Bright side of baseball - 2019 team

[5049]

First year in the totally completed stadium, and the new coach won't have to start completely over.

C: Skelton, Jr
1B: Hatcher, So
2B: Stovall, Sr
SS: Westburg, So
3B: Foscue, So
LF: Jordan, So
CF: Anderson, So
RF: Allen, So
DH: Vansau, Sr

That's 4 guys that were drafted, with over a year experience.

Pitching: Small, James, Ashcraft and Breaux should all be 100% healthy, that's high level talent. Gordon, McQuary, Self, Barlow - those are the guys with experience. I suspect Stephens, Marsh and Liebelt won't be here next year. Maybe we can re-sign Noah Hughes now that Cannizaro is gone, maybe there is no bad blood

Either way, saying the next coach will need 3 years is bunk. Get JT Ginn on campus and we will be legit

[Homedawg]

First year in the totally completed stadium, and the new coach won't have to start completely over.

C: Skelton, Jr
1B: Hatcher, So
2B: Stovall, Sr
SS: Westburg, So
3B: Foscue, So
LF: Jordan, So
CF: Anderson, So
RF: Allen, So
DH: Vansau, Sr

That's 4 guys that were drafted, with over a year experience.

Pitching: Small, James, Ashcraft and Breaux should all be 100% healthy, that's high level talent. Gordon, McQuary, Self, Barlow - those are the guys with experience. I suspect Stephens, Marsh and Liebelt won't be here next year. Maybe we can re-sign Noah Hughes now that Cannizaro is gone, maybe there is no bad blood

Either way, saying the next coach will need 3 years is bunk. Get JT Ginn on campus and we will be legit

small is draft eligible and getting Ginn will be very difficult.....

[Saltydog]

has increased and he's hitting 90+ on the gun.

[5049]

small is draft eligible and getting Ginn will be very difficult.....

Agree on Ginn, and I figured the same on Small but I would say a few things have to happen before Small gets drafted. If he does, he should certainly go, though, at this stage

[5049]

has increased and he's hitting 90+ on the gun.

What's the story on that?

One way or another we'll likely have to hit up some JUCO arms, I see JP Elkins (also from Hinds) and Keaton Winn from IL, in addition to freshmen

[Homedawg]

What's the story on that?

One way or another we'll likely have to hit up some JUCO arms, I see JP Elkins (also from Hinds) and Keaton Winn from IL, in addition to freshmen

Winn is a huge draft risk. Part of it, chance you have to take, but i wouldn't count on him either.

[Commercecomet24]

Don't give up on JT just yet. Can't promise anything but Mike(JT's dad) says he will be at State. Now when the money starts flying who knows, but Mike's been a close friend for over 40 years and he's a straight shooter. If the moneys right it would be hard to turn down mlb. I do know that JT loves State and is looking forward to playing at the New Dude. fwiw

[Offshore Dawg]

First year in the totally completed stadium, and the new coach won't have to start completely over.

C: Skelton, Jr
1B: Hatcher, So
2B: Stovall, Sr
SS: Westburg, So
3B: Foscue, So
LF: Jordan, So
CF: Anderson, So
RF: Allen, So
DH: Vansau, Sr

That's 4 guys that were drafted, with over a year experience.

Pitching: Small, James, Ashcraft and Breaux should all be 100% healthy, that's high level talent. Gordon, McQuary, Self, Barlow - those are the guys with experience. I suspect Stephens, Marsh and Liebelt won't be here next year. Maybe we can re-sign Noah Hughes now that Cannizaro is gone, maybe there is no bad blood

Either way, saying the next coach will need 3 years is bunk. Get JT Ginn on campus and we will be legit

Isn't that the way it has always been around here just wait until next year, At 67 years old I am running out of next years.

[msbulldog]

Don't give up on JT just yet. Can't promise anything but Mike(JT's dad) says he will be at State. Now when the money starts flying who knows, but Mike's been a close friend for over 40 years and he's a straight shooter. If the moneys right it would be hard to turn down mlb. I do know that JT loves State and is looking forward to playing at the New Dude. fwiw

Thanks for the insight CC.

[Todd4State]

I could see Stovall going pro possibly.

