THAT is how you respond...

[messageboardsuperhero]

Very impressed with that bounce back- we no doubt have huge inconsistencies in the pen, but the only way a team wins a game like that 30 minutes ago after our game 1 is if they are tough. Outside of a few arms in the pen who shall remain nameless, we are tough. Daniel Brown has finally found his role. Pilkington was dynamite and about as good as could reasonably be expected- MVP of the game by far.

Still bummed about the first game though... It's like we're allergic to sweeping people. But 2/3 on the road against a solid SEC team is nice.

[basedog]

10 walks in the first game killed us. I didn't see Cohen throw one pitch. Players have to step up when there chance arrives.

Glad to see Brown close out. As much crap posted about him, he stepped up today.

Winning 2 on the road against a pretty good but dangerous team is good.

2 weeks on the road with success.

[Reason2succeed]

I read the title of the thread and got excited. I thought that Hugh Freeze had come out of hiding. But he STILL hasn't responded yet.

[CadaverDawg]

10 walks in the first game killed us. I didn't see Cohen throw one pitch. Players have to step up when there chance arrives.

Glad to see Brown close out. As much crap posted about him, he stepped up today.

Winning 2 on the road against a pretty good but dangerous team is good.

2 weeks on the road with success.

base, I'm going to have to politely disagree with your first paragraph. True, Cohen didn't pitch, & the walks Did kill us.......but Cohen Did continue to run guys out there that he knew could not, and had not, gotten the job done before. That's on him. We showed that Houston, Brown, and Blake Smith were all available....yet we continuously trotted out guys like Small, Billingsley, Cyr, Paul effing Young, etc. I'm fine with those guys getting some innings, but not in a tie SEC series clinching game, on the road, in extra innings, with a National Seed on the line. No, you just can't make those decisions in that spot. Hell, I'm shocked we didn't trot Moonshot Tatum out there to put the nail in the coffin...because that is how ridiculous the decision making was from our coaches in Game 1 of today's DH.

It was almost as if Cohen and Wes were thinking..."let's show the nation how deep our staff is. Let em see that we have 10-11 guys pumping 90+".....Nevermind none of them could hit the strike zone from a foot away.

[Todd4State]

base, I'm going to have to politely disagree with your first paragraph. True, Cohen didn't pitch, & the walks Did kill us.......but Cohen Did continue to run guys out there that he knew could not, and had not, gotten the job done before. That's on him. We showed that Houston, Brown, and Blake Smith were all available....yet we continuously trotted out guys like Small, Billingsley, Cyr, Paul effing Young, etc. I'm fine with those guys getting some innings, but not in a tie SEC series clinching game, on the road, in extra innings, with a National Seed on the line. No, you just can't make those decisions in that spot. Hell, I'm shocked we didn't trot Moonshot Tatum out there to put the nail in the coffin...because that is how ridiculous the decision making was from our coaches in Game 1 of today's DH.

It was almost as if Cohen and Wes were thinking..."let's show the nation how deep our staff is. Let em see that we have 10-11 guys pumping 90+".....Nevermind none of them could hit the strike zone from a foot away.

Billingsley was the MVP of the Governor's Cup. Got ripped today. Blake Smith was dominant Thursday. Couldn't throw a strike today. Neither could Houston who shut down Florida and pitched well against Ole Miss Tuesday.

Most of the guys we threw have had success this year- but not consistently. You just never know what you are going to get with our guys.

[engie]

But we were just going to lay down and die. The season was over because we laid a steaming pile in game 2**

[engie]

So, he made a mistake pulling Sexton when he did. Then what? What would Cadaver have done to ensure success and a victory at that point? Keeping in mind that Sexton was responsible for the runs that tied the game -- and those relievers who did truly put on a total shitshow today actually didn't give up an earned run through over 4 innings of relief.

[msstate7]

I blame Cohen/Johnson for pulling sexton. It was what a 2-2 count vs a guy hitting under or barely over the Mendoza line. JB did a great job Tuesday night, but sexton is our guy... No way sexton should've been pulled there

[stalkingpoon]

I think the 7 innings messed Cohen up. No way he pulls Sexton there if it's a 9 inning game.

[engie]

I blame Cohen/Johnson for pulling sexton. It was what a 2-2 count vs a guy hitting under or barely over the Mendoza line. JB did a great job Tuesday night, but sexton is our guy... No way sexton should've been pulled there

Cohen wouldn't argue with that given hindsight. But he was pulled. Then what? He doesn't have a magic ball to make guys throw strikes. Threw everything we had at them there and really no one actually stepped up. When that happens, you lose games you shouldn't. See Kentucky, Eastern.

[msstate7]

So, he made a mistake pulling Sexton when he did. Then what? What would Cadaver have done to ensure success and a victory at that point? Keeping in mind that Sexton was responsible for the runs that tied the game -- and those relievers who did truly put on a total shitshow today actually didn't give up an earned run through over 4 innings of relief.

While sexton was responsible for the 2nd run, he didn't give up the hit. Our pen had 9 walks and 2 k's, so I wouldn't exactly call it a great performance.

[engie]

I think the 7 innings messed Cohen up. No way he pulls Sexton there if it's a 9 inning game.

Agreed. We've always sucked in 7 inning double headers under him. It magnifies his negative tendencies. Regardless -- we won 2 of 3 on the road vs an elite pitching team that hasn't been swept all season. When we played much below average of what we are capable of.

[CadaverDawg]

Billingsley was the MVP of the Governor's Cup. Got ripped today. Blake Smith was dominant Thursday. Couldn't throw a strike today. Neither could Houston who shut down Florida and pitched well against Ole Miss Tuesday.

Most of the guys we threw have had success this year- but not consistently. You just never know what you are going to get with our guys.

I have no problem with those 3 pitching....but it should have been a combo of Hump, Brown, & Houston before any of the others. Billingsley did have a good Wednesday, but he, Small, and Young should have never seen the mound until Brown, Houston, Hump, and Smith were all exhausted. Not in a 2-2 game, on the road, in the SEC, in a series clincher, with a potential national seed on the line. That's all I'm saying.

That being said, that coaching & mental midget disaster could have beaten us twice today....but we didn't let it. So as messagebiardsuperhero said, that was huge to bounce back and win game 3.

[engie]

While sexton was responsible for the 2nd run, he didn't give up the hit. Our pen had 9 walks and 2 k's, so I wouldn't exactly call it a great performance.

Someone called it a great bullpen performance? Where?

Sexton was leaving everything up and over the plate that inning. His breaker was hanging. He was becoming bombed Sexton of last year in that inning. Of course hindsight tells us that staying with him was still the better option. It's a non-conversation if Billingsley just throws strikes and doesn't hang the one breaker -- and is otherwise the same guy he had led us to believe he could be 4 days ago against an OM team that took 2 of 3 from LSU this weekend.

[Taog Redloh]

I blame Cohen/Johnson for pulling sexton. It was what a 2-2 count vs a guy hitting under or barely over the Mendoza line. JB did a great job Tuesday night, but sexton is our guy... No way sexton should've been pulled there

Sexton also got that balk. He and Cohen were not happy with each other after he got pulled.

I think the biggest mistake was pulling Brown.

[basedog]

The thing is, Cohen is ripped when we lose and even when win someone is call him out.

There is nothing pure or perfect in baseball, players have to make plays when called on, like Todd stated, everyone of of our pitchers have been up and down but mostly up when you look at our success.

Bama isn't a bad team, we had our chance in Game 2 but walks killed it.

We have won every road series, that is amazing, Cohen must be doing something right.

[CadaverDawg]

The thing is, Cohen is ripped when we lose and even when win someone is call him out.

There is nothing pure or perfect in baseball, players have to make plays when called on, like Todd stated, everyone of of our pitchers have been up and down but mostly up when you look at our success.

Bama isn't a bad team, we had our chance in Game 2 but walks killed it.

