I like your optimism, but, he's running out of time to get back into form. I watched Kentucky hitters make monkeys (can I say that?) out of the Arky pitchers yesterday. Don't ring up that Kentucky sweep just yet if Mestepay is starting on Friday night.
No kidding. Mestepey has just lost it the last few weeks. You know something is really wrong when he walks and hits batters ... something he's never done throughout is career. Maybe it's time for Smoke to start English Friday night and see what happens.
I really hate this. He's been a such a contributor to the program and I've really been pulling for him and fully expected his return to form. Problem is, at this point in the season, we can't afford to concede another Friday game. Glad I don't have to make the decision.
Man, I'm not sure I like what Smoke is thinking ... moving up Dirks and Smith to Friday and Saturday. I hate messing with the entire rotation when 2/3 is pitching well. Guess we'll see next weekend... From The Advocate: Mestepey (5-6) has a losing record for the first time in his career. He was 5-1 after a March 18 victory at Georgia put him four victories behind the LSU career record of 38 set by Scott Schultz. In his last three starts, Mestepey has allowed 17 earned runs in 91/3 innings, the worst three-game total of his career. Before that, only once had he allowed three runs or more in three consecutive starts. "If I'm throwing the ball away (from the hitter), it ends up inside," Mestepey said. "If I throw one in, it ends up away. I don't know. I've just got to keep figuring out what's wrong. That's three weeks in a row I've pitched terrible." Vanderbilt's first run Saturday ended a streak of 241/3 consecutive shutout innings by LSU pitchers. The Commodores scored two more in that second inning, then scored three in the third before LSU coach Smoke Laval replaced Mestepey with Eric English. English retired 10 consecutive batters at one point before running into trouble. Laval said Mestepey didn't pitch as poorly as his linescore, a comment Laval made last weekend after Mestepey gave up six runs in the first two innings of LSU's 10-7 victory at Arkansas. Mestepey was out of the game when the Tigers took the lead. Still, Laval said he'll consider moving his other two weekend starters up in the rotation, giving Dirks the Friday night role and Greg Smith -- who will start today's game -- the Saturday spot. "If I don't need (Jason) Determann in the first two games, I can start him on Sundays," Laval said. "If I need Determann before that, I'm not afraid to start Lane on Sundays. "But I've got to have Lane. It's like when J.C. Holt and Jon Zeringue struggled two years ago. People wanted me to take them out, but I had to let them work through their struggles because I knew I needed them to get where we wanted to go." The entire article ... The Advocate
"If I'm throwing the ball away (from the hitter), it ends up inside," Mestepey said. "If I throw one in, it ends up away. I don't know. I've just got to keep figuring out what's wrong. That's three weeks in a row I've pitched terrible." I'm no pitching coach, nor do I play one on TV, but to me, that sounds like a release point problem.
That's what we, as fans, need to understand. Smoke is not necessarily trying to be loyal to Mestepay. He knows that we can't make a serious post season run without him.
we can start either detty, meier, mestey, or english on sundays. How is it such a crime to move Dirks and Smith up to Saturday and Sunday starting? sounds like a good plan to me...it doesnt matter which day/night the guys pitch. They'll keep bringin' it! this way we can have our 'pen rested for the sunday game to go for the sweep or win the rubber match i dont know. It's not a release point problem because your release point determines the height of the pitch (up or down in the zone)...its just the way he's pitching it that determines that. I'm no pitching coach either, but I did start many games at pitcher in high school...doesnt sound good fella's for mestey :tigbas: :geauxtige LSU! :lsup:
Russ Springer went through the samething during the laste 80's. He'll work through it and Kentucky is a perfect team to do against. The Cats are competative, but not overpowering.
The release point can determine many things, not just the up and down. It can determine the amount of spin, which can absolutely make a difference in location. I don't know if it is a release point problem either as it could be several things, but it doesn't just effect the height of a pitch.
