Gopher softball 2021

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rowdaboat said:
Hard to hide in the lineup that there's no one reliable for 5-8
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While I think that 5-8 weakness is quite typical as the challenge for all in college softball lineups excepting Oklahoma and UCLA, it is certainly true. I just think there is at least a little potential to strengthen that 5-8 just a little bit for the stretch run.

As concerning for me is that I wonder if Pease loses a noticeable amount of that wonderful action of hers on her pitches after about 150- 175 pitches in a weekend. That too is extremely common (probably for most college pitchers on rosters loss-of-stuff happens in fewer pitches than that) but we have been so accustomed to Fiser and Groenewagen’s unusual physical strength that allowed them to maintain their stuff well after 200-250 pitches in a weekend.
 

NW dropped one to ioweeee today, that helps. NW will be desperate against Mich. her is hoping they can take 2 or maybe even 3
 

I think that the umpire behind home plate had an unexpected strike zone. The same thing played out in the first game and she was the umpire. If it was just based off physical strength that would not explain why both pitchers struggled in the last game. The common thread was the umpire. Time to rethink that there are only a few pitchers in the history of Minnesota softball that can throw multiple games. Most girls that reach the D1 level have been pitching 3-7 games a week in travel plus 1-2 pitching lessons and countless bull pen throws. If anything most pitchers are throwing far less in college.
 


Three of Michigan’s four losses have come to the only two teams they have played that rank among the top four run-producing teams in the B1G. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Hutch once again has a deep and talented bench, and she exhibits a knack for plucking new starters from it to improve their offense as the season progresses. Of course their pitching has been lights out, and Storako and Beaubien have only surrendered four HRs — combined — all season. I believe we will need to double that number and have at least three HRs come with runners on base to win the series against them.
 

Unfortunately you can have the best pitcher in the nation and still lose games by 1 run. The idea that hitting home runs is going to win you games is a fools errand, you can neutralize home run hitters by pitching around them, an example we we didn’t use today’s game. There is a reason Edward’s has so many walk this season. Temping fate was just a mistake today. We ignored all that stats over 4years of Edward’s playing career. You can’t ignore stats. The issue for us come down to the lower half just not getting on base. You can’t be 8thin batting average in a 14 team division and think that your going to be first. Pitching and great defense will never over come poor hitting. We have no small ball ability to push runners and our ability to steal bases is also lacking. Don’t be surprised if few of our best hitters start to pile up the walks the rest of the season. Really the lack of threat coming from behind them put us at a huge disadvantage.
 

Twinballs said:
I think that the umpire behind home plate had an unexpected strike zone. The same thing played out in the first game and she was the umpire. If it was just based off physical strength that would not explain why both pitchers struggled in the last game. The common thread was the umpire. Time to rethink that there are only a few pitchers in the history of Minnesota softball that can throw multiple games. Most girls that reach the D1 level have been pitching 3-7 games a week in travel plus 1-2 pitching lessons and countless bull pen throws. If anything most pitchers are throwing far less in college.
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This is very true. It is also true that some pitchers seem to get stronger and more dialed in with more work, while others tire out and lose their movement/command.

We know from previous seasons that Fiser can certainly handle a heavy load of pitching. I think most of us would agree that she has been a little off her usually dominant self. I do think the umpiring has been especially inconsistent with a tighter zone overall. That alone can make a huge difference between dominant outings and those that have multiple innings with runners on base.

The questionable umps that I have seen this season have also changed their zone depending on the count. That is my greatest peeve with a home plate ump. Please be consistent no matter the count. If the pitch is a strike on 0-0 or 3-0, it should be a strike on 0-2 as well!
 