We have won every road series, that is amazing, Cohen must be doing something right.

Nobody is saying Cohen does everything wrong. Nor is anyone saying fire him, despite what some say. But Paul Young has never been "up". Billingsley has been "up" 1 time. Cyr has been "up" never in an SEC game. Ethan Small has never been "up" ever. That's where my issue is. Do I know those guys need experience? Yes. But you don't break guys in in a tie game, on the road, in a series clincher, with postseason home field on the line. Especially when you have several guys that HAVE been "up" and gotten it done before, fresh & ready.

I'm pumped we won the series. I just wish we didn't have to have 1 game per weekend where we either have to overcome our coach to win, or watch him lose us a game.

[Todd4State]

I have no problem with those 3 pitching....but it should have been a combo of Hump, Brown, & Houston before any of the others. Billingsley did have a good Wednesday, but he, Small, and Young should have never seen the mound until Brown, Houston, Hump, and Smith were all exhausted. Not in a 2-2 game, on the road, in the SEC, in a series clincher, with a potential national seed on the line. That's all I'm saying.

That being said, that coaching & mental midget disaster could have beaten us twice today....but we didn't let it. So as messagebiardsuperhero said, that was huge to bounce back and win game 3.

Cohen said postgame that Humphreys couldn't pitch because of soreness. And the thing is Brown looked bad on Thursday. I've been critical of the management of the pitching staff this season- but it's hard to manage any staff when you don't know what you are going to get. Rigby looked good today but he was shelled vs. LSU. And etc.

I don't have a problem with him bringing in Bilingsley at all. Prior to today he had several good outings the past two weeks- not just one good outing where he caught lightning in a bottle. You could make a case that he was our most consistent bullpen guy the past two weeks.

Sometimes it isn't the coach- sometimes the the players have to execute.

[CadaverDawg]

Sexton also got that balk. He and Cohen were not happy with each other after he got pulled.

I think the biggest mistake was pulling Brown.

I agree. Got too cute pulling Brown to go Matchups.

[engie]

I have no problem with those 3 pitching....but it should have been a combo of Hump, Brown, & Houston before any of the others. Billingsley did have a good Wednesday, but he, Small, and Young should have never seen the mound until Brown, Houston, Hump, and Smith were all exhausted. Not in a 2-2 game, on the road, in the SEC, in a series clincher, with a potential national seed on the line. That's all I'm saying.

That being said, that coaching & mental midget disaster could have beaten us twice today....but we didn't let it. So as messagebiardsuperhero said, that was huge to bounce back and win game 3.

Hump was unavailable due to arm soreness. People are Will Jamesing/Trey Portering on that one. We didn't ask too much from the other guys other than strikes to one batter. Billingsley, Brown, Houston were exhausted. Hump was unavailable. And Blake Smith was the one that capped the shitshow. Was trying Small and Young questionable? Sure. Because it didn't work. You can say you knew it would fail on the front end -- and to be honest I didn't have a lot of confidence either -- but NONE of the guys you listed have been consistently decent relievers. We're still searching for that.

So, was Cohen an idiot in the Governor's Cup? Same types of pitching moves and decisions. With a bunch of unknown or shaky guys in high pressure situations. But the guys did their jobs in the game, get the first shut out in the 37 years of the series, and no one says a peep about the coaching decisions. It seems like it's only a conversation when it fails.

[Todd4State]

Cohen wouldn't argue with that given hindsight. But he was pulled. Then what? He doesn't have a magic ball to make guys throw strikes. Threw everything we had at them there and really no one actually stepped up. When that happens, you lose games you shouldn't. See Kentucky, Eastern.

Most of our losses are because of the bullpen being inconsistent. I'd kill for Caleb Reed right now.

[engie]

The thing is, Cohen is ripped when we lose and even when win someone is call him out.

There is nothing pure or perfect in baseball, players have to make plays when called on, like Todd stated, everyone of of our pitchers have been up and down but mostly up when you look at our success.

Bama isn't a bad team, we had our chance in Game 2 but walks killed it.

We have won every road series, that is amazing, Cohen must be doing something right.

Thanks, I couldn't agree more. Basically my same opinion -- and probably better stated.

[CadaverDawg]

Cohen said postgame that Humphreys couldn't pitch because of soreness. And the thing is Brown looked bad on Thursday. I've been critical of the management of the pitching staff this season- but it's hard to manage any staff when you don't know what you are going to get. Rigby looked good today but he was shelled vs. LSU. And etc.

I don't have a problem with him bringing in Bilingsley at all. Prior to today he had several good outings the past two weeks- not just one good outing where he caught lightning in a bottle. You could make a case that he was our most consistent bullpen guy the past two weeks.

Sometimes it isn't the coach- sometimes the the players have to execute.

No excuse for bringing in Small, Young, or Billingsley (despite his success Wednesday), or for taking Brown out. I'm fine with Hump not pitching...but bringing in the 3 I listed above when you have Brown, Houston, Smith available is just dumb. That's not the time to hope a guy that hasn't thrown strikes all year suddenly wakes up despite his 13.00+ era. Just dumb. No excuses for that.

[engie]

Nobody is saying Cohen does everything wrong. Nor is anyone saying fire him, despite what some say. But Paul Young has never been "up". Billingsley has been "up" 1 time. Cyr has been "up" never in an SEC game. Ethan Small has never been "up" ever. That's where my issue is. Do I know those guys need experience? Yes. But you don't break guys in in a tie game, on the road, in a series clincher, with postseason home field on the line. Especially when you have several guys that HAVE been "up" and gotten it done before, fresh & ready.

I'm pumped we won the series. I just wish we didn't have to have 1 game per weekend where we either have to overcome our coach to win, or watch him lose us a game.

No one has ever done it until they get their chance and they do it. If you don't put them into that situation -- you never find your freshman Johnathan Holder. It's not a magic ball where every game "is what that guy is" -- it's in finding "it" -- and no one in our pen has consistently had it. You can pick on Young, Small, and Cyr -- but you really never know for sure what you are going to get out of any of them when they step out there. Although it usually only takes about 2 pitches if you are watching mannerism and warmups to figure out "who they are" in that particular outing. Which had a lot to do with the incredibly quick hook.

[Todd4State]

No excuse for bringing in Small, Young, or Billingsley (despite his success Wednesday), or for taking Brown out. I'm fine with Hump not pitching...but bringing in the 3 I listed above when you have Brown, Houston, Smith available is just dumb. That's not the time to hope a guy that hasn't thrown strikes all year suddenly wakes up despite his 13.00+ era. Just dumb. No excuses for that.

You must have missed Billinglsey's last four performances. He got us out of a jam in Biloxi. Pitched one scoreless inning against LSU and then shut down an Ole Miss team that has now won 7 of their last 9. We threw Young after we threw Brown and Houston and we didn't want to use Smith after having thrown 50 something pitches in game one with another game left to play. Small walked his guy, but if I remember correctly he didn't score so not a big deal.

[I seen it dawg]

So, he made a mistake pulling Sexton when he did. Then what? What would Cadaver have done to ensure success and a victory at that point? Keeping in mind that Sexton was responsible for the runs that tied the game -- and those relievers who did truly put on a total shitshow today actually didn't give up an earned run through over 4 innings of relief.

Maybe not pull ****ing sexton to get someone that could "spin the ball"? How about leaving arguably your best pitcher on the mound in a game he could and should go 7 in. Yeah he was responsible for the runs...with major help from his reliever who should have never been in the game who threw 2 hangers that I could have hit to a guy who can't hit 175 who hit one. ****ing stupid to pull sexton. And then when he did pull him the odds of a shitshow increased dramatically. Want to decrease those odds don't ****ing pull him. Nice job Engie Cohen.

[I seen it dawg]

Someone called it a great bullpen performance? Where?

