MSU vs Arkansas- Glad that's over

[Todd4State]

As I said last week I would be happy with one out of three. And I am.

That definitely could have been worse. The ingredients were definitely there. We're coming off of the National Championship but we're also in a bit of flux. They hate us. They were at home. At the end of the day we came out and got a win and ended their winning streak against us and now we have a chance to play UT-Martin and if we win that we're 18-12 going into LSU.

So with that said there has been a huge overreaction from some of our fans about our baseball program. People comparing Lemonis to Chizik, wanting people fired, saying all kinds of crazy things. I hope it was just because it was Arkansas and their fairly disgusting fans.

At the end of the day here's the reality about our program and where it is. We just won the National Championship. We have a grand total of TWO players on the entire team that committed to MSU after we won a title that I am aware of. That would be Yeager and Jess Davis. In other words we are not going to reap the recruiting benefits of the National Championship for a couple of years. I say that because our current class was mostly committed before we won the title outside of a few players- two of which are major draft risks. Because of that it is crazy to judge this staff's recruiting on THIS team. The same thing happened after 2013. We made the finals. 2014 was a down year where we had a target on our back. 2015 we got caught in a situation where we had a recruiting dead spot essentially. But once the players who began to commit after we made the finals got to campus in 2016 we went on the run that we still technically are on now. Is it true that Lemonis inherited a great team? Yes. And he did a great job with them. He got us to Omaha. Who knows how 2019 would have gone but we did beat Oregon State and Texas Tech. We won it all last year. That is not remotely anything like what Coach O or Gene Chizik did. In fact the fact that Lemonis was very successful at freaking Indiana pretty much disqualifies the comparison right off the bat. Now with this team and guys like Bednar, TA, Rowdey, and etc. gone plus guys like Sims injured he has a much more difficult job to do. But from what I see he is working through it. He has our lineup mostly set outside of leadoff hitter which we all knew was going to be an issue. And the pitching staff is just now starting to show some promise with guys like Fristoe emerging and Hunt starting to come back. This team to me, barring more injuries- looks like they have a chance to potentially make a run and at least make a regional with a strong second half. I think that because Hunt will help stabilize the staff some. Whether starting or relief and on top of that we know most of our hitters typically turn it on the second half of the year. That looks like it is starting to happen with LoTan and Hancock. And then Yeager is making the adjustment and hitting well.

But today really impressed me. He had lost what? 8-9 in a row to Arkansas. He was on the road to the number 2 team in the country. He was getting questions from the media last night about why he couldn't beat them. Fans are pissed. His starter who pitched well got knocked out by a fluke play on a ground ball. And what happens? His team guts out a win in the 12th inning which is a LOT harder to do on the road than at home because the home team gets the last AB. That's pretty elite if you ask me. It's the kind of win that can turn the season around.

We can talk about the rotation- but I think he will keep it the same for now. All of it hinges on Hunt and how ready he is. Fristoe was outstanding today. We put him in an opportunity to succeed against Memphis, he's gets confident and then he's ready for the high leverage situation. He has to be VERY confident right now. And as an added bonus- he's showing that he can give us three innings if needed. Same with Auger even though he wasn't his sharpest today. Cade was very good again- pitched in a tough environment with that wind blowing out too. But we have to manage our staff a little better. We have to stop using Tullar. And not using Brandon Smith and Pico this weekend? Come on Foxhall. Just because you're down doesn't mean that you just bring in the guy who has been getting blown apart every game. Bring in Smith- and maybe the game is more manageable. But no- we allow it to get completely out of hand and allow 6 ER in a game where if we get out of it we keep it close. And then we score five all told in the game. With pitching- play to win in the moment because if you don't you may not use your best guys. Foxhall is going to have to be creative with this staff to make it work one way or the other. We'll see if he can channel his inner Butch Thompson or not.

