Just a couple thoughts I've had rattling around my head on this baseball team, what they are, and where they're headed...
*So, 13-0 without Steven Gingery, you say? I wouldn't have told you it was impossible, but I certainly would've said it was extremely improbable. That's because we just didn't know at all what we'd get out of this bullpen and the newcomers to this pitching staff going into the season. Now, after a weekend where Tech's staff shut down a veteran, savvy South Alabama lineup with some guys who will play pro ball in it, I think it's fair to say this is the deepest and most talented pitching staff in Lubbock maybe ever. It's at least the best overall from top to bottom in two decades.
*Tim Tadlock's baseball teams at Tech have seemingly always had a few staple bullpen workhorses along the lines of Corey Taylor, Johnny Drozd, Robert Dugger, Hayden Howard, Parker Mushinski, and Jacob Patterson. All guys that you could ride through the storm of the latter innings with while sprinkling in a few other reliable arms for an inning or two when needed. It turns out, this team is different. Instead of using a handful of work horses, the 2018 Red Raiders will do it with what's an army in comparison. Dylan Dusek (When not starting), Ty Harpenau, and Caleb Killian are all three guys you can use as workhorses out of the pen when needed, but that's the thing: I don't think this team needs them to be that because of the varietal toolbox that is this bullpen this spring. Caleb Freeman, Jose Quezada, Dane Haveman, and Connor Queen are all viable arms with good stuff that you can pepper in for an inning or two and keep on plugging. You simply haven't had that many reliable power arms in your pen under Tadlock. In fact, 98 percent of college baseball programs don't. This is an absolute bounty of talent, and I left off a handful of other guys who've pitched, too. That's something.
*College baseball, above all else is about one thing to me: Pitching depth. It's a sport that's a war of attrition. If you have more arms than the other team, and if those arms stretch out their outings with low inning to inning pitch counts, then you're going to have a really hard time beating them. That's why I think this team in particular is absolutely built for the postseason. Yes, you love the power of this lineup and how they can explode for 5 runs in an inning at times, but there are days when your offense poops out, no matter how good. (Exhibit A: Regional vs. Sam Houston). Having more pitching than your opponents to go along with a power-heavy lineup means you're going to have a better chance to be in good shape late in a series, a regional, or Omaha.
*Through 13 games, this team is giving up 2.5 runs per contest, and a good number of the runs have come in late innings when Tech's put in the younger, less experienced pitchers when games have been in hand. Add to that the fact that almost a third of those games are against South Alabama, who any knowing mind in the college baseball community would tell you had a legit Power 5, big time savvy, veteran lineup? That's proof that this isn't some early season fluke. This staff is legit.
*Davis Martin I thought had his best start of the season on Friday night. He only went 5 innings and threw 90 pitches, but he was lasered in with his command and location. He went deep into some counts because South Alabama wasn't biting on anything tricky and, again, is a veteran lineup trying to wait for their pitch. I think Martin's gotten better with each and every start. Excited to see him faceoff with Kentucky this weekend.
*This lineup can mash from top to bottom. There's no doubt about it. My one and only complaint is that they strikeout a bit too much right now. That, and they're a little inconsistent scoring-wise, as they usually score in bunches and rarely spread it out steadily over contests. Now, that's obviously a nitpick with what's going on with this team, but I think they need to find a bit more consistency as an offense. But in this case, that's like telling a howitzer it was a foot off the mark. It doesn't really matter much.
*What I LOVE about this lineup that's different than in years past? There's more speed, and thus they're much more aggressive on the basepaths. That's a nice cherry on top that I'm loving when I see these guys steal, double steal, and put on more hit and runs this season.
*These next five games are going to say A LOT about this team. I think a 3-2 record in Kentucky against the Wildcats and Cardinals would be a rousing success to be celebrated, as both of these teams are LOADED with talent, particularly Kentucky with their pitching, which should make for a nailbiter of a series. It's also time to find out how grown up these freshmen are on their first true road stint of the year.
