0 in the fourth right now.'

• After 4 scoreless innings, Rice puts together a 3-run rally in the 5th. You immediately jump to 'Rice is kicking our ass.' Wow. Just wow.
• A win by TCU over Southern Illinios should not even be in the discussion when comparing Texas playing Rice. Southern Illinios is starting almost all FR & SO players this year, won 4 conf games last season and finished DEAD LAST in the "powerful" Missouri Valley Conference. If you're going to make comparisons, at least go with something closer than that.

[*]'It looks like we are in for another 2014 regular season.'

• Really don't know how to address this. Through 3.5 games, and this is what you're thinking?

[*]'We can only hope for some more MAJOR LUCK that fell in our lap last season for post-season this year as well.'

• You think our run to Omaha last year was "MAJOR LUCK?" What were you watching exactly?

[*]'Its only the first series so not hitting the panic button yet...But the finger is inching closer with every scoreless inning we play....LOL'

• You could have left the LOL off the end, because I think you have hit the panic button.

[*]You claim to be an umpire, but I don't see anything that would say you understand much about baseball.
[*]You showed your lack of understanding last night when you called me to task on Rice's offensive production. And now this. SMH.
[*]Maybe just sit back, enjoy the games, and keep the following in mind:

• Understand we are going to win some and we're going to lose some.
• It's a long season.
• We're .500 against Rice, a Top 15 team, in their house, on opening weekend. That's pretty darned good results.

And to offer a bit of perspective on production, last year against Cal in the opening series in Berkeley, we were also 2-2, scored 12 total runs (3.0 RPG,) 31 total hits (7.75 RPG,) and this was against a far inferior team than Rice. Rice could easily hit .330 or so in conference play and will likely be one of the teams that makes the trip to Omaha this year. I'll take the averages vs. Rice (below) in every series and all year long and take my chances

Runs: 18; 4.5 RPG

W 3

L 9

L 2

W 4

Hits: 31; 7.75 HPG

W 6

L 11

L 5

W 9

drops mic. Walks off stage.

 

[joeywa]

He didn't take the bat off his shoulder the entire at bat, including the two fat pitches before that last pitch.

Sit him down until he's ready to compete. And Joey, I love you like a brother, but you don't need to be an apologist for a really shitty at bat. Blue's incompetence notwithstanding.

He left two important runs in scoring position. And then beefed about that last call. Gimme a break. Shit, put me in. I'll at least swing at the damn thing.

I'm going to challenge you a little bit here, Slim.

Cantu started that AB facing LHP Williamson. 

He saw one pitch from Williamson, a ball.

Rice makes a pitching change, and brings in RHP Amadore

The first pitch Cantu sees from Amadore is a fastball down in the zone.  He takes it for strike 1. (There are two different schools of thought on this, but a lot of hitters will try to make a fresh pitcher on the hill throw a strike before attacking.)

The next two pitches are balls, one is outside, one is down.

Count is now 3-1; you have runners on 2&3, 2 down, and Gurwitz on deck who has hit .500 on the day. 

3-1 he doesn't swing at the off-speed pitch that catches the zone for a strike.  Was he looking for a fastball there?  No idea, but I probably would have been. 

Count is now full. 

The strikeout pitch is low/away.  Cantu was pissed about it because it was a poor call.  It was ball 4.  Cantu has been seeing this umpire's zone up-close, all day long, and this was the second time that he got hosed on ball 4 off the plate for a strike 3. 

Several different factors in play during this AB, but Cantu is a good enough hitter that he gets the benefit of the doubt from me in this situation. 

 

[Bear19]

Since this is a free board is it possible to ban someone? I have held my piece about that dickwad long enough. All of you know who I mean.

 

[Johnstark23]

To add to that Cantu was probably looking one pitch one zone from Amadore,he gets a fastball up in the zone rather than down it would have been a great spot to come out of his shoes. As far as the out pitch, well this guy was apparently 6 inches off the plate on strike 3 all day, is pretty hard to even get a 34 inch bat on that pitch. Loved getting it when I was on the hill, hated seeing it called against me.

 

[GBT]

IMO it's too early to tell. Is he capable? Yes. Threw a complete game in the state playoffs last year in HS. With is velo, I think it's certainly intriguing to think about it. It will really all depend on how our starting pitchers pan out over the season. Would it surprise me? No. At this point let's see what he can do in the closing role. If today is any indication, I'll take an inning of shut down ball to secure wins.

Complete game ?? I would hope so...Most HS pitchers throw complete games many times during their HS careers.Actually I think it was a "perfect game" striking out 16 batters.

On other matters:

Been following UT since James Street pitched.

I was riding the fence as this is the first series of the year, so not much can be concluded by it. 

Someone said Rice has an injured pitching staff, which should have allowed us to score a lot of runs if we have improved our hitting. Thus my statement that it looks like another 2014 season. With that said, I realize we can improve and peak at the right time and make another run at Omaha.

If you don't think LSU losing in their regional wasn't outstanding luck for us, you don't know about luck. Compare playing UH at home to LSU in Baton Rouge.....Especially since we couldn't hit for crap last year. I'd say that was HUGE.

Minnesota not any good because they lost to UH ??? Do you think UH isn't very good.??  Go ask Baseball America about that. I understand they think UH is loaded for bear this year. But they don't know as much as some of you I guess. For your info UH has their entire weekend rotation back and 6 starters as well. They may sweep a bunch of teams this year.

Hopefully we can sweep the Gophers too.

