A couple of baseball notes after one scrimmage

I found this to be interesting:

They are thinking about making Trevor Fitts into a relief pitcher. This might mean that they think that Hudson, Tatum, and Sexton are ready to be starters.

Reid Humphreys has moved to the OF to get his bat in the lineup. Not totally surprising, but certainly worth noting.

Michael Smith seems to have the early advantage on the CF position.

So, maybe the revised lineup looks like this?

Fri- Ross
Sat- Dakota Hudson
Sun- Austin Sexton

Bullpen- Fitts, Laster, Gentry, Daniel Brown, Logan Elliott, Vance Tatum and then Paul Young later in the year.

C- Gavin Collins
1B- Rea
2B- Heck
3B- Britton
SS- Holland
LF- Vickerson
CF- Michael Smith
RF- Humphreys
DH- Luke Reynolds

I feel dumb asking, but who is Michael Smith?

Thanks for the update Todd

If Fitts is never going to be allowed to pitch past the 5th, then we need to put him in the pen.

Smith is a newcomer from Walter State CC in Tennessee which is in the Smokey Mountains.

He's a lead off type guy with good speed that had offers from MSU and Vanderbilt. He's supposed to be really fast.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Smith is a newcomer from Walter State CC in Tennessee which is in the Smokey Mountains.

He's a lead off type guy with good speed that had offers from MSU and Vanderbilt. He's supposed to be really fast.

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Nice. Must be a player if us AND Vandy wanted him

Did Robson leave? Might have missed it.

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Originally Posted by HereComesTheSpiral

Did Robson leave? Might have missed it.

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That was my question. But after I researched it he is still in MS. Not sure if he is still on team though.

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Originally Posted by HereComesTheSpiral

Did Robson leave? Might have missed it.

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Robson will have a say in who ends up playing CF, IMO. I don't know if he wins that job or not, but some people have forgotten about how talented Robson is after he played hurt all last season. Cody Brown will also play a role in the OF, as well as the other three that Todd mentioned.

The Smith news is very encouraging to me, as is the Fitts news. Todd is right- if Fitts moves to the pen, Cohen feels good about the rising sophomores and their development. FWIW, I heard him say in an interview that he expects our rotation to be better this year.

Need to find a place for Cody Brown's bat in the lineup... Rooker and Ingram's as well for that matter...

Good problems to have...

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Originally Posted by messageboardsuperhero

Robson will have a say in who ends up playing CF, IMO. I don't know if he wins that job or not, but some people have forgotten about how talented Robson is after he played hurt all last season. Cody Brown will also play a role in the OF, as well as the other three that Todd mentioned.

The Smith news is very encouraging to me, as is the Fitts news. Todd is right- if Fitts moves to the pen, Cohen feels good about the rising sophomores and their development. FWIW, I heard him say in an interview that he expects our rotation to be better this year.

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Yes, and remember these are observations after only one scrimmage that was five innings long. I suspect that a LOT will change from now until February.

Cody Brown has to be in the every day lineup.

Todd read my mind. Great minds think a lot. Guy asked Cohen about CF and he talked up Smith a lot, Robson was last. Humphreys needs to play multiple positions BC he will play pro ball like his brother. Cohen said Hump is middle of the order bat guy-that says tons. Fitts just can't pitch long into games so turn him into reliever BC we have plenty of other arms and we are searching for closers. We will learn everything thanks to these end of practice interviews.

Can you tell how much the new ball affects movement on pitches? Ross mitchell is who I'm worried about this ball hurting

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Originally Posted by msstate7

Can you tell how much the new ball affects movement on pitches? Ross mitchell is who I'm worried about this ball hurting

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Mitchell is fine. Only movement affected is the sweeping breakers. Cohen said we are actually getting a little more movement out of 2 seams and cutters...

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Originally Posted by engie

Mitchell is fine. Only movement affected is the sweeping breakers. Cohen said we are actually getting a little more movement out of 2 seams and cutters...

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Good deal

nt

Got 7 OFs 3 bat left, some inexperience but mix and match depending on matchups. OF is where you do it. Infield is set to me. Rea, Holland, Heck, Collins, Britton.