Good to see Logan Tanner and Luke have a good weekend. I think they along with Kam James will have a big second half of SEC play. Tanner Leggett needs to start at SS. On the surface his numbers look similar to Forsythe but he has way more power and is way more clutch. Forsythe is elite defensively but Leggett is better at everything else. Yeager is having a big year as advertised.

Cumbest needs to snap out of his slump and Kellum needs to get white hot again. I won't complain about him hitting .300 though. We need to stick with Jess Davis at leadoff. He's our best defensive CF if nothing else. Gautreau could help him and us out by teaching him how to drag bunt and use his speed. This year he has zero so far. Unless he is just awful at it he'll beat some of those out. It will also open up some holes for him on the infield as well. He needs to use the Willie Mays Hayes approach to hitting. Hunter Hines is slumping worse than Cumbest. We'll see if he makes the adjustment or not. Playing in the SEC is tough on freshmen.

Moving forward we get to come back to Starkville for awhile and we're doing so with some confidence. We need to get some guys going against UT-Martin and have to avoid being upset there. Will be a good opportunity for Pico to start possibly. LSU is a big series as it always is. They're a good team but they're in transition like we were a few years ago. They're one of the better hitting teams in the league and their pitching has been a little bit better than expected. We haven't won a series against them in awhile in Starkville. I think we are going to play well against them and it will be a tough series as it always is. Time for us to put it together and win a series against them.

[OLJWales]

Never have Never will be satisfied losing a series. Didn't even like the results of Bamer series. We are 1-2 in series wins so far. Nice write up as usual Todd but I see us averaging 1.25 wins or so per SEC Series this year.

[FISHDAWG]

good post Todd ... I'm hoping Hunt gives us a little more stability and Fristoe could use the help ... I also agree on the SS position. Those two errors on Leggett Friday were hard to take but I think his offense ,(and I know it isn't great but you hit the nail on the head when you referred to it as more "clutch",) should give him the start over Forsythe (who had pretty good contact on Sunday) ..... If we can get a couple guys going again then that would at least allow some hope or a shot at most games we play

[TNDawg35]

I wish we would try Yeager at SS, Kam at 2B and Alford at 3rd in our midweek this wk. Just see how it goes. I would also move Yeager up to lead off. He seems to be getting right. We had him there the 1st two weekends. Why not go back now that he is in a groove…

[FISHDAWG]

I wish we would try Yeager at SS, Kam at 2B and Alford at 3rd in our midweek this wk. Just see how it goes. I would also move Yeager up to lead off. He seems to be getting right. We had him there the 1st two weekends. Why not go back now that he is in a groove?

I also think Yeager should move up in the order. I don't know about lead-off but think it's worth a shot .... I have seen you promote Alford before, Question - what's his background or story because I know nothing about him and like you I'm ready to try anything to get this team batting average up a few more points

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Offensively, we don't get production at SS or CF. I would bat Leggett 8th, and Jess Davis 9th. I wish Corder could help us against lefthanders.

I guess we could try something radical like TNDawg35 mentioned above, or when Lemonis put Cumbest in CF.

[CadaverDawg]

Never have Never will be satisfied losing a series. Didn't even like the results of Bamer series. We are 1-2 in series wins so far. Nice write up as usual Todd but I see us averaging 1.25 wins or so per SEC Series this year.

I see what you're saying, but Georgia just swept Florida, and Ark is legit at #2 and it was a road series...so going 1-2 in each of those road series is not looking awful in hindsight. I still think we are bottom half of the league this year but like someone said yesterday, at this point it's about improving game by game and trying to find a way in to postseason play. Do that and then it's all about who peaks at the right time, as we have seen in years past.

[Cooterpoot]

We're what? 2 games worse than this point last year in league play? It's not the end of the world yet.

[CadaverDawg]

I'll add one more thing...in the past you could look at the scoreboard in our losses and tell a lot about how good or bad we are by how competitive we were. Dont do that this year, bc it will not tell the tale. When we fall behind this year we will have no choice every now and then but to throw in the towel with lesser arms in an attempt to try to win the series in the other games. Is what it is.

