4/25/16 Poll Update

[TheRef]

Perfect Game : #3
Baseball America : #3

[Coach34]

You have to like our spot from here on out. We have the easiest schedule left of all the big boys in the SEC

[MetEdDawg]

Geez. That's crazy. I thought this team was pretty good, but if you told me we would be Top 5 at some point I would have thought you were crazy.

If we can solidify a Sunday starter and get more consistency from the bullpen by the end of the year, we might be unstoppable. Our freshmen pitchers need to continue taking steps to get better because they are who we will need to rely on in those later regional games.

[maroonmania]

Geez. That's crazy. I thought this team was pretty good, but if you told me we would be Top 5 at some point I would have thought you were crazy.

If we can solidify a Sunday starter and get more consistency from the bullpen by the end of the year, we might be unstoppable. Our freshmen pitchers need to continue taking steps to get better because they are who we will need to rely on in those later regional games.

Still seems a little unreal that we would get this high when you think about the fact that we have 2 dependable starters and a VERY shaky bullpen for the most part. Now yes, the 2013 team that was National runner up only had 1 dependable start but our bullpen was lights out that year for the most part. Of course, I do believe this team hits better up and down the lineup than the 2013 team although its difficult to compare there because the 2013 team was still playing in the dead ball era.

[Jack Lambert]

You have to like our spot from here on out. We have the easiest schedule left of all the big boys in the SEC

To be honest I didn't think we would go on the road against, Vandy, Forida and LSU and go 6-3. On the other hand after taking two of three on the road from Vandy and Florida I didn't think we would get swept by A&M.

[bulldogcountry1]

We have the easiest schedule left of all the big boys in the SEC

That's what worries me. I don't want us to let up or look past anyone. Any of those teams can get hot and trip us up. Bama is pitching it well right now, and Arkansas could play spoiler of us to close out the season.

[CadaverDawg]

Still seems a little unreal that we would get this high when you think about the fact that we have 2 dependable starters and a VERY shaky bullpen for the most part. Now yes, the 2013 team that was National runner up only had 1 dependable start but our bullpen was lights out that year for the most part. Of course, I do believe this team hits better up and down the lineup than the 2013 team although its difficult to compare there because the 2013 team was still playing in the dead ball era.

Yep, just goes to show you how everybody has chinks in the armor. There are very few teams that have it all. Florida and A&M appear to have the depth at pitching, the defense, and the bats....I think we lack the pitching depth and defense to be at their level....but we can still beat them any given day. AND depth still has time to develop before postseason, bc we clearly have the talent it's just young.....and defense can be improved as well, or can change by game, so it's about making the plays when we need em the most down the stretch.

We can hit. So I think we go as far as our pitching and defense can take us. Get Hudson back to form, and Sexton pitching like Saturday....we won't need a dominant 3rd guy. Remember, when we don't have to use a lot of arms Friday & Saturday, we're tough on Sunday with fresh Pilk, Rigby, Brown. Having Hudson struggle lately has hurt our Sunday depth

[maroonmania]

That's what worries me. I don't want us to let up or look past anyone. Any of those teams can get hot and trip us up. Bama is pitching it well right now, and Arkansas could play spoiler of us to close out the season.

Plus while we are very difficult for anyone to beat in the first 2 games of a series, we are still going to be very vulnerable in the 3rd game even to teams like Auburn and Missouri. We've only held an SEC team to less than 8 runs in the third game of a series 1 time in 6 tries. That is pretty terrible.

[maroonmania]

Yep, just goes to show you how everybody has chinks in the armor. There are very few teams that have it all. Florida and A&M appear to have the depth at pitching, the defense, and the bats....I think we lack the pitching depth and defense to be at their level....but we can still beat them any given day. AND depth still has time to develop before postseason, bc we clearly have the talent it's just young.....and defense can be improved as well, or can change by game, so it's about making the plays when we need em the most down the stretch.

