USM GAME 2 - GAME THREAD

[Dawg61]

Arkansas scored 32 runs today. We might see Dudy before we plate our 32nd run of the season.

[Noxdog]

If I'm a .300 hitter on a team that struggles offensively and told I'm not good enough to make a 35 man roster, I say "no thanks" to the "come back and try to make the team in a year" offer. No way you call Reynolds a quitter.

Tits is on the rag big time.

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

Even if we get swept, this was a great series to play for SOS purposes. If we win one tomorrow, this could still be a good rpi series for us. No matter what happens tomorrow and how much I melt, this was a good series to schedule

Yup, if we can get one tomorrow its a pretty good weekend. Despite how everyone feels or what people expected.

[Goldendawg]

And USM is? It's not a good excuse if it applies evenly to both teams. I'ts like saying you should buy a new Maxima because the new Accord costs a lot. They both are similarly priced

They opened against the #12 team. If this was a bad match-up for us, there are going to be a lot of bad match-ups in a long season.

[Todd4State]

If I'm a .300 hitter on a team that struggles offensively and told I'm not good enough to make a 35 man roster, I say "no thanks" to the "come back and try to make the team in a year" offer. No way you call Reynolds a quitter.

Well, how about a team that won the SEC and was one of the better hitting teams in 2016 that has had off the top of my head nine hitters out of ten hitters drafted in pro baseball?

Baseball at that level as you go on especially in today's game is about the five tools. If you are deficient in four of them and even if you hit .300 it's possible to not make a SEC baseball team. Ask Luke Reynolds. You have to work on your entire game at this level- you can't just be good at one thing usually. Or at the very least- the more things you are good at- the better your odds of making a SEC team are.

My guess is Cohen probably just wanted Reynolds to redshirt and work on the parts of his game that he was deficient in. When Cohen told him he didn't have a guaranteed spot he probably just wanted to give him a kick to the tail to understand that just because he hit .300 he has to work on his entire game. And you know what? By doing that it would help him in pro baseball too- if he ever gets there. That's what part of this is about- understanding what it takes to play at the MLB level and that's what separates the SEC from some other leagues.

But again- instead of doing that he went looking for the easiest opportunity to play. And that's his choice- but his choice was quitting. If he came back out the next year and tried again and didn't make it and left I'd probably have a lot more sympathy for him.

[Goldendawg]

Even if we get swept, this was a great series to play for SOS purposes. If we win one tomorrow, this could still be a good rpi series for us. No matter what happens tomorrow and how much I melt, this was a good series to schedule

I wish we wouldn't play USM in any sport. Everything to gain for them ( including big $ from us), and nothing to gain for us. Their "Superbowl" in every sport and just another scheduled game for us.

[Noxdog]

Well, how about a team that won the SEC and was one of the better hitting teams in 2016 that has had off the top of my head nine hitters out of ten hitters drafted in pro baseball?

Baseball at that level as you go on especially in today's game is about the five tools. If you are deficient in four of them and even if you hit .300 it's possible to not make a SEC baseball team. Ask Luke Reynolds. You have to work on your entire game at this level- you can't just be good at one thing usually. Or at the very least- the more things you are good at- the better your odds of making a SEC team are.

My guess is Cohen probably just wanted Reynolds to redshirt and work on the parts of his game that he was deficient in. When Cohen told him he didn't have a guaranteed spot he probably just wanted to give him a kick to the tail to understand that just because he hit .300 he has to work on his entire game. And you know what? By doing that it would help him in pro baseball too- if he ever gets there. That's what part of this is about- understanding what it takes to play at the MLB level and that's what separates the SEC from some other leagues.

But again- instead of doing that he went looking for the easiest opportunity to play. And that's his choice- but his choice was quitting. If he came back out the next year and tried again and didn't make it and left I'd probably have a lot more sympathy for him.

LOL. Would he or would he not help our team this year if he was on it?? I'm sure he has no sympathy for you or us since he is kicking our ass! Quitting.......yea right.

[maroonmania]

Well, maybe because there is a 35 man limit. If that wasn't in place, we're not having this discussion.

