As I highlighted last night in written and video analysis form, Brady Feigl had an outing that should provide confidence and optimism. He went six innings, scattered six hits, didn’t give up a run, averaged a strikeout per inning and wrestled out of two separate jams with two runners on and no one out. I have two somewhat contradictory views on this and there’s no way to know what’s what after just one start. The same size isn’t just too small. It doesn’t exist.
On one hand… Feigl’s been concentrating on mental toughness the entire offseason, and his goal coming in was to limit damage, extend his outing and make sure crooked numbers were at a minimum. That was a success, as he used the wipeout slider and a lively — if not effectively erratic — fastball to overpower Winthrop hitters who will be no danger as a four-seed in a regional because they don’t have but one or two hitters who routinely can handle velocity.
Feigl locked in at the right moments and put up his second best career start. He had only gone six complete or more once before, and that was an eight-inning, three-hit, 10-strikeout demolition of Furman last March 11. That was also his only start last season against a team that wasn’t ranked. The stuff is good enough and if the confidence is, too, then Feigl should turn a corner and be a productive option for Ole Miss. In that regard, last night was a very positive sign.
On the other hand… Winthrop doesn’t present a one-through-nine challenge offensively without getting help, and five of Feigl’s six innings included a runner on base. Those situations he found himself in will be more complicated in SEC play. The leadoff man reached in four of his six innings, and the Eagles averaged a hit an inning. I’m chalking a majority of it up to adrenaline since it was week one, but the fastball didn’t command like is necessary early in the game, and it’s still mostly a two-pitch mix, so both those two need to be viable options in all counts. The slider is great, but there’s little room for error.
That last paragraph was purposefully negative and frankly somewhat unfair considering he threw six shutout innings. But the point is that it’s just one week, and there are no sweeping answers — positively or negatively — from six innings against a mid major. It’s to be determined.
Well, a lot of us were wrong. The lineup looked odd on paper, but the three new additions — Chase Cockrell, Cole Zabowski and Tim Elko — combined to go 6-for-10 with five RBIs and five runs scored. Cockrell had three hits, Zabowski had the three-run home run and four RBIs and Elko reached base twice. It was effective and potent, and Cockrell and Zabowski barreled up multiple pitches after struggling at times last season.
In hindsight, I messed up with my analysis because even last season Cockrell and Zabowski had some nonconference moments and torched lower-level pitching. Cockrell started his career 7-for-19 before going 9-of-48 the rest of the way. He had 12 total bases in this first 19 at-bats and 14 total bases in the last 48 at-bats.
Zabowski was 12-of-30 to start his college career and he had 15 total bases in those 30 at-bats. He was 10-of-62 with 12 total bases in the final 62 at-bats of the season.
Now, look, it’s possible both guys are simply adjusted and better in year two. Progression happens and they certainly earned more at-bats and opportunities. Cockrell has a lot of natural pop, and Zabowski profiles as a dynamic left-handed option. There’s swing and miss with both, but that doesn’t matter if they slug well. This lineup needs pop. The question that can’t be answered is if this is a sign of what’s to come or early success against lower-velocity arms.
Which brings me to a broader point that might be a hot take and make zero sense in a few weeks, or it could be a genius take. I’ll ask David Dellucci about it this week and see what he thinks. Winthrop has arms that have been successful, but other than me kind of liking that reliever on Friday, none of it presents anything like SEC pitching. The velocities are a lot of average at best, and they can’t tell us much about improved pitch recognition or more mature approaches against high-tier arms.
I wonder if the schedule is set up oddly for SEC preparation. Tulane is a collection of JUCO pitching and unproven options, and Long Beach State is a damn good program, but it’s going to pitch backwards and try to befuddle Ole Miss with offspeed and the occasional sneaky fastball. That’s a great test, but it’s not typical SEC arms. Eastern Illinois is a bad baseball team, and Georgia State couldn’t break glass when it was in Oxford last season.
Tulane was supposed to be good when it was scheduled, and LBSU just happened to lose its entire weekend rotation.
Maybe I’ve lost my mind, certainly possible, but Ole Miss isn’t going to see much resembling Arkansas or Texas A&M that unless the pitchers are wearing red and blue practice jerseys.
I talked about it in the video last night, and I’ll say again that Nick Fortes is undervalued as a catcher. Feigl is difficult to catch, and Fortes was an excellent receiver all night.
It’s just two games… but that’s four errors so far. This team has to be clean defensively. That’s not the case yet. The routine plays have to be made.
Ryan Rolison said Friday that Houston Roth is starting against Memphis on Tuesday. I haven’t asked Mike about it, but with Greer Holston throwing last night — and doing a nice job — the signs indicate its certainly possible. Roth deserves the opportunity, and maybe Holston is going to become a primary middle relief-long relief role player, but with Holston a probable weekend starter next season, I hate to take him completely out of that starting role. I also expect Jordan Fowler to get midweek starter looks.
SEC SCORES
South Carolina 7, VMI 2 (1-1)
Arkansas 32, Bucknell 4 (ARK 2-0)
Georgia Southern 8, Georgia 3 (1-1)
Kentucky 6, USC-Upstate 5
Kentucky 10, USC-Upstate 3 (UK 3-0)
Auburn 25, Longwood 1 (AU 2-0)
Texas A&M 4, Rhode Island 3 (TAMU 2-0)
USM 7, MSU 4 (USM 2-0)
Alabama 6, Valpo 5 (Bama 2-0)
Florida 10, Sienna 2 (UF 2-0)
Notre Dame 10, LSU 5 (1-1)
Duke 5, Vanderbilt 4 (1-1)
Missouri 22, FIU 1 (Mizzou 2-0)
On one hand… Feigl’s been concentrating on mental toughness the entire offseason, and his goal coming in was to limit damage, extend his outing and make sure crooked numbers were at a minimum. That was a success, as he used the wipeout slider and a lively — if not effectively erratic — fastball to overpower Winthrop hitters who will be no danger as a four-seed in a regional because they don’t have but one or two hitters who routinely can handle velocity.
