Stupid Friday pitching strategy & 3 of our BEST arms don't see the mound at all!!!

[WSOPdawg]

Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Friday's game should have been Small and evaluate from there. That way you can start France or Riley or Cole on Saturday depending on who was or was not used Friday. Stupid, typical MSU bullshit!!! Thank God Cohen was pissed last night on the radio.

Still proud of the season though, but what could have been had we (Henderson) not shit the bed these last two games.

[msstate7]

I'm not sure france was even available

[TimberBeast]

Any thought I had of keeping Henderson as head coach was gone yesterday in the 2nd inning.

[tcdog70]

Dude half the people on this board were callin for JB to start. He shit the bed not Hendo.

If Roger Clemens was on the mound our 2 runs wouldn't have won shit.

[I seen it dawg]

Thank you. Neff and self don't touch a baseball this wkd. And France too if he was healthy

[TimberBeast]

Dude half the people on this board were callin for JB to start. He shit the bed not Hendo.

Starting him is one thing, leaving him in to get shelled is another.

[maroonmania]

We scored 2 runs in both games. We could have pitched any way we wanted and were still going to lose.

[tcdog70]

Thank you. Neff and self don't touch a baseball this wkd. And France too if he was healthy

So Cole pitching Like Mfer , when would you want them to pitch? James pitched good yesterday. I guess bring in Neff instead of Denver

[KOdawg1]

We scored 2 runs in both games. We could have pitched any way we wanted and were still going to lose.

This. Even with good pitching, we still didn't score enough runs for it to make a difference. Offense is as much to blame if not more

[msstate7]

Thank you. Neff and self don't touch a baseball this wkd. And France too if he was healthy

There were rumors self punched a wall at vandy with pitching hand. He didn't pitch after that debacle. I'm not sure either were available

[The Federalist Engineer]

Starting him is one thing, leaving him in to get shelled is another.

JBs 2nd inning destroyed the contest. A closer game forces more OSU pitching changes in later innings, they just cruised and it possibly hexed our bats

But we only scored 2 runs. You won't beat OSU with 4 runs in two games.

[Maroon Diapers]

We scored 2 runs in both games. We could have pitched any way we wanted and were still going to lose.

Thank you. Honestly, anyone bitching about pitching the last 2 games can shut the **** up. When you can?t get a run across, it doesn?t matter.

[tcdog70]

Starting him is one thing, leaving him in to get shelled is another.

Man you have to have someone warmed up.

[tcdog70]

This. Even with good pitching, we still didn't score enough runs for it to make a difference. Offense is as much to blame if not more

Mac's barely foul homer and His rocket to the 3td baseman for a DP was a killer.

[MetEdDawg]

Honest question. How many of you think we take one game from Oregon State if I told you we would score 4 runs total in both games.

Heart and determination can only take you so far. We found out the stopping point to that over the last 2 days. Oregon State is not only better than us, but they are a lot better than us. They beat us because they are better. Live with it. Accept it. Don't try and blame anyone. They beat us straight up because they are an insanely talented baseball team.

Enjoy the season. We over achieved by a lot. We had a fun run with a lot of ups and downs and in the end this will be one of the seasons we all remember.

[msstate7]

Honest question. How many of you think we take one game from Oregon State if I told you we would score 4 runs total in both games.

Heart and determination can only take you so far. We found out the stopping point to that over the last 2 days. Oregon State is not only better than us, but they are a lot better than us. They beat us because they are better. Live with it. Accept it. Don't try and blame anyone. They beat us straight up because they are an insanely talented baseball team.
Yep. Oklahoma lost to us in Tallahassee the same reason we lost the last 2 days

[BrunswickDawg]

Honest question. How many of you think we take one game from Oregon State if I told you we would score 4 runs total in both games.

Heart and determination can only take you so far. We found out the stopping point to that over the last 2 days. Oregon State is not only better than us, but they are a lot better than us. They beat us because they are better. Live with it. Accept it. Don't try and blame anyone. They beat us straight up because they are an insanely talented baseball team.

Enjoy the season. We over achieved by a lot. We had a fun run with a lot of ups and downs and in the end this will be one of the seasons we all remember.

Having swept Arkansas - I say we ran into the only team in the country better than us. And I hope they kick Arkys ass

[Really Clark?]

Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Friday's game should have been Small and evaluate from there. That way you can start France or Riley or Cole on Saturday depending on who was or was not used Friday. Stupid, typical MSU bullshit!!! Thank God Cohen was pissed last night on the radio.

Still proud of the season though, but what could have been had we (Henderson) not shit the bed these last two games.

Yeah I can?t disagree more. I?ve already stated that Henderson shouldn?t be the guy because of just this run and other reasons. That being said, a lesser more selfish coach pushes the issue that he should be the HC by thinking just getting to the finals is enough. His logic was set up to win the CWS, not just make the finals. That is the right thinking for the players and university. You want to win it. Not just make the finals. Big kudos for him not trying to just make it. And I wonder if he and Cohen had a conversation about Cohen?s trip and how his rotation went and if that did not play into his decision. It didn?t work but I can?t fault his logic if he was looking to set up our pitching to win the finals

[Homedawg]

Yeah I can?t disagree more. I?ve already stated that Henderson shouldn?t be the guy because of just this run and other reasons. That being said, a lesser more selfish coach pushes the issue that he should be the HC by thinking just getting to the finals is enough. His logic was set up to win the CWS, not just make the finals. That is the right thinking for the players and university. You want to win it. Not just make the finals. Big kudos for him not trying to just make it. And I wonder if he and Cohen had a conversation about Cohen?s trip and how his rotation went and if that did not play into his decision. It didn?t work but I can?t fault his logic if he was looking to set up our pitching to win the finals
You can’t win the finals if you don’t make the finals last I checked. But I get it we didn’t score enough runs to ultimately matter

[Liverpooldawg]

Having swept Arkansas - I say we ran into the only team in the country better than us. And I hope they kick Arkys ass

Amen. I don't want the Swine to ever win anything.... unless they are playing the Confederates.

[TXDawg]

Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Friday's game should have been Small and evaluate from there. That way you can start France or Riley or Cole on Saturday depending on who was or was not used Friday. Stupid, typical MSU bullshit!!! Thank God Cohen was pissed last night on the radio.

Still proud of the season though, but what could have been had we (Henderson) not shit the bed these last two games.

Dude, we pitched 8.1 scoreless innings tonight. Pitching wasn’t the problem.

[I seen it dawg]

If you're setting it up to win the finals then you have to start small on Friday so you can get something out of him on tue/wed. You go small on Friday with entire pen ready. Then piece it together for Saturday. Granted we hit like shit but didn't do ourselves any favors starting behind Friday night

[Dawgcap]

I scrolled through and didn’t read anything! Blah ! Blah! Blah! We played a top 2 team in the country and someone is bitching. For any that want to shit on this team or season or them in general I’d be embarrassed! You should just shut the hell up! I’d love a title but we finished top 4. You are an embarrassment to remotely slam this team

[Really Clark?]

You can?t win the finals if you don?t make the finals last I checked. But I get it we didn?t score enough runs to ultimately matter

I understand that thinking but again with our staff you have to think you will have to get a win with a pieced together game. The time to do it is when you are undefeated needing one win to get to the finals. If we had the one loss going into the last two games then you pitch Small last night.

[Dawg61]

We scored a total of 5 runs in 3 games of this CWS. Our bats went totally cold just like 2013 vs UCLA in Ameritrade. We can't hit in this park. We are going to have to have 4 dominant pitchers to ever win a natty. Our bats will shrivel up and die ever year when we get to the fly ball swallowing Ameritrade.

[Todd4State]

I understand that thinking but again with our staff you have to think you will have to get a win with a pieced together game. The time to do it is when you are undefeated needing one win to get to the finals. If we had the one loss going into the last two games then you pitch Small last night.

I agree. Henderson was actually right to start JB. But the problem was he left him in way too long and played for Saturday when he should have gone to France and Gordon who both could have given us four innings and a win.

Arkansas did the same strategy with their starter by starting their three and now they are all set up with a rested staff.

[Dawgcap]

For some of y’all I’d be embarrassed. We were beat tonight and last night by a better team. So tell me how you pitch it better? It’s easy to answer now but guess what you are still probably wrong!

[Really Clark?]

