There were so many oppurtunities to score runs last night and we just could not push them across. Smoke needs to start playing fundamental baseball when we need a run or two. There were runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs and Will Harris (struggling) was at the plate, instead of bunting the runners over, he lets Will hit and he strikes out. In situations like that he needs to do whats best for the team and Bunt.
In case you didn't notice, Tulane is in state. It is very important to beat them because they have Super Regionals now. When were not playing at home, we have a shoddy record away in the SR. Remember what happened in Skip's last year? I would agree that pre-SR these games didn't matter. It's a dog fight to win a top-8 seeding. You don't think Smoke realizes this?
There are a couple of schools of thought on teams failing to score runs - 1. let them hit their way out of it 2. try to create scoring opportunities by hit-n-run, stealing bases, bunting, all of which put pressure on the defense to make plays. Obviously, Smoke believes in having the Tigers hit their way out of this slump. And give credit to Tulane for making some great defensive stops are we might be talking about a different outcome. One thing a team that is not scoring a lot of runs needs is help from its pitching staff - Tulane scored its first run on a ground out which made it two outs and a runner on. As a pitcher you've got to minimize the damage and you just can't hang a slider in that situation. A 1-0 deficit is a lot easier to overcome than a 3-0 deficit. And notice that the Tulane pitchers made the pitches when they needed to. Hopefully once the weather starts to heat up a bit that the bats will start to heat up as well, that's usually what happens. But Tirk is right...back in Skip's day the Tigers could afford to lose some midweek games and it didn't affect them too much, but now it does affect a team's chances at hosting a Super Regional. Now losing to #1 ranked Tulane doesn't hurt as much as losing to a hapless Centenary program.
I can't agree with you opinion that the Tigers' pitching is great. UAB & UA-Little Rock hit Tiger pitching fairly well. For the most part, their pitching is about a month behind the curve. What were the pitchers & coaches doing during the fall? I agree with you on fundamentals, like bunting; one game this weekend was a disgrace in their inability to lay-down a bunt. Someone else post about non-conference games & mid-week games mean nothing is b.s. True, the SEC games are very important but not being able to push over more than 2 runs against Tulane shows the Tigers are really not, at this time, in the same class with them. And, allowing UA-Little Rock & UAB to score as much as they did is disturbing, too.
I realize that non-conference games are important, as it pertains to Super Regionals now b/c only the top 8 seeds host and LSU doesnt win in Supers away from the Box, but... I was not devaluing all non-conf wins, though, I just think that LSU can drop a game here and there as long as we take the series, plus we have another game with Tulane in April that could be more detrimental to rankings. Plus if we go through the SEC like we usually do (baring Ark. sweep last year) we should stay in the top 8, we are only down to 5 and as long as we win 2 of 3 or sweep ASU/W this weeekend we shouldn't drop at all. We lost to the #1 team in the nation but we can still redeem ourselves. I just think some keys moves need to be made and Smoke doesnt want to make them ie Mayer for W. Harris, Hollander for Hebert, and Padron for B. Harris. But Smokes knows more than me about this team and so i will trust his judgement. It seems to me this team is on the cusp of being very good but we cant seem to do it when it counts. Our pitchers arent great? Weekend Pitchers: Mestepey - 1.42 ERA, 3-1, 25.1 IP, 7 runs on 19 hits only 4 earned runs, 19 SOs and only 4 walks, Batters averageing .204 against him. Dirks - 2.66 ERA, 4-0, 23.3 IP, 8 runs on 16 hits - 7 earned, 21 SOs and only 7 walks, batters hitting .198 against. Smith - 2.70 ERA, 3-1, 23.1 IP, 11 runs on 20 hits - 7 earned, 29 SOs and 9 walks, batters hitting .233 against. Bullpen: (minus Dardar, Nall and Cahill who i dont think will see much more action in non-blow out games) The top 5 in the pen have given up 33 hits, but only 13 runs (if u add in 3 stooges then its 62 hits and 38 runs). They have also combined for 47 SOs, Determan and Faircloth with 17 and 16 respectively, and have only given up 16 walks. I would say that our staff is up there with anyone elses in the nation, we only look suspect because of bad starts by Cahill (fr), Dardar (fr), and Nall (still coming back from injury). The 3 will get their control down this year and will come around well probably being used as mid relief in games well in hand. 4 losses this early isn't really that bad (but could be better) we will know alot more about this team after a couple weeks of SEC play. Until then I refuse to meltdown about dumb decisions made by Smoke, or dumb games played by the fellas.
you're my example of a fan in a vacuum. Our pitching staff is a month behind the curve?? What does that mean and how do you make such an assessment? Compared to whom? LSU is not in the same class as tulane? we were one timely hit away from blowing the game open early and we hit far better than they did except right at guys. "that's baseball." I will concede Tulane seemingly is more mentally tough and/or focused than we are currently. However, 3 or 4 games (losses) are not near enough to make a blanket assessment of any team. LSU is a top notch team with the coaching and talent it always has and the next game Tulane wins in Omaha will be its second ever in its history. Its funny how so many dont understand that this same exact thing has been said the last 15-20 years by such fans yet the outcome almost always ends the same. With LSU standing at the end. Most probably arent even aware Smoke was a part of a couple NC teams during his first stint with LSU and Skip so he knows what it takes to win. Have a little faith but the fact is no one will EVER replace Skip. Smoke is in a thankless position no matter what he does beyond winning the CWS.
I am no baseball genius, but I'm pretty sure that in baseball, you can't tell much about how the season will go judging by one or two games early in the season. I think that we should relax and keep in mind that our opinions right now are based upon but a fraction of a season of play. I'm trying to be fair to Coach Smoke and give him credit for what he accomplished. It's true that I have bashed and criticized him in the past, and perhaps some of my criticism was justified, but I think that I also forgot to give Smoke credit for what he accomplished. Let's just review Smoke like any other LSU coach . . . examine his performance on a year by year basis. If LSU needs to make a change in 2 or 3 years, and if a promising baseball coach is available at that time, LSU will probably do the right thing.
On a tour of Louisiana, the Pope took a couple of days off to visit the coastal area for some sightseeing. He was cruising along the beach on Grand Isle in his Pope mobile. Suddenly he noticed a frantic commotion just off shore. A helpless man, wearing a Tulane jersey, was struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a 25-foot shark. As the Pope watched, horrified, a speedboat came racing up with three men wearing LSU jerseys aboard. One quickly fired a harpoon into the shark’s side. The other two reached out and pulled the bleeding, semiconscious Tulane fan from the water. Then using autographed Smoke Lavall baseball bats, the three heroes beat the shark to death and hauled it into the boat also. Immediately the Pope shouted and summoned them to the beach. “I give you my blessings for your brave actions,” he told them. “I heard that there was some bitter hatred between Tulane and LSU fans, but now I have seen with my own eyes that this is not true.” As the Pope drove off, the harpooner asked his buddies “Who was that?” “It was the Pope,” one replied. “He is in direct contact with God and has all of God’s wisdom.” “Well,” the harpooner said, “he may have access to God’s wisdom, but he doesn’t know squat about shark fishing. How’s the bait holding up?”
