https://blogs.fangraphs.com/college-world-series-preview-bracket-2/Nice artcle profiling the Wake Forest - Stanford / LSU / Tennessee bracket. There's a bit on Skenes, but, in the context of pitcher abuse in college, there's a pretty balanced discussion teed off by considering the 156 thrown by Quinn Mathews of Stanford. While the author, Michael Baumann, ultimately comes down against how Mathews was used, he's pretty open minded about letting college pitchers pitch in what for most of them is the biggest games of their lives.
Starts out talking about past times, when certain schools and coaches got a rep for abuse and blowing out arms.
Certain schools and coaches got a reputation for blowing prospects’ elbows and shoulders out. They got called out in the media, and had that reputation used against them by other coaches in recruiting. And eventually, many of the worst offenders retired. It was still a real problem as recently as 2018, when Oregon State freshman Kevin Abel won the College World Series by throwing a 129-pitch shutout on zero days’ rest in the decisive game against Arkansas.
I used to be a pitch count hardliner, but my views have evolved over the years for a few reasons. First, pitcher health is an inexact science. We don’t know if pitch no. 118 or 119 will be the one that leads to a torn UCL, and it’s silly to pretend otherwise. Second, many of these pitchers will go pro in something other than sports. If a potential first-round pick starts on two days’ rest, that’s a decision that could cost the kid millions of dollars. If that pitcher is a senior at a no. 4 seed out of the MAAC who’s going to go to go to pharmacy school in the fall, who cares? Third, these games are themselves inherently meaningful. Most of the players involved — even the majority of the ones who do go pro — will never participate in a bigger game after leaving college. In order to win these games, limited additional risk is sometimes appropriate. This last point can either be lost on or irrelevant to many observers who focus solely on professional scouting and development, and are frequently the biggest pitch count scolds.
Would I let Paul Skenes, the best pitcher in college baseball, throw 124 pitches in a five-run game against Tulane? Absolutely not. But it’s not the end of the world, and it’s a lot better than how LSU coach Jay Johnson managed his staff on his last trip to Omaha, with Arizona in 2016. I wasn’t wild about Texas using Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Lucas Gordon out of the ‘pen against Stanford two days after he’d thrown 110 pitches. But for a short relief outing, with the season on the line… just don’t make a habit out of it.
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But 156 pitches? In 2023, by a guy who’s going to be a Day 2 pick? It’s indefensible, no matter how heroically Mathews performed under those conditions.
As I said, keep reading for a discussion of Skenes and a profile of LSU. Says he looks much bigger than the list 247 lbs, 6' 6". Praises the fastball / slider /change up combination.