I agree. Henderson was actually right to start JB. But the problem was he left him in way too long and played for Saturday when he should have gone to France and Gordon who both could have given us four innings and a win.

Arkansas did the same strategy with their starter by starting their three and now they are all set up with a rested staff.

I agree as well. I don’t mind letting him come back out, it was a gamble but could have paid off, but had to pull him much sooner than he did.

[Todd4State]

For some of y’all I’d be embarrassed. We were beat tonight and last night by a better team. So tell me how you pitch it better? It’s easy to answer now but guess what you are still probably wrong!

See my post above yours. You can't let Billingsley allow six run by the end of the second inning.

[msstate7]

I agree as well. I don’t mind letting him come back out, it was a gamble but could have paid off, but had to pull him much sooner than he did.

I don't think self or France were available. I don't think Henderson had a good option to go to once JB screwed up

[Dawgcap]

So you had the decisions to win the last 2 games?

[Really Clark?]

I don't think self or France were available. I don't think Henderson had a good option to go to once JB screwed up

Looks that way but James goes 3 2/3 and 1 ER. IF he stops the big second inning before it gets out of hand, then it’s maybe 3-2 or 4-2 with 4 innings to play. All this is hindsight and may not have worked out but a close game like that and they are using more pitchers as well. Who knows how it turns out. Gordon, Neff, Self and win a 5-4, 6-5 type of game. You never know

[Dawgcap]

I’m sorry to be an ass about stuff but damn we finished top 4 in the country and you can say how you would pitch Friday and Saturday but bottom line we got beat by a better team! Tell me all any of you want how you pitch or play it better and I still say we got beat by a better team!!

[Dawg61]

Looks that way but James goes 3 2/3 and 1 ER. IF he stops the big second inning before it gets out of hand, then it’s maybe 3-2 or 4-2 with 4 innings to play. All this is hindsight and may not have worked out but a close game like that and they are using more pitchers as well. Who knows how it turns out. Gordon, Neff, Self and win a 5-4, 6-5 type of game. You never know

I think some of y'all are trying to reduce OSU runs as much as possible but it never matters if you don't find us more runs on offense. We stunk with the bats 3 outta 4 games in Omaha. We coulda very easily been 2 n BBQ if we don't shutout Washington or they leave in their starter as we couldn't hit him for shit. That means we woulda faced Oregon State in the losers bracket and gotten roasted game 2 and gone home. I'm very grateful for this postseason run. It was really fun and totally unexpected. We finish tied for #3 in the country. How amazing is that after the start to this season.

[maroonmania]

Looks that way but James goes 3 2/3 and 1 ER. IF he stops the big second inning before it gets out of hand, then it?s maybe 3-2 or 4-2 with 4 innings to play. All this is hindsight and may not have worked out but a close game like that and they are using more pitchers as well. Who knows how it turns out. Gordon, Neff, Self and win a 5-4, 6-5 type of game. You never know

Several of you are really reaching for things we could have done to have somehow pulled out one of these games. Bottom line is TONIGHT we held OSU to 5 runs (I believe the lowest they've scored in postseason) and our offense allowed a FR who had not been dominant this year to go 7 innings on us and give up only 1 run during all that time. That just wasn't going to get it done. Bottom line is that we had, on paper, a better chance to win tonight with Small going against the guy tonight than we would have had if Small had pitched against OSU's #2 guy last night.

[Really Clark?]

Several of you are really reaching for things we could have done to have somehow pulled out one of these games. Bottom line is TONIGHT we held OSU to 5 runs (I believe the lowest they've scored in postseason) and our offense allowed a FR who had not been dominant this year to go 7 innings on us and give up only 1 run during all that time. That just wasn't going to get it done. Bottom line is that we had, on paper, a better chance to win tonight with Small going against the guy tonight than we would have had if Small had pitched against OSU's #2 guy last night.

Their pitcher went 8 innings 0 runs and 3 hits vs LSU in the regionals. It’s not like he hasn’t shown recently he was pitching really well. 1 run in his last 12 innings before tonight.

