Catching

[messageboardsuperhero]

I've never seen an MSU team as bad behind the plate defensively as us. Gavin Collins is going to be a great player here, but he's not good enough yet at blocking balls as an SEC catcher needs to be. I think he will be next season, but he's just not there yet. As for Randolph... Well, let's just say he isn't the answer and leave it at that. Now prepare yourself, because these numbers are amazing:

2013 wild pitches/passed balls in 71 games- 36
2014 wild pitches/passed balls in 50 games- 63

That's right, in 21 FEWER games this season, we have allowed 27 MORE balls to get by and advance runners than last season. We average 1.26 wild pitches/passed balls per game this year, as opposed to just .51 last year. That is atrocious. The play of our catchers has costed us a ton of games this year, and this HAS to get fixed by 2015. Hopefully that answer is a more mature Gavin Collins, because God knows he has the arm to shut down the running game. I'd also like to see us give Walker a shot and/or go get a good defensive catcher from JC.

[MsStateBaseball]

I anticipate getting a JC catcher. I don't think Garner will stay and we will use his scholly. That will make Collins, Walker and JC for next year.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Two things have held this team back all year: defense behind the plate and the lack of just a few players capable of getting extra base hits. If we had both of those things, this team would be about as good as we were last year. Woodruff struggling and some key injuries to our pitching staff have hurt as well, but pitching as a whole has been solid for the most part.

[DawgSaint]

I anticipate getting a JC catcher. I don't think Garner will stay and we will use his scholly. That will make Collins, Walker and JC for next year.

Agreed...I think going the Juco route behind the plate is very likely

[Goat Holder]

I bet we don't. Collins and Randolph will platoon again. We just have to hope Collins gets better.

[Goat Holder]

So, basically if we had played Walker and if Rea/Detz hadn't sucked and regressed.

[messageboardsuperhero]

So, basically if we had played Walker and if Rea/Detz hadn't sucked and regressed.

Pretty much.

I don't want to dog the guy, but Wes Rea's lack of production has just been an absolute killer this year.

[LC Dawg]

Last night's game showed just how embarrassing our situation is at catcher. Most teams don't play three catchers in a weekend but we played three in a game. Also, since Lindgren has always been a bit of a head case to me, I think some of his wildness is caused by him thinking too much about the catching situation.

[RAYn_Man]

Last night's game showed just how embarrassing our situation is at catcher. Most teams don't play three catchers in a weekend but we played three in a game. Also, since Lindgren has always been a bit of a head case to me, I think some of his wildness is caused by him thinking too much about the catching situation.

I don't think he was thinking too much about it. I think it had more to do with the fact that he didn't have much time to warm up. Ran down to the pen and they brought him in the next batter.