Cody Brown has a bit of Will Clark in him. He's got intensity and that patented Nuschler face. He's going to end up being one of those guys who gets the clutch, memorable hits we remember for years.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Yes, and remember these are observations after only one scrimmage that was five innings long. I suspect that a LOT will change from now until February.

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The things I've heard about Smith really have nothing to do with the scrimmage. Supposedly he was one of the steals of last year's signing class and has the potential to be the best defensive CF in the conference next year.

I am telling you this team has the ingredients to go far. Those JC guys are really good.

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Originally Posted by messageboardsuperhero

The things I've heard about Smith really have nothing to do with the scrimmage. Supposedly he was one of the steals of last year's signing class and has the potential to be the best defensive CF in the conference next year.

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I don't doubt that one bit. Walters State may be a JUCO but they are no joke. I have been wanting us to build some sort of pipeline/relationship there for some time now. TN is one of the premier JUCO baseball states and Walters is always at or near the top.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I found this to be interesting:

They are thinking about making Trevor Fitts into a relief pitcher.

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July 1st, 2014

http://www.elitedawgs.com/showthread...maha-next-year

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Originally Posted by Pioneer Dawg

I don't think we should be counting on Fitts as a no-doubt starter

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Troll attempt fail.

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Originally Posted by Pioneer Dawg

Fitts averaged just 4.1 IP per start this year. For his career he is averaging 3.2 IP per start. In only 4 of his 22 career starts has he logged 6 innings, but its "crazy" to think he may get beat out by 3 more solid options?. Troll

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Originally Posted by Coach34

Will James/Pioneer- let me explain something.

Cohen is going to start Fitts next year on weekends. Why? Because he is a veteran that will give him 4-5 solid innings. We dont mind going to the pen and that trend will continue. We really arent looking for guys to go 7 innings in a start per say- we dont mind doing tandem pitching.

Cohen gonna stick to his vets and start Fitts

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Originally Posted by engie

Had nothing at all to do with the best reliever in the country coming behind him**

Fitts had the shortest hook of any pitcher we've had under Cohen because we had Lindgren coming next.

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Originally Posted by Pioneer Dawg

When I have time I will look at Fitts opponents batting average 1st time thru compared to 2nd.. Yeah he was relieved early but only because most of the time he would dig a severe hole for himself and needed Lindgren to bail him out.

We all know this. How many times was it mentioned that he can't get thru more than once.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

One way to get "cred" is to not make outlandish comments about the only guy on the staff that has started a CWS game and was the only guy to start from week one going forward in SEC play.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Only way Fitts isn't in our weekend rotation is if he is hurt.

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Originally Posted by Pioneer Dawg

Henderson started both games of the CWS final. Cohen had no problem benching him. Same for Rea near the end last year (and hopefully next year.. Go Ingram)

We have better options than Fitts

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Originally Posted by engie

"Trolling" = Consistently asking for things you know will never happen

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Originally Posted by Pioneer Dawg

Fitts not being a weekend starter is "something I KNOW will never happen"?

Uh ok

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http://media3.giphy.com/media/ToMjGp...VyAo/200_s.gif

Could only wait until the first fall scrimmage for the "I told you so", eh?

What a douche

Nice attempt at faux context. I'd expect nothing less.

What happened with Garner striking out practically just as often as Rea this summer -- and hitting the longball worse? You told us that wouldn't happen. Why were Ingram and Rooker basically as productive as Garner this summer -- and FAR more producive than he was his first college summer?

Will James said that Garner was the ONLY option at first and that he was night and day better than anything and everything else we had!!11!1 What gives?

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Originally Posted by bulldogcountry1

Could only wait until the first fall scrimmage for the "I told you so", eh?

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This isn't surprising. No one places more emphasis on what happens in Fall Ball than Will James.

At any rate, if Fitts is moved to the bullpen it's because our sophomores are lights out- that's not a bad thing, but it's also not what I would consider a normal thing either. Trevor had an ERA of 2.58 on the year and was actually better in SEC games with an ERA of 1.93. So, he may have only averaged 4-5 IP per start but he was effective overall as a starter.