Yes the offense had to score more. That goes without question. Last night and today we do don’t put up runs to win. The OP was about the pitching rotation and relievers ONLY. Not one word about the offense

[Dawg2003]

We lost because we weren’t as talented, and it finally caught up with us. The offense was just as much to blame as the pitching, but at the end of the day, the talent gap was apparent. JB was going to have to give it a go at some point, but, even giving 110%, he’s not a match for their bats. You can’t blame JB. Small got lit up himself by their bats. If after all of this, people can’t be proud of this team and see the good, I don’t know what to tell you. You’ll probably never be pleased with anything.

[Dawg2003]

We lost because we weren?t as talented, and it finally caught up with us. The offense was just as much to blame as the pitching, but at the end of the day, the talent gap was apparent. JB was going to have to give it a go at some point, but, even giving 110%, he?s not a match for their bats. You can?t blame JB. Small got lit up himself by their bats. If after all of this, people can?t be proud of this team and see the good, I don?t know what to tell you. You?ll probably never be pleased with anything.

[bulldawg28]

We lost because we weren’t as talented, and it finally caught up with us. The offense was just as much to blame as the pitching, but at the end of the day, the talent gap was apparent. JB was going to have to give it a go at some point, but, even giving 110%, he’s not a match for their bats. You can’t blame JB. Small got lit up himself by their bats. If after all of this, people can’t be proud of this team and see the good, I don’t know what to tell you. You’ll probably never be pleased with anything.

BS post. Talent is not an issue.

[Cooterpoot]

BS post. Talent is not an issue.

When you lose to better teams, talent absolutely is an issue. Plus, we compounded that with poor coaching. Our pitching talent was the 2nd worst in the CWS. Maybe worst.

[maroonmania]

Their pitcher went 8 innings 0 runs and 3 hits vs LSU in the regionals. It’s not like he hasn’t shown recently he was pitching really well. 1 run in his last 12 innings before tonight.

Yes the offense had to score more. That goes without question. Last night and today we do don’t put up runs to win. The OP was about the pitching rotation and relievers ONLY. Not one word about the offense

Well then, STRICTLY speaking on our pitching, as I said, 5 runs is the lowest output OSU has been held to this post-season so its hard to complain about that side of things in last night's game. In hindsight though, I guess if 2 runs were all we were going to muster then apparently our only hope would have been to start Gordon and hope he could go the distance. Dude seems to be untouchable at the moment.

[TXDawg]

BS post. Talent is not an issue.

UH...OSU had 4 or 5 first round picks. How many did we have? They had two in the starting lineup batting close to .400. How many did we have? Their lead-off hitter had 5 strikeouts on the SEASON coming into last night’s game. How many did our have?

Yes, talent was an issue.

[maroonmania]

UH...OSU had 4 or 5 first round picks. How many did we have? They had two in the starting lineup batting close to .400. How many did we have? Their lead-off hitter had 5 strikeouts on the SEASON coming into last night’s game. How many did our have?

Yes, talent was an issue.

Don't know but I'll bet our leadoff hitter had more baserunning blunders this year than their leadoff hitter had strikeouts on the year. I love Jake and all he does for us but its the truth, he runs the bases taking way too many risks with no regard to the game situation. You absolutely do not risk an out trying to take an extra base when you are down 4 runs.

[Really Clark?]

Well then, STRICTLY speaking on our pitching, as I said, 5 runs is the lowest output OSU has been held to this post-season so its hard to complain about that side of things in last night's game. In hindsight though, I guess if 2 runs were all we were going to muster then apparently our only hope would have been to start Gordon and hope he could go the distance. Dude seems to be untouchable at the moment.

....I wasn’t complaining. Just still disagree with those that think pitching Small on Friday was the correct call. Which is what the OP was about. Ultimately, that is really all we are debating in this thread.

Gordon pitched his butt off. So proud of the way he pitched

[bulldawg28]

UH...OSU had 4 or 5 first round picks. How many did we have? They had two in the starting lineup batting close to .400. How many did we have? Their lead-off hitter had 5 strikeouts on the SEASON coming into last night’s game. How many did our have?

Yes, talent was an issue.

Well damn. I'm surprised they lost any games this year. They were a more mature team. Talent wise they were not head and shoulders above us. If talent werethe issue how did we sweep Florida? Win the regional? Win the super regional? Win 2 games in the World Series? Be one the four final teams? You don't stumble where we did being out talented.