Sexton was leaving everything up and over the plate that inning. His breaker was hanging. He was becoming bombed Sexton of last year in that inning. Of course hindsight tells us that staying with him was still the better option. It's a non-conversation if Billingsley just throws strikes and doesn't hang the one breaker -- and is otherwise the same guy he had led us to believe he could be 4 days ago against an OM team that took 2 of 3 from LSU this weekend.

Somebody bombed him? You a soothsayer now?

[I seen it dawg]

Sexton also got that balk. He and Cohen were not happy with each other after he got pulled.

I think the biggest mistake was pulling Brown.

Biggest mistake was pulling sexton. Set the whole shitshow into motion. Never should have happened.

[engie]

Maybe not pull ****ing sexton to get someone that could "spin the ball"? How about leaving arguably your best pitcher on the mound in a game he could and should go 7 in. Yeah he was responsible for the runs...with major help from his reliever who should have never been in the game who threw 2 hangers that I could have hit to a guy who can't hit 175 who hit one. ****ing stupid to pull sexton. And then when he did pull him the odds of a shitshow increased dramatically. Want to decrease those odds don't ****ing pull him. Nice job Engie Cohen.

Not real sure when you ceased to post with reason -- but you've gone full ****ing stupid this season.

What are we ranked again? Last time we were ranked top 5 in May? Do you remember it? You probably do, since you were most likely still a highschooler at the time.

[CadaverDawg]

No one has ever done it until they get their chance and they do it. If you don't put them into that situation -- you never find your freshman Johnathan Holder. It's not a magic ball where every game "is what that guy is" -- it's in finding "it" -- and no one in our pen has consistently had it. You can pick on Young, Small, and Cyr -- but you really never know for sure what you are going to get out of any of them when they step out there. Although it usually only takes about 2 pitches if you are watching mannerism and warmups to figure out "who they are" in that particular outing. Which had a lot to do with the incredibly quick hook.

Can you read? I said I have no issue giving some of these guys SEC innings (not Young)....but NOT IN A 2-2 SERIES CLINCHING ROAD GAME WITH A NATIONAL SEED POSSIBLY ON THE LINE. Agree with it, disagree with it, whatever...but you will never change my mind that any of Billingsley, Small, Cyr, or Young should have been given their " first big chance" in that situation. Had it been the 15th inning & the Brown, Houston, Smith, Etc's of the World had already been used up, I would have no problem with it. But it wasn't, & they hadn't.

Glad we won the series, still like Cohen, think he's a good coach most of the time, have no issues with the pitchers I listed....Just want to clear that up b4 you spin and put words in my mouth in your response.

[engie]

Somebody bombed him? You a soothsayer now?

There was a command loss that made me question whether it was time to go get him, yes.

And, yes, I'm pretty ****ing good at predicting baseball. But I guess you've been too busy melting down as bad as Will James at his absolute worst about everything that has happened this season to notice.

While the idiot has us ranked in the top 5.

In May.

[CadaverDawg]

You must have missed Billinglsey's last four performances. He got us out of a jam in Biloxi. Pitched one scoreless inning against LSU and then shut down an Ole Miss team that has now won 7 of their last 9. We threw Young after we threw Brown and Houston and we didn't want to use Smith after having thrown 50 something pitches in game one with another game left to play. Small walked his guy, but if I remember correctly he didn't score so not a big deal.

Billingsley has 1 pitch, and never should have come in bc Sexton shouldn't have been pulled. Plus, you just talked Blake Smith and how many pitches he threw last game...but Bullingsley threw a bunch Wednesday. And again, you bring in a guy that they Know throws 1 pitch well, to face a guy that is hitting a buck fifty? Why? i don't dislike Billingsley, he just shouldn't have been brought in there.

And again, it was about the crucial spot we were in. You don't **** around with experiments in that spot. You just don't.

[msstate7]

It's possible to be happy with our coach and critique him at the same time. Overall Cohen has done a good job with this team, but let's not act like he's above criticism. I think our coaching was as responsible for the game 2 loss as much as our bullpen

[engie]

Can you read? I said I have no issue giving some of these guys SEC innings (not Young)....but NOT IN A 2-2 SERIES CLINCHING ROAD GAME WITH A NATIONAL SEED POSSIBLY ON THE LINE. Agree with it, disagree with it, whatever...but you will never change my mind that any of Billingsley, Small, Cyr, or Young should have been given their " first big chance" in that situation. Had it been the 15th inning & the Brown, Houston, Smith, Etc's of the World had already been used up, I would have no problem with it. But it wasn't, & they hadn't.

Glad we won the series, still like Cohen, think he's a good coach most of the time, have no issues with the pitchers I listed....Just want to clear that up b4 you spin and put words in my mouth in your response.

But you don't think he's a good coach most of the time. Throwing in an occasional disclaimer doesn't change the nature of what you actually say in the vast majority of your baseball posts.

You are going to melt every single time we lose a game for the next month aren't you? I already know the answer. Freaking out about the difference between a national seed and a simple regional host -- on a team that you thought legitimately might not make the postseason at all.

[engie]

It's possible to be happy with our coach and critique him at the same time. Overall Cohen has done a good job with this team, but let's not act like he's above criticism. I think our coaching was as responsible for the game 2 loss as much as our bullpen

He's not above criticism. It's the part where he's below praise that I have the problem with.

[CadaverDawg]

There was a command loss that made me question whether it was time to go get him, yes.

And, yes, I'm pretty ****ing good at predicting baseball. But I guess you've been too busy melting down as bad as Will James at his absolute worst about everything that has happened this season to notice.

While the idiot has us ranked in the top 5.

In May.

See, you're unable to see what he's saying and admit it's true and right. That's when you resort to talking about our ranking and record.

Engie, nobody is saying Cohen sucks or that he hasn't gotten us to our current position. Quit changing the subject...we're talking about THIS game. Game 2 of THIS series. Nobody is saying "fire Cohen". So don't spin it into that. Stay on topic

[CadaverDawg]

It's possible to be happy with our coach and critique him at the same time. Overall Cohen has done a good job with this team, but let's not act like he's above criticism. I think our coaching was as responsible for the game 2 loss as much as our bullpen

Thank you. This ^^^^^^^ is what engie is incapable of understanding.

[CadaverDawg]

But you don't think he's a good coach most of the time. Throwing in an occasional disclaimer doesn't change the nature of what you actually say in the vast majority of your baseball posts.

You are going to melt every single time we lose a game for the next month aren't you? I already know the answer. Freaking out about the difference between a national seed and a simple regional host -- on a team that you thought legitimately might not make the postseason at all.

And here we go. Engie changes the subject bc he can't admit when someone is right. Same ole engie. You don't fool anyone anymore.

[I seen it dawg]

Not real sure when you ceased to post with reason -- but you've gone full ****ing stupid this season.

What are we ranked again? Last time we were ranked top 5 in May? Do you remember it? You probably do, since you were most likely still a highschooler at the time.

You can't stay on point and talk about one decision that was a goat ****. Oh but we are top 5. Yes we are and Cohen deserves credit for that. But why can't we stop with the totally moronic decisions that should never be made at this level. Again he makes some decisions that are inexcusable. Why can't we avoid those that even the average baseball person knows is stupid. We got a guy loose in the third just because we want a guy that can spin it in the game if we get the chance? You agree with that shit? Take out our 1b? I know you know baseball because you've told us. I can't believe you would think that's remotely a good call.

I got another one...what happens if Lowe gets hurt in the 5th and has to come out...what do we do then?

[CadaverDawg]

He's not above criticism. It's the part where he's below praise that I have the problem with.

Stop making little league coaching moves once a week, and you might get more big league praise. It ain't that difficult to comprehend.

Oh, and just bc engie says he gets no praise, doesn't make it true. Cohen gets praise when he makes good calls, and criticism when he makes bad ones. Ever thought maybe YOU are the one that is only capable of focusing on the criticisms he gets? Hmm.

[CadaverDawg]

I know you know baseball because you've told us.