Twinballs said:
Most girls that reach the D1 level have been pitching 3-7 games a week in travel plus 1-2 pitching lessons and countless bull pen throws. If anything most pitchers are throwing far less in college.
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I am willing to be educated on this but those pre-college pitchers can throw a helluva lot of straight balls in the strike zone and still do so very well in getting batters out. However, at the D1 level that we are watching on the BTN/ESPN, all these pitchers need to be regularly 60 plus WITH considerable movement every, single, pitch... which is a lot of stress on the elbow and wrist areas isn’t it? It’s seem logical to me that some people have Nolan Ryan/Randy Johnson arms that can just handle it (it doesn’t seem fair and don’t ask me why they have those arms) and some people need to be more careful. Maybe I am wrong.
 



ClassOf98Gopher said:
While I think that 5-8 weakness is quite typical as the challenge for all in college softball lineups excepting Oklahoma and UCLA, it is certainly true. I just think there is at least a little potential to strengthen that 5-8 just a little bit for the stretch run.

As concerning for me is that I wonder if Pease loses a noticeable amount of that wonderful action of hers on her pitches after about 150- 175 pitches in a weekend. That too is extremely common (probably for most college pitchers on rosters loss-of-stuff happens in fewer pitches than that) but we have been so accustomed to Fiser and Groenewagen’s unusual physical strength that allowed them to maintain their stuff well after 200-250 pitches in a weekend.
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What annoys & depresses me is that BIG ten softball teams year after year let MI gain control of the regular season & then they spend the season playing catch-up. The Gophers today had the chance to say right on Michigan's heels. Yet instead of coming out slugging they allowed the game to drift along with no control over it. Even when they finally came back & tied it 4-4, they turned the game over to their ace who immediately let it slip away. The decisive home run pitch was grooved right down the middle of the plate to Nebraska. Sorry to sound negative, but it seems the Gophers let far too many chances slip away. Northwestern did exactly that too in 2019 & in 2021 it appears the same.
 

ClassOf98Gopher said:
I am willing to be educated on this but those pre-college pitchers can throw a helluva lot of straight balls in the strike zone and still do so very well in getting batters out. However, at the D1 level that we are watching on the BTN/ESPN, all these pitchers need to be regularly 60 plus WITH considerable movement every, single, pitch... which is a lot of stress on the elbow and wrist areas isn’t it? It’s seem logical to me that some people have Nolan Ryan/Randy Johnson arms that can just handle it (it doesn’t seem fair and don’t ask me why they have those arms) and some people need to be more careful. Maybe I am wrong.
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Softball is much easier and natural throwing motion on arm and shoulder than baseball. Don't have the violent snap on breaking balls that baseball has too
 

AZGopher8 said:
This is very true. It is also true that some pitchers seem to get stronger and more dialed in with more work, while others tire out and lose their movement/command.

We know from previous seasons that Fiser can certainly handle a heavy load of pitching. I think most of us would agree that she has been a little off her usually dominant self. I do think the umpiring has been especially inconsistent with a tighter zone overall. That alone can make a huge difference between dominant outings and those that have multiple innings with runners on base.

The questionable umps that I have seen this season have also changed their zone depending on the count. That is my greatest peeve with a home plate ump. Please be consistent no matter the count. If the pitch is a strike on 0-0 or 3-0, it should be a strike on 0-2 as well!
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It's hard to remember a season with so much incompetent umpiring.
 

Hrothgar said:
What annoys & depresses me is that BIG ten softball teams year after year let MI gain control of the regular season & then they spend the season playing catch-up. The Gophers today had the chance to say right on Michigan's heels. Yet instead of coming out slugging they allowed the game to drift along with no control over it. Even when they finally came back & tied it 4-4, they turned the game over to their ace who immediately let it slip away. The decisive home run pitch was grooved right down the middle of the plate to Nebraska. Sorry to sound negative, but it seems the Gophers let far too many chances slip away. Northwestern did exactly that too in 2019 & in 2021 it appears the same.
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2019 the big 10 schedulers gave Michigan the title by not having Michigan play either Minnesota or NW.
 



