Baseball?

Now that football is over is it safe to start talking about our Bulldog Baseball season that starts in a little over a month? What do the talking heads have to say about the season coming up? I went to all the scrimmages in Jackson and I even snuck in the back door at the Palmeiro center a few times and watched them in there so I have seen a little of action in the fall. We have a real solid Defense with only a couple of questions and Offensively we had a few guys stand out that were veterans but we will need some of the new guys come on so the line up doesn't fade on the back end. Pitching wise we are way ahead of last year just from a shear numbers stand point and we have more strike throwers too. Just interested in what others think so if you're bored chime in. Thanks and Hail State....39 days till first pitch!

The big question... Alexander or Stovall at ss?

Both will start, so it does not really matter.

We simply need offense. We need a couple of guys to step up and provide power. We know Mangum and Stovall will get on base.

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Originally Posted by 5049

Both will start, so it does not really matter.

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It matters... C34 and I will give each other hell according to how it works out haha

I think we will be best with Gilbert, Alexander, Stovall, and Mangum up the middle and that will be as solid as it gets across the country. So with that being said if you're asking me who I think ends up at SS I'm going to have to say probably Alexander because no one has shown to this point the capability of playing 2nd at the level Stovall has shown us. Either one of them could play SS pretty much anywhere in the country but only one can here so we have a pretty good situation from that standpoint. Alexander has to step up his hitting tool though or we may see a repeat of the last two seasons with him. On a positive from that though he didn't strike out near as much this fall as he has in the past so that is a very nice improvement and I expect him to keep getting better this spring too.

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Originally Posted by Backwoodsdawg

I think we will be best with Gilbert, Alexander, Stovall, and Mangum up the middle and that will be as solid as it gets across the country. So with that being said if you're asking me who I think ends up at SS I'm going to have to say probably Alexander because no one has shown to this point the capability of playing 2nd at the level Stovall has shown us. Either one of them could play SS pretty much anywhere in the country but only one can here so we have a pretty good situation from that standpoint. Alexander has to step up his hitting tool though or we may see a repeat of the last two seasons with him. On a positive from that though he didn't strike out near as much this fall as he has in the past so that is a very nice improvement and I expect him to keep getting better this spring too.

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If Alexander stays healthy and keeps bat discipline then we might be pretty good on the infield. Stovall is so damn good at 2nd, I would be hard pressed to move him unless we had someone else really good. I think it would come down to what new guy can play premium defense at either 3rd or 2nd. If you have someone good for 3rd then keep Stovall at 2nd and move LA to SS. If you have a great 2nd baseman then move Stovall to SS and LA stays at 3rd. It seems like LA has the better arm so he should probably stay on the 3rd base side at either 3rd or SS.

Either way it is a great problem to have. Our pitching is going to bend over some guys. Pilk might be the best we have had since Stratton. He kind of reminds me of Maholm with more velocity. The guy is just a workhorse. I can't wait to see what they can do with an actual full pitching staff instead of the walking dead we had last year. Half the pitching staff last year should not have pitched in a SEC game. They just weren't ready and most needed a redshirt year.

Luke did some good things in the Cape. He will be better this year. I think he will be at SS and Stovall at 2nd like Backwoods said we are at our strongest defensively that way

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Originally Posted by BorneDawg

Luke did some good things in the Cape. He will be better this year. I think he will be at SS and Stovall at 2nd like Backwoods said we are at our strongest defensively that way

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He has been banged up the last 2 years. Hopefully he stays healthy and can play up to his potential.

Best guess starting day.

Lf-vansau
Cf- mangum
Rf- poole (hope Anderson wins out here)
3b- foscue
Ss- alexander
2b- Stovall
1b- macnamee
C- gilbert

Dh- no clue. Hopefully a healthy tanner Allen.

Friday- pilk
Saturday- France
Sunday- small, gordon, billingsley

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Originally Posted by Steakonastick

Best guess starting day.

Lf-vansau
Cf- mangum
Rf- poole (hope Anderson wins out here)
3b- foscue
Ss- alexander
2b- Stovall
1b- macnamee
C- gilbert

Dh- no clue. Hopefully a healthy tanner Allen.

Friday- pilk
Saturday- France
Sunday- small, gordon, billingsley

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Tell us about foscue and Gilbert.

No way is Poole starting.

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Originally Posted by AlSwearengen

No way is Poole starting.

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Maybe not, but steakonastick is usually dead on with baseball

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Originally Posted by Backwoodsdawg

Now that football is over is it safe to start talking about our Bulldog Baseball season that starts in a little over a month? What do the talking heads have to say about the season coming up? I went to all the scrimmages in Jackson and I even snuck in the back door at the Palmeiro center a few times and watched them in there so I have seen a little of action in the fall. We have a real solid Defense with only a couple of questions and Offensively we had a few guys stand out that were veterans but we will need some of the new guys come on so the line up doesn't fade on the back end. Pitching wise we are way ahead of last year just from a shear numbers stand point and we have more strike throwers too. Just interested in what others think so if you're bored chime in. Thanks and Hail State....39 days till first pitch!

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Always good to sneak in the back door for a little action

Poole would not be starting for me. But it is what it is.

Foscue- shortstop in high school, line drive hitter who has a little pop. Good athlete

Gilbert- the only catcher who hit this fall. Skelton was awful. Gilbert is a very good all around catcher behind the plate. Did not show much power in the fall but hit the ball hard. Showed some good power in juco.

Tanner Allen is the wildcard. He was hurt almost all of the fall.

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Originally Posted by msstate7

It matters... C34 and I will give each other hell according to how it works out haha

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If you lose, would that mean C34 = your daddy?

:cool:

I think Poole will be limited to defensive sub duties. I was actually surprised that he made the roster because he didn't seem to make any significant improvements at the plate in the fall.

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Originally Posted by Coldsleeve Jr.

If you lose, would that mean C34 = your daddy?

:cool:

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If I lose 7 of 8, perhaps lol

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Originally Posted by msstate7

It matters... C34 and I will give each other hell according to how it works out haha

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Now that Grid is gone- I'd be fine with putting Belmont at SS. Hopefully his bat will improve enough to hit .240 in SEC play

So natty or bust right