(03-16-2015 12:05 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-15-2015 04:36 PM)interwebowl Wrote:  I agree with 13th. That was pretty dominant. I guess you had to be at the game to really appreciate how good those la tech guys were. They ran out of pitching today, but they will beat people.

I agree with this as well. And I, too, think that La. Tech will be very good by the end of the season. They are still adjusting to a new head coach (introduced this past summer). They started the year with 4 straight losses, but since then; that is, after those 4 losses but before Rice, they were 8-2, which included winning 2 out of 3 against Oral Roberts who has a top 100 RPI ranking of 89: http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2015/rpi

I'm not convinced. Yes, their aggressiveness will steal some games, but they don't have a #3 starter, which means they've already lost one of three weekend games before they even start, and I don't think their Friday and Saturday starters, though solid, are quite quality enough to compete against a better pitching staff, given their lack of offense. We got into trouble those first two games only because of the number of free passes our pitchers gave them, couple with a key error and getting suckered twice on the same delayed, two-out double steal.

(03-16-2015 10:29 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 12:05 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-15-2015 04:36 PM)interwebowl Wrote:  I agree with 13th. That was pretty dominant. I guess you had to be at the game to really appreciate how good those la tech guys were. They ran out of pitching today, but they will beat people.

I agree with this as well. And I, too, think that La. Tech will be very good by the end of the season. They are still adjusting to a new head coach (introduced this past summer). They started the year with 4 straight losses, but since then; that is, after those 4 losses but before Rice, they were 8-2, which included winning 2 out of 3 against Oral Roberts who has a top 100 RPI ranking of 89: http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2015/rpi

I'm not convinced. Yes, their aggressiveness will steal some games, but they don't have a #3 starter, which means they've already lost one of three weekend games before they even start, and I don't think their Friday and Saturday starters, though solid, are quite quality enough to compete against a better pitching staff, given their lack of offense. We got into trouble those first two games only because of the number of free passes our pitchers gave them, couple with a key error and getting suckered twice on the same delayed, two-out double steal.

I don't think anyone is saying they are a Regional lock. I had thought coming into the series that they were a bad team with a bad coach. I admit that I might have missed reading any previews on the series, but this was my mindset coming into the series. What I saw was a well coached team that seemingly was having a good time and playing Rice close. I came away from this weekend with a healthy respect for their team. What was weird about the weekend was that I usually covet a player or three from the opposition and imagine how strong a Rice squad would be if they could add those players, but this weekend that didn't happen. (OK, I lied. I liked the reliever from Friday night.).

I like Wayne Graham as a person and as a coach. So with that said, I find myself not liking the opposition's coach most of the time. I know this is juvenile on my part, but they say you have to grow old - you don't have to grow up...so, the last two weekends I found myself liking both coaches. Weird.

Just like Rice Basketball got props for their hustle, and results without an abundance of big men or depth, I think La Tech is on the right track without an abundance of big bats or pitching depth. Dude, they were pinch hitting people hitting .180 and the people getting pulled weren't sulking. After the at bat, the guy they replaced was one of the first guys off the bench to congratulate the hitter. Little things. Watch La Tech, they are on the right track.

(03-16-2015 10:29 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 12:05 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-15-2015 04:36 PM)interwebowl Wrote:  I agree with 13th. That was pretty dominant. I guess you had to be at the game to really appreciate how good those la tech guys were. They ran out of pitching today, but they will beat people.

I agree with this as well. And I, too, think that La. Tech will be very good by the end of the season. They are still adjusting to a new head coach (introduced this past summer). They started the year with 4 straight losses, but since then; that is, after those 4 losses but before Rice, they were 8-2, which included winning 2 out of 3 against Oral Roberts who has a top 100 RPI ranking of 89: http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2015/rpi

I'm not convinced. Yes, their aggressiveness will steal some games, but they don't have a #3 starter, which means they've already lost one of three weekend games before they even start, and I don't think their Friday and Saturday starters, though solid, are quite quality enough to compete against a better pitching staff, given their lack of offense. We got into trouble those first two games only because of the number of free passes our pitchers gave them, couple with a key error and getting suckered twice on the same delayed, two-out double steal.

