Pitching choices??

[dirytkirby]

23 years and million times more experience and knowledge than everyone on this forum- I think Karen deserves to call whatever shot she wants. Even if you win yesterday with your ace / aces - you gotta play ‘‘em again. Go win today and see what happens. In the mean time - GBO

 

[Majors]

23 years and million times more experience and knowledge than everyone on this forum- I think Karen deserves to call whatever shot she wants. Even if you win yesterday with your ace / aces - you gotta play ‘‘em again. Go win today and see what happens. In the mean time - GBO

So concede, be content with being there all because we might have to play them again. Now play elimination games of all or nothing because experience and knowledge says that’s best.

 

[Coach Jumper]

So concede, be content with being there all because we might have to play them again. Now play elimination games of all or nothing because experience and knowledge says that’s best.

agree

I don't accept the "good enough" attitude in basketball,,,Softball,,,or life

 

[Majors]

agree

I don't accept the "good enough" attitude in basketball,,,Softball,,,or life

Never guaranteed to get back….play in the moment now.

 

[WVU05UT09]

Said the whole world about South Carolina going into March Madness . . .

They sure looked beatable against Stanford.

Oklahoma is much farther from the rest of the field in softball than South Carolina was in WBB. For all the talk about parity its as if all of the best players that would have found their way to UCLA or Arizona in the past all decided to land in Norman. In my opinion this run is even more dominant than anything UConn or Tennessee put together in Womens Basketball. The only other comparison is Alabama football over last decade.

 

[LynchburgTNVol]

Excuse me, are you mixing metaphors there?..lol

It's sort of an inside joke. A guy I knew from Alabama always said his pigs liked acorns IF they came across one so I've always used that saying to poke fun at him.

 

[Orange931]

I think based on my somewhat limited observation - don't think if we started Nolan Ryan throwing overhand in his prime it would have made much difference. Huge, huge advantage to Oklahoma. Crowd was 95 percent Sooner - the PA system and the whole WCWS was like a home game for Oklahoma. Then you add the umpires and the ump behind the plate appearing strangely biased in favor of the Sooners. When you get 1 hit you are not going to win no matter who you pitch. I didn't hate the pitching decision - now let's battle back into a position to play them again.

You can’t say that for certain. Baseball and softball are a different animal than other sports. Take last night for example in the Clemson game. We didn’t do crap the entire game until the end. With good pitching, you give yourself a chance because all you need is a couple hits to completely change the game.

 

[Hoosier]

We just played the biggest game of the year

really? seems like a game in the championship series would be "the biggest" game, but ya gotta get there first

 

[papatomany]

It was a gamble, but I believe it was a good one. I like their chances of making it back to the final. Only thing that concerns me is that neither Ashley nor Payton looked sharp against Alabama. They'll need to be today.

"A gamble" is a suicide squeeze with a lefty at the plate; this was a panicked over-thought decision. When you have an ace, this is the game they throw in; when you have TWO aces, you go to one of them 100 out of 100 times, and probably use them both.

 

[papatomany]

You can’t say that for certain. Baseball and softball are a different animal than other sports. Take last night for example in the Clemson game. We didn’t do crap the entire game until the end. With good pitching, you give yourself a chance because all you need is a couple hits to completely change the game.

Agreed. And you swing differently down 3-0, then 5-0, then 9-0 than you do in a 1-0 game.

 

[StickMan]

"A gamble" is a suicide squeeze with a lefty at the plate; this was a panicked over-thought decision. When you have an ace, this is the game they throw in; when you have TWO aces, you go to one of them 100 out of 100 times, and probably use them both.

Then you get 1 hit, lose 2-0, and go to the losers bracket with one or both of your top pitchers gassed. On top of that, neither of those top pitchers were sharp against Alabama. Oklahoma struggled this year against pitchers who threw high velocity, so that also played into her decision. Hind sight is 20-20, so we're all geniuses and most of us are convinced we know better than the coach.

 

[Orange931]

Then you get 1 hit, lose 2-0, and go to the losers bracket with one or both of your top pitchers gassed. On top of that, neither of those top pitchers were sharp against Alabama. Oklahoma struggled this year against pitchers who threw high velocity, so that also played into her decision. Hind sight is 20-20, so we're all geniuses and most of us are convinced we know better than the coach.

They got run ruled so they didn’t get their max at bats. Did you even watch the baseball game last night? We didn’t do crap until the end. It’s not about what happened from “most of the game”, softball/baseball are all about possibilities down to the last out and putting yourself in a comfortable position.

 

[papatomany]

Then you get 1 hit, lose 2-0, and go to the losers bracket with one or both of your top pitchers gassed. On top of that, neither of those top pitchers were sharp against Alabama. Oklahoma struggled this year against pitchers who threw high velocity, so that also played into her decision. Hind sight is 20-20, so we're all geniuses and most of us are convinced we know better than the coach.

It's softball. The aces pitch in 70% of the games, and the percentage goes up in tournament time. It isn't especially rare to see a star pitcher go in the first and third game of a three-day three-game series, and relieve in the middle game. Two wins and a save. We have TWO stars, and half a game each would certainly not "gas" them. Again, it's softball. WAY less wear and tear on the arm than baseball. If Pickens had been hot, maybe; but her performance was completely predictable. You always, always go down with your best. If they're not sharp, and you lose, so be it. Also, if I'm either of those two girls, I'm psyched about getting a chance against the juggernaut, and TICKED when my coach thinks I'm not up to the moment. Hindsight? You should have heard my scream when they announced the starting pitcher. That's foresight, not hindsight.

