Earley

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Mr. Incredible
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7:15a, 3/31/26
I don't know whether or not Earley will be a good coach for us. However he has made a significant jump in production in year 2. If I recall, last year we were close to, if not already, sub .500. His biggest issue right now is knowing when to pull a pitcher or when to leave them in. I think a lot of that could probably be fixed with a competent pitching coach.

I want to see one year of him with someone competent and not Jason Kelly. If it wasn't for poor pitching, you could argue that we would be 25-3 with our 3 loses coming from UCLA and Georgia. But Earely REALLY needs to fix knowing when to end a pitchers day or not
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TMF
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7:33a, 3/31/26
AG
Agree 100%. I hope we have success this year. I want him to not just succeed here but to win it all. What a cool story it would be. But I think he's got some learning pains to go. With a good year this year maybe he can find a real pitching coach.
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Detmersdislocatedshoulder
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7:37a, 3/31/26
if you want to know ask the catcher. he knows when to pull a guy.
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Wabs
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8:19a, 3/31/26
AG
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.
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ThunderFighter06
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8:33a, 3/31/26
AG
I feel like it's worth mentioning that at this time last year we were 1-8 in conference play. We are currently 5-4. We have improved and stayed healthier. Is that all on Earley and his staff? Time will tell but still plenty of reason to be optimistic!
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Mr. Incredible
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In reply to Wabs • 8:37a, 3/31/26
That is very true. We need some good pitchers to see whether or not its Earley trying to push the starters as far as he can. Starts with getting rid of Kelly though
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Capitol Ag
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In reply to Wabs • 8:42a, 3/31/26
AG
Wabs said:
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.

Agree with this. Friday night was a gamble but with a thin bullpen, worth the risk. Just having Stewart would have changed so much Friday and would be huge for us this season...
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Always an Ag
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9:11a, 3/31/26
Read two pitchers previously injured will be released to play in the next week. Should offer some relief overall. I don't see all the negativity in our pitching though. I'm still trusting the process
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WallyWonka
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In reply to Detmersdislocatedshoulder • 9:57a, 3/31/26
AG
Detmersdislocatedshoulder said:
if you want to know ask the catcher. he knows when to pull a guy.


I agree with this being a catcher and getting the true feel from the hitter what's happening at the plate.

In my humble opinion, Coach Early should announce they have found a way to get the catcher involved in calling pitches (though the pitches may still be called by a bench coach).

Before every pitch, the catcher flashes some hand signals (multiple signals as if there were a runner on second base--back in the day with runners on second it may be the third signal, or the signal after two fingers down, etc.--as the actual pitch to throw) to the pitcher. This way if opposing teams are studying film, they can't pick up what pitch is being thrown (i.e., "one" if fastball, "two" is curve, "three" is slider, etc...).

Every now and then, in obvious or tough pitch count selections--say a 2-0, 3-0, 3-1 count--as a catcher, you'd want the pitcher shake off the signal. Back in the day, if we wanted the pitcher to shake us off, for example we'd wiggle all our fingers (as a signal) or shake our hands back and forth. By doing this you're making the hitter think "what the hell is going on," maybe put some doubt in the mind of the hitter if he was hunting fastball.

In today's game, they've taken this away from the catcher's signaling out of the game/mix.

Last of all, as I've stated before on other posts, when you're ahead by four-plus runs (especially late in the game), WITH NO RUNNERS ON BASE, and a 2-0, 3-0, 3-1 counts; whoever is calling off-speed pitches is an idiot.

Challenge the hitter and throw damn strikes.
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Chetos
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In reply to Wabs • 11:25a, 3/31/26
AG
Wabs said:
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.


We did get the sweep. So maybe one could argue that he managed the series the best he could given the limitations of his pitching resources?
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Wabs
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In reply to Chetos • 11:32a, 3/31/26
AG
Chetos said:
Wabs said:
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.


We did get the sweep. So maybe one could argue that he managed the series the best he could given the limitations of his pitching resources?

One could argue that certainly. You could also argue that he/we got very lucky the decision to leave Sdao out there didn't make us a lose a game where we were up 10-1. We came damn close to blowing it. IMO a valuable lesson was learned without hurting us. Take it for what it is.
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Chetos
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In reply to Wabs • 11:34a, 3/31/26
AG
Wabs said:
Chetos said:
Wabs said:
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.


