Let's talk about the baseball schedule

[Todd4State]

I like how it sets up. I always split the schedule up into three parts- pre-SEC play, first half of SEC play and then second half.

So, pre-SEC we have a couple of weekend opponents against Northern teams who are beatable and it should give us a chance to play a lot of guys, not overexert our starters, give some freshmen some experience on the mound. Then midweek we have some teams that I think are pretty good quality opponents for the most part. The only midweek gimmie is a Weds against Alcorn. But Troy, Austin Peay, USM in Hattiesburg, and Tulane in Biloxi should be some pretty good tests for this team. They're also teams that are usually pretty decent where we can build our resume' up some. But the Arlington Tournament is a chance for our team to make a statement. Arizona State is a blueblood, Virginia Tech is good, and then the big one is UCLA who might be number one on Sunday. If we play well early and get a win over UCLA, it could have a similar impact as beating Texas in Arlington in 2021. After that tournament we play Lipscomb for a weekend series and we get a chance to reset and make some adjustments before SEC play.

I'm going to be interested to see how BOC manages pre-SEC play because I didn't really care for how Lemonis managed it. Lemonis stayed with some guys too long and then other guys weren't getting innings or AB's hardly and then we had to tinker a lot in SEC play usually after we lost our first three series. I'm expecting to see more guys play early. And the other thing I'm interested in is how BOC manages the staff when we have four legit SEC caliber starting pitchers with three spots. Do we piggyback Foster and Stone? Do we pitch one midweek and bring them back in relief on Sunday like we used Houston Harding? Is it going to be straight up traditional like when Brooks Dunn was our midweek guy and he basically pitched midweek every Tuesday?

SEC play. It is a difficult schedule but looking at it the road series that worry me the most are Arkansas and Texas. I think both of those teams are going to be up to play MSU but my hope is we can at least win 1 game at both of those. We usually play like garbage against Arkansas so I hope BOC at least improves us there. The next most difficult road series IMO is Ole Miss. I think they are probably a top 30 team and they have some seniors like Hunter Elliott, Judd Uttermark, and Will Furniss who has given us some problems and honestly it wouldn't shock me if we lost the series to them because they have seniors and it's on the road. At the same time, I think we have a decent chance to win the series especially if we beat Elliott. Plus, we tend to play them pretty well. The other two road series though I think are pretty winnable and maybe even sweepable in South Carolina and Texas A&M. I think both of those teams might be looking for new coaches at the end of the year. So, really not the worst road schedule ever honestly.

Then we play LSU for SBW. We usually find a way to win at least one game against them in Starkville. Might set an attendance record too. Georgia will be a tough series too. The rest- we play Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee. Auburn is better than they were and Butch will have them ready to play but I think we win the series probably. And Vanderbilt is still good but not what they were with Rocker and Leiter and I think Tennessee takes a step back without Vitello. This might be wooly but I could see us winning 3-4 of our home weekend series.

The midweeks lighten up a bit for the most part once SEC play starts- the most difficult games being the Governor's Cup and a home game against USM. We also play Samford on the road and those are always tricky. The rest of the midweek is Memphis in Starkville who can never can seem to get their act together, a potentially decent Nichols team, and then two games against SWAC teams in Jackson State and Grambling.

The toughest stretch during SEC play is definitely LSU at home, Ole Miss for the Governor's Cup followed up by a road series against Texas. That's also a chance for us to make a move for the postseason as well if we play well.

We'll see how it plays out!

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I cannot imagine going to Arkansas and Texas with the mindset of “my hope is we can at least win 1 game at both of those”. This is 100% the wrong attitude. This is loser mentality. I’m going to Arkansas and Texas with plans to sweep both series.

[DawgNsuds]

I believe his predictions are based on our historical performance against Arkansas and the fact that SEC road games are difficult. Both of these series will be tough and back in the day, Polk always felt like winning 2 out of 3 on the road in SEC play was a success. I really don't think Todd was dismissing those series as non-winnable, just his hunches.

