FSU baseball (24-4, 7-2 ACC) is off to another excellent start under Link Jarrett after a disastrous inaugural season in 2023. The Noles rank in the top five nationally and are tied atop the ACC standings after three weeks into conference play.
Despite the great start, FSU hasn't played the toughest schedule and has shown some warts that could get exposed against better competition.
The offense has been better over the past few weeks after a rough start. The pitching has done the opposite, so it's Link Jarrett's job to figure out those dynamics and get FSU primed for a deep run in the postseason.
Here's what I want to address, and I'm guilty of this because I'm a fan. I see fans questioning the coaching staff nearly every game. Why isn't such and such playing or why didn't he leave that pitcher in longer, etc?
There are so many factors that go into managing a game. Player health, matchups, and putting guys in certain situations to see how they respond are all factors.
The midweek games are great opportunities to get those questions answered. Does Link Jarrett want to win every midweek game? Yes. However, the real goal is to formulate the team to perform optimally in a three-game series(like in the postseason).
We saw BJ Gibson shine early when others were hurt, but his production dropped significantly, so others like Brody Delamielleure have been given opportunities.
We saw Brody Louck shine in relief against Jacksonville on Tuesday night when every other pitcher struggled. I saw some questioning why Link Jarrett took him out of the game. He could have been at or near his pitch count.
Maybe those three innings were enough and he thought it was best to pull him while his confidence was high. He may have wanted to give Jacob Marlowe a shot to see how he'd perform and if he could finish the game.
These instances provide small snapshots for the coaching staff. The hope is players seize the opportunity and stack good performances on top of one another. When they do that, it gives the coaching staff confidence they can go to them when needed.
When you put the players in those situations during the season, it's familiar when they get thrust into those situations in the postseason, when everything is on the line.
Every move is calculated and happens for a reason, even though it may not seem that way. Link Jarrett isn't perfect and I question him a few times every game, but he has access to way more information than us.
The man has turned the program around in a hurry and knows what he's doing. As I shared on social media Tuesday night, there are a lot of games left for guys to develop into roles that will be utilized in the postseason. Will there be frustrations with some results in the regular season? Without a doubt, it's about the overall process and not the immediate result that Link Jarrett is trying to shape right now. Be patient and let's see how players develop and fill roles as the season progresses.