re: 2021 Diamond Dawgs / 31-25 (14-19) / Season over, First 4 Out

Pearson screwing the pooch
Single, double to leadoff 9th

4-1 Vols on a sac fly to shallow left. King’s throw home beaned the runner because frick us

Just going to repost this here:

We trailed 25/27 innings this weekend, issued 20 walks (Tennessee issued 6), stranded 19 runners, and committed 6 errors (Tennessee had 1). We played bad baseball for the majority of this weekend against a good team.

Let’s be honest: it was a lot of mistakes made by 7 different freshmen arms that we seem to be relying on because apparently Polk, Brandon Smith, and Moody arent going to provide a veteran relief presence this season after all (?).

I don’t think we are a bad team but we are a very young team playing very veteran teams with an offense that can’t consistently bail us out. In other words, we have no margin for error against a really rough schedule. Add in the fact that Cannon still isn’t 100%, we can’t stay healthy (Collins now being out is significant, as is CJ Smith) and it’s hard to feel optimistic right now.

It also doesn’t help knowing that we had multiple interrupted days or practice this week due to rain because the IPF was occupied and we only have 2 indoor batting cages. The lack of commitment to building this program pisses me off, especially when Arkansas has this massive baseball center now in their right field.

If I sound hyperbolic it’s because this season will set the tone for the next 2-3 years and potentially elevate this program. It is imperative that we make the NCAAT this year, being as young as we are. We have to get this group exposed to postseason baseball early in their careers and, just as important, we have to establish the program as still being good enough to make it as a 2 or 3 seed even in a down year. I don’t expect us to win anything of significance this year but this is where we take a step forward. We have the talent to do that but we can’t afford to have sloppy weekends like this one, not with Vandy, Arkansas, Florida, and Ole Miss already on our schedule.

Speaking of Stricklin being out, can’t help but wonder if he pinch hits Jernigan, Gonzalez, or Blaylock to try to get something going today. Using the same exact lineup as yesterday and not making any in-game moves (no drag bunts either) feels too conservative compared to what we usually do with him in the dugout.

Stricklin will be out again tonight and is not expected to make the trip to College Station this weekend. He is symptomatic, Dasher reports that he was not feeling good late last week when he tested positive.

Goldstein doesn’t even make it a full inning before getting the hook

Wagner comes on and gets a fly out to right to retire the side

Wagner takes us 3 up and 3 down in the 2nd

McCallister makes a gorgeous diving catch behind second, doubles up the runner to end the inning

Sullivan goes fly out, ground out, strike out in the top half of the 5th