The Official Tennessee @ UGA Series Thread (Fri. 5/5 6PM EST) (Sat. 5/6 2PM EST) (Sun. 5/7 1PM EST) All games on SEC NETWORK+

[SouthKnoxVOL]

I just don't believe we are gonna go an entire conference schedule without winning a road series. I think we win the SC series. The injuries are piling up for them and they are I a skid right with losing 3 out of their last 4 series.....they go to Arkansas this next weekend.

 

[taylorvol]

If you would have told me that we would go deep into their bullpen with a 12-3 win on Friday night, and that their SP would go out with an injury after 2 pitches on Sat, I would have absolutely expected a series win with a probable sweep. With that said, I’m glad I don’t bet on sports. Baseball is cruel sometimes and is a fickle game. Let’s go win our next 2 series and both mid week games.

 

[CAVPUT]

I just don't believe we are gonna go an entire conference schedule without winning a road series. I think we win the SC series. The injuries are piling up for them and they are I a skid right with losing 3 out of their last 4 series.....they go to Arkansas this next weekend.

We'd better finish well enough to host. I fear we aren't long for the post season once we leave the friendly confines of LNS.

 

[CAVPUT]

I think Maui sets the tone offensively. If he gets a bad strike / ball call on first few pitches, he starts whining at umpire.

And, we all become energy vampires.

You'd think his maturity would help him have better control and presence.

 

[taylorvol]

Was at Athens for all 3 games. First time at Foley Field after being a frequent visitor to Sanford Stadium. Impressed with Foley—small and intimate and some great sight lines. That Bermuda grass infield is impeccably manicured.

Sellout crowd for Friday night was sparse bc of rain. Sat was their largest crowd of the season. (TN is always a huge draw and seems to set attendance records on the road for every series). Atmosphere was subdued despite record Sat crowd with lots of empty seats. Sunday was light but much better than Fri. Team body language was good overall and they battled all weekend. Lots of hard hit balls right at defenders and numerous warning track fly outs. Just wasn’t our weekend.

 

[tombowalker]

Somebody let the pitchers in on what must be a secret. If you want to win you pitch at the knees. They must not realize serving it up waist high is batting practice.

haha. This is WAY over-simplified and not really true at all.

Considering how much sophistication goes into pitch design these days, it's almost embarrassing reading this.... especially with your cocky delivery.

 

[Christian Lowe]

Somebody let the pitchers in on what must be a secret. If you want to win you pitch at the knees. They must not realize serving it up waist high is batting practice.

This hasn’t been true for a decade or more. High and inside fastballs are king today, the velo pitchers have today changed the game. Randy Johnson was the only guy throwing 100 when I was a kid. I’ve lost count of the amount of guys doing it now.

 

[vol66]

I’m gonna say it, I know I might regret or someone here will make me regret it, but here goes.

We’re bad defensively, either last or next to last in fielding %. That was to be expected to a certain extent.

We’re at the middle of the road, hitting. Timely hits seem in short supply. That’s not helping the pitching.

Pitching was always gonna be our strength and it has played out that way for the most part.

We don’t steal much, and we don’t really stop them from stealing (though Cal did well today) and next week…they are gonna give that a go. They lead the league.

I am not being negative. The next two weekends are huge, which is a “well duh” comment. There’s a body of work, time to flip the switch.

GBO!!!

 

[NighthawkVol]

Yes, the thing we have that others do not is starting pitching for days and a great bull pen.

Joyce should be back by postseason. That’ll help too. Russell has turned into a stud out of the pen and Obviously, we know what Burns is as a reliever. Once the schedule tightens in postseason, those guys, along with Cam, Kirby, Halvorsen, Combs, Fitz, Fanning, and Zander, are an advantage I’m not sure any other team has.

At some point, Burke is going to come around and I think Stark can too. It’s just this team’s defense that is a long-term concern.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Was at Athens for all 3 games. First time at Foley Field after being a frequent visitor to Sanford Stadium. Impressed with Foley—small and intimate and some great sight lines. That Bermuda grass infield is impeccably manicured.

Sellout crowd for Friday night was sparse bc of rain. Sat was their largest crowd of the season. (TN is always a huge draw and seems to set attendance records on the road for every series). Atmosphere was subdued despite record Sat crowd with lots of empty seats. Sunday was light but much better than Fri. Team body language was good overall and they battled all weekend. Lots of hard hit balls right at defenders and numerous warning track fly outs. Just wasn’t our weekend.

Great report!

 

[Jax_Vol]

I’m gonna say it, I know I might regret or someone here will make me regret it, but here goes.

We’re bad defensively, either last or next to last in fielding %. That was to be expected to a certain extent.

We’re at the middle of the road, hitting. Timely hits seem in short supply. That’s not helping the pitching.

Pitching was always gonna be our strength and it has played out that way for the most part.

We don’t steal much, and we don’t really stop them from stealing (though Cal did well today) and next week…they are gonna give that a go. They lead the league.

I am not being negative. The next two weekends are huge, which is a “well duh” comment. There’s a body of work, time to flip the switch.

GBO!!!

That is really an extremely fair summary of who we are.