[Pancho]

I agree with DawgNsuds here. One can't got undefeated in baseball. just will never happen

[Todd4State]

I cannot imagine going to Arkansas and Texas with the mindset of “my hope is we can at least win 1 game at both of those”. This is 100% the wrong attitude. This is loser mentality. I’m going to Arkansas and Texas with plans to sweep both series.

I don't coach the team. They decided to hire Brian O'Connor instead. Sorry for the confusion.

[The Federalist Engineer]

I cannot imagine going to Arkansas and Texas with the mindset of “my hope is we can at least win 1 game at both of those”. This is 100% the wrong attitude. This is loser mentality. I’m going to Arkansas and Texas with plans to sweep both series.

You play to win every game. But each SEC game is a knife-fight. On Friday night, you are facing a blue chip kid that is a potential 1st rounder. The kid may have struggling numbers, but any given night, he might turn into Clayton Kershaw for about 6 outs.

Even Auburn has a stockpile of talent.

In the SEC, you have LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, UGA, Vandy, Texas, and Texas A&M that are now stocked with elite collegiate talent. Then you have Alabama, Kentucky and Ole Miss that are regional quality teams and have 1st rounders and top recruits.

[Coach34]

Road sweeps in SEC play:

2025 Mizzou
2019 Mississippi
2017 Mississippi
2013 A&M
2011 Tenn

We have 5 road sweeps in the last 75 road series

[somebodyshotmypaw]

You play to win every game. But each SEC game is a knife-fight. On Friday night, you are facing a blue chip kid that is a potential 1st rounder. The kid may have struggling numbers, but any given night, he might turn into Clayton Kershaw for about 6 outs.

Even Auburn has a stockpile of talent.

In the SEC, you have LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, UGA, Vandy, Texas, and Texas A&M that are now stocked with elite collegiate talent. Then you have Alabama, Kentucky and Ole Miss that are regional quality teams and have 1st rounders and top recruits.

I get it. But I plan on kicking the crap out of each one of them. If we don't have that mentality, we have the wrong people.

[Pancho]

BOC and crew along with the talent on the team are the right people.

[BrunswickDawg]

I get it. But I plan on kicking the crap out of each one of them. If we don't have that mentality, we have the wrong people.

A message board poster is not reflective of the attitude of players or coaches. Cause, well, we aren't the players or coaches.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

A message board poster is not reflective of the attitude of players or coaches. Cause, well, we aren't the players or coaches.

Very true. But we are all fans, and most of us are alumni. So we are the people who should hold our university leaders, coaches, etc. accountable. Our low expectations as fans and alumni are one reason that we haven't been successful in athletics. We have only one athletic national championship in our history. I would assume many posters on here accept mediocrity in their daily lives working some sort of 9-5. I'm not in the group that thinks that way. I don't accept "being average" from myself, nor those who report to me.

[Todd4State]

Very true. But we are all fans, and most of us are alumni. So we are the people who should hold our university leaders, coaches, etc. accountable. Our low expectations as fans and alumni are one reason that we haven't been successful in athletics. We have only one athletic national championship in our history. I would assume many posters on here accept mediocrity in their daily lives working some sort of 9-5. I'm not in the group that thinks that way. I don't accept "being average" from myself, nor those who report to me.

If you do the math on my prediction above I'm predicting is to win 18-20 SEC games plus a majority of OOC games. In baseball terms- that's basically a regional host if the committee gives us the shaft with a good chance at being a National Seed. That's far from "being average". That's an Omaha contender basically.

The reality is no college baseball team in the modern era has ever gone 56-0 and then run through the postseason undefeated. That would mean we went 69-0 if we did that. And before anyone says it- yes that would be nice. This team will not go undefeated either. Doesn't mean I'm settling for average by saying that.

