Rank these pitchers...

[HoopsDawg]

KC Hunt, Xavier Lovett, Parker Stinnett, Preston Johnson, Stone Simmons

[ZedFedder]

Haven't really seen enough to rank them, though I would say I have been really impressed by KC Hunt.

[StarkVegasSteve]

It's kind of hard to rank them long term because I think Stinnett will be a closer and I think Hunt and maybe Lovett and Simmons have starting potential. I haven't seen enough of Preston Johnson to have an impression.

I guess if I had to currently rank them it'd be:

1. Hunt
2. Lovett
3. Simmons
4. Stinnett(only because we hadn't seen him until last night)
5. Preston Johnson

[HoopsDawg]

It's kind of hard to rank them long term because I think Stinnett will be a closer and I think Hunt and maybe Lovett and Simmons have starting potential. I haven't seen enough of Preston Johnson to have an impression.

I guess if I had to currently rank them it'd be:

1. Hunt
2. Lovett
3. Simmons
4. Stinnett(only because we hadn't seen him until last night)
5. Preston Johnson

It's very difficult to rank them. I think Hunt, Lovett, and Stinnent are sort of in the same category as 1 or 2 inning power arm, bullpen guys.

It's been very limited action but I will go:

1. Preston Johnson: We are going to see him tonight
2. Stinnent
3. Lovett
4. Hunt
5 Simmons

[MsStateBaseball]

HoopsDawg is correct. If Simmons could get up to 95 plus he would be tough. Maybe by next year. Hunt is still very inexperienced pitcher. He will need a full summer.

[AlSwearengen]

I want to lay eyes on Johnson. It sounded like he was overpowering USM but the way they were striking out, that isn’t a good barometer. I was pretty impressed with Stinnett’s stuff last night in a small sample size.

[HoopsDawg]

I want to lay eyes on Johnson. It sounded like he was overpowering USM but the way they were striking out, that isn’t a good barometer. I was pretty impressed with Stinnett’s stuff last night in a small sample size.

He was a starter in Juco and very good. Draftable good. We will see how he looks tonight vs UL.

[The Federalist Engineer]

KC Hunt, Xavier Lovett, Parker Stinnett, Preston Johnson, Stone Simmons

None have enough innings, all equally good to me. Stone had a tough assignment last time out, the bats were in a feeding frenzy.

[Todd4State]

I'm a Preston Johnson fan but Stone Simmons has more of a body of work. Hunt had the most hype coming out of high school. Lovett is relief only which to me has to put him behind Johnson, Simmons, and Hunt because they have that kind of potential. Not sure about Stinnett but he seems to be a little more of a work in progress.

I'll go:

1. Johnson
2. Hunt
3. Simmons
4. Lovett
5. Stinnett

[AlSwearengen]

I think Johnson is going to be behind Sims out of the bullpen. I’m not counting Brandon Smith as a bullpen guy right now. If Smith is a reliever, then the order is Sims/Smith as 1A and 1B and Smith is 2. Smith is good. Now, if we can find the offense.

When I said Smith is good, I meant to say Preston Johnson as I made the post after watching Preston pitch last night. I predict pitching roles are going to be drastically different as the season moves forward than what we were anticipating pre-season.

Johnson has the live fastball and wipe out slider that makes for a good closer. And Stinett is lightning if he can show better command than what Homedawg alluded to in the fall.

[Homedawg]

Tough call but
Johnson
Stinett
Simmons
Lovett
Hunt

Johnson and stinett have the best stuff, not even close. I know stinett had issues in the zone in the fall, but his one outing was filthy. 95/96 w a hammer and he was in the zone. We shall see about command as we go forward.

[Homedawg]

I think Johnson is going to be behind Sims out of the bullpen. I’m not counting Brandon Smith as a bullpen guy right now. If Smith is a reliever, then the order is Sims/Smith as 1A and 1B and Smith is 2. Smith is good. Now, if we can find the offense.

This is pretty much spot on.

[MaroonFlounder]

I want to lay eyes on Johnson.

