Alright, I'm really starting to question Cohen's personnel choices.......

[Goat Holder]

It's been going on far too long. Personally, the small ball stuff doesn't bother me, I think it's smart, considering the state of college baseball. And we seem to be transitioning out of it next season. And I'm generally thrilled with everything Cohen does, he's brought success back to us and taken us farther than Lord Polk. So don't take this as bashing, more as discussing.

I just don't get it. Cody Walker looked good in the fall, but I and others saw Randolph turning into Cohen's 'boy' early, so we just sort of accepted that he'd play. Now I don't want to bash players, but I mean, why was Walker not given a chance? Everybody I know thought he would start. Cohen always has reasons for what he does (3B based on ground ball pitchers, Trey Porter's eye problem, etc.), I'd just like to know what's going on here. Now....I will bash effort.....and Randolph always lobs the ball back to the pitcher and it looks like the STL arch. He got stole on for crying out loud! Does that type shit not go counter to the 'work hard' ways of the intense bastard?? I mean, what's the deal?

Don't get me started on Henderson, one of the guys who helped us get the CWS and make a run. Just benched, surprisingly. Plays only against left-handed pitchers. I get it...the matchups....keeping players happy....yada yada. But he's gotten the raw end of the deal for sure, and seems like he hasn't played in ages.

Those issues may not mean much to this team overall, but it happens every year. This frustration is always magnified after a loss, especially where dumb errors and terrible clutch hitting doomed us. But there's been a theme of this type stuff all year, and it'd be much easier to handle if we knew our best players were on the field. We have a guy that goes 4 for 4, and we bench them. Vickerson starts over Humphreys when we're looking for a DH. I know our 'business plan' is to attack the game, but doesn't talent come into the picture at some point?

The only real fault I see with Cohen is that he develops 'his' players over the year, and rides them no matter what. It's getting better, he sat Rea down, which I thought would be impossible. I don't know, I don't see the practices, I guess it's just like Mullen's injury issues, when things aren't going well, you start questioning a bunch of needless things. None of this is stuff that can't be fixed.

[Drugdog]

Excellent points and questions. Walker looked great catching. I hate watching Randolph lob his throw to the pitcher. Embarrassing.
It's like football last year. When one of our guys got hot, they came out of the game.
Our coaches make head scratching decisions.

[FFF]

It's been going on far too long. Personally, the small ball stuff doesn't bother me, I think it's smart, considering the state of college baseball. And we seem to be transitioning out of it next season. And I'm generally thrilled with everything Cohen does, he's brought success back to us and taken us farther than Lord Polk. So don't take this as bashing, more as discussing.

I just don't get it. Cody Walker looked good in the fall, but I and others saw Randolph turning into Cohen's 'boy' early, so we just sort of accepted that he'd play. Now I don't want to bash players, but I mean, why was Walker not given a chance? Everybody I know thought he would start. Cohen always has reasons for what he does (3B based on ground ball pitchers, Trey Porter's eye problem, etc.), I'd just like to know what's going on here. Now....I will bash effort.....and Randolph always lobs the ball back to the pitcher and it looks like the STL arch. He got stole on for crying out loud! Does that type shit not go counter to the 'work hard' ways of the intense bastard?? I mean, what's the deal?

Don't get me started on Henderson, one of the guys who helped us get the CWS and make a run. Just benched, surprisingly. Plays only against left-handed pitchers. I get it...the matchups....keeping players happy....yada yada. But he's gotten the raw end of the deal for sure, and seems like he hasn't played in ages.

Those issues may not mean much to this team overall, but it happens every year. This frustration is always magnified after a loss, especially where dumb errors and terrible clutch hitting doomed us. But there's been a theme of this type stuff all year, and it'd be much easier to handle if we knew our best players were on the field. We have a guy that goes 4 for 4, and we bench them. Vickerson starts over Humphreys when we're looking for a DH. I know our 'business plan' is to attack the game, but doesn't talent come into the picture at some point?

The only real fault I see with Cohen is that he develops 'his' players over the year, and rides them no matter what. It's getting better, he sat Rea down, which I thought would be impossible. I don't know, I don't see the practices, I guess it's just like Mullen's injury issues, when things aren't going well, you start questioning a bunch of needless things. None of this is stuff that can't be fixed.

It's like earlier in the season... at the time of the LSU/OM games, Armstrong I believe was leading the team in BA and close to the top in OBP and what does he do? Platoon him with Vickerson... a guy who (I don't believe I'm making this up) has flown out in nearly half his ABs. For those of you who don't understand baseball, unless you find a way to sacrifice a guy from second to third or third to home, fly balls are highly unproductive outs. Instead, we have guys who have natural hitting ability (Garner and Humphreys... both have singlehandedly won us games earlier in the season) wasting on the bench. I believe that's been the biggest disservice to this team all year is not giving them any sort of reps at all.

The catching situation is a complete joke right now. I understand Collins is young, but pulling him last night was completely uncalled for... you take out an undoubtedly better bat for marginally better defense... the tradeoff doesn't make sense. And, boy did it bite us hard.