We can hit. So I think we go as far as our pitching and defense can take us. Get Hudson back to form, and Sexton pitching like Saturday....we won't need a dominant 3rd guy. Remember, when we don't have to use a lot of arms Friday & Saturday, we're tough on Sunday with fresh Pilk, Rigby, Brown. Having Hudson struggle lately has hurt our Sunday depth

And the fact is we don't really have to have a 3rd guy that is dominant, just need a guy that is serviceable for 5 to 6 innings and we don't seem to have that. One thing odd about us is we rarely ever give up between 3 to 6 runs. We seem to either pitch really well and only give up a couple of runs or less or the whole thing falls apart and teams score on us at will. Very little middle ground with our staff.

[msstate7]

We're also about to upgrade our defense and offense by adding Robson back.

[maroonmania]

We're also about to upgrade our defense and offense by adding Robson back.

That's helpful but really infield defense is the much more of the problem than outfield defense.

[msstate7]

That's helpful but really infield defense is the much more of the problem than outfield defense.

For sure, hopefully Alexander gets healthy soon... Sorry Backwoodsdawg

[Tbonewannabe]

We're also about to upgrade our defense and offense by adding Robson back.

Having Robson, Mangum, and Hump in the outfield makes our outfield defense one of the best in the country. Robson and Mangum can cover a lot of ground and Hump has a cannon of an arm.

[AlSwearengen]

Having Robson, Mangum, and Hump in the outfield makes our outfield defense one of the best in the country. Robson and Mangum can cover a lot of ground and Hump has a cannon of an arm.

What about putting Hump at DH and letting Rooker stay in the outfield? Rooker has better speed and that would allow Hump to rest his arm for closing duties. Of course, you could still throw Hump out there from time to time in order to play with the batting order. We have some nice problems to have offensively.

[Tbonewannabe]

What about putting Hump at DH and letting Rooker stay in the outfield? Rooker has better speed and that would allow Hump to rest his arm for closing duties. Of course, you could still throw Hump out there from time to time in order to play with the batting order. We have some nice problems to have offensively.

Does anyone think after last year that we would be wondering what .300 hitter has to sit on the bench? What a difference a year makes. We just took 2 of 3 from LSU in Baton Rouge and have Robson hitting around .380 not even playing.

[the59dawg]

Still seems a little unreal that we would get this high when you think about the fact that we have 2 dependable starters and a VERY shaky bullpen for the most part. Now yes, the 2013 team that was National runner up only had 1 dependable start but our bullpen was lights out that year for the most part. Of course, I do believe this team hits better up and down the lineup than the 2013 team although its difficult to compare there because the 2013 team was still playing in the dead ball era.

Yes but that team had two dominant middle relievers who each could go 3-6 innings depending on what was needed. One could pitch one or more innings every day if he had to. And then we had our dominant closer with that big old 90 deg overhand curveball. I always felt pretty good if we got to the 4th or 5th with a lead. Hump can give us one inning two or three times a wk. We just have to find a way to get to the 9th with a lead. Have to cover 3-4 innings in the middle. Haven't done that very well yet.
Too old to remember those names or I would have added them.

[drunkernhelldawg]

It's so tough. We've accomplished so much and the job is far from finished. Hope those inches keep tilting our way.

[maroonmania]

Yes but that team had two dominant middle relievers who each could go 3-6 innings depending on what was needed. One could pitch one or more innings every day if he had to. And then we had our dominant closer with that big old 90 deg overhand curveball. I always felt pretty good if we got to the 4th or 5th with a lead. Hump can give us one inning two or three times a wk. We just have to find a way to get to the 9th with a lead. Have to cover 3-4 innings in the middle. Haven't done that very well yet.
Too old to remember those names or I would have added them.

Agreed, that is why I said that team's bullpen was lights out. Chad Girodo and Ross Mitchell could easily go 5 to 6 innings in a game where the starter was struggling and then you had Holder on the backside of them. Man, just think if Lindgren could have had the type year that year that he had the next year out of the bullpen.

[RocketDawg]

Geez. That's crazy. I thought this team was pretty good, but if you told me we would be Top 5 at some point I would have thought you were crazy.

If we can solidify a Sunday starter and get more consistency from the bullpen by the end of the year, we might be unstoppable. Our freshmen pitchers need to continue taking steps to get better because they are who we will need to rely on in those later regional games.

To me, it seems like what we should do is a) Take the midweek games more seriously and win those relatively easy games, and b) Figure out a way to actually sweep a series (and a lot of that seems to be motivation also).