A little shocked at this, Johnson rested quite a bit since his last outing , I was hoping to see him open. Hope he doesn’t get rusty
Duke baseball/CWS -- 2024 season
- Thread starter ConorONeill
- Start date
I'm a little surprised, too. Makes me increasingly curious what they'll get out of Santucci and Johnson when they do pitch, because it's not like you'll march either one of them out there and have them throw 80-100 pitches. Pollard mentioned they'll be looking for 50-60 pitches, I think, from Santucci.
**********
While I've got time to kill ...
Honestly think there could be an hourlong debate on whether teams should throw their ace in a regional opener or not and for no side to leave convinced of the other's view.
All of the obvious cliches exist about starting on the right foot, getting into the driver's seat. But also, today is the one day of the tournament that everyone has room for error.
Win today with your "best" pitcher, you're one win closer to regional title but have spent your best bullet.
Win today without your "best," you're one win closer to regional title *and* have your best bullet.
Lose today with your "best," you're behind the 8-ball for the whole weekend.
Lose today without your "best," you've got him pitching at some point with the season on the line.
**********
While I've got time to kill ...
Honestly think there could be an hourlong debate on whether teams should throw their ace in a regional opener or not and for no side to leave convinced of the other's view.
All of the obvious cliches exist about starting on the right foot, getting into the driver's seat. But also, today is the one day of the tournament that everyone has room for error.
Win today with your "best" pitcher, you're one win closer to regional title but have spent your best bullet.
Win today without your "best," you're one win closer to regional title *and* have your best bullet.
Lose today with your "best," you're behind the 8-ball for the whole weekend.
Lose today without your "best," you've got him pitching at some point with the season on the line.
Agree Connor right now I feel like Johnson’s the second best pitcher which is why I assumed he’d get the nod today. Healy and Higgins scare me, they’re very streaky and although Healy had a good game last week I’m not confident in him. How good is UConn’s starter today? Also if we can get through today without our stars that would be amazing!
I wanted to get a regional breakdown done so there was cheat sheet on the other teams but the week just got away from me.
So, I'm not sure of many specifics on UConn's starter today (Ian Cooke). Here are his stats this season:
4-1, 4.50 ERA | 60 innings, 49 hits, 30 runs | 81 strikeouts, 23 walks, 2 HBPs | 8 HRs allowed
So, I'm not sure of many specifics on UConn's starter today (Ian Cooke). Here are his stats this season:
4-1, 4.50 ERA | 60 innings, 49 hits, 30 runs | 81 strikeouts, 23 walks, 2 HBPs | 8 HRs allowed
Really disappointed with the chosen pitching staff today. I know the bats were kinda cold but I feel like the team plays tight when having to watch Healy, Higgins and nard pitch. At least that’s how I feel when I watch them play. It doesn’t allow them to play relaxed. Healy almost giving up an HR on his second pitch and hitting the second batter felt demoralizing
Also great write up conor
Also great write up conor
Last edited:
I wonder why they didn’t go for Kyle Johnson today… weird. Maybe they trust Kyle more for the next game?
Was thinking a Santucci unc situation. I’m glad they only let him pitch a little, good move
Story off of today's game.
I'm guessing and will try to have something more concrete tonight or tomorrow, but I think Ryan Higgins will start tomorrow.
I'm guessing and will try to have something more concrete tonight or tomorrow, but I think Ryan Higgins will start tomorrow.
One more stab at Duke's starting pitcher tomorrow:
I think it'll be either Ryan Higgins, Fran Oschell III or Owen Proksch. Higgins is an obvious option because he started two games last week and only threw 19 pitches on Friday. He's also hit-or-miss because when he's throwing strikes, he's really good; when he's walking the ballpark, not so much.
They've got faith in Oschell and Proksch, though not as much as they had last year. Still, neither of them has pitched yet this week -- those are the freshest arms. Think if it's either of them, they'd strictly be in an "opener" role.
I think it'll be either Ryan Higgins, Fran Oschell III or Owen Proksch. Higgins is an obvious option because he started two games last week and only threw 19 pitches on Friday. He's also hit-or-miss because when he's throwing strikes, he's really good; when he's walking the ballpark, not so much.
They've got faith in Oschell and Proksch, though not as much as they had last year. Still, neither of them has pitched yet this week -- those are the freshest arms. Think if it's either of them, they'd strictly be in an "opener" role.
Am I a little crazy to think that Santucci pitches at some point tomorrow? I thought he went out fairly early for that reason, I think it was 30 pitches? Also confused as to why we used both him and Johnson… seemed like we burned a bunch of good pitchers today despite oral Robert’s not doing much
Don't think there's a chance of seeing Santucci or Johnson tomorrow. Told some people on Twitter: I'd be surprised, maybe not shocked, to see either of them pitch Monday if Duke gets to that point.
I don't know why Duke used both of them today but I can guess. Probably had to do with several factors:
- Santucci wasn't going to come back from nearly 1 month off and be full-go. He threw 37 pitches and maybe that means he can come back Monday, but I wouldn't count on it.
