Kendall Rogers' SR Preview

[GoneGolfin]

Regardless of all that.. We've yet to see these guys play consistently great for 3 days in a row. I think we can find a new ceiling this weekend. I think if we're patient with Lange, he can be had.

I do think that patience with Lange will be key. If there is a "chink in the armor" with Alex Lange, it is that he does not always find his command early. I saw it a little in the regular season ... and I saw it in the first several innings against UNC-Wilmington. He did seem to be rushing a bit in those first several innings. Lange was less than 50% on first pitch strikes in the first few innings, had several 2-0 counts, and a slew of 3-ball counts. There would have been more 3-ball counts, but UNCW was aggressively hacking. Once Lange found his command, it was over. One thing about Lange though ... the hitter getting ahead in the count only really makes it a fair fight ... not a significant hitter's advantage as with most pitchers. This is due to excellent movement on his fastball (typically 91-92, running up to about 94) and a wipeout breaking ball (two planes). If you get behind 0-2/1-2, you are going to see wipeout breaking balls that are very difficult to lay off of ... and extremely difficult to square up when he does throw it for a strike.

And by patience, I do not necessarily mean taking a bunch of pitches to open the count. I mean sitting on a pitch (velocity and location) early in the count and if you get that pitch, get after it. And if you get ahead 2-0, increase the selectivity. And take the free passes ... as Lange does yield a few if you are patient. If the Cajuns do not draw at least three free passes in this game (assuming at least a six or seven inning outing for Lange), then they are not being patient enough. And like any pitcher, when there is traffic on the base paths, even the elite pitchers become more mortal.

Brian

[jllanclos]

I do think that patience with Lange will be key. If there is a "chink in the armor" with Alex Lange, it is that he does not always find his command early. I saw it a little in the regular season ... and I saw it in the first several innings against UNC-Wilmington. He did seem to be rushing a bit in those first several innings. Lange was less than 50% on first pitch strikes in the first few innings, had several 2-0 counts, and a slew of 3-ball counts. There would have been more 3-ball counts, but UNCW was aggressively hacking. Once Lange found his command, it was over. One thing about Lange though ... the hitter getting ahead in the count only really makes it a fair fight ... not a significant hitter's advantage as with most pitchers. This is due to excellent movement on his fastball (typically 91-92, running up to about 94) and a wipeout breaking ball. If you get behind 0-2/1-2, you are going to see wipeout breaking balls that are very difficult to lay off of ... and extremely difficult to square up when he does throws it for a strike.

And by patience, I do not necessarily mean taking a bunch of pitches to open the count. I mean sitting on a pitch (velocity and location) early in the count and if you get that pitch, get after it. And if you get ahead 2-0, increase the selectivity. And take the free passes ... as Lange does yield a few if you are patient. If the Cajuns do not draw at least three free passes in this game (assuming at least a six or seven inning outing for Lange), then they are not being patient enough. And like any pitcher, when there is traffic on the base paths, even the elite pitchers become more mortal.

Brian

When Robe visists RP for his bedtime reading, this will be a relief to see. Saves him a lot of work.

Seriously... good info.

I hope he pulls a NOLA and we get like 5 runs off him in the first 2 innings. Then he can settle down all he wants.

Was it NOLA?

[Dad04]

This should be a low scoring game and we need to "hang" until we get our chance to win. Seth Romero was pretty good too. We won last weekend with BT going 0-9. If BT chips in a few timely hits we would have Pain Trained Rice and UH last weekend.

Any team still playing can win. We will need to play our best games all year to win, as it should be.

[MountainDew]

I think the article was pretty accurate. LSU definitely has the edge in every aspect of the game. But as long as we execute, I have no doubt in my mind that our guys can go out there and beat the best teams in the country.

[angeleast]

I do think that patience with Lange will be key. If there is a "chink in the armor" with Alex Lange, it is that he does not always find his command early. I saw it a little in the regular season ... and I saw it in the first several innings against UNC-Wilmington. He did seem to be rushing a bit in those first several innings. Lange was less than 50% on first pitch strikes in the first few innings, had several 2-0 counts, and a slew of 3-ball counts. There would have been more 3-ball counts, but UNCW was aggressively hacking. Once Lange found his command, it was over. One thing about Lange though ... the hitter getting ahead in the count only really makes it a fair fight ... not a significant hitter's advantage as with most pitchers. This is due to excellent movement on his fastball (typically 91-92, running up to about 94) and a wipeout breaking ball (two planes). If you get behind 0-2/1-2, you are going to see wipeout breaking balls that are very difficult to lay off of ... and extremely difficult to square up when he does throws it for a strike.

