SB Nation Pittsburgh: All Posts by Bob Lynch

Ole Miss Rebels vs. LSU Tigers Baseball Preview and Open Thread

2013-05-16T17:46:28Z

Mike Bianco is 6-12 all time in Baton Rouge. He averages one win for every series visit down yonder. Considering how we've looked as of late and how they've looked, I'd say that snagging a victory away from the Tigers in Alex Box to ensure a .500 SEC record wouldn't be a particularly bad outcome whatsoever.

Regardless, here's what you should look for this weekend out of the Tigers both on the bump and in the box.

LSU Probable Starters

Thursday - Cody Glenn (Soph. LHP) - Glenn is currently 5-2 with a 2.78 ERA on the year through 12 starts. Through 68.0 innings pitched, Glenn has allowed 27 runs (21 earned) off 57 hits. Glenn has 33 strike outs to go along with 16 walks. Opponents are hitting .231 off Cody thus far this season. Cody has only allowed 11 extra-base hits all season in 247 at-bats. Glenn is a crafty lefty which has been a problem all year for the Rebels.

Friday - Kurt McCune (Jr. RHP) - Saturday is usually Aaron Nola's spot in the rotation but luckily LSU has decided to rest him this weekend. McCune will be making only his 4^th start of the season and is currently 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA (7 appearances). Through 13.1 innings pitched, McCune has allowed 5 runs (5 earned) off 15 hits. He has 8 strikeouts to go along with 4 walks, and opponents are hitting .283 off him thus far this season.

Saturday - Ryan Eades (Jr. RHP) - Ryan Eades currently posts a 8-1 record with a 2.29 ERA in 13 starts. Through 82.2 innings pitched, Eades has allowed 24 runs (21 earned) off 83 hits. Ryan has 69 strikeouts to go along with 23 walks, and opponents are hitting .265 off him. Eades has only allowed 11 extra-base hits in 313 at-bats.

Team Pitching Ranks in Conference:

2^nd in ERA (2.37) (OM 5^th at 2.92)
3^rd in opposing batting average (.216) (OM 5^th at .240)
4^th in strikeouts (412) (OM 7^th with 379)
T-3^rd in hits allowed (377) (OM 4^th with 423)
2^nd in runs allowed (148) (OM 6^th with 194)
2^nd in walks allowed (129) (OM 11^th with 187)
T-2^nd in HR allowed (15) (OM 9^th with 22)

National Pitching Ranks

2^nd in ERA (OM is 19^th nationally)
2^nd in WHIP
7^th in BBs per 9 innings
6^th in K-BB ratio
7^th in Hits Allowed per 9 Innings

The Rebels are lucky in the sense that LSU isn't going to pitch Aaron Nola (10-0, 1.99 ERA), but as you can see they have plenty of other good arms to throw. LSU ranks in the top 10 nationally in almost every major pitching category. Runs will be at a premium this weekend so the Rebels will need to find a way to get some clutch hits, which they have struggled with all season.

LSU Bats

As always, the numbers you see in batting stats represent the following in this exact order: Avg HR RBI SLG% OBP% SB/ATT SO/BB. If you don't know what that means, then watch more baseball.

LSU, as a team, looks something like this: .312 37 326 .443 .395 46/68 258/230

Individual Season Statistics

Alex Bregman .393 5 47 .589 .443 13/14 18/22

Mason Katz .380 13 63 .656 .472 5/12 30/30

Raph Rhymes .343 2 37 .448 .414 2/3 26/22

Sean McMullen .339 1 25 .500 .436 0/2 15/19

Christian Ibarra .337 5 33 .497 .430 0/3 27/25

Key Reserves (minimum 50 AB's)

Tyler Moore .286 0 7 .429 .338 0/0 1/5

Chris Sciambra .258 0 6 .337 .407 2/2 24/17

Other key notes:

The Tigers are scoring 6.85 runs per game.
LSU boasts a very impressive 32-3 home record on the year.
They've done this by only giving up a total of 148 runs on the season (2.79 per game).

The Rebels currently sit as the 5th seed in the SEC Tournament and taking 2 of 3 would probably keep them there, sweeping most likely locks them in as that seed and keeps any slim NCAA regional hosting discussion going. Losing 2 of 3 or getting swept means the Rebels would most likely slip in their seeding, but not enough do too much damage in the SEC Tournament. That does mean, of course, that they'd lose whatever chance they've got, as slim as it may be, to host an NCAA regional.

As always, BeardedGinger and Fit4LifeLLC deserve our undying praise for their contributions to this week's preview.

TLV #180 - Ole Miss vs. LSU and Beyond

2013-05-16T17:23:22Z

In college baseball, perhaps no group of teams can boast as much talent and parity as those in the Southeastern Conference's Western Division. No team within this seven-team group has below a .500 record overall, nor have they any SEC records below the .400 mark. Compare that to the SEC's Eastern Division, which has a total of three teams - Tennessee, Missouri, and Georgia - with overall records below .500 and sub-.300 records in conference play.

