The Official #1 Tennessee vs Notre Dame Super Regional Games Thread (Fri 6/10 6PM EST ESPN 2) ( Sat. 6/11 2PM EST ESPN ) (Sun. 6/12 1PM EST ESPN)

[bigdaddy]

Was hoping for two night games. But chances are the weather won’t be the best in the afternoon Saturday so may still get that

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I don’t know if this has been noted because there’s already 10 pages in this thread…. Notre Dame has a right handed heavy lineup. In their most used lineup, first 7 batters are right handed hitters, their 8 hole hitter is a lefty, and 9 hole is a switch hitter. This will really favor Tidwell, Dollander, Sewell, Burns, McGlaughlin, Joyce and Beam.

Yep. Tidwell/Dollander for sure on Friday/Saturday. If we have a chance to close this thing out in two, we might see Burns out of the bullpen Saturday night, but if Game 3 is necessary, he’ll be the starter.

 

[Schasz]

Let's just beat ND two in a row and pack our bags for Omaha!

 

[DazzleVol]

I don’t know if this has been noted because there’s already 10 pages in this thread…. Notre Dame has a right handed heavy lineup. In their most used lineup, first 7 batters are right handed hitters, their 8 hole hitter is a lefty, and 9 hole is a switch hitter. This will really favor Tidwell, Dollander, Sewell, Burns, McGlaughlin, Joyce and Beam.

Great for our starters .. not so much our closers... what's their pitching staff look like as far as righty lefty matchups?

 

[Jax_Vol]

Here’s my thoughts about the past and coming up weekend...

1. Our pitching has been stellar all season so I’m not worried about a little hiccup in a game or 2. Dolly will come out ready to roll next time he’s on the bump, watch and see.

2. Our lineup is full of power but we can sometimes lose our approach. Long bombs are nice but it leads to quick, momentum killing outs sometimes when we don’t do the job. It took us 5-6 innings to figure out the GT pitcher was throwing 90% of his sliders out of the strike zone but we kept chasing looking for that big time moment. If ducks are on the pond, shorten up and square it up and just find a hole. Won’t be able to live and die by the long ball in Omaha.

3. This point is one I’m a little worried about. The teams that steal on us have been stealing on our pitchers, not our catcher. I understand we haven’t incorporated a slide-step into the pitching technique but our pitchers (especially Burns) have got to do a better job at keeping runners closer to the base or Evan won’t have a dying chance to throw them out. Couple that with an off night locating pitches and that could be the difference in the ball game.

4. Stop talking about who we’re pitching in Game 3, there will be no Game 3. Tidwell and Dolly are gonna welcome them to LNS in the worst way possible.

Agree with everything except I think there will be a game 3. Notre Dame has elite pitchers and they are very deep. Similar to us, they can run 8-10 guys out there without any dropoff. On the road, they only gave up seven rules during their entire regional. We will lose a 4-3 type game.

We need to r-e-l-a-x, play stress free ball, or we will lose two games. And if we do lose, it is no big deal. We've had a great year. Whatever happens next is merely a cherry on top of the sundae.

 

[Zvols]

Yep. Tidwell/Dollander for sure on Friday/Saturday. If we have a chance to close this thing out in two, we might see Burns out of the bullpen Saturday night, but if Game 3 is necessary, he’ll be the starter.

I like the idea of Sewell against this lineup. I don’t know if you use him in a long relief in Games 1 or 2 or if you hold him for Game 3. I think he is the best righty relief option against a lineup like this due to his arm slot.

 

[Zvols]

Great for our starters .. not so much our closers... what's their pitching staff look like as far as righty lefty matchups?

Rotation goes LHP, RHP, LHP respectively. Then bullpen goes LHP, RHP, RHP based on appearances AND their ERA.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I like the idea of Sewell against this lineup. I don’t know if you use him in a long relief in Games 1 or 2 or if you hold him for Game 3. I think he is the best righty relief option against a lineup like this due to his arm slot.

I'm going to guess the plan for Sewell will be dictated by how things unfold. My guess is Sewell/Burns will be the wild cards. One of them will come in for long relief (if necessary) in Game 1 or 2, but I would be shocked if one wasn't reserved for an if necessary Game 3. We'll bring one of them out of the pen in the first two games, and my guess is whoever comes out of the pen first will tell us who Vitello is reserving for a Sunday start.

I guess you could see both out of the pen, but that would mean Beam is the Sunday starter, and considering his control issues lately, I just don't see him starting a winner take all game.

 

[Zvols]

I'm going to guess the plan for Sewell will be dictated by how things unfold. My guess is Sewell/Burns will be the wild cards. One of them will come in for long relief (if necessary) in Game 1 or 2, but I would be shocked if one wasn't reserved for an if necessary Game 3. We'll bring one of them out of the pen in the first two games, and my guess is whoever comes out of the pen first will tell us who Vitello is reserving for a Sunday start.

I guess you could see both out of the pen, but that would mean Beam is the Sunday starter, and considering his control issues lately, I just don't see him starting a winner take all game.

Yeah I think Burns gets designated as the Sunday starter because Sewell has to get work this week after a week off. I would think ideally you ride Tidwell for 6-7 IP and then Sewell for 3 IP. Both can go long and this lineup shouldn’t scare them. I wouldn’t hate to see Sewell as a starter next year but I know it’s tough to make that change with a young talent like Beam.

 

[chuckiepoo]

I don’t know if there is a site that keeps track of this but I would like to see a breakdown of the amount of runs we score by the inning. We do A LOT of damage from the 5th inning on.

They know there may be some recency bias there. Earlier we were jumping out to leads early.

