Cole Gordon to start game 1

[CadaverDawg]

Great news

https://i.imgflip.com/1q2jhl.jpg

[Cloak]

Cann keeps on reading ED

[CadaverDawg]

Cann keeps on reading ED

Gotta be*

[I seen it dawg]

Let's roll

[justwin]

Great news

https://i.imgflip.com/1q2jhl.jpg

Cole needs to DH when not pitching. No Poole or Alexander at all from here on out if we have any shot of advancing. Cody at 3b

[MarketingBully]

If our starting pitching duplicates what it did last week, we will be fine. Our biggest problem last week was clutch hitting. The hitting part was fine. We just clammed up with runners in scoring position. If Hattiesburg isn't a big park, I wouldn't mind keeping Vansau in right field and starting Bragg at the DH again and using the lineup we used against Arkansas the second time. That lineup will hit and get us runs. I think we have as good a shot as any to make the supers and I would be perfectly fine with that.

[Dawg61]

Cole needs to DH when not pitching. No Poole or Alexander at all from here on out if we have any shot of advancing. Cody at 3b

Bragg, Gordon can't hit

[BeardoMSU]

Bragg, Gordon can't hit

Sadly, yes. I think the last time Cole got on base was because of a wild pitch k, which also scored the go-ahead run, lol.

[CadaverDawg]

If our starting pitching duplicates what it did last week, we will be fine. Our biggest problem last week was clutch hitting. The hitting part was fine. We just clammed up with runners in scoring position. If Hattiesburg isn't a big park, I wouldn't mind keeping Vansau in right field and starting Bragg at the DH again and using the lineup we used against Arkansas the second time. That lineup will hit and get us runs. I think we have as good a shot as any to make the supers and I would be perfectly fine with that.

Their park is bigger than ours down the lines by 10 feet. So no Vansau. But either way, y'all are nuts if you don't think Poole will start every game in RF after that debacle Vansau displayed out there in the SECT, ha.

Prepare for something like.....

SS Gridley
1B Rooker
CF Mangum
3B Cody
2B Stovall
DH Vansau
LF Macnamee
C Lovelady
RF Poole

And I'm cool with that, just bunt Poole every time and then bunt him some more

[HoopsDawg]

Alright Cole, let's get it.

Whether it works out or not, it's the right move. Way to go Cann.

[Tbonewannabe]

We have to gamble some no matter what so this is the right call.

[basedog]

Their park is bigger than ours down the lines by 10 feet. So no Vansau. But either way, y'all are nuts if you don't think Poole will start every game in RF after that debacle Vansau displayed out there in the SECT, ha.

Prepare for something like.....

SS Gridley
1B Rooker
CF Mangum
3B Cody
2B Stovall
DH Vansau
LF Macnamee
C Lovelady
RF Poole

And I'm cool with that, just bunt Poole every time and then bunt him some more

Ball flies out of the Pete. It may be longer down the lines but it's a hitters park.

[Homedawg]

Cole needs to DH when not pitching. No Poole or Alexander at all from here on out if we have any shot of advancing. Cody at 3b
Did you forget the sarcastrics? Why? He can't hit and can't run. Stupid idea.

[Homedawg]

Bragg, Gordon can't hit

No just no.

[Homedawg]

Ball flies out of the Pete. It may be longer down the lines but it's a hitters park.

This is correct!!

[msstate7]

I think you try Alexander at 3b again Friday. For all his struggles in sec play, he hit ok OOC.

[CadaverDawg]

Ball flies out of the Pete. It may be longer down the lines but it's a hitters park.

I know, which is even more reason not to have Vansau in RF.

[CadaverDawg]

I think you try Alexander at 3b again Friday. For all his struggles in sec play, he hit ok OOC.

Won't be surprised if we do

[msstate7]

I know, which is even more reason not to have Vansau in RF.

I love that dude's bat, but he's an adventure for sure in the field. I don't wanna see him wearing a glove any more this season

[preachermatt83]

Alright Cole, let's get it.

Whether it works out or not, it's the right move. Way to go Cann.