Six of the seven teams in the SEC West are within just a handful of games of each other, with a handful of these teams - including our Ole Miss Rebels - being essentially interchangeable in terms of talent level and on-field production. Only one of these teams can realistically stand out among the rest as the best in this division, crossing the threshold from a good college baseball team to that of a great or even elite college baseball team.

Unfortunately, that team just so happens to be the team the Rebels will close the season out against this weekend: the LSU Tigers.

LSU is the 2013 Champion of the SEC's Western Division, finishing last weekend with an impressive 45-7 overall record and a 21-6 SEC record. They are the only opponent separating Ole Miss from the SEC Baseball Tournament and the NCAA postseason. Thankfully, Ole Miss has a strong enough resume and the teams ranked below our Rebels have weak enough resumes that it is all but impossible for Mike Bianco's team to miss postseason contention. Still, quality wins against the Tigers in Baton Rouge, as difficult as they may be to come by, could go a long way in terms of postseason seeding, making this weekend series somewhat important for the Rebs in a way that it is not for LSU.

It is unlikely that the Rebels will sweep the Tigers en route to a subsequent SEC Baseball Tournament Championship, so let's take a realistic approach to our expectations of this weekend, its likely outcome, and what that means for this team's postseason chances.

With their spot in the SEC Tournament and as NCAA regional hosts all but guaranteed, LSU has opted to sit ace Aaron Nola, easily one of the best pitchers in all of college baseball, this weekend against the Rebs. If the No. 14-ranked Rebels can take advantage of this behind the arm of our ace, Bobby Wahl, and win just one game against the No. 3-ranked Tigers this weekend, they will finish with a respectable 15-15 record in SEC play and a third or fourth place finish in the SEC West (the Rebs are currently tied for third with the No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs, who finish the regular season with a series at the No. 12 South Carolina Gamecocks). As disappointing as that may be for Ole Miss baseball fans to stomach, who have grown accustomed to better than .500 marks in SEC play as of late, it would not at all hurt this team's chances at a two seed in one of the NCAA's 16 postseason regionals.

Projections for experts and armchair pundits alike have the Rebels as such a seed in Charlottesville, Virginia to Eugene, Oregon and seemingly every place in between. In short, the Rebs will have to travel a long way and prove their mettle against a top team outside of the SEC if they are to advance to an NCAA super regional. If that outcome seems unlikely then, well, that's because it is. The Rebels have not succeeded as of late as a visiting team in an NCAA regional, losing in the College Station regional last year and the Charlottesville regional two seasons before that.

This team is good enough to be competitive, but not nearly as deep to take a series from a better team, especially outside of the friendly confines of Swayze Field. The bats are simply not as powerful as we need them to be, especially to overcome the inexperience which characterizes much of the Rebel bullpen. As much as I would like to see otherwise this weekend against LSU and in the following weekends of the NCAA postseason, what we've seen thus far out of this team is likely a pretty good indicator of the immediate things to come.

That said though, the NCAA postseason has shown that any number of improbable things can and do happen. The Stony Brooks and Fresno States of the world - who have in recent years shocked the college baseball elite with their performances in the College World Series - have proven this. Could Ole Miss get hot and streak its way into Omaha? Sure. Is it likely? Not at all, so don't get your hopes up.

And even if we did, we'd so get obliterated by Vanderbilt in the World Series anyway. It's the only thing that would make sense at that point.

Hotty Toddy, go Rebels, beat LSU, and make me eat crow.

The Nkemdiche Brothers are Staying in Shape this Summer

2013-05-15T19:55:46Z

For those of you worried that the incoming freshman defensive tackle might not be in proper college football shape or have the size necessary to compete right away in the Southeastern Conference, worry no longer.

Good workout in with my bro @denzelnkemdiche love my bro we starve and eat together . instagram.com/p/ZToP6iCs2d/
— Robert Nkemdiche (@Aceboogie_001) May 14, 2013

Obviously that's Freshman All-American Ole Miss Rebel linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche on his left. Denzel is listed as being 5'11" and 203 pounds. If that is to be believed, then his "little" brother Robert is conceivably bigger than the 6'5", 265 pounds he is listed as by ESPN.

Oh, and he's yet to take his first course at Ole Miss as a freshman. It is nearly inconceivable that an 18-year-old can have the build of a rookie in the NFL, but Nkemdiche does. This doesn't lead me to predict any sort of Freshman all-American honors or anything of that sort, but it does serve as evidence enough of his ability to contribute in this league and as a member of this team's defensive line from day one.

Wednesday Question: One of Precaution

2013-05-15T13:06:08Z

How do you feel about Paul Mainieri's decision to rest Aaron Nola this weekend against our Rebs?

Rebel Roundup - May 13, 2013

2013-05-13T13:24:36Z

Squirrel, you're not a graduate. You're several credits shy. Go home, Squirrel, you're drunk. You're embarrassing your family, Squirrel.

