So can we stop with the sky is falling mentality with baseball now?

[Jacksondevildog]

I agree that this team may show that it is less flawed, but our starting pitching is inconsistent and we are having to make big changes to correct it. We don't have 2 major hitters in our lineup (Frazier and Renfroe). We lost two senior catchers that were defensive warriors and blocked balls. We have big problems keeping balls in front of us behind the dish. If the pitching can somewhat straighten out over a few weekends, not just one, the confidence of the team and fan base will rise.

It's concerning that Cohen said that "our players looked deep within themselves last night" after we lost 7-1. We get a gutsy as hell performance from Mitchell to force a rubber game. Britton is clutch and gives us a spark offensively and we pull him in the series deciding game for a guy that is hitting below .200. It just seriously boggles my mind on some of the moves that we make and when we make them. I know that Cohen does that, but this is an SEC series on the road, not Alcorn State.

[engie]

I agree that this team may show that it is less flawed, but our starting pitching is inconsistent and we are having to make big changes to correct it.

It was the same exact story at the beginning of conference play last year and we had to make drastic changes to fix it. Evan Mitchell lost us a game with walks in the first inning at UK. Gave up 7 to Central Arky twice with Graveman, Holder, Mitchell, Woody, Mitchell, Girodo all getting hit hard.

Our teams never find consistency till halfway through conference play it seems. As much as I'd love to have a Stratton in the Friday night role, we've proven we can win without it. I'd love to find consistency sooner -- because if we can, we can challenge for a regular season title -- something I want almost as bad as Omaha at this point.

[Jacksondevildog]

I think we will get a pretty good read on where we stand next weekend when we play an elite team at home where we are more comfortable.

[engie]

Agreed.

The next 4 weekends will tell us alot...

[Todd4State]

or lack thereof for most (including me at times), is not just that they have lost games they should be winning but the manner in which they've lost. We've just looked absolutely bad at times and go for innings without any offense whatsoever. That's frustrating. I hope we're getting better and hopefully Detz is starting to come around. Rea however is still struggling.

In my experience of watching baseball I would say that even teams that win championships rarely lose individual games in a manner where their fans are OK with how they lost an individual game. I'm pretty sure LSU fans were upset at times with the team when Bertman was there. Whenever you lose, it's always frustrating.

But to me, the problem with some of our fans (not you specifically) is that we have a loss to Holy Cross or whomever and then some of our fans dwell on that loss for a LONG time- and then start to doubt even though for all intents and purposes we had a very good weekend this weekend.

In baseball, you have to put things behind you quickly because usually there is another game to play. You have to trust that the coaches see the same things that our fans are seeing- and based on interviews with Cohen he does for the most part- and then trust that they will correct them. I would get worried if our coach just said "well, that's baseball" and then didn't do anything until we were on the absolute brink of missing out on the postseason. Doing that would tell me that he either doesn't know what to do or that he doesn't care.

[Todd4State]

I'll admit I started giving up on the team after yesterday. The difference between this year and last year in my opinion is that last year only our hitting was inconsistent. This year our hitting is even more inconsistent, our pitching outside of one or two guys is inconsistent, and our fielding was very inconsistent at the beginning of the year costing us two or three games. Its partly because we're young, but that's also on Cohen. Its hard for players to get into a rhythm when we've started a different line-up every single game this year. And its not just minor changes at 2-3 positions towards the bottom of the lineup. Its major changes to the lineup nearly every game.

You have to weigh out as a coach whether you want to wait for a struggling guy to get into rhythm or do you play a guy that may be performing better and help you win today. A lot of times letting a struggling player rest actually helps that player. Very few players can go an entire season without resting some.

IMO you are probably better off long and short term playing people and seeing what they can and can't do rather than just sticking with the same lineup everyday and hoping that they work things out on their own or that the percentages catch up in their favor at some point. Eventually the people that are starting now are going to all leave at some point- and then we are going to have to replace them. The experience that Hann- while admittedly I wouldn't have done that myself- got today will probably help him out down the road next year. Same with Sexton next year.

If we stuck with the same lineup as opening day, we would have Britton at SS instead of Heck and Detz at third- and probably have a TON of defensive issues.

A player has to be mentally tough to be prepared to play or not or do whatever role is asked of them that day.

[Todd4State]

I agree that this team may show that it is less flawed, but our starting pitching is inconsistent and we are having to make big changes to correct it. We don't have 2 major hitters in our lineup (Frazier and Renfroe). We lost two senior catchers that were defensive warriors and blocked balls. We have big problems keeping balls in front of us behind the dish. If the pitching can somewhat straighten out over a few weekends, not just one, the confidence of the team and fan base will rise.

It's concerning that Cohen said that "our players looked deep within themselves last night" after we lost 7-1. We get a gutsy as hell performance from Mitchell to force a rubber game. Britton is clutch and gives us a spark offensively and we pull him in the series deciding game for a guy that is hitting below .200. It just seriously boggles my mind on some of the moves that we make and when we make them. I know that Cohen does that, but this is an SEC series on the road, not Alcorn State.

To me Gavin Collins is a lot better than Ammirati and Slauter defensively.

Last year I think Kendall and Frazier were really good leaders. I think Cohen is trying to find and force some of the upper-classmen to lead.

[Todd4State]

It was the same exact story at the beginning of conference play last year and we had to make drastic changes to fix it. Evan Mitchell lost us a game with walks in the first inning at UK. Gave up 7 to Central Arky twice with Graveman, Holder, Mitchell, Woody, Mitchell, Girodo all getting hit hard.