The other thing to remember here is that Butch likes to piggy back starters sometimes. They know Fitts can start. What they don't know as much is how he would be coming out of the bullpen on the back end of a piggy back situation. Fall ball is the time to experiment with that.

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Originally Posted by engie

Nice attempt at faux context. I'd expect nothing less.

What happened with Garner striking out practically just as often as Rea this summer -- and hitting the longball worse? You told us that wouldn't happen. Why were Ingram and Rooker basically as productive as Garner this summer -- and FAR more producive than he was his first college summer?

Will James said that Garner was the ONLY option at first and that he was night and day better than anything and everything else we had!!11!1 What gives?

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For the record rounded since I did this in my head.

This summer- Rea had 1 HR for every 12 AB's.

Garner hit 1 HR for every 19 AB's.

And this was after Rea got off to a really slow start too.

Also- before it comes up- since I did this in my head, I'm too lazy to do plate appearances since it wasn't readily available. Sorry. The point remains.

I'm going to be aggravated if we try to keep Real Deal as a starter. He was good there, but his real value is as a change of pace innings eater out of the bullpen behind a power arm. Since we don't let Fitts go through the lineup more than once anyway, I've got no problem with moving him.

Definitely think we need to find a way to get Cody Brown's bat into the lineup. The kid can flat play. Also want to see one of Rooker or Ingram get into the lineup. Screw Grizzly Rea at 1B. He's done.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

For the record rounded since I did this in my head.

This summer- Rea had 1 HR for every 12 AB's.

Garner hit 1 HR for every 19 AB's.

And this was after Rea got off to a really slow start too.

Also- before it comes up- since I did this in my head, I'm too lazy to do plate appearances since it wasn't readily available. Sorry. The point remains.

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I also think a best case scenario situation would be for Vance Tatum to be lights out and be a starter along with Hudson and Sexton with Mitchell becoming the top lefty out of the pen again.

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Originally Posted by KB21

I also think a best case scenario situation would be for Vance Tatum to be lights out and be a starter along with Hudson and Sexton with Mitchell becoming the top lefty out of the pen again.

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Definetly want ross out of the pen following a hard throwing righty

I wouldn't mind Laster finding his way back into the rotation and Ross in the bullpen. I say Laster, but I would also be fine with Tatum as someone said, but I don't know his stats or much about him, so does he have the stamina to start?

I also see Cody being a starter in the outfield when it is all said and done. I would love to see him in center with his speed and hitting behind heck or somewhere else near the top of the order

No this is the starting scenario.

Fri-Dakota Hudson
Sat-Lucas Laster
Sun-Preston Brown

We will go to the pen more often on Friday night, then put in Laster who usually goes deeper into a game hence saving the bullpen, then on Sunday (after a day of rest usually) go with Brown. A strong candidate for one spot is Juco Daniel Brown. He was a starter his Fr year and went deep a lot of times. Was All-American.

We are stacked in the pitching staff.

In the OF, you will see Vickerson in RF, Brown in LF and Smith in CF. Robson is the 4th OF. Rooker and Swinarski will gain experience and be factors coming off the bench late in the year. Both have HR power. They will be pinch hitters in key situations. When Humphreys plays OF, Brown will have a chance at DH.

I'm not sure I'm ready to just gift vickerson a starting role in the OF

This is of right now. Robson might come on and be the third guy. We need to see what they do in fall ball. But if Smith is very fast and runs down fly balls and doesn't strike out much then he is a starter. The best thing about the OF is we have plenty to choose from depending on the other pitcher.

Vickerson is going to be a full-time starter- you can bank on that.

Offensively, we are going to be improved. Our infield D is going to be insanely good. Can the pitching come thru? We'll see

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Originally Posted by MsStateBaseball

In the OF, you will see Vickerson in RF, Brown in LF and Smith in CF. Robson is the 4th OF. Rooker and Swinarski will gain experience and be factors coming off the bench late in the year. Both have HR power. They will be pinch hitters in key situations. When Humphreys plays OF, Brown will have a chance at DH.

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Brown isn't going to dh while hump is playing in the of. Brown might be our best of defender and has the best arm of them all.

Swinarski has beefed up a ton it looks like. We have all kinds of depth in the OF.