Mississippi State vs Wal Mart University Game Thread

[The Federalist Engineer]

Feels like a National Championship Series Practice

McLeod Takes the Bump

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExcEr3xVIAIScWi?format=jpg&name=large

[Saltydog]

Why is the game not on the SECN? It's 6:30 and I've got UGA and aTm.....

[Rex54]

Why is the game not on the SECN? It's 6:30 and I've got UGA and aTm.....

It's 2021, get the espn app on your tv.

Also, looks like we're getting at least one baseball width on the RHB inside corner called strikes.

[Rex54]

Don't give that guy fastballs right down the middle.....

[smootness]

Arkansas is a little different.

[Saltydog]

MacLeod getting pounded. Back to Back hr's........

[The Federalist Engineer]

MacLeod being Bombed

Back to Back HR

0-2

[smootness]

Bednar is our best SP and should end up on Fridays soon.

[Mobile Bay]

CAN WE QUIT THROWING HOME RUN BALLS!!!

[smootness]

Goodness, this is rough. Get Brandon Smith in.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Welp, at least we have a chance in Game-3 this week. Still early.

MacLeod is being torched.... HR x 3 in the first inning

[Mobile Bay]

Bring in Sims. This is bullshit

[msstate7]

Really have no confidence we can score 3

[The Federalist Engineer]

Goodness, this is rough. Get Brandon Smith in.

Might as well see if he settles. Its becoming a good game for Cerantola to pitch. Hate to burn B Smith

[Saltydog]

He's pitched better the last couple of weeks but MacLeod is not the same as last year. His velo is down a good bit.

[RougeDawg]

When you throw urine balls, hitters will knock the piss out of them. Pretty bad leaving them up. You will get bombed up there.

[Saltydog]

They've hit more HR's in one inning than we'll hit the whole series.....

[Ezsoil]

CAN WE QUIT THROWING HOME RUN BALLS!!!

I'll take it as long as he's throwing strikes and not walking guys ....if they hit home runs ..they earned it and you shake their hand and say good game...but to lose with walks and errors is completely different

[The Federalist Engineer]

Really have no confidence we can score 3

We score 3 but they might score 18

[bulldogcountry1]

I can?t recall a hitter that I have less faith in than Debrule. And he?s leading off for some inexplicable reason.

[BuckyIsAB****]

He's pitched better the last couple of weeks but MacLeod is not the same as last year. His velo is down a good bit.

I was thinking the same thing he just doesnt scare me

[RougeDawg]

I can?t recall a hitter that I have less faith in than Debrule. And he?s leading off for some inexplicable reason.

He got meat first pitch and didn?t even look ready to hit. Does not approach it like a leadoff guy should.

[Maroonthirteen]

Damn. How you take that down the middle in that situation? Gezz. You knew after taking to a full count he was going to challenge you over and over. Damn. Hit that out of the park.

Right down the middle.

[IngomarDawg]

No one in our lineup should scare opposing pitching

[Maroonthirteen]

We are extremely tight and I don't get that after the confident builder last weekend.

[BuckyIsAB****]

We are extremely tight and I don't get that after the confident builder last weekend.

Arkansas is better than LSU

[maroonmania]

Not saying this one is totally over but you are already asking our offense to score 4 runs to even have a chance to win tonight. That's a ton of runs for us on a Friday night in the SEC and that's if Arkansas doesn't score again which is a very low probability. When you are a pitching and defense team you just can't start a game like we did tonight.

[maroonmania]

We are extremely tight and I don't get that after the confident builder last weekend.

We always seem to play looser on the road. Guess the home crowd puts too much pressure on the guys.

[bulldogcountry1]

He got meat first pitch and didn?t even look ready to hit. Does not approach it like a leadoff guy should.

His approach is to get behind in the count and hit an easy ground ball.

[Rex54]

We always seem to play looser on the road. Guess the home crowd puts too much pressure on the guys.

Signed, Ronald George Polk

[The Federalist Engineer]

Few more gold chains, Logan Tanner will look like the white Kevin Mitchell

[BayouDawg]

We need to hit the weight room.

[maroonmania]

Signed, Ronald George Polk

Yep, ol' Polk would tell you the same.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Few more gold chains, Logan Tanner will look like the white Kevin Mitchell

Not a fan of it at all. Everyone should look the same. Looks like you want attention or to be different

[BayouDawg]

The hitting coach needs to start earning his paycheck. This is pathetic.

