A voice from the stands- please read John Cohen

[Todd4State]

First of all, I have been on a crazy baseball odyssey which has taken me from Jackson, to St. Louis and Baseball Heaven only to watch the Cardinals win one (yay!) and then watch Mike Matheny be a dumbass and gamble by bringing in Mitchell Boggs to blow the game because he thought (incorrectly) that the game would be rained out, and then after I drove through a tornado in Missouri to get to Starkville which included waking up at 5 AM to leave St. Louis, I then somehow am sitting here at a hotel typing this.

All of that is to say this.....

1. I know a LOT of you are probably wondering why we keep making errors against this shitty team. It's because they are FAST. And because all but two-three of them are decent hitters, they make weak contact. So, what we NEED to do is bring in our middle infielders 2-3 steps to help take away the speed advantage that they have. The exception to this would be the 2-3 guys that are decent hitters. Other than that, I think it would negate their speed a LOT and allow us to slow things down on the infield. PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS MSU BASEBALL STAFF.

2. We need to use a fly ball pitcher/or a power arm. I wouldn't be surprised AT ALL if Lindgren pitches well tomorrow against them. They want to hit the ball on the ground, but if we can overpower them, and/or make them pop it up, well, that's not what they want to do.

3. They appear to have our hitters well scouted. We need to start going opposite field more. They nearly have a shift on when Renfroe is at the plate.

4. We need to take their speed game to THEM. We have yet to really test their defense with bunting (yeah, sorry- but excuse me how did Mercer do again?). I don't think their corner infielders are very athletic and I think we can take advantage of their catcher by running on him.

5. If Lindgren has a great game tomorrow, it's a hell of a move by Butch and Cohen. But it's also risky as hell. I don't know what to think about it really. I still like where our staff stands right now, and I'm glad we can't/won't do something stupid like tonight by keeping Gentry in the game too long. I think part of the reason they didn't throw him was his defense, which is also part of the reason why Kendall started against them and not Pollo who probably leads America in risky/stupid fielding plays by a pitcher. They basically had two guys pitch the game of their lives today. Can they do that again?

[CadaverDawg]

Good points.

The only negatives to bringing the infield in a little, is opening up more room for those little bloopers to fall, and allowing for more balls to potentially get through on the ground. But I agree that we need to do something.

I just think the key is not walking people, and not trying to do too much in the field. It is hard, if not impossible, to double up a lot of their hitters because they are so fast...so why do we continue to throw balls away trying to rush a double play? Just get the sure out, and THEN turn it if you still have time. They aren't good enough to string together 3 hits in a row, so just don't give them free bases. No Walks and No Errors, and we beat this team EVERY time IMO.

[Todd4State]

So, we also bring in the outfield 2-3 steps as well. They've only hit one ball over anyone's head. Will James can to the math, but I like our odds IF we do what I am saying.

I don't really think we are trying to do too much in gneral, we are looking up before we catch the ball on at least two of those errors- and that is due to their speed + weak contact.

[messageboardsuperhero]

I definitely agree on #4. Their catcher looked shaky tonight trying to throw out Frost, and he even airmailed several throws to second in between innings during warmups. I'd be a little more aggressive stealing second.

[Will James]

It's not hard just show up and don't **** up and we win. They are a damn #4 for a reason and we are a #1 for a reason. Don't be dumb, and we win going away. Be smart at the plate, be smart in the field, be smart on the mound. That's it.

[CadaverDawg]

It's not hard just show up and don't **** up and we win. They are a damn #4 for a reason and we are a #1 for a reason. Don't be dumb, and we win going away. Be smart at the plate, be smart in the field, be smart on the mound. That's it.

Yep.

[Todd4State]

It's not hard just show up and don't **** up and we win. They are a damn #4 for a reason and we are a #1 for a reason. Don't be dumb, and we win going away. Be smart at the plate, be smart in the field, be smart on the mound. That's it.

The fact is we make multiple errors just about EVERY time we play them. It's not a coincidence. We can either hope that we are "smarter" or adjust. I prefer and hope that we adjust. That would be the smart thing to do afterall.

[M.Fillmore]

It's not hard just show up and don't **** up and we win. They are a damn #4 for a reason and we are a #1 for a reason. Don't be dumb, and we win going away. Be smart at the plate, be smart in the field, be smart on the mound. That's it.

I hope you are right but Fresno State thinks you are wrong. Yeah, I know Fresno was a once in a millennium occurrence, but it 4s have beaten 1s before.

I still think we win, but it won't be a blowout.

[Will James]

The fact is we make multiple errors just about EVERY time we play them. It's not a coincidence. We can either hope that we are "smarter" or adjust. I prefer and hope that we adjust. That would be the smart thing to do afterall.

I happen to believe it is a coincidence. Playing on Vandy's speed track 3 games we only made 2 errors that weekend. We don't need to adjust anything just make the damn plays and play smart not try to look pretty doing it.

Like my boy Lettuce says lose the chains and play like a dirtbag.

[DownwardDawg]

The fact is we make multiple errors just about EVERY time we play them. It's not a coincidence. We can either hope that we are "smarter" or adjust. I prefer and hope that we adjust. That would be the smart thing to do afterall.

I have to agree with this. It's not a coincidence.

[msstate7]

I have to agree with this. It's not a coincidence.
Ill give you the first error, but Frazier had a simple throw with plenty of time on #2. Pirtle just misplayed a ball that he would've had plenty of time to make play also. Same for frost's error.

[hometowndawg]

I believe the first error where Frazier threw the ball into right field is partly on Frost. Frost had the chance to cut the ball off and start the easy double play but he missed it causing Frazier to go deep into the hole and have to make an extremely difficult throw to 2nd. There was no chance of turning 2 even if Frazier's throw would have been spot on.

[SaltyDawg]

I believe the first error where Frazier threw the ball into right field is partly on Frost. Frost had the chance to cut the ball off and start the easy double play but he missed it causing Frazier to go deep into the hole and have to make an extremely difficult throw to 2nd. There was no chance of turning 2 even if Frazier's throw would have been spot on.

This.

Take any ball you can get to at 3rd base- better angle and momentum is moving towards 1st/2nd. Frazier was not expecting that ball to make it to him. Regardless, it was a play that should have been made.

[War Machine Dawg]

Exactly. It's hard for me to be pissed about Frazier's first error. Frost ****ed him up on that play with another one of his patented "great" 3B defensive gems. I don't think I've ever been so ready to see a player graduate as I am Sam Frost. Put Detz back at 3B, please.

But Frazier's second E was all him. Set your feet and throw a damn strike. Period.

[War Machine Dawg]

Dammit, double post.

[Ghost of Hank Flick]

Frazier never sets his feet. Ever. He always throws a lollipop to first base. That's probably why he projects as a second baseman in the pros, it's like Tebow's throwing motion or something.

[Maroonthirteen]

I think #3 is the issue vs them. Our average is slightly under 4 runs a game vs them. I won't pretend to know their pitching staff but they were 4 games into this tournmanet and I can't imagine them having a deep staff of MLB talent. We have got to hit the ball better. I imagine it will take north of 5 runs tonight to win.

[Todd4State]

I happen to believe it is a coincidence. Playing on Vandy's speed track 3 games we only made 2 errors that weekend. We don't need to adjust anything just make the damn plays and play smart not try to look pretty doing it.

Like my boy Lettuce says lose the chains and play like a dirtbag.

Yeah- and that would be relevant if we were playing in Nashville with Vandy's official scorer.