Agree with the overall premise. The new coach won't have to rebuild and will have a lineup with several players that were drafted.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Isn't that the way it has always been around here just wait until next year, At 67 years old I am running out of next years.

It's certainly the way it was last year! "Just wait till we have Pilk, James, and Small as starters, with Gordon, Self, Price, Rigby, and Smith out of the pen! Sure we'll have to replace Rooker and Gridley, but Vansau, Mackname, Stovall, Pool, LA, Mangum, and some great Freshman means the overall lineup should improve it's average. If LA or a Freshman INF can step up at the plate, if 2 of Mac, Vansau, and pool can increase their average by .030 points, and if we can find 1 catcher who can hit .220 and defend, the O won't be a problem at all!"

Yet we can see that almost none of that worked out. So sure we can point to next year and do the same thing (Skelton will be good, the F will hit an average of 20 points better than now, Ashcraft and Breaux will be great!" etc etc, and those that do may be right... but more often than not that many improvements just don't happen. Couple Ps wont pan out, 2 we really wanted back will transfer, 2-3 bats with potential will leave, 2-3 current F won't progress any...

I'm not saying we will be bad next year, or as bad as this year. I'm simply saying that your BB team has to look STACKED if you're counting on next year being big, because in BB stuff happens. All in my opinion of course, I'm not claiming to be an expert

[smootness]

It's certainly the way it was last year! "Just wait till we have Pilk, James, and Small as starters, with Gordon, Self, Price, Rigby, and Smith out of the pen! Sure we'll have to replace Rooker and Gridley, but Vansau, Mackname, Stovall, Pool, LA, Mangum, and some great Freshman means the overall lineup should improve it's average. If LA or a Freshman INF can step up at the plate, if 2 of Mac, Vansau, and pool can increase their average by .030 points, and if we can find 1 catcher who can hit .220 and defend, the O won't be a problem at all!"

Yet we can see that almost none of that worked out. So sure we can point to next year and do the same thing (Skelton will be good, the F will hit an average of 20 points better than now, Ashcraft and Breaux will be great!" etc etc, and those that do may be right... but more often than not that many improvements just don't happen. Couple Ps wont pan out, 2 we really wanted back will transfer, 2-3 bats with potential will leave, 2-3 current F won't progress any...

I'm not saying we will be bad next year, or as bad as this year. I'm simply saying that your BB team has to look STACKED if you're counting on next year being big, because in BB stuff happens. All in my opinion of course, I'm not claiming to be an expert

Well, in life there are two options, especially in regard to things you have no control over.

Optimism, or pessimism. I don't mind that a lot of our fans choose optimism.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Well, in life there are two options, especially in regard to things you have no control over.

Optimism, or pessimism. I don't mind that a lot of our fans choose optimism.

Is realism not an option? I think Cohen will make a great hire, the current Fr hitters will be good enough the next 2 years to keep us ok at the plate, and in '20 or '21 the new coach will probably have us top 20 again. But I don't see the current roster competing for a regional or anything next year.

I agree it's better to lean optimistic rather than pessimistic when it comes to unknowns, but either way we should try to be as close to reality as possible first. And the reality with BB is that some guys don't improve at the plate, some guys transfer, and some Ps get hurt every single year. Any projection of the future that doesn't seem to account isnt based on reality in my opinion. But all this is subjective i guess so I don't want to pick this hill to die on lol

[smootness]

Is realism not an option? I think Cohen will make a great hire, the current Fr hitters will be good enough the next 2 years to keep us ok at the plate, and in '20 or '21 the new coach will probably have us top 20 again. But I don't see the current roster competing for a regional or anything next year.

I agree it's better to lean optimistic rather than pessimistic when it comes to unknowns, but either way we should try to be as close to reality as possible first. And the reality with BB is that some guys don't improve at the plate, some guys transfer, and some Ps get hurt every single year. Any projection of the future that doesn't seem to account isnt based on reality in my opinion. But all this is subjective i guess so I don't want to pick this hill to die on lol

Realism is an option, sure, but everything we think about in regard to the unknown that affects us is colored in either optimism or pessimism. That's just the way it goes. So realistic optimism or realistic pessimism is where I would say most people fall. Pure optimism or pure pessimism, where no matter how good or bad things may seem, they will think a certain way, are probably less prevalent. But ultimately, most people think either that things will turn out better or worse than an uninvolved 3rd party. And I prefer optimism. Honestly, even if it's irrational optimism, I prefer that over even realistic pessimism.

