Rebels fall in Game 3 of series

As The Ghost of Jay Cutler has already informed you, the Rebels took the series from Vanderbilt in Nashville.  The Rebels again put together a nice offensive performance, and they took the first game of Sunday’s double-header 6-1.  Philip Irwin battled hard as he pitched a complete game (7 innings) and only allowed a run.  However, game 2 was not as good for the Rebels.  Mike Bianco started the third game of the series against Vanderbilt off with a grave error:  letting Aaron Barrett pitch.  I’m not sure if Mike is watching the same guy pitch that I am, but he is starting a guy in the SEC rotation that has an 11.20 ERA. 

The issues of the second game:

First, our starting pitching was atrocious.  Secondly, I feel bad for Scott Bittle.  He came in to record the final out of the 5^th inning, and he accomplished that.  He did not allow a hit in 2.1 innings, but he gets the loss due to an unearned run.  That drops him to 1-2 on the season, and it isn’t looking like he will have the same impressive stats as last year.  We still have 9 weeks to go, but I am worried that he isn’t the same shut-down pitcher from last year. 

We scored 6 runs, and that is satisfactory, especially against Vandy pitching.  We have to find a way to string it all together. 

All in all, we cannot be disappointed with the Rebels showing in Nashville this weekend.  I am very impressed with started the season 2-1. 

The Rebels return to action on Tuesday in Jonesboro against Arkansas State.  Wednesday, the Jort Nation comes to Oxford when the Memphis Tigers make the drive from the Bluff City.   

Ole Miss baseball: We've missed you...a little bit

The grass at Swayze is getting that near Spring green hue to it even though temperatures aren't quite right for sitting leisurely in the stands. Baseball is very nearly here, but let's not forget the shortcomings of last year's team before we look at next year.

With Lance Lynn and Cody Satterwhite as our 1-2 punch on the weekends, there should have been a good chance to make it to Omaha. These guys had been with the program for a couple years and were going to lead us to the promised land. Unfortunately, there just weren't enough bats in the line-up last year along with Satterwhite's pitching inconsistencies that settled the Rebels into an uncomfortable situation, making it to the Coral Gables regional against one of the strongest college baseball programs- the Miami Hurricanes. We won't relive all of the gory details, but with the return of Scott Bittle, I have a feeling that fans are thinking this could be a strong team yet again. That feeling is raw common sense.

Let's take a gander at pitching first.

Bittle was awarded the best player in the state award last year by Cellular South. He's got a pitch called "The Thing" and has been the closer for the past two years with a few spot starts from time to time. Bittle's finishing pitch drops as it approaches the plate and bears strong resemblance to Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn's "Decimator." When the ball is in his hands late in the game, early in the game or at any point, I'm confident he'll get the outs needed to keep Ole Miss in the game.

Along with the Bittler comes Drew Pomeranz, one of the great freshmen from last year's team who struck out over 80 in 70 innings while only walking 30. Pomeranz took over in mid-season for Satterwhite in the weekend rotation and went through some freshmen growing pains. He got a DUI during the offseason, but as Mark Wright proved, you can still have a decent college career and move on to obscurity. Pomeranz should be the Friday starter in my opinion to give him a great chance to prove his worth, develop his stuff and prepare for next season when he'll be the go-to guy.

Phillip Irwin hasn't gotten a lot of pub, not only because he's only got about 35 innings to his credit at Ole Miss, but they aren't really fantastic innings either. He was used mainly in relief roles last year but did have a couple starts and should compete for a weekend role if he's improved in the offseason. 

Aaron "Erik the Red" Barrett and Kyle Barbeck are two new faces to the Rebel pitching staff that will get playing time early on. Barrett is a juco transfer that was drafted in the 20th round by the Minnesota Twins. He's going to be looking to improve his draft stock in one year and will push for PT. Barbeck is a freshman southpaw from Missouri who had a Maddux like ERA through high school. He could be one of our pitchers who grabs a mid-week start against teams like Central Arkansas or Belmont. 

Brett Bukvich and Nathan Baker will battle it out for a weekend spot as well as two names who Rebel fans should be fairly familiar with. I'm not crazy about either one, but I'd feel better about having Baker on the mound as Bukvich might have a Tommy Baumgardner-like senior year. 

Weekend rotation we'd like to see:

Friday: Drew Pomeranz- L, Soph.

Saturday: Nathan Baker- L, Jr.

Sunday: Aaron Barrett- R, Jr.

Next up: A look at the other end of the frame- hitting. 

P.S. We won't necessarily miss Cody Overbeck.

