Game 1 was all about pitching. Gold wins 2-1.
Game 2 was all about hitting. Black wins 8-7.
So after 2 games it's knotted 1-1, both teams having scored 9 runs.
I suspected when I saw 2 freshmen were the starting pitchers that there would be more hitting today.
Neither pitcher was great but I also didn't think they were all that bad either. In a "real" game I doubt Hugh Fisher would have pitched against Gonzalez in the 3rd having already loaded the bases. Even if he had, he wouldn't have been left in after that grand slam, giving up another home run and 3 more runs. Same for Mason Hickman in the 4th. He had 3 pretty good innings (2 gopher balls) but was getting pounded in the 4th. Again, in a "real" game he'd likely have been pulled sooner than he was.
So I think the coaches wanted some runs and hitting today and didn't mind letting the freshmen take a pounding. I think freshmen expect to take a pounding, so there's not much chance of any "confidence crushing" as a result. If Raby had been pitcher and got crushed then that would concern me. But not freshmen.
Beyond Hickman and Fisher, Paxton Stover was great for Team Gold -- 3 innings, 1 hit, 6 K's. Chandler Day was a bit less effective as he struggled after 2 outs in the 6th, giving up 4 straight hits, including a triple, and allowing 3 runs to score.
Hitting was quite good, of course, with both teams hitting 2 homers and a total of 4 doubles and 2 triples. There were also far fewer strike outs today than there were yesterday.
Jayson Gonzalez grand slam was impressive (deep left centerfield.) He's a hefty kid with a big swing so we're going to see a lot more home runs from him. He's definitely going to give Brewer a run for his money with respect to taking 3rd base. Alex Brewer is 3-6 for the series with 2 doubles, however, so he's up to the challenge.
Walker Grisanti was 3-3 today and is now 4-5 for the series with a triple and a HR. He's definitely trying to make a statement for being a starter, most likely in left.
I realize everybody thinks I'm too high on Austin Martin at 2nd but I'm still high on him after our second six-inning game. He's a good fielder and is fast. I like his confident look in the box as well as on the field. His demeanor reminds me of Dansby Swanson when he was freshman. He picked up a hit today as well. Even so, I'm now moving Paul back to 2nd and bumping Austin out of the starting line-up in order to have both Brewer and Gonzalez in the every day line-up (one at 3rd, one at DH.) If Austin's batting picks up on Saturday I may move him back up to a starter. He's from Florida so I really think it's important for us to have a Florida kid in the starting line-up just to bother Kevin O'Sullivan. Plus, I like how Dansby Swanson turned out.
Philip Clarke was yesterday's best hitter (2-2, walk) but went 0-3 today with a walk. He has a good eye at the plate (as a catcher should) and will walk a lot this year. Ty Duvall has been just the opposite, going 0-2 yesterday (2 K's, BB) but pounding out 3-3 today with a HR and 2B. This, plus experience, how causes me to put Duvall slightly ahead of Clarke while it was just the opposite after yesterday. I think these two will be a sort of platoon type situation, similar to the way Ellison and Delay did it 2 years ago with whoever has the hottest bat getting the majority of starts but with both getting a lot of starts. Regardless, both have a lot to work on with respect to throwing out runners. We are going to seriously miss Delay's cannon of an arm.
So after 2 days my new starting line-up is:
1B Infante {Julian has been horrible at the plate; 0-4; 2 K's. I'm not at all worried.}
2B Paul {0-5. Again, not at all worried.}
SS Kaiser {2-6, looking good at the plate and in the field}
3B Brewer {3-6}
LF Grisanti {4-5, HR}
CF Bleday {2-6}
RF DeMarco {2-5, HR}
C Duvall {3-5, HR}
DH Gonzalez {2-6, HR}
I'm really, really interested to see who tomorrow's starting pitchers are as we have yet to see Raby, Fellows, or Eder -- all guys that I would consider possible weekend starters.
Off topic, but still important, I would like to commend the Baseball Operations people who have supplied some handy dandy pre-printed scorecards for both games. Today's version even had the stats from yesterday's game for each starter listed. The scorecard also lists all available pitchers. This is extremely fan-friendly so I hope whoever knows who is responsible for this will pass along this praise.