 

[DazzleVol]

Burke might not be in the lineup game 1... C Mo as dh?

 

[Zvols]

Burke might not be in the lineup game 1... C Mo as dh?

Burke hasn’t been as RHP-dependent like Luc tends to be. I’d have him back in the lineup. Bring Ortega up to the 2 hole for Game 1

 

[DazzleVol]

Burke hasn’t been as RHP-dependent like Luc tends to be. I’d have him back in the lineup. Bring Ortega up to the 2 hole for Game 1

True.. and as hard as it is to not have Burke in the lineup I think C Mo has come up big in some clutch situations and think he has earned a few more ABs

 

[StarRaider]

 

[BallerVolFan]

Burke hasn’t been as RHP-dependent like Luc tends to be. I’d have him back in the lineup. Bring Ortega up to the 2 hole for Game 1

If it’s a lefty throwing a slider, Burke won’t touch it.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Would it sink in if I said you obviously don't understand postseason baseball? We played two teams in our regional that are top 10 nationally in several offensive categories. Who did we play in the SEC that is comparable? Florida. Campbell and GT are better offensively than everyone else we played in conference. Top 10 in runs scored, home runs, and runs per game. GT leads the nation in team batting average. Yes, the teams in our regional were better than the majority of our conference schedules.

Would it sink in if I told you that offense is only one aspect of the game of baseball, and that pitching and defense or just as - or more - important aspects of the game? Would it sink in if I told you that Campbell and GT did not make a super regional, but 5 SEC teams did? Our freshmen starters and a couple of others began struggling even before the regional, late in the SEC schedule and during the SEC tournament, and they continued in the regional. Hopefully, the way their workloads are being managed will help should we get all the way to Omaha.

 

[fryeguy93]

I don’t know if this has been noted because there’s already 10 pages in this thread…. Notre Dame has a right handed heavy lineup. In their most used lineup, first 7 batters are right handed hitters, their 8 hole hitter is a lefty, and 9 hole is a switch hitter. This will really favor Tidwell, Dollander, Sewell, Burns, McGlaughlin, Joyce and Beam.

So, without some left handed pinch hitting and maybe a spot one-batter showing. We may not see much of Kirby, Redmond and Mabrey this weekend

 

[Jax_Vol]

If it’s a lefty throwing a slider, Burke won’t touch it.

Blake is still young, Not ready for the left handers this year. Will be next year hopefully...

 

[WestTennesseeVol]

Turns about the most obnoxious guy in the office is a Notre Dame fan. Of course, he only brought it up now that they’re in the Super Regional.

Color me shocked.

 

[Juanita]

I don't know anything about ND baseball (very little about any baseball) and I don't want to. Never have cared for their FB team. We are going to whip em! GBO! BTW, the reference to holes re: batting line up, I figured it out. Kind of a vulgar term. I prefer "spots." Still learning the game and the lingo.

 

[05_never_again]

Agree with everything except I think there will be a game 3. Notre Dame has elite pitchers and they are very deep. Similar to us, they can run 8-10 guys out there without any dropoff. On the road, they only gave up seven rules during their entire regional. We will lose a 4-3 type game.

We need to r-e-l-a-x, play stress free ball, or we will lose two games. And if we do lose, it is no big deal. We've had a great year. Whatever happens next is merely a cherry on top of the sundae.

Not sure I'd go that far. Last year's team, which wasn't as good, went to Omaha. When you've had a year this dominating, not even making the CWS would be disappointing.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

I don’t know if this has been noted because there’s already 10 pages in this thread…. Notre Dame has a right handed heavy lineup. In their most used lineup, first 7 batters are right handed hitters, their 8 hole hitter is a lefty, and 9 hole is a switch hitter. This will really favor Tidwell, Dollander, Sewell, Burns, McGlaughlin, Joyce and Beam.

And Kirby and Redmond are lefties with stuff that can get right handers out as easily as lefties. They are excellent at changeups to righties, which keeps them honest.

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

I don't know anything about ND baseball (very little about any baseball) and I don't want to. Never have cared for their FB team. We are going to whip em! GBO! BTW, the reference to holes re: batting line up, I figured it out. Kind of a vulgar term. I prefer "spots." Still learning the game and the lingo.

Noob.

 

[fryeguy93]

Notre Dame starters

In order of games started

Bertrand (LH) 2.27 9-2 (16 starts) 103 SO. 19 BB .223 B/avg 17 2b 5 hr 99ip -
Temple (RH) 3.46 4-1 (13 starts)
Findlay (LH) 2.11 5-2 (8 starts)
Tyrell (LH) 3.60 5-1 (5 starts)
Simon (RH) 4.67 2-0 (5 starts)
Mercer (LH) 4.95 2-1 (3 starts)


Bertrand is their workhouse. He started the Friday and Sunday games against Texas Tech. His start Friday was interrupted by rain as he went 1 inning. He went 7.2 in Sun. final giving up only 1 ER on 9 hits and107 pitches.

It will be interesting if ND will start him on Friday night on 4 days rest. I'm guessing, he'll go Saturday and Temple will go Friday.

So, if we stick to the lineup against RH; Luc will bat second and Blake Burke will DH.

Also, with one more week of healing how much playing time will we see with Jared Dickey. Even if 100%; I don't see Jared getting starts against a staff with so many lefties. Dickey may play a huge role in Omaha should we reach.

 

[fryeguy93]

I like the idea of Sewell against this lineup. I don’t know if you use him in a long relief in Games 1 or 2 or if you hold him for Game 3. I think he is the best righty relief option against a lineup like this due to his arm slot.

As we know there will not be a 4th game; I suspect Cam will be an early option in any game