Ole Miss likely to see Casey Mize in middle game of series versus Auburn
OXFORD | Mike Bianco said that while the primary questions of how to handle Casey Mize are obvious and focused on trying to score against the probable first pick in this summer's MLB Draft, the biggest key is a dominant performance from the other pitcher in the game.
Brady Feigl is the most likely Rebel to get that responsibility opposite Mize during this weekend's series between top-10 teams in Oxford starting Thursday at 6 p.m., as Auburn (35-14, 13-11), who has won 11 of its last 13, plans to hold the right-hander until Friday and keep him on normal rest the remainder of the season.
Ole Miss (36-13, 13-11) ace Ryan Rolison will move up a day and throw Thursday, and Feigl and James McArthur will follow in that order. The Tigers are likely throwing Davis Daniel on Thursday in the opener.
“So really where I start is with Casey Mize and he just threw 110 pitches (against Vanderbilt) and we gave him the entire fall off,” Thompson said to the Montgomery Advertiser. “We’ve made some decisions because we missed two or three weekends (in 2017). My job since August is for Casey to be 100 percent for 10 weekends. That has been a huge conviction of our coaching staff.”
Mize, who can run his fastball into the mid 90s while showing plus cutters and splitfingers, struck out 15 in a complete game victory against Vanderbilt in his most recent outing. Mize has a 2.25 ERA and a .167 batting average against in 84 innings. He's struck out 119 and walked only seven.
"He's pretty dominant," Ole Miss catcher Nick Fortes said. "I've seen a lot of video on him, and we have to be competitive and confident and not let it get to us. Obviously he's really good, but if we let that get in our heads then we're hurting ourselves."
Mize went seven innings in each of his two losses this season, giving up two runs to Arkansas and three to Florida. He struck out 17 and walked two in those two games combined.
In his two career outings against Ole Miss, Mize threw seven innings without giving up an earned run in 2016 and six innings while allowing one run in the SEC Tournament last year.
"What everybody sees is a dominant fastball and great command and great splitfinger," Bianco said. "There's really not a weakness. In our league when you face guys like that it's a combination of things, and the easy thing to say is to battle and compete.
"But the other thing people don't talk about is you need a performance from your guy. You can put an inning together and at-bats together and make him work for his outs. You run the pitch count up and then you compete on the other side. You need them to have trouble scoring."
Daniel, a draft-eligible sophomore, has had an up-and-down season, with a 5.00 ERA in 27 innings during SEC games. He had solid starts against Kentucky and Missouri earlier this year, but in his most recent start, Mississippi State tagged him for seven hits and six runs in three innings.
Since then he's yielded a run in 4.1 innings against Alabama, two runs while getting only one out versus Florida and a scoreless frame against Vandy.
“The challenge becomes figuring out this Thursday deal … but I think Davis Daniel will be given heavy, heavy consideration,” Thompson said to the Advertiser. “He’s got 22 (career) starts for us. Can he be that guy to step in and step up for us and I think he can. He’s pitched at Texas A&M and on the road in our league.”
Freshman Tanner Burns (4-4, 3.00) is expected to start Saturday for Auburn.