The last two Texas baseball game days have begun with either Jeff or myself calling for Augie Garrido's job, and the Horns are 2-0 in those games. As we all know from such American classics as Bull Durham and Every Baseball Team Ever, baseball is a game of superstition. Accordingly, as Texas tries to clinch a Big-12-opening series victory over the sixth-ranked Horned Frogs, it is my duty to call for Augie Garrido's job in this post.
I would remind everyone that two games does not a turnaround make. Sure, Patrick Mathis blasted a two-run homer for what turned out to be the winning runs after TCU had erased a 2-0 Texas lead with a three-run fourth inning. Yes, the much-maligned bullpen came through with 4.1 scoreless innings to preserve the victory -- including a stellar inning from Josh Sawyer, which is very encouraging.
Yeah, I mean, the team showed some serious resiliency by holding TCU to three runs in what could have been a much worse fourth inning, and promptly took back the lead for good with a Kody Clemens single followed by Mathis' blast. (Of course, I do feel the need to note that Mathis' home run could possibly have been of the three-run variety had Texas not asked one of its few other power hitters, Tres Barrera, to bunt Clemens over.)
And absolutely, reliever Chase Shugart's post-game quote should get Longhorn fans fired up: "There’s no doubt in my mind that we can be the team that we want to be. It’s either fight or flight now and we don’t have wings. Might as well fight."
BUT STILL: Fire Garrido! Now! (Hook 'em. This is your Game Two open thread.)