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2024 Wake Baseball Thread: What Did We Do To Deserve This?

Quick Clemson Breakdown:

As IAppreciateIt mentioned above, Clemson's Friday starter is Tristan Smith. He's a LHP and a draft eligible sophomore. Last year, Smith was a reliever and has blossomed this year as a starter. Clemson is 8-0 in his starts. Smith missed a month in the middle of the season. Even with Clemson's unbeaten record in Smith starts, he hasn't been dominant. In fact in his last two starts Smith failed to make it past the third inning. Smith is projected as a 2nd round pick in the 2024 draft.

Clemson has had problems with their Saturday starter. Clemson has lost the last 4 games started by Ethan Darden (to NC State, Pitt, L'ville and GT). Darden is a pitch to contact guy with only 31 Ks in 50 IP.

Clemson has also won every start (11-0) by their Sunday starter freshman RHP Aidan Knaak. Clemson has a +44 run differential (+4) in Knaak's starts. Knaak has the best numbers of all of the Clemson starters: 63 IP 44 H 20 BB 82Ks.

Clemson' best offensive player is 3rd baseman Blake Wright. He is a senior and not a big-time MLB prospect, but he has raked this year with 19 HRs and 65 RBI. Their catcher, Jimmy Obertop is a Michigan transfer, and has 16 HRs. Clemson's super-annoying CF is Cam Cannerella. He talked a ton of trash against WF last year.

Clemson's coach, Erik Bakich, is in his 2nd year. The Tigers hired Bakich away from Michigan, where he took the Wolverines to Omaha in 2019. Bakich was the HC at Maryland before Clemson.

The Tigers are 17-7 in the ACC and have won every ACC series, but one; losing 2 out of 3 the NC State, when Tristan Smith was out. They also swept (2-0) S. Carolina. Clemson will have a big pitching edge on Sunday with Knaak against Falco; so, WF winning at least one if not both of the first two will be key. Clemson has had the opposite of WF's conference schedule. WF has played the top 4 teams from the Coastal (UNC, UVA, Duke and VT). Clemson only played Duke from the top 4, but has also played GT, Miami and Pitt.

One of the scrubs on Clemson's bench is former Brave Jeff Blauser's kid.
 
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I heard Falco was going on Saturday and Hartle on Sunday. Could be wrong though
 
atldeac23 said:
I heard Falco was going on Saturday and Hartle on Sunday. Could be wrong though
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Bold strategy Cotton, hope it pays off for the Deacs...

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Clemson has been essentially impossible to beat on Sunday with Knaak.
 
Be sure to show out this weekend since kempson always travels. We need great fan support.
 
Pilchard said:
Quick Clemson Breakdown:

As IAppreciateIt mentioned above, Clemson's Friday starter is Tristan Smith. He's a LHP and a draft eligible sophomore. Last year, Smith was a reliever and has blossomed this year as a starter. Clemson is 8-0 in his starts. Smith missed a month in the middle of the season. Even with Clemson's unbeaten record in Smith starts, he hasn't been dominant. In fact in his last two starts Smith failed to make it past the third inning. Smith is projected as a 2nd round pick in the 2024 draft.

Clemson has had problems with their Saturday starter. Clemson has lost the last 4 games started by Ethan Darden (to NC State, Pitt, L'ville and GT). Darden is a pitch to contact guy with only 31 Ks in 50 IP.

Clemson has also won every start (11-0) by their Sunday starter freshman RHP Aidan Knaak. Clemson has a +44 run differential (+4) in Knaak's starts. Knaak has the best numbers of all of the Clemson starters: 63 IP 44 H 20 BB 82Ks.

Clemson' best offensive player is 3rd baseman Blake Wright. He is a senior and not a big-time MLB prospect, but he has raked this year with 19 HRs and 65 RBI. Their catcher, Jimmy Obertop is a Michigan transfer, and has 16 HRs. Clemson's super-annoying CF is Cam Cannerella. He talked a ton of trash against WF last year.

Clemson's coach, Erik Bakich, is in his 2nd year. The Tigers hired Bakich away from Michigan, where he took the Wolverines to Omaha in 2019. Bakich was the HC at Maryland before Clemson.

The Tigers are 17-7 in the ACC and have won every ACC series, but one; losing 2 out of 3 the NC State, when Tristan Smith was out. They also swept (2-0) S. Carolina. Clemson will have a big pitching edge on Sunday with Knaak against Falco; so, WF winning at least one if not both of the first two will be key. Clemson has had the opposite of WF's conference schedule. WF has played the top 4 teams from the Coastal (UNC, UVA, Duke and VT). Clemson only played Duke from the top 4, but has also played GT, Miami and Pitt.

One of the scrubs on Clemson's bench is former Brave Jeff Blauser's kid.
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Is Cam Cannerella the dude who ejected last year in the extra innings of the Super against Tennessee for running his mouth?
 
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IAppreciateIt said:
KLEMPSON has two lefty starters (smith & darden) on friday and saturday. wonder how aggressively we go w/ platoon shifts in the starting lineup (esp. on friday since burns gives up so few balls in play). maybe we see austin hawke out there. also curious if they go with morales against an LHP. it's also been a while since king has played CF. if they don't wanna mess with that, maybe there's a repeat of yesterday and reinisch plays the field and we open up DH.
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I think we see Hawke tomorrow. The way he's hitting, albeit against weak opponents, and playing the field has been really good this past week. I honestly wouldn't mind him just straight up swapping for Tellier. Telly's glove leaves a lot to be desired, if I am being honest. And he has stopped hitting for power lately. Gotta go with the hot hand in crunch time.
 
DeacsOrDie said:
So it’s happening?
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Yeah ...

Chase Burns stays on Friday because that's obvious. Theoretically only need 2-3 innings from the bullpen.
David Falco Jr. on Saturday and plan on getting 4 from him, then you've got the rest of the bullpen minus one, mayyybe two who pitched Friday.
Josh Hartle on Sunday and you've gotta hope he's solved some mechanical stuff and has his confidence back.

It's been on my board for a couple of days: Massey saw a back specialist on Monday. He's not out for the season, but he is out for this weekend. They're hoping to get him back in the bullpen after this weekend. Been a little surprised that people have been speculating that he's dealt with a back injury this season; thought Walter was on record in one of the first 2-3 weeks saying he just wasn't/isn't going to be 100% all year. He overexerted himself in a preseason workout. They thought it was a hamstring, turns out it's his back.

ETA: Part of the thinking with Falco/bullpen on Saturday is you don't want to run through a staff day on Sunday, then turn around and need another heavy bullpen day in the mid-week against Liberty -- plus, remember next week is early with a Thu.-Sat. series.
 
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