Baseball @ Western Michigan

jetz · April 03, 2012, 09:03:16 AM

First midweek game is today in Kalamazoo. Will Robinson has been listed as the starter, and I'm sure several others will get innings today as well. I wonder if they'll give Billy Cribbs a day off at the catcher spot. He has caught all but one game this year. There are three other catchers on the roster, so maybe these games are a chance to give them a look.

IMO, I would consider a change in philosophy as far as weekend starters as well. After being swept by Wright State, I think it will be tough to catch them for a regular season championship. That being the case, maybe we should set up for the tournament. No matter what the score of any regular season game, I would pull the starter after five or six innings and throw the bullpen guys. Our three weekend guys are all in the top six in the league in innings pitched. I think I would save some gas in the tank for the tourney. Then they can go eight or nine innings and be relatively fresh...

Thoughts?

I believe you can get updates for today's game on the web--Gametracker (or something like it) and maybe even live video. On that topic, I know about the Flash player issues with iPhone since I have one. Does anyone know a free way to get Flash on a locked iPhone? My next phone will be an Android since I have to have Flash to get Gametracker. This Apple-Flash fight has to go away...GO VALPO!

valpotx · April 03, 2012, 11:04:49 AM

I understand what you are saying in trying to save their arms, but at that age, it shouldn't be a problem after only 40+ innings. When they get towards 60-70, then I would worry more about using the bullpen a bit more. If they are cruising in a game, there isn't any reason to pull them when there is still 1/2 a season to play. It isn't the same for everyone, but your arm feels great at 18-22 with the constant practice time. You get in a good routine in regards to preparation and healing time, and are prepared to fire on all cylinders. It may be different in getting to play year-round down here, but I always played with the expectation that I should be ready to throw each game as a reliever, and the starters were expected to go very deep regardless of point in the season. My teammates at Valpo and the summer league I played in up in the area seemed to find it crazy that I could throw so often without pain, even after Tommy John surgery, so I may have just been an 'outlier' :-).

Now, at age 30, I would be more worried about arm fatigue. It seems like I can only throw a few innings each week without my arm killing me lol.

valporun · April 03, 2012, 11:35:59 AM

Western Michigan has video for today's game. I checked into it, and it will cost $8.95 for a day pass to watch the game thru the Broncos's website. If you don't want to follow thru WMU, then Ryan Wronkowicz will have the Cover It Live chat feature going during this game. He'll give updates on what is happening, answer questions, maybe give some light humor, and a better style of updating than Gametracker offers on a consistent basis. The only reason Ryan doesn't do Cover It Live chats during home games is because he is so busy as official scorer that he can't multi-task like that. This would be a great project for someone like ValpoFred to take on, like he did with men's basketball, but who knows if he would have the time to do this during home games, or if he has another job or other responsibilities/classes during baseball games.

StlVUFan · April 03, 2012, 02:05:39 PM

The Cover It Live link is incredibly well hidden. I can't find it on the valpoathletics.com website.

valporun · April 04, 2012, 12:49:08 AM

StlVUFan, it was on one of the rotating stills, or you could have gone to the Baseball page, where Ryan had posted that he was doing it in a release there.

valpo04 · April 04, 2012, 05:36:05 AM

WMU's baseball field is named Robert Bobb Stadium?

Bob Bobb??

FWalum · April 04, 2012, 07:17:06 AM

Quote from: valpo04 on April 04, 2012, 05:36:05 AM
WMU's baseball field is named Robert Bobb Stadium?

Bob Bobb??

That is bad, almost as bad as a guy I know whose name is Frank E. Franks

bbtds · April 04, 2012, 09:01:35 AM

Quote from: FWalum on April 04, 2012, 07:17:06 AM
Quote from: valpo04 on April 04, 2012, 05:36:05 AM
WMU's baseball field is named Robert Bobb Stadium?

Bob Bobb??
That is bad, almost as bad as a guy I know whose name is Frank E. Franks

If Bob Bobb's middle name is Oscar his initials are B.O.B.

Would you dare name your kids Thingama or Furap L.L.

When Furap had his name read out in school it would be....................Bobb, Furap L's

jetz · April 04, 2012, 09:51:47 AM

By my count, that's 13 one run games this year so far. We are 4-9 in those games. We have also played 3 two-run games. We are 0-3 in those. Total of 4-12 in the close ones...

valporun · April 04, 2012, 10:03:37 AM

Looking at the upcoming schedule, after 3 hopeful strong battles for wins over UIC, as bad as it could be to do, just for confidence, open up the floodgates on Grace, and let the guys swing away, do some non-small ball stuff, or rest the starters for that game. Then get the win in the return game rematch with Western Michigan on Tuesday. These games on Monday and Tuesday probably should be a couple days off for some of the regular starters, after some of them not getting innings off since the start of the season, injuries aside. We have some guys that might just need to be rested a bit. We still have a lot of important games ahead.

StlVUFan · April 04, 2012, 10:45:00 AM

Quote from: valporun on April 04, 2012, 12:49:08 AM
StlVUFan, it was on one of the rotating stills, or you could have gone to the Baseball page, where Ryan had posted that he was doing it in a release there.

I did find later and joined the chat just in time to see the competing 9th inning rallys. grrrr....

valporun · April 04, 2012, 01:01:57 PM

Ryan plans to have the Cover It Live chats going at the UIC games this weekend, plus WVUR is supposed to be traveling to the weekend games. I hope for some good outcome this weekend. UIC is tough.