Landon Sims

[smootness]

In '14, lindgren struck out 100 in 55.1 ip.

Lindgren's numbers were very similar to Sims except Sims has K'd even more with fewer walks and WP.

[Homedawg]

Sims has better stuff overall. Holder was great in his own right with one of the best 12-6 breaking balls I've seen in college though. It helped Holder though that he pitched in the dead ball/dead bat era.

The stuff isn't close. Sims by a mile. I'm just saying holder was stupid good in 13. And I'd take sims.

[msstate7]

Which is more innings than Sims is on track for, but less Ks per inning.

Main difference is Lindgren had control issues. If we included walks, HBPs, and wild pitches, Sims is clearly the better of the 2 due to his reliability.

I'm not saying lindgren is better. I just thought back at the relief guys that really stuck out to me in the last 10 years

[CadaverDawg]

Pretty sure this is Sims father....

[preachermatt83]

Pretty sure this is Sims father....

Yes!

[99jc]

Thigpen was the best closer in MSU history...his MLB record season speaks for himself. Sims is a good college close but the bar is MLB.

[ZedFedder]

Thigpen was the best closer in MSU history...his MLB record season speaks for himself. Sims is a good college close but the bar is MLB.

I disagree. There is a chance Jake Mangum never becomes an MLB player. Yet I think we’d all agree he is an all time great here.

[R2Dawg]

I disagree. There is a chance Jake Mangum never becomes an MLB player. Yet I think we?d all agree he is an all time great here.

Yep you have to keep pro and college separate. Was Tebow and great college QB?

Sims is best I've seen. All the others were special in their own right. Thigpen, Holder, Lindgren, etc.

[MetEdDawg]

I disagree. There is a chance Jake Mangum never becomes an MLB player. Yet I think we?d all agree he is an all time great here.

Correct. Most successful ever and MSU great are a little different. Mangum is an MSU legend. But I don't think his skill set translates to today's MLB and I think it's unfair to his impact on our program to diminish that by saying he has to be a successful pro to put him in our pantheon of best ever.

I might eat crow on this, but if Mangum accrues more than 500 MLB at bats I'll be shocked. Doesn't mean he's not an all time great for us. But I just don't see it at the next level.

[smootness]

Yeah, why would what they do when they are no longer at MSU affect how they did at MSU?

[msstate7]

In '85, Thigpen had an era of 3.43 with 49 k, 29 bb, 27 h in 42 ip; that's a whip of 1.33.

[BiscuitEater]

Thigpen was the best closer in MSU history...his MLB record season speaks for himself. Sims is a good college close but the bar is MLB.

No, you changed the subject! The OP is .. Sims, Is he the best closer in school history? Think even Thiggy would agree that Sims is better College closer!

[starkvegasdawg]

Missed it live but went back and got this footage of Sims walking off the field in the 9th.

[Coach34]

Thigpen was not a better closer in college- which is what we are talking about. Sims is the best we have ever had in that role. He is the best closer in the country.

[BiscuitEater]

. Yet I think we' d all agree he is an all time great here.

So, you're saying Jake was 'greatest closer' in MSU history! 'Cause that's what this thread is about! Not, gretest MSU BB player!

[maroonmania]

Thigpen was not a better closer in college- which is what we are talking about. Sims is the best we have ever had in that role. He is the best closer in the country.

Agree, Thigpen really isn't even in the discussion with Sims or Holder as a college closer. In college, Thigpen was a thrower, not a pitcher. He basically had his 98-99 mph fastball at a time when most good college pitchers barely broke 90 with their fastballs and really not much else. Heck, I'm pretty sure Thigpen didn't pitch at all his JR year out of JUCO at MSU but Polk and McMahon needed him his SR year because we really didn't have much of anything behind Brantley and Morgan in '85 (which was evident when Morgan got knocked out of the CWS game against Texas). In that Miami game Greg Elena basically just fouled enough pitches off of Thigpen until he got the fastball timed out and there went the ball game. Thigpen really learned to 'pitch' in the minors.

[tcdog70]

He's great. The relief pitchers that really stand out to me in recent history are....

Sims
Holder
Ross Mitchell (before ball changed)
Lindgren
Girodo

Pete Young and Bobby Thigpen(best closer in MLB for 2 years)

[Saltydog]

Lindgren had control issues because he almost had too much movement on his breaking pitches. This was of course when the seams were higher than what they have now but that breaking pitch from him was unhittable. He was a catcher's nightmare.

[Saltydog]

You know, he was MUCH better as a pro than he was here. He was not some flame thrower (fastball in the high 80's) like many seem to think. The White Sox pitched him too much the year he had 57 saves and essentially ruined his arm at that point. Anyway, I don't consider Thigpen anywhere near the best closer at MSU. I could name several that were much better as a collegiate player.

[Tbonewannabe]

Lindgren had control issues because he almost had too much movement on his breaking pitches. This was of course when the seams were higher than what they have now but that breaking pitch from him was unhittable. He was a catcher's nightmare.

Yep, I remember some 4 strike out innings just because the catcher couldn't catch strike 3. Lindgren had one of the best sliders that I have seen. Dakota Hudson had a great slider but he could actually throw it for a strike.