COMMENTARY
GRANVILLE, W.Va. — The TCU fans tailgating beyond right field asked, “Hey, you wanna shot of Fireball?” Which seemed like an appropriate pregame toast before enjoying two of college baseball’s biggest flamethrowers, Alek Manoah and Nick Lodolo.
So rarified, so anticipated was this pitching matchup that around 60 scouts and MLB front-office personnel came to Monongalia County Ballpark for an up-close evaluation. They unpacked enough radar guns to set off pacemakers across this TIF district, but baseball doesn’t abide by scripts, and the series opener between No. 17 West Virginia and TCU didn’t produce a pitcher’s duel.