57stratdawg post on sps (baseball related)

20 games into the season?.
MSU has the most losses (9) in the SEC, followed up by:

> 14th in Batting Average
> 12th in ERA
> 12th in Slugging
> 13th in OB%
> 12th in opponent BA
> 13th in Runs Allowed
> 14th in Saves (1)
> 13th in Wins (11)
> 11th in Walks Allowed (1 away from 14th)

Long Beach State is 8-6 since leaving Starkville and Tulane is 3-5 since our series.

This team looks like one of the worst MSU baseball teams in a decade. I don?t know what they can build off of struggling at the plate and on the mound. They have to get the bats going. I don?t see us suddenly developing a reliable staff of relievers. If neither happen, I could see this team missing the NCAA Tournament all together.

Man, I've been really hopeful for a turnaround, but perhaps I'm just being naive. We've been quite horrible so far

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by msstate7

Man, I've been really hopeful for a turnaround, but perhaps I'm just being naive. We've been quite horrible so far

---

Yeah, those numbers are stark...and we have a good sample size now.

This team isn't good.

We've got two good starting pitchers (Beef and Cade). No bullpen. Our core from last year (LoTan, Hancock, James, Cumbest) have lacked from a production and leadership standpoint. Hines has been a pleasant surprise. Leggett and Forsythe can't hit. Our defense was pretty good until this weekend but we've forgotten how to track down a fly out and throw the ball to first base apparently.

The pitching I can understand. We lost Sims and Simmons and Hunt has been out too. Sure, I get it.

There's no excuse for the bats. None. You're supposed to get better from year to year. We've gotten worse. We have no approach. We swing like we're afraid we're gonna hurt the ball. We lack the clutch gene. There's just so much wrong with this team, it'll be hard to get it together at this point.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KOdawg1

There's no excuse for the bats. None. You're supposed to get better from year to year. We've gotten worse. We have no approach. We swing like we're afraid we're gonna hurt the ball. We lack the clutch gene. There's just so much wrong with this team, it'll be hard to get it together at this point.

---

Totally agree. Something has got to change. Why the hell do current and former players rave about Gautreau, though?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KOdawg1

This team isn't good.

We've got two good starting pitchers (Beef and Cade). No bullpen. Our core from last year (LoTan, Hancock, James, Cumbest) have lacked from a production and leadership standpoint. Hines has been a pleasant surprise. Leggett and Forsythe can't hit. Our defense was pretty good until this weekend but we've forgotten how to track down a fly out and throw the ball to first base apparently.

The pitching I can understand. We lost Sims and Simmons and Hunt has been out too. Sure, I get it.

There's no excuse for the bats. None. You're supposed to get better from year to year. We've gotten worse. We have no approach. We swing like we're afraid we're gonna hurt the ball. We lack the clutch gene. There's just so much wrong with this team, it'll be hard to get it together at this point.

---

Problem is we have a bunch of Pedro Serranos'. Listen to the games and you will hear nothing but swinging at balls in the dirt. They cannot hit a breakingball if their life depended on it. Another thing we are missing this year is "timely Hitting". Last year whenever we needed a hit especially in the regionals we got on. This year so far we can't seem to get on, yesterday not withstanding.

I think both Long Beach State and Tulane got a big head after our series with them.

Most of Long Beach's losses were right after our series and they are 8-2 in their last 10 with some fairly impressive wins over Gonzaga and UConn.

Tulane has won or tied their last three games and they lost to LSU by 2 in Baton Rouge where they went toe to toe with them. That series completely changed when we lost Sims and Simmons too. The way Sims was going no way we would have put Smith in the fifth inning or whatever it was which would have made him available the next two days. A healthy Simmons probably would have allowed us to close out game three.

I think our stats will settle in and improve as the season goes along too.

