To the real and self appointed baseball experts on the board

[starkvegasdawg]

What do you think the team's record would be if Cohen quit trying to be the Albert Einstein of baseball coaches? Is there a lot more talent on the team than what our record indicates or are we what we are?

[I seen it dawg]

Too hard to tell in my opinion. Does way too many things that are disruptive to a lineup to know.

[Smitty]

Actual hitting instruction is more severe than our in game calls, but both show the symptoms of our program's problems.

[MsStateBaseball]

We would have 3-5 more wins maybe more. Taking the bat out of hands and bunting has cost us wins, killed momentum in some games. What can go wrong year, bad weather, bad pitching, bad hitting.

We have got good talent, several pro prospects.

A leadoff double, then a left handed pull hitter tries to bunt is asinine. Vick then hit a single up the middle, but bad call to have him bunt.

[MetEdDawg]

I'm with MsStatebaseball. We should have 3-5 more wins with 3 of those coming in conference play.

To me the big thing I've noticed that shows me Cohen is overthinking is his use of the 4 hole. I'm sure he's explained it and it's been talked about on here and I'll be honest, I don't care what his explanation is. It's way overthinking the game of baseball. I understand you want a high OBP/speed guy in front of someone like Rea/Hump so they can see more FBs. But if you bunt them all the damn time, not only do you decrease their OBP, you also limit your productivity from the 4 hole which is a CLEANUP spot. You get guys on in front of Robson or Brown in the 4 hole and what ends up happening? We bunt, which is self defeating in that it eliminates the advantage you are trying to give Rea/Hump. This whole 4 hole thing pisses me off and it's classic overthinking the game of baseball. I would rather put Robson in the 9 hole than in the 4 hole.

Now if you look at the sacrifice bunting, we had 60 last year. Right now we are at 32. If you go 2 a game (which I think is conservative at this point), you end up with somewhere close to 80. That's nuts and unacceptable to me. Also, we have 34 stolen bases so far this year. Last year 68. We aren't going to get close to that, so we've limited our affect on the game on the basepath which if you are going to play small ball, you have to be able to steal. We will most likely end up having more sac bunts than stolen bases. That's bad baseball. Also look at runs scored. Last year with an offense that was good at times, but not terribly stellar, we had 282 RBI. Right now we have 155 with 24 regular season games left. There's no way in hell we are getting to that RBI total with what i think is a better lineup with more pop.

[MsStateBaseball]

In the fall and preseason players and coaches were saying more doubles and HR's and Cohen said overall speed was his best. Well, then you don't have to bunt as much. Steal instead of bunting.

Again, twice it happened, lead off double then next guy is a left handed pull hitter and he was bunting. Holland struck out and Vick last night hit a single. I don't get it.

It would help if a reporter would ask some serious questions to get Cohen on tape as to his thinking.

[HancockCountyDog]

We have got good talent, several pro prospects.

Who on our team will be drafted in this year's draft in the top 200 picks? Im struggling to think of one.

[BulldogBear]

Y'all are just right at about fivish more wins. That's the conservative average estimate I would say. Occasionally, it would be a huge difference. Last year was one of those years. I would say more like 7-10 win difference. Maybe a better postseason draw and make it to Omaha. Yeah, last year we really got in our own way at the plate. Pitching being better was a big factor there too.

[Smitty]

It's why I have been so adamant against it.. When trying to host every game every INNING matters!

[MsStateBaseball]

No one will be drafted high this year on the team. But several will after next year.

[HancockCountyDog]

No one will be drafted high this year on the team. But several will after next year.

How high though? Also, in the SEC if you have a year where you don't have at least a few guys that will get drafted in the top 200 - I think the reason we aren't good is pretty obvious. We simply don't have the talent.

I hope you are right - but I don't see a top 100 player on our roster next year, maybe we do and they simply haven't stepped up yet, but I just don't see it. I like Collins and a few of the pitchers, but they are a long way from being a top 100 pick.

[coastratdog]

Not a self proclaimed expert but my take.

OK here's another thought. Maybe Cohen knows we overall suck at the plate and doesn't have the confidence in his players to execute a base hit when needed so he takes a conservative way out and bunts. Our approach is look for the walk/HB. Our guys overall have no power. Most are lucky to hit the warning track. Our approach needs to be line drive/gap to gap hitters. If you don't have a line drive swing or bat speed when recruited no amount of coaching is going to get it. Now I know we play on a large field which and I don't expect a ton of HR's but we have been playing on that same field for a long time and I bet our HR production is the lowest it's been in a while. Recruiting!

Pitching you can coach but again maybe we just don't have the clay to be molded this year. Who knows maybe these kids next year will be better.

Go ahead and flame away.

[the59dawg]

Not a self proclaimed expert but my take.

OK here's another thought. Maybe Cohen knows we overall suck at the plate and doesn't have the confidence in his players to execute a base hit when needed so he takes a conservative way out and bunts. Our approach is look for the walk/HB. Our guys overall have no power. Most are lucky to hit the warning track. Our approach needs to be line drive/gap to gap hitters. If you don't have a line drive swing or bat speed when recruited no amount of coaching is going to get it. Now I know we play on a large field which and I don't expect a ton of HR's but we have been playing on that same field for a long time and I bet our HR production is the lowest it's been in a while. Recruiting!

Pitching you can coach but again maybe we just don't have the clay to be molded this year. Who knows maybe these kids next year will be better.

Go ahead and flame away.
Since our pitching coach has not changed this yr, our pitching must have changed. Our pitching truly is inconsistent and overall it really sucks.

[MsStateBaseball]

Gavin will be top 3 rounds. Any catcher that is a good hitter will go high. Hump will be around 5th round, again maybe move to 1B for next year to show his versatility. Dakota has the frame, velocity, plus he will be lots better next year. Sexton is a top 10 rounder.

[I seen it dawg]

Since our pitching coach has not changed this yr, our pitching must have changed. Our pitching truly is inconsistent and overall it really sucks.

That's kind of the coaches job is to make sure we don't suck when we aren't as talented. Or better yet don't sign shit since apparently he knows what he is doing. We've had too many top end talent whiffs. He's overrated.

[Smitty]

That's kind of the coaches job is to make sure we don't suck when we aren't as talented. Or better yet don't sign shit since apparently he knows what he is doing. We've had too many top end talent whiffs. He's overrated.

Or the rankings were. Maybe we need to better evaluate the "head case" factor. Evan, Woodruff, Hudson....

[dawgs]

If we don't have the talent, then that doesn't make me feel any better about cohen. We have the best atmosphere in the world in baseball when we are rolling. Literally in the world. We have had very good success over the last 40 years in the sport even if we haven't gotten over the natty hump. So if cohen is playing ball this way because of the roster, he's got no one to blame but himself. He should be landing better talent if we can consistently hit the ball, thus necessitating his bullshit offensive game plan.