Batting Lineup and Starting Rotation

[RobsterMobster]

With Anglim about to make his full return this is how I’d set the lineup for K State and Michigan. I’m assuming Anglim will at least DH against Michigan.

SS - Matthews
CF - Burnham
2nd - Anderson
LF - Swansen
1st - Columbus
C - Caron
DH- Anglim
3rd - Carey
RF - Evans

Obviously that leaves Fisher, Everitt, and Cervantes as quality pinch hitters off the bench or when Caron moves to DH and Columbus to catcher you can easily plug Fisher or Cervantes at 1st.

As far as the starting rotation I’m assuming they give Walsh the start on a limited pitch count against K State and then establish him as the Sunday starter going forward. Once that is established this is my thoughts on the rotation.

Friday - Olson
Saturday - Kaminska
Sunday - Walsh
Midweek - Brockett

Bullpen priority as follows:

Shay
Bunz
Brockett
Hawkins
Garza
Orenelas
Perry
Etc etc etc

I do feel the bullpen has slowly started showing some improvement and do feel guys like Garza have shown to flash better in that role. Brockett is likely the midweek starter so his pitch count may vary each week based on bullpen usage on the weekends.

When it is all said and done this first month and half of the season was a scheduling whirlwind and an up and down adventure to say the least. Getting back into one midweek game and normal conference games should help this team mentally I feel.

I do feel we have the pieces to make a run at the Big Ten title but ultimately it is up to the players as I’m just a fan. Either way, it should be a fun team to watch down the stretch.

 

[k9_r]

Lineup - So much talent and skill, so few spots. Obviously it's the core strength of our team but hitting comes and goes hence..
T8 - 1, 2, 3 and out
T9 - Anglim single, Matthews, Carey, Anderson, three outs, game over.
Not going to worry about it though b/c these guys can play. They'll be here all season long and, from among them, there will be many sparkling ABs and defensive plays.

SP - Steady, reliable, not unlike Povich and Hroch but, like them, no top round draft pick here either. Settle in on a 3rd and 4th guy and they will be giving us a chance to win. I'd love to be cruising with a unhittable strikeout king but I'm a happy guy when getting to the 6th with that chance to win. That's what we're getting from starting pitching - a chance.

Bullpen - Maybe rounding into shape, could be, don't know for sure yet and I still trust SP more than the bullpen. Shay and Bunz, skilled, going to save and win some games for us, the rest pretty much hang question marks. Will say though, among the etcetera and etceteras are Clark and Rizzo. Raw talents, can we bring them around?

I do feel we have the pieces to make a run at the Big Ten title but ultimately it is up to the players as I’m just a fan. Either way, it should be a fun team to watch down the stretch.

You know those big moves we can make in early RPI? That door is rapidly closing. We're going to need to make a run in the B1G. By late April those RPI moves get smallish.

I too see us as a team who can make that run. Looking forward to it and cheering as hard as I can.

 

[RedLife]

Lineup - So much talent and skill, so few spots. Obviously it's the core strength of our team but hitting comes and goes hence..
T8 - 1, 2, 3 and out
T9 - Anglim single, Matthews, Carey, Anderson, three outs, game over.
Not going to worry about it though b/c these guys can play. They'll be here all season long and, from among them, there will be many sparkling ABs and defensive plays.

SP - Steady, reliable, not unlike Povich and Hroch but, like them, no top round draft pick here either. Settle in on a 3rd and 4th guy and they will be giving us a chance to win. I'd love to be cruising with a unhittable strikeout king but I'm a happy guy when getting to the 6th with that chance to win. That's what we're getting from starting pitching - a chance.

Bullpen - Maybe rounding into shape, could be, don't know for sure yet and I still trust SP more than the bullpen. Shay and Bunz, skilled, going to save and win some games for us, the rest pretty much hang question marks. Will say though, among the etcetera and etceteras are Clark and Rizzo. Raw talents, can we bring them around?


You know those big moves we can make in early RPI? That door is rapidly closing. We're going to need to make a run in the B1G. By late April those RPI moves get smallish.

I too see us as a team who can make that run. Looking forward to it and cheering as hard as I can.

Very true
We’re in a deep RPI hole now because perspectives regarding pitchers were clearly wrong out of the gate.
Amazing 1 year retool of our offense and defense though, and fantastic Friday, Saturday starters.
GBR!!!

 

[RobsterMobster]

Very true
We’re in a deep RPI hole now because perspectives regarding pitchers were clearly wrong out of the gate.
Amazing 1 year retool of our offense and defense though, and fantastic Friday, Saturday starters.
GBR!!!

All things considered after last year I think this team has been retooled about as good as we could hope. Gives me hope for the off-season changes made every season.

Our RPI isn’t very good so we need to set ourselves up for a good tourney seeding and win the thing in Omaha. Regardless of RPI I’ve never not seen the Big Ten Regular season champs not get in a regional as well so hopefully we take that challenge and win the dang league.

 

[coolonetoo]

All things considered after last year I think this team has been retooled about as good as we could hope. Gives me hope for the off-season changes made every season.

Our RPI isn’t very good so we need to set ourselves up for a good tourney seeding and win the thing in Omaha. Regardless of RPI I’ve never not seen the Big Ten Regular season champs not get in a regional as well so hopefully we take that challenge and win the dang league.

Is it even possible to get to a top 40 RPI at this point? Perhaps winning 25 of the last 28 would do the trick. I say these should be the goals over the next month (along with no losses to Summit League schools!).

1. Win at least two series against Michigan, Maryland and Iowa.
2. Sweep Northwestern and Minnesota.

This would likely put NU in the running for the regular season title with the Penn State and Purdue series left. The Big Ten regular season champ will make a regional. Period. Winning the conference tournament for the first time in 18 years would, naturally, be a good thing.