WHO will emerge

[inconnu]

to be our most successful pitcher by the end of the season? Of course there are many things to be considered, and many, even all things we likely don't know enough about, but at the present time, I lean towards thinking Monticelli might have an inside track, since she has one quality that towers over the others. No, it's not her height. It's her power. She can hurl it the hardest, and I believe over 70mph.(please correct me if I'm wrong) That's the only quality that is limited to only certain people, and can't be "learned", like rises, drops, curves and screws. Of course, I want all our pitchers to be very successful. I would love to hear others' opinions on pitching prognostications.

[TropicalSooner]

to be our most successful pitcher by the end of the season? Of course there are many things to be considered, and many, even all things we likely don't know enough about, but at the present time, I lean towards thinking Monticelli might have an inside track, since she has one quality that towers over the others. No, it's not her height. It's her power. She can hurl it the hardest, and I believe over 70mph.(please correct me if I'm wrong) That's the only quality that is limited to only certain people, and can't be "learned", like rises, drops, curves and screws. Of course, I want all our pitchers to be very successful. I would love to hear others' opinions on pitching prognostications.

That is a good question inconnu. But I'm not sure how you are qualifying 'successful'. Do you mean in terms of wins and losses? ERA? Strikeouts?
I think at the end of the day, May will emerge as our most successful pitcher if you use a general combination of those three stats. And oddly enough, I think my # 2 in the end could wind up being Kierston Deal. I just like the way she is now taking control and just mowing 'em down.
You mentioned Monticelli--I like her too. A lot. But I think she still has room too grow and I'm expecting big things from her next year as we move into the SEC.

[inconnu]

We need a hired gun, like we had in 2021 with a new and improved Juarez, Trautwein in 2022, and the rehabilitated Bahl last year! In crunch time, we might not be able to afford getting knocked around like what happened with Miami of Ohio and Louisiana.

[OUBeliever56A]

to be our most successful pitcher by the end of the season? Of course there are many things to be considered, and many, even all things we likely don't know enough about, but at the present time, I lean towards thinking Monticelli might have an inside track, since she has one quality that towers over the others. No, it's not her height. It's her power. She can hurl it the hardest, and I believe over 70mph.(please correct me if I'm wrong) That's the only quality that is limited to only certain people, and can't be "learned", like rises, drops, curves and screws. Of course, I want all our pitchers to be very successful. I would love to hear others' opinions on pitching prognostications.

My answer will differ from 'TropicalSooner' but I do not know that mine is any better in the end. It is a guess at best.

Maxwell will be the best combination of ERA and Wins for the Sooners. In 1/3rd of the games she has pitched 30.0 innings. I think her innings will increase.
May will be the next pitcher. In 1/3rd of the games she has pitched 28.0 innings. I think her innings will increase also.
Deal will be the third pitcher. In 1/3rd of the games she has pitched 21.2 innings. I think her innings will increase also.
Monticelli will be the fourth pitcher. In 1/3rd of the games she has pitched 10.1 innings. I think her innings will increase slightly. (I wish she had an offspeed pitch.)
Keeney will be the fifth pitcher. In 1/3rd of the games she has pitched 25.0 innings. I think her innings are reduced the rest of the season.
Geurin will have the least number of innings but will still pitch pretty well.

[1KCSoonerFan]

We have such a variety of pitchers on staff from flame throwers (Monticelli) to spin doctors (Geurin). This is perfect in so many ways.

You make an interesting distinction between "successful" and "best" pitcher, inconnu. Intentional?

My guess as to who will be the most successful pitcher is the one with the most control and throttle variability. This leads me to think Geurin is the best within these criteria. However, Geurin will likely not get a lot of innings this year - and if I trust coach Rocha, there is a reason for that. So, Geurin would be my right now pick for "best" as defined by my terms, but will not likely be "most successful" as defined by wins and losses.

On the win-loss side of it, I could throw my hat in with Deal for sure, and would never count out May (that 'ol salty veteran at 21 years old) because she has such a long and proven record of winning. Interesting no one has mentioned Maxwell. She is also excellent and a salty one.

If pressure is a privilege, as Kinzie Hansen says, then all the cognitive dissonance I feel right now is pure, unadulterated fan spoilage.

Gentlemen, who you got as starting pitcher against Iowa State today? And for games 2 and 3?

