6* Georgia Tech/Clemson under 14.5 -108
1* Georgia Tech +160
RHP Sean Clark of Clemson takes on LHP Lee Hyde of Tech.
Books must have looked it the past history of scores between these two teams to set this line. 16-11 final in one of them (was a 6-5 game going into the 9th), etc. I loved the line movement here, and the play has increased to a 6* because of it. Even for college baseball 14.5 is a lot of runs.
Two high scoring offenses? Yep. No dominant starters? Yep. No doubt about it.
1* Georgia Tech +160
RHP Sean Clark of Clemson takes on LHP Lee Hyde of Tech.
Books must have looked it the past history of scores between these two teams to set this line. 16-11 final in one of them (was a 6-5 game going into the 9th), etc. I loved the line movement here, and the play has increased to a 6* because of it. Even for college baseball 14.5 is a lot of runs.
Two high scoring offenses? Yep. No dominant starters? Yep. No doubt about it.
But this is Omaha. These two teams are playing game 1 of the whole thing. And Clemson might have made the move of the tournament by going to hot hand and curveball specialist Sean Clark to slow down these Georgia Tech bats. Clemson doesn't have any good left-handed pitching. I love Jack Leggett of Clemson's move to use Georgia Tech's aggressiveness and anxiousness against them by starting a guy that they have NEVER seen before, instead of starting a starter that they have seen 2 or 3 times this year. So, they are going to "curveball" these aggressive Georgia Tech bats to death if you will. Clark is 86-88 and will throw a very good breaking ball for strikes. He doesnt walk many people. Kid has only thrown 30 innings on the year, and 80% of them have been in the post-season where he has been the hottest and best Clemson pitcher because he throws that breaking ball for strikes at anytime in the count and his fastball is just fast enough (86-88) for the college level to keep them honest. Went 8 IP and started the ACC championship game and shut down NC State. Pitched in the regional and went 8 innings again, 3 hits, 0 runs and shut down UNC Ashville, and went 3.2 IP in relief, 1 run, vs. the red-hot Oral Roberts bats. All important post-season innings.
Georgia Tech is one of the most powerful teams in this thing. They have 5 legitimate homerun threats. They swing out of their shoes. Because of that aggressiveness, they also lead Omaha in strikeouts. The best thing to do is slow their bat speed down, take some aggressiveness away from them, and throw them 60% curveballs with the hot hand, especially considering that this Tech lineup is LOADED with left-handed hitters, and Clemson has no good left-handed pitching.
On the flip side, Georgia Tech has Lee Hyde, LHP. This is Georgia Tech's ace 1b. They typically start Wood first and then go to Hyde the next day, but this is another coaching move specifically with the thought of slowing down Clemsons offense. This guy has gotten better and better as the season has progressed, he has shut Clemson down before, and hes coming off another great start. Being a left-hander, Hyde will be at a nice advantage of getting the left on left matchup vs. all of the major bats in that Clemson lineup. Clemson's top two hitters average-wise are lefties, and their main homerun hitter D'Alessio is a lefty. Another .300+ average guy is Storrer, and he is questionable with an ankle sprain. He is another lefty is he decides to play, and he probably wont. That means in his absence DJ Mitchell, freshman, will get the call again, and although he has been steady at the plate for a freshman, he's only batting .296 with 0 homeruns, and doesnt appear to be a big impact player. Those are the key outs in the Clemson lineup, and Tech holds on the left on left matchup in all of them. Clemson is also very aggresive on the base paths, and the combination of the left-handed Hyde plus the outstanding arm of Matt Wieters behind the plate, should force Clemson to staying on 1st, and playing station-to-station.
Finally, when these two teams played each other in post-season, and they had all of their pitcher's at their disposal and ffresh, the final was 3-2 Clemson in the ACC tournament. That game was pitched by Lee Hyde. 8 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, tough luck loser there.
Also, in this Omaha format, you play today, and you will get at least 1 day off, maybe 2 before you play again. This means you can bring relievers, and even your 3rd starter out of the pen. Clemson coach Jack Leggett has done this before, has said he will do this, and he should have some other pitchers at his disposal to get out of jams, and I think Georgia Tech will do the same.
If you are interested in playing a side, I put a 1* play on Georgia Tech because even though Clemson is probably the better team, Georgia Tech has all of the most basic advantages in baseball on their side in this game. They have a left-handed loaded lineup that produces vs. an inexperienced righty, they have a good left-handed pitcher, experienced starter, vs. the key hitters in the Clemson lineup. Clemson has an injury. The teams are fairly evenly matched with an advantage to Clemson. Tech can slow down the Clemson running game in this one, etc. The "value" is with Georgia Tech, but not much.
Georgia Tech is one of the most powerful teams in this thing. They have 5 legitimate homerun threats. They swing out of their shoes. Because of that aggressiveness, they also lead Omaha in strikeouts. The best thing to do is slow their bat speed down, take some aggressiveness away from them, and throw them 60% curveballs with the hot hand, especially considering that this Tech lineup is LOADED with left-handed hitters, and Clemson has no good left-handed pitching.
On the flip side, Georgia Tech has Lee Hyde, LHP. This is Georgia Tech's ace 1b. They typically start Wood first and then go to Hyde the next day, but this is another coaching move specifically with the thought of slowing down Clemsons offense. This guy has gotten better and better as the season has progressed, he has shut Clemson down before, and hes coming off another great start. Being a left-hander, Hyde will be at a nice advantage of getting the left on left matchup vs. all of the major bats in that Clemson lineup. Clemson's top two hitters average-wise are lefties, and their main homerun hitter D'Alessio is a lefty. Another .300+ average guy is Storrer, and he is questionable with an ankle sprain. He is another lefty is he decides to play, and he probably wont. That means in his absence DJ Mitchell, freshman, will get the call again, and although he has been steady at the plate for a freshman, he's only batting .296 with 0 homeruns, and doesnt appear to be a big impact player. Those are the key outs in the Clemson lineup, and Tech holds on the left on left matchup in all of them. Clemson is also very aggresive on the base paths, and the combination of the left-handed Hyde plus the outstanding arm of Matt Wieters behind the plate, should force Clemson to staying on 1st, and playing station-to-station.
Finally, when these two teams played each other in post-season, and they had all of their pitcher's at their disposal and ffresh, the final was 3-2 Clemson in the ACC tournament. That game was pitched by Lee Hyde. 8 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, tough luck loser there.
Also, in this Omaha format, you play today, and you will get at least 1 day off, maybe 2 before you play again. This means you can bring relievers, and even your 3rd starter out of the pen. Clemson coach Jack Leggett has done this before, has said he will do this, and he should have some other pitchers at his disposal to get out of jams, and I think Georgia Tech will do the same.
If you are interested in playing a side, I put a 1* play on Georgia Tech because even though Clemson is probably the better team, Georgia Tech has all of the most basic advantages in baseball on their side in this game. They have a left-handed loaded lineup that produces vs. an inexperienced righty, they have a good left-handed pitcher, experienced starter, vs. the key hitters in the Clemson lineup. Clemson has an injury. The teams are fairly evenly matched with an advantage to Clemson. Tech can slow down the Clemson running game in this one, etc. The "value" is with Georgia Tech, but not much.