I believe we have done the best we can do with pitching. As far as pitching moves and changes, I don't really have any problems... guys just have to execute.

Most frustrating is that we have no idea who we are at the plate. Our approach as a team sucks, compounded by the fact we have had no sort of continuity in the lineup all year. It's been a daily lineup that in no way resembles the day/week before. It's an experiment that has to stop. Cohen should know who his best hitters are and they should be in the lineup most every night. And our guys have made no adjustments at the plate. You saw Cody Walker swinging for the fences with the bases loaded, no outs, trying to be a hero on two pitches OUT OF THE ZONE. If there's EVER a time to be patient at the plate, it's then.

We are a better team than this.

[Will James]

Detz was a WJ all star last year during scrimmages. This year it was Heck and Walker. We see how Heck has done (again took John a little while).

I fully expect Collins behind the dish today with Vick in the lineup.

[scottycameron]

Detz was a WJ all star last year during scrimmages. This year it was Heck and Walker. We see how Heck has done (again took John a little while).

I fully expect Collins behind the dish today with Vick in the lineup.

I'm with you on that. I'll be shocked if you don't see exactly that. Last night was just was just one of those f'd up games that turn out like that sometimes. Just can't get a break to save your life. Just one tiny one, just a hint of one and get the W. We win the next 2, you can book that. Should have been a sweep but that is baseball.

[Jacksondevildog]

Can someone tell me why the **** Vickerson is still playing? Serious question.

[maroonmania]

Detz was a WJ all star last year during scrimmages. This year it was Heck and Walker. We see how Heck has done (again took John a little while).

I fully expect Collins behind the dish today with Vick in the lineup.

If it was up to me Vick would not get another AB this year. He's become totally useless at the plate. I knew once Cody Brown struck out with the bases loaded and no outs last night that we would likely not score because Vick was up next which meant a 2 out hit was going to be required by someone after Vick to score anyone. I don't understand with the late season clutch hitting of Henderson why he doesn't get a few more at bats given Vick's continued failure doesn't seem to deter his playing time.

Also, I missed the first part of the game last night, was there a reason why Collins wasn't playing?

[MadisonDawg]

They wanted Randolph catching Lindo for 12 pitches instead of Collins

[Tbonewannabe]

When he pulled Collins, can you just move him to DH and replace the DH? He is pretty much our best hitter in almost every aspect so I don't understand why you would pull his bat if there was anyway to keep it in the lineup.

[FFF]

When he pulled Collins, can you just move him to DH and replace the DH? He is pretty much our best hitter in almost every aspect so I don't understand why you would pull his bat if there was anyway to keep it in the lineup.

You lose your DH. You can't move a guy in the lineup once it's set, that's batting out of order... and you can't move the DH spot throughout the lineup. You can sub a DH for a DH off the bench, but if the DH enters the game in any other capacity, you lose that spot and the pitcher has to bat for the position player you subbed out.

[preachermatt83]

good points Goat.. That has been my argument all along. I think Cohen is a good coach but he has one huge glaring fault and that is his personnel decisions. he does things in that area that literally makes no sense at all.

[Goat Holder]

That's why I have to believe he has a reason for it. Simply no other explanation outside of being dumb which I hope he isn't.

[maroonmania]

good points Goat.. That has been my argument all along. I think Cohen is a good coach but he has one huge glaring fault and that is his personnel decisions. he does things in that area that literally makes no sense at all.

He has been consistent in that he makes his judgements on playing time strictly off of what happens at practice and very little off what happens in games. That much is obvious and the only thing that makes any logical sense on why certain players continue to get playing time over others who have shown more during actual games.

[MsStateBaseball]

Lineups are like a chess match. Cohen is smart but he is over thinking. Just hit the damn ball.

[DanDority]

Can someone tell me why the **** Vickerson is still playing? Serious question.

His mama, is one nice piece of ass!

[DanDority]

Double post

[War Machine Dawg]

He has been consistent in that he makes his judgements on playing time strictly off of what happens at practice and very little off what happens in games. That much is obvious and the only thing that makes any logical sense on why certain players continue to get playing time over others who have shown more during actual games.

Lots of sense in this post. Thus why we get the benching of Garner & Humphreys for no apparent reason, even though Garner was clearly one of our best hitters in non-con.

[bulldogcountry1]

I attend most home games, and I can almost always predict a pitching change and who it will be moments before it happens. That's not because I am a prophet, it because the pitchching staff is handled in a very logical, predictable manner.

When it comes to the way the lineup is handled, I am constantly bewildered. It always starts with the starting lineup. All I can guess is that Cohen is drawing from really specific stats and grades that we don't have access to. I know in that documentary, he was preaching to the players to play what's on those stat sheets he produced and not the individual opponent. Maybe he makes decisions about his own players the same way. Whatever it is, it seems that the common sense element is missing.

[bulldogcountry1]

And Bracewell is the DH today.

[Maroons]

And Bracewell is the DH today.

You know he won't actually hit when that spot in the lineup is at bat, right?

[DudyDawg]

And Bracewell is the DH today.
Senior night