[bulldogcountry1]

We look overpowered by this 92 mph fastball.

[Cowbell]

The hitting coach needs to start earning his paycheck. This is pathetic.

I have been holding out on forming an opinion but it looks like Howland is coaching our hitters at this point with the effort they are showing.

[magrooder]

Macleod not fooling any of these hitters

[maroonmania]

I have been holding out on forming an opinion but it looks like Howland is coaching our hitters at this point with the effort they are showing.

Did Mangum, Foscue and Westburg just make JG look like a lot better hitting coach than he actually is? We shouldn't be as bad as we are with the hitters we have.

[BayouDawg]

I have been holding out on forming an opinion but it looks like Howland is coaching our hitters at this point with the effort they are showing.

Looks like several of our batters have zero confidence or urgency at the plate

[The Federalist Engineer]

Props to MacLeod, he's settled a bit. No more damage 0-3 after three.

[Cowbell]

Did Mangum, Foscue and Westburg just make JG look like a lot better hitting coach than he actually is? We shouldn't be as bad as we are with the hitters we have.

I remember that Lemonis was the big difference maker to Foscue. I just hope we get humbled and these boys wake up.

[MaroonFlounder]

Did Mangum, Foscue and Westburg just make JG look like a lot better hitting coach than he actually is? We shouldn't be as bad as we are with the hitters we have.

Mangum and Foscue did. Westberg was feast or famine, largely famine with some extended slumps.

[BuckyIsAB****]

We just are not that good on offense boys

[BuckyIsAB****]

Im no baseball guy but it looks to me like we better take pitches and steal, bunt try to get hit all that stuff

[maroonmania]

We just are not that good on offense boys

Yep, there isnt enough pitching in the SEC to make up for an offense that is this weak.

[msstate7]

We just are not that good on offense boys

I'm leaning that way too. Probably time to adjust goals... can't win big with no offense

[BeardoMSU]

Jesus. What tf is going on?

[RocketDawg]

It's a huge understatement, but Arkansas has some really good power hitters.

[SaintDawg]

what. the. f???? jesus!!!!

[magrooder]

He hit that ball to Little Rock

[BayouDawg]

Just throwing meat balls down the middle. Very good

[BeardoMSU]

Alright. Lets just throw at that ****er next time. Took a bit too long looking at that one. ****. You.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Jesus. What tf is going on?

They can hit 90 mph and we cant

[BayouDawg]

I'm leaning that way too. Probably time to adjust goals... can't win big with no offense

And the most frustrating thing is the pitcher isnt overpowering us. We just make the weakest contact.

[BuckyIsAB****]

I'm leaning that way too. Probably time to adjust goals... can't win big with no offense

Starting to think we just dont have many good hitters. These guys never had to be THE guys now they do

[maroonmania]

This game is about to be totally out of reach.

[BayouDawg]

This prolly about to get ugly. I say move bednar to our Friday guy and Brandon smith as our Saturday. Mac could use some time off.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Hes prolly a great kid but I dont see the 1st round draft pick stuff with him

[BeardoMSU]

Why?!?

[BayouDawg]

Hes prolly a great kid but I dont see the 1st round draft pick stuff with him

He looks like he isnt fully engaged tonight.

[magrooder]

Heads up play by Rowdey

[BeardoMSU]

Good play from Rowdy, there.

Not sure why we left CM in there just to load the bases and give up another run....knowing he's shelled.

[RougeDawg]

And the most frustrating thing is the pitcher isnt overpowering us. We just make the weakest contact.

Looks like we have an away approach to every pitch. Trying to go away in hitters counts and inside pitches. Not sure how that will be successful. We make contact back in the hitting zone on pitches in and away. For one you will not generate any power trying that on anything other than a ball off the plate.

The latest in the zone you should make contact with an outside pitch is about even with front of plate. Inside pitches you need contact 6-8 inches out front to generate some power. Have watched most of the last two weekends and have not seen one hitter doing this. Has to be the hitting coach teaching this because they all do it.

[Saltydog]

It's not 2nd round either. That velo drop is going to be a concern.

[maroonmania]

And Mr. T grounds into a double play. :(

[BuckyIsAB****]

We dont have a hit hahaha

[maroonmania]

We don't even have a hit yet. This is pitiful.

[Cooterpoot]

I told you guys before the season we would struggle to score runs. It's just fact. We haven't gotten hitters on campus. No power at all. The lineup just isn't dynamic enough to win big. Our hitting coach likes aggressive approach and our HC likes to take pitches.