Friday night's game vs. La. Tech, Rice pitchers gave up 1 walk (McCanna): Link to Friday Night's Box Score.

Saturday night's game vs. La. Tech Rice pitchers gave up 3 walks (Fox - 1, Ditman - 2): Link to Saturday Night's Box Score.

Edit: Ah, now noticing that Saturday night Rice pitching hit two batters, so total that to 5 put on base. Still, only one walk in Friday night's game.

(03-16-2015 11:07 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 10:29 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 12:05 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-15-2015 04:36 PM)interwebowl Wrote:  I agree with 13th. That was pretty dominant. I guess you had to be at the game to really appreciate how good those la tech guys were. They ran out of pitching today, but they will beat people.

I agree with this as well. And I, too, think that La. Tech will be very good by the end of the season. They are still adjusting to a new head coach (introduced this past summer). They started the year with 4 straight losses, but since then; that is, after those 4 losses but before Rice, they were 8-2, which included winning 2 out of 3 against Oral Roberts who has a top 100 RPI ranking of 89: http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2015/rpi

I'm not convinced. Yes, their aggressiveness will steal some games, but they don't have a #3 starter, which means they've already lost one of three weekend games before they even start, and I don't think their Friday and Saturday starters, though solid, are quite quality enough to compete against a better pitching staff, given their lack of offense. We got into trouble those first two games only because of the number of free passes our pitchers gave them, couple with a key error and getting suckered twice on the same delayed, two-out double steal.

Friday night's game vs. La. Tech, Rice pitchers gave up 1 walk (McCanna): Link to Friday Night's Box Score.

Saturday night's game vs. La. Tech Rice pitchers gave up 3 walks (Fox - 1, Ditman - 2): Link to Saturday Night's Box Score.

In fairness, we also hit 2 guys each game.

(03-16-2015 11:08 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 11:07 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 10:29 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 12:05 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-15-2015 04:36 PM)interwebowl Wrote:  I agree with 13th. That was pretty dominant. I guess you had to be at the game to really appreciate how good those la tech guys were. They ran out of pitching today, but they will beat people.

I agree with this as well. And I, too, think that La. Tech will be very good by the end of the season. They are still adjusting to a new head coach (introduced this past summer). They started the year with 4 straight losses, but since then; that is, after those 4 losses but before Rice, they were 8-2, which included winning 2 out of 3 against Oral Roberts who has a top 100 RPI ranking of 89: http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2015/rpi

I'm not convinced. Yes, their aggressiveness will steal some games, but they don't have a #3 starter, which means they've already lost one of three weekend games before they even start, and I don't think their Friday and Saturday starters, though solid, are quite quality enough to compete against a better pitching staff, given their lack of offense. We got into trouble those first two games only because of the number of free passes our pitchers gave them, couple with a key error and getting suckered twice on the same delayed, two-out double steal.

Friday night's game vs. La. Tech, Rice pitchers gave up 1 walk (McCanna): Link to Friday Night's Box Score.

Saturday night's game vs. La. Tech Rice pitchers gave up 3 walks (Fox - 1, Ditman - 2): Link to Saturday Night's Box Score.

In fairness, we also hit 2 guys each game.

Yes, I just put in an edit on that. You beat me to it.

(03-16-2015 11:08 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 11:07 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 10:29 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 12:05 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-15-2015 04:36 PM)interwebowl Wrote:  I agree with 13th. That was pretty dominant. I guess you had to be at the game to really appreciate how good those la tech guys were. They ran out of pitching today, but they will beat people.

I agree with this as well. And I, too, think that La. Tech will be very good by the end of the season. They are still adjusting to a new head coach (introduced this past summer). They started the year with 4 straight losses, but since then; that is, after those 4 losses but before Rice, they were 8-2, which included winning 2 out of 3 against Oral Roberts who has a top 100 RPI ranking of 89: http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2015/rpi

I'm not convinced. Yes, their aggressiveness will steal some games, but they don't have a #3 starter, which means they've already lost one of three weekend games before they even start, and I don't think their Friday and Saturday starters, though solid, are quite quality enough to compete against a better pitching staff, given their lack of offense. We got into trouble those first two games only because of the number of free passes our pitchers gave them, couple with a key error and getting suckered twice on the same delayed, two-out double steal.

