Yeah 100%.Quote:
Originally Posted by Coach34
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Yeah 100%.Quote:
Originally Posted by Coach34
Nah. It is a host a regional and honestly it may be make a SR. He is making too much money and this is the end of the talent cycle as well. If he does not make serious noise then it is time to move in a different direction. He has been given two mulligans. As I have said for 3 years, that stadium was not built for April. It was built for June.Quote:
Originally Posted by preachermatt83
^^^ This can't be stated enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve
I think some our fans think that because we lose a game or a series or whatever it's because we "didn't play hard enough". But like you said we would blow a lead late and then our guys would come back from it. And then the pitching would blow the lead again! We would lose a game like 13-12 and we would have fans that would blame the offense. It's just crazy to me! How do you come to that conclusion? Tanner Allen, Jake Mangum, Rowdey, and Elijah MacNamee wouldn't have been able to overcome our pitching staff the last two years either. And it sure wouldn't have been because of their lack of playing hard.Quote:
Originally Posted by Commercecomet24
This team had a massive comeback against LSU last year and won that series, played their ass off against Ole Miss to come from behind to win that series, beat the greatest USM team ever or so I was told by their fans and etc. And some of that happened after this team had nothing to play for and no pitching coach.
End of a talent cycle? Our talent in 2025 has a very real chance to be as good as it has ever been here.Quote:
Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve
Rotation could be Loo, Loftin, and Siary. Caden Marcum is a huge wild card there but he was a first round pick out of high school and then had Tommy John before the draft and ended up in JUCO. He could be a huge steal for us. I think Makhai Grant and Nolan Stevens could be big time contributors out of the bullpen as well once Grant recovers from Tommy John and he should be recovered by next season.
Highfill will be a junior. Assuming Hines goes pro Jackson McKenzie or Stevens will take over for him. They'll be sophomores. Then we get Mershon and Cupp back and a year older. Third base will be up for grabs but Paul Spalitta could potentially move there and then we're probably getting Henry Allen through the draft and he probably starts day one somewhere.
Assuming we lose Dakota Jordan we have a ton of guys that can play the outfield and Dante Nori could start day one in CF. We get Bryce Chance back and he will be an upperclassman. Allen, Stevens, and Spalitta could all fight for spots in the OF. Conrad Cason is one of the top dual position prospects in the country and he could help out on the mound, 3B, SS, or the OF.
And based on what I'm hearing I think we have a good chance to get those guys through the draft. At least at this way too early point.
I know a mentioned a few freshman but with the portal and a good season we don't really have a ton of needs. We'll take any pitcher that can help us and it would be great to find an established closer like an Aaron Nixon again. Maybe a proven third baseman and another OF but those needs are hardly massive and very doable with our NIL. If the season goes like I think it will it will be easier to get those players too.
Now I do agree that if we don't perform this year then you have to look at firing Lemonis. I just don't think it will come down to that.
I'm on the side that believes we have good talent. The pitching execution was just atrocious last year. That impacted everything. If we cut just cut down on walks and compete on the mound, that will make all the difference in the morale of the team.
To get back to a host-level team, we have got to have leadership that hates to lose. We need guys who want the ball or bat when the game is on the line. I feel like we have some good candidates.
The reason I say talent cycle is because every guy you mentioned is solely on potential. They have either not shown it at all or not shown it consistently at this level. Those other guys (Jordan, Hines, Larry, etc.) are proven commodities at this level. If those guys you mentioned all produce then it is all a moot point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
It's fair to project that by this time next year those guys will have improved quite a bit after having gone through a SEC season and a season of Summer Baseball.Quote:
Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve
Usually if a team has elite starting pitching they're going to be very good. We could conceivably have three MLB.com top 100 pitchers in our rotation next year in their junior year in 2025.
