McDonnell?

[TheRealVille]

Coach Mack definitely dropped the ball leaving Weigman in the game. He had a 7 inning win with the 10 run rule and he basically gave it away.

I know he's a players manager but it was a easy decision to take that 7 inning win. Good thing we're playing a different team tomorrow as A&M suddenly has the momentum.

 

[2330859]

Real: while for fans like us, that 10 run rule looked attractive last night, but I am not sure CDM looks at it the same way. In fact, we got 2 more innings against a solid SEC opponent in their own backyard. This is the deepest roster we have ever had in both offense and defense; the only question right now is our pitching rotation, and the time to challenge these kids is before we get into ACC regular season.

 

[TheRealVille]

So your saying he wanted the game to go 9 innings so he left in a struggling pitcher to give up 5 runs? I can't believe he would own up to that.

He wanted to get Weigman out there because the pitcher struggled his last outing. It was a mistake. Instead of a 14 to 0 run rule win over the 12th ranked team, he had to use Webster for two innings. Just imagine what would be the story had A&M scored another 5 runs in the 8th inning. Talk about your lost momentum.

I like McDonnell, don't get me wrong, but that was a bad decision last night. It's not much of a big deal until he does it again and it backfires.

 

[nccardfan]

Its Mac not Mack and you really are clueless when it comes to baseball. Sorry. Wiegman is and has been part of the rotation when Hawks pitches. When he gave up those runs he had already thrown about 26 pitches, so basically that means can't pitch tomorrow or even Sunday. We had a sizeable lead, our goal is to win the game not win in 7 innings. It's early in the season, you want Wiegman to work through adversity, give him confidence, not pull him the second things go south. Also we have 2 more games to play, you don't waste pitchers in case you need them today or tomorrow.

P.S - stick to complaining about the basketball officiating...

 

[TheRealVille]

Its Mac not Mack and you really are clueless when it comes to baseball. Sorry. Wiegman is and has been part of the rotation when Hawks pitches. When he gave up those runs he had already thrown about 26 pitches, so basically that means can't pitch tomorrow or even Sunday. We had a sizeable lead, our goal is to win the game not win in 7 innings. It's early in the season, you want Wiegman to work through adversity, give him confidence, not pull him the second things go south. Also we have 2 more games to play, you don't waste pitchers in case you need them today or tomorrow.

P.S - stick to complaining about the basketball officiating...

Don't tell me what to do. I have an opinion and it's based on a long baseball history. I've been around baseball for over 25 years and I know the game.

Now you can disagree about McDonnell's decision but that gives you no right to tell me what to do. How about you stop being an ass?

 

[Thecycle27]

Not a bad time to throw him in there and let him work some things out. It didn’t work out. He is a power arm but not enough movement and I think he tips his off speed stuff.

 

[2330859]

This is not about "knowing baseball"; its about CDM and his strategy for the development of this roster. You did not have long to wait to see Dan's mindset again, as he stayed with Kuehner last night when it would have been easy to pull him at several points in the ninth.

That could have easily resulted in a walk-off loss, but Dan let Kuehner work through it anyway, and I suspect Kuehner and this team will be a little better off as a result.

If Dan was interested in avoiding early losses, he would be following most of these other ACC teams playing cupcakes prior to entering ACC play. Instead he schedules a trip to Houston where he knew the competition would be more challenging, and provide an opportunity for these kids to see what they can do against more talented teams.

So yes, CDM did not schedule the Houston trip so he could play 7 innings of baseball when he expected 9 innings of good competition.

 

[TheRealVille]

This is not about "knowing baseball"; its about CDM and his strategy for the development of this roster. You did not have long to wait to see Dan's mindset again, as he stayed with Kuehner last night when it would have been easy to pull him at several points in the ninth.

That could have easily resulted in a walk-off loss, but Dan let Kuehner work through it anyway, and I suspect Kuehner and this team will be a little better off as a result.

If Dan was interested in avoiding early losses, he would be following most of these other ACC teams playing cupcakes prior to entering ACC play. Instead he schedules a trip to Houston where he knew the competition would be more challenging, and provide an opportunity for these kids to see what they can do against more talented teams.

So yes, CDM did not schedule the Houston trip so he could play 7 innings of baseball when he expected 9 innings of good competition.

So you're saying he's upset today with the 7 inning run rule win? And by the way the first 8 games were against cupcakes.

This notion that Mac would rather not win in 7 is frankly pretty silly. I give you that he was trying to get Weigman to rebound. He is a players manager, but Keuhner is a far more capable pitcher to hold onto a 14 to 0 lead than Weigman. Not the same thing.

But be that as it may, Louisville proved they were the far better team in Houston. I'm glad there's not a 10 run rule normally or there would be a lot of 7 inning wins in college baseball.

 

[2330859]

Rather than trying to assign your own answers in the form of these questions for me, just go ahead and continue arguing with yourself.

No, Dan is not “trying to do either intentionally”, as he has no control over our guys scoring or the opponents from scoring. What he does have some control, is who he leaves in the lineup, or who he takes out. What you seem unable to comprehend is Dan is extremely competitive, and he is focused 365 on preparing this roster for Conference play and Omaha, not shortening or lengthening the game.

 

[TheRealVille]

I have no problem comprehending anything you have said. I just disagree with some of it. McDonnell could still do what you say and I agree he does, while at the same time deciding to end a big win in 7 innings.

