Depth

[Cowbell]

When is the last time we won a weekend series and had three legitimate pitchers that we didn't use including a guy like Nixon who may be the stoutest arm we have behind Dohm? This team doesn't have a crazy ace, but has a bunch of different guys that can give you solid innings and honestly that's how you win in the post-season. Relying on 1-2 guys is a dangerous way to go. Plus it allows us to yank guys quick when we need too.

And then on offense - Hines is limping so we can conveniently give him time off to recover without much loss in offensive production. And also, I don't remember the last time we had a team that started every inning with strong bats- I still remember when the bottom of the order were guys that you hoped just held us over until the top of the order came around.

Regardless of what happens, we have the talent. Just need to add more experience to some of these young faces and hope for chemistry to grow with this bunch. I honestly believe more night games at the dude are the answer...

[Todd4State]

Our talent is going to be even better next year if we get a few guys through the draft next year.

We'll be kind of young next year- but very talented. 2025 could be a really special team.

[StarkVegasSteve]

On the staff: Our guys competed on Saturday and Sunday. Every one of them that we put out there pounded the zone and challenged hitters. From Yntema all the way through Gibbs. If you can have that kind of production every weekend then we will go far. I do not expect that every weekend, but nonetheless it was good to see. I think you hit on it that both Dohm and Nixon have the two most live arms in the pen. If we can get Yntema, Davis, and Siary to give us what they did this weekend then your bullpen starts to look a hell of a lot better than it did 48 hours ago.

Hitting wise: We will mash. There will probably be games here and there where we will struggle but we have too much talent too to bottom to ever be held down for long. And if we have a guy struggling we can replace him and let him get his head right for a few games. Hujsak and Downs give us that advantage. I do think we need to keep Highfill at catcher. The bat is good enough to stay and his catching is just better. That will leave an interesting problem with Hines, Clark, and Chance because right now we cannot take Hancock out of the lineup. The bat has been as good as the arm has been bad.

Agree on talent. We have an abundance of it and it is all young. Jordan, Cijntje, Loftin, Yntema, Siary, Highfill, Chance, Mershon, and Hines have a chance to be very special by the time they leave.

[Cowbell]

We will lose few Sunday games. Just too much offensive power for lesser pitchers and we should still have good pitching depth

[StarkVegasSteve]

We will lose few Sunday games. Just too much offensive power for lesser pitchers and we should still have good pitching depth

Agreed. I think we'll be one of the best Sunday teams in the league which is why I think you need to keep Gartman there because he can eat innings and pound the zone. Now if we could lock down one other weekend spot we could be cooking with gas.

[Commercecomet24]

We will lose few Sunday games. Just too much offensive power for lesser pitchers and we should still have good pitching depth

Yes leave Gartman on Sunday and I'll take him against just about everyone else's Sunday guy with our lineup. Leaving Gartman there gives us a great chance to win most weekend series if we can split the first two.

[Todd4State]

On the staff: Our guys competed on Saturday and Sunday. Every one of them that we put out there pounded the zone and challenged hitters. From Yntema all the way through Gibbs. If you can have that kind of production every weekend then we will go far. I do not expect that every weekend, but nonetheless it was good to see. I think you hit on it that both Dohm and Nixon have the two most live arms in the pen. If we can get Yntema, Davis, and Siary to give us what they did this weekend then your bullpen starts to look a hell of a lot better than it did 48 hours ago.

Hitting wise: We will mash. There will probably be games here and there where we will struggle but we have too much talent too to bottom to ever be held down for long. And if we have a guy struggling we can replace him and let him get his head right for a few games. Hujsak and Downs give us that advantage. I do think we need to keep Highfill at catcher. The bat is good enough to stay and his catching is just better. That will leave an interesting problem with Hines, Clark, and Chance because right now we cannot take Hancock out of the lineup. The bat has been as good as the arm has been bad.

Agree on talent. We have an abundance of it and it is all young. Jordan, Cijntje, Loftin, Yntema, Siary, Highfill, Chance, Mershon, and Hines have a chance to be very special by the time they leave.

Here's the reality of this weekend. Most of our runs were allowed by two pitchers. One of whom has been very consistent and it sounds like he was ill when he went out there.

[Homedawg]

Our talent is going to be even better next year if we get a few guys through the draft next year.

We'll be kind of young next year- but very talented. 2025 could be a really special team.

Agree. Our recruiting has stepped to the next level. Obviously have to keep some. But we've gotten way better w the backup plan. Meaning not all eggs in draft pick guys. Guys like Gibbs Mershon etc. contributors

[StarkVegasSteve]

Here's the reality of this weekend. Most of our runs were allowed by two pitchers. One of whom has been very consistent and it sounds like he was ill when he went out there.

I hope that's the case. The concern for me, and in a way going forward, is that it's the returning guys who have struggled. Now, I'm willing to give Cade the benefit of the doubt. He didn't look well. I've never seen a player be covered in sweat in the top of the 1st on a cloudy, cold February day. But Hunt and Stinnett struggling.....again.....is just a concern because they've been in the program and they're guys, along with Cheatham and Pico when he returns that we're going to need. These Freshman are going to hit a wall. We've seen it from every Freshman that we've ever had on the mound. No matter how good or how bad. So these returners are going to have to pitch big time innings for us at some point.

[Cowbell]

Agree. Our recruiting has stepped to the next level. Obviously have to keep some. But we've gotten way better w the backup plan. Meaning not all eggs in draft pick guys. Guys like Gibbs Mershon etc. contributors

Gibbs looks really promising so far

[R2Dawg]

Our talent is going to be even better next year if we get a few guys through the draft next year.

We'll be kind of young next year- but very talented. 2025 could be a really special team.

True on a special team is coming. I expect these freshmen to be in Omaha at least once before they leave.

[CaptainObvious]

After what I witnessed last year, it is definitely easier to be a <glass have empty> guy than a glass half full guy. Seeing the results on Saturday and Sunday was encouraging for sure and Reading the last two days seems this group of fans fell a little better. But the skeptic in me wonders if the Arizona State team we saw Saturday and Sunday is the real ASU team and Friday was fool?s gold for them. I just hope Saturday and Sunday don?t turn out to be fools gold for us. Tuesday night could be interesting in determining where this team really lies but I think this weekend in Frisco, Texas May tell us a lot more.

[Todd4State]

Agree. Our recruiting has stepped to the next level. Obviously have to keep some. But we've gotten way better w the backup plan. Meaning not all eggs in draft pick guys. Guys like Gibbs Mershon etc. contributors

This year may be a year like 2011. We'll see. But the future is very bright.


I hope that's the case. The concern for me, and in a way going forward, is that it's the returning guys who have struggled. Now, I'm willing to give Cade the benefit of the doubt. He didn't look well. I've never seen a player be covered in sweat in the top of the 1st on a cloudy, cold February day. But Hunt and Stinnett struggling.....again.....is just a concern because they've been in the program and they're guys, along with Cheatham and Pico when he returns that we're going to need. These Freshman are going to hit a wall. We've seen it from every Freshman that we've ever had on the mound. No matter how good or how bad. So these returners are going to have to pitch big time innings for us at some point.

They may and probably will crash and burn by the end of the year. But their experience this year will pay off for us.

[TNDawg35]

Here is something interesting. LSU has scored 69 runs, Ole Miss 79, and State has scored 76 yet all D1 baseball wants to talk about is how potent LSU and Ole Miss offense is… if we can keep the bullpen throwing like this last wknd, we can ply with anyone.