Recent interview with Justin Parker

[Coach34]

some tidbits:

"staff was banged up a little inside. You could see that last year also playing against them"

"I've coached some good pitching staffs but this is the most talented group I've ever had"

"Focused on getting movement with pitches"

"Secondary fastball to get groundballs" (translated means he has taught them to 2 seam more instead of constant 4 seam from previous coach)

"pitch inside is a must"


Loved hearing that

[BigDawg81]

Can they be fixed in just a years time?

[Coach34]

Can they be fixed in just a years time?

Some of them just needed experience more than "fixing". We had 5 freshmen pitch alot of innings last year. Simmons and Auger werent broke- just had to finish healing.

This pitching staff should be pretty good this Fall and likely top half of the SEC

[AlSwearengen]

sounds good. We definitely need to have more looks for opposing hitters.

[BeardoMSU]

some tidbits:

"staff was banged up a little inside. You could see that last year also playing against them"

"I've coached some good pitching staffs but this is the most talented group I've ever had"

"Focused on getting movement with pitches"

"Secondary fastball to get groundballs" (translated means he has taught them to 2 seam more instead of constant 4 seam from previous coach)

"pitch inside is a must"


Loved hearing that

Nice.

[bulldogcountry1]

I was impressed with the interview. I think it speaks volumes that he took the job, considering everything.

Everything is a bit weird right now, though. No roster. No games times set. There has hasn't been much info coming out of spring practice. It all feels like a big mystery.

Either we still stink or we are going to surprise some folks.

[Johnson85]

"I've coached some good pitching staffs but this is the most talented group I've ever had"



That doesn't sound like your normal coach speak. I know you've got to show confidence in your guys but unless that's just a young coach making a mistake and putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on himself, that doesn't seem like something a coach would say unless they actually believed it.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Pitching is the key. We hit well, or well enough, last year. We will hit well, or well enough, this year. Pitching is why we had a bad record last year. Improved pitching is the key to the season.

[Coach34]

That doesn't sound like your normal coach speak. I know you've got to show confidence in your guys but unless that's just a young coach making a mistake and putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on himself, that doesn't seem like something a coach would say unless they actually believed it.

I'm just glad I'm not the only one saying it now

[The Federalist Engineer]

Pitching Coach Question: Movement and Velocity relationship

When you max out the Velocity of a non Hall of Fame MLB pitcher, are you proportionally sacrificing movement.

I was not a D1 prospect pitcher, that's why I am asking. But, I'll say this, Ron Polk commented that Cerantola at 93 MPH had movement and decent location, but at 97 MPH he was (politely) "not the same player."

I heard this from a Tim Hudson interview (Former Auburn PC) the kids want to throw Max velo for their draft prospects. He tells the kids they won't even play if they can't throw strikes, but many good prospects cannot abide throwing 88 if they can possibly max to 92. I wonder how the power dynamic of player preference works in the Minors, the Tweksbury book basically says "throw strikes or go home".

[DownwardDawg]

I was impressed with the interview. I think it speaks volumes that he took the job, considering everything.

Everything is a bit weird right now, though. No roster. No games times set. There has hasn't been much info coming out of spring practice. It all feels like a big mystery.

Either we still stink or we are going to surprise some folks.

Waiting on the pandemic to be announced since it's an election year. *****

I kid I kid!!!!!! Kinda...............

[bigbub50]

What does "staff was banged up a little inside? mean? Mentally down?

[The Federalist Engineer]

What does "staff was banged up a little inside? mean? Mentally down?

Seems so, "not confident".

[Coach34]

What does "staff was banged up a little inside? mean? Mentally down?

yeah- lack of confidence....kinda beat down.

I'm looking for our staff to be better at changing speeds. We didnt get much of that from Foxy. Hunt in 10 pitches would throw 8 sliders and 2 FB's. Loftin came to campus with his plus-change. Good teachers of the change have guys throwing one that sinks. We have to have some guys add that to their arsenal. When you have a 3rd pitch to get people out its easier to be more confident and less stress

[HoopsDawg]

I'm concerned that Ligon, Simmons and Loftin didn't pitch in any of the 3 previous scrimmages.

[Coach34]

I'm concerned that Ligon, Simmons and Loftin didn't pitch in any of the 3 previous scrimmages.

Well they are getting down to the nuttcutting here at the end and Simmons and Loftin know exactly what their roles will be starting the season.

[bulldogcountry1]

I'm concerned that Ligon, Simmons and Loftin didn't pitch in any of the 3 previous scrimmages.

Probably more of a positive sign that they have nothing more to prove. The staff probably just wants to see who else can step up. If we don't have a roster, then there are more players than spots at this point.

[BrunswickDawg]

Probably more of a positive sign that they have nothing more to prove. The staff probably just wants to see who else can step up. If we don't have a roster, then there are more players than spots at this point.

This. I'd be more concerned if they were pitching a lot.

[bigbub50]

I hope u guys are right. I don?t follow it as closely as some of you and have no inside info. But I have not heard any reports of Loftin throwing in any scrimmages or any live situations since last season. We need that guy.

[The Federalist Engineer]

I hope u guys are right. I don?t follow it as closely as some of you and have no inside info. But I have not heard any reports of Loftin throwing in any scrimmages or any live situations since last season. We need that guy.

Pitching really can't be worse than last year. If Parker can just Make MSU Decent at Pitching Again, that would have been 13-to-15 SEC wins with last year's Hitting and Schedule.

Yes, this delta-win expectation is controversial due to Run Differential Nerds not understanding the independent probabilities of pitching allocation by weekend game. MSUs ERA had never been higher and walks never higher. Even gorilla ball staffs in the 1990s had better numbers, gave up fewer runs while even playing into regionals.

[Todd4State]

Can they be fixed in just a years time?

I think we can make a lot of strides.

[dawgman]

That doesn't sound like your normal coach speak. I know you've got to show confidence in your guys but unless that's just a young coach making a mistake and putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on himself, that doesn't seem like something a coach would say unless they actually believed it.

Emory Bellard said one year that we would win the SEC and we ended up something like 5-6

[Homedawg]

Emory Bellard said one year that we would win the SEC and we ended up something like 5-6

The only comparison in this is, both were win or get fired. Ballard had no talent. This team does. We will see.

[State82]

Parker was also asked in a radio interview last week after covering all the pitching particulars what his take was on Dakota Jordan after seeing him in practice and he said it was like nothing he had ever seen.