Preseason Baseball Rankings

The folks over at Collegiate Baseball magazine released their preseason rankings and have the Rebels in 11th right now.

They also have selected The Bittler as preseason first team All-America. Hopefully he stays healthy and the baseball team can avoid what the basketball team is currently going through.
This is the second team All America team that Bittle has been named to. Bittle was also named to the Brooks Wallace Watch List earlier this month as well, which is an award for the top collegiate pitcher.

The Return of the Bittler

Fall Ball Notes

I am swamped with mid-terms so this is going to be to the point.

I sat down for lunch the other day with one of the members of the baseball team and we started talking about fall ball. Here are a few things I found interesting:

-Scott Bittle (The Bittler) probably will not be in the starting rotation this season. Look for him to continue his role as the closer.

-It appears we may have three left handers for the weekend rotation. Pom is one of them for sure. I was also told that Kyle Barbeck, a freshman from Blue Springs, MO, is "filthy" and will start too.

-He did not give me the name of the third lefty but I am assuming Baker or Buk. Probably not Baker though, as he described him as "not all there."

-Logan Power and Jordan Henry will be returning to their respective spots, but we have to find a replacement for MG6. Matt Smith may be that guy. Apparently he has been playing some outfield this fall and could see some playing time in left field. If they decide one of the Snyders is not ready to take over first base then expect Jeremy Travis and Michael Hubbard to fight for the final outfield spot. He did not mention any of the JUCO guys we signed.

-Speaking of the Snyders, they have been killing the ball in practice but the coaches do not think they are ready from a defensive standpoint.

-Cliff Vaughn's name was also mentioned as a replacement at first if Smith goes to left field. He has been loving the short field at OHS and his home run numbers should be a bit skewed. (I am 80 percent sure it was Cliff he said this about)

-Shortstop is going to be Evan Button.

-Taylor Hightower has been playing well enough to where he does not think he is going to be redshirted. He's been great defensively and is coming around hitting the ball. He does not think the coaching staff will redshirt him because he will be the starter next season and they do not want to start someone without any game time experience starting next season. I am not sure where this puts Henson.

-Basham is "hitting the cover off the ball." He is trying to improve his draft stock and has made big strides offensively.

That is basically all I can remember.

Rebel Baseball Update

While I was away in Wyoming, good things actually happened for Rebel Baseball. After many of our players were taken in the draft, Logan Power, Brett Basham and Scott Bittle all have returned for their senior seasons. Never would I let myself believe that Scott Bittle wouldn't sign because I cannot let my heart be toyed with like that. However, he's coming back.

So, what does the return of these three mean for Rebel Baseball?

Logan Power's return brings back our third highest batting average from last season, incredible plate discipline, and the ability for double digit home runs (he hit two grand slams last year). He is a very smart player in the outfield, and he has a cannon for an arm.

Brett Basham's return brings back the best defensive catcher in the SEC. I've actually made the argument that Scott Bittle and Brett Basham need one another in order to succeed. I mean, who else can catch "the thing?" I'm really excited about Brett, and this means we will be very strong defensively. I can deal with his .261 average. I actually argue that his average will increase this year due to having a back up catcher. He started EVERY game last season, and his legs were gone. If you remember the 2006 season, he relieved Brashear during the midweek games, and I expect Hightower or Henson to relieve him this year.

Scott Bittle's return brings back the best pitcher in the SEC and arguably the country. Mike Bianco has told us for two years how talented Scott is, and my goodness was he right (there, I said it. He's right.). Scott lead the country in strikeouts per nine innings last season, and he essentially carried our team into the postseason. Remember his gutsy extra inning performance against Kentucky when he struck out the best batter in the SEC to send us to Hoover? Remember his performance against Vandy in the regular season and SEC tourney? Remember his 4.1 innings against Mizzou in the regional when he had twelve strikeouts and accounted for all of the outs himself? Yeah, that's what we are getting back.

I have no clue how Mike Bianco plans to use Scott, but it would be neat to use him as a closer or starter. I can see Friday night, but I can also see him doing as he was last year. More importantly, I'm glad I get to use "The Bittler" nickname for one more year.

Coming up: how I see our depth chart next season.....

I've Got a Source...

...and, boy howdy, is it ever a tenuous one.

NEVERTHELESS!

A guy with whom I play tennis works with a lady whose son works with the baseball team who says Scott Bittle is definitely coming back in 2009.

Also, Captain Hook told me that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim. Spread the word!

How did we miss this one?