But AGAIN- here's the guys that MADE the team where he could have played:

1B- Nate Lowe. Plays for the Rays and a good hitter.
3B- Gavin Collins. Hit close to 10 home runs and is playing for the Indians now.
OF- Robson- One of the Tigers top 40 prospects.
OF- Mangum- Came out of nowhere and a top 100 draft prospect this year.
OF- Reid Humphreys- I guess you could platoon them except for the fact we needed Reid to close and if you take Reid out then you can't use him to pitch. Also hit better and drafted by the Rockies.
OF- Brent Rooker- First round pick. Had to get him in the lineup.
OF- Cody Brown- "But we could have used a LH bat"- that's what Cody Brown WAS for that team. And he brought a lot more to the table than Luke Reynolds at that time. Also plays with the Yankees now.
OF- Mike Smith- OK, maaayyybee. But since we already had a LH pinch hitter with some power it makes more sense to have someone that can defend and run and had a similar slugging percentage. He was also a senior without any options and cutting him would have been pretty shitty.


So, where does Luke Reynolds fit in the lineup? If Cohen ****ed up- then the other two coaches that went on to become SEC head coaches ****ed up too. And then when given the opportunity to take this all world player on their rebuilding SEC team- they PASSED again. What's more ****ed up is the 35 man limit. But it is what it is.

I'm actually not surprised that he has done well against us. I've seen it before- guy get cut, plays over his head to prove a point and then doesn't do much after that. Then our fans act like the guy is all world.

But yeah- all of you are right. Cutting Reynolds cost us the SEC....oh wait.....SR....OK last year it cost us that SR....

And as far as me "seeming like I pump everything up"- well you missed some of my posts yesterday. But that's cool- I tend to be positive in general.

Todd, not following. Yes, he should have started over Smith, but regardless, I don't see why he had to start just to make the 35 man roster. You only listed 8 starters in the field. I would think there were a number of bench players he also should have been kept over. Bottom line is most of us thought it was a mistake to cut him VERY late in 2015 and it looks like even more of a mistake now. As I said earlier, to not bring back your top hitter from the year before is almost unheard of. Most of us certainly respect your opinions when it comes to baseball but I don't really think the cutting of Reynolds is an issue worth falling on your sword over even if you think it was a justified move.

[Todd4State]

Even if we get swept, this was a great series to play for SOS purposes. If we win one tomorrow, this could still be a good rpi series for us. No matter what happens tomorrow and how much I melt, this was a good series to schedule

Yeah- but it can kind of go both ways. RPI and SOS are important.....but you also have to win. Winning 20 games and having the number one SOS won't get you in the postseason. Not saying that's the case. Personally, to me- when half of your lineup is freshmen and you have a bunch of guys coming off of Tommy John on your staff playing a team that is in state on the road that you just eliminated 8 months before is probably not a recipe for a fast start.

I'm not going to complain about the schedule this year because- I get it- we're building a new stadium. But we shouldn't be playing five SWAC teams and Jackson State on JSU's campus. The biggest thing I don't like about playing this series is because of it we aren't playing them in Jackson.

I don't think Cann has been in Mississippi long enough to understand quite how MSU and USM feel about each other- while his Dad played at USM he coached at Tulane for most of Cann's life. And after we play at JSU I have a feeling that will be a one time deal.


Anyway- what we need to do is get our baseball program to the point where our women's basketball program is where RPI and SOS and who we play doesn't matter because we're loaded with upperclassmen and we're going to kick their ass anyway. And we aren't there yet. But we will get there. I have no doubt about that.

[The Federalist Engineer]

We have a pitcher from some players from Florida committed- Carter Stewart and Mason Land. Cole Gordon is from Tampa. California we just haven't had a lot of luck getting players from there mainly due to distance- but we do have a commit from there named Cole Winn. Puerto Rican players are even less likely to make it to college because of demographics.

Our plan is to get the best players in Mississippi- see Ron Polk II as far as what happens if you don't, and then go to Memphis, Louisiana, and Alabama, and then the big population states like Georgia, Florida, Texas, and California.

We may see more players from the large population states under Cann but we'll see.

Reynaldo Reyes was a recent Puerto Rican signee that went Pro...we had a Cali catcher that flipped to Cal St Fullerton after Cohen took the AD job...many, many other examples

[Todd4State]

LOL. Would he or would he not help our team this year if he was on it?? I'm sure he has no sympathy for you or us since he is kicking our ass! Quitting.......yea right.

Would not help- he would have graduated by now had he stayed at MSU. I don't want any sympathy from him. And yeah- right. He did quit.

[Noxdog]

He was cut. That's not quitting. He is making us pay.

