Pitching Rotation

[Luke Skycocker]

whats it gonna be?

[CaptainCrunch]

whats it gonna be?

idk, but that is one heck of a screen name. pts sent your way

[Luke Skycocker]

thanks man

[COCKDIESEL]

Fri. Cisco
Sat. Cooper
Sun Brown

Just a guess and this is not taking any consideration into the incoming freshmen and jucos.

[usc1]

Dyson is a stud. Mark him down.

[Luke Skycocker]

is hempy still here or did he graduate?

[COCKDIESEL]

is hempy still here or did he graduate?
He and Honeycutt left early in the draft.

[usc1]

It sucks our top incoming pitcher has to have tommy john surgery.

[Luke Skycocker]

dang. weve got marty gantt and nolan belger comin soon. i play on martys high school team with him. hes a horse. and i have seen belger play cuz hes right across the river. once again. horse

[Bosscock]

Fri. Cisco
Sat. Cooper
Sun Brown

Just a guess and this is not taking any consideration into the incoming freshmen and jucos.

Jay Brown is out again and has been redshirted due to surgery.

[Gamecockfanatic4]

Jay Brown is out again and has been redshirted due to surgery.
Brown is missing 08 too? thats new news but not overly suprising with how long it takes to come back from Tommy John Surgery

[COCKDIESEL]

Jay Brown is out again and has been redshirted due to surgery.
oops, Hadn't even started thinking or reading much about baseball yet. Just a guess like I said. Atwood could maybe enter the rotation as well.

[usc1]

Has any other team in college baseball been hit with tommy john surgery as bad as us the past few years?

[eggroll]

Damn, J. Brown is out??? That sucks.

The starting rotation should be solid nonetheless. I'm more worried about late inning relief. Will anyone emerge as a lockdown closer ala Blackwell or Gronk?

[Blitzer]

Jay Brown is out again and has been redshirted due to surgery.
What is your source on this? I haven't heard about this before.

[willy]

FRI. Attwood
SAT. Cisco
SUN. ????

[Cocklover]

I was thinking cisco saturday also, and maybe cooper on sunday. Atwood would be a good one on friday night.

[SAETerrier]

My guess is...

Friday- Cisco
Saturday- Atwood
Sunday- Cooper

I don't know that much about the freshman pitching class, but I'm sure someone will step up similar to what Cisco and Cooper did in years past as Fr.

[gacock]

"What is your source on this? I haven't heard about this before..."

Here is your source: http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/scar-m-basebl-mtt.html .The asterisk denotes those players red-shirted for the 2008 season. Of which, Jay Brown is one. So is Neff and Miller, two other quality pitchers that are in-coming Freshmen.

I had heard that Jay was seen on campus with a huge soft cast on his throwing arm. Later it was mentioned that he underwent a second surgery to correct what the previous surgery missed. The roster proved the sources correct.

We aren't the only program that has to endure high-quality, injured pitchers coming in as Freshmen (although Jay was an in-coming JuCo from Young-Harris College). The reason remains the same... Summer league play and the use of extremely talented pitchers for short-term (team) gain.

A coach will keep a H.S. kid on the mound as long as he can stand there for competitive reasons, and not consider the damage he may be causing to his arm.

They should utilize pitch counts, but many would refuse. It's all about winning for the Summer league coaches... whatever consequence may be for the player. I see this happen in local Summer leagues in the Atlanta area all the time.

High school coaches have done better utilizing pitch counts and saving their pitchers arms. They are a little more responsible for their players welfare, and they take that responsibility pretty seriously. There are a few "loose cannons" still out there, they don't last long. They end up coaching... you guessed it, Summer League ball.

Other teams like Texas, UGa, Ga. Tech and LSU that have experienced similar incidences with in-coming Freshmen pitchers. None of the teams know of the condition until the kid reports to the University and to Fall ball.

With the extremely large amount of repetition of pitching that is needed in a short time (during Fall ball) to judge their talent level, their pitching mechanics (possible changes in technique) and to judge which of the arsenal of pitches the kid has to be effective on the D1 level, the problem manifests itself.

That is why Coach Tanner decided to give his starters on the mound some free time (this year) to rest their arms (after they reported back from the Cape League and other local leagues). To give them time to heal physically and mentally. The first time he has ever done that with his returning pitchers.

He doesn't have that luxury with in-coming Freshmen. He has to make a judgement based off of what he can see from them as soon as time permits (the start of Fall ball).

