At the halfway point- things to examine and watch

[Coach34]

We are now at the halfway point of the SEC schedule- sitting at a very disappointing and surprising 7-8. We have SC on the road and then LSU at home- 2 of the SEC's worst teams. 4-2 has to happen and 5-1 would get us back in the hosting discussion. Cant drop more than 2 because SC's RPI is 81 and LSU's is 74.

RPI is at 22 currently. 6-7 in Q1 games. Got to turn the ship around quick

Texas- Almost certainly a host site. 2 in RPI amd 10-4 in Q1
Florida- they have woken up and are sitting at 4 in RPI. 11-6 in Q1's and 2 wins over Fla St. Likely host site
Alabama- 5 in RPI and 10-5 in Q1's. They have Texas and Tenn the next 2. Huge couple weeks
Auburn at 10 in RPI- 5-8 in Q1's. Fla and OU on their horizon. They could go any way at this point
A&M- 12th in RPI while 5-6 in Q1's. 7-1 in the SEC the last 3 weeks. LSU this weekend
Mississippi- had been left for dead after we swept them only to get off the mat to remain in the hosting talk with a 13 RPI and now 8-10 in Q1's.

OU/Kentucky/Georgia also ahead of us in RPI currently. Lots to still be settled but this team better start finding some answers in a hurry. SC has even improved since firing the whiny guy.

Still got about 11 SEC teams in the fight for probably 6 Hosting spots.

[DawgFromOxford]

The season isn?t over but we spoiled any advantage from sweeping Vandy and OM and have started to back ourselves into a corner.

I said we needed to come away from this stretch of TN, SC, and LSU with at least 6 wins which means we need to sweep these next 2 weekends. Anything less than 6 leaves us with a bunch of up hill work to at the end of the schedule

[Saltydog]

Nobody can deny that we simply shit the bed the last two weekends. It has certainly taken the wind outta the sails of the fanbase. Maybe our expectations were too high but too whom much is given, much is expected.

[parabrave]

We really need Mac back./

[Saltydog]

I agree Para. I know the issue has primarily been offense but getting McPherson back could spark this team. Problem is, he's still got a long way to go to get back to where he was. Unless we were to make a deep run, I'm skeptical he gets all the way back.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Mac certainly makes a big difference because he saves your pen. But outside of Friday against UGA, our problem hasn’t been pitching, yea we got a little wacky in the 9th against Tennessee and in the 10th against UGA on Sunday but that is Sunday in the SEC. Our biggest issue right now is we can’t hit for shit. Against UGA we left 32 on base in 3 games. Against Tennessee we K’d 30 times on the weekend.

We definitely need Mac back, but even he would lose games where we K double digits or leave double digits on base.

[parabrave]

Mac certainly makes a big difference because he saves your pen. But outside of Friday against UGA, our problem hasn’t been pitching, yea we got a little wacky in the 9th against Tennessee and in the 10th against UGA on Sunday but that is Sunday in the SEC. Our biggest issue right now is we can’t hit for shit. Against UGA we left 32 on base in 3 games. Against Tennessee we K’d 30 times on the weekend.

We definitely need Mac back, but even he would lose games where we K double digits or leave double digits on base.

Someone is going to have to go Jake on their asses and I think BOK is waiting for someone to be that type of leader (AR). So far that A type (AR) hasn't. About Mac their is a big mental diff in being ahead 2 runs in the 1st to being down 2-4 runs in the 1st, Hint Hint Foster is not a starter. And one big thing I noticed in the Tulane game they had that game won when Ace hit that GS. They were going to walk him until that pitcher left that hanging breaking ball. That just opened the floodgates. Sometimes thats the difference, that one big hit and since OM we haven't had that hit. We need Rowdy or heck Mcnamee or Hancock. Someone who rises to the Occasion. Ace was that guy till the last few weeks.

[DawgFromOxford]

Someone is going to have to go Jake on their asses and I think BOK is waiting for someone to be that type of leader (AR). So far that A type (AR) hasn't.

Seems like Sully could also be that guy. Veteran player who has produced. He at least has enough fire in him to get tossed from games. Agree with you though that someone needs to step up. Hoping there was a players only meeting Sunday night

[JimBobDawg]

I agree Para. I know the issue has primarily been offense but getting McPherson back could spark this team. Problem is, he's still got a long way to go to get back to where he was. Unless we were to make a deep run, I'm skeptical he gets all the way back.

Getting McPherson back would but little if we don?t get the bats going again.

[Coach34]

Getting McPherson back would but little if we don?t get the bats going again.

Thats the thing. When pitching has an injury or something- the offense has to pick it up. If we even hit decently the last 2 weeks we are 9-6 instead of 7-8. While its only 2 games- its huge in the realm of the SEC where one game can decide whether you host or not- as well as end up the last team making it into the field

[maroonmania]

I keep wondering how this past weekend would have gone if we had gotten the double play from B'ham in the 7th inning of that Friday game where I guess there was some question about if Stallman's foot was making contact with the bag or not when he snagged the ball? I think we 100% win that game if the review had gone our way and the carryover likely would have had a major impact on the next 2 games. Who is the OM person in the SEC office that does all the reviews?? Has to be a closet Rebel doing all these reviews because they all go against us.

[Todd4State]

I don't think it's just one thing. I think it's several things. In no particular order.

I do think losing McPherson and Kirk has hurt some. Yes, the hitting has obviously struggled but we lost the Friday game against Georgia where we scored 9 runs. If McPherson is pitching we probably win that game and who knows how the rest of the series goes? And who knows what happens if he pitches against Tennessee?

Now the hitting. I think we just aren't seeing the ball well. This has been going on since Grambling. They're missing fastballs and breaking balls. We also aren't walking. On top of that, when we do square it up it seems like more often than not it's right at someone. What we need is for something to go our way. A bloop, an error, someone misplays a flyball, or the wind blows a ball out for us. My two cents is we need to just simplify what we are doing at the plate. You shouldn't be looking for pitches. Just see the ball and if it's in the strike zone knock the shit out of it. I think Tennessee's outfield defense really hurt us this weekend because they can all cover a lot of ground. Case in point- 8th inning and Noah is up and he hits a fly ball to the warning track and the guy for Tennessee tracks it down. Wasn't an easy play IMO- and that to me was the play in that game because if the ball gets past him and it almost did- the game is probably tied up.

Do we need some guys to step up? Sure. Ace needs to step up. But Teel does too. So does Noah and Chance. Ryder Woodson needs to work on his defense. I know Parker is a freshman but he needs to step up.

When we decide to simplify things- we are going to be fine.