If the weather cooperates and the Owls can maintain their intrasquad schedule, this weekend should tell the tale of who makes the trip to Stanford. The OG anticipates making his final decision on the travel squad on Monday, Tuesday at the latest, so whatever jobs are left to be won will be done so this weekend. Most of the frontline starters will pitch this weekend, with significant roles in the bullpen to be sorted to a greater extent by performances on Saturday and Sunday. The OG stated that he will leave between 3-5 of his healthy pitchers in Houston next weekend, so for those riding the bubble, the next few intrasquads mean an awful lot.
The OG aims to get the scrimmages started at 3:15. Here are the pitchers scheduled to work:
Saturday: So. LHP Taylor Wall; Jr. LHP Tony Cingrani; Fr. RHP Chase McDowell; Fr. LHP Holt McNair; Jr. LHP Matt Evers; Jr. LHP Doug Simmons; Fr. RHP Tyler Duffey.
Sunday: Sr. RHP Jared Rogers; RS Fr. RHP Anthony Fazio; So. RHP Matthew Reckling; Jr. RHP Boogie Anagnostou.
Wall and Cingrani will work five innings and/or 80 pitches, with McDowell and McNair set to pitch three innings and/or 70 pitches. Evers and Simmons will work two innings and also pitch Tuesday; Duffey will pitch on Monday, so expect him to work no more than an inning Saturday.
Rogers and Fazio will pitch between 4-5 innings on Sunday while Reckling and Anagnostou will log three innings apiece. The OG wants all four pitchers ready for action for the middle game of the season-opening series, but will closely monitor the outings of Reckling and Anagnostou this weekend in the event that he wants one or both to work the opener in relief.
Of note: The OG will take 28 players to Stanford, three over the normal travel roster size. Because the Owls won't take another road series until mid-March at San Diego, The OG wants to keep every option in play this weekend and through the first four weeks of the season. Injured Sr. RHP Mike Ojala will make the trip to Stanford, and The OG committed to his three two-way players - Jr. LHP/1B Abel Gonzales, Fr. RHP/IF Tyler Spurlin and McDowell - having roster spots. It's safe to assume that Wall, Cingrani, Rogers, Fazio, Duffey, Reckling, Anagnostou and Simmons are locks to get on that bird Thursday morning, so that makes 11 pitchers (discounting Ojala). Benak (who has shown marked improvement this spring), Haynes and McNair look safe too, so that's 14. Evers might be the 15th and final arm.
The OG hopes to know more about the status of Fr. 2B Michael Ratterree by Monday. Ratterree collided with So. RF Daniel Gonzales-Luna on Monday, and while his noggin is healing nicely, he did suffer a bruised left arm on the play. With his post-fall backup, Fr. J.T. Chargois, out for Stanford, the Owls would be in a mild quandary if Ratterree is unavailable.
The OG aims to get the scrimmages started at 3:15. Here are the pitchers scheduled to work:
Saturday: So. LHP Taylor Wall; Jr. LHP Tony Cingrani; Fr. RHP Chase McDowell; Fr. LHP Holt McNair; Jr. LHP Matt Evers; Jr. LHP Doug Simmons; Fr. RHP Tyler Duffey.
Sunday: Sr. RHP Jared Rogers; RS Fr. RHP Anthony Fazio; So. RHP Matthew Reckling; Jr. RHP Boogie Anagnostou.
Wall and Cingrani will work five innings and/or 80 pitches, with McDowell and McNair set to pitch three innings and/or 70 pitches. Evers and Simmons will work two innings and also pitch Tuesday; Duffey will pitch on Monday, so expect him to work no more than an inning Saturday.
Rogers and Fazio will pitch between 4-5 innings on Sunday while Reckling and Anagnostou will log three innings apiece. The OG wants all four pitchers ready for action for the middle game of the season-opening series, but will closely monitor the outings of Reckling and Anagnostou this weekend in the event that he wants one or both to work the opener in relief.
Of note: The OG will take 28 players to Stanford, three over the normal travel roster size. Because the Owls won't take another road series until mid-March at San Diego, The OG wants to keep every option in play this weekend and through the first four weeks of the season. Injured Sr. RHP Mike Ojala will make the trip to Stanford, and The OG committed to his three two-way players - Jr. LHP/1B Abel Gonzales, Fr. RHP/IF Tyler Spurlin and McDowell - having roster spots. It's safe to assume that Wall, Cingrani, Rogers, Fazio, Duffey, Reckling, Anagnostou and Simmons are locks to get on that bird Thursday morning, so that makes 11 pitchers (discounting Ojala). Benak (who has shown marked improvement this spring), Haynes and McNair look safe too, so that's 14. Evers might be the 15th and final arm.
The OG hopes to know more about the status of Fr. 2B Michael Ratterree by Monday. Ratterree collided with So. RF Daniel Gonzales-Luna on Monday, and while his noggin is healing nicely, he did suffer a bruised left arm on the play. With his post-fall backup, Fr. J.T. Chargois, out for Stanford, the Owls would be in a mild quandary if Ratterree is unavailable.
Thanks, MK-- is the expectation that Ratterree will be okay by late next week? I'm presuming that should he still be hurting, either Fuda moves to 2B (where he's seen considerable action during intrasquads) with Rathjen, Lewis or DG-L taking LF, OR Jimmy slides over to 2B with Gonzales or Spurlin manning 1B?
Also somewhat surprised that The OG chose to practice today rather than intrasquads. One would have thought he would have wanted to get Wall, Fazio/Rogers and Cingrani into their regular weekly routine this week, pitching respectively on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (as they will be doing next weekend in Palo Alto).
