(SB) OGT: Bubly Invitational February 13-16 @KSP

I don't know that I agree with this post. She had a meeting to make sure her pitcher didn't lose focus at the top of our very deadly lineup. The pitcher gave the infielder who made a great play a hug according to the announcers. I don't think there was much wrong with the situation. Think it's more of a sign or respect at how quickly things could've unraveled with shumaker up to bat and Falby on. That coach is the mom of Layla Lamar. Don't think she'd disrespect us. You're entitled to your view if you think it wasn't innocent though i didn't see it, just listening.

 

Like I said, one bad game all around against a good team, no biggie.

The reason I keep harping on the pitching is because we were one quality pitcher away from a national title last year. Without developing someone who can win important games when Keagan needs a rest, we will be in the same position as game two Oklahoma where a gassed Keagan has to face a team that saw her the day before. Ava didn’t have Tim’s confidence to do that late last year.
And today KR gave up 9 hits in four innings, she was off. Instead of taking her out and letting the backups get more innings, as well keeping those extra pitches off her arm, he let her take a bunch more pitches and get banged around some more.
Tim has clearly more softball knowledge than I ever will, and I’m sure he had reasons. But KR is exponentially the most important person on the team until he develops a reliable backup. So today, and a number of his decisions this weekend didn’t make sense to me in that context.

my point was made for better or worse though, I will let it go.

 

I stand corrected and deleted the post.

I hope you're right and I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. I didn't know that the coach was the mom of Layla Lamar which does change things quite a bit. Without that fact it sure looked like a full-on calibration of the win, just one out away and a seven-run lead, high-five and hugs all around.

 

For what it's worth, the home plate umpire was absolutely atrocious tonight. Inconsistent zone, and much more forgiving of Duke's pitcher than UF's.

Walton thought so as well. Took the time to yell at the guy multiple times, including an extended harangue after the game was over. Don't see that level of displeasure often from him.

This is the same guy Brown had so much trouble with Friday night.

 

We got blasted 8-1. No umpire causes that. They were simply the better team today. No excuses. Learn from it and move on.

 

With respect, that's just not true. A bad strike zone forces pitchers to put the ball over the plate. This can have outsized effects against a good team when it's called unevenly, which I can promise you it was tonight.

The adamant refusal to call out piss-poor officiating because that'd be making "excuses" when it materially impacts the game is baffling to me.

Was it the only reason Florida lost? No. Did it matter? No doubt.

 

My Family and I were seated just a few rows up from this foul ball catch, and thankfully nobody was seated between us and the netting. The SS leapt into the air at a full sprint, having to clear the wall as a hurdle (ended up perched on the top of the seat back) in order to glove the ball before it struck the net. I mention this only because had anyone been seated in the first row, the injury could have been very ugly for the fan and the player. In fact it would have been equivalent to targeting in football, without helmet or pads. Thankfully the SS didn’t appear to have much more than a little hitch in her step afterward, although it probably smarts today. Unless and until a safer lower net structure is put into place, I don’t think I would be sitting in the front row.

 

We did not play good regardless but the strike zone greatly affects pitching. And this particular ump squeezed Ava friday night and Keagen yesterday. It leads to a much more offensive result. Saw it in some of the Clearwater games also. Bad enough the announcers were calling it out.

 

So the bad strike zone was only for our pitchers? Don't buy it.

 

Again, not what I'm saying. It wasn't "only" for our pitchers, but in a competitive, high-leverage game like softball, even a 60-40 split in key calls is enough to influence the outcome. Why is it so hard to accept that some umpires are bad at their jobs? It doesn't require malice aforethought or anything--the guy is just bad and inconsistent.

 

If the umpire is consistently bad, he's not going to be doing it very long, IMO. They all get reviewed/evaluated with input from coaches and if they consistently come up lacking, they'll be out of a job. Umpires are human like everyone else and make mistakes from time to time. Part of the game. Also, all umpires have slightly different strike zones and it's up to the batters, pitchers and catchers to adjust to their zone, not the other way around. I've been on these boards for many years and a few people think the umps, refs, judges, whoever are the reason we lose any competition. Not putting you in that category. Just saying that we all have our biases, too. But I'm in the category that accepts human error as part of the game, as proven by our 2 scored errors and a few other misplays in the field last night. I prefer to just accept the defeat and move on. The loss to Duke was not even close. They beat the crap out of us. So arguing over balls and strikes, to me, is a waste of time.