We desperately need to capture some momentum heading into the weekend, as conference may be our only hope.

If tonight against Texas State does not go well, we will have lost to three middle-tier Texas programs over the course of 8 days.

My popcorn is ready.

(03-15-2017 11:21 AM)RiceOwl Wrote:  We desperately need to capture some momentum heading into the weekend, as conference may be our only hope.

If tonight against Texas State does not go well, we will have lost to three middle-tier Texas programs over the course of 8 days.

My popcorn is ready.

Considering we have the worst record of any team in our conference right now I don't have much hope for conference play. Granted this doesn't mean much since we are all playing different competition. I don't know if we have entered conference with a losing record in 20+ years..

(03-14-2017 10:24 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(03-14-2017 09:10 PM)gmath Wrote:  Willy pitched very well but we could easily tell he was done in the eighth. Whoever handles the pitchers is at blame for leaving him in and the loss in my opinion.

Common complaint throughout the Graham era. Of course, there is some confirmation bias here. We remember the times he left a starter in 1 inning too long and he allowed a bunch of base runners (like tonight). We don't really notice or compliment when he made the right decision to pull a guy (like pulling Canterino after 7 innings against Stanford).

Yes, but this has been Coach Graham's Achilles heel for many, many years.
I just don't know if he intentionally leaves a gassed pitcher in a bit longer to test and/or challenge him, or if he simply doesn't see what we see until it's just slightly too late....

(03-15-2017 11:57 AM)Barney Wrote:  

(03-14-2017 10:24 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(03-14-2017 09:10 PM)gmath Wrote:  Willy pitched very well but we could easily tell he was done in the eighth. Whoever handles the pitchers is at blame for leaving him in and the loss in my opinion.

Common complaint throughout the Graham era. Of course, there is some confirmation bias here. We remember the times he left a starter in 1 inning too long and he allowed a bunch of base runners (like tonight). We don't really notice or compliment when he made the right decision to pull a guy (like pulling Canterino after 7 innings against Stanford).

Yes, but this has been Coach Graham's Achilles heel for many, many years.
I just don't know if he intentionally leaves a gassed pitcher in a bit longer to test and/or challenge him, or if he simply doesn't see what we see until it's just slightly too late....

I don't completely disagree, but I do think there is a bit of confirmation bias on this point.

(03-15-2017 12:02 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(03-15-2017 11:57 AM)Barney Wrote:  

(03-14-2017 10:24 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(03-14-2017 09:10 PM)gmath Wrote:  Willy pitched very well but we could easily tell he was done in the eighth. Whoever handles the pitchers is at blame for leaving him in and the loss in my opinion.

Common complaint throughout the Graham era. Of course, there is some confirmation bias here. We remember the times he left a starter in 1 inning too long and he allowed a bunch of base runners (like tonight). We don't really notice or compliment when he made the right decision to pull a guy (like pulling Canterino after 7 innings against Stanford).

Yes, but this has been Coach Graham's Achilles heel for many, many years.
I just don't know if he intentionally leaves a gassed pitcher in a bit longer to test and/or challenge him, or if he simply doesn't see what we see until it's just slightly too late....

I don't completely disagree, but I do think there is a bit of confirmation bias on this point.

I believe that if he had a better option in the pen, he would go there

A few offhand comments...

I don't think Coach Graham goes all out to win every game early in the season. Doesn't mean he doesn't care, it's just that he needs to see how some previously untested players can do in real game situations. Some work, some don't. Lammons at 3rd? Gneiting at 2b? Canterino as a Friday starter? Years ago he brought in a freshman (forget who) for his first college appearance in relief in Austin against a good Texas team in a close game. It's all about developing the team over time.

My pet peeve is righty/lefty substitutions at the college level, any team. Unless the data are obvious (player X hits 150 points worse vs lhp), that's a trivial consideration and even when it's a real concern, you're making a permanent lineup change for what may be a very short term gain. Should you pull a rhp who's throwing strikes for a lhp who may not? This isn't MLB, where you have both solid long term stats on players and an expectation of relatively consistent performance.

Was Myers the right guy to bring on the mound vs Sam? If he's lights out, yes, but when you do that, DiCaprio has to sit the rest of the game.

(03-15-2017 12:02 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(03-15-2017 11:57 AM)Barney Wrote:  

(03-14-2017 10:24 PM)mrbig Wrote:  

(03-14-2017 09:10 PM)gmath Wrote:  Willy pitched very well but we could easily tell he was done in the eighth. Whoever handles the pitchers is at blame for leaving him in and the loss in my opinion.

Common complaint throughout the Graham era. Of course, there is some confirmation bias here. We remember the times he left a starter in 1 inning too long and he allowed a bunch of base runners (like tonight). We don't really notice or compliment when he made the right decision to pull a guy (like pulling Canterino after 7 innings against Stanford).

Yes, but this has been Coach Graham's Achilles heel for many, many years.
I just don't know if he intentionally leaves a gassed pitcher in a bit longer to test and/or challenge him, or if he simply doesn't see what we see until it's just slightly too late....

I don't completely disagree, but I do think there is a bit of confirmation bias on this point.

If leaving a pitcher in too long is related directly or indirectly to 10% of our losses in the Graham era, and leaving a pitcher in appropriately is directly or indirectly responsible for 5% or more of our wins in the Graham era, than Wayne is still on the plus side of the ledger.

And I suspect the split isn't 2:1 (10%/5%), but more likely even.

Assume his recruiting, coaching, lineup decisions, etc, are directly or indirectly responsible for a significant percentage of the wins as well.

Yeah, this board, like most sports fans, tends to fixate on the outcomes we don't like, and feel entitled to every win we get. So +1 on the confirmation bias theory.