Ethan Small pitched four shutout innings

[Todd4State]

of relief in the Cape tonight and this is followed by Konnor Pilkington having a dominating outing yesterday where he was up to 94.

Our pitching staff might just be OK next year. To Mike Bonner's disappointment.

[Harrydawg]

Cohen has said....we could have the best staff in the country next year.

[MarketingBully]

If the freshmen pitchers develop like I think they will, we could have a dominant staff next year. We have a ton of young talent and it's a nice mix of starters, mid-relievers, and back end bullpen guys. I am excited to see what Henderson can do with them.

[Todd4State]

Certain things are going to have to happen for that to be true. The bullpen will be fine. I think Jacob Barton is going to have an impact and could be our closer which we never really had last year. Blake Smith and Rigby are solid and both should be even better.

We have to figure out who our starters are going to be. Pilkington will be one of them for sure and he could be our ace. Paul Young has looked good in the Cape but we'll see if he starts or if he is in the bullpen. Now Small is looking good. Kale Breaux hasn't pitched yet. When it's all said and done I think our rotation will be fine based on the early returns but how good and to an extent who remains to be seen.

Also, it would be awesome if Graham Ashcraft and Mitchell Miller have a big impact immediately as well.

[msstate7]

Cohen has said....we could have the best staff in the country next year.

No pressure, Henderson haha

[Todd4State]

If the freshmen pitchers develop like I think they will, we could have a dominant staff next year. We have a ton of young talent and it's a nice mix of starters, mid-relievers, and back end bullpen guys. I am excited to see what Henderson can do with them.

At this point which is granted very early I think we are going to lean heavily on our bullpen. I don't know that our starters are going to be able to give us 7-9 consistently every Fri and Sat like Hudson and Sexton did for us. I think that's the key for us next year right now- if Pilkington and say Young at the very least become guys that can give us 7-9 every time it will be huge for us and prove Cohen correct. Small and Breaux have a chance to possibly be like that as well. It's still unknown at this time if that is what indeed will happen.

[Todd4State]

No pressure, Henderson haha

Shoot- if I was a pitching coach pressure would be a staff with no talent on it.

[msstate7]

Shoot- if I was a pitching coach pressure would be a staff with no talent on it.

Yeah, I know. Just found it funny that Cohen's bringing in a new PC for a staff with immense talent, but not much experience and expecting it to be the best staff in the country

[Commercecomet24]

I believe we will be very good 2017 and elite in 2018 and the foreseeable future.

[Commercecomet24]

Shoot- if I was a pitching coach pressure would be a staff with no talent on it.

Dang skippy! Great players can make you look like a genius!

[AlSwearengen]

Cohen is bad about getting ahead of himself when it comes to young pitchers, so I will temper my enthusiasm a little. With that said, I think this group as a whole is more polished coming in than Hudson, Houston, etc. were.

[Todd4State]

Dang skippy! Great players can make you look like a genius!

Exactly. Look at Casey Stengel with the Yankees in the 50's and the Mets in 1962.

[Todd4State]

Cohen is bad about getting ahead of himself when it comes to young pitchers, so I will temper my enthusiasm a little. With that said, I think this group as a whole is more polished coming in than Hudson, Houston, etc. were.

The guys that we have now have higher ceilings than that group. It's just a question of them staying healthy and if they can contribute at a high level before their junior years.

[maroonmania]

At this point which is granted very early I think we are going to lean heavily on our bullpen. I don't know that our starters are going to be able to give us 7-9 consistently every Fri and Sat like Hudson and Sexton did for us. I think that's the key for us next year right now- if Pilkington and say Young at the very least become guys that can give us 7-9 every time it will be huge for us and prove Cohen correct. Small and Breaux have a chance to possibly be like that as well. It's still unknown at this time if that is what indeed will happen.

Based on results from this year I would have more confidence in a guy like Ryan Cyr over Paul Young. You would think if Paul Young was on the verge of becoming an SEC starter we could have gotten a few really good innings out of him this year.

[Todd4State]

Based on results from this year I would have more confidence in a guy like Ryan Cyr over Paul Young. You would think if Paul Young was on the verge of becoming an SEC starter we could have gotten a few really good innings out of him this year.

Young was still recovering from Tommy John surgery this season at least mentally. I think his issue is more of a confidence/trust in his stuff issue than anything. He has looked good in the Cape- and as we've seen that usually carries over.

[preachermatt83]

Certain things are going to have to happen for that to be true. The bullpen will be fine. I think Jacob Barton is going to have an impact and could be our closer which we never really had last year. Blake Smith and Rigby are solid and both should be even better.

We have to figure out who our starters are going to be. Pilkington will be one of them for sure and he could be our ace. Paul Young has looked good in the Cape but we'll see if he starts or if he is in the bullpen. Now Small is looking good. Kale Breaux hasn't pitched yet. When it's all said and done I think our rotation will be fine based on the early returns but how good and to an extent who remains to be seen.

Also, it would be awesome if Graham Ashcraft and Mitchell Miller have a big impact immediately as well.

It's way early but the leader in the clubhouse for closer has to be Blake smith. He has devestating stuff for 1-2 innings.

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

Certain things are going to have to happen for that to be true. The bullpen will be fine. I think Jacob Barton is going to have an impact and could be our closer which we never really had last year. Blake Smith and Rigby are solid and both should be even better.

We have to figure out who our starters are going to be. Pilkington will be one of them for sure and he could be our ace. Paul Young has looked good in the Cape but we'll see if he starts or if he is in the bullpen. Now Small is looking good. Kale Breaux hasn't pitched yet. When it's all said and done I think our rotation will be fine based on the early returns but how good and to an extent who remains to be seen.

Also, it would be awesome if Graham Ashcraft and Mitchell Miller have a big impact immediately as well.

So do we know for sure that Ashcraft will be on campus in the fall?

[Todd4State]

So do we know for sure that Ashcraft will be on campus in the fall?

I won't be 100% comfortable until the deadline passes ever since Dale Burdick happened- but word on the street is he is coming to Starkville.

[smootness]

Getting Ashcraft would be so huge. He could close for us day 1.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Your word on the street is probably right.

https://mobile.twitter.com/DustinNos...459778/photo/1

The draft was about as kind to us as could reasonably be expected.