Thoughts from the USC weekend

[kbtiger151345162906 0]

-We need Bobby Andrews back, our lineup is not nearly as electric at the top without him.

-Still have confidence in Varandore, I want to believe in Jacobs but he'll need to show it 2 weekends in a row.  Have no confidence in any of our other starters.

-I got to see Luckie pitch for the first time this year on Sunday.  He is just too careful.  He doesn't have great stuff so he tries to nibble around the plate and if the umpire is squeezing him (which was happening on Sunday) or Luckie isn't perfect he gets himself in trouble.

-I don't want to think about the lineup without Gamache.

-I know we're short on depth but please take Beisner out of the lineup.

-Our bullpen is really shaping up.  I have a lot of confidence in Wallen and Ortman.  Ray can get outs.  Slade and Blatt are solid out of the pen, just can't start.  If we can get some good starts I think these guys can shut em down.

-Base running and fielding mistakes are frustrating and we make a lot of them.

-Bright spots from the weekend came from Ole Miss sweeping and Arkansas losing 2 at UGA.

-We still have just as good a chance to win the West as we did last week at this time.

-War Eagle and its great to be an Auburn Tiger.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

I missed all the games against USCe except for the last part of Sunday's game due to the power outages, but I was not surprised by the outcome. I think I was about the only one who didn't expect to take a game from the Gamecocks. They are just such a talented team, especially in the ares where we are not.

AU doesn't have a really strong team, for several reasons that we have all discussed. I hope AU can make it to post season play, and hit a hot streak. 

Hopefully Coach P. can get some new pitching talent from somewhere, and work on the fielding errors that have killed AU in so many games, and next season will be a little stronger. The bats won't be new by then, and adjustments can be perfected.

[AU64 10,122]

I don't have the stats but from games I listen to, etc. the Tigers gives up way too many runs that the opposition does not have to earn....errors in field and on basepaths, walks that come home to score, and so on.  This team just does not play good fundamental baseball.  I know it's a young group but they are most of the way through the season and not showing the improvement needed to really compete in the SEC. 

For some reason all the power in baseball is in the East so winning the West does nothing more than get the team a quick exit from the SEC tourney since even the bottom East teams have dominated the West.  Kind of like football and basketball...hard to explain how all the best teams are in the same division.