[Bully13]

kinda sux that we were all hyped when Cohen was hired and we'd left the stone age recruiting of Polk behind. All the excitement of these high ranked classes and now all I see are "no talent" posts.

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

Yeah- but it can kind of go both ways. RPI and SOS are important.....but you also have to win. Winning 20 games and having the number one SOS won't get you in the postseason. Not saying that's the case. Personally, to me- when half of your lineup is freshmen and you have a bunch of guys coming off of Tommy John on your staff playing a team that is in state on the road that you just eliminated 8 months before is probably not a recipe for a fast start.

I'm not going to complain about the schedule this year because- I get it- we're building a new stadium. But we shouldn't be playing five SWAC teams and Jackson State on JSU's campus. The biggest thing I don't like about playing this series is because of it we aren't playing them in Jackson.

I don't understand why we continually play so many SWAC teams every season. It pretty much always puts us in a situation where we're afraid its going to cost us RPI-wise come tournament time, and its not like there's no other lower level baseball teams in the south that we could play instead that aren't SWAC levels of terrible.

[I seen it dawg]

Lots of real ****ing stupidity in these first 2 game threads.

[msstate7]

I don't understand why we continually play so many SWAC teams every season. It pretty much always puts us in a situation where we're afraid its going to cost us RPI-wise come tournament time, and its not like there's no other lower level baseball teams in the south that we could play instead that aren't SWAC levels of terrible.

Hate it too. We really do a poor job scheduling basketball and baseball compared to OM.

[Todd4State]

Todd, not following. Yes, he should have started over Smith, but regardless, I don't see why he had to start just to make the 35 man roster. You only listed 8 starters in the field. I would think there were a number of bench players he also should have been kept over. Bottom line is most of us thought it was a mistake to cut him VERY late in 2015 and it looks like even more of a mistake now. As I said earlier, to not bring back your top hitter from the year before is almost unheard of. Most of us certainly respect your opinions when it comes to baseball but I don't really think the cutting of Reynolds is an issue worth falling on your sword over even if you think it was a justified move.

I did list only 8 players because those were the ones where he was MOST affected. The other 35 guys are pitchers, catchers, etc. With freshmen if they are on scholarship as signees- they HAVE TO be on the 35 man roster even if they redshirt. That takes up spots too. With roster management in college baseball it does get complicated. But what we're talking about right now is why a lot of coaches want it to change. It is complicated and good players do get cut sometimes.

And hey- I respect others opinions too. And you know my position on it. It's not the same as others and that's OK. At the very least I hope people at least see maybe what went into the thought process whether they agree with it or not. I'm very willing to lose "credibility" if I don't think something is right and others don't agree with it.

But to me when I look at it and it comes down to Smith and Reynolds- one is a senior who if you cut him he has no options and his career is over plus maybe he brings some other skills to the team and the other guy well, yeah he led your team in hitting but he's a sophomore and at that point he's only hitting for average plus he struggled in the fall at the plate and if you cut him he has the redshirt option and he also has the option to transfer somewhere else and he maybe he can improve somewhere else but my hope as the coach is that maybe he understands that he needs to work on his game and it motivates him to come out the next year and he's a much better player for it and we're a better team for it.

[Todd4State]

He was cut. That's not quitting. He is making us pay.

OK. Believe what you want. Even if it's not correct and even the main disagreeing with me said he had the option to come back.

[Todd4State]

kinda sux that we were all hyped when Cohen was hired and we'd left the stone age recruiting of Polk behind. All the excitement of these high ranked classes and now all I see are "no talent" posts.

Well, we did improve in our recruiting at first but then around 2013 or so Cohen started to kind of lose interest and started looking at more front office type jobs if you will.

Cohen knew what we needed to do to get our recruiting back up to par- that's why he hired Cann and why our classes are ranked in the top five for the forseeable future. Some of it is because we were gutted by the draft and tried to replace some of those guys with JUCO guys. Cann is getting away from that.

[Todd4State]

I don't understand why we continually play so many SWAC teams every season. It pretty much always puts us in a situation where we're afraid its going to cost us RPI-wise come tournament time, and its not like there's no other lower level baseball teams in the south that we could play instead that aren't SWAC levels of terrible.

I certainly don't like playing five in a year. That's way too many. Maybe 1-2. I'd rather play Delta State than Jackson State. They're RPI/SOS killers if you lose.