After a weekend sweep of Quinnipiac (which I assume is either an actual college, some sort of Native American tribe, or the national team for a small Caribbean island lost on their way to the World Baseball Classic), the Diamond Dogs are now a school record 12-0 to start the season. One more win will tie the longest winning streak of the Perno era. The Dawgs get a two game, mid-week series with LeMoyne starting Tuesday to add to their historic streak.The Dawgs were #2 in the Collegiate Baseball poll going into the weekend, behind LSU. Illinois took this weekend's series with LSU in Baton Rouge, two games to one. With the Bayou Bengals losing a series to an unranked team, the undefeated Dawgs should take over the top spot in this week's poll. While that's exciting, remember that the baseball championship is decided in Omaha, not by polls. Baseball polls are like basketball polls, they can make you feel good, but they're irrelevant in the end.
Mid-week we learned that Alex McRee had mono and wouldn't make his start Saturday. Against Qinnipiac, it didn't really matter as Justin Grimm started in McRee's place Saturday (no earned runs through six innings) and Jason Leaver pitched yesterday, although Jeff Walters got the win. Trevor Holder was spectacular Friday, as he didn't give up a hit through seven before Perno pulled him in favor of Dean Weaver. I've heard some optimistic things about McRee's return, but I find it hard to believe a pitcher will come back from mono at full strength after only a few weeks of recovery. We can handle the absence right now because of the depth of the staff, but it's hard to really replace a pitcher as good as McRee.
Conference play starts this weekend when the Dawgs head to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide.
Quinton
18 comments:
For the life of me, Quinnipiac sounds like a Canadian province. And given that our neighbors to the north gave the US a run in the WBC, I feel good about the sweep. Is something wrong with that logic? I don't much care, because we're 12-0. I just hope the freshmen hold up over the long haul; I'm concerned about a Beckham-esque tiring (remember his freshman year).
Quinnipiac is a small private school in Connecticut, about 90 miles from NYC. The school was named for the Quinnipiac Indians that inhabited the area where the school is located.
Quinnipiac is most notable for their political science and polling programs. The Quinnipiac University Polls use breakthrough methods that have been as accurate or more accurate than other, long standing polls.
I would not think that Quinnipiac is a baseball power!
Having lived in Hartford, CT after graduating from UGA, I can assure you Quinnipiac is NOT a baseball powerhouse by any definition of the word!
I was worried about the freshmen tiring out as well - but so far Perno has been doing a great job of working them all in and out of the lineup - making sure they get their ABs but also adequate rest time. That being said - the exception is Colby May - he's been out there every game and only comes out late (see: Poythress moving to third in the 8th inning yesterday). I'm anxious for this weekend - road test against a tough SEC opponent - should really let us know where we stand.
Imo, your concerns about McRee's return are well founded. He's young and I am sure accustomed to quick recovery, but mono is one of those things that the effects just linger. I hope he snap back, but prudence would say to be prepared for a slower recovery.
All that said, they look pretty amazing as a team right now. I know that we have largely been feasting on cupcakes, but it is still baseball and being undefeated is still noteworthy no matter who you played. Plus, as far as I can tell, everyone is playing, getting some experience, not over working the starters. You have to be optimistic.
FYI - For anyone that's interested, I was at the UGA / SC basketball game on Sunday and went to the basketball letterman's reception afterward in the new training facility next to the Steg. That place is off the chain. The gymnastics training facility is very impressive and the men's and women's teams have their own separate practice facilities. We got to tour the men's basketball locker room: it is great. It has dark wood paneling with big black leather chairs embossed with G's. It looks great. Absolutely top of the line. Also, there is a player's lounge area that was pretty nice with video games and such. One neat thing I had not seen before: above each player's locker is a metal plaque, rectangular in shape, with the player's name and number on it that also includes an image of the player "engraved" into the metal plaque (must have been lasered). Very cool and hard to describe. Anyway, I also got a chance to speak with Damon Evans and mentioned to him my support for his actions related to the basketball program. I also mentioned that it had bothered me greatly that the basketball program had not been given the resources of some of our other programs over time. Damon nodded in agreement and said something like the following: "The basketball program has been here (indicating with his hand about mid-torso), we need to get it here (indicating with hand above his head)." He continuued: "Besides, if I don't get it going, my wife is going to kick me out of the house." With that, I laughed, thanked him for his time, and went on my way. If you have not met Damon, go introduce yourself - he's a nice guy.
As far as mono goes, I have been able to avoid it so far despite a couple of outbreaks amongst my crowd in high school and college (guess I wasn't making out enough). It has always seemed to me to depend on the person. A couple of people got over it fairly quickly, and others were weakened for a LONG time. Let's hope that our staff is doing whatever it is that makes it shorter for McRee.
#1 in Collegiate Baseball poll
!!!!!!
Doesn't change that fact my Dad went to fresneck st and I'm still hearing about the CWS.
LET'S GO PERNO!
Does this mean we can lay off the freshmen or we are going to wait til they drop and go 'damn those freshmen'?
oh, pretty good tour of baseball locker room with Gordon Beckham. He seems pretty laid back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGx1gUWuLLI
My personal favorite part of this article or any article for that matter in quite some time is listed below;
While that's exciting, remember that the baseball championship is decided in Omaha, not by polls. Baseball polls are like basketball polls, they can make you feel good, but they're irrelevant in the end.
Ahh...polls and playoffs...baseball and basketball... two sports that do it the right way, settled in a playoff. Thank you.
anon 3/9 10:45
don't forget, baseball and asketball two sports that nobody pays attention to until the last month of the season (if that)
We both know that football far out distances those two sports in popularity and I can't believe I dignified that with a response.
We're going to sweep the Tide in Tusacloser.
Football related...
OK State tix are $100 face value?!
Crazy.
paul,
please start a thread on Lane Kiffin! this is killing me!
will be great once the top ranked diamond dawgs can get a top ranked facility...Foley Field is only bigger than 3 other SEC stadiums.
Check out www.popcornmuscles.com
Funny funny website about sports...It's hysterical. Tell your friends.
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