If there is one thing im most disappointed in, it's the depth of our pitching staff and left handed arms. We must do better recruiting pitchers and developing them. Outside of Cade and Preston, I can't say I trust a single other arm on this staff to even throw strikes, much less get outs and eat innings in SEC play. That can't happen.

[Santiago]

I may be in the minority but give McGowan some more at bats. That opposite field swing he had in the top of 12th was a polished swing. He had a few borderline pitches go against him. One game isn't enough to see what coaches see in practice.

[Cooterpoot]

The thing that's bugging me with our offense is we're becoming the type of offensive team we all say can't work in Omaha. We're recruiting big mashers who can bomb it but can't hit for average and K a lot. We're 5th in the SEC in runs, 8th in slugging and next to last in average. Fourth most Ks. What we're doing offensively isn't good. And the lineup won't change that really.

[Quaoarsking]

We're what? 2 games worse than this point last year in league play? It's not the end of the world yet.

We were 5-4 after 3 weekends last year. You may be thinking about 2018.

[Cooterpoot]

We were 5-4 after 3 weekends last year. You may be thinking about 2018.

Ok, one game worse then. Still not the end of the world.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

at this point it's about improving game by game and trying to find a way in to postseason play. Do that and then it's all about who peaks at the right time, as we have seen in years past.

This is correct and this is where we are. Our hope is just to get into a regional and have the issues ironed out when we arrive. We need KC Hunt to play well, and Fristoe to play well. We need Walker/Talley/Tepper/Tullar to help us. We need Pico to keep improving. We need Stinnett to be in a groove at the right time. We need hitters to be hot at the right time. We've gone to the CWS with worse teams than we have now. We've missed the CWS with far better teams than we have now.

[msstate7]

The thing that's bugging me with our offense is we're becoming the type of offensive team we all say can't work in Omaha. We're recruiting big mashers who can bomb it but can't hit for average and K a lot. We're 5th in the SEC in runs, 8th in slugging and next to last in average. Fourth most Ks. What we're doing offensively isn't good. And the lineup won't change that really.

Good point

[SilentSteel16]

If people are wanting Lem fired they need to be checked into Whitfield…..

[BrunswickDawg]

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Look at records and scores league wide. The majority of the teams are in the exact same boat we are in right now. You have UT & Arky, then UGA and somehow Auburn (they have looked terrible at times, but are above .500), then the rest of the SEC all bunched together under .500. No, we won't compete for the SEC this year, and likely won't make it to Omaha (though never say never). I feel pretty confident that we will finish .500 or 1-2 games over, make the post season and possibly a super.

There will always be transition years and years we aren't as good as others. The goals are still the same - post-season every year, hosting more often then not, CWS trips multiple times each decade. The program isn't crumbling if we don't make Omaha this year - we just recommit and work for next year.

[msstate7]

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Look at records and scores league wide. The majority of the teams are in the exact same boat we are in right now. You have UT & Arky, then UGA and somehow Auburn (they have looked terrible at times, but are above .500), then the rest of the SEC all bunched together under .500. No, we won't compete for the SEC this year, and likely won't make it to Omaha (though never say never). I feel pretty confident that we will finish .500 or 1-2 games over, make the post season and possibly a super.

There will always be transition years and years we aren't as good as others. The goals are still the same - post-season every year, hosting more often then not, CWS trips multiple times each decade. The program isn't crumbling if we don't make Omaha this year - we just recommit and work for next year.

We have work to be done right now, 73rd in RPI

[OLJWales]

I'll add one more thing...in the past you could look at the scoreboard in our losses and tell a lot about how good or bad we are by how competitive we were. Dont do that this year, bc it will not tell the tale. When we fall behind this year we will have no choice every now and then but to throw in the towel with lesser arms in an attempt to try to win the series in the other games. Is what it is.

