Tanner said Thursday he was happy overall with his young team, which surged late, winning 10 of 11 to close the regular season and make it into the NCAA tournament.
But the Gamecocks are still looking for relief pitching, Tanner said.
The coach still relives the final game against East Carolina when the Gamecocks led 7-2 going into the bottom of the sixth and 9-6 in the ninth before giving up a game-tying three-run home run before losing in the 10th inning, sending the Pirates on to the super regional.
``I still wake up trying to get them out in the ninth inning,'' Tanner said.
One of Tanner's biggest goals is to get a relief pitcher that can close out games. For now, the coach plans to pencil in Parker Bangs who appeared in 15 games with a 5.88 ERA 39 strikeouts and 20 walks as a sophomore in 2009.
``We've got to have a guy. We really do. It's eluded us a little bit, and the teams who have been really good have had a guy,'' Tanner said.
The blame for the sometimes shaky staff shouldn't be placed on pitching coach Mark Calvi, but instead on losing quality pitchers the Gamecocks signed to the pros, Tanner said.
``We didn't get those pitchers who make a pitching coach look like he's the smartest guy in the country,'' Tanner said.
Tanner said he now enters into a month of decisions among a great deal of uncertainty. Coaches now have to settle on their 27 scholarship players by August, which means Tanner will have to wait to find out which of his players go pro, then figure out which of his remaining signees and returning players deserve the scholarships.
``It's nerve-racking. It's tough juggling those spots,'' Tanner said.
For now, Tanner expects signees infielder Chris Owings (drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks), catcher and third baseman Wil Myers (drafted by the Kansas City Royals) and right-handed pitcher and infielder Brooks Hall (Milwaukee Brewers) to never make it to school.
From his current squad, Tanner figures he will lose outfielder DeAngelo Mack, picked by the New York Yankees, and catcher Justin Dalles, chosen by the Baltimore Orioles. Both players are juniors. Nick Ebert was picked in the 32nd round and wants to finish his degree, but Tanner said the Yankees could persuade him to leave.
The coach isn't as sure what will happen with right-handed pitcher Sam Dyson. The sophomore slipped to the tenth round in part because he might have wanted too much money and in part because of some injuries. He went 9-4 this season with 94 strikeouts and 37 walks and an ERA of 5.21.
Tanner said Dyson is smart, knows the draft process well and will weigh all his options carefully.
``He also believes he's good enough to be in the first 15 or 20 picks. Didn't happen for him,'' Tanner said. ``Does he have an opportunity to prove that? He does. Does he go that way or not? Remains to be seen.''
http://accesswdun.com/article/2009/6/221058