 

[utisdabomb12]

Since this is a free board is it possible to ban someone? I have held my piece about that dickwad long enough. All of you know who I mean.

I agree. I've said it from the get go, he's an aggie troll. As someone that posts on other free boards his posting style is the exact same as all the other aggie trolls. It's fairly obvious. Every post is either a backhanded compliment or an attempt to degrade something Texas related. Unless you can IP ban someone the problem is he will just come right back with another username (even IP bans can be ineffective). 

 

[Bear19]

I agree. I've said it from the get go, he's an aggie troll. As someone that posts on other free boards his posting style is the exact same as all the other aggie trolls. It's fairly obvious. Every post is either a backhanded compliment or an attempt to degrade something Texas related. Unless you can IP ban someone the problem is he will just come right back with another username (even IP bans can be ineffective).

Then my gloves are off.

 

[armadillo slim]

Sorry jeff, you can be an apologist for him all you want, but it was a shitty at bat. Barrera got hosed on a similar pitch. Did he suddenly think blue was going to get it right?

Challenge me all you want but it was a shitty at bat. He should have been ready to tee off on that first pitch. Coming in fresh with a ball already called he should have known he was going to groove that pitch.

 

[joeywa]

Sorry jeff, you can be an apologist for him all you want, but it was a shitty at bat. Barrera got hosed on a similar pitch. Did he suddenly think blue was going to get it right?

Challenge me all you want but it was a shitty at bat. He should have been ready to tee off on that first pitch. Coming in fresh with a ball already called he should have known he was going to groove that pitch.

Like I said, two schools of thought.  We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.  We got the win, and at the end of the day that's all that matters. 

 

[Bear19]

Like I said, two schools of thought. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. We got the win, and at the end of the day that's all that matters.

Come on Joey. You know we just got "lucky".

Not aimed at you Slim. He should've hit that first pitch downtown.

 

[joeywa]

Come on Joey. You know we just got "lucky".

Not aimed at you Slim. He should've hit that first pitch downtown.

Sorry Bear, I cannot speak to "luck."  Apparently I don't know lucky.  :lol:

 

[streettopeschel]

we won today, right?

 

[joeywa]

Complete game ?? I would hope so...Most HS pitchers throw complete games many times during their HS careers.Actually I think it was a "perfect game" striking out 16 batters.

On other matters:

Been following UT since James Street pitched.

I was riding the fence as this is the first series of the year, so not much can be concluded by it. 

Someone said Rice has an injured pitching staff, which should have allowed us to score a lot of runs if we have improved our hitting. Thus my statement that it looks like another 2014 season. With that said, I realize we can improve and peak at the right time and make another run at Omaha.

If you don't think LSU losing in their regional wasn't outstanding luck for us, you don't know about luck. Compare playing UH at home to LSU in Baton Rouge.....Especially since we couldn't hit for crap last year. I'd say that was HUGE.

Minnesota not any good because they lost to UH ??? Do you think UH isn't very good.??  Go ask Baseball America about that. I understand they think UH is loaded for bear this year. But they don't know as much as some of you I guess. For your info UH has their entire weekend rotation back and 6 starters as well. They may sweep a bunch of teams this year.

Hopefully we can sweep the Gophers too.

• My bad on the "complete" game.  Was on my mobile and typed that instead of perfect game.  Apologies for the typo.  I know that Johnston threw a perfect game for Flower Mound in the playoffs, just typed it incorrectly.
• You may have been following since James Street, but the lack of baseball knowledge that you show on here says otherwise.  Maybe being an umpire is the perfect place for you.
• Rice did have two of their projected starters either out or limited.   
  We did score a lot of runs. 
• We did improve our hitting. 
• Both were pointed out in my earlier response. 

[*]The only people saying that it was "lucky" that Texas didn't face LSU last year were fans of LSU and ags.  At that point in the tournament last year, the team and our fans were happy to be there and anything after the Regional was free baseball.  Expectations from the Texas camp were to get to a Regional and see what happened.  Nobody from Texas was claiming anything about 'luck.'  That term is not one that folks in burnt orange use. 
[*]Minnesota is not good because they lack offense this year.  I wrote about this in my non-conference preview thread.

• 
  They're very young, and while they have some decent returning pitching, they will struggle to put up runs. 
• They scored a total of 5 runs in 3 games this weekend against UH
• They probably will finish no higher than 5th in the Big 10 this year, and that might be a generous prediction

[*]UH is pretty good.  They're ranked in the Top 10 in most polls.  My thoughts on Minnesota has nothing to do with how good UH is, but thanks for trying to put words in my mouth. 
[*]Funny that you say 'we.' 

 

[utisdabomb12]

It all makes sense now, GBT was the umpire today. 

 

[streettopeschel]

Stop it Joey. You clearly don't know a panic button situation when you see one. 6th inning of game 4 is certainly time enough.

And we were lucky to win a regional, a super and 3 games in Omaha. Or something.

 

[tejasrulz]

we won today, right?

I just got home from being gone all day & I jumped to this page (the last one) and thought we lost until I went to Texas Sports. Not sure I want to read all the other ones.

 

[joeywa]

I just got home from being gone all day & I jumped to this page (the last one) and thought we lost until I went to Texas Sports. Not sure I want to read all the other ones.

Just some banter back and forth, tejas. 

Slim and I disagree on a single AB, and that's no biggie.

GBT, not sure what's going on there. 

But yeah, we won, and it was a helluva game.  Impressive showing by some frosh in burnt orange today.