*Perhaps the most promising sign from last night’s win over UAB at the Met was the performance of Brent Carter. The junior lefty has noticeably regained some zip on his fastball and managed to consistently keep UAB hitters off-balance by mixing in his outstanding changeup. Hopefully that outing will serve to bolster his confidence and help him complete the turnaround from his recent slide, because his presence in the rotation is a must if we plan on making a serious run in the second half of the conference slate.
*He garners most of his attention as a result of his efforts on the mound, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Brandon Belcher can flat-out rake – and in the clutch. The freshman from Ruston has some tremendous all-around talent, and I’ll even venture to say that he qualifies as a legitimate five-tool player (six if you count the fact that he pitches separately), thus placing him in exclusive company among Wells-era players, alongside G.W. Keller and Scott McClanahan.
*Rocky Scelfo and Allen Rice have emerged as a capable 1-2 duo at the top of the Tide batting order. However, neither of them are what one might normally consider to be a prototypical leadoff hitter - they both possess the attributes of what I consider to be an ideal #2 hitter. But in determining who should lead off and who should follow, I would go with Rice at the top. Rice, the team leader in on-base percentage, is a patient, selective hitter who knows how to work the count and will draw a lot of walks, in addition to possessing legitimate base-stealing speed. Scelfo, on the other hand, has a much more aggressive approach at the plate and will not hesitate to jump on a hittable pitch early, which is not a bad thing, by any means. Allowing Allen the opportunity to set the table and have the line drive-hitting Rocky either advance or drive him in might work to our advantage.
*Charlie Lyons was back behind the plate against UAB and drove in a pair of runs, all the while showing no ill-effects of the broken hamate bone that has sidelined him for most of the season. Charlie’s presence in the lineup has certainly been missed, and Wednesday’s game was a very promising indication that the sophomore backstop is getting closer and closer to 100%. “Old Blood & Guts” Nick Richardson has battled numerous injuries this season, but has toughed them out to put forth a truly admirable effort after being called on to handle the overwhelming majority of the catching duties in Charlie’s absence. Nick has come through with several clutch hits this season, and has also impressed with his arm, throwing out 42% of would-be base stealers. Passed balls have been a problem, but such is the nature of the risk a coach has no choice but to undertake when forced to play guys with limited mobility due to injury. Expect the PBs to decrease as the respective injuries of our backstops improve.
*In the bullpen, Seth Johnson and closer/starter/long reliever Taylor Tankersley have both pitched at a level worthy of all-conference recognition. Matt Downs, who relies primarily on his blazing fastball, has improved over the course of the season in locating his breaking stuff, and is another valuable new addition to the pen (and infield). I see Downs taking over Seth Johnson's role next year as the primary right-handed stopper. One of the things that has impressed me the most about this pitching staff is that the success has truly been a collective effort. On the relatively rare occasions when our starters have had sub-par outings, the bullpen has consistently been able to step right in and pick up the slack. Talent and depth in the bullpen is something we haven't had very often in the past, and we are learning first-hand just how much of a luxury it can truly be. The remarkable efforts of the pitchers are even more impressive when one considers the numerous injuries that have hampered the staff as well.
I'm not going to go into any in-depth observations of the Vanderbilt series, because nothing positive can really be derived from dwelling extensively on our past defeats. I think most would agree that this has been one of the most frustrating seasons in quite some time in Tuscaloosa. Worth Scott’s miraculous catch robbing Matt Downs of what would have been the game-winning RBIs on Sunday, in a sense, symbolizes the Tide’s heartbreaking run of close calls and bad breaks that have plagued our season to date. Now is the time to begin anew, and to focus on the job we have in front of us. This, to use the old cliché, is gut-check time. This team simply cannot allow the disappointments and emotional letdowns of the first half to dictate the course of the remainder of the season. They must prove that they have the mental toughness to persevere throughout what has obviously been a potentially disheartening stretch and to find a way to regroup and finish with pride – to make a resounding statement that not only silences all of the detractors and pessimists, but reflects their value as a team. The upcoming series against our miserable arch-rivals represents what simply must serve as the turning point of this season, the series that launches the fight back into the postseason picture and beyond.
This also applies, to a lesser extent but still of considerable importance, to the fans. This team needs the support of the fans now more than they ever have, and it is the duty of the fans to maintain their steadfast support, and avoid the urge to pursue the “fair weather” route. There’s a lot of baseball left to be played, and in this game, anything can happen.