*So, 13-0 without Steven Gingery, you say? I wouldn't have told you it was impossible, but I certainly would've said it was extremely improbable. That's because we just didn't know at all what we'd get out of this bullpen and the newcomers to this pitching staff going into the season. Now, after a weekend where Tech's staff shut down a veteran, savvy South Alabama lineup with some guys who will play pro ball in it, I think it's fair to say this is the deepest and most talented pitching staff in Lubbock maybe ever. It's at least the best overall from top to bottom in two decades.
*Tim Tadlock's baseball teams at Tech have seemingly always had a few staple bullpen workhorses along the lines of Corey Taylor, Johnny Drozd, Robert Dugger, Hayden Howard, Parker Mushinski, and Jacob Patterson. All guys that you could ride through the storm of the latter innings with while sprinkling in a few other reliable arms for an inning or two when needed. It turns out, this team is different. Instead of using a handful of work horses, the 2018 Red Raiders will do it with what's an army in comparison. Dylan Dusek (When not starting), Ty Harpenau, and Caleb Killian are all three guys you can use as workhorses out of the pen when needed, but that's the thing: I don't think this team needs them to be that because of the varietal toolbox that is this bullpen this spring. Caleb Freeman, Jose Quezada, Dane Haveman, and Connor Queen are all viable arms with good stuff that you can pepper in for an inning or two and keep on plugging. You simply haven't had that many reliable power arms in your pen under Tadlock. In fact, 98 percent of college baseball programs don't. This is an absolute bounty of talent, and I left off a handful of other guys who've pitched, too. That's something.
*College baseball, above all else is about one thing to me: Pitching depth. It's a sport that's a war of attrition. If you have more arms than the other team, and if those arms stretch out their outings with low inning to inning pitch counts, then you're going to have a really hard time beating them. That's why I think this team in particular is absolutely built for the postseason. Yes, you love the power of this lineup and how they can explode for 5 runs in an inning at times, but there are days when your offense poops out, no matter how good. (Exhibit A: Regional vs. Sam Houston). Having more pitching than your opponents to go along with a power-heavy lineup means you're going to have a better chance to be in good shape late in a series, a regional, or Omaha.
*Through 13 games, this team is giving up 2.5 runs per contest, and a good number of the runs have come in late innings when Tech's put in the younger, less experienced pitchers when games have been in hand. Add to that the fact that almost a third of those games are against South Alabama, who any knowing mind in the college baseball community would tell you had a legit Power 5, big time savvy, veteran lineup? That's proof that this isn't some early season fluke. This staff is legit.
*Davis Martin I thought had his best start of the season on Friday night. He only went 5 innings and threw 90 pitches, but he was lasered in with his command and location. He went deep into some counts because South Alabama wasn't biting on anything tricky and, again, is a veteran lineup trying to wait for their pitch. I think Martin's gotten better with each and every start. Excited to see him faceoff with Kentucky this weekend.
*This lineup can mash from top to bottom. There's no doubt about it. My one and only complaint is that they strikeout a bit too much right now. That, and they're a little inconsistent scoring-wise, as they usually score in bunches and rarely spread it out steadily over contests. Now, that's obviously a nitpick with what's going on with this team, but I think they need to find a bit more consistency as an offense. But in this case, that's like telling a howitzer it was a foot off the mark. It doesn't really matter much.
*What I LOVE about this lineup that's different than in years past? There's more speed, and thus they're much more aggressive on the basepaths. That's a nice cherry on top that I'm loving when I see these guys steal, double steal, and put on more hit and runs this season.
*These next five games are going to say A LOT about this team. I think a 3-2 record in Kentucky against the Wildcats and Cardinals would be a rousing success to be celebrated, as both of these teams are LOADED with talent, particularly Kentucky with their pitching, which should make for a nailbiter of a series. It's also time to find out how grown up these freshmen are on their first true road stint of the year.
