Base Ball Team - Don't freak out over this

[Lord McBuckethead]

Alright, the SEC Tourney didn't turn out anywhere near where any of us could have reasonably projected us to do. Two huge embarrassing blowouts in a tourney that means less than nothing.

Sure it will probably cost MSU a super regional. Yes, we needed to win one of the two to make a case to host throughout the NCAA tourney. But it does give us an opportunity to reflect on what this team has turned into since the Missouri series. They have lost their mojo.

Those losses are behind us now. We have to respond in our areas we are not performing. Players have to adjust. Coaches have to adjust. The die is not cast yet on this team. We have areas to address that are so damn simple it baffles me.

1st - Our entire approach at the plate outside of Rowdy, TA, Hancock, and Dubrule is beyond terrible. I don't trust any other player to get a hit and it is clear when they get to the plate they have no idea what they are doing or even looking for. Far too many of our hitters get down in the count. Far too many of our hitter literally cannot or will not hit an offspeed pitch the other way. Kamren, Logan Tanner, Skinner, and I am sure others are seeing 75% of their pitches as breaking balls. Get used to it. Cause none of them are hitting them with any sence of authority.

Kamren, something like 35 of the last 40 at bats have been started out with a breaking ball on the outside part of the plate. Those 5 outliers where the second time through the lineup. I will be willing to bet, his first at bat in every single SEC game this season after Arkansas has started off speed and then off speed again with Kamren. Dude needs to step toward second base and drive that ball. No 17n shit.

Logan downright crushes middle to middle out fastballs. He will not see one again, unless it is off the plate. Get used to it Logan.

Skinner - No advice, you just need to learn to hit slashers and see what happens. Cumbest should get all of your at bats from here on out.

This may sound crazy, but the team plays better when Hatcher is in the lineup. I know he is an automatic out at the plate, but for some reason and I am sure it has nothing to do with him, the team plays better when he is out there. But with him in the game, Clark doesn't get at bats, and I want Clark to get as many at bats as he can. He may be our best pure crushing hitter on the team. I don't think the stats bare that out, but the dude looks impressive and I want him in the lineup. So I will side with Clark getting at bats.

Here is where the money meets the road gentlemen. Everything before now doesn't matter one shit. I don't care if TA is batting .350 or Hatcher is hitting .125. All that matters is who produces for the next 30 days. I don't care how many saves Sims has or how many home runs Mac has given up. All that matters is keeping the bases clear and getting outs with minimal pitches from here on out. We need to win 10 in a row to finish this. I am 100% behind the men that decided to be bulldogs. People talk shit, as do I, but do not for one second think I am not 100% behind every single player, coach, staff, assistant, and bat boy that wears my colors.

So everyone, be critical but not assholes. Time to let this season go and get ready for the real season. Right now. Hail State.

[schddog72]

Alright, the SEC Tourney didn't turn out anywhere near where any of us could have reasonably projected us to do. Two huge embarrassing blowouts in a tourney that means less than nothing.

Sure it will probably cost MSU a super regional. Yes, we needed to win one of the two to make a case to host throughout the NCAA tourney. But it does give us an opportunity to reflect on what this team has turned into since the Missouri series. They have lost their mojo.

Those losses are behind us now. We have to respond in our areas we are not performing. Players have to adjust. Coaches have to adjust. The die is not cast yet on this team. We have areas to address that are so damn simple it baffles me.

1st - Our entire approach at the plate outside of Rowdy, TA, Hancock, and Dubrule is beyond terrible. I don't trust any other player to get a hit and it is clear when they get to the plate they have no idea what they are doing or even looking for. Far too many of our hitters get down in the count. Far too many of our hitter literally cannot or will not hit an offspeed pitch the other way. Kamren, Logan Tanner, Skinner, and I am sure others are seeing 75% of their pitches as breaking balls. Get used to it. Cause none of them are hitting them with any sence of authority.

Kamren, something like 35 of the last 40 at bats have been started out with a breaking ball on the outside part of the plate. Those 5 outliers where the second time through the lineup. I will be willing to bet, his first at bat in every single SEC game this season after Arkansas has started off speed and then off speed again with Kamren. Dude needs to step toward second base and drive that ball. No 17n shit.

Logan downright crushes middle to middle out fastballs. He will not see one again, unless it is off the plate. Get used to it Logan.

Skinner - No advice, you just need to learn to hit slashers and see what happens. Cumbest should get all of your at bats from here on out.

This may sound crazy, but the team plays better when Hatcher is in the lineup. I know he is an automatic out at the plate, but for some reason and I am sure it has nothing to do with him, the team plays better when he is out there. But with him in the game, Clark doesn't get at bats, and I want Clark to get as many at bats as he can. He may be our best pure crushing hitter on the team. I don't think the stats bare that out, but the dude looks impressive and I want him in the lineup. So I will side with Clark getting at bats.

Here is where the money meets the road gentlemen. Everything before now doesn't matter one shit. I don't care if TA is batting .350 or Hatcher is hitting .125. All that matters is who produces for the next 30 days. I don't care how many saves Sims has or how many home runs Mac has given up. All that matters is keeping the bases clear and getting outs with minimal pitches from here on out. We need to win 10 in a row to finish this. I am 100% behind the men that decided to be bulldogs. People talk shit, as do I, but do not for one second think I am not 100% behind every single player, coach, staff, assistant, and bat boy that wears my colors.

So everyone, be critical but not assholes. Time to let this season go and get ready for the real season. Right now. Hail State.

One slight adjustment: "Time to get ready for FOOTBALL season (and NEXT baseball season in the Fall) because this team is sinking faster than the Titanic.

[CadaverDawg]

I'm with you on supporting the team. But I'm not with you on Hatcher...although I'm not sold that Lemo won't start him in the Regionals and beyond after the shit show we witnessed the last few days, simply due to his experience and to try to light a fire. I'm behind this team but my expectations completely disappeared and I no longer have any confidence we can compete with the best. It's a bummer that these guys ruined the taste of a great season in two days of showing no pride.

[bobtail bob]

I’ll root on, toast, drink,smoke and eat while watching us play the rest of the way but my expectations freaking plummeted the last two days. The team that played Missouri showed up.We’ll pitch some teams down because we have good ones. We don’t have the hitting to back them up. And we will run into a team that it will be necessary to make a lot of runs to keep up and there is where we will be eliminated.

Go dawgs

[KOdawg1]

I'm kinda apathetic at this point. Whatever happens will happen. If we get to Omaha for the third straight time, then great. If we get put out in our regional, then oh well. With our deficiencies with starting pitching, hitting, and on defense, it shouldn't come as a shock.

I'm going to take a few steps back and just enjoy (or drink my way) through the ride.