■ Missouri: Play smart and aggresive? (collegebaseballblog.com)
Throw out the baseball textbook with this team. Throw out the rules that say you should not have your third hitter bunting in the first inning. Those rules do not apply to this club. Missouri should be playing that type of exaggerated small ball. A team without many power hitters – or even gap hitters – has to put the pressure on the defense before the pitcher puts pressure on its hitters. A team with only 20 extra base hits in its first 13 games – and only five in its previous six – is forced into that strategy. However, there is something to be said for consistency.
A philosophy this exaggerated can work and absolutely can lead to success, but it needs to be the team’s only identity. Missouri has attempted 29 stolen bases – persistent considering they have only been successful on 18 of them – but that is what the team needs to do to win. They need to continually put pressure on the opposition. They need to keep running and they have.
■ Missouri baseball wins double header with pitchers in dugout (ColumbiaMissourian.com)
Afterward, some of the pitchers approached Jamieson and asked him if they could continue hanging out there.
"Sure, why not?" Jamieson, who had also noticed the lighter mood, told them. "As long as you don't screw around."
They screwed around just enough to dissolve the stifling feeling of pressure that Jamieson said had been present.
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