On Wednesday, Scott Bittle was named a 1st team All-American.  I doubt that any of us would question this selection as Scott proved to us all season long that he could get the job done with incredible consistency.  I'm extremely proud of the kid and I expect to see good things from him in his pro career.

Congratulations, Scott.

Next year: Baseball

As you all know, hope springs eternal. I was thinking about what our team was going to look like next year. Here's my best guess.

Fielding

LF: Jordan Henry - JR - Obvious.

CF: Michael Guerrero - SR - Call it a hunch, but I think he comes back.

RF: Taylor Hashman - JR - Inbound Juco who batted .419 last season with 20 HRs

3B: Logan Williams - SO - 2 HRs in limited work when Overbeck was out.

SS: Evan Button - SR - YAY!

2B: Zach Miller - JR - Also obvious; Zach Miller's plate discipline was night and day between years one and two.

1B: Matt Smith - SO - Maybe his plate discipline will improve (wishful thinking).

C: Kyle Henson - SR - I think Hightower might take this spot eventually, but Bianco thought about playing Henson some this year. He must not be terrible.

Pitching

Fri: Drew Pomeranz - SO - let's figure out how he tips his pitches. We have an entire offseason.

Sat: Brett Bukvich - SR - where did this guy come from? He started on Saturdays as a freshman then disappeared for a year and a half. He ended the year as Bianco's third favorite starter.

Sun: Aaron Barrett - JR - A highly touted JUCO pitcher that will be given his chance to prove himself as a weekend starter.

Closer: Jake Morgan - SO - I really like what Jake Morgan was able to do in pressure situations last season.



Midweek: Nathan Baker - JR - Poor Nathan Baker. He was our Sunday starter as a true freshman; he just doesn't have the stuff he needs to be anything more than a control pitcher.

Midweek: Chris Corrigan - JR - Another highly touted JUCO pitcher who will be given a chance to win a weekend job.



Relief:

Kyle Barbeck - FR - The best high school pitcher in our class

David Goforth - FR - Redshirted last year; Hits mid 90's

Michael Park - FR - Redshirted due to injury; Louisville Slugger AA

Rory McKean - JR - Was excellent until the post-season; I think he will improve. Rumors are that he is learning the Bittler's THING.

Batting

I won't even take a stab at the batting order because Bianco always mystifies me with it. I'll just say who I think should be in it. (In no particular order)
1. Jordan Henry
2. Matt Smith
3. Zach Miller
4. Evan Button
5. Logan Williams
6. Michael Guerrero (if he returns; otherwise Jeremy Travis)
7. Taylor Hashman
8. Brett Basham
9. Cullen Kight

I'm sure there are people I don't even know about who can hit. I'm just basing these on what we've seen in their careers (except for Taylor Hashman). I would also like to give the following a shot:
Mike Snyder
Matt Snyder
Tim Ferguson
Taylor Hightower
Obviously, you want to redshirt some of those guys (or all... remember that Ferguson was probably going to redshirt last year if Button didn't go down.)\

Anyway, that's it. I'm relatively happy... considering the huge hits we took in the draft... I mean, seriously... Justin Cryer?

After six rounds....

Only 3 Rebels have been picked through the first 6 rounds of the draft. Lance Lynn was taken in the first round (compensation A) as the 39th overall pick by the St. Louis Cardinals, Cody Satterwhite was taken in the second round (67th overall) by the Detroit Tigers, and Scott Bittle was drafted in the second round (75th overall) by the New York Yankees.

Also of note, no Rebel signees have been drafted at this point....

Tune in tomorrow for more coverage...

And so it comes to an end.....

With the pommelling at the hands of Miami, the Rebels can finally stop not living up to the expectations that this season brought. We, as fans, can quit hoping that Mike's team can "get hot" at the end of the season.

As you remember, we began the season ranked #4, and we climbed as high as #2. After that, the season was full of nothing but disappointment. We got our lone conference sweep of the season with Vanderbilt followed that up by winning two at home against LSU. We were looking good, but we again cooled off.

We (and Mississippi State) did enough to sneak us into Hoover, and we did well there. We handled Georgia, out hit Kentucky, Bittled past Vanderbilt on our second try, and got whipped by the horrible people from Louisiana.

We faired well in the regional, and could we really have expected to beat the number 1 team in the country twice in a row? I don't think so, scooter.

You might say, "Brian Walker's Elbow, you surely did not write a lengthy, fun-filled recap of the season!" I say, get over it. Our season was not nearly as lengthy or fun-filled as I had wanted.

Post Season Awards from the Cup:

Defensive MVP: Brett Basham. He was a beast all year behind the plate and we would have been even worse without him. He was outstanding, and I know that he will be missed behind the plate (if he takes the money and runs). Also, I think Scott Bittle owes a lot of his success to Basham's ability to block up "The Thing."

