Tonights baseball thoughts

[MsStateBaseball]

Britton just isn't a starter. The cold may have something to do with it, I don't know but he is a late inning defensive replacement. Spriull and Reynolds tag team as 3B starters. Good example of Cohen bringing players in to compete and making the position better.

Waddell,'s offensive numbers in the fall is no lie, he just can't hit or he would start now. Holland had zero 1B play in the fall.

Surely, they won't RS Cole Gordon, he struck out 5 or 6 in one outing in preseason and smashed a HR.

Great job of recruiting Gridley, he is an impact freshman.

We have so many good hitters, taking pitches, etc. I really havent seen too many bad swings.

[smootness]

Britton is a late inning defensive replacement who has been the player on our team most prone to errors for 4 years. That's an interesting profile.

[tcdog70]

Britton's problem was no Rea

[Todd4State]

I do think that today people saw what some of us like me and engie were saying about Rea and the importance of defense at first base. The majority of throws from the infield go to first base and if you can't catch those throws, you're in trouble.

[Todd4State]

I want to see Cole Gordon as well. I think he is a three year guy.

[Coach34]

Britton started slow last year too. No idea what's up with him. Something somewhere just doesnt click.

[yjnkdawg]

Britton's problem was no Rea


+1

[Coach34]

people do realize the guy we subbed for Britton came in and made an error also right?

[engie]

Put me in another vote for Gordon at first and seeing a bit of double duty. We've already made one glaring mistake before by not grooming an heir apparent(catcher between 2013 and 2014)...

I'm afraid that Britton at 3B is about to look like Britton at SS. Hope with maturity, he's learned to let go and be unaffected -- he just has always seemed to go mental and take time or a change of scenery to get past it.

3B(and clearly backup 1B) is the weakness right now. I think Reynolds is going to swing it, it's just a matter of time. Still not settled on Spruill offensively, but learned a lesson about questioning such things with Pirtle...

[engie]

Britton started slow last year too. No idea what's up with him. Something somewhere just doesnt click.

Yeah -- when we had no one that could play 3B. We've got 4 guys that can play over there now that all arguably swing it better than Britton. He doesn't have the luxury of starting slow this year and getting trotted out there until something clicks.

[Smitty]

I wish we'd figure some things out and let people get in a groove... Like Rooker. Opening day cleanup now a pinch hitter? If he's gonna do it let him go do it.. Every game. It should either be Britton or Reynolds as the guy at 3rd. You've had since August, you know who is the guy. Brown or Vick. You know who is better (Brown). Gordon too.

[Todd4State]

If college baseball allowed an exhibition season, there wouldn't be as much "tinkering" and more time for people to "get in a groove". We have to see who can do what and this is really the only time to do it. Heck, I'm glad we put Rooker into a live clutch pinch hit situation and then to see him come through is going to help his confidence.

The comfort thing is overrated to me. I want all of our players to go to the ballpark with the mindset that they are going to possibly play because that's what they expect in pro baseball. It also helps with depth going forward as well. The way we do it makes us a better team than it would if we just stuck the same nine guys out there all the time.

[engie]

If college baseball allowed an exhibition season, there wouldn't be as much "tinkering" and more time for people to "get in a groove". We have to see who can do what and this is really the only time to do it. Heck, I'm glad we put Rooker into a live clutch pinch hit situation and then to see him come through is going to help his confidence.

The comfort thing is overrated to me. I want all of our players to go to the ballpark with the mindset that they are going to possibly play because that's what they expect in pro baseball. It also helps with depth going forward as well. The way we do it makes us a better team than it would if we just stuck the same nine guys out there all the time.

Agreed.

"Comfort" depends on the player. For every guy that needs to play every day to have confidence and perform, there is one that thrives off competition or this idea of "being slighted". It's Cohen's job to know the difference in personality types and get the most out of them. And he certainly seems to recruit more of the latter, while Polk always had the former.

[KB21]

I've got a feeling that if Wes Rea were going to be out for an extended period of time, Cole Gordon would be playing. John Cohen is typically spot on when considering the readiness of a young player, so if he isn't running Cole out there, he must see something that makes him think he's not quite ready. Either that, or Wes is going to be back soon, and they simply will not have the at bats for Cole this year.

Now next year, you get another year of experience on Reid Humphreys. You have Cole Gordon as the likely first baseman. If Austin Riley gets to campus, you have to believe he will be at 2B. There should be some great competition at SS with incoming freshmen Luke Alexander and Delvin Zinn.