Honest question: Where is the improvement coming from next season?

[38843dawg]

We all know that this team is garbage (some knew earlier than others), but I've seen some people tout that next years team will be vastly improved. I'm not necessarily doubting that assumption, I mean you can hardly go any lower, but where exactly is this upgrade from talent coming from?

[ShotgunDawg]

We all know that this team is garbage (some knew earlier than others), but I've seen some people tout that next years team will be vastly improved. I'm not necessarily doubting that assumption, I mean you can hardly go any lower, but where exactly is this upgrade from talent coming from?

Save this question for after the MLB Draft and it will be a great discussion. Until then, it's an incomplete discussion.

[Todd4State]

We all know that this team is garbage (some knew earlier than others), but I've seen some people tout that next years team will be vastly improved. I'm not necessarily doubting that assumption, I mean you can hardly go any lower, but where exactly is this upgrade from talent coming from?

Dulin's Dodgers for the most part.

[msstate7]

Save this question for after the MLB Draft and it will be a great discussion. Until then, it's an incomplete discussion.

Yep. I see it going something like this...

Draft decimates this class and Cohen runs to the juco circuit to fill holes. Then we give a repeat performance next season

[Dawg4Life]

Save this question for after the MLB Draft and it will be a great discussion. Until then, it's an incomplete discussion.

This. MLB will tell a lot. Luke Alexander will help. He's hitting around .520 right now and has a cannon. Best defensive player in MS this year. We can't expect him to come in and hit lights out as a freshman but his upside is better than almost anyone we have right now. I also expect some general improvement from some of the young current players. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[War Machine Dawg]

Yep. I see it going something like this...

Draft decimates this class and Cohen runs to the juco circuit to fill holes. Then we give a repeat performance next season

+1 Hope like hell we're wrong, though.

[Backspin]

He's hitting over .500 for 3A Belmont...far cry from the SEC. Good player but there will be a big transition to SEC pitching...don't expect too much too soon for any freshman.

[Todd4State]

He's hitting over .500 for 3A Belmont...far cry from the SEC. Good player but there will be a big transition to SEC pitching...don't expect too much too soon for any freshman.

That's going to be the big question about Luke. How quickly he can transition to SEC pitching. IF he can- he starts. Worst case scenario I think he is a late inning defensive replacement for us.

I'll tell you what I really like about him- the guy is a winner. He could have padded his numbers his junior year- but chose to spend the entire year hitting LH to make himself a better switch hitter when he gets to college. He and Jake Mangum have the attitude that this team misses- and the kind that wins championships.

Of course technically the big question about all freshmen and JUCO's is how quickly they adjust to SEC pitching.

[MsStateBaseball]

Improvement will come from many areas. Scheduling, hitting talent, pitchers that throw 90 plus are 3 big ones to me. Cohen certainly will improve or be fired. Until July 15th is gone, draftees would have been signed and the JC fillers come on board, we don't know.

I do expect improvement in all aspects due to pressure from Stricklin, fans.

[engie]

He's hitting over .500 for 3A Belmont...far cry from the SEC. Good player but there will be a big transition to SEC pitching...don't expect too much too soon for any freshman.

And how many years did he put in with TeamUSA? That's the part that in theory has guys in the upcoming class more prepared for the next level than a lot of guys in our previous classes.

[Goat from MSU]

Thank you I rather hear this than how this guy is a proven winner and he is a stud . Thanks for keeping it real .
Improvement will come from many areas. Scheduling, hitting talent, pitchers that throw 90 plus are 3 big ones to me. Cohen certainly will improve or be fired. Until July 15th is gone, draftees would have been signed and the JC fillers come on board, we don't know.

I do expect improvement in all aspects due to pressure from Stricklin, fans.

[Maroons]

I'd argue that improvement from the coaching staff is more critical than a talent upgrade. Cohen needs to evaluate every single aspect of his philosophies, recruiting, preparation, managing, etc.

[War Machine Dawg]

Improvement will come from many areas. Scheduling, hitting talent, pitchers that throw 90 plus are 3 big ones to me. Cohen certainly will improve or be fired. Until July 15th is gone, draftees would have been signed and the JC fillers come on board, we don't know.