And he has no control over how they are used (or misused, as the case may be) in the Summers prior to their arrival at Carolina; especially if they are gifted pitchers.

Look for Atwood to come back with a vengance; he had time well spent in the Cape last Summer and got to rest. Dyson is still working abit with his "newly constructed" arm, throwing off the mound (as Hempy did last year to build up strength and conditioning). Musselwhite (JuCo from Florida), Bangs (R. Fr.) and Will Casey will come along fine... but not overnight. February practices will improve their pitching abilities.

Go Gamecocks!!!

gacock

[spartcock77]

Fri-Cisco
Sat-Atwood
Sun-Cooper/Brown

Also look out for Parker Bangs

[bhusc2002]

Fri-Cisco
Sat-Atwood
Sun-Cooper/Brown

Also look out for Parker Bangsif you're talking about jay brown (the only brown that i know about on the team) it's already been discusses in this thread that he's out for the season.

[Gamecockfanatic4]

I don't know much about any of the new guys but I would love to see a Lefty start on Saturdays just as a change of pace wether its Will Atwood or someone else

[gacock]

"I don't know much about any of the new guys but I would love to see a Lefty start on Saturdays just as a change of pace wether its Will Atwood or someone else..."

Gamecockfanatic, you are going to absolutely love Will Casey. A LHP that throws a fastball ranging from 85 to the low 90's, but his claim to fame is his off-speed pitching. Excellent control pitcher; something we've needed.

Throws a really nice breaking ball or change-up (depending on the batter), and he can pitch his fastball in and out. Control is the name of the game for Casey.

He was selected by the Braves in the 37th round. Kennesaw Mtn won the 5-AAAAA Championship in '05, '06 and '07. Will was a huge part of that. I talked to one of his competitors (a pitcher) from another school in the same division about Will, and he said "his stuff is sick!"

Will did alright in Fall ball, was nagged on the final day of the Garnet and Black game with muscle spasms in his back. That is an injury that P.T. and monitored lifting can correct.

We've needed a lefty like Will for sometime, IMO.

Can't forget Alex Burrell, LHP from Landrum. Very smart kid; came to Carolina with academic money as well as some athletic (scholarship) money. Player of the year in 1-A for Landrum H.S.; more of a mid-80's guy, good breaking ball. The competition he faced in H.S. was not the same calibre as what Will faced, but if he can make the adjustment to D1 baseball, he will be fine. A good project for Calvi.

I must mention Tyler Musselwhite (even though he is a RHP). JuCo from Toccoa, under the control of the Atlanta Braves. Was drafted last year, passed on him this year... but they will be watching him from the stands. He has an excellent breaking ball that is tough to hit. I could see him starting on a weekday game and progressing with more experience. We were lucky to get him from the Braves.

Go Gamecocks!!!

gacock

[bhusc2002]

"I don't know much about any of the new guys but I would love to see a Lefty start on Saturdays just as a change of pace wether its Will Atwood or someone else..."

Gamecockfanatic, you are going to absolutely love Will Casey. A LHP that throws a fastball ranging from 85 to the low 90's, but his claim to fame is his off-speed pitching. Excellent control pitcher; something we've needed.

Throws a really nice breaking ball or change-up (depending on the batter), and he can pitch his fastball in and out. Control is the name of the game for Casey.

He was selected by the Braves in the 37th round. Kennesaw Mtn won the 5-AAAAA Championship in '05, '06 and '07. Will was a huge part of that. I talked to one of his competitors (a pitcher) from another school in the same division about Will, and he said "his stuff is sick!"

Will did alright in Fall ball, was nagged on the final day of the Garnet and Black game with muscle spasms in his back. That is an injury that P.T. and monitored lifting can correct.

We've needed a lefty like Will for sometime, IMO.

Can't forget Alex Burrell, LHP from Landrum. Very smart kid; came to Carolina with academic money as well as some athletic (scholarship) money. Player of the year in 1-A for Landrum H.S.; more of a mid-80's guy, good breaking ball. The competition he faced in H.S. was not the same calibre as what Will faced, but if he can make the adjustment to D1 baseball, he will be fine. A good project for Calvi.

I must mention Tyler Musselwhite (even though he is a RHP). JuCo from Toccoa, under the control of the Atlanta Braves. Was drafted last year, passed on him this year... but they will be watching him from the stands. He has an excellent breaking ball that is tough to hit. I could see him starting on a weekday game and progressing with more experience. We were lucky to get him from the Braves.