- When Johnson started warming, it was a 0-0 game. The calculus at that point is, "do we put in the closest thing we have to an innings eater and get some length out of a pitcher" or "do we go to lesser pitchers, use two of them, and trail in an elimination game"?
Easy to say after the fact that Oral Roberts did nothing; the feeling would be a lot worse if Duke went 0-2 and were on the way home right now. Duke's strength remains its pitching depth and it's still the main reason they actually have a decent chance of winning one or two games tomorrow.
I don't know why Duke used both of them today but I can guess. Probably had to do with several factors:
- Santucci wasn't going to come back from nearly 1 month off and be full-go. He threw 37 pitches and maybe that means he can come back Monday, but I wouldn't count on it.
- When Johnson started warming, it was a 0-0 game. The calculus at that point is, "do we put in the closest thing we have to an innings eater and get some length out of a pitcher" or "do we go to lesser pitchers, use two of them, and trail in an elimination game"?
Easy to say after the fact that Oral Roberts did nothing; the feeling would be a lot worse if Duke went 0-2 and were on the way home right now. Duke's strength remains its pitching depth and it's still the main reason they actually have a decent chance of winning one or two games tomorrow.
Game #1 today @3pm. It's another elimination game, Duke vs Oklahoma in Norman of course(Somewhat surprised UConn defeated the Sooners last nite).
The winner gets unbeaten (in the regional), CT tonite at 9pm.
If necessary finals tomorrow. A hard road. Take 'em one at a time boys, and bring those BATS!!! PING!!!
OFC
The winner gets unbeaten (in the regional), CT tonite at 9pm.
If necessary finals tomorrow. A hard road. Take 'em one at a time boys, and bring those BATS!!! PING!!!
OFC
I hope Fran can do something today. He was stellar last year in the tourney. We really need him today. Glad they aren’t throwing Higgins out there.
Fran just isn’t it, dude needs to get pulled
Holy crap what a catch by Gracia to bail Fran out and steal a hr!!!
Holy crap what a catch by Gracia to bail Fran out and steal a hr!!!
You can see the issue for Fran, though. That fastball is so tough at 95 and an awkward release. Gets on hitters so quickly.
But you've gotta:
- throw strikes
- have a secondary pitch
But you've gotta:
- throw strikes
- have a secondary pitch
Seems like everyone now days can hit 95 pitching but hitters have trouble with offspeed.
True, true. That's why you've gotta be 95 with movement and mix in off-speed.
it just sucks seeing all these balls thrown. Duke has pitching depth on paper but they’re off more often than not. It sucks to see Duke losing based on pitchers who can’t throw a strike. All that hard work for nothing ( cue the reverse jinx post).
Did Duke change its pitching coach?
Just let chucky b play 6 innings and pitch the entire evening game ( sarcasm)
Time to get the bats cranked up can't blame this on pitching
As soon as chucky b comes in we get some stuff going. It’s like I said the pitching brings down the batters. It was tough watching us play on ou today. Shockingly if we didn’t have those errors we probably win today. But our defense really masked how bad today could’ve been. Great that we won an acc championship but pollard has got to find some better pitchers. Another guy went through 100 on us while we had to go 4-5 deep in that same time frame
Coach is going to get second guessed for starting a pitcher known for wildness in the highest pressure game, for his first collegiate start. If 2 runners don’t over slide the base and Gracia doesn’t make an incredible catch, this game would have been over after 2.
Can we congratulate Coach and the team for a terrific season?
OFC
OFC
Agree completely Will. I’m sorry if my post seem to be unappreciative of the great season they had this year. What coach Pollard has done during his tenure has been spectacular.
@ConorONeill thank you all year for terrific coverage. One question: IYO, how much would a RENNOVATED Jack Coombs stadium with upgraded seating capacity, facilities, etc mean to Duke baseball? That applies to both NCAA seeding hopes for hosting regional play AND recruiting??
Thank you, OFC
Thank you, OFC
It better happen. The rumor here in Columbia is that the real USC is after Pollard. Given the excellent facilities there, we better make competitive baseball facilities a very high priority as we did with football, soccer, lacrosse, softball, and basketball. Should not take that huge an investment.
OFC
It'd clearly mean a lot to the program. The commitment to renovate Coombs is a large part of the reason Pollard was coaching Duke and not Miami this season. He stayed at Duke because of its pledge to upgrade Coombs, a process that should start any day now (if it hasn't already).
I figure they'll increase seating capacity but as discussed last week, that's not the main issue. It's a facility that has to be modernized. I don't know how far along that process can come in the next 3-4 months.
Duke is doing well enough in recruiting to tell me facility upgrades won't improve it a ton. The freshman core of Gracia-Johnson-Krewson-Winslow was probably the best in the ACC this season. Now, keeping them at Duke and fending off NIL poachers ... that's a whole other story.
For as long as Pollard is at Duke and until it ascends to Vanderbilt levels of success, there will be a job or two that opens every year that Pollard is rumored to be a candidate. Doesn't mean he'll ever leave, doesn't mean he'll stay at Duke until retirement. But given Duke's horrific baseball tradition and what he's done with the program, the college baseball bluebloods are always going to look at him and assume he's not long for Durham.
Just like Miami wanted him last year.
Similar threads