[KOdawg1]

Everyone in this lineup is getting called FoamBat until they make solid contact.

Arky's hitters want to get a hit. Our guys are hoping to get a hit. There's a difference.

[Bothrops]

Damn, we needed this one to win the series. Of course, playing that club the other night couldn't have helped.

[maroonmania]

Yay!, we've cracked the hit column.

[magrooder]

Forsythe spoils the no hitter

[BuckyIsAB****]

I told you guys before the season we would struggle to score runs. It's just fact. We haven't gotten hitters on campus. No power at all. The lineup just isn't dynamic enough to win big. Our hitting coach likes aggressive approach and our HC likes to take pitches.

Im a football guy but to me it seems like we have a group that always got to be role players and not the guy

[BayouDawg]

At least we don?t strike out a ton.

[magrooder]

Rowdey with the rbi single. Chip away at it

[BayouDawg]

Spoiled the no hitter and the shutout in one inning. This is considered an offensive explosion for this team

[Percho]

How about this ump?

[Cooterpoot]

Im a football guy but to me it seems like we have a group that always got to be role players and not the guy

You aren't wrong. We've still got too many guys that play defense but can't hit. We used to have guys that could hit but no defense but those are gone. We're a smallish bunch too. If you can't hit bombs these days, you're aren't much a hitter.

[CovertDawg]

I told you guys before the season we would struggle to score runs. It's just fact. We haven't gotten hitters on campus. No power at all. The lineup just isn't dynamic enough to win big.our hitting coach likes aggressive approach and our HC likes to take pitches too.

Completely agree. Does anyone in this lineup scare an opposing pitcher? Not really. A bunch of slap hitters. We don't need a great offense to contend but we need at least a Top 40 one. We look like a Top 75 hitting D-1 team but no better.

[BayouDawg]

And tanner kills the rally swinging at a ball in the dirt. Sounds about right

[BuckyIsAB****]

Simmons is pretty good

[BayouDawg]

So it appears it wasnt just the arky bats being good. It had more to do with Macloud making too many mistakes. Simmons keeping it low in the zone and they havent jacked one

[msugolf]

I told you guys before the season we would struggle to score runs. It's just fact. We haven't gotten hitters on campus. No power at all. The lineup just isn't dynamic enough to win big. Our hitting coach likes aggressive approach and our HC likes to take pitches.

It seems like we?ve had the same type of lineup for the past 10-12 years. We do a great job getting highly rated pitchers in here but not hitters. I don?t know if Cohen just likes the small ball approach and hires people that fit his style or we just miss on all of our non pitching recruits but it?s not a very exciting brand of baseball.

[Percho]

So it appears it wasnt just the arky bats being good. It had more to do with Macloud making too many mistakes. Simmons keeping it low in the zone and they havent jacked one

Mac wasn't getting that low strike..

[maroonmania]

I told you guys before the season we would struggle to score runs. It's just fact. We haven't gotten hitters on campus. No power at all. The lineup just isn't dynamic enough to win big. Our hitting coach likes aggressive approach and our HC likes to take pitches.

You make a good point. Basically every high end position player with a good bat that we've signed lately that has gotten much of any offer to sign pro has done so. We have been much more fortunate with pitchers. And that is kind of odd because pitchers run a much higher risk of injury in college than position players do and therefore run a much higher risk of losing out on signing bonus money if they don't sign out of HS.

[msstate7]

I think the top of our lineup will eventually do something. Rowdey, Allen, james, and Hancock should be decent hitters

[BayouDawg]

Mac wasn't getting that low strike..
Mac just didnt look like he had it mentally tonight and he has had a tendency to miss high lately which was a recipe for disaster tonight

[maroonmania]

I think the top of our lineup will eventually do something. Rowdey, Allen, james, and Hancock should be decent hitters

I agree. I know we don't have the lineup to be in the top 4 or 5 of the SEC in offense but we have several guys in our lineup that should be hitting significantly better than they are. I mean we had way too many guys struggling to hit even before we got into SEC play.

[BayouDawg]

I think the top of our lineup will eventually do something. Rowdey, Allen, james, and Hancock should be decent hitters

Well they cant do much worse.