Offensive MVPS: Logan Power (.329, 9 HR) and Cody Overbeck (.356, 17 HR). Logan was by far the most disciplined player at the plate, and he hit two grand slams this season. Even if he had a rough day, he would battle at the plate and come up with a clutch hit. Cody Overbeck usually came through, and he hit a lot of homeruns. Sometimes, he hit into double plays, but he was great in the 4 hole.

Pitching: Scott Bittle (1.78 ERA, 7-1, 70.2 IP, 130 SO). "The Bittler" was absolutely amazing all season. After last season's debacle, he fought back and became a dynamic closer. Typically, a closer only has 3 pitches. Scott has developed a change-up during the off-season to add to his fastball, slider, and "thing." He finished the season leading the country in strikouts per nine innings, and he was absolutely clutch.

Most Improved: I feel like many of our players improved throughout the offseason. Logan Power had a higher average. Overbeck had a higher average, more homeruns, and was much better on defense. However, the most improved award goes to Scott Bittle. From a kid that choked last year every time he was on the mound in a pressure situation to the best strikeout pitcher we will ever see at Ole Miss.

We Miss Zach Cozart Award: Sean Stuyverson (12 ER) and Tim Ferguson (14 ER). You might not think that is a lot of errors, but keep in mind they split time. 'Nuff said

The IF we made it to a Super Regional, I would have set the national record for strikeouts Award: Matt Smith (80 SO).

Mark Wright Memorial Award: Michael Guerrero. Seriously, 7 homeruns in the last 8 games of the season? Sounds familiar.....

Why didn't you pitch more often? Award: Justin Cryer (1.35 ERA, 33.1 IP).

Kind of a let-down Award: Lance Lynn (4.52 ERA). He started out the season on fire, and he really struggled down the stretch. You cannot help but wonder about him maybe being injured because he was simply better as a sophomore.

Really a really big let-down Award: Cody Satterwhite (5.33 ERA). I know his mommy and daddy get upset when he is criticized. However, I cannot help it. He and Lance were supposed to be a big part of getting us to Omaha, and Cody only had two good performances.

Nice Surprise from a Freshman: Drew Pomeranz. (4.16 ERA). He stepped in a did an admirable job as Saturday guy in the rotation. Also, he was recently recognized as a Freshman All-American.

Got a lot better in the off season: Fuller Smith. (.332, 7 HR). I didn't want to give him most improved, but he did contribute greatly to this years team.

Up next for the Cup, we will follow the draft tomorrow. More than likely, we will let you know later tomorrow night due to jobs and things of that nature.

More regional talk.

Thoughts:

The Bethune-Cookman game was fun...  Well, at least that 6th inning was fun.  I wish we could open our bats up like that more often, say, every game or so.  I'm listening to the Mizzou game right now and Bittle has just come in.  I hope we don't use him up just in case we win and need him against Miami.

Oh, and sorry for the lack of (substantial) updates as of late.  Some of us are having computer issues, some of us are on vacation, and some of us are just fucking lazy.

Don't blame Larry Templeton

Many posters on scout and rivals blame Larry Templeton for our regional draw. As you already know, we are going to face off against Missouri on Friday. If we win, we will play the winner of Miami and Bethune Cookman. Yes, this has to be the toughest regional in the country, but Larry Templeton (chair of selection committee and former AD at Mittittippi Tate) is not to blame.

For example, some posters on OMSPIRIT are upset:


Rebelinsured
"Screw dhed Templeton as there is NO doubt
his influence on our position this year and years past but this is the IDIOT'S last year and what better way than to stick it up his by winning the regional. Templeton hates Ole Miss and our AD has his head worried about pennies so that is why we continue to get screwed in the baseball seedings.......... Win the regional and tell Larry to &^%# %^$ as he is gone............ JMO ps---msuX screwed up by firing him........oajmho"

PositiveReb
Re: Screw dhed Templeton as there is NO doubt
"Remember, Pat Murphy also has a vote. So he and LT are probably in cahoots."

Instead of blaming the coach of this years team for our poor play and horrid performance at times, some Rebel fans want to lash out at selection committee members and coaches of other programs. Want to hold someone accountable, let it be Mike Bianco.

SEC Record over past 5 seasons:
2005: 18-12
2006: 17-13
2007: 16-14
2008: 15-15

We are getting worse every year!

Mike, you mean to tell me that your most talented team ever was a .500 team in the SEC?

