Baseball: Fordham Preview, Mets Exhibition

I'm a Mets fan, this is the only Michigan game in any sport that I hesitate to root for Michigan. I'm at a complete stand still.

I have to wonder if someone didn't fall down in the outfield.

Only 3 K's today and we hit with runners in scoring position. Nice job. That's how you win even when getting out hit for the game. Crank and Toth hit great today.

Not sure why Miller is getting hit so hard the last few games...we need him to go further than his last three starts. 3 inn - 10 hits, 4.2 inn-9 hits and 4.2 inn 7 hits. This puts the pen in a very bad position. I'm thinking he'll be just fine as he'll find a tweak that will make all the difference. I think we've had to burn up Sin in each of those games? Sin gave up 7 hits today in 3 inn as well? Burgoon did look very strong as his FB was sitting at 92-94 today...as FA questions, is he full time closer or does the lack of starters push him up front? Hell...if anyone knows that one, play the lottery as the players have no clue as to what role is whos (except Oaks).

Need a sweep here boys. Stay strong tomorrow. Go Blue!

If he is, have they always started him further into the weekend? I'm used to seeing the #1 guy be Friday, unless in a tournament where the Sat team is much better than Fri. He was lights out down here vs CCU.

I would have hoped that by this time we would have identified a solid 1-2-3 heading into conference play. Maybe coach has and no one knows or maybe he is still searching himself. I think that the home opener series should mirror and be a preview of opening week in conference...I hope. My thoughts...

Fri - Oaks (No brainer here. The best we have and a work horse. Will go 7 or 8 easy.)
Sat - Burgoon (Although a couple "ehh" games, still looks like the Sat guy with best control and giving opportunity to win. The team needs him as a starter, not closer.)
Sun - Miller (Same as Burgoon, couple of "Oh shits" but can be dominate and should give best chance going late in game)
Sat/Sun is switchable but should be a lock between them.

Sinnery - Best set up we have right now. Need him for a 6-7-8 run if needed on weekends.
Brosnahan - The best left arm out of the pen and would use as set up like Sin.
Wood - Closer. With Burgoon as starter...a solid choice. He can and will get it done.
Gerbe - Not a bad choice out of pen when need to save an arm or so. He's good for 1 or 2 but usually no further.

I personally don't see Katz returning. Wish as we may, I think he will throw mid-weeks only. Call it what you will but not sure what happened there.

Smith should be the mid-week starter and if can return to form (control) he may break into an appearance during the weekends.

The rest - will be fighting for mound time during mid-week games. Unfortunately, there is not enough time or games before conference to "see what they got". They had a couple shots and it was what it was.

What's coach thinking? Did he tip his hand this weekend? - - he puts Burgoon at the back end as closer again. But then who starts? He may be looking at Brosnahan and then moving Wood to set up. All plausible and could work but I like a lefty out of the pen myself. Not as if we've lost any games on the back end so far...we haven't had but maybe 2 chances at a save?

Any other guesses/thoughts out there?

FA - thanks for letting me spew my thoughts...hope you dont mind. Ha

I think we're on the same wavelength. I don't think Katzman was ever quite as dominant on a consistent level as Burgoon or Miller. If anything, one in three games may see him pitch better, but the other two he was much worse. Like you said, we haven't seen much of a chance for saves so far, so I have less of an opinion on closers, and Gerbe leads me to my next major point:

I'm afraid that we're short one quality pitcher right now. I'm afraid of Oaks and Sinnery piling on too many innings in the non-conference season. They may be able to handle it, but I haven't seen anything from them (with little amount they've thrown in college) to settle my fears. Our weekend bullpen has been only Sinnery, Wood, Brosnahan (possibly switch him with Burgoon the way they've been used), and several guys that either are new or inconsistent.

I expected Gerbe to be a bit better than he's been this season, and he's only got 3 appearances, only one that would be quality. His best was 3 scoreless inning where he gave up 2 walks a hit, a HBP and a WP. His latest and worst was .1 inning with 2R on 1H, 1BB in three batters before being pulled.

Vangheluwe, Clark, and Ballantine just aren't producing yet. Perhaps they need another year to develop to the college level. That's not too surprising. DeCarlo is what he is... except in the few instances of brilliance when he isn't. I don't know if I trust him yet either.

We really need one or two of these guys to step up on the weekend. If not we're going to see Oaks wear down a bit like Fetter did last year, or Sinnery get used up early in the season. Worse, we'll lose games because we don't have enough in the bullpen.

By the by, Berset with a triple today. How is our catchers are racking up the triples this weekend?

as it turned out to be a stat padding blow out two days. Nothing wrong with that as the team needed the wins and nothing wrong with helping the stat book.

Games like the last are great for guys that should be getting plate time but bad for the pitching staff. Disappointing that Wood got zero time on the mound and Burgoon only 1 inning. We need those two sharp...and the exhibition game is NOT the way to do it. imo

Great sweep guys...Go Blue!

I'm not disappointed with pitching working out the way it will. I don't mind Wood getting his inning or two in against the Mets as he won't do that poorly against them, so he's seeing better competition there. I don't consider pitching facing guys as low caliber as Fordham to be that productive either. At least with the offense, they need to continue to improve, and hopefully this weekend and next gets them hot and gelled. The guys in the back of the bullpen that needed the work, this should be good for them. The guys that didn't need the work (Wood, Sinnery, etc), this does nothing for them. Let them pitch in the exhibition where they can go out and compete rather than just throw.

Burgoon may or may not fall in that group as he's still finding his groove. I wouldn't be surprised to see him throw again tomorrow just to get another inning or two in.

Sounds like they're having fun today. Michigan Alum Cervanek exchanged lineups with Maloney. Powers was around the team for lunch the other day. Burgoon popped out of the dugout after Toth lined one into it, pointed him to the outfield... crowd loved it.