[BuckyIsAB****]

I think the top of our lineup will eventually do something. Rowdey, Allen, james, and Hancock should be decent hitters

Hancock is good hes a winner. Rowdey and Tanner need to bow up and James is a puppy

[BuckyIsAB****]

Rowdy and Tanner are the prime ones Im talking about when I say they never had to be the guy. Throw hatcher in there too

[BayouDawg]

Well this just sucks

[Cooterpoot]

Rowdy is never a consistent hitter. He's a 7 hole hitter. Allen is streaky. He's a 5 hole guy at best.

[Bothrops]

Can't watch this shit

[maroonmania]

Can't watch this shit

Yep, time to get to other things. Give it another shot tomorrow.

[KOdawg1]

Rowdy is never a consistent hitter. He's a 7 hole hitter. Allen is streaky. He's a 5 hole guy at best.

Rowdy has this weird ass hitch to his swing. It's just an awkward swing.

Allen has regressed since two years ago. Hatcher has regressed since his freshman year.

Go-Tro needs to make some shit happen.

[The Federalist Engineer]

At least we still have Sims and B Smith available.

But we gotta start hitting. Wonder if Dubrule gets PH for tonight.

[Rex54]

Safe if he goes for the front of the bag like every middle schooler is taught, instead of stepping dead middle of the base.

[mparkerfd20]

We are going to lose a lot of SEC games this year... 14-16

[BayouDawg]

We are going to lose a lot of SEC games this year... 14-16

Yes if hitting doesn?t at least get to being average we wont get to .500 in league play.

And at that point I would be fine with replacing the hitting coach.

[Saltydog]

We're not replacing Gautreau.

[Cooterpoot]

We are going to lose a lot of SEC games this year... 14-16

We're playing the #2 team in America. Put down the bottle.

[Saltydog]

Hated to see that for Riley Self. Guy's battled injuries and hung in there to keep playing the game he loves. It didn't look good.

[DownwardDawg]

We're playing the #2 team in America. Put down the bottle.

Agree. We are a Super Regional team and CWS if the chips fall correctly.

[mparkerfd20]

We're playing the #2 team in America. Put down the bottle.

I'm completely sober. If we don't hit better we will lose anywhere between 14 to 16 SEC games. Stop being a homer.

[Bulldog1]

Need to shake up the lineup again tomorrow...

[Activated Alpha]

I'm completely sober. If we don't hit better we will lose anywhere between 14 to 16 SEC games. Stop being a homer.

I mean he ain?t lying. We need to hit better and expect better out of our Friday night guy

[Saltydog]

We shall see but our offense is a MAJOR concern. I don't think we'll have a losing record but I don't see us contending for the west either.

[Cooterpoot]

I'm completely sober. If we don't hit better we will lose anywhere between 14 to 16 SEC games. Stop being a homer.

We took two of three from a top 10-15 team last week. We've got two more games this weekend. I'll take my chances. It's baseball, not football.

[IngomarDawg]

Maybe time to sit Scottie debrule for a few games? He is completely in his head at the plate and it?s rolling over to all aspects of his game

[parabrave]

Good move to Pinch Hit for Dub

[parabrave]

Guess not/

[SaintDawg]

That was an ass whipping. God Almighty that was embarrassing.

[Cooterpoot]

Move on to tomorrow. I like our chances tomorrow in game two. Game three will be tough though.

[Captain Falcon]

That was an ass whipping. God Almighty that was embarrassing.

Didn’t Arkansas lose 16-1 to an unranked team a week ago?

Bad games happen, we can still win the series. Even if we don’t we’ll be fine.

[Homedawg]

Yes if hitting doesn?t at least get to being average we wont get to .500 in league play.

And at that point I would be fine with replacing the hitting coach.

Need better hitters first. Then talk about replacing him

[State82]

Need better hitters first. Then talk about replacing him
Yep. You don't come to college to learn how to hit. If you can't hit when you get here then you need to be doing something else.

[Rex54]

Yep. You don't come to college to learn how to hit. If you can't hit when you get here then you need to be doing something else.

Hunter Renfroe

[BayouDawg]

Need better hitters first. Then talk about replacing him

That may be true. On the bright side at least we dont strike out a ton

[Rex54]

Didn’t Arkansas lose 16-1 to an unranked team a week ago?

Bad games happen, we can still win the series. Even if we don’t we’ll be fine.

Exactly. Baseball isn't the sport for chicken littles.

[HoopsDawg]

only good thing about tonight is that we didn't use Brandon Smith. We've got 7 really strong arms for these next 2 games: Bednar, Smith, Sims, Fristoe, Harding, Preston Johnson, and Stinnnett.