Haha, this made me laugh.

[engie]

See, you're unable to see what he's saying and admit it's true and right. That's when you resort to talking about our ranking and record.

Engie, nobody is saying Cohen sucks or that he hasn't gotten us to our current position. Quit changing the subject...we're talking about THIS game. Game 2 of THIS series. Nobody is saying "fire Cohen". So don't spin it into that. Stay on topic

People are totally losing their minds about one loss that they blame on the coach. When did they last spend so much time and effort praising his(exact same) decisions that turn to gold?

There's no balance to it. That is my actual problem. It's all negative all the time. All freak outs all the time. The positive is ignored.

It's not even actual baseball discussion anymore. It's a shitshow about who can bitch the most.

People freak out about him bunting in a lay up game in the midweek. I post that it's the perfect time to work on bunting guys that normally wouldn't and would probably translate to helping us. Gavin Collins lays one down for a hit the following weekend. I bump the thread. The thread gets locked within 5 minutes without explanation. No one wants to talk about it when it works and they had just looked like a donkey. They just want all that to go away quietly.

My bottom line is the positive GREATLY outweighs the negative this year. So, yeah -- maybe he cost us that game. You can certainly argue it and make a compelling case. So what? He has won us more than he's lost us this season -- and not just barely. The team is outplaying their talent level. This team is outplaying the talent level of ANY MSU baseball team of the last(at least) 19 years. And I stopped at that number because I remember the 97 team being the real deal, but do not remember the exact extent of it. Just remember it being the 94 class all grown up and what should have been the final Polk swan song. Literally the best team entering May in the minds of all the people around the country responsible for polls since before I was even seriously thinking about actually driving a vehicle. And 90+% of the posts and thoughts on the matter are negative and bitching about how big of idiot he is. It does not compute.

[maroonmania]

Hump was unavailable due to arm soreness. People are Will Jamesing/Trey Portering on that one. We didn't ask too much from the other guys other than strikes to one batter. Billingsley, Brown, Houston were exhausted. Hump was unavailable. And Blake Smith was the one that capped the shitshow. Was trying Small and Young questionable? Sure. Because it didn't work. You can say you knew it would fail on the front end -- and to be honest I didn't have a lot of confidence either -- but NONE of the guys you listed have been consistently decent relievers. We're still searching for that.

So, was Cohen an idiot in the Governor's Cup? Same types of pitching moves and decisions. With a bunch of unknown or shaky guys in high pressure situations. But the guys did their jobs in the game, get the first shut out in the 37 years of the series, and no one says a peep about the coaching decisions. It seems like it's only a conversation when it fails.

If Hump was not available then the only real screwup on Cohen's part was panicking a little and pulling Sexton in the 4th inning. Maybe he got enamored with Billingsley from this past Tuesday night but it seems to be a different deal for these guys to have the pressure of pitching on the SEC weekend. I mean Cyr has been great in midweek as well and he had no clue where the strike zone was today. In fact, knowing we couldn't use Humphreys should have made the decision to stick with Sexton longer that much more obvious. And honestly our offense was the biggest issue today. I mean we scored only 2 runs in each of the 2 games in the "regulation innings" and the 3rd run we scored in the 9th inning of the first game we did without a hit. If our pitching had not done as well as it did we could have easily been swept today. Its just that one 9th inning where it was unbelievable that THAT many different guys on college scholarships can't throw a freakin' strike. And how did Paul Young survive making the roster on this team? He is really useless for any meaningful situation and we could have cut him and kept Luke Reynolds and been much better off. I mean if we get one more infielder hurt at this point then we are going to be up a really messy creek.

[engie]

Again he makes some decisions that are inexcusable.
If they are "inexcusable" -- then you want him fired. Period. Otherwise they are not inexcusable.


Why can't we avoid those that even the average baseball person knows is stupid. We got a guy loose in the third just because we want a guy that can spin it in the game if we get the chance? You agree with that shit? Take out our 1b? I know you know baseball because you've told us. I can't believe you would think that's remotely a good call.
I don't remember calling it a good call.


I got another one...what happens if Lowe gets hurt in the 5th and has to come out...what do we do then?
I dunno. A baseball idiot would probably put the guy there that played quite a few games there while Rea was out last year. But we'd be up shit creek without a 1B for sure*

[I seen it dawg]

People are totally losing their minds about one loss that they blame on the coach. When did they last spend so much time and effort praising his(exact same) decisions that turn to gold?

There's no balance to it. That is my actual problem. It's all negative all the time. All freak outs all the time. The positive is ignored.

It's not even actual baseball discussion anymore. It's a shitshow about who can bitch the most.

People freak out about him bunting in a lay up game in the midweek. I post that it's the perfect time to work on bunting guys that normally wouldn't and would probably translate to helping us. Gavin Collins lays one down for a hit the following weekend. I bump the thread. The thread gets locked within 5 minutes without explanation. No one wants to talk about it when it works and they had just looked like a donkey. They just want all that to go away quietly.

My bottom line is the positive GREATLY outweighs the negative this year. So, yeah -- maybe he cost us that game. You can certainly argue it and make a compelling case. So what? He has won us more than he's lost us this season -- and not just barely. The team is outplaying their talent level. This team is outplaying the talent level of ANY MSU baseball team of the last(at least) 19 years. And I stopped at that number because I remember the 97 team being the real deal, but do not remember the exact extent of it. Just remember it being the 94 class all grown up and what should have been the final Polk swan song. Literally the best team entering May in the minds of all the people around the country responsible for polls since before I was even seriously thinking about actually driving a vehicle. And 90+% of the posts and thoughts on the matter are negative and bitching about how big of idiot he is. It does not compute.

The move that cost the game was little league. Why do it. Cut those moves out. That's the argument.

[engie]

Stop making little league coaching moves once a week, and you might get more big league praise. It ain't that difficult to comprehend.

Oh, and just bc engie says he gets no praise, doesn't make it true. Cohen gets praise when he makes good calls, and criticism when he makes bad ones. Ever thought maybe YOU are the one that is only capable of focusing on the criticisms he gets? Hmm.

Naturally it's just me. Of course. You are just a singing his praises all over the place. You knew this would be a host team competing for the SEC West and a National Seed all along. You have been singing his praises. How dare I consider otherwise.

Maybe I'm just tired of defending the guy that has us in the midst of the best season any of us clearly remember -- that many of you were ready to run off 2 months ago. And prettymuch 7 innings ago.

[CadaverDawg]

My bottom line is the positive GREATLY outweighs the negative this year. So, yeah -- maybe he cost us that game. You can certainly argue it and make a compelling case.

Then maybe instead of commenting in a "Game thread" today, and discussing "today's" games....you should just come back and chat after the season. You jumped in with your bullshit during a GAME THREAD today where people discuss today's games. You just admitted that we are all right, so if you want to just high five about the ranking, create a thread and do it. As for us, we want to discuss today's games...and like you said, Cohen blew it today...so why are you here bitching, again?

Truth is, you're only bringing up the record & ranking because we're all correct in our frustrations with Cohen. Now you want to spin it into, "I just think the good outweighs the bad, & we're #5, & no MSU team has been this good in years, etc", but the thing is, nobody is arguing or debating that, and nobody has said The good doesn't outweigh the bad or any of that shit. We all know that. Doesn't mean we can't criticize him when he screws up, or that we can only discuss the good stuff he does. If you can't handle people calling stupid moves "stupid moves", then don't participate.

[I seen it dawg]

Better yet Engie you are exactly like Cohen. You know more than anybody else on baseball. **** it I'll bite..give me this team and you the same and I beat your ass 8 out of 10 times . At least it's not as bad as your boy will James who I beat 10 out of 10.

[CadaverDawg]

Naturally it's just me. Of course. You are just a singing his praises all over the place. You knew this would be a host team competing for the SEC West and a National Seed all along. How dare I consider otherwise. Should probably be the #1 team in the country if he wasn't such an idiot. You're right.

