ESPN's Tom Hart talks A&M's 4-0 shutout of LSU, Brigham Hill's night

Key notes from Tom Hart interview

• We played it easy after the game, but we are a bunch of baseball nerds.  We find a place with a TV and a game on and watch that. If someone has a game on their phone, we will huddle around and watch that. This is where I plug in the WatchESPN app where you can watch games all the time from anywhere.  Now you never have to go to sports bar and complain about a game not being on.  I thought that was a great dichotomy for LSU in what Andy Cannizaro is doing at Mississippi State.  LSU was sure missing him last night. 

• Brigham Hill looked fantastic and I don’t know how you don’t start talking there.  This is a top of the LSU lineup that is filled with upperclassmen and they didn’t have chance against Hill.  The defense was fantastic as well.  You throw out a guy and turn two more double plays. Hill stole the spotlight from Alex Lange and he looked great last night. 

• I am really anxious to watch more of Braden Shewmake.  We are meeting with him today for our On-Deck feature.  He has shown that he is a great player who has shown that he can adjust.  People will eventually learn to adjust on him as well.  Take JJ Schwarz from Florida for example, he hit 18 home runs as a freshman which is astounding.  As a result he got moved up in the lineup, starting seeing more breaking balls, and people figured out how to throw to him.  It will be interesting to see how Shewmake will handle something similar. He is sure fun to watch and I am happy he is in the league right now.

• There are other guys that work their way into the lineup.  Dansby Swanson is one and his versatility is going to earn him a starting spot with the Braves.  No offense to the Big 12 as I grew up a Missouri fan, but the SEC has pitchers that are going to be starting on a major league mound someday and relievers that throw 96 that will be on a major league mound as well.

• Sure, Choruby put a great swing on a pitch, but if Alex Lange doesn’t allow a single to the nine-hole then Choruby’s home run doesn’t score two.  Last week, Hill put himself in a situation to throw to the best player Vandy has and he hits a grand slam.  To me, it is not about the swings in this league, it is what happens before the swing.  The margin is still razor thin however and Hill kept himself out of trouble last night. 

• I haven’t seen a better Saturday night starter than Jared Poche.  Mainieri got a gift wrapped present when he decided to come back for his senior year. Guys like him return with a chip on their shoulder because either they get frustrated and shut it down, or are really motivated and dominate.  Brady Singer was a similar motivated guy.  The Blue Jays thought he was injured and didn’t want to give him a bonus, so he went to Florida instead.  Poche is in a similar boat.