Not to pile on, but I would add:

Weak against left handed pitching. For these remaining 10-12 games, or whatever we have left...expect every team's slow junk southpaw. Wish CTV would focus some serious batting practice time on Maui, Blake, C Scott, Riley, KT, etc hitting breaking balls off our lefties.

Lack of team chemistry, or simply young and haven't jelled.

The balls/strikes are going to called variously each game. Our pitchers aren't whining and keep fighting. Jared Dickey doesn't complain and keeps raking. Several of the others need to shut up, dig in, and just hit the fricken' ball.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Joyce should be back by postseason. That’ll help too. Russell has turned into a stud out of the pen and Obviously, we know what Burns is as a reliever. Once the schedule tightens in postseason, those guys, along with Cam, Kirby, Halvorsen, Combs, Fitz, Fanning, and Zander, are an advantage I’m not sure any other team has.

At some point, Burke is going to come around and I think Stark can too. It’s just this team’s defense that is a long-term concern.

Yes. Other things can be fixed / improved. The defense is just going to be weak. Are this point, gotta dance with the gal who brought to the prom.

 

[CAVPUT]

I’m gonna say it, I know I might regret or someone here will make me regret it, but here goes.

We’re bad defensively, either last or next to last in fielding %. That was to be expected to a certain extent.

We’re at the middle of the road, hitting. Timely hits seem in short supply. That’s not helping the pitching.

Pitching was always gonna be our strength and it has played out that way for the most part.

We don’t steal much, and we don’t really stop them from stealing (though Cal did well today) and next week…they are gonna give that a go. They lead the league.

I am not being negative. The next two weekends are huge, which is a “well duh” comment. There’s a body of work, time to flip the switch.

GBO!!!

Season in a nutshell, but I'm having a very hard time seeing us flipping said switch. Not saying it can't happen but at this point in the season, it's also reasonable to believe this is who and what we are. We'll need as many games at home as we can get which means hosting so we will need to be nearly perfect at home the rest of the way. Then we need some great luck with our draws in both the SECT and NCAAT. Right now I think just making the supers is about the best this team is capable of. If they're able to get that far with this year's young roster, I'd be quite content and pleased with that.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Season in a nutshell, but I'm having a very hard time seeing us flipping said switch. Not saying it can't happen but at this point in the season, it's also reasonable to believe this is who and what we are. We'll need as many games at home as we can get which means hosting so we will need to be nearly perfect at home the rest of the way. Then we need some great luck with our draws in both the SECT and NCAAT. Right now I think just making the supers is about the best this team is capable of. If they're able to get that far with this year's young roster, I'd be quite content and pleased with that.

Yup. I can't see us having the ability to flip that switch either.

I would be ecstatic making the sweet sixteen.

We are underdogs the rest of way...maybe we can thrive off that mindset.

 

[arkyvol]

What are Ahuna and Burk's batting records against lefties?

 

[taylorvol]

Vols rekindled that Prima Donna attitude after last nights win. They better get their collective heads out of their asses or they go south just as quickly as they ripped through the last cpl series.

SP

 

[taylorvol]

Great report!

I was there (like a lot of Vol fans) for every inning this weekend. I was practically sitting in the Vols dugout as GA has a row of seats so close to the visiting team that you can smell Zander’s bubble gum and hear every word uttered at that section of the dugout. I will say unequivocally that there was no quit in this team. No prima donnas or any of that nonsense spewing from NegaVols. I witnessed lots of fight and some hard hit balls that just didn’t fall. it’s baseball and I bet we wrap the season at 4-2 in SEC play. Either way, I will be at every game cheering on the BaseVols. GBO

 

[Jax_Vol]

I was there (like a lot of Vol fans) for every inning this weekend. I was practically sitting in the Vols dugout as GA has a row of seats so close to the visiting team that you can smell Zander’s bubble gum and hear every word uttered at that section of the dugout. I will say unequivocally that there was no quit in this team. No prima donnas or any of that nonsense spewing from NegaVols. I witnessed lots of fight and some hard hit balls that just didn’t fall. it’s baseball and I bet we wrap the season at 4-2 in SEC play. Either way, I will be at every game cheering on the BaseVols. GBO

Outstanding…!!! That news provides some much needed relief. Let’s just get out there, do our best, and have fun. Woooo!

 

[Tenacjim]

Yes. Other things can be fixed / improved. The defense is just going to be weak. Are this point, gotta dance with the gal who brought to the prom.

Boneheaded mistakes on the bases seem to also be a consistent problem that isn’t getting corrected. This was an issue last year too but we just bashed our way past those mistakes. Can’t seem to do that this year.

 

[greasemachine]

I was there (like a lot of Vol fans) for every inning this weekend. I was practically sitting in the Vols dugout as GA has a row of seats so close to the visiting team that you can smell Zander’s bubble gum and hear every word uttered at that section of the dugout. I will say unequivocally that there was no quit in this team. No prima donnas or any of that nonsense spewing from NegaVols. I witnessed lots of fight and some hard hit balls that just didn’t fall. it’s baseball and I bet we wrap the season at 4-2 in SEC play. Either way, I will be at every game cheering on the BaseVols. GBO

Zander always smells like bubble gum Agree and if anyone thinks these kids don't want to win and are not disappointed when they lose and feel they let down their fans, you might as well move along...