Is it just me, do we look like boys among men

[TaleofTwoDogs]

against the top half of the SEC. The physicality difference is quite remarkable. Lemon needs to hit the portal hard for power hitters. Tenn has over 140 HRs, we have half that and our top 2 are as cold as ice. Throw in some arm strength in the infield would help too. That hit to right field that landed in front of Jordan would have been a sure out with Renfroe in right. Just sayin'.

[StateDawg44]

against the top half of the SEC. The physicality difference is quite remarkable. Lemon needs to hit the portal hard for power hitters. Tenn has over 140 HRs, we have half that and our top 2 are as cold as ice. Throw in some arm strength in the infield would help too. That hit to right field that landed in front of Jordan would have been a sure out with Renfroe in right. Just sayin'.

I agree with most of this but it?s not like there are a ton of players with a cannon like Renfroe.

[Tbonewannabe]

I agree with most of this but it?s not like there are a ton of players with a cannon like Renfroe.

Yeah, comparing him to one of the better arms in RF at MLB level isn't exactly fair.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Tennessee is out recruiting MSU. They are also killing the portal. They took Freshman All Americans from top 25 baseball programs last year.

They don't have Amani Larry, Bryce Chance, JL3, or Landon Kohler type players. They are not taking players from UNO, they take them from Clemson and NC State. Bryce Chance no way. U of Memphis, does not exist. They took NC States starting catcher and made him their backup, they would not get U Pitts backup and have him be their starter.

What if UT falls in the Supers and MSU makes Omaha, could happen.

[SPMT]

Tennessee is out recruiting MSU. They are also killing the portal. They took Freshman All Americans from top 25 baseball programs last year.

They don't have Amani Larry, Bryce Chance, JL3, or Landon Kohler type players. They are not taking players from UNO, they take them from Clemson and NC State. Bryce Chance no way. U of Memphis, does not exist. They took NC States starting catcher and made him their backup, they would not get U Pitts backup and have him be their starter.

What if UT falls in the Supers and MSU makes Omaha, could happen.

Vitello has sold the program well.

He?s more hyped and it?s ?new?. It?s like everything else in sales and marketing when a new and good product or service is introduced.

[Todd4State]

Tennessee is out recruiting MSU. They are also killing the portal. They took Freshman All Americans from top 25 baseball programs last year.

They don't have Amani Larry, Bryce Chance, JL3, or Landon Kohler type players. They are not taking players from UNO, they take them from Clemson and NC State. Bryce Chance no way. U of Memphis, does not exist. They took NC States starting catcher and made him their backup, they would not get U Pitts backup and have him be their starter.

What if UT falls in the Supers and MSU makes Omaha, could happen.

Much easier to sell 50 win seasons than 28 win seasons too.

I think this portal season will be interesting to compare and contrast between this year and the last two.

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Yeah, comparing him to one of the better arms in RF at MLB level isn't exactly fair.

Not talking about his arm, I'm talking about his speed. On the play I mentioned it looked like he hesitated which allowed the ball to drop several feet in front of him. Maybe a confidence problem rather than speed. Don't know.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Much easier to sell 50 win seasons than 28 win seasons too.

I think this portal season will be interesting to compare and contrast between this year and the last two.

I think the pitching portal will be a bumper crop.

(a) The success of Khal Stephen is amazing work, 1st Team All SEC. This is Ethan Small and Dakota Hudson level performance.
(b) Having CJ go in the first round builds on MSU's tradition of producing 1st round pitchers.

The positions that have open jobs have good prospects in the roster and are going to be attractive to outside candidates; 1B, 3B, CF, and Catcher and a Corner OF.

By I think MSU gets good careers from Nolan Stevens (1B/OF), McKenzie (1B), Reynolds (OF), and Highfill at Catcher.

Do we think that Cason, Nori, and Henry Allen make it to campus next year? From what I read, Cason is more of a power arm RHP pitcher right now, big athlete, than a complete and ready hitter. Nori and Allen are ready to produce hitters.

[Santiago]

Vitello has sold the program well.

He?s more hyped and it?s ?new?. It?s like everything else in sales and marketing when a new and good product or service is introduced.

Vitello is selling his national championship, and facilities......oh wait. ***
Maybe he sold them on TN's 14 year drought in regionals.
Vitello is building a monster program, and did it from scratch when he had nothing to really sell.
He can just evaluate talent so much better.

