Bring On The Frogs

by Scipio Tex on Jun 7, 2010 1:06 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Baseball

Texas reminded us what the Longhorns look like when they're playing for something.

Hi!

Over the course of the regional, the Horns surrendered three runs in three games, saw dominant pitching performances from Brandon Workman, Chance Ruffin, and Taylor Jungmann, backed them up with awesome defense from Jordan Etier and Brandon Loy (Etier making one of the best defensive plays of the year against Rice for a key 8th inning out), and sprinkled in some timely power hitting from Mr. June Russell Moldenhauer.

Now the Horned Frogs stand between us and Omaha. As they did last year, when Texas beat them 2 out of 3 to advance.

The Frogs share many of our characteristics: a 49-11 record, dominant pitching, and power hitting. They cruised through an easy regional whipping Lamar 16-3, Arizona 11-5, and blanking Baylor 9-0. Unlike Texas, TCU's offensive statistics are particularly gaudy, with an absurd team batting average of .345, 90 home runs so far this year, and they average 9 runs per game. TCU also features three good starting pitchers in Winkler (11-1, 3.05), Purke (13-0, 3.40), and Maxwell (11-1, 2.51). Despite having the highest ERA of the three, the freshman Purke has the most dominant stuff, as 122 strikeouts in 95 innings pitched will attest. As a freshman, Purke also has a reasonable chance of crapping himself in a pressure environment.

TCU is probably one of the best eight teams in college baseball right now and, once again, the NCAA selection committee has done us no favors.

Interesting statistics of debatable meaningfulness follow:

- The Frogs are only 10-8 in games decided by one or two runs
- They're 6-9 when they score 4 or less runs
- They're 3-11 when trailing after 7 innings.

Conclusion: They enjoy slaughtering teams, but their Toad cloacas pucker up when you play them tight. So a blinding glimpse of the obvious suggests that tight low-scoring games, the ocean in which we effortlessly swim, is deep water for the Horned Frogs.

Like Rice last weekend, TCU should find out that offensive statistics racked up against the likes of Air Force and Houston won't help them against elite pitching, the best defensive middle infield in college baseball, a veteran squad accustomed to playing in pressure situations, and the home crowd advantage of 7200+ screaming fans. TCU's average home attendance is 3,126, on the road 2,093. I'm not a mathematician, but this suggests we'll have dozens more fans.

TCU manager Jim Schlossnagle had this to say:

Ever since the way things went down last year in Austin, we felt like we learned a lot from that experience. We’ll find out how much that helps us. The thing I said to the team at the end of the game is I feel we are right where we expected to be. We felt like we were deserving of a national seed, but it didn’t go our way. I know they (Texas) have a great club, but I think it’s going to be a little bit different situation for us this year than last just simply because we’ve been through it. Whether that means success or not, we’ll find out.

Yes, we will. I expect the Horns to take 2 out of 3 from the Frogs and punch our tickets to Omaha.

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Comments

And punch the Frogs in the cloackas.

by The General on Jun 7, 2010 1:34 PM CDT reply actions

If you haven’t seen Matt Purke this year, you are in for a treat. You all had better win the other two.

by Ag_in_TX on Jun 7, 2010 1:55 PM CDT reply actions

Workman, Ruffin, and Jungmann.

Winkler, Purke, and Maxwell.

If these were law firms, I’d like our shysters’ chances better than theirs.

by parlin on Jun 7, 2010 1:57 PM CDT reply actions

I am still bitter with Purke for stiff arming the Texas Rangers.

Last night was my first experience hanging outside the left field fence with the rest of the drunks (Augie’s alchies), damn it was fun.

by Jigglebilly on Jun 7, 2010 2:11 PM CDT reply actions

Grew up in Austin and I am a lifelong UT fan. Got my undergraduate degree at TCU.

TCU has dominant starting pitching, their bullpen has some strong arms but can be rocky sometimes. Closer is interesting, no dominant arm there.

Offense is dominant, and did it against good and bad schools all year long. They run well, they field extremely well, and have incredible leadership. They are experienced, and are very hot right now.