Amen!!

[CadaverDawg]

I love that dude's bat, but he's an adventure for sure in the field. I don't wanna see him wearing a glove any more this season

I'm with you. Dude can rake though. Gotta be in the lineup at DH

[Homedawg]

I know, which is even more reason not to have Vansau in RF.

So who at this point do you want??

[msstate7]

So who at this point do you want??

Not CD, but I want...

Mangum
Gridley
Rooker
Cody -- LF
Stovall
Macnamee -- rf
Vansau -- dh
Lovelady
Alexander -- 3b

I realize order probably isn't changing at top, so I'd be happy with the above 9 in any order

[Homedawg]

I'm with you. Dude can rake though. Gotta be in the lineup at DH

Hes 1000 times better than Reid Humphrey's was out there. And that's the truth. We can either give something up at third or give something up in right. We can't have both w this team.

[MarketingBully]

Not CD, but I want...

Mangum
Gridley
Rooker
Cody -- LF
Stovall
Macnamee -- rf
Vansau -- dh
Lovelady
Alexander -- 3b

I can live with that. It's pick your poison with Alexander and Poole. They are basically hitting equally as shittily.

[Homedawg]

Not CD, but I want...

Mangum
Gridley
Rooker
Cody -- LF
Stovall
Macnamee -- rf
Vansau -- dh
Lovelady
Alexander -- 3b

I realize order probably isn't changing at top, so I'd be happy with the above 9 in any order


I like rooker 2nd. He has the most protection before and after that this lineup can provide.

[CadaverDawg]

So who at this point do you want??

Gotta be Poole unless you put Mac in RF & Cody in LF & LA at 3rd. Have no choice but to have a weak link in the batting order. Gotta decide on Poole or LA

[msstate7]

I like rooker 2nd. He has the most protection before and after that this lineup can provide.

Rooker has mashed in the 2-hole, so I'm certainly fine with him there. I don't like mangum at all behind him though... why pitch to rooker when the guy on deck is essentially just a singles hitter? Rather have gridley or Cody 3 if rooker is 2

[Homedawg]

Here's what's funny, half the people that were begging for Gordon to start were the same half that 2 weeks ago said he wasn't an sec pitcher and need him to hit. Which, he clearly can't do!!

[Homedawg]

Rooker has mashed in the 2-hole, so I'm certainly fine with him there. I don't like mangum at all behind him though... why pitch to rooker when the guy on deck is essentially just a singles hitter? Rather have gridley or Cody 3 if rooker is 2

Cause gridley is more patient and more likely to draw a walk in front of rooker. And gridley is hardly mr power. Mangum is the better hitter. That's not a question.
Eta, I love Cody love him. But rooker will see a way worse diet of pitches behind him as opposed to jake.

[msstate7]

Here's what's funny, half the people that were begging for Gordon to start were the same half that 2 weeks ago said he wasn't an sec pitcher and need him to hit. Which, he clearly can't do!!

I feel better about him than I did last week. Truth be told though, I'm nervous about every pitcher we have but self and pilk.

[Homedawg]

Gotta be Poole unless you put Mac in RF & Cody in LF & LA at 3rd. Have no choice but to have a weak link in the batting order. Gotta decide on Poole or LA

Correct one or the other, la or Poole. Pick your poison.

[Homedawg]

I feel better about him than I did last week. Truth be told though, I'm nervous about every pitcher we have but self and pilk.

Of course you do.... But that name has moved 9 times in 10 weeks. We are who we are. I don't have. Problem w what cann did, he has more info than me. But I'd start Pilk. Have to win both game one and game 2. Doesn't matter if you don't. Plus Pilk can't come back for an inning on Monday of we make it that far starting him on sat. W that said if we lose game one you do not start Pilk in game two unless usm got upset.

[CadaverDawg]

Here's what's funny, half the people that were begging for Gordon to start were the same half that 2 weeks ago said he wasn't an sec pitcher and need him to hit. Which, he clearly can't do!!

Things change. Why are you trying to look down on everybody here as if everything said that isn't exactly how you would say or do it, they're idiots?

