smootness
02-21-2022, 04:32 PM
I wasn't able to see much of Game 3, but I was there for the first 2, so you can all thank me for leaving Starkville Saturday night.
Thinks I like:
1) Dudy Noble is truly an amazing experience. This was my first chance to see the new one in person, and it has to be a top 10 baseball experience in the world, major leagues included. I knew basically what to expect, and it still blew me away. And I think winning the National title has/will take(n) it to the next level.
2) We have a top 2 in the rotation. Sims has made the transition to starter just fine, and I'd be shocked if there's a better pitcher in the country. And then Cade Smith, from what I did see and looking at his numbers, was awesome on Sunday. They both pound the zone and dare hitters to hit it, and not many will. After a frustrating opening weekend, I'm still coming out of it feeling good about winning a whole bunch of series this year because of those 2.
3) We have found our CF, I believe. Corder looks the part and got it done this weekend once given the opportunity. He just looks confident at the plate and should now be a mainstay.
4) Tanner, Hancock, and James all got going before the weekend was up. They all struggled initially but none of them should be headed into week 2 pressing.
5) Cumbest bounced back from an awful Game 1 with some solid ABs.
6) Yeager had a solid Game 3 as well to give him something positive coming out of the weekend.
7) We definitely have depth and enough capable guys we should be able to eventually find a mix that works. Maybe it ends up being Davis AND Corder in the OF or James and Corder in the OF. Maybe it's McGowan or Leggett or Meche or Alford or Downs. There's a lot left to figure out and let play out, but we definitely have options and enough talent that we'll find a good mix.
8) We have some options in the pen that looked good this weekend - namely Stone Simmons, Preston Johnson, and Brooks Auger. Johnson may end up in the rotation, but the first look for those guys was very positive.
9) Hines looks the part. I think he has a chance to have a big time freshman year.
10) The defense was good overall. I'm a little concerned about the corner OF right now but Tanner's a beast, what Forsythe lacks with the bat he makes up for at SS, Kam James has really settled in at 3B, and I think Yeager will be really good at 2B.
Things I'm concerned about:
1) I'm not sure I'm buying into Kellum Clark at this point. I know he has talent, but I don't like the body language and what I perceive to be his attitude, and he's not going to be great in RF, either, I don't think. I certainly hope he proves me wrong, and he's capable of it, but I could see him getting passed by guys who are hungrier.
2) We will likely have a couple holes in the lineup. Forsythe is what he is, hopefully he can at least give you something around .250 but he won't give you much offensively, and guys like Cumbest, James, and even Tanner will go through stretches where they're chasing and not putting together great ABs.
3) We definitely don't yet have a ton of answers on the mound. Hunt and Stinnett looked rough, I don't think Brandon Smith will be a guy we can count on, and we haven't yet seen a lefty we feel at all confident about.
4) I am a little worried about OF defense. Cumbest is passable in LF, Clark seems meh in RF, and if Corder is our CF, I think he's fine out there but likely wouldn't give us what Davis or Skinner would there to help offset what we lose in the corners. Again, maybe we end up with something like Cumbest, Davis, Corder and we're totally fine there. But right now it's a concern for me.
And that's about it. Everything else is, that's baseball, we played a tough opponent week 1 and started slow. We'll be fine overall.
Thinks I like:
1) Dudy Noble is truly an amazing experience. This was my first chance to see the new one in person, and it has to be a top 10 baseball experience in the world, major leagues included. I knew basically what to expect, and it still blew me away. And I think winning the National title has/will take(n) it to the next level.
2) We have a top 2 in the rotation. Sims has made the transition to starter just fine, and I'd be shocked if there's a better pitcher in the country. And then Cade Smith, from what I did see and looking at his numbers, was awesome on Sunday. They both pound the zone and dare hitters to hit it, and not many will. After a frustrating opening weekend, I'm still coming out of it feeling good about winning a whole bunch of series this year because of those 2.
3) We have found our CF, I believe. Corder looks the part and got it done this weekend once given the opportunity. He just looks confident at the plate and should now be a mainstay.
4) Tanner, Hancock, and James all got going before the weekend was up. They all struggled initially but none of them should be headed into week 2 pressing.
5) Cumbest bounced back from an awful Game 1 with some solid ABs.
6) Yeager had a solid Game 3 as well to give him something positive coming out of the weekend.
7) We definitely have depth and enough capable guys we should be able to eventually find a mix that works. Maybe it ends up being Davis AND Corder in the OF or James and Corder in the OF. Maybe it's McGowan or Leggett or Meche or Alford or Downs. There's a lot left to figure out and let play out, but we definitely have options and enough talent that we'll find a good mix.
8) We have some options in the pen that looked good this weekend - namely Stone Simmons, Preston Johnson, and Brooks Auger. Johnson may end up in the rotation, but the first look for those guys was very positive.
9) Hines looks the part. I think he has a chance to have a big time freshman year.
10) The defense was good overall. I'm a little concerned about the corner OF right now but Tanner's a beast, what Forsythe lacks with the bat he makes up for at SS, Kam James has really settled in at 3B, and I think Yeager will be really good at 2B.
Things I'm concerned about:
1) I'm not sure I'm buying into Kellum Clark at this point. I know he has talent, but I don't like the body language and what I perceive to be his attitude, and he's not going to be great in RF, either, I don't think. I certainly hope he proves me wrong, and he's capable of it, but I could see him getting passed by guys who are hungrier.
2) We will likely have a couple holes in the lineup. Forsythe is what he is, hopefully he can at least give you something around .250 but he won't give you much offensively, and guys like Cumbest, James, and even Tanner will go through stretches where they're chasing and not putting together great ABs.
3) We definitely don't yet have a ton of answers on the mound. Hunt and Stinnett looked rough, I don't think Brandon Smith will be a guy we can count on, and we haven't yet seen a lefty we feel at all confident about.
4) I am a little worried about OF defense. Cumbest is passable in LF, Clark seems meh in RF, and if Corder is our CF, I think he's fine out there but likely wouldn't give us what Davis or Skinner would there to help offset what we lose in the corners. Again, maybe we end up with something like Cumbest, Davis, Corder and we're totally fine there. But right now it's a concern for me.
And that's about it. Everything else is, that's baseball, we played a tough opponent week 1 and started slow. We'll be fine overall.