If there is one thing im most disappointed in, it's the depth of our pitching staff and left handed arms. We must do better recruiting pitchers and developing them. Outside of Cade and Preston, I can't say I trust a single other arm on this staff to even throw strikes, much less get outs and eat innings in SEC play. That can't happen.

This combined with too many scoreless innings on our part and even fielding has deteriorated. Just thinking bout how we started off in Arlington last year vs this year's LBS series. Just ain't feeling good and hopeful at this point.

[SilentSteel16]

Some of you just complain to have something to talk about. Get those post counts up boys.

To be honest information wise, this forum MINUS SVD and his posts has become nothing but a freaking woman’s knitting club.


SVD keep it up man, you are the man. I have made 3 different YouTube accounts just to subscribe for y’all. Very very good information. There are another couple of other guys that give good quality meteorological stuff to but your names elude me and I apologize.

[msstate7]

Some of you just complain to have something to talk about. Get those post counts up boys.

To be honest information wise, this forum MINUS SVD and his posts has become nothing but a freaking woman’s knitting club.


SVD keep it up man, you are the man. I have made 3 different YouTube accounts just to subscribe for y’all. Very very good information. There are another couple of other guys that give good quality meteorological stuff to but your names elude me and I apologize.

Message boards for the most part are good for 3 things:

1. News. This is really beneficial for people like me that don't follow Twitter.

2. Back-and-forth arguing (entertainment). This seems to be the part you don't like, but it really makes these boards great to me. I take a stand like basketball will be good, and then salty calls me stupid. We argue back-and-forth, and then someone is proven right, which was salty this time.

3. Random stuff like weather, movies, and then the banned, politics.

[OLJWales]

Some of you just complain to have something to talk about. Get those post counts up boys.

To be honest information wise, this forum MINUS SVD and his posts has become nothing but a freaking woman’s knitting club.


SVD keep it up man, you are the man. I have made 3 different YouTube accounts just to subscribe for y’all. Very very good information. There are another couple of other guys that give good quality meteorological stuff to but your names elude me and I apologize.

This TEAM has been doing the knitting. Nothing wrong seeing what we've seen and predicting a sub .500 SEC Season. Going from a Natty to a Turd Samich warrants fan discontent.

[HoopsDawg]

Some of you just complain to have something to talk about. Get those post counts up boys.

To be honest information wise, this forum MINUS SVD and his posts has become nothing but a freaking woman?s knitting club.


SVD keep it up man, you are the man. I have made 3 different YouTube accounts just to subscribe for y?all. Very very good information. There are another couple of other guys that give good quality meteorological stuff to but your names elude me and I apologize.

I would suggest leaving this forum. May I suggest Genespage.com? That seems more your speed.

[CadaverDawg]

Some of you just complain to have something to talk about. Get those post counts up boys.

To be honest information wise, this forum MINUS SVD and his posts has become nothing but a freaking woman?s knitting club.


SVD keep it up man, you are the man. I have made 3 different YouTube accounts just to subscribe for y?all. Very very good information. There are another couple of other guys that give good quality meteorological stuff to but your names elude me and I apologize.

Yeah, needs way more hard hitting posts like the one you just made.

https://c.tenor.com/zhs8yXDSTpwAAAAd/blank-stare.gif

[SilentSteel16]

Yeah, needs way more hard hitting posts like the one you just made.

https://c.tenor.com/zhs8yXDSTpwAAAAd/blank-stare.gif


If the shoe fits…..

[SilentSteel16]

I would suggest leaving this forum. May I suggest Genespage.com? That seems more your speed.

No I came from a 10 year membership to genespage. But since you keep referencing genespage, it is a success and ED on certain topics is comparable, but when it comes to trashing sub 21 year old kids and stuff like that I tend to draw a line. You want to talk about Cann or Cohen and their affairs or lack of give a damn that is fine but they are adults. This is where a group of moderators should also draw a line, instead of giving their opinion on the topic and then locking the thread. You want to moderate then moderate take your opinion out of it. THAT is the difference.

