I've seen everyone talking about the starting line-up, but what about the pitching rotation? Who are our weekend guys and who do we have in the pen?

This will be an interesting one to watch. Guys who it sounds like are competing for weekend spots:

1. Loux
2. Hales (when he is back healthy)
3. Stilson
4. Fleece
5. Stripling

In the bullpen, you will probably have 2 of the above plus Hinojosa at closer.

I'd like to see if Fleece can still close them out, too...

two closers is never a bad thing.

My guess is Fleece will start on Fridays, Loux on Saturdays and Stilson on Sundays. I think Stripling is the next best starter and will see plenty of action.

Hales return in March and pitching 100% in May/June would suit me just fine.

www.aggiebaseball.net

you don't think Ehlert will be a starter?

I'm hoping Uriegas has developed into a nice setup man...

Ehlert is my guess for the Tuesday guy.

Ehlert will compete for weekend time. He has experience on his side. I don't people will ever call Ehlert dominant, but he can be very effective.

ehlert is not very good

[This message has been edited by larrylivingston (edited 2/1/2010 4:10p).]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
incorrect and dumb...

Got it from a very reliable source. Stilson is really, really good.

hey txag11, show me the stats to prove i am incorrect

Ehlert's challenges are similar to many college pitchers. He can get strike 1 and strike 2, but he has trouble finishing off the hitter.

It's the classic situation for a pitcher with a plus change-up. Ideally the first time you want to show the batter your change-up is after there are 2 strikes in the count. If you have to use the change to get strike 1 or strike 2, above average hitters will be ready for it later in the at bat (and then hit it hard re: Fullerton last season).

Well Larry, Ehlert is 12-5 in his career with a 4.87 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 138.2 innings.

That is much better than "not very good".

Before the last two games last year (the losses to Missouri and Oregon State) he was 5-0 with a 5.95 ERA. Now he can pitch better than those numbers and he did two years ago. So if he pitches like he did in 2008 and he will have the same impact on this team.

I just think Fleece, Loux, Stilson and Stripling pitched better in the fall and Hales is among the top sophomore lefties in the nation when healthy.

None of that means that Ehlert won't see time on the mound and can't again be a weekend pitcher.

www.aggiebaseball.net

Philosophy question:

If you have a guy that can go as a strong closer but is still a high quality starter, do you use him as a closer and have a lesser guy take up your 3rd or 4th spot in the starting rotation? Or do you use him as a starter and just throw bodies up there to finish a close game?

All of this assumes you aren't pitching a guy twice in a weekend where he has a start. Which does Childress prefer? Sometimes I feel like he can't manage his pitching staff as well as I would expect, but it could just be that I either diverge from his philosophy or I just haven't picked up on his yet.

↑ that post makes me miss Kyle Nicholson...

Outside of Hales, not much left handed pitching, unless fish Mendoza comes through.

I'm thinking that Fleece, Loux, and Hales or Stripling will be on the weekend and Stilson might be playing the relief role.

larry

Where'd you go? You asked for stats refuting your stupidity and you got them 10 days ago. Now you've vanished. If you're going to put your foot in your mouth at least come back and tell us how it tasted.

I have a hard time with Fleece being the Friday guy. I just don't think he's shown enough in a game setting to put him there. I think Loux is the Friday guy and Hales once he returns gets Saturday. I think Stilson will end up being the versative guy that shows up in a lot of places. Not sure yet on Sunday's. And I think Ehlert gets Tuesdays again.

[This message has been edited by LOYAL AG (edited 2/11/2010 12:29p).]

Coach Childress thinks he is the guy. Since he fills out the lineup card, I will go with his judgment on it.

www.aggiebaseball.net

Everything I have heard about Fleece points to him being one heck of a starter, I'm pumped to see it.

i would love to see one of these boys have an all american year