So, if you are upset about our regional draw, get over yourself. If we wanted a regional, we should have played better and hosted our own.

Shame on you, Mike Bianco.

We Are....Ole Miss

The Ghost of Jay Cutler, Ivory Tower, and I made the trip to Hoover for the first two games, and all I can say is wow. Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am very critical of Mike Bianco, but I will lay off for now...

Georgia Game:

This Ole Miss team showed a lot of heart, and I am very proud of Lance Lynn and Scott Bittle for their efforts. Lance Struck out twelve and only allowed four hits, and "The Bittler" did an outstanding job as well.

Sorry folks, I needed some Cozart.

Kentucky Game:

I hate Kentucky baseball. Kentucky, huh? More like Ken-sucky.... When they played their first game against Alabama, they would not quit their howling... It was annoying! What made is worse was the fact that the Alabama fans would yell and howl back. Anyway, our team showed tremendous amounts of heart. Matt Smith's homerun was probably the biggest shot I have ever seen in my life (I wasn't really around in the days of Pettway/Head)! Anyway, it was a shot. Michael Guerrero had hit the ball hard for two days straight, and I knew it was only a matter of time before he sent (another)one out. Scott Green embarrassed Overbeck, but he served up a fastball to Guerrero. I was in disbelief of what had happened! I ended up jumping on top of the dugout with kids, infants, random fans, and Guerrero's dad. It was incredible! However, there are a couple of things that I should not overlook. Logan Power's single was huge! He ran the pitcher out of the game, and him being on base was crucial to the walk-off. Another thing I found interesting was that Sawyer Carroll held his arm high in victory when Colin Cowgill hit the sac-fly to send him home. They thought they had the lead for good... Take that Ken-sucky!

John Cohen, Kentucky's skipper, had interesting quotes after the game. "We have had great success against Ole Miss the last few times we've played. We threw two bad pitches in the last couple of innings. I felt they had to win this game to get into a regional. I am pleased with the way our kids competed, but Ole Miss took two great swings when it really mattered. I think overall we played a better game but that is how it works sometimes." Keep in mind that he is a Bulldog at heart. Guess what? John Cohen is a tool bag. What if we had not committed those two errors? We could make excuses too, but we won. Go back to Kensucky you howling tool bags.

Since we are poor college students, we headed home after the game. I listened to today's games on the radio, and I am thrilled we got it done today.

The stars so far:

If you reference this blog post I wrote, I predicted that we would get hot if we had Guerrero and Henry back strong. Guess what? I was right....

Guerrero has been unbelievable! Also, Jordan Henry is back! He is a machine! Kudos to Mike Bianco for sticking with him through the thick and thin. Brett Basham has done an incredible job behind the plate.

Ole Miss becomes the first eight seed to advance to the championship game.

LSU:

They are hotter than a two dollar pistol right now, so this will be the Rebels toughest outing of the year. Nathan Baker will get the nod, and he did well in his last midweek start in Oxford. I think that he will give us four or five innings and probably give up four runs. We will then go to the pitch-by-committee plan with Satterwhite, McKean, and maybe Bittle. This is gonna be amazingly hard, but we can do it. When you're hot, you're hot.

By the way, I have some pics I will be putting up this week. I would put them up now, but the internets is acting up and being slow.

SEC Story of Character: Scott Bittle

Scott Bittle was born on August 27, 1986 to Joe and Nancy Bittle. He began pitching at the age of eight (ok, I made that up), and everyone knew he was going to be something special. The road throughout high school was not easy, but he lettered two years. During his senior year, he posted a 5-3 record with two saves in twelve appearances, and he had 77 strike outs in 55 innings pitched. His ERA was 2.08, and he was named to the All-District team.

After high school, he moved on to Northeast Texas Community College where he earned a letter. He was All-Conference, and he posted a 6-4 record in 11 appearances with a 4.24 ERA his first season. He had 67 strikeouts and walked only 23 in 58.0 innings pitched that year. However, rotator cuff tendinitis led him to receive a medical redshirt during the 2006 campaign.

In the fall of 2006, he signed on with the Rebels with 3 to play 3. He chose Ole Miss over Texas A&M, TCU, and the College of Charleston.

The 2007 campaign started hot for Scott as he earned 6 saves prior to the start of SEC play. He had saves over No. 21 Evansville (2/18), Memphis (2/20), Belmont (2/27), No. 5 Arkansas (3/2), Austin Peay (3/6), No. 23 UCLA (3/11) and South Alabama (3/20).

