After sweeping the Kansas State Wildcats, the #16 Oklahoma State Cowboys welcome the #8 Texas Christian University Horned Frogs to Allie P. Reynolds stadium, in what should be an exciting and big weekend. TCU is coming in with a 31-13 (12-4 away) record, and back to back wins against BYU in a snow shortened series, while the Cowboys sit at 30-13 (23-3 at home). It's going to be important for the Pokes to get off to a hot start from the plate, as the Cowboys are 22-6 when scoring first. We're also a perfect 22-0 when leading after 6 innings. TCU and Oklahoma State last hooked up in the 2008 regional, a game OSU won on a walk off home run by Jody Mercer in the bottom of the 9th. All time the Cowboys hold a 12-6 edge against the Horned Frogs. Get all rowdy and click the jump for some tuurrible analysis.
Hey, you clicked the jump. Sweet. Now then, the probable Friday starters are Kyle Winkler for TCU and Mike Strong for the Cowboys. Winkler, a junior righty, is the Horned Frogs big stud, (though all their pitchers are very good) and has an 8-1 record and a 1.25 ERA. According to my calculations, those are big boy numbers. Winkler has 87 k's in 79 innings this year, and opponents are batting .189 against him. He has only given up two home runs this season. This last little bit is crazy, I had to check two sources to verify this, but he has only walked one batter this year. Damn, but that's getting it done. But enough of this shit, lets talk about the Cowboys. Mike Strong had a great rebound from the disaster that occurred in College Station, going 8 innings and only allowing two hits. For the year Strong is 4-1, with a 3.42 ERA, and hasn't given up a triple all year. Strong has averaged 1 K per inning, totaling 52 on the year.
Saturday looks to be Erik Miller for TCU against Brad Propst for OSU. I am really confused by Miller, a right hand junior, getting the start. He's 4-6 with a 4.53 ERA. He has appeared in 20 games, usually in a set up role. I can't find any injury information after an exhaustive search (5 minutes on google), but without some injury this makes no sense. There are 8 pitchers on TCU's team who have pitched more than 20 innings, and of those MIller has the worst ERA by almost double. I'm not trying to dog the kid, but the Horned Frogs pitching is sick, but he's not very good. Don't get me wrong, I hope we put up 12 runs on his ass and he cries in the dugout and gets made fun of. I guess I just want to point out that if he struggles, don't expect him to be allowed to try and work through it. For the Pokes it's our ace, Brad "Large Testicles" Propst. Propst is 7-2 with a 2.01 ERA, and 3 complete games, including last Saturday, where he only allowed 6 hits. For the year Propst has 28 strikeouts against 7 walks in 76 innings.
On Sunday we have TCU's Steven Maxwell against OSU's Hunter Herrera (who is trying to secure that Sunday slot that has been open all season). The right hand senior, Maxwell is 5-0 with a 2.90 ERA. For the season opponents are batting .232 against him, and he has give up 3 home runs. Hunter Herrera is looking to secure his spot in the weekend rotation, and a good outing this weekend could do that for him. The biggest problem for the three players fighting for that spot (Herrera, Andrew Heaney, and Chris Marlowe) is the amount of walks that each has given up. Walks are killers, and Heaney and Marlow have combined for 40 in 87 innings, while Herrera has 2. Did you read that shit? 2, in 24 innings, that's putting in work right there. Marlowe is probably the best pitcher of the 3, but 24 walks in 50 innings just can't happen. If Marlowe get's some control back, I think he we will regain the spot, but for the foreseeable future it's looking like Herrera. Herrera is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA, and he hasn't give up a home run this year.
The Cowboy bat's were hot last week against KSU, and we need that to keep up. OSU is second in the league in batting average, as well as doubles and slugging percentage. Friday against KSU, Zach Johnson hit for the cycle, and 2 other Cowboys had multi hit games. Dane Phillips still has a team high .369 batting average, but that's way down from his .412 a mere two weeks ago. As a team the Cowboys have 452 hits and 29 home runs. TCU has a .300 team batting average, and a combined 33 home runs. They also don't mind playing on the road, so we can't count on the usual Allie P advantage (we still have an advantage, just not as massive as usual). TCU is paced by Taylor Featherston, who's hitting .355 this year. I feel great about our chances if we can get an early lead, as TCU has more losses than win's when trailing after 2 innings. Yeah, they don't come behind at all (Unlike myself, who always comes from behind. Too sexual? Deal with it)
This should be a great weekend for baseball, and this should be an awesome series. Friday and Saturday's games are available at okstate.tv (if you have a paid subscription, you rich bastards), while Sunday's game will be on Fox College Sports (Directv channel 653). Cowboy skipper Frank Anderson is closing in on the 300 club, Anderson has 292 wins in 8 seasons at the helm of the Pokes. TCU had a great April, going 16-4. If we can get out to an early lead (say, 2-3 runs after 3) I am confident we will win. Oklahoma State does not lose very often at home, and I don't look for TCU to change that. I'm feeling pretty confident in the Pokes this weekend, especially at home. I'm gonna do it, I'm calling for the sweep. That's right, Pokes sweep the Frogs. See y'all with the recap Monday.
Go Pokes