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Apart from all the celebratory talk, I'm very glad they brought in LaBrie to start the 8th instead of waiting until someone reached. He's one of those guys about whom I feel much more comfortable when he starts an inning rather than coming in with someone on, which seems to make him defensive on the mound.
Also, an interesting comment by Elam in today's game story about coming back on shorter rest than usual: “Whenever I’m tired, on short rest, I don’t throw it as hard, but everything moves a lot more.”
(Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2013/05/25/281...#storylink=cpy)
The same happens in pro ball, where not every pitcher prospers on longer rest. Maybe Elam is one of those guys, and would have been more successful back when the Shocks used a true rotation, as they did for many years. Personally, I've always thought WSU's staffs were more successful doing that anyway, instead of the standard college approach of having a group of weekend starters for conference games. Obviously, the theory is that in college conference games are more important, something that doesn't apply in pro ball, and so you want your best guys to pitch those games. But in a league like the MVC, cruising in conference play isn't by itself going to build the sort of resume that gets you an at-large spot, much less a regional host opportunity -- gee, remember those days? -- which is what you want. You need to play, and beat, good teams (Arizona State, K-State this year) during the week, and to do that it helps to have your good pitchers out there rather than waiting a week for their calendar day start on seven days rest in conference play while lesser or struggling pitchers go out against the bigger boys and you just hope for (but seldom get) the best.
Also, an interesting comment by Elam in today's game story about coming back on shorter rest than usual: “Whenever I’m tired, on short rest, I don’t throw it as hard, but everything moves a lot more.”
(Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2013/05/25/281...#storylink=cpy)
The same happens in pro ball, where not every pitcher prospers on longer rest. Maybe Elam is one of those guys, and would have been more successful back when the Shocks used a true rotation, as they did for many years. Personally, I've always thought WSU's staffs were more successful doing that anyway, instead of the standard college approach of having a group of weekend starters for conference games. Obviously, the theory is that in college conference games are more important, something that doesn't apply in pro ball, and so you want your best guys to pitch those games. But in a league like the MVC, cruising in conference play isn't by itself going to build the sort of resume that gets you an at-large spot, much less a regional host opportunity -- gee, remember those days? -- which is what you want. You need to play, and beat, good teams (Arizona State, K-State this year) during the week, and to do that it helps to have your good pitchers out there rather than waiting a week for their calendar day start on seven days rest in conference play while lesser or struggling pitchers go out against the bigger boys and you just hope for (but seldom get) the best.
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