Buy/Sell: If you're coaching USM & want to win the regional, McInnis starts USM's second game...
QuaoarsKing said:
Winning game 1 and losing game 2 is no different than losing game 1 and winning game 2.<div>
</div><div>There's no real advantage unless you win BOTH of the first 2. Since neither MSU nor USM is in serious danger of losing to Austin Peay with our third starter (note -- I'm assuming AP is throwing their ace at GT Friday?), it makes sense for both MSU and USM to save the best pitcher to play Georgia Tech, who is almost certainly also saving their ace for game 2, because that gives the best chance of winning BOTH games.</div>
I think all of you are making too many assumptions, in the sport where you can assume nothing. Traditionally 2, maybe 3, #1s lose to #4s on Friday. Then, 3-4 #1s lose to the #2/3 on Saturday. Only 10, maybe 12 #1s advance to the Supers, and 5-6 of them lose at some point in the regionals. Baseball is a sport where you can overlook no one, and almost every #4 has one senior pitcher looking to ruin your season. You've got to play every single game to win....and unless your Florida, Vandy, Virginia, etc...with tremendously talented and deep pitching staffs, where #1-#3 are seperated by PICKS, not ROUNDS in the upcoming mlb draft, you throw your ace in game 1. (Games at home against crazy-bad opposition, see 2003, notwithstanding)
And to answer the question, yes I realize that you play the same number of games. From my experience, there was a TREMENDOUS difference between losing game 1 and 2...not in total innings or games, but in how you have to approach those innings with your back against the wall. Second round game in the winner's bracket, you can stick with a gameplan, and accept a loss against the (better team's) #2 without burning your entire pitching staff. Basically, you prolong going into "survival mode" for 9 innings... and thus have a significantly fresher pitching staff in most cases.