Changing the subject. Putting words in people's mouth. Again.

Just pointing it out.

It's ok to admit you're wrong every now & then, eng. May be surprised at the response.

[messageboardsuperhero]

People are totally losing their minds about one loss that they blame on the coach. When did they last spend so much time and effort praising his(exact same) decisions that turn to gold?

There's no balance to it. That is my actual problem. It's all negative all the time. All freak outs all the time. The positive is ignored.

It's not even actual baseball discussion anymore. It's a shitshow about who can bitch the most.

People freak out about him bunting in a lay up game in the midweek. I post that it's the perfect time to work on bunting guys that normally wouldn't and would probably translate to helping us. Gavin Collins lays one down for a hit the following weekend. I bump the thread. The thread gets locked within 5 minutes without explanation. No one wants to talk about it when it works and they had just looked like a donkey. They just want all that to go away quietly.

My bottom line is the positive GREATLY outweighs the negative this year. So, yeah -- maybe he cost us that game. You can certainly argue it and make a compelling case. So what? He has won us more than he's lost us this season -- and not just barely. The team is outplaying their talent level. This team is outplaying the talent level of ANY MSU baseball team of the last(at least) 19 years. And I stopped at that number because I remember the 97 team being the real deal, but do not remember the exact extent of it. Just remember it being the 94 class all grown up and what should have been the final Polk swan song. Literally the best team entering May in the minds of all the people around the country responsible for polls since before I was even seriously thinking about actually driving a vehicle. And 90+% of the posts and thoughts on the matter are negative and bitching about how big of idiot he is. It does not compute.

Funny how these people disappeared in the second inning when Cohen called the hit and run that kept us out of the double play and allowed us to score the second (and what would prove to be game-winning) run... I figured to get some positive feedback from this post in the game thread, but I guess not:


Give him credit- Cohen pulled all the right strings in that second inning.

Also, I must have missed the praise when Cohen called the hit and run in the ninth inning of Thursday's game that started the rally... Or the Robson bunt in the ninth inning of game one today that forced an error and allowed us to take the lead in the first place?

If you're going to criticize him for bad calls (which taking Sexton out was obviously), then you also have to give him credit when things go right.

[engie]

The move that cost the game was little league. Why do it. Cut those moves out. That's the argument.

So your suggestion is to just do it by the book. Correct?

Ok.

In doing that -- over the course of a season does that team win at/above/or below their talent level?

By asking him to coach chalk -- in this season specifically -- on the subject you have already agreed on(that this team is winning above it's talent level overall) -- you are actually asking him to win less. You want to look at a single specific situation but that's not what a season is. A season is what the sum of the single situations add up to. It's prettymuch like a lib seeing a single situation and figuring out how to fix it -- while ignoring the net effect that act of "fixing" caused.

You can say the move was stupid. Maybe it was. Maybe it cost us a game. But we are still dealing with a constant talent level here. It's still a balance. You don't get to "correct the dumb coaching and therefore play that much more above your actual talent level". The scale doesn't tilt like that. The act of cutting out these "dumb" coaching moves that everyone is freaking out about also cuts out all of the unorthodox ones he makes that turn to gold. Literally the only difference between the two is the execution of the player in the situation they are exposed to. And his methods have resulted in a net positive on the season this year.

Look -- I know you know baseball. Ok. But we already fundamentally disagreed on the way the team can and should be built personality-wise -- especially a John Cohen coached team -- and I don't see any way we are going to agree on this part either.

[engie]

Funny how these people disappeared in the second inning when Cohen called the hit and run that kept us out of the double play and allowed us to score the second (and what would prove to be game-winning) run... I figured to get some positive feedback from this post in the game thread, but I guess not:



Also, I must have missed the praise when Cohen called the hit and run in the ninth inning of Thursday's game that started the rally... Or the Robson bunt in the ninth inning of game one today that forced an error and allowed us to take the lead in the first place?

If you're going to criticize him for bad calls (which taking Sexton out was obviously), then you also have to give him credit when things go right.

Exactly my point. Along with the idea that alot more of those decisions are going right this year than are going wrong.

[engie]

Better yet Engie you are exactly like Cohen. You know more than anybody else on baseball. **** it I'll bite..give me this team and you the same and I beat your ass 8 out of 10 times . At least it's not as bad as your boy will James who I beat 10 out of 10.

Lay off the bottle. You are a legend in your own mind that hasn't done jack shit other than misjudge this team from the very beginning.

[engie]

Changing the subject. Putting words in people's mouth. Again.

Just pointing it out.

It's ok to admit you're wrong every now & then, eng. May be surprised at the response.

What was I wrong about again?

[Todd4State]

Billingsley has 1 pitch, and never should have come in bc Sexton shouldn't have been pulled. Plus, you just talked Blake Smith and how many pitches he threw last game...but Bullingsley threw a bunch Wednesday. And again, you bring in a guy that they Know throws 1 pitch well, to face a guy that is hitting a buck fifty? Why? i don't dislike Billingsley, he just shouldn't have been brought in there.

And again, it was about the crucial spot we were in. You don't **** around with experiments in that spot. You just don't.

Ummm....it's Saturday. Billingsley last pitched on Tuesday. He has had more than adequate time to recover. Yes Billingsley has one pitch- but per Cohen the scouting report said to throw Hanie a guy with spin. We did and Billingsley left the ball up.

And Cohen touched on why he took Sexton out saying that in a double header the fifth inning is like the seventh inning. I don't necessarily agree with him about taking Sexton out but at least there is some reasoning behind his madness. The thing I disagree with you the most about is Billingsley being an "experiment". He's not. You're acting like he is some random walk on that he just threw out there. That just isn't the case.

This is one of those things where if it works out no one says anything. And even then Billingsley didn't cost us the game because we got the lead later and our other guys blew it. Including at least one of the guys you said we should have thrown.

[Todd4State]

And to add I looked it up and Billingsley has appeared in 11 games this year. That's one more than Pilkington. Including three SEC games not including the Governor's Cup.

[Schultzy]

I watched the first game of the double header and Sexton was visibly pissed about getting yanked, it looked like he was chewing mini-me out right there on the mound.

But we walked 10 in that game because of incompetent umpiring, very inconsistent and he squeezed the zone big time. You could see the frustration on our pitchers faces and the tv announcers made reference to it as well.

[I seen it dawg]

So your suggestion is to just do it by the book. Correct?

Ok.

In doing that -- over the course of a season does that team win at/above/or below their talent level?

By asking him to coach chalk -- in this season specifically -- on the subject you have already agreed on(that this team is winning above it's talent level overall) -- you are actually asking him to win less. You want to look at a single specific situation but that's not what a season is. A season is what the sum of the single situations add up to. It's prettymuch like a lib seeing a single situation and figuring out how to fix it -- while ignoring the net effect that act of "fixing" caused.

You can say the move was stupid. Maybe it was. Maybe it cost us a game. But we are still dealing with a constant talent level here. It's still a balance. You don't get to "correct the dumb coaching and therefore play that much more above your actual talent level". The scale doesn't tilt like that. The act of cutting out these "dumb" coaching moves that everyone is freaking out about also cuts out all of the unorthodox ones he makes that turn to gold. Literally the only difference between the two is the execution of the player in the situation they are exposed to. And his methods have resulted in a net positive on the season this year.

Look -- I know you know baseball. Ok. But we already fundamentally disagreed on the way the team can and should be built personality-wise -- especially a John Cohen coached team -- and I don't see any way we are going to agree on this part either.

Thru all the vitriole and essays you still aren't getting what I've been saying bc I guess you are incapable. I've said he gets credit for the good decisions and I'm not bashing him for for the ones that don't work. Not all of them do that's baseball. I'm screaming about the so obviously stupid ones that no little league coach would do that why do we have to do them. Just to be unorthodox? Well that's stupid. Hitting Gordon, taking out Sexton those are stupid so don't do it. Those are the going for it on 4th and 28 in 2nd quarter on your own 10 bc it might work 1/100 times. I'm not ripping him for calling or not calling a hit and run which you want to run your entire genius narrative from.