Rebels Sweep Doubleheader With Mississippi State | OleMissSports.com
The Rebels took down the Bulldogs in two straight games on Saturday... only to lose a six-run lead on Sunday in late innings. Still, many of us were anticipating a series loss and, outside of literally just a couple of innings (that's baseball), the team certainly looked much better than we expected.

Daniel Gresham officially decommits from the Texas Longhorns | SBNation.com
As expected for some time, Fort Worth (Texas) All Saints running back/fullback Daniel Gresham has decided to open up his recruitment and end his commitment to the Texas Longhorns. Our Rebels are looking like a favorite to land the big-bodied runner, who could become an SEC-ready H-Back or tight end if he keeps putting on size.

Ole Miss releases official post-spring depth chart, with few surprises | Ole Miss sports
How'd we miss this last week? Regardless, there isn't too much of note in the current Rebel depth chart, simply because this team returns so many starters from last season. My only real first impressions are that I have no idea who our starting tight ends are, I'm discouraged by our defensive line depth chart, and Nick Brassell's falling stock is probably a harbinger of bad things to come regarding his eligibility.

SEC football's 7-year title reign, and all the times it could've ended | SBNation.com
Of course the Southeastern Conference has dominated college football in a way no other conference ever has, but so very many things have had to work in the conference's favor (or rather in the favor of the conference's institutions) for this to be a case. This is truly a revealing read at just how convoluted and suspenseful - both meant in a good way - the college football system is.

Finally something the SEC Sucks at | DudeYouCrazy
The SEC sucks at charging a buyout, in that there isn't a contractually mandated amount between the conference and its member institutions. I'll let you venture a guess as to why that may be the case.

Blind Jim at an Ole Miss football game, 1947 | Vimeo
Here is what is perhaps the earliest color footage of Ole Miss football. In this video, you'll see Blind Jim Ivy in the stands for an Ole Miss vs. (presumably) Georgia Tech game. It is really neat to see Charlie Conerly, the Rebel quarterback of the time who would go on to star for the New York Giants, in color.

Rare 1952 Film: William Faulkner on His Native Soil in Oxford, Mississippi | Open Culture
So while we're taking steps back into time, why not take a look at Oxford in the 1950's and the day-to-day life of her most famous native son, William Cuthbert Faulkner. There is some excellent footage here of Faulkner, other Oxonians, and the Square as it appears only in ~~Pat Patterson's wet dreams~~ our memories.

Point Guard Jerron Martin Commits to Ole Miss

2013-05-08T17:13:50Z

Using his Vine account (which is like YouTube but just for Twitter and of even worse video quality) Jerron Martin, a 6'1" point guard out of Maryland, committed to play basketball for our Ole Miss Rebels as a part of the 2013 class. Ole Miss was his only major college offer, with his other offer of note reportedly from Loyola of Maryland. Looking at his highlight tape, he's flashy and skilled as a ball handler, but outside of that it's tough to gather anything of his basketball smarts or even his shooting ability. Still, his athleticism is impressive, something which is a bit of a recurring theme in Andy Kennedy's recruiting - especially of more under-the-radar type talents.

He will join center Dwight Coleby, wing Janari Joesaar, and forward Sebastian Saiz as a part of the 2013 class. He is likely to split time with Derek Millinghaus as a reserve guard off of the bench behind Jarvis Summers early on.

Welcome to Ole Miss, Jerron. Hotty Toddy.

Tuesday Question: One of Weakness

2013-05-07T16:48:49Z

Which unit do you anticipate will be this football team's weak link in 2013?

Rebel Roundup - May 6, 2013

2013-05-06T13:00:06Z

Grammatical Mistake Aside (Can You Spot it?!), This is a Goosebump-y Video for Sure

#WintheSigningDay or something, right?

Ole Miss’ Bo Wallace throws for first time post-surgery | CollegeFootballTalk
Not only is he back to throwing, but CBSSports is reporting that both Freeze and Wallace "feel good" about his first days back in action. If Bo really is feeling healthy, then our only real concerns can be with his timing and conditioning as a quarterback, something that he will have the entire summer to work on.

Shades Valley sophomore defensive tackle Daron Payne lands Auburn and Ole Miss offers (with video) | AL.com
Daron Payne is a 15-year-old rising junior out of Irondale, Alabama, who can already boast two SEC offers. He is a 315 pound defensive tackle prospect who allegedly has the athleticism to be a real difference maker at the next level. Considering that, it's tough to see him leaving the state of Alabama, especially if AL.com's reporting of him growing up an Auburn fan is legitimate, but I can't fault our coaches for trying (I mean, did you even see the video I opened this link dump with?).

SEC Network: Revenue unclear, but will be boost for Mississippi State, Ole Miss | The Clarion-Ledger
Fun and surprising fact: the average B1G school made more TV revenue than the average SEC school did last season. Wacky, huh? Well the SEC and ESPN will change that completely, and while exact figures are not yet clear, I would expect a significant rising tide in the SEC where everyone from Alabama to Schtuyte sees their annual athletics revenues increasing by eight figures.

Auburn wins game & series over Ole Miss | WVTM-TV
Oh... and this happened.