We are in a strange place this year. I think some of our guys have physical talent that scouts like (bat speed, arm strength, etc) but they aren’t really what I call a “player”. A “player” makes plays that changes the game and very rarely screws up routine plays and situations. They shine in pressure situations. Right now, someone might hit a 450 ft bomb to take the lead one minute and the next minute, they take a bad angle and let a ball get to the wall and then miss the cutoff man on the thrown in. Superman one minute and little league circus the next. We don’t look polished and alot of what I’m talking about can’t be coached.

I don’t think we are quite as bad offensively as those numbers show and I expect them to get better. Pitching wise, ughh is all I can say.

I’m hoping that we are just in somewhat of a void that was caused by recruiting during all of the coaching turnover. A lot of our more highly rated guys coming in were committed someplace else and they switched to us late. There could be a reason for that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by parabrave

Problem is we have a bunch of Pedro Serranos'. Listen to the games and you will hear nothing but swinging at balls in the dirt. They cannot hit a breakingball if their life depended on it. Another thing we are missing this year is "timely Hitting". Last year whenever we needed a hit especially in the regionals we got on. This year so far we can't seem to get on, yesterday not withstanding.

---

Agree. What's worse is we also miss a lot of fastballs across the plate. Logan Tanner had a key AB, I think it was Saturday, with RISP. Had a 3-0 count and then just whiffed on three straight fastballs. WTH. He's not on the only one. Not seeing spin and swinging at balls in the dirt is bad, but then also fouling off, missing or popping up fastballs on fastball counts is what gets you left out of postseason play, especially when your pitching staff is like ours.

When literally the entire team fails to take a step forward in the off-season AND seems to be sleep walking, I blame the CWS hangover. I think it took the chip off our shoulder, we don't have the Tanner Allen's who have come up short and will fight like hell to win it all.

I count this season as lost. I suspect we'll reset mentally and get back to working hard once this season is done.

My main concern is actually the one thing we thought wasn't a problem, and that's recruiting... I just don't see evidence of "young studs" this incoming class. Hinds yes, other than that no. Rowdy, Mangum, Allen, Bednar, Sims were studs Fr year. Our team is God awful yet the Fr can't get PT, much less look like studs out there...

I am extremely disappointed with this squad?s performance thus far. In fact, I?m a bit pissed-off. However, it is baseball and Mississippi State baseball and in the long run, we will be fine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dolphus Raymond

I am extremely disappointed with this squad?s performance thus far. In fact, I?m a bit pissed-off. However, it is baseball and Mississippi State baseball and in the long run, we will be fine.

---

Yep.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OLJWales

Yep.

---

MsState7?u might want to update our season team stats after our 20 run output and great pitching yesterday.
Also, we could?ve very easily taken 2 of 3 at UGA.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TALL DAWG

MsState7?u might want to update our season team stats after our 20 run output and great pitching yesterday.
Also, we could?ve very easily taken 2 of 3 at UGA.

---

I'm sure it looks much better. I just copy and pasted the stats BTW

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by msstate7

20 games into the season?.
MSU has the most losses (9) in the SEC, followed up by:

> 14th in Batting Average - now 13th
> 12th in ERA - now 11th
> 12th in Slugging - now 10th
> 13th in OB% - now 10th
> 12th in opponent BA - now 10th
> 13th in Runs Allowed - now 12th
> 14th in Saves (1) - still 14th
> 13th in Wins (11) - tied for 11th
> 11th in Walks Allowed (1 away from 14th) - now 12th

---

In true form though, the SPS poster ignored the stats we are doing reasonably well in:

5th in Runs Scored (a pretty important metric)
9th in hits
5th in RBIs
4th in HR (rare for us over the past decade)
9th in Total Bases
3rd in Walks
2nd fewest in GIDP

On the pitching side:
1st in Ks
5th in Ks looking

2nd in Fielding %

I still feel this team can turn it around. Friday nights might not be fun. But, Presto can keep us in games. If we can get to the other team's bullpens on Friday night, then it's game on for the weekend.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrunswickDawg

In true form though, the SPS poster ignored the stats we are doing reasonably well in:

5th in Runs Scored (a pretty important metric)
9th in hits
5th in RBIs
4th in HR (rare for us over the past decade)
9th in Total Bases
3rd in Walks
2nd fewest in GIDP

On the pitching side:
1st in Ks
5th in Ks looking

2nd in Fielding %

I still feel this team can turn it around. Friday nights might not be fun. But, Presto can keep us in games. If we can get to the other team's bullpens on Friday night, then it's game on for the weekend.