Believe me I want to win National Championships worse than probably anyone, want to be a national seed and host all the way, win the SEC Tournament, win the SEC, win the Governor's Cup, and win the most prestigious preseason tournament that is out there. But like Mississippi coaching legend Stacy Hester said once- all it takes is a ball to hit a rock on the infield and that can be the difference in a win or a loss sometimes. And he has gone undefeated before- so he knows.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

If you do the math on my prediction above I'm predicting is to win 18-20 SEC games plus a majority of OOC games. In baseball terms- that's basically a regional host if the committee gives us the shaft with a good chance at being a National Seed. That's far from "being average". That's an Omaha contender basically.

The reality is no college baseball team in the modern era has ever gone 56-0 and then run through the postseason undefeated. That would mean we went 69-0 if we did that. And before anyone says it- yes that would be nice. This team will not go undefeated either. Doesn't mean I'm settling for average by saying that.

Believe me I want to win National Championships worse than probably anyone, want to be a national seed and host all the way, win the SEC Tournament, win the SEC, win the Governor's Cup, and win the most prestigious preseason tournament that is out there. But like Mississippi coaching legend Stacy Hester said once- all it takes is a ball to hit a rock on the infield and that can be the difference in a win or a loss sometimes. And he has gone undefeated before- so he knows.

I’m not knocking you. I understand and I agree. I’m a huge fan of your baseball takes. I just can’t say “I hope to only win one game of any series”. Just letting out some frustration with alums, leadership, etc. that think “pretty good” is good enough.

[Todd4State]

I’m not knocking you. I understand and I agree. I’m a huge fan of your baseball takes. I just can’t say “I hope to only win one game of any series”. Just letting out some frustration with alums, leadership, etc. that think “pretty good” is good enough.

Well it is baseball. We're good enough to win every series conceivably. Anything can happen in baseball and we have pitching. That's the key to being really good.

[Coach34]

Only trash in the SEC this year is Mizzou. SC will compete a little better. Should be a more balanced conference

[shoeless joe]

If you do the math on my prediction above I'm predicting is to win 18-20 SEC games plus a majority of OOC games. In baseball terms- that's basically a regional host if the committee gives us the shaft with a good chance at being a National Seed. That's far from "being average". That's an Omaha contender basically.

The reality is no college baseball team in the modern era has ever gone 56-0 and then run through the postseason undefeated. That would mean we went 69-0 if we did that. And before anyone says it- yes that would be nice. This team will not go undefeated either. Doesn't mean I'm settling for average by saying that.

Believe me I want to win National Championships worse than probably anyone, want to be a national seed and host all the way, win the SEC Tournament, win the SEC, win the Governor's Cup, and win the most prestigious preseason tournament that is out there. But like Mississippi coaching legend Stacy Hester said once- all it takes is a ball to hit a rock on the infield and that can be the difference in a win or a loss sometimes. And he has gone undefeated before- so he knows.

nothing like a good stacy hester reference. talk about a guy that coached a gigantic pile of talented players...for years.

[MStateDawg]

Road sweeps in SEC play:

2025 Mizzou
2019 Mississippi
2017 Mississippi
2013 A&M
2011 Tenn

We have 5 road sweeps in the last 75 road series

I wouldn't even count the Missouri series. That program doesn't even try and their team last year was complete trash. I don't care what they did the weekend before at A&M. That was an anomaly. They could have easily finished 0-30 and possibly have been the worst "SEC team" ever constructed.

[Hot Rock]

I get it. But I plan on kicking the crap out of each one of them. If we don't have that mentality, we have the wrong people.

Umm, he is a fan, not a coach or a player. Wrong mentality? How exactly does that matter, he is not playing or coaching. Weird take

[Pancho]

i agree. not sure who shot whom but it has gone weird

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Umm, he is a fan, not a coach or a player. Wrong mentality? How exactly does that matter, he is not playing or coaching. Weird take

I'll bite on that comment. It's the wrong mentality as a fan. We don't have high enough expectations. Everything we do should be striving to be the best. You can be a nurse, an accountant, a truck driver, a garbage man, a school teacher, or whatever. But if you aren't hell bent to be the absolute best in the world at what you do, then we just think differently. We allow our leaders at MSU to coast. We don't have the mentality that #2 just isn't good enough.