Although anybody wanting Gordon to hit at this point is def not bright.

[Dawg61]

Poole can not hit at all, he's awful. Do we not have anybody on our bench that can swing a ****ing bat? What about one of our 10 pitchers out with TJ surgery, can't hurt your TJ swinging a bat last I checked. I am not even joking that's how bad Poole is at hitting and Gordon is only slightly better.

[CadaverDawg]

Poole can not hit at all, he's awful. Do we not have anybody on our bench that can swing a ****ing bat? What about one of our 10 pitchers out with TJ surgery, can't hurt your TJ swinging a bat last I checked. I am not even joking that's how bad Poole is at hitting and Gordon is only slightly better.

It's about having to choose btwn Poole in RF, or LA at 3B. Vansau looked like a chicken with its' head cut off in RF, so we can't risk that in the outfield just to have a better bat in the lineup, in my opinion.

[Dawg61]

It's about having to choose btwn Poole in RF, or LA at 3B. Vansau looked like a chicken with its' head cut off in RF, so we can't risk that in the outfield just to have a better bat in the lineup, in my opinion.

Bragg should be an option imo, he is hitting .280 and has some pop (2 HR) in limited ABs this year

[CadaverDawg]

Bragg should be an option imo, he is hitting .280 and has some pop (2 HR) in limited ABs this year

Not saying you're wrong, but I think that ship has sailed

[confucius say]

I'll go on record now as saying I like Gordon first then Pilk if we win Game 1. Even if we lose Game 1, this gives us the best shot to win the regional.

If you don't like it, say so now.

[msstate7]

I'll go on record now as saying I like Gordon first then Pilk if we win Game 1. Even if we lose Game 1, this gives us the best shot to win the regional.

If you don't like it, say so now.

I'll let you know what I think Friday night around 9 pm**

I wanted to save pilk the second I knew we were playing USA and their ace is less than dominating

[CadaverDawg]

I'll go on record now as saying I like Gordon first then Pilk if we win Game 1. Even if we lose Game 1, this gives us the best shot to win the regional.

If you don't like it, say so now.

I agree, although now that I'm hearing how many LH hitters USA has, I'm not getting warm & fuzzy about that game. But I still think Gordon then Pilk is our only shot at winning the Regional.

[Todd4State]

I agree, although now that I'm hearing how many LH hitters USA has, I'm not getting warm & fuzzy about that game. But I still think Gordon then Pilk is our only shot at winning the Regional.

I think this is still the right move. Don't forget that we've defeated USA twice already and most of their runs have come off of guys that I don't expect to be among "the six" guys we will probably use. The one time we lost to them, our position players gave up two of the runs. It also sounds like USM doesn't hit LH pitchers as well as they hit RH pitchers plus if I remember correctly Pilkington pitched pretty well against them last year and he's obviously a lot better now.

It also forces USM to make a decision- do they hold back their ace now? I imagine that if they do it increases the odds that they lose to UIC.

And if it doesn't work out- it doesn't work out. There aren't always cut and dried obvious answers.

[Homedawg]

Things change. Why are you trying to look down on everybody here as if everything said that isn't exactly how you would say or do it, they're idiots?

Although anybody wanting Gordon to hit at this point is def not bright.

Not at all. Just find it amusing that so many stomping their feet raising hell that Gordon sucked 2 weeks ago now think he hung the moon. He didn't suck then and is t a star now. One outing doesn't do that. And I've gone on the record I'd start Pilk, but I trust cann and he's trying to win the dang tournament and this is what he thinks is best. Good for him.

[smootness]

I think this is the right move, but I'm nervous. I'd be surprised if Gordon threw two great starts in a row, but we don't really have another viable option.

I think we need to be prepared to use Self liberally in this regional. I know he hasn't been great himself lately, but he's been our best pitcher all year and we will rely on him to get out of this regional. You feel pretty good about Game 2 now, but Game 1 could be tight.