I like:
Game 1: Deal
Game 2: May
Game 3: Maxwell

[TropicalSooner]

We have such a variety of pitchers on staff from flame throwers (Monticelli) to spin doctors (Geurin). This is perfect in so many ways.

You make an interesting distinction between "successful" and "best" pitcher, inconnu. Intentional?

My guess as to who will be the most successful pitcher is the one with the most control and throttle variability. This leads me to think Geurin is the best within these criteria. However, Geurin will likely not get a lot of innings this year - and if I trust coach Rocha, there is a reason for that. So, Geurin would be my right now pick for "best" as defined by my terms, but will not likely be "most successful" as defined by wins and losses.

On the win-loss side of it, I could throw my hat in with Deal for sure, and would never count out May (that 'ol salty veteran at 21 years old) because she has such a long and proven record of winning. Interesting no one has mentioned Maxwell. She is also excellent and a salty one.

If pressure is a privilege, as Kinzie Hansen says, then all the cognitive dissonance I feel right now is pure, unadulterated fan spoilage.

Gentlemen, who you got as starting pitcher against Iowa State today? And for games 2 and 3?

I like:
Game 1: Deal
Game 2: May
Game 3: Maxwell

Sorry KC.....in the post right above yours, I believe '56 choice was Maxwell for the most wins and best ERA. Perhaps you were finishing your post while '56 was posting his and you didn't see it?

From another thread (Sooner Softball Big12 opener....) ....my choices were:
game 1 May
game 2 Maxwell
game 3 Deal

and '56's were:
game 1 Maxwell
game 2 Deal
game 3 May


Anyone else have their starters they want to share?

[1KCSoonerFan]

Tropical,

At the time I was typing my response, only you and inconnu had posted. In the time it took me to get my post up, '56 beat me to the punch and mentioned Maxwell. '56 is as accomplished as a typist as he is an analyst, statistician, and writer!

Inconnu's OP about who will be most "successful", and your query about the definition of what that means, were spot on in my book. Success can have many definitions and still count as success the way I see it. (It is similar to the word "intelligence" - for me as an old school teacher, there are a myriad of contexts to consider about at what it means.)

I think we have all agreed on our Top Three candidates of May, Maxwell, and Deal. The exact order can be debated using various definitions of success: stats, big game, clutch performance moments, and win-loss record are all viable definitions for the term. I am on board with all of it! They all count.

National Championships won by:
May: 3
Deal: 1
Geurin: 1 (if being a redshirt on the team at the time counts - but she still HAS a NC ring, or not?)
Maxwell: 0
Keeney: 0
Monticelli: 0

Of course, this all means something else in another context (and time frame) that is not what this debate is essentially about.

This weekend will give me more to think about. I am hoping all three of the Top Three will leave me wondering just who was most successful!

[TropicalSooner]

Even though I've picked May and Deal as my two pitchers to watch, nothing would thrill me more than if Kelly Max saw that and said to me, " Oh yeah? Watch this!" and then proceed to throw 150-200K's for the season. I would be one super happy camper.

[TropicalSooner]

'56 wins! Maxwell gets the start.

[1KCSoonerFan]

Trying to listen to the game on the radio.....only have OU MBB on now.

(edit: finally found them on the am side of The Franchise).

[SoonerGirl1201]

I think this weekend showed what I think is the current ranking at least. Maxwell, May then Deal. I think that makes sense and expect it to stay that way, but things can always change if someone gets hot. I think we have more than good enough pitchers to win every game - but also really hoping to see Maxwell have her best year just to go out with a bang - and hopefully an NC that she wouldn't have won at OSU .

[Brisket]

Not sure about "most successful," but I think we'll see OU settle into a 3-woman rotation of:

Game1: Maxwell
Game 2: May
Game 3: Deal

This allows OU to go L-R-L & change the looks for opposing lineups from game to game. I think they'll use Monticelli in a "closer" role like they did with Paige Lowary. I agree w/ 56, if she could develop a serviceable off-speed pitch, she'd be deadly. Keeney & Guerin will pick up innings in blowouts or long relief roles.

All that said, I know she has a great resume & has great stats, but I just don't trust Maxwell in high-pressure situations or games. Maybe it's my anti-osu bias, and only watching her against OU lineups in prior years, but she doesn't seem to have the alpha-dog demeanor of an ace - certainly not like Bahl. Granted, very few are like her...