It's time to readjust unrealistic expectations for our Baseball team

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Fact is, we lost a TON from last year:

With Ginn now out, that means we lost our Friday, Saturday, and Sunday starters. Woth Smith injured that means we lost 1 of the 2 really promising Fr arms we saw last year. No Barlow, Leibelt, Gordon, or White, and something is clearly up with Eagan. we have ZERO of our SEC bullpen guys from last year.

We returned nothing off last years staff. Self and Price are it, and we need them to take a big step forward to be anywhere close to the guys we lost.

On O, yeah we should be better than we are but as far as proven SEC level hitters we have Westy, Foscue, Rowdy, and Allen. Hatcher, Jordan, the catcher who's name escapes me, Cumbest... those guys all showed they can be SEC level dudes but none of them were there last year. And let's not forget Rowdy, Westy, and Allen have all had their fair share of slumps so it's not like they're super reliable week to week.

We also lost all the leaders on the team.

Fact is, hosting a regional would be a really big success for us. We wont compete for the SEC championship, and I dont see a national seed being a possibility.

Next year we should be loaded, but this year is a rebuilding year

[Cooterpoot]

I'd hold off on some of that. Way too early for giving up that much. I agree, too many people bought into too much, but we're still a good team. Just played poorly.

[Saltydog]

Completely agree. We just don't have the pitching and the bottom end of the order isn't good. You take that along with what we lost in Mangum defensively and we're 30-33 win team and maybe .500 in the league play. The loss of Brandon Smith and now Ginn cannot be understated. I just don't see a SR in our future this year unless we do what the 2018 team did and catch lightning in a bottle.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

I'd hold off on some of that. Way too early for giving up that much. I agree, too many people bought into too much, but we're still a good team. Just played poorly.

Hosting a regional means we are a "good" team though, and theres no shame in being a top 2 seed either.

I just dont think we can be an elite team, which to me means competing for a national seed

[tcdog70]

damn, you boys need to have a cool one and calm down.. How about let's play another week or 2 before the panic sets in.

[Jack Lambert]

Half of you need to join the French Army. You will fit right in.

[parabrave]

Half of you need to join the French Army. You will fit right in.

What would the Wake Island Marines say?

[Todd4State]

What would the Wake Island Marines say?

I would imagine that if the marines got their ass kicked by France they would probably regroup.

Baseball isn't war though.

[BuckyIsAB****]

What would the Wake Island Marines say?

They would say to send them more japs

[Homedawg]

Fact is, we lost a TON from last year:

With Ginn now out, that means we lost our Friday, Saturday, and Sunday starters. Woth Smith injured that means we lost 1 of the 2 really promising Fr arms we saw last year. No Barlow, Leibelt, Gordon, or White, and something is clearly up with Eagan. we have ZERO of our SEC bullpen guys from last year.

We returned nothing off last years staff. Self and Price are it, and we need them to take a big step forward to be anywhere close to the guys we lost.

On O, yeah we should be better than we are but as far as proven SEC level hitters we have Westy, Foscue, Rowdy, and Allen. Hatcher, Jordan, the catcher who's name escapes me, Cumbest... those guys all showed they can be SEC level dudes but none of them were there last year. And let's not forget Rowdy, Westy, and Allen have all had their fair share of slumps so it's not like they're super reliable week to week.

We also lost all the leaders on the team.

Fact is, hosting a regional would be a really big success for us. We wont compete for the SEC championship, and I dont see a national seed being a possibility.

Next year we should be loaded, but this year is a rebuilding year

Next year should be loaded? Maybe on the mound, don't know. But we will lose Westburg, foscue, Allen for sure.... losing Ginn is a killer, along w Brandon Smith. Our offense will pick up. But, at this point, we have one legit starter and he's a fr. Cerrantola is going to have just as many downs as he has ups.

[Todd4State]

Next year should be loaded? Maybe on the mound, don't know. But we will lose Westburg, foscue, Allen for sure.... losing Ginn is a killer, along w Brandon Smith. Our offense will pick up. But, at this point, we have one legit starter and he's a fr. Cerrantola is going to have just as many downs as he has ups.