You won't get it so I'm done. You know way more about it than everybody else anyway.

[I seen it dawg]

Lay off the bottle. You are a legend in your own mind that hasn't done jack shit other than misjudge this team from the very beginning.

No legend here. Not in the bottle either. I also haven't judged this team yet bc the season isn't over. For being such a great and the best baseball mind on the board you have an extremely obtuse view. Which in baseball makes you just arrogant which means you aren't as hotshit about the game as you think you are. But I know you played so I'll give you a little more credit than blackout, but not much. You're the other end of the spectrum from that posters mentality. You know enough to think you know it all.

[engie]

Thru all the vitriole and essays you still aren't getting what I've been saying bc I guess you are incapable. I've said he gets credit for the good decisions and I'm not bashing him for for the ones that don't work. Not all of them do that's baseball. I'm screaming about the so obviously stupid ones that no little league coach would do that why do we have to do them. Just to be unorthodox? Well that's stupid. Hitting Gordon, taking out Sexton those are stupid so don't do it. Those are the going for it on 4th and 28 in 2nd quarter on your own 10 bc it might work 1/100 times. I'm not ripping him for calling or not calling a hit and run which you want to run your entire genius narrative from.

You won't get it so I'm done. You know way more about it than everybody else anyway.

I "get" it. It's just bullshit. It's a handful of you thinking that "he's just being unorthodox for the sake of it -- we understand baseball better than him -- he's a moron". That's what YOU don't get. He's not making moves to try and lose games just to be able to say at the end of the day that he didn't do it by the book. He's making moves to try and win games. The motivation aspect of the moves is important even if you still think they are stupid. And rather than spending your time here telling everyone how big of idiot he is -- listening to an occasional post game press conference would show that he's generally got pretty good answers for the reasons he makes his moves even when people disagree with them. You disagree with the moves(but only when they don't work). I get it. I still think Cody Brown should be our every day right fielder too -- and Reid Humphreys is a .240 hitter that should never get an AB against a RHP**. Another viewpoint that Cohen has caught everliving hell from you about for well over half a season -- that has been completely abandoned and forgotten now that stats are bearing out that he's been right all along.

Another football example that isn't even close to the same thing -- but fine. When Gordon becomes this year's Porter as a pinch hitter in the stretch run with a couple of big hits for us when we need a ball mashed(you already forgot about the games he's won us in the role THIS YEAR in the role) -- you can ignore it -- lock it without comment -- and move on to the next topic for meltdown. I already know you will.

[engie]

No legend here. Not in the bottle either. I also haven't judged this team yet bc the season isn't over. For being such a great and the best baseball mind on the board you have an extremely obtuse view. Which in baseball makes you just arrogant which means you aren't as hotshit about the game as you think you are. But I know you played so I'll give you a little more credit than blackout, but not much. You're the other end of the spectrum from that posters mentality. You know enough to think you know it all.

Every single word of that can be used to describe you as well. It's funny that you actually said it.

[I seen it dawg]

I "get" it. It's just bullshit. It's a handful of you thinking that "he's just being unorthodox for the sake of it -- we understand baseball better than him -- he's a moron". That's what YOU don't get. He's not making moves to try and lose games just to be able to say at the end of the day that he didn't do it by the book. He's making moves to try and win games. The motivation aspect of the moves is important even if you still think they are stupid. And rather than spending your time here telling everyone how big of idiot he is -- listening to an occasional post game press conference would show that he's generally got pretty good answers for the reasons he makes his moves even when people disagree with them. You disagree with the moves(but only when they don't work). I get it. I still think Cody Brown should be our every day right fielder too -- and Reid Humphreys is a .240 hitter that should never get an AB against a RHP**. Another viewpoint that Cohen has caught everliving hell from you about for well over half a season -- that has been completely abandoned and forgotten now that stats are bearing out that he's been right all along.

Another football example that isn't even close to the same thing -- but fine. When Gordon becomes this year's Porter as a pinch hitter in the stretch run with a couple of big hits for us when we need a ball mashed(you already forgot about the games he's won us in the role THIS YEAR in the role) -- you can ignore it -- lock it without comment -- and move on to the next topic for meltdown. I already know you will.

I've already said Hump made the adjustments he would have to make as I said he would have to do or he should never play, therefore yes I haven't talked about it anymore. I've also said Cody stinks at this point and others have surpassed him and now he shouldn't play, therefore yes I abandoned that. No absolutes in baseball.

Gordon hasn't been to the plate on a weekend in what a month? So now he's gonna be Porter? If he continues the next 3 weekends to get consistent PH abs then maybe so bc we need a power threat off the bench and he should be that guy. But with our injury issues right now hard to just do some #engieing and roll a PH out in the 5th inning in the hopes he runs into a solo shot.

Dude you generalize my opinions as if I'm some guy that gripes about Cohen calling a bunt but when it gets thrown into right field say how great it was. Don't be stupid I had held your opinions in more regard.

#engieing

[I seen it dawg]

And don't be a moron I know he's not making moves to try and lose games. But there damn sure a few that looking back at them he should think he was.

#engieing

[I seen it dawg]

Every single word of that can be used to describe you as well. It's funny that you actually said it.

I don't know it all...just more than you

[CadaverDawg]

And to add I looked it up and Billingsley has appeared in 11 games this year. That's one more than Pilkington. Including three SEC games not including the Governor's Cup.

Come on, Todd. Billingsley has one good outing in his career vs an SEC team....and that came this past week vs Ole Miss. You really gonna compare that to experience starting against USM, @Florida, A&M, @LSU? Don't be ridiculous.

Cohen & Wes fell in love with Billingsley over 1 outing, so they went to the well too soon and got cute yesterday, when they should have let Sexton roll. It was what it was. Why even defend it?

I don't give a shit what Billingsley did midweek vs OM....that 1 good outing doesn't mean he bypasses all of the other bullpen guys that have proven more than once that they can do a job in SEC play. I said it when we were making the change, and I still believe it....that was nothing but overreacting to a good midweek appearance by Cohen & Wes, & it never should have happened. You either leave in Sexton, or bring in Rigby, Brown, Houston, etc.

Y'all need to quit stating the obvious that people deserve chances, and they looked good last outing, etc....and look at the damn situation in the game. You don't put a guy into a 2-1 game/2-2 game on the road, in a series clincher, with a National Seed on the line, bc he deserves a chance or bc he had a good midweek outing or looked good for the first time in his career last game. You want to put them in during the 12-5 lead Thurs night? Fine. But you don't trot Billingsley or Ethan Small out there in a huge spot when they've shown zero consistency in their careers, and you have some guys with big game experience available (like the guy that never should have come off the mound).

That's all I'm saying. It's being spun into a different argument, so I'm trying to keep it on track here. And comparing Billingsley to Pilk at this point is just silly. I'm actually shocked you even went there, bc you seem to "get it". That was an engie comment where you say something you don't even believe, just to try & keep from acknowledging that my point is valid.

If you think bringing in Billingsley & Small & Young into a tight SEC game that could have gotten us a sweep & a Nat. Seed, that's your opinion. But I firmly disagree. Sexton, Rigby, Brown, Houston, Smith, would have all been (left in) put in before Billingsley, Small, or Young. Not bc I don't like the last 3, or bc I don't think they can be good (they can, except Young)...just bc they haven't earned that spot, or proven they are ready for that spot, yet. Hell it took Pilkington weeks of starting midweek & looking good before we let him attempt a Sunday start that started 0-0 with 9 innings to play....yet you are wanting to bring Billingskey into a 2-1 game in the last innings of an SEC series clincher with a 2 strike count & the tying run in scoring position bc he had one eye opening appearance midweek? Makes no sense. And it was proven when he didn't deliver. That was a bad decision by Cohen. And then he doubled down with Small and Young, and even Cyr. Just got too cute, again.

