2011 College World Series Discussion Thread: Day Seven

If you took away the name, and just focused on the stuff this year, I wonder if people would consider him a guy with “1” potential. A lefty that can run it i the mid-90’s (granted, sits more 92-94, but that’s still plus velo for a lefty), with a plus to plus-plus change, a slider that has flashed plus potential, and good control? That sounds like … a possible rotation “1” to me.

I’m not saying he’s that good, or will be that good (even I don’t think I wouldt really consider him a 1), but I am mildly surprised that, at the end of the season, that people still haven’t really put that number next to him as a possibility. It was understandable early-middle of the year, when you wondered if the velocity would keep up.

I mean, even as a big UVA fan, it’s quite a tall task. Even if they somehow pull it out today, the pen is already spent, and South Carolina tagged Roberts last time (granted, errors didn’t help, but he still got tagged and they’ve seen his stuff). The best hope was a healthy Hultzen going deep, saving the pen.

Total side note, but Crockett got tagged there when he came in, but I just wonder, when the kid puts on muscle and adds weight (and he should), if he’ll just really blossom. He’s already pretty good as a pen arm this year, peaking in the low 90’s.

First to last pitch the Gamecocks were helpless against him. I will say that this was unalloyed major league stuff today. You hear evaluators say that an amateur’s stuff would have played in the majors on a given day, and it’s usually crap, but in this instance it applies. The batters might as well have been holding table legs.

has more movement than Hultzen’s, but “better” is debatable. Price is an absolute stud, as you saw, and one of the best closers in college ball. I’m glad both got a chance to showcase their stuff and competitiveness. That was a helluva battle.

And it seems as if , yet again, Mike Roth has been overshadowed by more heralded arms despite pitching extremely well. Hard to see him as even a MoR ceiling as a pro, but there’s no way SouCar is even in the CWS without his amazing season and he did it again with seven innings of one-run ball against a good offense. One of the best seasons by a college starter this year. Hats off.