I was thinking the same thing when I read it. People expecting our juniors to be back next year are going to be disappointed. If one of them comes back I'll consider us fortunate. That's maybe optimistic.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Next year should be loaded? Maybe on the mound, don't know. But we will lose Westburg, foscue, Allen for sure.... losing Ginn is a killer, along w Brandon Smith. Our offense will pick up. But, at this point, we have one legit starter and he's a fr. Cerrantola is going to have just as many downs as he has ups.

Yeah you're right about the O not being loaded, but I don't know what to make of it either way. Will Allen go pro for sure? Who will take a step forward? Can we add a Nate Lowe impact JuCo guy? I dont even know what to make of the Fr we have now.

On the mound we will have one of the best staffs in the country: Mcleoud is a Fr guy already and hell have another year to hone his craft. Cerantola will have 70+ innings more work and another offseason to get it together, he absolutely could be the next Dakota Hudson. Ginn will almost certainly come back for another year, even not 100% that's a really good Sunday guy. Our best 2 bullpen arms (Sims and Bednar) will be back, and you gotta imagine we add another 1-2 arms of that level between JuCo and Fr. Then Smith will be healthy, hell he has the potential to be a great Sunday guy as Ginn makes his way back or an elite bullpen guy.

But you're right, we have no idea what to make of the O yet

[Saltydog]

I wouldn't count on Smith being healthy. Yeah, that's a year away but it takes some guys more than a year to recuperate from TJ surgery and a very large percentage of them are just never the same (see Spencer Price).

[Todd4State]

Yeah you're right about the O not being loaded, but I don't know what to make of it either way. Will Allen go pro for sure? Who will take a step forward? Can we add a Nate Lowe impact JuCo guy? I dont even know what to make of the Fr we have now.

On the mound we will have one of the best staffs in the country: Mcleoud is a Fr guy already and hell have another year to hone his craft. Cerantola will have 70+ innings more work and another offseason to get it together, he absolutely could be the next Dakota Hudson. Ginn will almost certainly come back for another year, even not 100% that's a really good Sunday guy. Our best 2 bullpen arms (Sims and Bednar) will be back, and you gotta imagine we add another 1-2 arms of that level between JuCo and Fr. Then Smith will be healthy, hell he has the potential to be a great Sunday guy as Ginn makes his way back or an elite bullpen guy.

But you're right, we have no idea what to make of the O yet

Rule number one of junior college hitters- never expect them to make an impact. If they do great. But Nate Lowe is the anomaly. And we still recruit too many of them.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Sims has looked the best. I am not sure he has even given up contact yet.

[PKADogs55]

Had we won last night 12-1, would we even be having this discussion?

[Todd4State]

Had we won last night 12-1, would we even be having this discussion?

No. Last night was simply a wake up call. We'll be fine. Hopefully lesson learned by all. Probably killed our hosting chances but again respect the game and you don't have to win 20 SEC games to reach your goals.

I still think we'll have a good season but as I said in the preseason I don't see us going to Omaha because of the pitching. I still think we make a SR though but we'll see.

[HancockCountyDog]

Had we won last night 12-1, would we even be having this discussion?

No

[hp22]

We went to a super regional at Baton Rouge three years ago with half of our staff out with Tommy John. This staff is deeper....even with the injuries to Ginn/Smith.

We have 2 years of data regarding the offensive production on guys like Rowdey, Foscue, Westy, Hatcher, TA...And have enough to know about a few others like Hancock and L Jordan. Point being, I think that group will score runs.

Baseball is a long season. Let the numbers play out. Our margin for error has taken a hit losing guys like Smith and Ginn. But we are still a very talented baseball team and have series wins against two good baseball programs. And it is only February.

[Rick Danko]

No. Last night was simply a wake up call. We'll be fine. Hopefully lesson learned by all. Probably killed our hosting chances but again respect the game and you don't have to win 20 SEC games to reach your goals.

I still think we'll have a good season but as I said in the preseason I don't see us going to Omaha because of the pitching. I still think we make a SR though but we'll see.

It was a horrendous loss but in no way will it ?kill our hosting chances?. It very well could be a wake up call that we aren?t as good as we thought; that will play out in the coming weeks. But if we continue to take care of weekend business, this loss will fade into the back.

Now, could it hurt our National Seed hosting possibilities if we are a borderline 8 or 9, that is another thing.....