LOL.

[basedog]

Preston Johnson was lights out last night. Fact is he was more impressive than Sims last night, and that is saying something cause Sims is the man.

[HoopsDawg]

Preston Johnson was lights out last night. Fact is he was more impressive than Sims last night, and that is saying something cause Sims is the man.

He's clearly going to be part of SEC weekends moving forward. We need to figure out our Top 8-10 arms to use on Weekends.

[StarkVegasSteve]

He's clearly going to be part of SEC weekends moving forward. We need to figure out our Top 8-10 arms to use on Weekends.

At this point it's probably: Sims, Bednar, Fristoe, Smith, Macleod(for now), Harding, Simmons, Johnson, Stinnett, and maybe Koestler/Self/Price. That's a lot of young arms so that's why I threw in the vets at the end. I still think if Cerrantola could get his command down then he could join that list. Add to that Cade Smith when he comes back and you also have Lovett and Hunt. A wealth of talent in the bullpen no doubt, Fox just has to put the pieces in the right places.

[HoopsDawg]

For me it's:

1. Sims
2. Bednar
3. Brandon Smith
4. Harding
5. Fristoe
6. Preston Johnson
7. Koestler
8. MacLeod

Those are my Top 8 right now. Guys who I want to see more of: Stinnett is number 1 on that list.

[AlSwearengen]

Preston Johnson made an impression last night. I think there is going to be a significant shake up in roles as the season progresses. Johnson has the live fastball and wipe out slider that makes for a good closer. Stinnett slings lightning with a great breaking ball as well but Homedawg alluded to command issues so I will temper my enthusiasm for him right now.

[Homedawg]

You guys are being tough on McLeod. I get it he hasn't be himself and needs to pitch better. But he's going to be a factor for us and be good. Heck some guys haven't pitched 4 innings in their careers here and y'all have them ahead of him. If we based it on the first few innings he was really good against Texas before the melt inning.

[HoopsDawg]

You guys are being tough on McLeod. I get it he hasn't be himself and needs to pitch better. But he's going to be a factor for us and be good. Heck some guys haven't pitched 4 innings in their careers here and y'all have them ahead of him. If we based it on the first few innings he was really good against Texas before the melt inning.

Eastern Michigan is batting .236 as a team. They scored 1 run in a loss to Alabama State and 1 run in a loss to Bellarmine. So hopefully Macleod can stay in the zone and get rolling again. I would love to see him in the 91-93 range. He's been 87-90 so far this year. But the way he looked last year gives him a little more rope than Cerantola in my book.

[Coach34]

Right now- here is where we are:

1. Sims
2. Fristoe
3. B. Smith
4. Harding
5. Bednar
6. Hunt

Mac, Cerentola, Carmouche, and Johnson need to earn innings. This is the last weekend to give guys innings based on "potential"

[HoopsDawg]

Right now- here is where we are:

1. Sims
2. Fristoe
3. B. Smith
4. Harding
5. Bednar
6. Hunt

Mac, Cerentola, Carmouche, and Johnson need to earn innings. This is the last weekend to give guys innings based on "potential"

Hunt ahead of Johnson, yikes.

[Homedawg]

Right now- here is where we are:

1. Sims
2. Fristoe
3. B. Smith
4. Harding
5. Bednar
6. Hunt

Mac, Cerentola, Carmouche, and Johnson need to earn innings. This is the last weekend to give guys innings based on "potential"

Not sure how you have hunt that high at this point.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Eastern Michigan is batting .236 as a team. They scored 1 run in a loss to Alabama State and 1 run in a loss to Bellarmine. So hopefully Macleod can stay in the zone and get rolling again. I would love to see him in the 91-93 range. He's been 87-90 so far this year. But the way he looked last year gives him a little more rope than Cerantola in my book.

What's the deal with that loss of Velo?

He only pitched 21 innings last year and presumably rested for a year. But now he walks more batters and people are hitting for more than double the average.

Maybe he just needs to rest a spell like Bednar did.