Coca-Cola Classic Game 2: Mercer Bears

[parrotreb]

Is Bittle starting for us? He needs to, he's only pitched 1 inning this weekend. Let him start and go 4-5 innings, hopefully we'll get a nice lead and can go to the bullpen from there.

If he's a Closer this year and he's only pitched 1 or 2 innings on Friday and Saturday, he should be the starter on Sundays. Think anything like this may happen??? Seems like it would be a waste to not let him start on Sunday if he really hasn't pitched on Fri or Sat. He is our best pitcher on the staff.

He's closing and should have pitched the last 2 or 3 yesterday. Why save him to close Sunday and lose to Mercer?

That's a high dollar coaching question.

[oxfordrebel]

Not a good start to the season. Beat Liberty by 1 and lose to Mercer.

Not impressed. I know it's early, but we're not supposed to lose to these teams.

Give them time. None of us really knew what to expect going into this season with so many new players.

On the upside I think Barrett and Corrigan will be pretty good pitchers for us once they get used to the level of competition they're facing now. Both started strong.

I also think Mort will be okay at SS. He did commit an error against Liberty and he only has 1 hit in 8 ABs thus far, but he was fielding well today. We need some stability at that position after last season.

Power and Basham came outta the shoot like a rocket! Henry seems to be seeing the ball a little better than last year so far.

More offensive power today which felt good, but you can't score 11 runs and lose a game. I'm trying to see a silver lining, but still very disappointing.

Dude, I respect your knowledge of our baseball program immensely, but "level of competition"? Liberty and Mercer? I understand that every team we play (especially those looking to make a statement) are going to give us their best game, but come on. #6 in the nation by 1 run on Fri, and losing like this on Sat!?!?!?!

Well, Liberty and Mercer are to JUCO what Ole Miss is to Liberty and Mercer.

What I'm trying to say here is that they have to get used to Div I baseball. Granted, the Flames and the Bears are lower end Div I, but nevertheless, that is a different level than JUCO. That's all I'm saying there.

You have to admit that when Corrigan and Barnett hit their spots, they really hit their spots. They had some nice pitches and both have the potential to work out of some jams and be effective. I have more confidence in Barnett than I do Corrigan right now and that's good because Bianco seemed to indicate in his pre-game on Friday that Barnett was going to be a weekend starter for us this season.. Corrigan seemed to get majorly rattled any time he put a man on base. Course I remember a certain young pitcher named Scott Bittle who did the EXACT same thing 2 years ago, so there's definitely hope ther.

[oxpatchreb]

Give them time. None of us really knew what to expect going into this season with so many new players.

On the upside I think Barrett and Corrigan will be pretty good pitchers for us once they get used to the level of competition they're facing now. Both started strong.

I also think Mort will be okay at SS. He did commit an error against Liberty and he only has 1 hit in 8 ABs thus far, but he was fielding well today. We need some stability at that position after last season.

Power and Basham came outta the shoot like a rocket! Henry seems to be seeing the ball a little better than last year so far.

More offensive power today which felt good, but you can't score 11 runs and lose a game. I'm trying to see a silver lining, but still very disappointing.

Dude, I respect your knowledge of our baseball program immensely, but "level of competition"? Liberty and Mercer? I understand that every team we play (especially those looking to make a statement) are going to give us their best game, but come on. #6 in the nation by 1 run on Fri, and losing like this on Sat!?!?!?!

Well, Liberty and Mercer are to JUCO what Ole Miss is to Liberty and Mercer.

What I'm trying to say here is that they have to get used to Div I baseball. Granted, the Flames and the Bears are lower end Div I, but nevertheless, that is a different level than JUCO. That's all I'm saying there.

You have to admit that when Corrigan and Barnett hit their spots, they really hit their spots. They had some nice pitches and both have the potential to work out of some jams and be effective. I have more confidence in Barnett than I do Corrigan right now and that's good because Bianco seemed to indicate in his pre-game on Friday that Barnett was going to be a weekend starter for us this season.. Corrigan seemed to get majorly rattled any time he put a man on base. Course I remember a certain young pitcher named Scott Bittle who did the EXACT same thing 2 years ago, so there's definitely hope ther.

I guess I understand the JUCO issue. I'm not happy that we're so dependant on JUCO's when we're a top 10 team year in and year out, but that's another issue.

If Corrigan and Barnett develop into even HALF the pitcher that Bittle is, then it will definitely work out. However, we should NOT be pre-season #6 if we're waiting on stuff to pan out.

I want to win. I want our kids and our program to win. I want to shake off this stigma of Omaha and make some noise nationally. Baseball is the only sport that we can honestly say that we can play with and beat any team in the nation year in and year out. I want to prove that NOW. Not in a couple years, not when the coach has a chance to get his own players in there, not when our facilities are up to par. All of those things have been taken care of in the past 5 years. It's time for Mike to show what he's got. It's time for Reinstetle to prove himself. It's time for the Rebels to do something special. NOW.

[oxfordrebel]

I guess I understand the JUCO issue. I'm not happy that we're so dependant on JUCO's when we're a top 10 team year in and year out, but that's another issue.

If Corrigan and Barnett develop into even HALF the pitcher that Bittle is, then it will definitely work out. However, we should NOT be pre-season #6 if we're waiting on stuff to pan out.

I want to win. I want our kids and our program to win. I want to shake off this stigma of Omaha and make some noise nationally. Baseball is the only sport that we can honestly say that we can play with and beat any team in the nation year in and year out. I want to prove that NOW. Not in a couple years, not when the coach has a chance to get his own players in there, not when our facilities are up to par. All of those things have been taken care of in the past 5 years. It's time for Mike to show what he's got. It's time for Reinstetle to prove himself. It's time for the Rebels to do something special. NOW.

I feel ya, man. Take into account that Pom was out this weekend on suspension but should be back next weekend, I think, which is good with TCU up.

Past teams have surpassed expectations. We were due a down year and it was last year. I'm wondering if we're going to have to endure another down season and we're, yet again, a "season away".

I know it's early, but I haven't seen a Rebel baseball team perform this poorly in a long time. Hope it was just first road game/first weekend issues that get corrected against UCA Tuesday and Wednesday.

If we don't sweet UCA in mid-week action then this season could go south out of the gate...

The team that played Friday, Saturday, and today is NOT a #6 team. Look for the Rebels to take a big drop in the polls tomorrow when they are released.