⚾ 🥎 🏆 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament: "Vanderbilt claims SEC Championship."

Hard for me to be too down on the team when looking at it from 30,000 feet since I thought they'd finish .500 in the league with some breaks and good injury luck. They obviously exceeded that, which is nice. I can't help but feel though that they left a lot of meat on the SEC bone and pretty much gave away some games that they absolutely should have won. Also hard to ignore that way too many SEC loses were beatdowns... and that'll happen to anyone, but there were a couple too many this season. All things considered though, 16-14 in league play (and undefeated in midweek) was quite an accomplishment for a team that struggled mightily to hit in league play, had very inconsistent starting pitching early on, and ended up with just a handful of guys in the (deep) pen that were SEC level reliable on most weekends. Still, this team could have, and should have finished 18-12, putting them alone at 4th in the SEC and sewing up a super regional spot. Questionable coaching decisions and strategies (pitching decisions/changes, certain lineups, use of the shift, etc) aside, there was an underlying issue within this team that seemed to stick with them for most of the season after conference play began... they didn't have a sharp edge to them (IMO). hard to see it at times on TV, but watching in person, it's like a huge group of nice guys who at times come across as uninspired and not very energetic. I'm not sure if the whole post game issue with the Ohio State snapchat thing sorta curtailed their energy some, but it was not where it needed to be (and a far cry from that 2023 team that JJ inherited after the LSU series... though I get there were some extenuating circumstances there that helped lead to such a squad.

Anyway, it's late, I've been out since the end of the Bama game and haven't really dug into #'s and such. Maybe tomorrow. But for now, I'll stand by that Bama is probably on the good side of the bubble. The problem is, they are in a no win situation with having to play Mizzou. Win the game, get zero RPI bump (may actually lose a few points again). Heaven forbid, Bama comes out sleepy and sluggish and loses the game, it's a killer. But a looming matchup with the Vols coule prove to be massive. If Bama can win those 2 though, they are hosting.

Also, I feel sorta bad for whatever regional host draws Florida as a #2 seed. That's what they should be, but they are playing much more like a high #1 right now.
 
FWIW, it'll be Tyler Fay vs. Sam Horn on the mound tomorrow am in Hoover. Some will remember, Fay had a rather... unique 1st inning in his start against Mizzou last month... The Tigers ambushed just about every 1st pitch, hit some seeing eye singles, and was helped by an error on a but. It lead to a quick 5-0 lead before most people were in their seats. Fay adjusted and settled down and ended up going 5 1/3 and surrerened no more runs and UA won it 7-5. Side note: If JJ has Fay pumping first pitch fb's over the plate again in the morning after what transpired last time, I may lose my shit.

Anyway, UM is going with Sam Horn, yes the QB Sam Horn. Horn started the Sunday game last month and lasted just 1 inning.... go knocked around pretty good and gave up 5 runs on 4 hits, a walk, and a HBP. If Bama can land an early haymaker like that tomorrow, it would be helpful. With a game against Tennessee on Wednesday awaiting the winner (along with the possibility of more games each day), it would be nice if Bama can get out of the first one without using any of their high leverage relief arms. On the season, Horn has only made 4 appearances, all within the last month. To his credit, he improved in his last 2 outings (both starts) after his bad outing against Bama... He combined for 5 2/3 of scoreless innings with 10 K's and just 2 walks against UGA and Texas A&M
 
FWIW, it'll be Tyler Fay vs. Sam Horn on the mound tomorrow am in Hoover. Some will remember, Fay had a rather... unique 1st inning in his start against Mizzou last month... The Tigers ambushed just about every 1st pitch, hit some seeing eye singles, and was helped by an error on a but. It lead to a quick 5-0 lead before most people were in their seats. Fay adjusted and settled down and ended up going 5 1/3 and surrerened no more runs and UA won it 7-5. Side note: If JJ has Fay pumping first pitch fb's over the plate again in the morning after what transpired last time, I may lose my shit.

Anyway, UM is going with Sam Horn, yes the QB Sam Horn. Horn started the Sunday game last month and lasted just 1 inning.... go knocked around pretty good and gave up 5 runs on 4 hits, a walk, and a HBP. If Bama can land an early haymaker like that tomorrow, it would be helpful. With a game against Tennessee on Wednesday awaiting the winner (along with the possibility of more games each day), it would be nice if Bama can get out of the first one without using any of their high leverage relief arms. On the season, Horn has only made 4 appearances, all within the last month. To his credit, he improved in his last 2 outings (both starts) after his bad outing against Bama... He combined for 5 2/3 of scoreless innings with 10 K's and just 2 walks against UGA and Texas A&M

Horn was Travis Hunter's quarterback at Collins Hill.
 
This is when I wish I could be there...I want to see how the outfield is lined up. TV coverage doesn't give you that.

The guy that's scholping Hoover's stadium's dick is starting to get on my nerves.
 
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