[SilentSteel16]

This TEAM has been doing the knitting. Nothing wrong seeing what we've seen and predicting a sub .500 SEC Season. Going from a Natty to a Turd Samich warrants fan discontent.

And on this I get it, BUT when you start complaining about not hitting and playing defensive ball players and getting no production equals complaining about offense

Then, you start playing mediocre to sub par defensive players because they hit better …THEN complain about fielding going down. That is complaining just for the sake of complaining.

That is what I am talking about, has this team been a disappointment so far, to a degree yes, but this team is still a postseason contending team. If you expect a CWS team every year then you have been watching too much Alabama football. Baseball doesn’t work like that. Due to many things such as scholarship limitations that is not even remotely comparable to others collegiate sports, a draft that is a threat to take your players almost every given year. That is just a few reasons why baseball is different.

[BrunswickDawg]

This combined with too many scoreless innings on our part and even fielding has deteriorated. Just thinking bout how we started off in Arlington last year vs this year's LBS series. Just ain't feeling good and hopeful at this point.

Our fielding last year was far worse - even after considering the 3 errors on Friday. We are 2nd in the SEC in Fielding right now after being 9th last year, what more do you want? Yes - we had an extraordinary run in the CWS where we didn't make an error, but 16 errors in 29 games I'll take all day. Complaints about hitting and pitching right now are legit. But fielding is actually one of our strengths right now. Friday night looked bad, but errors are one of those things that tend to come in bunches. It's like catching lice on your kids - once you find one you find 12 and out come the clippers because its game over.

[SilentSteel16]

Our fielding last year was far worse - even after considering the 3 errors on Friday. We are 2nd in the SEC in Fielding right now after being 9th last year, what more do you want? Yes - we had an extraordinary run in the CWS where we didn't make an error, but 16 errors in 29 games I'll take all day. Complaints about hitting and pitching right now are legit. But fielding is actually one of our strengths right now. Friday night looked bad, but errors are one of those things that tend to come in bunches. It's like catching lice on your kids - once you find one you find 12 and out come the clippers because its game over.

I can’t give you any reputation points but AMEN……..

[Cooterpoot]

Our fielding last year was far worse - even after considering the 3 errors on Friday. We are 2nd in the SEC in Fielding right now after being 9th last year, what more do you want? Yes - we had an extraordinary run in the CWS where we didn't make an error, but 16 errors in 29 games I'll take all day. Complaints about hitting and pitching right now are legit. But fielding is actually one of our strengths right now. Friday night looked bad, but errors are one of those things that tend to come in bunches. It's like catching lice on your kids - once you find one you find 12 and out come the clippers because its game over.

There's also the case of misplayed fly balls that don't get called errors. It's worse than the actual numbers this year. I'm not saying we're terrible, just that the numbers don't always reflect reality.

[HoopsDawg]

No I came from a 10 year membership to genespage. But since you keep referencing genespage, it is a success and ED on certain topics is comparable, but when it comes to trashing sub 21 year old kids and stuff like that I tend to draw a line. You want to talk about Cann or Cohen and their affairs or lack of give a damn that is fine but they are adults. This is where a group of moderators should also draw a line, instead of giving their opinion on the topic and then locking the thread. You want to moderate then moderate take your opinion out of it. THAT is the difference.

There is nothing in this thread out of line. It was a decent thread until you interjected your complaints. Take a Midol and the day off.

[SilentSteel16]

Hoops let me ask you a question…

1)has this thread been locked?
No, then I guess I was not specifically talking about this thread.

2) Did this thread mention a young athlete by name and equate his name to a piece of genitalia?
No, then I guess I was not specifically talking about this thread.

3) Did this thread mention lack of hitting and then mention lack of defense?
Yes, then I was referencing this thread among others.

4) Did what I say offend you to the point of you coming at me?
Yes, then I guess my comments were aimed at you and the likes of you.