[Tbonewannabe]

Gordon is still developing so he is going to be more up and down than a lot of pitchers that have concentrated on just pitching. He needs to go somewhere this summer and not ever pick up a bat and start every week on the mound.

[Todd4State]

Not at all. Just find it amusing that so many stomping their feet raising hell that Gordon sucked 2 weeks ago now think he hung the moon. He didn't suck then and is t a star now. One outing doesn't do that. And I've gone on the record I'd start Pilk, but I trust cann and he's trying to win the dang tournament and this is what he thinks is best. Good for him.

No one is saying he's a star but he is capable of beating South Alabama. I find it amusing two days ago you were basically making it sound like I was stupid for suggesting that Gordon should start. And now our baseball coach agrees with me and many others on that as well.

And I've gone on record as saying if it doesn't work it was still the right move to make.

And why is it crazy to think that a player might have two good starts in a row? Especially one against a Sun Belt team? That happens all the time in baseball across all leagues.

[MarketingBully]

Either way with Gordon we should know early if he is on or not. He had his fastball and curve ball working against Florida and got his fastball up to the 91-92 range. If he does that against USA, he will shut them down. This move makes sense IMO and is about the best possible move to win the tournament. When you are only going to use six pitchers total, you have to take chances like this to win the regional.

[Homedawg]

No one is saying he's a star but he is capable of beating South Alabama. I find it amusing two days ago you were basically making it sound like I was stupid for suggesting that Gordon should start. And now our baseball coach agrees with me and many others on that as well.

And I've gone on record as saying if it doesn't work it was still the right move to make.

And why is it crazy to think that a player might have two good starts in a row? Especially one against a Sun Belt team? That happens all the time in baseball across all leagues.

Who said he couldn't have two good starts in a row? Not me. To say I did is absurd. You think we should start Gordon fine. I just said that's not what I would do. Neither you nor I get paid to make any decisions. Cann chose to go w Gordon, I'll support him. I didn't say it wouldn't work. But if we lose Friday, then it didn't. You can't win the first two of you don't win the first. The fact is, this is the hand we've been dealt w injuries and it's a tough club to manage in spots.

[basedog]

All I know is we better hope we clutch hit, Most of our starters except Pilk are usually good one maybe two times thru the order.

South Alabama is a decent club, in a park such as the Pete, a few walks will bite you with the way the ball flies out of that park. I've seen us play down there a bunch and the ball just carries better than most parks.

Throw strikes Cole and get ahead of the batters!

P.S. Hell no to Belmont and Poole batting.

[LC Dawg]

Their park is bigger than ours down the lines by 10 feet. So no Vansau. But either way, y'all are nuts if you don't think Poole will start every game in RF after that debacle Vansau displayed out there in the SECT, ha.

Prepare for something like.....

SS Gridley
1B Rooker
CF Mangum
3B Cody
2B Stovall
DH Vansau
LF Macnamee
C Lovelady
RF Poole

And I'm cool with that, just bunt Poole every time and then bunt him some more

I'd be tempted to move Stovall back to 9th just to have some production from the back of the order. I think it would help extend some innings later in the game and get Rooker more rbi opportunities. Or bat Stovall 3rd and move Mangum to 9 because Mangum doesn't take advantage of batting behind Rooker because he swings at every damn pitch he sees.

[smootness]

Who said he couldn't have two good starts in a row? Not me. To say I did is absurd. You think we should start Gordon fine. I just said that's not what I would do. Neither you nor I get paid to make any decisions. Cann chose to go w Gordon, I'll support him. I didn't say it wouldn't work. But if we lose Friday, then it didn't. You can't win the first two of you don't win the first. The fact is, this is the hand we've been dealt w injuries and it's a tough club to manage in spots.

I'm the one who said it, though I certainly didn't say he couldn't, and I said 'great,' not 'good.' I just said I would be surprised if he had two great starts in a row. Not because it doesn't happen, but because it's Cole Gordon and he's only pitched very well in two games in a row once this year, and he came on in relief in both of them.

I wasn't trying to make any kind of statement, but his track record indicates that we shouldn't expect him to come out and pitch tomorrow like he did against Florida.

