Baseball Outfield

Seeing articles that Lemons has competition for CF.

Options?

1. O'Brien- seemed like a fast and very competent CF but the bat looked uncompetitive last season but Freshmen grow.
2. lemons says Chance is in play for CF
3. Rives Reynolds is a starter in the Maroon-White games in CF.
4. Reed Stallman is not starting for Maroon or White - not at 1B, DH, or Corner OF.

What do we expect from O'Brien? Who does he project to be from past MSU center fielders?

Hurst, Bradford, David Mitchell (Mr 1000 Fielding Percentage), Jacob Robson, Rowdey?

I think at worst O'Brien is a really good defensive guy that can steal bases when he gets on. So if he can't hit he becomes a useful role player as a late inning defensive replacement and/or pinch runner.

If he can hit- which is the question at this point and I think he might be able to but the jury is still out- then you're looking at a leadoff or number 9 hitter who is a solid traditional leadoff guy.

It has been talked about on here that Chance might start in CF. I'm sure he will start somewhere.

If O'Brien can hit decently I think you have to start him in CF. If not- then you go with Chance.

Ross Highfill might play some CF as well. So you could see a scenario where he starts in CF and Chance goes to LF.

If Chance continues to be the most difficult guy to strike out, he is out there somewhere.

One or more of the transfers are going to be the odd men out, and will transfer again.

Can O'Brien get on base enough to be a leadoff hitter though? I just don't see one of those with this lineup

Dang, Highfill is a legit stud athlete to make the Catcher to Center Field switch.

(1) You lose the brilliant defense Ross provides as a catcher but you give his body a less brutal field position after a year of recovery.
(2) O'Brien and Ross can switch in late innings with a single switch
(3) if Owen is crushing baseballs like we hear, then you want the lad in the lineup. Owen becomes the catcher when Highfill is in CF.
(4) man, if Ross plays mostly CF, then MSU should have snagged that great St John catcher that Wake Forest took. Or the big Purdue Mechanical Engineer kid that went to Clemson.

Powell returned and will catch when Highfill is not back there most likely.

Highfill is different as he is one of the fastest if not the fastest on the team

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Powell returned and will catch when Highfill is not back there most likely.

Highfill is different as he is one of the fastest if not the fastest on the team

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Give me a team BA of .315 or better and an ERA under 4 and I'll be tickled maroon!

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Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

Give me a team BA of .315 or better and an ERA under 4 and I'll be tickled maroon!

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Dont ask for much do you? That would make us the best team in the country

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Originally Posted by The Federalist Engineer

Dang, Highfill is a legit stud athlete to make the Catcher to Center Field switch.

(1) You lose the brilliant defense Ross provides as a catcher but you give his body a less brutal field position after a year of recovery.
(2) O'Brien and Ross can switch in late innings with a single switch
(3) if Owen is crushing baseballs like we hear, then you want the lad in the lineup. Owen becomes the catcher when Highfill is in CF.
(4) man, if Ross plays mostly CF, then MSU should have snagged that great St John catcher that Wake Forest took. Or the big Purdue Mechanical Engineer kid that went to Clemson.

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1) highfill has a good arm. But his defense as a fr wasn't brilliant. It was down right terrible. I get it, fr improve. But he has to be flight years better.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Dont ask for much do you? That would make us the best team in the country

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By a long shot

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Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

Give me a team BA of .315 or better and an ERA under 4 and I'll be tickled maroon!

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Whoa there Trigger!

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Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

Give me a team BA of .315 or better and an ERA under 4 and I'll be tickled maroon!

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User name checks out.

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Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

Give me a team BA of .315 or better and an ERA under 4 and I'll be tickled maroon!

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That would be Natty Number 2.

He's not great behind the plate. Ross struggled badly defensively two years ago.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

1) highfill has a good arm. But his defense as a fr wasn't brilliant. It was down right terrible. I get it, fr improve. But he has to be flight years better.

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I don't recall it was terrible, it was terrible before Highfill.

Remember VMI stole like 10 bases on Hancock in one game. That was the worst performance by an MSU Cather of my whole time as a fan. Highfill was just raw and took duty, because duty called after VMI. Fielding % is a lot discredited metric but RH was 995. That said, I thought MSU needed one of the great portal catchers, did not get one.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Powell returned and will catch when Highfill is not back there most likely.

Highfill is different as he is one of the fastest if not the fastest on the team

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Our other catcher led the team in HR in fall and hit another bomb in recent scrimmage.

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Originally Posted by bigbub50

Our other catcher led the team in HR in fall and hit another bomb in recent scrimmage.

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How does he catch? That's going to be a big deal with this staff

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Originally Posted by State82

That would be Natty Number 2.

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Hey! It's my dream! Don't wake me up!

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Originally Posted by Coach34

How does he catch? That's going to be a big deal with this staff

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He has a good reputation as a defensive catcher. I don't know that he is as good as Highfill or even Powell defensively but unless he has issues with pitchers and handling them that I am unaware of I would assume that he is adequate. We'll find out when the lights come as I am sure that he is going to get an opportunity as well as he is hitting.