Friday night's game vs. La. Tech, Rice pitchers gave up 1 walk (McCanna): Link to Friday Night's Box Score.

Saturday night's game vs. La. Tech Rice pitchers gave up 3 walks (Fox - 1, Ditman - 2): Link to Saturday Night's Box Score.

In fairness, we also hit 2 guys each game.

...and had multiple wild pitches each game. We also gave up 9he free passes yesterday I believe. We gifted them most of their runs in the series, though they did take good advantage of the opportunities through their aggressiveness on the base paths.

(03-16-2015 11:16 AM)interwebowl Wrote:  I took a seat over by the la tech dugout for part of the series and I thought I was watching a Wayne coached team. At one point the coach asked a player a question and he replied yes. The coach just stood there staring at the kid until he said "yes sir." Now I understand this is not going to make the kid hit or even provide a third starter but it seems to me that someone might be missing the point.

Last year Rice fans said it was ok to win the series even when they dropped a game along the way. La Tech for two years has been one of the running jokes of cusa baseball and for them a single win was a miracle. My point, and I can't speak for 13th, is that this team is going to win some series this year in this conference and probably make their way to the conference tourney which they failed to qualify for last year. The upside is huge. In the scheme of things, this can do us a huge favor down the road. Next week they host Southern Miss and I would not be shocked if they win that series no matter what the early batting averages and SOS (which are about as useless as RPI at this point if I follow Walt's logic) say.

I fail to see how batting AVG and SoS are useless one-third way through the season? The two go hand-in-hand in any assessment, as a very weak SoS would likely lead to somewhat inflated stats. RPI and ISR is a totally different can of worms as both algoriths factor in the records of opponents and their opponents. Consequently, both measure require a much larger sampling of games and opponents to become meaningful.

BTW, it's always "okay" to win a weekend series while dropping a game, particularly on the road. However, from both an RPI and conference standing standpoint, you really want to sweep the poorer teams to offset the inevitable losses you'll get playing the Top 100 teams.

(03-16-2015 11:12 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 11:08 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 11:07 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 10:29 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-16-2015 12:05 AM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  I agree with this as well. And I, too, think that La. Tech will be very good by the end of the season. They are still adjusting to a new head coach (introduced this past summer). They started the year with 4 straight losses, but since then; that is, after those 4 losses but before Rice, they were 8-2, which included winning 2 out of 3 against Oral Roberts who has a top 100 RPI ranking of 89: http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2015/rpi

I'm not convinced. Yes, their aggressiveness will steal some games, but they don't have a #3 starter, which means they've already lost one of three weekend games before they even start, and I don't think their Friday and Saturday starters, though solid, are quite quality enough to compete against a better pitching staff, given their lack of offense. We got into trouble those first two games only because of the number of free passes our pitchers gave them, couple with a key error and getting suckered twice on the same delayed, two-out double steal.

Friday night's game vs. La. Tech, Rice pitchers gave up 1 walk (McCanna): Link to Friday Night's Box Score.

Saturday night's game vs. La. Tech Rice pitchers gave up 3 walks (Fox - 1, Ditman - 2): Link to Saturday Night's Box Score.

In fairness, we also hit 2 guys each game.

...and had multiple wild pitches each game. We also gave up 9he free passes yesterday I believe. We gifted them most of their runs in the series, though they did take good advantage of the opportunities through their aggressiveness on the base paths.

7 walks and 1 hbp in the 3rd game, so that's 8, but you're close enough, with the point being lots of free passes in that 3rd game. Zero "official" wild pitches in both the 1st and 3rd games, though I guess a hbp could be considered a type of wp in some sense? Though obviously the ball is not "dead" after a wp.