However, tragedy struck on the opening weekend of conference action. Will Kline had out-dueled David Price of Vanderbilt until the bitter end. With the game tied at 2, Bittle was brought in only to lose the game for the Rebels. Most of the team thought this was an aberration for a man who had absolutely mowed down opponents prior to this match. Then, it happened again during the Sunday game. The Rebels had a 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Shea Robin hit a grounder to greatly missed Short Stop Zack Cozart, but Peyton Farr dropped the ball allowing Robin to reach safely. Jonathan White then hit a chopper over Farr’s head to reach on a single. Matt Meingasner delivered yet another game tying RBI single. White was thrown out on the hit as he attempted to go to third for the second out of the inning (That would be game over, and Bittle would get the save). Brad French then reached on a bunt single, before David Macias ended the game with his single to right to score Meingasner.

For the second time in three games, Bittle had failed. As usual, Mike Bianco is stubborn, and I agree with Mike in this case. Bittle had the skills to pay the bills. I mean, why not stick with a guy that had carried your team all year. The very next Friday night against Alabama, it happened again. With the bases loaded, Bittle entered to relieve Will Kline and get out of the jam. The Rebels were up by 2 and desperately needed some help. Bittle couldn't stand the pressure nor find the strike zone as he walked the first two batters to tie the contest. Then, he allowed a single that gave the game to Bama. Third appearance: Third loss.

Things just did not add up. He was unhittable. Now, he had become batting practice (when he could find the strike zone).

Bittle then found himself pitching an inning against Southern Miss in the annual midweeker in Pearl. He did well, and he had more action with .2 IP in the opening act against Auburn. In the Saturday game, he pitched his way out of a jam in the seventh, despite allowing a hit and a walk. By this time, he should have been abandoned as a closer, but Bianco wanted to try it just one more time. Against LSU on a Friday night, Bittle entered with a 3-3 score to work with. After two singles and a walk, Bittle threw four straight balls to walk Ryan Schimpf. Ok, Mike, it's time for Satterwhite to take over, and Bittle was abandoned. As the season continued, he was a role player, and he had a couple of appearances including the Regional Championship game start against Sam Houston State.

He finished the 2007 campaign with 28 appearances, including 25 relief appearances and three starts. He posted a 2-5 record on the year with seven saves. He struck out 59 and walked only 17 in 42.0 IP while turning in an ERA of 2.79.

Luckily for Scott, Satterwhite being a closer for the 2007 team was a disaster, and that job was open for anyone to take over. Sadly, the 2007 team had too many occasions where the box score read 8.2 innings pitched. But, did he want to come back to face it all again? He was drafted in the 48th round by the Yankees (which is his favorite team).

Scott has courage and heart, and he decided to stick around and give it another try. After some off season work on a change-up (that is detrimental for lefties), he entered 2008 brimming with confidence.

He did well during non-conference play, but we already knew that didn't we? His first SEC test came in the second game against Mississippi State in Starkville. Satterwhite had done a decent job, and Bittle entered to pitch the final four frames to earn the win. This was great for Scott, but he needed to do more to prove himself. He came in the series opener against Vanderbilt in relief for Lance Lynn and pitched a gem as the Rebels held on to win 7-6. So, he had redemption against his first SEC stumbling block. There was only one thing left: LSU.

April 11, 2008. Lance Lynn pitches an absolute gem, but his pitch count was running high. So, Mike puts Scott Bittle in. Bittle earned his 3rd save as he closed out the ninth inning with two strikeouts. Scott mowed LSU down, and he got revenge for the wrong doing that happened a year earlier in Red Stick. After that moment of atonement, he went one to have impressive performances against South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, and Auburn.

His most impressive outing yet came last Saturday against Kentucky. With the entire season on the line, he lasted 7 innings in relief and only allowed one run. For the largest amount of SEC redemption one can get, he struck out the best hitter in the league in Sawyer Carroll.

That performance made the Rebels season continue. What if Scott had decided to give up on college and sign with the Yankees? What if Scott hadn't had the courage to climb on the mound one more time as a closer? We will never know the answer to those questions.

However, Bittle has been the most dynamic closer in Ole Miss history. He is the only reliever in Ole Miss history to register more than 100 strike outs, and he has 109. He leads the nation in K's per 9IP with a little more than 15. On Monday night, he won the Ferriss Trophy which recognizes the top player in the state of Mississippi. He has also been named one of the semifinalists for the Clemens Award which goes to the top pitcher in college baseball.

Scott, whether you win the Clemens Award or not, you are definitely the best in the business. Thank you for being the highlight of 2008 season!

Scott Bittle: a story of character.

Rebel of the Week: Repeat Edition!