Game 2 was all about hitting. Black wins 8-7.
So after 2 games it's knotted 1-1, both teams having scored 9 runs.
I suspected when I saw 2 freshmen were the starting pitchers that there would be more hitting today.
Neither pitcher was great but I also didn't think they were all that bad either. In a "real" game I doubt Hugh Fisher would have pitched against Gonzalez in the 3rd having already loaded the bases. Even if he had, he wouldn't have been left in after that grand slam, giving up another home run and 3 more runs. Same for Mason Hickman in the 4th. He had 3 pretty good innings (2 gopher balls) but was getting pounded in the 4th. Again, in a "real" game he'd likely have been pulled sooner than he was.
So I think the coaches wanted some runs and hitting today and didn't mind letting the freshmen take a pounding. I think freshmen expect to take a pounding, so there's not much chance of any "confidence crushing" as a result. If Raby had been pitcher and got crushed then that would concern me. But not freshmen.
Beyond Hickman and Fisher, Paxton Stover was great for Team Gold -- 3 innings, 1 hit, 6 K's. Chandler Day was a bit less effective as he struggled after 2 outs in the 6th, giving up 4 straight hits, including a triple, and allowing 3 runs to score.
Hitting was quite good, of course, with both teams hitting 2 homers and a total of 4 doubles and 2 triples. There were also far fewer strike outs today than there were yesterday.
Jayson Gonzalez grand slam was impressive (deep left centerfield.) He's a hefty kid with a big swing so we're going to see a lot more home runs from him. He's definitely going to give Brewer a run for his money with respect to taking 3rd base. Alex Brewer is 3-6 for the series with 2 doubles, however, so he's up to the challenge.
Walker Grisanti was 3-3 today and is now 4-5 for the series with a triple and a HR. He's definitely trying to make a statement for being a starter, most likely in left.
I realize everybody thinks I'm too high on Austin Martin at 2nd but I'm still high on him after our second six-inning game. He's a good fielder and is fast. I like his confident look in the box as well as on the field. His demeanor reminds me of Dansby Swanson when he was freshman. He picked up a hit today as well. Even so, I'm now moving Paul back to 2nd and bumping Austin out of the starting line-up in order to have both Brewer and Gonzalez in the every day line-up (one at 3rd, one at DH.) If Austin's batting picks up on Saturday I may move him back up to a starter. He's from Florida so I really think it's important for us to have a Florida kid in the starting line-up just to bother Kevin O'Sullivan. Plus, I like how Dansby Swanson turned out.
Philip Clarke was yesterday's best hitter (2-2, walk) but went 0-3 today with a walk. He has a good eye at the plate (as a catcher should) and will walk a lot this year. Ty Duvall has been just the opposite, going 0-2 yesterday (2 K's, BB) but pounding out 3-3 today with a HR and 2B. This, plus experience, how causes me to put Duvall slightly ahead of Clarke while it was just the opposite after yesterday. I think these two will be a sort of platoon type situation, similar to the way Ellison and Delay did it 2 years ago with whoever has the hottest bat getting the majority of starts but with both getting a lot of starts. Regardless, both have a lot to work on with respect to throwing out runners. We are going to seriously miss Delay's cannon of an arm.
So after 2 days my new starting line-up is:
1B Infante {Julian has been horrible at the plate; 0-4; 2 K's. I'm not at all worried.}
2B Paul {0-5. Again, not at all worried.}
SS Kaiser {2-6, looking good at the plate and in the field}
3B Brewer {3-6}
LF Grisanti {4-5, HR}
CF Bleday {2-6}
RF DeMarco {2-5, HR}
C Duvall {3-5, HR}
DH Gonzalez {2-6, HR}
I'm really, really interested to see who tomorrow's starting pitchers are as we have yet to see Raby, Fellows, or Eder -- all guys that I would consider possible weekend starters.
Off topic, but still important, I would like to commend the Baseball Operations people who have supplied some handy dandy pre-printed scorecards for both games. Today's version even had the stats from yesterday's game for each starter listed. The scorecard also lists all available pitchers. This is extremely fan-friendly so I hope whoever knows who is responsible for this will pass along this praise.