Nailed it. The kids played hard all year and that's a credit to Lemonis and shows he didn't "lose" the team. I just can't say enough how truly bad our pitching was, it was historically bad. That go for strikeouts, pitch away from contact approach absolutely killed our pitching staff. Get ahead 0-2 and then throw 3 straight non-competitive breaking balls to get the hitter back in the count and then either walk the hitter on another bad breaking ball or groove a fastball that gets destroyed. Our pitching was way to predictabale. Just lay off the bad stuff and get our pitchers behind and then you either get a walk or big fat meatball to hit. Parker has changed that approach and i believe we'll challenge more hitters this year(thank heavens!). I hate nibbling!Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
Exactly. I usually stay away from commenting on pitch selection because I don't have the scouting report. But when it's like what you are talking about where we're literally pitching every hitter the same way no matter what- there is zero chance in hell everyone has the same scouting report. I felt bad for our pitchers. I could see in their face that they didn't have any confidence in what they were being asked to do sometimes. I saw a couple of pitchers go off the rails last season at times which I don't condone but I also understand why in this situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Commercecomet24
Pitching isn't like football where your team picks a style and everyone goes with it. Pitchers all have unique skill sets. Different types of fastball and breaking balls. Different spin rates. Different arm angles. Every pitching plan for each pitcher has to be individualized to that pitcher. That's where the pitching lab comes in. And that's where Foxhall ultimately failed. You can't make it one size fits all with pitchers.
I feel bad for guys like Parker Stinnett and KC Hunt. They could have been really developed into next level pitchers with proper coaching.
I also think this team under Lemonis tutelage will be 3-9, maybe 4-8 going into the UGA game. There has been talent the past 2 years on this team. Some of it is still here. But the coaching staff only had one change.
Will the pitching be better? Maybe. But, has Parker removed all the bad habits in one fall? Not likely. And there is no arm that could start for all the top programs that I see.
There are going to still be a couple of holes in the batting order. I would rather see 9 guys all hitting .290 with 25 xbhs than 2 guys batting .360 and 4 guys batting .240 or less. The latter is what I fear against SEC pitching.
I say 32-24 (12-18 SEC) after that horrible 3-9 SEC start.
Oh, and if they do start 3-9 or worse in the SEC, there should be an Interim HC when State plays Georgia.
I'm not gonna get all into this but I disagree with some things posted. I will say our coaching decisions were iffy a lot. Also there were several games played that our kids showed no energy. This wasn't MSU baseball. We were a soft baseball team last year.
I'm all in for this year, but sugar coating making excuses isn't making me feel good about last year. In saying this, I'm turning the page and will support our program and hope we get back to playing MSU baseball that I know.
Until he stops putting the third baseman on second we will never win.
Infuriating.Quote:
Originally Posted by Commercecomet24
Parker will have our pitchers attacking hitters weaknesses
I like Larry as my leadoff or possibly 2nd.
Did we play with our hair on fire the entire season? No. I'm not sure we did that in 2021 either- remember when we got swept by Arkansas that year?Quote:
Originally Posted by basedog
As far as the season as a whole- we didn't just tank. We kept on fighting for the most part until the last series.
Doesn't matter, you play every inning and every game with energy. Lemonis sat by and watched the ship sink, more went on than most know. I'm hoping all will be good this year, no doubt new pitching coach is a start, but we have to get the players in the correct positions and Lord knows, ones that are head cases and cause problems in the dugout need to go.Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
Nothing wrong with being positive leading the cheer squad, but potential is just a word used way too much. Give me guys that play all out with hustle and desire all day long.
The start of the season in Sec play will tell the story.
Base, I always respect your takes and opinions, because I know you're not just talking out of your butt. If you say there were more issues than we know then I 100% trust you on that. Let's hope Lemonis has learned from the disaster and I hope we turn it around this season, as well. I want to see the MSU baseball i know and love. And you're right the start of SEC play will tell us what we need to know. Appreciate your takes!Quote:
Originally Posted by basedog
I said the year we won the Natty we needed to celebrate BUT put it behind us and go back to work (I told my daughter this). Instead, we didn't work hard and get prepared for what was ahead which was a target on our backs. What makes Saban so good and Skip Bertman was the drive to succeed every year and not get lazy with practice and recruiting. I'm just amazed how fast we fell after winning the Natty. Then seeing team chemistry being destroyed and letting things go was bad. Hey, it happens I know, but we had too many good ole boys and everything is ok and we can turn this around until it's too late. A few players is all it takes to destroy team chemistry, Coaches and Players have to step up and be leaders. Hey I know I'm a little critical of how we handled things, but it shouldn't have happened. We took a big step back on our tradition and things are about to really get tough in years to come with Tx and Ok coming into the league.Quote:
Originally Posted by Commercecomet24
I like Lemonis, but he has to show some fire and emotion and not just sit on the bucket to start the year. I'm pulling for him, I hope we make a regional and do well, show me the Baseball Program I know and I love! I guess my rant is over, I hate what I saw the last two years, should not have happened.
Again, I wish Lemonis and team the best this year, I will be attending and supporting.