[5049]

Is realism not an option?

Realism is realizing that the current freshman class was highly rated (specifically the position players). It's not that big of a stretch to assume they'll make jumps. Look over at Ole Miss. Not to mention, they project well, ie they haven't hit their ceiling. I personally think Dustin Skelton is going to be a great catcher for us when the light clicks on, and it's close now.

If I am guilty of optimism, it is with the pitching. But at the same time, those guys back off TJ (and hip in regards to Ashcraft) were all very highly rated themselves back in 2015.

As far as optimism this year, I do think our fans saw a lot of returning pitching and thought we would at least be a regional team. Injuries have hurt that, and we do not have a Rooker to bail us out this year. It is what it is. Get off your high horse, you are far from the only person who isn't exactly surprised at this team's current fortunes, especially in the midst of a road trip the likes of which no other MSU team has seen in 30+ years

[BuckyIsAB****]

Don't give up on JT just yet. Can't promise anything but Mike(JT's dad) says he will be at State. Now when the money starts flying who knows, but Mike's been a close friend for over 40 years and he's a straight shooter. If the moneys right it would be hard to turn down mlb. I do know that JT loves State and is looking forward to playing at the New Dude. fwiw

Thats great. Not doubting you but.....

Hes going to go pro. I would too if I got the signing bonus that hes gonna get

[5049]

Thats great. Not doubting you but.....

Hes going to go pro. I would too if I got the signing bonus that hes gonna get

In this era of overuse and TJ, I say take the money when you can get it

[The Federalist Engineer]

The hitting I can believe in but pitching is just snake bit. On the mound we seem to be condemned with fragile arms and heads. We are the Braves of college baseball.

The odds of us having just 1 HS-recruited junior and sophomore pitcher in 2019 is not zero. If the draft really hits again, it will be two years without a freshman picher - except for the walk-ons

Then you have balking recruits like michell miller , Elliot Anderson, and Bryant who don?t get drafted but still disappear. Probably a product of our revolving door of coaches and pitching coaches

[Todd4State]

Realism is realizing that the current freshman class was highly rated (specifically the position players). It's not that big of a stretch to assume they'll make jumps. Look over at Ole Miss. Not to mention, they project well, ie they haven't hit their ceiling. I personally think Dustin Skelton is going to be a great catcher for us when the light clicks on, and it's close now.

If I am guilty of optimism, it is with the pitching. But at the same time, those guys back off TJ (and hip in regards to Ashcraft) were all very highly rated themselves back in 2015.

As far as optimism this year, I do think our fans saw a lot of returning pitching and thought we would at least be a regional team. Injuries have hurt that, and we do not have a Rooker to bail us out this year. It is what it is. Get off your high horse, you are far from the only person who isn't exactly surprised at this team's current fortunes, especially in the midst of a road trip the likes of which no other MSU team has seen in 30+ years

My optimism was because I really believed that Cann was going to work his magic again. Well.....

I agree with everything you are saying in regards to next year though. I could definitely see some of our juniors back next year as seniors and then our current freshmen will have a year plus summer ball under their belt. Hopefully Ashcraft will have a similar arc as Stratton and Hudson did for us.

More than anything our program needs some stability. Having half Cohen half Cann's staff, Cann getting fired, building a new stadium, and etc. All those things add up.

What I want to see is a complete reboot of our program- new coaches, new stadium.

[Todd4State]

The hitting I can believe in but pitching is just snake bit. On the mound we seem to be condemned with fragile arms and heads. We are the Braves of college baseball.

The odds of us having just 1 HS-recruited junior and sophomore pitcher in 2019 is not zero. If the draft really hits again, it will be two years without a freshman picher - except for the walk-ons

Then you have balking recruits like michell miller , Elliot Anderson, and Bryant who don?t get drafted but still disappear. Probably a product of our revolving door of coaches and pitching coaches

Those three leaving are more about the recent revolving door at pitching coach- Anderson ended up at Auburn I believe. I think Miller was trying to leverage our offer into a Clemson offer and then just walked on. Bryant never intended to come to school and actually was drafted but is going the JUCO route to get drafted higher.