WCWS vs. UCLA - elimination game

[passthebiscuits 6,831]

Who can pitch for us today? I would guess it will be by committee

[Mikey 16,550]

Who can pitch for us today? I would guess it will be by committee

It's by committee every day for us. Pitching softball isn't like baseball anyway. Good softball pitchers routinely throw several hundred pitches over a weekend. For example, bammer's ace pitched all three games in their super regional, threw roughly 375 pitches in two days (ESPN stopped counting at 340) and is none the worse for the wear.

I don't think fatigue had anything to do with the UCLA pitcher's control problems in the last inning. She'd been pitching a few over batter's heads and in the dirt and walking batters the entire game. That's why they took her out earlier.

[AU64 10,122]

Who can pitch for us today? I would guess it will be by committee

It's by committee every day for us. Pitching softball isn't like baseball anyway. Good softball pitchers routinely throw several hundred pitches over a weekend. For example, bammer's ace pitched all three games in their super regional, threw roughly 375 pitches in two days (ESPN stopped counting at 340) and is none the worse for the wear.

I don't think fatigue had anything to do with the UCLA pitcher's control problems in the last inning. She'd been pitching a few over batter's heads and in the dirt and walking batters the entire game. That's why they took her out earlier.

Gotta disagree...watched several games lately where pitchers went to the 175-200 range and their effectiveness was definitely affected. Maybe it's must me, but I find it hard to believe that 175+ repetitive actions like that don't have any physical effect on the players. True, she was still throwing hard but the longer she pitched, like the ULL pitcher, the wilder she got. ...keeping in mind that being "wild" does not just mean throwing the ball over a batter's head...it also can mean throwing one down the middle at a bad time.

JMO too..but every team out there would love to have three more or less equal pitchers....during the series I heard several other coaches talk about the need to develop a pitching staff ...like Auburn has. I expect there are a few out there but from what I witnessed, it's a big step down for about every other team in the tournament (maybe other than Tenn) when they have to go to their second pitcher....which is why Carda was still in the game at the end.....and why bama lost with Littlejohn on the mound last night.

Sure it would be nice to have a couple 68-70 mph pitchers but they are few and far between as we have seen....so winning with what you have is what most coaches have to do.

Meanwhile, a great win despite some uncharacteristically bad infield play and base running in the UCLA game. Great courage to come back against the PAC 12 player of the year.

[RunInRed 16,360]

[Mikey 16,550]

About those pinch runners: It appears to me that our pinch runners, while I'm sure they are fast, are inexperienced. There have been at least three "rookie errors" that resulted in key outs by pinch runners in the last few games.

"Develop a staff"? Sure, everybody would like to have three great pitchers but that's not what we have. Last night our pitchers gave up 17 hits and six walks with only two strikeouts. We gave up nine earned runs. Depth is only good if it's quality depth. I think our pitchers try hard and do a lot with their abilities. I love that they are busting their tails for Auburn but they are not anybody's idea of "Ace" pitchers.

Pitcher is no different than, say, center field. You can have six of 'em but if the best any can do is hit .195 and miss fly balls, you have a problem in center field. Give up 17 hits, six walks and hit a batter while getting only two K's and you have a problem at pitcher. It's not isolated to this one game. Any objective look at this teams' stats for the season shows the same thing. Every other measurable for this team is in the top 10 nationally. Pitching was 102nd before last night's rocky pitching performance. To say others envy our pitching setup does not hold water.

[AU64 10,122]

About those pinch runners: It appears to me that our pinch runners, while I'm sure they are fast, are inexperienced. There have been at least three "rookie errors" that resulted in key outs by pinch runners in the last few games.

"Develop a staff"? Sure, everybody would like to have three great pitchers but that's not what we have. Last night our pitchers gave up 17 hits and six walks with only two strikeouts. We gave up nine earned runs. Depth is only good if it's quality depth. I think our pitchers try hard and do a lot with their abilities. I love that they are busting their tails for Auburn but they are not anybody's idea of "Ace" pitchers.

Pitcher is no different than, say, center field. You can have six of 'em but if the best any can do is hit .195 and miss fly balls, you have a problem in center field. Give up 17 hits, six walks and hit a batter while getting only two K's and you have a problem at pitcher. It's not isolated to this one game. Any objective look at this teams' stats for the season shows the same thing. Every other measurable for this team is in the top 10 nationally. Pitching was 102nd before last night's rocky pitching performance. To say others envy our pitching setup does not hold water.

Not claiming we have aces...but notice that the UCLA ace walked 12 batters...including the game winner.....because they only had a freshman behind her with very little experience. I'm sure that the AU coaches would like to have a Carda on their staff....but I bet the UCLA coach would have given a lot to be able to look to the bullpen and bring in Lexi Davis or Walters late in the game.....as would have the ULL coach as he watched his only pitcher self-destruct in the clinching Super Regional game.

Guess we are just gonna have to disagree on this.....

[Mikey 16,550]

Guess we are just gonna have to disagree on this.....

We wouldn't disagree if AU had a true top of the line pitcher and the others were filling the staff out. We've got the taters but the steak is missing.