Scott Bittle won the Ferris Trophy today. As we all know, he deserved it for being the best reliever we've ever had AND for giving us an excuse to use really corny comic book references an a seemingly daily basis.

You know what else Scott won? His second consecutive Rebel of the Week prize! Look, I know, it's kinda lame but shit, it's summer and there isn't shit going on. You got any better ideas? We'd like to hear 'em if you do, no joke.

I still hate you Mike Bianco

Saturday's game was a complete tease. The back and forth was almost unbearable. This is how bad it was: I almost though Cody Satterwhite was a good pitcher. Then, the collapse happened. That is the thing about Cody. He looks great for three innings, but then he collapses.

I'll agree with The Ghost of Jay Cutler's assessment. If Bittle's Saturday performance was not enough to prove his worthiness for the Ferris Award, I do not know what is. If I had a vote, The Bittler would get the award hands down.

I'm very proud of Scott. He has fought back after a very tough 2007 campaign. I think he should start our Wednesday game versus Georgia.

Here's the tournament bracket:

Session 1

(2) LSU versus (7) USC at 11:00

(3) Florida versus (6) Vanderbilt at 1:00

Session 2

(1) Georgia versus (8) Ole Miss at 5:00

(4) Kentucky versus (5) Alabama at 8:00

Of course, the losers of session 1 play the next day. The winners of session 1 play the following day. The same is true for the other session as well.

Come on Mike, please do not screw this up.

So, we backed in to Hoover.

This season has been a complete wreck. After teasing our baseball-genitalia with a 22-5 opener against Minnesota (who turned out to be the absolute worst team in the Big Ten) and a #2 national ranking, this team went on to drop games to TCU, Western Kentucky, and Central Arkansas among many, many others only to squeak into the SEC Tournament as the #8 seed.

Perhaps it's karma for all of our joy surrounding State's eerily similar collapse two seasons ago. Perhaps the sports gods still hate us. Or perhaps Mike Bianco can't coach. Whatever it is though doesn't really matter because we're on the bus. My hopes aren't high but I'm still excited. A few of us cuppers are going to be in Hoover come Wednesday and, shit, who knows, maybe we'll upload a YouTube or something. Hopefully we'll see some of you there.

Hotty Toddy and Go Rebs.


P.S. - If Bittle's performance today (7 innings IN RELIEF with only one run) isn't enough to get the Ferris Trophy than I don't know what is. Why this stud wasn't a starter will likely always baffle me.

Rebel of the Week: Silly Comic Book Reference Edition (I need to lay off for a week or so)!

Finally, a baseball weekend worthy of a RotW prize winner! This weeks winner is none other than Scott "The Bittler" Bittle for relieving Cody Satterwhite (who, believe-it-or-not, wasn't a complete fuckup on Sunday) in dominating fashion. Bittle struck out 7, walked 1, and only gave up 2 hits while earning the win over the Auburn Tigers in four innings during Sunday afternoon's rubber match. Although not there in person, I was able to tune in on the radio and it sounded like Bittle was just making anyone who stepped into the batters box seem foolish. The kid throws some sick stuff and, in the opinion of many, should be a starter for this squad.

In addition, he (along with two other players who aren't a part of Ron Polk's band of misfits) was recently named a finalist for the Ferris Award given annually to the best college baseball player in the great state of MS. All of this comes after Bittle earned his 99th strikeout, the most ever for an Ole Miss reliever.

Congratulations Scott Bittle! You're the Rebel of the Week!

P.S. - Sorry this was a day late. I was busy graduating and some shit.

Attention Please: Now committing the error for Ole Miss: Sean Stuyverson

They say that you learn something new every day. Well, that is absolutely right. I learned that can Sean Stuyverson not only incorrectly field ground balls and not throw anywhere accurately, he cannot bunt either. With the Rebels down by one, there are runners on first and second with no outs. Sean Stuyverson is up to bat. So, the obvious, logical thing to do in this situation is put both runners in scoring position. Bianco calls the bunt.... And the only problem is that Stuyverson actually has an inability to bunt. He misses the first. The second. And strikes out on the third with the miss. Not only that, Guerrero gets caught away from the bag at second and gets thrown out by the catcher. Now, one man on first with two outs, and the Rebels do not score. Thanks, Sean Stuyverson.

After this fiasco, The Ghost of Jay Cutler called me and said, "Why is Stuyverson still in the line-up?" I replied, "Why is he even still on the team?"

