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Cincinnati game thread

2 HRs for UC now. Cards not showing much discipline at the plate.
 
Didn’t mind the bunt TBH. Got them out of a double-play situation. They needed to score runs. The guys have settled down at the plate as well. Multiple walks - good to see.
 
McDonnell is still managing like it's early season experimenting trying to find what pitchers he can count on.

For whatever reason, this team plays its worst in midweek games against inferior teams.
 
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Didn’t mind the bunt TBH. Got them out of a double-play situation. They needed to score runs. The guys have settled down at the plate as well. Multiple walks - good to see.
He has good stuff but always working from behind. In high school he could overpowered people. At this level you have to hit spots. You can say that about several younger guys.
 
So, the pen was bad and the pen was good. Ferris, Leggit and Galvan all very good. Webster was fine. Dowler (spl?) - ok. Koger - yeah, seems to have some nasty pitches but he is just not consistent.
 
Kroger arm is legit. It is a shock to the system when every guy in a college lineup can turn that 95mph around. He threw a nasty hook to 8 then threw it again line shot hit. That doesn’t happen in high school.
 
CDM shared his philosophy in a recent post game interview, and I yield to his amazing experience as the head of UL Baseball. He mentioned this team was averaging 10 runs per game when asked about his allowance for his pitchers struggling on the mound.

I suspect he understands that his pit hing staff are not going to improve if they are not given an opportunity to “work themselves out of a jam”. He does not want to lose, and has seen sufficient evidence that his offense can overcome a deficit based on the ability to score a lot of runs in late innings.
 
So, the pen was bad and the pen was good. Ferris, Leggit and Galvan all very good. Webster was fine. Dowler (spl?) - ok. Koger - yeah, seems to have some nasty pitches but he is just not consistent.
To be fair:
  • Agree on Ferris, Leggit & Galvan.
    • Encouraging but can they consistently perform in ACC play?
    • We are going to get a chance to see.
  • Hawks allowed 2 HR (no other base runners) and a couple of hard hit balls but 3 IP effectively
  • Koger was not helped on yet another E from Bianco trying to throw to 2B.
    • In an 11-2 game, maybe just step on 1B, but a D1 college player (former C) has to be able to make that throw.
    • If he makes the play Koger may get out of the inning with no runs or just 1 allowed and he has something to build confidence. Now it's just more of the same.
  • Dowler was not good. It didn't appear as bad because it spanned 2 separate innings. Faced 6 batters and allowed 1 2B, 2 BB (including a leadoff walk leading 12-6), 2 Ks & 1 FC.
  • Walter not good. 3 batters faced - 1B, BB & crazy K that allowed in 2 runs (not really his or Rushing's fault, just weird play trying to bury an 0-2 curveball to see if batter would chase & took a weird bounce)
  • Assume we would have seen Schmeltz if margin had stayed wide. He needs to get his confidence back to where he can be a reliable LH specialist with that sweeping curve.
 
True - Koger did get hosed by his defense. Not sure what is up with Ben’s arm, but, PU - not great LOL.
 
You can't read into much about the rotation during mid-week games. By design they work with different pitchers.
 
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