[Dawgcap]

only good thing about tonight is that we didn't use Brandon Smith. We've got 7 really strong arms for these next 2 games: Bednar, Smith, Sims, Fristoe, Harding, Preston Johnson, and Stinnnett.
I didn?t like it but the way he worked the staff it seemed we were almost conceding tonight. After the 1st we were drained of energy with our coaches and players. I hate watching a game like that. Felt we were never in it and just wanted it over.

[Cowbell]

We took two of three from a top 10-15 team last week. We've got two more games this weekend. I'll take my chances. It's baseball, not football.

LSU is not a top 15 team.

[Cooterpoot]

LSU is not a top 15 team.

They will be.

[DownwardDawg]

They will be.

Yep

[HancockCountyDog]

Exactly. Baseball isn't the sport for chicken littles.

I?ll buy all the Omaha tickets anyone is selling.

[State82]

Hunter Renfroe
He held the Mississippi High School record for HR's in a season for many years so yeah he could hit

[basedog]

Hitting is a big concern, also it is troubling watching our "so call Ace" on Friday struggle with inconsistence. I'm not sure who or what we need to do with our lead off and 2nd guy in the lineup, but we need to try something else. Luke Hancock is the only guy I have seen that hits the ball hard or solid, Allen needs to get going as he is the veteran on this team.

Seems the last several years Arkansas has had our number. Solid club the Hogs have!

Btw, Stone Simmons was impressive last night. Throws 91 to 93 and has a nice slider, keeps the ball down and for a freshman was pretty calm and in control. I really like this kid's makeup!

[maroonmania]

Exactly. Baseball isn't the sport for chicken littles.

Good grief, to call folks concerned about this team's offense 'chicken littles' is about the most ridiculous thing i have read on a message board in quite a while. This team has a 20 game track record (mostly against non-SEC teams) and the offense is NOT good. Its not about one game like Arkansas had against Alabama. Even hitters that are experienced in this lineup seem to have regressed from what they have done in the past. And yes, we took 2 of 3 from LSU but the offense wasn't good there either and in 2 of the 3 games we only scored 3 runs so we were fortunate to hold LSU down enough to get the 2 wins. The goal around here is to get to Omaha and have a shot at a NC, not just be a 'good team'. Yes, we are absolutely a Top 20 team right now, but unless we start finding more offense somewhere, its going to be extremely difficult to compete at the level we all want to compete at. You can't really ask your pitching and defense to go out and hold the opposition to 1 or 2 runs every game when playing the top competition in the country.

[Cowbell]

They will be.

I will place a healthy bet against this

[State82]

I will place a healthy bet against this
I am in on that one too. They were 22nd going into yesterday and lost to TN. They are not trending in the right direction to crack the top 10.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Good grief, to call folks concerned about this team's offense 'chicken littles' is about the most ridiculous thing i have read on a message board in quite a while. This team has a 20 game track record (mostly against non-SEC teams) and the offense is NOT good. Its not about one game like Arkansas had against Alabama. Even hitters that are experienced in this lineup seem to have regressed from what they have done in the past. And yes, we took 2 of 3 from LSU but the offense wasn't good there either and in 2 of the 3 games we only scored 3 runs so we were fortunate to hold LSU down enough to get the 2 wins. The goal around here is to get to Omaha and have a shot at a NC, not just be a 'good team'. Yes, we are absolutely a Top 20 team right now, but unless we start finding more offense somewhere, its going to be extremely difficult to compete at the level we all want to compete at. You can't really ask your pitching and defense to go out and hold the opposition to 1 or 2 runs every game when playing the top competition in the country.

The O is not good in 2021, but some veteran players have been better in years past. Plus, they are 3-4 year experienced men, they should make the leap. Right now, nobody has made a positive leap. We have too many slap hitters or guys acting like slap hitters. They are going to wear out SEC 2nd basemen with grounders to field. David Meche should play if Dubrule and Leggett are only going to hit 230-250. Sound heretical but even Hatcher and Rowdey can sit if they continue to hit like freshmen much longer. We have Clark and McDonald that need investment.

Hatcher is too skinny, he still has the freshman body plan, seems he should be Rooker-Sized by now. Too late now, only 2.5 months left of college ball. I hope James stays another year, he could easily manage another 20 more pounds of raw power. MLB would regard him a freak 1B with the skills to play SS and steal bases. Matt Carpenter- The Skynet Edition.