 

[Memvol44]

What does iur pitching have to do with us not hitting the ball. Their pitcher threw a gem! We didn’t score![/ That pitcher was really good!

 

[StickMan]

They got run ruled so they didn’t get their max at bats. Did you even watch the baseball game last night? We didn’t do crap until the end. It’s not about what happened from “most of the game”, softball/baseball are all about possibilities down to the last out and putting yourself in a comfortable position.

Yes, I watched every pitch. If that was your definition of a "comfortable position", you either had the benefit of adult beverages or nerves of steel. TV had many tough decisions, some which I strongly questioned at the time, but that's why they're paid the big bucks. In the end, it mainly comes down to players making plays.

 

[Orange931]

Yes, I watched every pitch. If that was your definition of a "comfortable position", you either had the benefit of adult beverages or nerves of steel. TV had many tough decisions, some which I strongly questioned at the time, but that's why they're paid the big bucks. In the end, it mainly comes down to players making plays.

It was within reach, that’s the point. It’s not “impossible” obviously is the point.

 

[TennEddie]

Karen doesn't know how to manage her pitching staff on the big stage. This is why we lost to Arizona. You have a Power Pitcher in Monica Abbot who was absolutely unhittable in the first game, yet everyone except the coaches know that a Power Pitcher will tire out. There was no reason to start Monica in the 2nd game. if we won, awesome, if we lost, she was rested and would be unhittable again. But, they started her and she tired out and Arizona pounced and then they had no choice but to pitch her in the 3rd game and we all knew the outcome. To this day I will never understand why they didn't rest her in the 2nd game and let her dominate the 3rd if it was needed.

Bases loaded; nobody out; we need 1 run to win the WCWS; massive choke decision by Ralph;
we lose !

 

[StickMan]

It was within reach, that’s the point. It’s not “impossible” obviously is the point.

I agree, you never give up. But, at this point, you make decisions that you think give you the best chance to make the final. We as fans have every right to question the coaches, I do get that. I don't always agree with Karen. In fact, I've been very critical at times. I think Ralph cost us a national championship when he was coaching third during a championship series. But, I digress. In this case, while her decision to start Pickens was questionable, I think it could end up being the right one.

 

[Hexad Vol]

In all probability, to win the tourney you will have to beat the Sooners 2 times in the finals anyway (win or lose this one). Win the next two and this one will be irrelevant.

 

[glv98]

In all probability, to win the tourney you will have to beat the Sooners 2 times in the finals anyway (win or lose this one). Win the next two and this one will be irrelevant.

I'm curious, if we did go to the finals and have to beat them 2 times, who do you ask to pitch? One of the two pitchers you decided before the game yesterday had no chance against them? What will be different about that next week?

 

[AllVols3]

In all probability, to win the tourney you will have to beat the Sooners 2 times in the finals anyway (win or lose this one). Win the next two and this one will be irrelevant.

Wouldn't you have to win 3 to get the Championship Series? You'd have to beat FSU twice , right?

 

[Raebo]

All this talk about how the Sooners struggle against high velocity pitchers. By their record then it doesn’t appear they faced very many “high velocity” pitchers. How big is that sample size, 1 inning??? Most good hitters will adjust.
I was surprised with Pickens getting the starting nod but I think the very questionable ump calls in the first couple innings really rattled her, and who can blame her.

 

[Fullfillmer]

You can’t say that for certain. Baseball and softball are a different animal than other sports. Take last night for example in the Clemson game. We didn’t do crap the entire game until the end. With good pitching, you give yourself a chance because all you need is a couple hits to completely change the game.

Oklahoma - loaded team - check
WCWS -- A home game for Oklahoma on steroids - check
PA system - home game for Oklahoma playing home team music throughout the game - check
Crowd - 95 % fired up Oklahoma fans - worked into a feeding frenzy - check
Oklahoma - By far the best, most lethal offense in the country - check
WCWS umpires - apparently on the payroll of and working to support Oklahoma - check
Great pitcher who only gave up one hit and no runs to Tennessee - check
Oklahoma - the best most loaded team, chock full of talented transfers making it the winningest, most talented team with the most
consecutive wins in history of women's softball - check

Seems like an easy win ----- if we just pitched a different pitcher.

 

[Coach Jumper]

All this talk about how the Sooners struggle against high velocity pitchers. By their record then it doesn’t appear they faced very many “high velocity” pitchers. How big is that sample size, 1 inning??? Most good hitters will adjust.
I was surprised with Pickens getting the starting nod but I think the very questionable ump calls in the first couple innings really rattled her, and who can blame her.

She has pitched enough to get to the position she is in and knows umps vary,, one shrinks the strike zone and one expands it...Just like the first base ump,,,nearly every call from the plate ump on "check swings" she rang up Oklahoma and rarely called "breaking the plain" for TN.

Umps are people too,,,,well, kinda,,,, anyway

 

[Harpethriverkid63]

Oklahoma - loaded team - check
WCWS -- A home game for Oklahoma on steroids - check
PA system - home game for Oklahoma playing home team music throughout the game - check
Crowd - 95 % fired up Oklahoma fans - worked into a feeding frenzy - check
Oklahoma - By far the best, most lethal offense in the country - check
WCWS umpires - apparently on the payroll of and working to support Oklahoma - check
Great pitcher who only gave up one hit and no runs to Tennessee - check
Oklahoma - the best most loaded team, chock full of talented transfers making it the winningest, most talented team with the most
consecutive wins in history of women's softball - check

Seems like an easy win ----- if we just pitched a different pitcher.

The Vol victim mentality is very alive.