[TheLostDawg]

Vitello is selling his national championship, and facilities......oh wait. ***
Maybe he sold them on TN's 14 year drought in regionals.
Vitello is building a monster program, and did it from scratch when he had nothing to really sell.
He can just evaluate talent so much better.

Sell and pay at the same time

[SPMT]

Vitello is selling his national championship, and facilities......oh wait. ***
Maybe he sold them on TN's 14 year drought in regionals.
Vitello is building a monster program, and did it from scratch when he had nothing to really sell.
He can just evaluate talent so much better.

Obviously he?s selling them on his vision of the program, not past success. Selling himself.

And there?s no way he?s not an extreme hustler.

[TNDawg35]

I sure wish we had Vitello and I actually like Lemo. Just think he has a choice to make this off season. We will
Need a lot in the portal and honestly a couple more staff members… First tho he better throw the bank at Parker…

[Brobi-wan]

We need a hitting coach. Last night was the first time it looked like Top G gave a sh!t all year

[Cooterpoot]

Nothing's changing here. This is the new normal because we chose to stay on this path

[Saltydog]

Starts with the man at the top. . . . .Our recruiting, regardless of what some here say, has sucked. You don't end up with Johnny Long and Joe Powell if you're recruiting well. . . . .

[DawgFan85]

I went to bed thinking about what I would say about the "look" of Tennessee's players compared to ours. I was glad to see a thread started on the topic already so I don't feel like I was being hard on us or Lemon. I mean if the benches had cleared and a fight had broke out they would have kicked the holy hell out of our boys for the most part. Why can't we recruit players that look like men. Each one of their guys looked like studs, they all are very capable homerun hitters, they have pitchers bringing serious heat and they all seem to have an edge about them including the head coach. I guess they play with the same charisma as Vitello. I know he comes across as being a jackass but the men he recruits follow him and they all want to play for him and his program. Lemon just comes across as being too lackadaisical and looks lazy. I think that shows in his players and the way they play. It is obviously showing in his recruiting. I love MSU and have followed them all over this country supporting all of our teams but the trajectory of the baseball team doesn't seem to be trending up after the Natty years back. We had a good year this year and I hope we host a regional because I want to see our team do well and it always helps with recruiting but we gotta get off the can and go out and get some men to represent MSU baseball to compete in the future. Not just settle for some of the leftovers in the portal. I am not sure we can get the kind of players Vitello has brought in because I don't think those kind of men want to play for Lemonis. Back when I played baseball in high school and if I had been good enough to have been recruited I would not have played for a coach like Lemonis but would have been drawn to one like Vitello and what he was selling.

[The Federalist Engineer]

It's approach not size. Goat is not maximizing the players.

Aaron Downs looks like Tarzan, but hits like Jane. He was a more prestigious recruit than Moore.

Downs is 6-0, 210 vs Cristian Moore is 6-0 216, about the same

Hunter Hines 6-4 210 (lost weight) vs Blake Burke 6-3 230, Burke looks pregnant rather than stronger than Hines.

[Ranchdawg]

I also agree. I’ve said it numerous times before this year and this year. We have way too many guys that look like someone you would choose to be your biology lab partner rather than a athlete. Sure we are going to be in the regionals but my gosh we have imo looked awful getting there. Numerous base running blunders, not having pitchers ready at beginning of year yes I know we have had injuries but so did other teams, hitting coaching has has been just down right atrocious last 3yrs, and just lackadaisical overall team approach we just don’t look well prepared or coached. That’s my two cents. Now let’s go win whatever regional and make us the biggest and best fan base in the whole country proud.

[KOdawg1]

It's approach not size. Goat is not maximizing the players.

Aaron Downs looks like Tarzan, but hits like Jane. He was a more prestigious recruit than Moore.

Downs is 6-0, 210 vs Cristian Moore is 6-0 216, about the same

Hunter Hines 6-4 210 (lost weight) vs Blake Burke 6-3 230, Burke looks pregnant rather than stronger than Hines.

Their guys are clearly stronger, in better shape, and/or more physically gifted than our's. That was clear as day last night.

Chance, Mershon, Larry, Pulliam, Long, Powell look just like normal dudes out there. Hines looks sick. Dakota and Hujsak are our only starters that look like strong SEC athletes. That's not to say the others can't play or aren't good. But they've got a lineup of guys that look like football players and they hit like it

[Todd4State]

Our fans sound like Yancy Porter with this crap.