I do expect improvement in all aspects due to pressure from Stricklin, fans.

You mean we're going to schedule more SWAC teams and not lose to at least one of them next year? I'll be damned, why haven't we done that before?

Don't know where all these power arms you're talking about are coming from, either. Even Todd admits the best Ps in this class are likely going to be snatched up by MLB. That leaves us with the same group plus some new freshmen who are about the same as what we already have. High 80s, low 90s but not good enough to make a significant impact without at least one year of work with Butch. And at least one will inevitably wind up hurt. (Not blaming our staff for that. It happens every year and is the product of abuse from year round baseball, shitty HS coaches, etc.) I just really don't see how we make some huge improvement in just one offseason without a miracle occurring and us getting at least 2-3 of the MLB guys to campus.

[smootness]

Improvement in college sports from one year to the next rarely comes from increased talent. It's generally experience.

[War Machine Dawg]

Improvement in college sports from one year to the next rarely comes from increased talent. It's generally experience.

That's true *IF* the team is young and talented. I don't see a whole lot of talent capable of competing in the SECW in baseball. Honestly, our division might be more brutal in baseball than in football. And that's saying something. Plus we've given a ton of experience to guys who won't be around next season, especially if rumors are true that The Meddler plans to gut the team next season and bring in new players.

[RougeDawg]

Only improvement would come from a coaching change.

[Pinto]

Bet you 100 vCash Cohen gets an extension

[RougeDawg]

Bet you 100 vCash Cohen gets an extension

I didn't say he would be gone. I was answering the OP of how we could improve next year over this year.

[confucius say]

I didn't say he would be gone. I was answering the OP of how we could improve next year over this year.

And like always, you are wrong.

[basedog]

Mr Mo is building fast to see Cohen exit! I could care less what he did in the past, and for you folks talking about the past and how great he is then maybe we should bring Polk III back? Like I said many times, when you lose the fans it's over and he's leaving faster than a speeding bullet! We shouldn't be in this bad of shape.

[confucius say]

Mr Mo is building fast to see Cohen exit! I could care less what he did in the past, and for you folks talking about the past and how great he is then maybe we should bring Polk III back? Like I said many times, when you lose the fans it's over and he's leaving faster than a speeding bullet! We shouldn't be in this bad of shape.

Our fans are freaking horrible. Most delusional and Worst fan base in conference. Not you necessarily, just our fan base as a whole. The same morons who wanted to run mullen off in November of 2013. The best, most successful coach in the program's history, and our idiots were ready to run him off over one down year in the middle of the season. Sound familiar....

[msstate7]

Our fans are freaking horrible. Most delusional and Worst fan base in conference. Not you necessarily, just our fan base as a whole. The same morons who wanted to run mullen off in November of 2013. The best, most successful coach in the program's history, and our idiots were ready to run him off over one down year in the middle of the season. Sound familiar....

http://s17.postimg.org/q379hebwv/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

Let us melt in peace haha

[basedog]

Our fans are freaking horrible. Most delusional and Worst fan base in conference. Not you necessarily, just our fan base as a whole. The same morons who wanted to run mullen off in November of 2013. The best, most successful coach in the program's history, and our idiots were ready to run him off over one down year in the middle of the season. Sound familiar....

I don't ever think our fans are horrible, we have wondered in the wilderness for many years in football, then JWS showed us a ray of hope and Dan has and will build it to the point losing isn't acceptable, close to it anyway. In baseball, we have been so good for so many years then came along Polk II who had some good years but fell to the bottom of the pack as for as our history. Cohen gets hired and we are all giddy thinking we will be a power hitting club or at least a good hitting team. Overall, it's our pitching not our hitting. I guess what I'm saying it ain't the fans confucius losing games, I like many fans want to win and seeing us just fold and bring up the rear is unacceptable.

When the fans quit caring then we might as well dome Dudy Noble and start an indoor swimming team like we use to say about Scott Field in the late and early 70's.

It ain't the fans, I've been around a long long time in some great moments and I for one expect a better product.