Our teams never find consistency till halfway through conference play it seems. As much as I'd love to have a Stratton in the Friday night role, we've proven we can win without it. I'd love to find consistency sooner -- because if we can, we can challenge for a regular season title -- something I want almost as bad as Omaha at this point.

Dead on. If a player is not performing, usually Cohen is not going to keep trotting that guy out there. He's going to try to find something that works. It doesn't matter if that guy is throwing 80 MPH and he has to bench a guy that throws 96. If he keeps throwing Evan Mitchell every weekend and doesn't adjust the pitching staff, we probably end up a three seed in Cal-State Fullerton's regional or somewhere.

[Will James]

If I woke up and noticed that my right arm was not attached, I would be less shocked than having Hann DH in the second game today.

Very well said

[Jacksondevildog]

Collins may be better defensively as far as throwing out runners, but I feel that Slauter and Amaratti called better games behind the plate and the pitchers/coaching staff had more confidence in them. That makes a huge difference.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Collins may be better defensively as far as throwing out runners, but I feel that Slauter and Amaratti called better games behind the plate and the pitchers/coaching staff had more confidence in them. That makes a huge difference.

Collins has a much higher ceiling than Ammo or Slaughter did. The only thing he lacks right now that they had is consistent blocking ability- and that will get better with experience.

As for how he handles the pitching staff, I think he's done a good job for a freshman. That will improve as well with time. Collins is going to be an absolute stud, IMO.

[Jacksondevildog]

Agreed on all parts, but he's not there yet. That's why we have struggled with consistency there and it's been musical chairs at catcher. Saluter caught nearly every game last year until he got injured and Amaratti filled in. I think Collins will be great and has done pretty well for a freshman at a key position.

[engie]

To me Gavin Collins is a lot better than Ammirati and Slauter defensively.

His ceiling is way higher. He's better at containing the running game the either of them were. His blocking isn't quite there yet -- his receiving isn't yet to Slauter's level, but it's better than Ammo's. Leadership and rapport with the pitching staff doesn't seem to be there yet -- which is what I was scared of last year when we didn't get any returner experience behind the dish. But that will come in time.

Last year I think Kendall and Frazier were really good leaders. I think Cohen is trying to find and force some of the upper-classmen to lead.

Definitely. I'd include Pollo too.

[BossDawg]

A friend told me that Cohen has used a different lineup for every game. Is that true?

[Belegal]

I stated on other board I support Cohen & had a great time in Omaha last year! My only complaint is our batters taking 2 or 3 pitches with 2 strikes & striking out & never swinging! Guard the plate! Hit the damn ball!

[messageboardsuperhero]

Overall, we played within our identity today, and it was beautiful to watch. I think it's very obvious that we will have to pitch and defend well to win games- that's just who we are.

We pitched really well today against a good lineup in a small park.
There were a couple of lapses in game two, but we're really defending at a high level right now.
Our offense was decent and good enough to win, but we're still leaving a lot of runs on the field. We are still pretty far from this team's offensive potential- and that's actually exciting to me, considering there's lots of room for our personnel to play up to their ability. The offense will get rolling, IMO.

Overall, it was a good weekend for us.

[BossDawg]

Rea however is still struggling.

Looks to me like he's starting to come around though.

[Todd4State]

Looks to me like he's starting to come around though.

If Detz continues to do well it will help Rea out- which in turn will help us out.

[engie]

We won 2 of 3 against a so-so Georgia team and suddenly everything is alright?

I hate this approach to downplaying pretty good accomplishments. It's such an "MSU" thing to do.

Here's reality.
Got swept at Georgia in 2011.
Got swept at Georgia in 2009.
Took 1 at Georgia in 2007.
Took 1 at Georgia in 2005.
Took 1 at Georgia in 2003.
Took 1 at Georgia in 1999.
Swept them at Georgia in 1997.
Got Swept at Georgia in 1993.
Took 1 at Georgia in 1991.

Since 1990, we were 8-19 there in. 5-19 outside of the one sweep in 97. This is our 2nd series win there in 25 years. We should(rightly) celebrate the hell out of it. Regardless of how good or bad they end up being this year. That place has been damn kryptonite to us in modern times -- even when we are pretty good and they aren't. Series wins in that stadium are going to be hard to come by in the future too...

[Todd4State]

I hate this approach to downplaying pretty good accomplishments. It's such an "MSU" thing to do.

Here's reality.
Got swept at Georgia in 2011.
Got swept at Georgia in 2009.
Took 1 at Georgia in 2007.
Took 1 at Georgia in 2005.
Took 1 at Georgia in 2003.
Took 1 at Georgia in 1999.
Swept them at Georgia in 1997.
Got Swept at Georgia in 1993.
Took 1 at Georgia in 1991.

Since 1990, we were 8-19 there in. 5-19 outside of the one sweep in 97. This is our 2nd series win there in 25 years. We should(rightly) celebrate the hell out of it. Regardless of how good or bad they end up being this year. That place has been damn kryptonite to us in modern times -- even when we are pretty good and they aren't. Series wins in that stadium are going to be hard to come by in the future too...

Georgia started this past offseason has decided to get serious about baseball. That Tyler guy that they have is the first wave of guys that are going to be very good for them. It's going to make recruiting Georgia a little bit more difficult as well for everyone.