Feigl locked in at the right moments and put up his second best career start. He had only gone six complete or more once before, and that was an eight-inning, three-hit, 10-strikeout demolition of Furman last March 11. That was also his only start last season against a team that wasn’t ranked. The stuff is good enough and if the confidence is, too, then Feigl should turn a corner and be a productive option for Ole Miss. In that regard, last night was a very positive sign.
On the other hand… Winthrop doesn’t present a one-through-nine challenge offensively without getting help, and five of Feigl’s six innings included a runner on base. Those situations he found himself in will be more complicated in SEC play. The leadoff man reached in four of his six innings, and the Eagles averaged a hit an inning. I’m chalking a majority of it up to adrenaline since it was week one, but the fastball didn’t command like is necessary early in the game, and it’s still mostly a two-pitch mix, so both those two need to be viable options in all counts. The slider is great, but there’s little room for error.
That last paragraph was purposefully negative and frankly somewhat unfair considering he threw six shutout innings. But the point is that it’s just one week, and there are no sweeping answers — positively or negatively — from six innings against a mid major. It’s to be determined.
Well, a lot of us were wrong. The lineup looked odd on paper, but the three new additions — Chase Cockrell, Cole Zabowski and Tim Elko — combined to go 6-for-10 with five RBIs and five runs scored. Cockrell had three hits, Zabowski had the three-run home run and four RBIs and Elko reached base twice. It was effective and potent, and Cockrell and Zabowski barreled up multiple pitches after struggling at times last season.
In hindsight, I messed up with my analysis because even last season Cockrell and Zabowski had some nonconference moments and torched lower-level pitching. Cockrell started his career 7-for-19 before going 9-of-48 the rest of the way. He had 12 total bases in this first 19 at-bats and 14 total bases in the last 48 at-bats.
Zabowski was 12-of-30 to start his college career and he had 15 total bases in those 30 at-bats. He was 10-of-62 with 12 total bases in the final 62 at-bats of the season.
Now, look, it’s possible both guys are simply adjusted and better in year two. Progression happens and they certainly earned more at-bats and opportunities. Cockrell has a lot of natural pop, and Zabowski profiles as a dynamic left-handed option. There’s swing and miss with both, but that doesn’t matter if they slug well. This lineup needs pop. The question that can’t be answered is if this is a sign of what’s to come or early success against lower-velocity arms.
Which brings me to a broader point that might be a hot take and make zero sense in a few weeks, or it could be a genius take. I’ll ask David Dellucci about it this week and see what he thinks. Winthrop has arms that have been successful, but other than me kind of liking that reliever on Friday, none of it presents anything like SEC pitching. The velocities are a lot of average at best, and they can’t tell us much about improved pitch recognition or more mature approaches against high-tier arms.
I wonder if the schedule is set up oddly for SEC preparation. Tulane is a collection of JUCO pitching and unproven options, and Long Beach State is a damn good program, but it’s going to pitch backwards and try to befuddle Ole Miss with offspeed and the occasional sneaky fastball. That’s a great test, but it’s not typical SEC arms. Eastern Illinois is a bad baseball team, and Georgia State couldn’t break glass when it was in Oxford last season.
Tulane was supposed to be good when it was scheduled, and LBSU just happened to lose its entire weekend rotation.
Maybe I’ve lost my mind, certainly possible, but Ole Miss isn’t going to see much resembling Arkansas or Texas A&M that unless the pitchers are wearing red and blue practice jerseys.
I talked about it in the video last night, and I’ll say again that Nick Fortes is undervalued as a catcher. Feigl is difficult to catch, and Fortes was an excellent receiver all night.
It’s just two games… but that’s four errors so far. This team has to be clean defensively. That’s not the case yet. The routine plays have to be made.
Ryan Rolison said Friday that Houston Roth is starting against Memphis on Tuesday. I haven’t asked Mike about it, but with Greer Holston throwing last night — and doing a nice job — the signs indicate its certainly possible. Roth deserves the opportunity, and maybe Holston is going to become a primary middle relief-long relief role player, but with Holston a probable weekend starter next season, I hate to take him completely out of that starting role. I also expect Jordan Fowler to get midweek starter looks.
SEC SCORES
South Carolina 7, VMI 2 (1-1)
Arkansas 32, Bucknell 4 (ARK 2-0)
Georgia Southern 8, Georgia 3 (1-1)
Kentucky 6, USC-Upstate 5
Kentucky 10, USC-Upstate 3 (UK 3-0)
Auburn 25, Longwood 1 (AU 2-0)
Texas A&M 4, Rhode Island 3 (TAMU 2-0)
USM 7, MSU 4 (USM 2-0)
Alabama 6, Valpo 5 (Bama 2-0)
Florida 10, Sienna 2 (UF 2-0)
Notre Dame 10, LSU 5 (1-1)
Duke 5, Vanderbilt 4 (1-1)
Missouri 22, FIU 1 (Mizzou 2-0)