This is a matchup of 2 of the top 5 teams in the country right now. Only one will make it, and the one that is eliminated this weekend will be better than a team that makes it to Omaha…

I am going to go with TCU in 3, Winkler wins on Friday, Purke loses on Saturday, Maxwell wins on Sunday. Texas just cant score enough to get wins against dominant starters. TCU I think can score 5-6 runs in each game, which should be enough. Lets hope so…

Cant wait, will be a great weekend of baseball.

by Patrick on Jun 7, 2010 2:26 PM CDT reply actions

TCU isn’t scoring 3 runs on Green or Jungman let alonr 5 or 6.

by hg03 on Jun 7, 2010 3:11 PM CDT reply actions

I like the Horns ability to manufacture something against solid pitching. TCU’s free swingers against the best staff in college baseball no so much. I like the Horns in 3.

by Jesus Shuttlesworth on Jun 7, 2010 3:15 PM CDT reply actions

Looking a little closer, of those 9 losses when they’ve scored 4 (or less), 6 came against teams from the NCAA field of 64.
Rice
CSF
OU (2)
Baylor
New Mexico

I agree that TCU should have been a top 8 national seed. The Frogs have likely built much of their season around this opportunity.

by Matt Cotcher on Jun 7, 2010 3:23 PM CDT reply actions

when was the last time the horns lost a super at home?

by Savage Henry on Jun 7, 2010 3:36 PM CDT reply actions

Savage,
Texas has never lost a Super Regional (4-0 at home and 2-0 on the road), including 3 sweeps.

by Toby on Jun 7, 2010 4:05 PM CDT reply actions

They’re 6-9 when they score 4 or less runs

“4 or fewer runs”

It can only be “less runs” when you’re talking about averages, where “run” actually becomes divisible by less than one.

by spider on Jun 7, 2010 4:17 PM CDT reply actions

If there is any way to get banned from BC faster than bringing up politics it is to act as the grammar police.

by srr50 on Jun 7, 2010 5:24 PM CDT reply actions

What srr50 said. Also, back on topic, Texas wins 2 of 3. Very interesting stuff, Scipio.

by Cricketslayer on Jun 7, 2010 9:59 PM CDT reply actions

Posting pictures of Scipio’s house boy is more frowned upon.

by Trips Right on Jun 7, 2010 10:05 PM CDT reply actions

Which one? The Mulatto or Thai?

by ChemEinCO on Jun 8, 2010 12:17 AM CDT reply actions

The proper use of “less” versus “fewer” is one of my pet peeves that I can’t let pass by, either.

Perhaps it’s the years of being subjected to the “12 items or less” signs for the express lane at Tom Thumb.

by Ag_in_TX on Jun 8, 2010 8:53 AM CDT reply actions

Schedule for the weekend was announced.

Friday – 2pm on ESPN2
Saturday – 12pm on ESPN
Sunday – 3pm on ESPN

by Matt Cotcher on Jun 8, 2010 9:17 AM CDT reply actions

Great stuff, Scipio.
Good Lord, a noon Saturday game. Thanks for nothing, ESPN. No night games? Sheesh. Oh well, I’ll be there regardless. This is gonna be one helluva series. Should’ve taken place in Omaha b/c the Frogs are easily one of the top 8 in the nation. Offense is going to be at a premium. I think our bullpen proves to be the difference, and I agree it’s most likely going to go 3 games. Aside from feeling like it’s taking place on a sandlot in Hades, it doesn’t get any better than this.
Except if we’re the last team standing at Rosenblatt in a couple weeks.

by burnt orange outrage on Jun 8, 2010 10:20 AM CDT reply actions

I’m just happy they’ll all be on my TV at home! I guess I’m going to be working from home Friday afternoon…

by uthookem on Jun 8, 2010 11:11 AM CDT reply actions

DVR time!
Go Horns, er Frogs, no Horns! Darn this matchup — especially when it really matters, like this time. Should be fun.

by LongHornedFrog on Jun 8, 2010 1:22 PM CDT reply actions

I’m only going Friday. Can’t wait to sweat out half my weight.

by Savage Henry on Jun 8, 2010 9:58 PM CDT reply actions

Good info, Scipio. As one who has watched TCU all season long, I actually believe that this TCU team is significantly better than last year’s team – but I can just too easily see this team getting a few runs against them early (probably via a leadoff hit + Disch-falk field turf bunt) and TCU finding themselves on the brink of elimination even on Saturday.

Purke has the type of dominance that can almost single-handedly give a team an assist to the next round – but Arizona was able to visibly frustrate him just by stepping out of the box between each pitch. How he’s going to respond in Austin when UT does what they do – frankly I’m afraid he could snap. But that’s a post for tomorrow.

Anyways, here’s a blog entry I wrote tonight re: the challenge TCU faces purely because of the schedule they’ve played this year which coincides with what you’ve written above. http://bit.ly/cP8cm6 Look forward to seeing y’all this weekend.

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