[engie]

I've already said Hump made the adjustments he would have to make as I said he would have to do or he should never play, therefore yes I haven't talked about it anymore. I've also said Cody stinks at this point and others have surpassed him and now he shouldn't play, therefore yes I abandoned that. No absolutes in baseball.

Gordon hasn't been to the plate on a weekend in what a month? So now he's gonna be Porter? If he continues the next 3 weekends to get consistent PH abs then maybe so bc we need a power threat off the bench and he should be that guy. But with our injury issues right now hard to just do some #engieing and roll a PH out in the 5th inning in the hopes he runs into a solo shot.

Dude you generalize my opinions as if I'm some guy that gripes about Cohen calling a bunt but when it gets thrown into right field say how great it was. Don't be stupid I had held your opinions in more regard.

#engieing

Obviously not -- you would beat me head to head with the same team 8 out of 10 and all.

I simply disagree that using a PH at that point puts us in a bind. Holland played a lot of first last year. Hump had practiced there. Collins had practiced there. It's not a position that you have to play every day for the team to not be totally screwed by needing you over there for an inning or two.

But this type of post is all I'm asking for. I'll leave it alone and still continue to respect your baseball opinion. At least until we drop game one against Mizzou and all hell breaks loose.

[engie]

I don't know it all...just more than you

Of course. You've proven it by bringing up all the stuff I've gotten wrong either in prediction or analysis about the team this year. If you dig hard enough -- maybe there is actually something out there to be found.

[Taog Redloh]

Of course. You've proven it by bringing up all the stuff I've gotten wrong either in prediction or analysis about the team this year. If you dig hard enough -- maybe there is actually something out there to be found.

Engie you and Cohen both do value statistical this/that a little too much for my taste. These guys are correct that Cohen needs to quit making so many decisions based on numbers. But you are also right that they simply never give the man praise for his countless good decisions.

You do realize that an ego fight on a message board is usually won by the moderator though, right?

[engie]

You do realize that an ego fight on a message board is usually won by the moderator though, right?

Goat pls

[basedog]

Main thing, we won 2 out of 3, we might, could or maybe catch or pass the Aggies for the West title. We also might, could or maybe host for a Super Regional. Cohen might, could or maybe be the Sec COY.

Point being we all should be ok with where we are right now as we are heading down the stretch and playing pretty good baseball. We look great winning, we look bad losing, we get some luck winning, we get bad luck losing, we make good strategy moves, we make bad strategy moves. So in saying all of this, ain't it fun when we are ranked so high and the national media is giving us the "IT"?

Let's turn the page on the second game lost Saturday, things look much better the rest of the Sec schedule.

[Taog Redloh]

Goat pls

Not sure what you mean here. Are you saying you are too important to be banned?

[baseballfan]

So much focus on the pitching. Bottom line we were playing Alabama. We had 3 hits in the last game. 7 hits in the 2nd game. Now what is the true problem?

[CadaverDawg]

So much focus on the pitching. Bottom line we were playing Alabama. We had 3 hits in the last game. 7 hits in the 2nd game. Now what is the true problem?

Alabama has one of the best pitching staffs in the SEC. And realistically, 7 inning games only make their staff stronger. I'm not worried about our bats too much, we scored 12 in game 1.

[baseballfan]

Come on, Todd. Billingsley has one good outing in his career vs an SEC team....and that came this past week vs Ole Miss. You really gonna compare that to experience starting against USM, @Florida, A&M, @LSU? Don't be ridiculous.

Cohen & Wes fell in love with Billingsley over 1 outing, so they went to the well too soon and got cute yesterday, when they should have let Sexton roll. It was what it was. Why even defend it?

I don't give a shit what Billingsley did midweek vs OM....that 1 good outing doesn't mean he bypasses all of the other bullpen guys that have proven more than once that they can do a job in SEC play. I said it when we were making the change, and I still believe it....that was nothing but overreacting to a good midweek appearance by Cohen & Wes, & it never should have happened. You either leave in Sexton, or bring in Rigby, Brown, Houston, etc.

Y'all need to quit stating the obvious that people deserve chances, and they looked good last outing, etc....and look at the damn situation in the game. You don't put a guy into a 2-1 game/2-2 game on the road, in a series clincher, with a National Seed on the line, bc he deserves a chance or bc he had a good midweek outing or looked good for the first time in his career last game. You want to put them in during the 12-5 lead Thurs night? Fine. But you don't trot Billingsley or Ethan Small out there in a huge spot when they've shown zero consistency in their careers, and you have some guys with big game experience available (like the guy that never should have come off the mound).

That's all I'm saying. It's being spun into a different argument, so I'm trying to keep it on track here. And comparing Billingsley to Pilk at this point is just silly. I'm actually shocked you even went there, bc you seem to "get it". That was an engie comment where you say something you don't even believe, just to try & keep from acknowledging that my point is valid.

If you think bringing in Billingsley & Small & Young into a tight SEC game that could have gotten us a sweep & a Nat. Seed, that's your opinion. But I firmly disagree. Sexton, Rigby, Brown, Houston, Smith, would have all been (left in) put in before Billingsley, Small, or Young. Not bc I don't like the last 3, or bc I don't think they can be good (they can, except Young)...just bc they haven't earned that spot, or proven they are ready for that spot, yet. Hell it took Pilkington weeks of starting midweek & looking good before we let him attempt a Sunday start that started 0-0 with 9 innings to play....yet you are wanting to bring Billingskey into a 2-1 game in the last innings of an SEC series clincher with a 2 strike count & the tying run in scoring position bc he had one eye opening appearance midweek? Makes no sense. And it was proven when he didn't deliver. That was a bad decision by Cohen. And then he doubled down with Small and Young, and even Cyr. Just got too cute, again.


My how soon we forget. Small struck out the side at #1 Florida and Georgia when starting an inning. Look at the strength and is it the right way

[CadaverDawg]

My how soon we forget. Small struck out the side at #1 Florida and Georgia when starting an inning. Look at the strength and is it the right way

Far more bad appearances than good. And even in good outings, he showed little control. So you bring him in with a 2-0 count in a tight game? Horrendous decision. Glad that wasn't the spot that beat us, or Cohen would be catching tremendous hell from our fans.

Winning 2 out of 3 on the road is huge. It just eats at you when you're 2 outs from a road sweep and making the road to a Natl. Seed much easier. We can still get it done. I think we have an excellent shot at sweeping Mizzou & Auburn....Arkansas will be tough. They're playing well right now suddenly

[Todd4State]

Come on, Todd. Billingsley has one good outing in his career vs an SEC team....and that came this past week vs Ole Miss. You really gonna compare that to experience starting against USM, @Florida, A&M, @LSU? Don't be ridiculous.

Cohen & Wes fell in love with Billingsley over 1 outing, so they went to the well too soon and got cute yesterday, when they should have let Sexton roll. It was what it was. Why even defend it?

I don't give a shit what Billingsley did midweek vs OM....that 1 good outing doesn't mean he bypasses all of the other bullpen guys that have proven more than once that they can do a job in SEC play. I said it when we were making the change, and I still believe it....that was nothing but overreacting to a good midweek appearance by Cohen & Wes, & it never should have happened. You either leave in Sexton, or bring in Rigby, Brown, Houston, etc.

Y'all need to quit stating the obvious that people deserve chances, and they looked good last outing, etc....and look at the damn situation in the game. You don't put a guy into a 2-1 game/2-2 game on the road, in a series clincher, with a National Seed on the line, bc he deserves a chance or bc he had a good midweek outing or looked good for the first time in his career last game. You want to put them in during the 12-5 lead Thurs night? Fine. But you don't trot Billingsley or Ethan Small out there in a huge spot when they've shown zero consistency in their careers, and you have some guys with big game experience available (like the guy that never should have come off the mound).