I think the UCLA pitcher was having just as rough a time in the third inning as she was later. Thus they pulled her for a sub for a while. The three commentators, who know a lot more about softball pitching than I do, didn't seem to thing fatigue was a factor.

[around4ever 4,139]

We don't have an "ace". We do have three more than adequate pitchers. Each one has had some "ace" moments this year. Each one has had some not so "ace" moments this year. I like having three more than adequate pitchers. Would I like to have a Haeger, Carda, Osorio or Hawkins? Well heck yeah, who wouldn't? We don't have one. We have a more than solid defense behind our pitchers and many more times than not, a very productive offense. As long as our offense can score more runs than our opponents, as we have done 56 times this year, I'm OK. A good analogy is our 2010 and 2013 football teams. We did not have good defenses but our offense outscored our opponents more times than not.

WAR EAGLE!!!

[saminbama 740]

Speaking of Carda, there's something I don't understand. How does the Pitcher of the Year in the PAC 12 and an All America struggle against left handed batters? How did she win all those games with that issue? Very strange. While we don't have that ace pitcher this year, we do have a pretty good one coming in next year and we only lose 2 starters from this team. Next year's team will be loaded with seniors with all the experience they've gained this year. We've gotten to the mountain top without an ace and that's because we have coaches know what they're doing and we have a bunch young women who never give up. Who would've thought we would make it to the final four and beat the Notre Dame of college softball. War Eagle.

[AU64 10,122]

Guess we are just gonna have to disagree on this.....

We wouldn't disagree if AU had a true top of the line pitcher and the others were filling the staff out. We've got the taters but the steak is missing.

I think the UCLA pitcher was having just as rough a time in the third inning as she was later. Thus they pulled her for a sub for a while. The three commentators, who know a lot more about softball pitching than I do, didn't seem to thing fatigue was a factor.

True...but I think the problem with the teams that have an "ace" is that most of them did not seem to have a Plan B....so they stuck with the ace when ...if they had a Plan B, they would have gone there.

The Plan B for UCLA lasted three batters and was never seen again despite Carda's difficulties. I hope AU gets an incoming pitcher of the caliber of those you mentioned...BUT....I bet we will not see the current pitchers relegated to mid week duty. I think that the Myers' philosophy is have a "staff" and give all of them quality time....which for this season, has worked well.....no matter the conditions when they come in, the moment does not seem to be too big for them.

[Shift 350]

That freshman catcher is something else. Great win ladies !!!!

:wareagle:

[Mikey 16,550]

That freshman catcher is something else. Great win ladies !!!!

:wareagle:

Her performance reminds me of long, long ago. Yankee's manager Casey Stengle was quoted as saying "I don't care what the statistics are, when the game is on the line I want #9 (Yogi Berra) coming up to bat." Carley is AU's Yogi Berra. .270 batting average or not, when the game is on the line I want 00 coming up to bat.

[around4ever 4,139]

That freshman catcher is something else. Great win ladies !!!!

:wareagle:

Her performance reminds me of long, long ago. Yankee's manager Casey Stengle was quoted as saying "I don't care what the statistics are, when the game is on the line I want #9 (Yogi Berra) coming up to bat." Carley is AU's Yogi Berra. .270 batting average or not, when the game is on the line I want 00 coming up to bat.

She is very composed for a freshman. She also does great interviews. The only weakness I see was pointed out by either Smith or Mendoza. She is too far in front of the plate when a throw and runner are coming in. Maybe the collision a couple of weeks ago has prompted that. I am excited that we have three more years of her greatness.

[Mikey 16,550]

That freshman catcher is something else. Great win ladies !!!!

:wareagle:

Her performance reminds me of long, long ago. Yankee's manager Casey Stengle was quoted as saying "I don't care what the statistics are, when the game is on the line I want #9 (Yogi Berra) coming up to bat." Carley is AU's Yogi Berra. .270 batting average or not, when the game is on the line I want 00 coming up to bat.

She is very composed for a freshman. She also does great interviews. The only weakness I see was pointed out by either Smith or Mendoza. She is too far in front of the plate when a throw and runner are coming in. Maybe the collision a couple of weeks ago has prompted that. I am excited that we have three more years of her greatness.

I'm thinking (hoping) that those two instances of being in front of the plate last night were a result of the particulars of the plays and not a trend. She wasn't doing that earlier, and has been blocking the plate since the collision.

[around4ever 4,139]

That freshman catcher is something else. Great win ladies !!!!

:wareagle:

Her performance reminds me of long, long ago. Yankee's manager Casey Stengle was quoted as saying "I don't care what the statistics are, when the game is on the line I want #9 (Yogi Berra) coming up to bat." Carley is AU's Yogi Berra. .270 batting average or not, when the game is on the line I want 00 coming up to bat.

She is very composed for a freshman. She also does great interviews. The only weakness I see was pointed out by either Smith or Mendoza. She is too far in front of the plate when a throw and runner are coming in. Maybe the collision a couple of weeks ago has prompted that. I am excited that we have three more years of her greatness.

I'm thinking (hoping) that those two instances of being in front of the plate last night were a result of the particulars of the plays and not a trend. She wasn't doing that earlier, and has been blocking the plate since the collision.

I hope you are right.