Him bringing in Weigman to start the 7th inning I had no issue with. Weigman has shown good results in the past, so getting him ironed out was a good option. However, he walked the first batter and by the time he faced the batter who could stop the 7 inning win with a home run, it was obvious he needed to be removed. And he was removed after giving up the 3 run shot.

Webster came in and pitched two innings that he shouldn't have had to, and so he wasn't available the next day against TCU. McDonnell"s decision was the wrong one but with a 14 run lead, he figured what the hell.

It wasn't his first managerial mistake and it won't be his last. In my opinion of course.

 

[nccardfan]

I have no problem comprehending anything you have said. I just disagree with some of it. McDonnell could still do what you say and I agree he does, while at the same time deciding to end a big win in 7 innings.

Him bringing in Weigman to start the 7th inning I had no issue with. Weigman has shown good results in the past, so getting him ironed out was a good option. However, he walked the first batter and by the time he faced the batter who could stop the 7 inning win with a home run, it was obvious he needed to be removed. And he was removed after giving up the 3 run shot.

Webster came in and pitched two innings that he shouldn't have had to, and so he wasn't available the next day against TCU. McDonnell"s decision was the wrong one but with a 14 run lead, he figured what the hell.

It wasn't his first managerial mistake and it won't be his last. In my opinion of course.

It wasn't your first stupid post and looks like it won't be your last... Of course in my opinion.

 

[Bardman]

Come’on. Everyone has their opinion. Whether someone agrees or not isn’t the issue. You can disagree without getting ugly. Personally, I see both points. Plenty of wiggle-room to stick with Ben. Flip-side, he didn’t seem to ‘have it’ so is it worth leaving him in and getting smacked around?

 

[2330859]

I agree Bardman, and I confess that my response to RealVille was not in the spirit of good debate. Just to clarify my point, I was not arguing the merits of keeping Ben in, or taking him out. My only point was how CDM sees these games; specifically wanting as much experience for these kids in this highly competitive and hostile environment far away from home. Dan wants to win, but he recognizes the unique opportunity that he has when traveling out of state early in the non-conference portion of the regular season.

 

[CardHack]

For a couple decades the Baltimore Orioles were among baseball's best at starting rotations and they invariably came through their farm system. The first principle of developing a starter was that they had to be force fed to pitch out of trouble--in bases loaded situations with one or less outs for instance payoff pitches would be off-speed, they would start at bats with off speed pitches, etc.

I see this kind of thread every single year with McDonnell in early March; you and the garden variety fan think pitch-by-pitch and out by out for a win or loss today. Dan McDonnell and Roger Williams think about the late game situation Memorial Day weekend in the Super Regional with a trip to Omaha on the line...today's situation is prologue to that situation.

 

[2330859]

Thank you CardHack; as usual you said it better than I did.

 

[TheRealVille]

For a couple decades the Baltimore Orioles were among baseball's best at starting rotations and they invariably came through their farm system. The first principle of developing a starter was that they had to be force fed to pitch out of trouble--in bases loaded situations with one or less outs for instance payoff pitches would be off-speed, they would start at bats with off speed pitches, etc.

I see this kind of thread every single year with McDonnell in early March; you and the garden variety fan think pitch-by-pitch and out by out for a win or loss today. Dan McDonnell and Roger Williams think about the late game situation Memorial Day weekend in the Super Regional with a trip to Omaha on the line...today's situation is prologue to that situation.

I agree with all of this. I fully understand the philosophy McDonnell early in the season. I have no problem with this, but the scenario I took issue with was unique with the 10 run rule.

Listening to the game that day, I wanted the Cards to win the game in 7 innings, mostly because of the stature of run ruling a ranked team, but also because I've learned not to take anything for granted when it comes to Louisville sports. If any team would lose a 14 to 0 lead, it would probably be Louisville.

So when Weigman continued to struggle, I was calling for Mac to remove him to save the 10 run lead. As a fan, I wanted that win in 7 innings and when Weigman gave up the 3 run shot, it was very frustrating. I was thinking oh no, what if A&M snags the momentum and scores another 5 runs in the 8th inning? Suddenly a comfortable 14 run lead would be replaced by the consternation of giving up bunches of runs in the late innings, even if the Cards held on 14 to 11.

Thankfully that didn't happen but I wanted to make my thoughts on it here on the message board. I figured a good debate would follow and disagreements are fine, but I should have known that some would take my opinion personally and call me stupid and clueless about baseball.

Lesson learned. Coach McDonnell's game decisions cannot be scrutinized here. I will keep my opinions to myself.

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

Kinda hard to be unhappy with a nine-run win against a quality opponent.

The 10-run rule was more beneficial in yesterday’s final game when you’re heading back home afterwards and everyone else has the same interest…

 

[Thecycle27]

If you haven’t listened to the Coach’s show on Monday’s it is a good listen.

He gave his thoughts on the mercy rule. He thinks it will be implemented across the board in a year or two. He likes certain parts of it for the reason Realville explained. It does save teams, a pitcher that can be used in mid week games. He doesn’t like it because he has a bunch of players he wants to play both pitchers and fielders.

He is a baseball purist he wants to play 9 but understands the benefits to the game and fans.

 

[nccardfan]

Kinda hard to be unhappy with a nine-run win against a quality opponent.

The 10-run rule was more beneficial in yesterday’s final game when you’re heading back home afterwards and everyone else has the same interest…

I will add with this seemingly loaded roster especially with position players and not knowing right now who is our closer that Mac wants as much opportunity to see these guys in competition as he can. One thing he knows is that hes got 3 quality weekend starters.