And by patience, I do not necessarily mean taking a bunch of pitches to open the count. I mean sitting on a pitch (velocity and location) early in the count and if you get that pitch, get after it. And if you get ahead 2-0, increase the selectivity. And take the free passes ... as Lange does yield a few if you are patient. If the Cajuns do not draw at least three free passes in this game (assuming at least a six or seven inning outing for Lange), then they are not being patient enough. And like any pitcher, when there is traffic on the base paths, even the elite pitchers become more mortal.

Brian

I bow to your WISDOM!!!

[Dad04]

When Robe visists RP for his bedtime reading, this will be a relief to see. Saves him a lot of work.

Seriously... good info.

I hope he pulls a NOLA and we get like 5 runs off him in the first 2 innings. Then he can settle down all he wants.

Was it NOLA?

If you are referring to our game last year, Cody Glenn was the starter. We won 4-1 in 5 innings.

"It's a strange feeling to lose a game when you don't get to play the full nine innings, but those are the rules of baseball," said LSU coach Paul Mainieri.

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20...WIRE/140229686

[Dad04]

Brian is right. We will need to shrink the zone on Lange and get at least his 3 standard walks off him. We will need to hit better than last weekend and pitch just as well to beat him.

[jllanclos]

If you are referring to our game last year, Cody Glenn was the starter. We won 4-1 in 5 innings.

"It's a strange feeling to lose a game when you don't get to play the full nine innings, but those are the rules of baseball," said LSU coach Paul Mainieri.

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20...WIRE/140229686

I thought there was a regional game in the last couple years that we played LSU. But come to think of it, that must've been the game.

In the 2013 regional game against LSU, we only scored 1 run. So I guess I just imagined the damn thing. LOL

[Boomer]

I do think that patience with Lange will be key. If there is a "chink in the armor" with Alex Lange, it is that he does not always find his command early. I saw it a little in the regular season ... and I saw it in the first several innings against UNC-Wilmington. He did seem to be rushing a bit in those first several innings. Lange was less than 50% on first pitch strikes in the first few innings, had several 2-0 counts, and a slew of 3-ball counts. There would have been more 3-ball counts, but UNCW was aggressively hacking. Once Lange found his command, it was over. One thing about Lange though ... the hitter getting ahead in the count only really makes it a fair fight ... not a significant hitter's advantage as with most pitchers. This is due to excellent movement on his fastball (typically 91-92, running up to about 94) and a wipeout breaking ball (two planes). If you get behind 0-2/1-2, you are going to see wipeout breaking balls that are very difficult to lay off of ... and extremely difficult to square up when he does throw it for a strike.

And by patience, I do not necessarily mean taking a bunch of pitches to open the count. I mean sitting on a pitch (velocity and location) early in the count and if you get that pitch, get after it. And if you get ahead 2-0, increase the selectivity. And take the free passes ... as Lange does yield a few if you are patient. If the Cajuns do not draw at least three free passes in this game (assuming at least a six or seven inning outing for Lange), then they are not being patient enough. And like any pitcher, when there is traffic on the base paths, even the elite pitchers become more mortal.

Brian

Damn GG I feel like I am up at the plate

Is there much of a speed differential on the breaking stuff??? Had a discussion on the guessing part for your pitch and was amazed at how much actually goes on

Now after an entire year you know that there is a pretty good book on everybody and wondering how beneficial it is to our reading it for "Guesses" ??? I know I am asking a bunch but looks like you dig it!!! Thanks!!1---There was a great article in the DA today about the 2 styles of last year and this year in the coaching by the hitting coaches---The timing of the new insertion of style along with the coach speak was great info on the year at a glance!!!

[GoneGolfin]

I thought there was a regional game in the last couple years that we played LSU. But come to think of it, that must've been the game.

In the 2013 regional game against LSU, we only scored 1 run. So I guess I just imagined the damn thing. LOL

Sam Houston State did knock around Nola a little in the winner's bracket game of the 2013 Baton Rouge regional. But LSU had enough firepower to take that one 8-5.

Brian