---

Good stuff sir.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by msstate7

20 games into the season?.
MSU has the most losses (9) in the SEC, followed up by:

> 14th in Batting Average
> 12th in ERA
> 12th in Slugging
> 13th in OB%
> 12th in opponent BA
> 13th in Runs Allowed
> 14th in Saves (1)
> 13th in Wins (11)
> 11th in Walks Allowed (1 away from 14th)

Long Beach State is 8-6 since leaving Starkville and Tulane is 3-5 since our series.

This team looks like one of the worst MSU baseball teams in a decade. I don?t know what they can build off of struggling at the plate and on the mound. They have to get the bats going. I don?t see us suddenly developing a reliable staff of relievers. If neither happen, I could see this team missing the NCAA Tournament all together.

---

A metaphysical interpretation of these numbers, the opposite of science and engineering...MSU celebrated the Championship too long and too hard. If the season had ended with Notre Dame in the Supers, then MSU would be a top-15 team right now. A big part of the program identity was the chip-on-the-shoulder about the Championship. Without that chip, MSU is unmoored and they need to settle down. It happens to Nations too, the Peloponnesian War happened because the Greeks beat the Persians. The Greeks had too many parades, Themistocles got drafted by the San Francisco Giants, and people assumed Pericles could not fall to Tommy John.

The team may have to take lumps in 2022 to become great again in 2023. The team is basically not ready to roll to the standards of the SEC and target on their back, as an overall unit. People want to beat the champs, it's a big deal. MSU can still make a regional and the ceiling is very high for many players.

2022 is looking like a Rocky III episode for the program. MSU needs to find the Eye of the Tiger, the Hunger, the Edge. MSU has had teams that started SEC play at 5-10 and then found a way to win 10 of the next 15. Being an MSU baseball fan has never been a smooth ride.

We only hit .278 last year. With TA's.380 and rowdey's .325. None of the regulars were .300 guys. They are who they are, .280 hitters with some pop.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by confucius say

We only hit .278 last year. With TA's.380 and rowdey's .325. None of the regulars were .300 guys. They are who they are, .280 hitters with some pop.

---

Most of the teams with 7 guys batting .320 plus lose in the Supers. You hardly ever see those teams win it all

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chef dixon

Most of the teams with 7 guys batting .320 plus lose in the Supers. You hardly ever see those teams win it all

---

That’s because pitching wins when it gets down to nut cutting time. We are bellyaching about hitting but our real issues are with pitching. We might make it into a regional, but once we get there, we are not equipped for it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AlSwearengen

That’s because pitching wins when it gets down to nut cutting time. We are bellyaching about hitting but our real issues are with pitching. We might make it into a regional, but once we get there, we are not equipped for it.

---

Preston is capable of beating a 2/3 on Friday and Cade is capable of beating a 1 on Saturday. Then outhit somebody's down the line pitching.

Just need 2 bullpen guys to develop. Hopefully auger and talley's numbers (both below 2.0 era) holds. Then see what hunt can give you.

I thought Cheatham is coming along ok. The day he pitched against Georgia, he gave us 2 Double play balls in the inning , or at least force outs at home and we could not convert.

Isn?t KC Hunt supposed to be available this weekend? If so, that might be one piece of the pitching puzzle solved.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

Isn?t KC Hunt supposed to be available this weekend? If so, that might be one piece of the pitching puzzle solved.

---

Steve Robertson said earlier today he is still at least a couple of weeks out.