Walt: All fingers are crossed for Ratterree to be on that bird next Thursday. Based on my conversation with The OG, I presume Monday is the drop-dead date for a decision. If he can practice then, he probably makes the trip; if not, he doesn't. In the event he doesn't make it, I believe your first scenario (Fuda at 2B, Rathjen in LF) plays out. As for the rotation, either Rogers or Fazio would have five days or rest before starting on Saturday while Wall has five (assuming a Friday start) and Cingrani seven. With both Reckling and Anagnostou at the ready for the second game, I don't think whoever the starter is will be needed for more than 5 IP. - MK
Lets hope Rattarree can play, but if he can't, Jimmy moves to 2nd and Lewis starts at 1st. Still a great line-up. We'd miss Rattarree's right bat vs the 2 lefties Stanford that will start, but I don't think we have any better options.
Curious as to Evers being last man in - MK, I take it he hasn't exactly impressed thus far? Is this the same guy who once upon a time struck out something like 10 Longhorns in a row? I penciled him in as a Rice legend right then, loved his attitude on the mound. I'm surprised he hasn't worked out as I expected but I still have hopes of a return-to-form season, I think we need it.
Buho00: The more likely scenario if Ratterree can't go is Fuda at second and Rathjen in left. As for Evers, it's hard to slot him above the other LHPs in the bullpen (Simmons, Gonzales and McNair) based purely on performance. Benak and Haynes have been solid this spring and are deserving of roster spots. Evers' outing at Texas resonates in my mind, and hopefully he rediscovers that mojo. - MK
MK,
Can you help me with the numbers? As I understand it, the OG has to name a 25-man roster (is that for each game or at the beginning of the series?).
Above you name 15 pitchers (excluding Ojala, who will travel but not be eligible). So that leave 10 spots for position players. Assuming Gonzales-Luna and Chargois are unavailable due to injury, I count 12 guys that seem likely candidates for the 25 man roster - 27 in total:
Catchers (3): Seastrunk, Manuel, Perrott
Infielders (5): Comerota, Ratteree, Hague, Rendon, Lewis
Outfielders (4): Fuda, Sultzbaugh, Mozingo, Rathjen
How do you see the active roster shaking out?
Coatzaowl: I did this exercise last night and had a difficult time paring down the roster to 25. I agree that the above 12 position players are locks, so that leaves 13 pitchers, three of whom are two-way players (Gonzo, McDowell and Spurlin). Thus, the final 10 pitchers are: Wall, Fazio, Cingrani, Rogers, Duffey, Anagnostou, Simmons, Reckling, Benak and ... then it comes down to Haynes, McNair or Evers. I can't imagine how The OG will come to a decision on those three. An additional, veteran RHP (Haynes)? The more experienced LHP (Evers), or the freshman who performed well in the fall (before illness) and in spots this spring (McNair)? - MK
MK,
Thanks for the response. Is the 25-man roster for the weekend series or per game? If it's per game, a way to get to 25 is to deactivate the other 2 starting pitchers (i.e., on Friday when Wall is pitching, deactivate Cingrani and Fazio/Rogers, then shift as the weekend progresses).
Coatzaowl: Per series. Once the 25-man travel roster is set prior to a series, there can be no manipulation during the series, thus the hand wringing in advance. - MK
MK, I'm a bit surprised you think Duffy is a lock to travel this week, as The OG could be saving him for Tuesday vs. Texas State; especially if both Reckling and Rogers pitch multiple innings this weekend (which, IMO, is likely given our starters will probably go no more than 5 - 6 inning this first week). Also, do you really have Benak ahead of Haynes and McNair? Given how well McNair has pitched-- and consistently so-- I am not sure how you can leave him off the 25-man roster.
Walt: I would submit that whoever doesn't start on Saturday, Rogers or Fazio, is just as good a bet to start against Texas State as Duffey (who could start the next day against Lamar). Duffey and Reckling seem the likely candidates for long relief out of the gate, and with 28 players making the trip, why not reward Duffey for his solid performances in the fall and the spring by putting him on the travel roster? When The OG spoke of letting things play out over the first month of the season, I'm sure he was referring to the younger pitchers on his staff. As for Benak, you'd be hard-pressed to find a pitcher who has shown more improvement from the close of last season to this current date (the coaches have taken notice). His command has improved dramatically (I don't think he has walked a batter this spring), and so has his disposition. I agree that McNair has been fabulous, but so has Benak, which makes the decision to leave off someone difficult. That's why The OG makes the big bucks. - MK
Thanks for the updates today, MK. A little leery of the control issues for our pitchers, though..
At Ease: I changed my tune after Wall and McNair returned for their second innings of work. Both looked much better, and that's the best I've seen of Wall all spring. His outing made me feel far more optimistic about his being named staff ace. Simmons looked strong, too, and Evers recovered nicely following the shot surrendered to Hague (which was a solid pitch, BTW), so the southpaws might impress in 2010. - MK
Nice to hear that about Benak. Will certainly be rooting for him, given his struggles last year and the difficulty of returning from his injury.
Can't wait til Friday.
MK -- Is the plan still for you to travel to Palo Alto with the team and host live chats for the games? Can't wait!
owl-1983: I'll be on that bird with the Owls on Thursday, and will be reporting live from the Sunken Diamond all weekend. Have been going back and forth on the merits of a live chat, so I'll put it to a vote from the blog denizens: For or against? - MK
Definitely "for" the live chat. I still have some steam to vent from the play-calling in our last couple football games.
No, really, I think that would be great to get some interactive feedback on what's going on out there.
I'd love a live chat from Stanford! It would be great to be able to discuss the game with you, as well as get a feel for some of the more subtle points that perhaps the radio broadcast could not provide. I think you'd get good attendance on the chat, also, since there's been such a buildup awaiting this season.
For...we promise to behave.
for the chat.