The attitude that everyone involved needs to embrace, team and fans alike, was best stated by PlayBall! in a recent post: REFUSE TO LOSE
*He garners most of his attention as a result of his efforts on the mound, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Brandon Belcher can flat-out rake – and in the clutch. The freshman from Ruston has some tremendous all-around talent, and I’ll even venture to say that he qualifies as a legitimate five-tool player (six if you count the fact that he pitches separately), thus placing him in exclusive company among Wells-era players, alongside G.W. Keller and Scott McClanahan.
*Rocky Scelfo and Allen Rice have emerged as a capable 1-2 duo at the top of the Tide batting order. However, neither of them are what one might normally consider to be a prototypical leadoff hitter - they both possess the attributes of what I consider to be an ideal #2 hitter. But in determining who should lead off and who should follow, I would go with Rice at the top. Rice, the team leader in on-base percentage, is a patient, selective hitter who knows how to work the count and will draw a lot of walks, in addition to possessing legitimate base-stealing speed. Scelfo, on the other hand, has a much more aggressive approach at the plate and will not hesitate to jump on a hittable pitch early, which is not a bad thing, by any means. Allowing Allen the opportunity to set the table and have the line drive-hitting Rocky either advance or drive him in might work to our advantage.
*Charlie Lyons was back behind the plate against UAB and drove in a pair of runs, all the while showing no ill-effects of the broken hamate bone that has sidelined him for most of the season. Charlie’s presence in the lineup has certainly been missed, and Wednesday’s game was a very promising indication that the sophomore backstop is getting closer and closer to 100%. “Old Blood & Guts” Nick Richardson has battled numerous injuries this season, but has toughed them out to put forth a truly admirable effort after being called on to handle the overwhelming majority of the catching duties in Charlie’s absence. Nick has come through with several clutch hits this season, and has also impressed with his arm, throwing out 42% of would-be base stealers. Passed balls have been a problem, but such is the nature of the risk a coach has no choice but to undertake when forced to play guys with limited mobility due to injury. Expect the PBs to decrease as the respective injuries of our backstops improve.
*In the bullpen, Seth Johnson and closer/starter/long reliever Taylor Tankersley have both pitched at a level worthy of all-conference recognition. Matt Downs, who relies primarily on his blazing fastball, has improved over the course of the season in locating his breaking stuff, and is another valuable new addition to the pen (and infield). I see Downs taking over Seth Johnson's role next year as the primary right-handed stopper. One of the things that has impressed me the most about this pitching staff is that the success has truly been a collective effort. On the relatively rare occasions when our starters have had sub-par outings, the bullpen has consistently been able to step right in and pick up the slack. Talent and depth in the bullpen is something we haven't had very often in the past, and we are learning first-hand just how much of a luxury it can truly be. The remarkable efforts of the pitchers are even more impressive when one considers the numerous injuries that have hampered the staff as well.
I'm not going to go into any in-depth observations of the Vanderbilt series, because nothing positive can really be derived from dwelling extensively on our past defeats. I think most would agree that this has been one of the most frustrating seasons in quite some time in Tuscaloosa. Worth Scott’s miraculous catch robbing Matt Downs of what would have been the game-winning RBIs on Sunday, in a sense, symbolizes the Tide’s heartbreaking run of close calls and bad breaks that have plagued our season to date. Now is the time to begin anew, and to focus on the job we have in front of us. This, to use the old cliché, is gut-check time. This team simply cannot allow the disappointments and emotional letdowns of the first half to dictate the course of the remainder of the season. They must prove that they have the mental toughness to persevere throughout what has obviously been a potentially disheartening stretch and to find a way to regroup and finish with pride – to make a resounding statement that not only silences all of the detractors and pessimists, but reflects their value as a team. The upcoming series against our miserable arch-rivals represents what simply must serve as the turning point of this season, the series that launches the fight back into the postseason picture and beyond.
This also applies, to a lesser extent but still of considerable importance, to the fans. This team needs the support of the fans now more than they ever have, and it is the duty of the fans to maintain their steadfast support, and avoid the urge to pursue the “fair weather” route. There’s a lot of baseball left to be played, and in this game, anything can happen.
The attitude that everyone involved needs to embrace, team and fans alike, was best stated by PlayBall! in a recent post: REFUSE TO LOSE