Thankfully, Mike put Ferguson in the next time. Ironically, Ferguson bats with no outs and two men on. You know what happens? He bunts for a base hit!!!!! Then, the bases are loaded, and Basham gets the sac-fly. WOW!!!

Satterwhite did not have that bad of a day with only giving up 2 runs through five innings, and I am glad that Mike had a short leash with him. Putting Bittle in was incredible, and he finished with 7 strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. After we got ahead, I knew that we would win with Scott on the mound. I think he is too great to only pitch 3 or 4 innings a week.

Since Ivory Tower has already laid the SEC Tourney picture out for you, here is my formula for winning in Lexington:

Friday: Lynn

Saturday: The Bittler

Sunday: Pomeranz

This way, you have power and consistency on Friday. Junk and NASTY on Saturday, and power from the left side on Sunday. This would keep the potent Kentucky attack at bay. The next part of the formula is kicking Stuyverson off the team.

Here is my batting order:

J. Henry RF

F. Smith LF

L. Power CF

C. Overbeck 3B

L. Williams DH (why hasn't he played more, mike?)

M. Smith 1B (strikes out too much in the line-up to be placed higher)

Z. Miller 2B

T. Ferguson SS

B-Twice C

As always, these games show me just how much Mike over-coaches. Why, Mike? I'm sure it is worth taking a kid out who has a home run so you can put Cullan Kight in against that new right handed pitcher out of the bullpen. Geez.

Again, I could spend hours ranting about Mike Bianco, but if he wins two against Kentucky, it could shut me up for a little while.

Jordan...HEEEENNNNRRRYYYY! (Logan Williams too)

Alrighty boys... The Rebels won their game against Arkansas State last night. Thank goodness. That brings the Rebs to 2-0 on the week and 27-15 overall.

Quick Recap:
It was a back and forth battle for the Rebels, but they pulled out the win when Logan Williams hit a two-run shot in the eighth followed by a bases clearing single (kind of a double) from Jordan Henry. The final score was 9-4.

Brett Bukvich got the start, but it was Rory McKean who got the win after 1.0 inning of work. Scott Bittle finished the game out by pitching 1.1 innings and striking out three while not allowing a hit. "The Bittler" does it again.

I apologize if I spend too little time recapping game action for you. I think it more important to offer you my analysis of where we stand before each series and what our strengths and weaknesses may be.

Looking to the Future:
Many talk about wanting to host a regional, and I just do not see that happening. Our RPI is around 44th right now. We're 27-15 (10-8 SEC). Here is my formula for hosting a regional:
Win two remaining midweek games Memphis (RPI 160) and Jackson State (RPI 206). Then, we would have to sweep Arkansas (RPI 34) and Auburn (RPI 45). I do not know that incredibly much about how RPI works, but we need to sweep those home series to make sure we get our RPI into the low thirties.
Here comes the hard part. We absolutely have to take 4 of 6 on the road against Georgia (RPI 13) and Kentucky (RPI 41). If you have already done the math, you realize that would make us the two seed (barring a Georgia meltdown) in Hoover with a 20-10 SEC record and 39-16 record. I believe this would pull our RPI near about twenty. With a fat check to the NCAA, luck, and other teams having end-of-the-season disasters, we could host. Also, I realize that winning streak would make us the absolutely hottest team in the United States. However, this should also show you how absolutely implausible it is for us to host.

Here is what really happens:
This weekend, we take two of three from Arkansas. Then, we win both midweek games the following week. The following weekend, we win one at Georgia. We come home to sweep Auburn the next weekend. The final weekend of SEC play, we win two at Kentucky. That's 36-20 (18-10 SEC), and I would guess our RPI would finish about 25th. I'm sorry Rebel faithful, that is not enough to host a regional. "Wait a minute," you may say. "What if we have a good showing in Hoover?" Ok, so you want to do well in Hoover. I say that we make it to the championship game of the SEC tourney, we might host (keep in mind that the host sites are announced before the SEC tourney championship is actually played, so winning or losing it does not affect host status).

Ok, so back to reality. Realistically, a 17 or 18 win record in SEC play combined with our horrible RPI puts us as a 2 seed (I can't make myself believe we'd ever be a 3 seed) in some other team's regional. It is very possible to win on the road and get us to Omaha (i.e. Miami 2006).


What I am liking:

Pitching: Lynn is good at home. Pomeranz is ridiculously good. Buk and McKean are my two candidates to fill in the Sunday role. Obviously, Bittle is my boy at closer.

Hitting: If Jordan Henry's and Logan Williams' bats heat up and Guerrero and Overbeck get back from injury, book your hotel rooms in Omaha (also book them at wherever we play our regional and super regional).