[Homedawg]

I'm the one who said it, though I certainly didn't say he couldn't, and I said 'great,' not 'good.' I just said I would be surprised if he had two great starts in a row. Not because it doesn't happen, but because it's Cole Gordon and he's only pitched very well in two games in a row once this year, and he came on in relief in both of them.

I wasn't trying to make any kind of statement, but his track record indicates that we shouldn't expect him to come out and pitch tomorrow like he did against Florida.

I agree with you. And I hope he proves me wrong. But there is a reason we have thrown a different guy as our second starter what seams like every week,.......because nobody has been consistent. Hopefully, we can piece it together and get a win.

[Johnson85]

Who said he couldn't have two good starts in a row? Not me. To say I did is absurd. You think we should start Gordon fine. I just said that's not what I would do. Neither you nor I get paid to make any decisions. Cann chose to go w Gordon, I'll support him. I didn't say it wouldn't work. But if we lose Friday, then it didn't. You can't win the first two of you don't win the first. The fact is, this is the hand we've been dealt w injuries and it's a tough club to manage in spots.

You can't win the first two if you don't win the second either. I just don't get why you would burn your best and only reliable starting pitcher in the first game outside of a matchup consideration based on who is pitching for other teams. If you pitch your second best pitcher and win, you have a better chance of winning the second game with your star pitcher. If you pitch your second best pitcher and lose, you can go with your ace or third best pitcher in your first elimination game and then use the other in the second elimination game (if you make it there) against a team on its third pitcher.

Conversely, if you pitch your ace and then lose the second game, you are on your third pitcher for an elimination game against a team that is presumably on their third pitcher. It seems pretty much exactly the same.

[Tbonewannabe]

I'd be tempted to move Stovall back to 9th just to have some production from the back of the order. I think it would help extend some innings later in the game and get Rooker more rbi opportunities. Or bat Stovall 3rd and move Mangum to 9 because Mangum doesn't take advantage of batting behind Rooker because he swings at every damn pitch he sees.

The only way Mangum doesn't swing is if he physically can't reach the ball.

[I seen it dawg]

Start self

[Todd4State]

Who said he couldn't have two good starts in a row? Not me. To say I did is absurd. You think we should start Gordon fine. I just said that's not what I would do. Neither you nor I get paid to make any decisions. Cann chose to go w Gordon, I'll support him. I didn't say it wouldn't work. But if we lose Friday, then it didn't. You can't win the first two of you don't win the first. The fact is, this is the hand we've been dealt w injuries and it's a tough club to manage in spots.

I didn't say that you did say that and you missed my point. You said one start and people are acting like he's a star. I'm just pointing out he may not be a star and may just be hot right now is all.

[confucius say]

Start self

Hahahaha. You comin around?**

[smootness]

Start self

If only, man. If only.

[Dawg61]

Start self

There not MLB players**

[justwin]

Sadly, yes. I think the last time Cole got on base was because of a wild pitch k, which also scored the go-ahead run, lol.

No, single last AB vs Arkansas in Hoover. Don't confuse feb/march/April Cole to may Cole. He's competing in the box more so than Poole/Luke/Bragg.

[justwin]

Did you forget the sarcastrics? Why? He can't hit and can't run. Stupid idea.

Do not play Poole at all. Do not play Luke at all. You're left with either Bragg or Cole to DH. Cole competed his two abs in Hoover and seems like his confidence is growing

[justwin]

Correct one or the other, la or Poole. Pick your poison.

Neither. Vansau is good enough defender. Those balls hit to him were scuds

[justwin]

All I know is we better hope we clutch hit, Most of our starters except Pilk are usually good one maybe two times thru the order.

South Alabama is a decent club, in a park such as the Pete, a few walks will bite you with the way the ball flies out of that park. I've seen us play down there a bunch and the ball just carries better than most parks.

Throw strikes Cole and get ahead of the batters!

P.S. Hell no to Belmont and Poole batting.
Great post. You have to hit in the postseason to advance and Poole/Luke are incapable