That's all I'm saying. It's being spun into a different argument, so I'm trying to keep it on track here. And comparing Billingsley to Pilk at this point is just silly. I'm actually shocked you even went there, bc you seem to "get it". That was an engie comment where you say something you don't even believe, just to try & keep from acknowledging that my point is valid.

If you think bringing in Billingsley & Small & Young into a tight SEC game that could have gotten us a sweep & a Nat. Seed, that's your opinion. But I firmly disagree. Sexton, Rigby, Brown, Houston, Smith, would have all been (left in) put in before Billingsley, Small, or Young. Not bc I don't like the last 3, or bc I don't think they can be good (they can, except Young)...just bc they haven't earned that spot, or proven they are ready for that spot, yet. Hell it took Pilkington weeks of starting midweek & looking good before we let him attempt a Sunday start that started 0-0 with 9 innings to play....yet you are wanting to bring Billingskey into a 2-1 game in the last innings of an SEC series clincher with a 2 strike count & the tying run in scoring position bc he had one eye opening appearance midweek? Makes no sense. And it was proven when he didn't deliver. That was a bad decision by Cohen. And then he doubled down with Small and Young, and even Cyr. Just got too cute, again.

You are blindly ignoring Billingsley's outings against LSU and Florida where he allowed no runs. It wasn't falling in love with a guy over one performance.

Cohen himself explained why he made the decision and didn't mention anything about Billingsley's midweek performance. You are way off base in your opinion of him and there is mounting evidence against your stance.

You may not agree with taking Sexton out but replacing him with a guy with an ERA of 1.89!pn the year is hardly a bad move if you are going to replace him.

[Todd4State]

http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/16800/stats/bb/2016/plyr_45.htm

These are Billingsley's stats he is and should be one of our main relief pitchers. His ERA is better than Rigby, Houston and comparable to Daniel Brown's relief only appearances. Explain to me why he is undeserving of a role in our bullpen?

[engie]

Not sure what you mean here. Are you saying you are too important to be banned?

I'm saying you are the worst poster in the history of MSU message boards to be giving advice about how to go about arguing with moderators. There is prettymuch no similarity between what always gets you banned and what I'm doing here.

Arguing the positive side is a win/win if you can take the heat when things go wrong. I feel like I've prettymuch worn my blunders over the years. Started threads to call myself a dumb ass on all the major ones. If you are going to approach arguing the way I do, you've got to approach admitting defeat the same way sometimes.

The bottom line is that when the results are better than people expect, they don't mind being wrong so much. It's arguing the negative side and then crowing about being right when people are already pissed off about the on field results that ends in vacations.

And I admit to generally being a sports optimist. It's a decision I made consciously in the last couple of years rather than a thought process I can't escape. My actual life/work is spent as a realist that leans toward pessimism. I can revert to that in my approach to sports just as naturally. But at that point, sports are no different than the real world -- when I actually watch them as an escape from all that.

[I seen it dawg]

Engie you and Cohen both do value statistical this/that a little too much for my taste. These guys are correct that Cohen needs to quit making so many decisions based on numbers. But you are also right that they simply never give the man praise for his countless good decisions.

You do realize that an ego fight on a message board is usually won by the moderator though, right?

Only when morons are involved...about your size shoe

[I seen it dawg]

Not sure what you mean here. Are you saying you are too important to be banned?

Probably saying he's not an idiot. And the fact it's possible to get really heated in a debate without going full retard smashing keyboards.

[Percho]

Of course. You've proven it by bringing up all the stuff I've gotten wrong either in prediction or analysis about the team this year. If you dig hard enough -- maybe there is actually something out there to be found.


I wanted to ask a question and at random choose this post to ask in.

What do you think the balk was that was called and I wonder why no one post game asked Cohen about it?

[Taog Redloh]

Only when morons are involved...about your size shoe

Not that I'm a moron. I just don't respect you. And in your case I am apparently not alone.

[Taog Redloh]

I'm saying you are the worst poster in the history of MSU message boards to be giving advice about how to go about arguing with moderators. There is prettymuch no similarity between what always gets you banned and what I'm doing here.

Arguing the positive side is a win/win if you can take the heat when things go wrong. I feel like I've prettymuch worn my blunders over the years. Started threads to call myself a dumb ass on all the major ones. If you are going to approach arguing the way I do, you've got to approach admitting defeat the same way sometimes.

The bottom line is that when the results are better than people expect, they don't mind being wrong so much. It's arguing the negative side and then crowing about being right when people are already pissed off about the on field results that ends in vacations.

And I admit to generally being a sports optimist. It's a decision I made consciously in the last couple of years rather than a thought process I can't escape. My actual life/work is spent as a realist that leans toward pessimism. I can revert to that in my approach to sports just as naturally. But at that point, sports are no different than the real world -- when I actually watch them as an escape from all that.

You make the mistake of thinking I care. I'm here to call attention to the BS in our fanbase. If I get banned, so be it. But I understand, it's important to you. I'm just trying to spare you the desperate panic you will no doubt experience if you ever were to be banned. In the meantime, continue your whining about how other people don't view Cohen the exact way you should because you guys are elevating above us all on statistically created clouds (that only exist in your heads).

[smootness]

Arguing the positive side is a win/win if you can take the heat when things go wrong. I feel like I've prettymuch worn my blunders over the years. Started threads to call myself a dumb ass on all the major ones. If you are going to approach arguing the way I do, you've got to approach admitting defeat the same way sometimes.

The bottom line is that when the results are better than people expect, they don't mind being wrong so much. It's arguing the negative side and then crowing about being right when people are already pissed off about the on field results that ends in vacations.

And I admit to generally being a sports optimist. It's a decision I made consciously in the last couple of years rather than a thought process I can't escape. My actual life/work is spent as a realist that leans toward pessimism. I can revert to that in my approach to sports just as naturally. But at that point, sports are no different than the real world -- when I actually watch them as an escape from all that.

Slow clap on all of this. For the people who are constantly pessimistic about the teams they 'root' for, I honestly wonder why they even bother.

[Taog Redloh]

Slow clap on all of this. For the people who are constantly pessimistic about the teams they 'root' for, I honestly wonder why they even bother.

You can't understand why MSU sports fans might be a little pessimistic? It's not like most of us chose this shit. 99% of us were born and/or raised in MS or have parents that passed it down.

[smootness]

You can't understand why MSU sports fans might be a little pessimistic? It's not like most of us chose this shit. 99% of us were born and/or raised in MS or have parents that passed it down.

I get why logically you can understand our disadvantages and realize championships will be very hard. I do not get why so many fans (not just State fans, fans of any team anywhere) constantly believe the worst about their teams.

I mean, we have had tons and tons of fans jump all over Cohen and our 'mental midget' players this year and claim things are about to unravel...all while we climb to top 5 in every poll in the country. That's stupid. If you can't enjoy success like this, why pay attention?

[engie]

I wanted to ask a question and at random choose this post to ask in.

What do you think the balk was that was called and I wonder why no one post game asked Cohen about it?

Like the strike zone, it was bs. You've got to overcome that stuff -- but it was a terrible umpired game.

[engie]

Slow clap on all of this. For the people who are constantly pessimistic about the teams they 'root' for, I honestly wonder why they even bother.

I've concluded that they must lead absolutely glorious real lives, and the negativity of their sports opinions balance them out.

[Taog Redloh]

http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/16800/stats/bb/2016/plyr_45.htm

These are Billingsley's stats he is and should be one of our main relief pitchers. His ERA is better than Rigby, Houston and comparable to Daniel Brown's relief only appearances. Explain to me why he is undeserving of a role in our bullpen?

He needs to quit leaving his hook up or good teams are gonna drop bombs, just sayin'. Ole Miss just missed the damn ball. Alabama didn't.