So with that being said, nothing I said was inflammatory, so maybe you, being as inflamed as you are, might need to go and take said medication for inflammation.

Have a great day and I hope the cramps get better for you.

[SilentSteel16]

Hoops let me ask you a question…

1)has this thread been locked?
No, then I guess I was not specifically talking about this thread.

2) Did this thread mention a young athlete by name and equate his name to a piece of genitalia?
No, then I guess I was not specifically talking about this thread.

3) Did this thread mention lack of hitting and then mention lack of defense?
Yes, then I was referencing this thread among others.

4) Did what I say offend you to the point of you coming at me?
Yes, then I guess my comments were aimed at you and the likes of you.

So with that being said, nothing I said was inflammatory, so maybe you, being as inflamed as you are, might need to go and take said medication for inflammation.

Have a great day and I hope the cramps get better for you.
Oh yeah,

5)People do indeed speak on this thread and many others like it about things which they haven’t a clue. Complaining for the art of complaining.

That is a statement of fact.

Also
6) SVD and others give great advise and heads-up to people involving the weather. It is a great service that they give. That is also a statement of fact. Well done boys and stay safe out there!!!

[BrunswickDawg]

There's also the case of misplayed fly balls that don't get called errors. It's worse than the actual numbers this year. I'm not saying we're terrible, just that the numbers don't always reflect reality.

I get that - but they aren't errors for a reason. Did you see what happened at Vandy Friday because they installed new lights? Vandy lost 2 fly balls on their own field in the same inning.

[HoopsDawg]

Hoops let me ask you a question…

1)has this thread been locked?
No, then I guess I was not specifically talking about this thread.

2) Did this thread mention a young athlete by name and equate his name to a piece of genitalia?
No, then I guess I was not specifically talking about this thread.

3) Did this thread mention lack of hitting and then mention lack of defense?
Yes, then I was referencing this thread among others.

4) Did what I say offend you to the point of you coming at me?
Yes, then I guess my comments were aimed at you and the likes of you.

So with that being said, nothing I said was inflammatory, so maybe you, being as inflamed as you are, might need to go and take said medication for inflammation.

Have a great day and I hope the cramps get better for you.

I couldn't get thru your whole post, but I guess your Midol hasn't kicked in yet.

[SilentSteel16]

I couldn't get thru your whole post, but I guess your Midol hasn't kicked in yet.

Really, that is all you got? Having seen your other posts I didn’t expect much from you but come on I did expect a little more than that.

[OLJWales]

Our fielding last year was far worse - even after considering the 3 errors on Friday. We are 2nd in the SEC in Fielding right now after being 9th last year, what more do you want? Yes - we had an extraordinary run in the CWS where we didn't make an error, but 16 errors in 29 games I'll take all day. Complaints about hitting and pitching right now are legit. But fielding is actually one of our strengths right now. Friday night looked bad, but errors are one of those things that tend to come in bunches. It's like catching lice on your kids - once you find one you find 12 and out come the clippers because its game over.

I stand corrected then. I was thinking our errorless CWS was a microcosm of the entire year.

[BayouDawg]

I think Lemonis is our coach for years to come and will have great sustained success. However I personally would like a new hitting coach.

[PGHBulldogBG]

I think Lemonis is our coach for years to come and will have great sustained success. However I personally would like a new hitting coach.

Agree on all points. People talking about firing Lemonis the year after a championship and still being in contention for a regional are clearly unstable. That being said I agree a new hitting coach would be a big improvement for Lemons staff

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Giving UPig 27 free base runners over 3 games and winning one of the three is almost impossible.

[BayouDawg]

Giving UPig 27 free base runners over 3 games and winning one of the three is almost impossible.

Yes very true. Fox has to get that fixed. He has a track record of better than this so I think this year is an outlier. So Im optimistic it will improve.

[OLJWales]

Giving UPig 27 free base runners over 3 games and winning one of the three is almost impossible.

27 is inexcusable and nothin matters much after that.