Let's See What You Got

I think in the past you have heard from me that I am not a person who likes to save my best for last.  Example during Benton Moss's senior baseball  year at Rocky Mount there was two weeks during the conference season that Rocky Mount played three conference games in one week and both times the third game was against Hunt.  Moss had pitched the Tuesday game both times and by the time Saturday rolled around the pitching staff was hope we can out score them.  In that case I think Kent Cox did what he had to do.

My thought is, if you don't win Tuesday then Thursday and Saturday don't mean a thing.  This past weekend N C State played the game of when do we pitch Carlos Rodon.  In many eyes in college baseball Rodon is seen is the best pitcher regardless of what year they are in college and Rodon is a freshman.  State decided to wait until the second game which was a Sunday and Rodon would have had  a week of rest going into Sunday's start.

I'm going on the premise that Rodon should have pitched Saturday.  State should have said here he is let's see what you can do with him.  The three innings he worked Sunday showed me that he would probably done the same on Saturday.  If State wins Saturday then they have got to be beaten twice.  Saving Rodon until Sunday to even the series if they had of won Sunday they still had to win Monday. 

Here is the reason I always play the best I got the first time every week.  State found themselves down and another loss and there season is over so Rodon did exactly what State needed until the rains came.  Yes, there was a rain delay in the 7th inning Saturday but Rodon would have pitched about what you would have wanted from him by then anyway.

State saved their best to only pitch three innings in what now is the most important game of the season a game they must win.  Baseball is played in summer and in the South there is a threat of thunder showers everyday.  If Saturday's game is rained out he is still available to pitch Sunday.  Every decision I would make about who is my best, I will always put the best I got on the field first because you don't know what the weather will do.  Back in Moss's Senior season suppose on of those Saturday games got rained out and played on Monday.  I'm putting my best out on the field the first of the week and worry about rest of the week later.

Despite getting three innings from Rodon because of Rain the Wolfpack gave a great effort and I am not upset one bit of the bad call  on the last out.  That's part of baseball.

The aftermath:Lauren Doughtie jumps all the way up to fourth in the money earnings on the Futures Tour money list with her win on Sunday in Iowa.  There are only 16 tournaments per year on the Futures Tour so if Lauren came either win another event this year or even finish in the top five that just might keep her in the top ten in money earnings  for the year which would qualify her for the LPGA Tour in 2013.  The best thing she could do right now is play consistant for the remainder of the year.