We did get the sweep. So maybe one could argue that he managed the series the best he could given the limitations of his pitching resources?

One could argue that certainly. You could also argue that he/we got very lucky the decision to leave Sdao out there didn't make us a lose a game where we were up 10-1. We came damn close to blowing it. IMO a valuable lesson was learned without hurting us. Take it for what it is.


He needs guys like Sdao to learn to carry the load. Good test for Sdao and good feedback for coach.
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twk
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In reply to Chetos • 11:35a, 3/31/26
AG
Chetos said:
Wabs said:
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.


We did get the sweep. So maybe one could argue that he managed the series the best he could given the limitations of his pitching resources?

This. He did the right thing Friday. It was a calculated risk with an eye towards winning the series, but it blew up really fast. Anyone who claims that they were thinking we need to get Sdao out of the game after 4.1 and 65 or so pitches is engaging in some revisionist history. Earley was thinking about getting Sdao through six, getting another run or two, and winning the game in 7 innings, like we did finally end up doing on Sunday. Sometimes things go to plan, and sometimes they don't. People are making way too much about one instance where things didn't go to plan.
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Ags83
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10:48p, 3/31/26
AG
Well, after tonight, we have the third best winning percentage in the SEC, including non conference games.
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Lady Aravis
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In reply to twk • 11:18p, 3/31/26
twk said:
Chetos said:
Wabs said:
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.


We did get the sweep. So maybe one could argue that he managed the series the best he could given the limitations of his pitching resources?

This. He did the right thing Friday. It was a calculated risk with an eye towards winning the series, but it blew up really fast. Anyone who claims that they were thinking we need to get Sdao out of the game after 4.1 and 65 or so pitches is engaging in some revisionist history. Earley was thinking about getting Sdao through six, getting another run or two, and winning the game in 7 innings, like we did finally end up doing on Sunday. Sometimes things go to plan, and sometimes they don't. People are making way too much about one instance where things didn't go to plan.


Elko spoke to this when he allowed Reed to run for 12 yards to make the 1st down -- since it worked, he's a genius of a coach. When something like that doesn't (like Sdao on Friday) he's the worst coach in the history of the sport. The problem is, nobody knows if a risky call like that pays off until after the fact.
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Killzone3abc
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11:36p, 3/31/26
AG
He's not done enough for me to activately want another year yet. If he gets one we most certainly need a new pitching coach though.
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Adam87inSA
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8:36a, 4/1/26
AG
If the Ags beat Schloss & the sips at least twice two weekends from now, the Fire Earley drums will largely stop. (As long as we make the NCAAT and not go 0-2)

Get swept that weekend and those drums will be deafening.

Win 1 of 3 that weekend and the fierce debate will continue.
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trouble
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In reply to twk • 11:25a, 4/1/26
AG
The only thing I would have done differently Friday was have someone already warming up.
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dermdoc
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In reply to twk • 11:37a, 4/1/26
AG
twk said:
Chetos said:
Wabs said:
I agree, but I think it's partly because he doesn't have much confidence in the bullpen - where depth is a problem with McCoy and Stewy out for the season. I think that's why he left Sdao in for so long Friday. He didn't want to burn through key relievers that we'd need Saturday and Sunday. 20/20 hindsight that ended up being a poor decision because it let Mizzou back in the game.

I do think having a strong pitching coach would help.


We did get the sweep. So maybe one could argue that he managed the series the best he could given the limitations of his pitching resources?

This. He did the right thing Friday. It was a calculated risk with an eye towards winning the series, but it blew up really fast. Anyone who claims that they were thinking we need to get Sdao out of the game after 4.1 and 65 or so pitches is engaging in some revisionist history. Earley was thinking about getting Sdao through six, getting another run or two, and winning the game in 7 innings, like we did finally end up doing on Sunday. Sometimes things go to plan, and sometimes they don't. People are making way too much about one instance where things didn't go to plan.


Agree.
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dermdoc
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In reply to Killzone3abc • 11:39a, 4/1/26
AG
Killzone3abc said:
He's not done enough for me to activately want another year yet. If he gets one we most certainly need a new pitching coach though.


I think lack of pitcher player facilties are much more to blame than our pitching coach. I don't think most fans realize how bad of shape we were in and how much it hurt pitching recruiting.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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