Hrothgar said:
What annoys & depresses me is that BIG ten softball teams year after year let MI gain control of the regular season & then they spend the season playing catch-up. The Gophers today had the chance to say right on Michigan's heels. Yet instead of coming out slugging they allowed the game to drift along with no control over it. Even when they finally came back & tied it 4-4, they turned the game over to their ace who immediately let it slip away. The decisive home run pitch was grooved right down the middle of the plate to Nebraska. Sorry to sound negative, but it seems the Gophers let far too many chances slip away. Northwestern did exactly that too in 2019 & in 2021 it appears the same.
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While I certainly applaud this team's resilience and the fact they are again competing for a Big 10 title, I'm under no illusions about what this team really is. They'll continue to do well in the conference for the rest of this season, but I'm not counting on them to deliver much after that.

They've already lost a chance at hosting a regional, so their chances at going to OKC are basically slim and none. They simply aren't good enough in any area of the game to go on somebody's else's field and win when it matters in the postseason imo.

Doesn't mean I don't support them, but this team isn't good enough to repeat 2019. Not by a long shot.

At this point, I'll simply celebrate when they play well and move on when they lose, which I figure will be in regionals.
 


8th spot is in play, but I don't see how anyone including Gophers beats any of the top 7 twice before WS


1Oklahoma (32)80030-01
2UCLA76822-22
3Alabama70231-54
4Oregon68627-53
5Florida68330-45
6Washington61631-56
7Texas59531-37
 

rowdaboat said:
8th spot is in play, but I don't see how anyone including Gophers beats any of the top 7 twice before WS


1Oklahoma (32)80030-01
2UCLA76822-22
3Alabama70231-54
4Oregon68627-53
5Florida68330-45
6Washington61631-56
7Texas59531-37
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On a side note, just think about how low Oregon was two years ago - to the point of plucking players from the student body to field a full team.
 

FormerFatOL said:
On a side note, just think about how low Oregon was two years ago - to the point of plucking players from the student body to field a full team.
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And they're still higher than Texas which is basically half Oregon on roster
 

dlw4gophers said:
2019 the big 10 schedulers gave Michigan the title by not having Michigan play either Minnesota or NW.
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Precisely what I mean, and the other BIG programs do little to beef up their programs.
rowdaboat said:
And they're still higher than Texas which is basically half Oregon on roster
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Isn't Oregon where Nike lavishly funds the University Athletic Department?
 

Hrothgar said:
Precisely what I mean, and the other BIG programs do little to beef up their programs.

Isn't Oregon where Nike lavishly funds the University Athletic Department?
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Yeah and oregon has a huge track and field stadium
 


rowdaboat said:
And they're still higher than Texas which is basically half Oregon on roster
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I'm surprised Texas has done as well as they have this year with Miranda Elish leaving right before the season started. A big hole to fill with no recruiting time.
 

In the 6-4 loss to Nebraska, the Gophers had only 6 hits, 5 of them from 1-4 in the order; 5-9 produced 1 single base hit. No hope after 4 of run-producing innings.
 

Pease & Williams of NW both pitched no-hitters this past weekend. Was there any BIG recognition of this for them, or one, or neither? I feel the Gophers should concentrate on winning the BIG tile, if possible, and let the NCAA play out as it will. Sweeping Iowa seems kind of an imperative, because the chances of NW taking down MI are slim IMO.
 

Hrothgar said:
I feel the Gophers should concentrate on winning the BIG tile, if possible, and let the NCAA play out as it will. Sweeping Iowa seems kind of an imperative, because the chances of NW taking down MI are slim IMO.
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This is always the correct mental frame for Gopher softball fans to be in. Michigan is our competitor, not Oklahoma, not UCLA, not Florida. Michigan is our World Series rival.

Win the Big Ten and at is all fun and enjoyment after that. Every game after the last game of the Big Ten is gravy... or cake if you prefer.
 





Watching the MI vs. NW game, got up to refill the coffee, just in time to miss an inside-the-park grand slam by Michigan. No replay. I've never seen that happen (above maybe 10U). Darn it.
 

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