Go Gamecocks!!!

gacocki'm kinda wondering what you mean by that.

[Gamecockfanatic4]

i'm kinda wondering what you mean by that.
he can play this season with us then opt to Sign with Atlanta before this years MLB draft if he so chooses

[scfastpitch]

he can play this season with us then opt to Sign with Atlanta before this years MLB draft if he so chooses
Not so sure about that. Since he was drafted in 2006, I thought Atlanta's "control" ended with the 2007 draft.

[gacock]

Sorry for the confusion.

The Braves had control of Musselwhite as he was drafted by them last year (out of Chipola in '06). They had a chance to sign him before the end of the '07 draft; he didn't sign... he came to Columbia instead (we were very fortunate for this break). He will go back in the draft this season; he was under the Braves control up until the '07 draft.

I'm sure, as stated, the Braves will be keeping an eye on him this year. They need new blood for their pitching staff, given the ages of most of their starters. Tyler is a Gainesville, GA. product, and I've been keeping an eye on him since we started recruiting him.

I think Tyler will do very, very well this year. Maybe in the middle part... or back of the season... but he will come on strong. I am excited to see we have excellent situational options (concerning opponents' batting orders) with some of our left-handed pitchers.

Having a righty start with good speed, control with breaking pitches. Then bringing in a LHP with a slightly slower, more controlled pitch (breaking ball, change-ups, slower fastball) for K's. If Costner is doing o.k., use him as your closer.

Sure wish Greenwalt would've come to Carolina... would've loved to have seen his curveball. We could've used it this year. Heard it was a thing of beauty and a joy to behold! I think some of the in-coming '08 Freshmen... should they choose to come to Columbia... will be special too.

My biggest fear is that Jay Brown will go the route of (Shawn) Valdes-Fauli. I'm praying for him.

Go Gamecocks!!!

gacock

[bhusc2002]

Sorry for the confusion.

The Braves had control of Musselwhite as he was drafted by them last year (out of Chipola in '06). They had a chance to sign him before the end of the '07 draft; he didn't sign... he came to Columbia instead (we were very fortunate for this break). He will go back in the draft this season; he was under the Braves control up until the '07 draft.

I'm sure, as stated, the Braves will be keeping an eye on him this year. They need new blood for their pitching staff, given the ages of most of their starters. Tyler is a Gainesville, GA. product, and I've been keeping an eye on him since we started recruiting him.

I think Tyler will do very, very well this year. Maybe in the middle part... or back of the season... but he will come on strong. I am excited to see we have excellent situational options (concerning opponents' batting orders) with some of our left-handed pitchers.

Having a righty start with good speed, control with breaking pitches. Then bringing in a LHP with a slightly slower, more controlled pitch (breaking ball, change-ups, slower fastball) for K's. If Costner is doing o.k., use him as your closer.

Sure wish Greenwalt would've come to Carolina... would've loved to have seen his curveball. We could've used it this year. Heard it was a thing of beauty and a joy to behold! I think some of the in-coming '08 Freshmen... should they choose to come to Columbia... will be special too.

My biggest fear is that Jay Brown will go the route of (Shawn) Valdes-Fauli. I'm praying for him.

Go Gamecocks!!!

gacockwhat ever happened to him? i'm guessing by your comment he was hurt to much and was never able to play.

[Kitchenlabs]

Watch for Justin Hopper...will pitch and play outfield....freshman from Lexington.

[Luke Skycocker]

bangs a freshman?

[acejrock]

do we have a true closer this year?

[Luke Skycocker]

idk. pelzer was a headcase though

[gacock]

As for a closer, we will have to see how Costner looks this year in Winter ball. He is coming off of surgery from last year, and I'm thinking he will be fine.

It could be one of the young guns which I mentioned earlier in this thread which may also get the shot at closing a few weekday games, depending on how well they "show out" during Winter ball. Good way to work them into the rotation slowly.

Hopper could get a look at closing as well. Was a pitcher in H.S., not sure of what he throws. He was injured for a while in the latter part of the H.S. season last year, but I don't believe it was anything too serious.

Hopper could be a guy that comes out of left field (literally) to pitch in the ninth. Similar to the outfielders/pitchers that were on the Texas and Ole Miss teams a few years ago.

Then there is Johnson and Godwin. Two guys with some experience. Coach Tanner will put some pressure on our guys to get them to perform early this year, given the condensed schedule.

Go Gamecocks!!!

gacock