South Alabama baseball thoughts

[EAVdog]

It is a good win, they have a good team this year.

But I was sweating it expecting us to screw it up.

[HoopsDawg]

Does him along with everyone else moving all over the infield increase errors? Every position is different so Cohen constantly moving someone around can only hurt us defensively. I understand if he is still trying to figure out where Alexander, Gridley, and Stovall should play but Collins should be either at 3rd or in the outfield unless he has to catch. He should take most of his reps at 3rd to get comfortable.

Didn't Collins work some at 1B last year?

I would look at:

Robson, CF
Brown, LF
Kruger, DH
Rooker, RF
Collins, 1B
Humphreys, 3B
Stovall, 2B
Marrero, C
Alexander, SS

[Thick]

I won't lie to any of you. I can't keep up with who plays where on the infield, but I do like our pitching staff, old and especially young (great talent). I do like our offensive potential. This team seems to have the most upside potential 1-9 then any team that Cohen has fielded since arriving to Vegas. Am I wrong in my assessment? I do agree that JC does micro manage too much, but that's just my opinion.

I love to read this board during baseball season, because we do have several good baseball minds on this board.

[TimberBeast]

It was a good win. Having said that, it's painful for me to watch a game that Cohen is managing. Different lineup everyday with players in different positions. Every play in the field or at bat is an adventure. Routine plays don't seem to be very routine. The only thing we consistently do really well for most part is bunt. I'm not very optimistic right now ... we'll see. It is obvious to me there is talent on this team tho. Maybe they'll overcome Cohen trying to manage every baseball game like he's trying to cure cancer using nuclear physics.

This is exactly how I feel watching Mullen coach our football team. A clusterf*** that doesn't have to be that way.

[Jacksondevildog]

I hate to break it to you all, but Kruger is probably not going to catch a lot this year. Marrero will be your catcher. Cohen would rather take defense behind the plate than offense. That may mean that we have a hole at third-base defensively. Third base has been a lost position for Mississippi State baseball since he has been our coach.

[HSVDawg]

Good thoughts as usual Todd. Overall, I'm OK with where we are 3 weeks in. Taking 2 of 3 this weekend (or maybe even just 1 of 2 if weather is an issue) would be monumental for this team's confidence heading into SEC play. My initial eye test tells me that this team is going to be fine. Maybe not "CWS" fine or "hosting a regional" fine, but at worst a solid 2-seed and a team that should be dangerous at year's end, which will obviously be a big upgrade from last year.

The thing I really hate as far as our schedule is concerned is that we had a really impressive nonconference slate, but we are starting to lose some of those games off the schedule. The tie against OU hurts us because in terms of the RPI calculation, it will be like that game was never even played. Then we have the possible weather issues this weekend which could hurt us even more in terms of getting resume-building games in prior to conference play. Obviously all the weather stuff is beyond our control, but it still sucks.

[engie]

Look at Cohen's lineup during 2013 Tournament run. Same every day 1-6 or 7 or so. Same infield. Look at Vandy & Florida and their lineups this year.

So, the "consistent" lineup is what it was that made us good in 2013?

This is the dumbest thing ever. The lineup was consistent in 2013 -- because guys did their jobs, earned their roles, put on their big-boy pants in big-boy games, and were the clear-cut best option for their spot. And make no mistake -- there was INCESSANT lineup and position bitching in 2013 as well. Sit Pirtle!11!1 Where is Porter?1?11 Detz to 2B!!!1! Norris to 3B!1! FLAIR to 3B or Dh!11! Pirtle in the 4-hole can't protect Renfroe!11!1 Get CT out of there!11!1 Just among the offensive/defensive stuff that I remember.

[engie]

This team seems to have the most upside potential 1-9 then any team that Cohen has fielded since arriving to Vegas. Am I wrong in my assessment?

Arguably, you are correct. The best of the post-BBCOR era for sure.

The first couple Cohen teams absolutely mashed -- but no one was there to see it because the pitching staff was left in such disaster. That was a different era of college baseball though.

This is what people didn't realize when they freaked out the first couple of times we struggled against elite pitching -- there is a lot of inexperience among these guys. They think just because Kruger acclimated immediately that everyone should -- when it just doesn't work that way.

[engie]

I hate to break it to you all, but Kruger is probably not going to catch a lot this year. Marrero will be your catcher. Cohen would rather take defense behind the plate than offense. That may mean that we have a hole at third-base defensively. Third base has been a lost position for Mississippi State baseball since he has been our coach.

Pretty sure Kruger is an elite defender behind the dish as well -- but that is strictly second-hand info.

I'm fine with Marrero back there. What's the problem? All this hand wringing -- to get another bat into a lineup -- that I'm not at all sure will end up being superior to Marrero by the time the season is over.

[dawgday166]

So, the "consistent" lineup is what it was that made us good in 2013?

This is the dumbest thing ever. The lineup was consistent in 2013 -- because guys did their jobs, earned their roles, put on their big-boy pants in big-boy games, and were the clear-cut best option for their spot. And make no mistake -- there was INCESSANT lineup and position bitching in 2013 as well. Sit Pirtle!11!1 Where is Porter?1?11 Detz to 2B!!!1! Norris to 3B!1! FLAIR to 3B or Dh!11! Pirtle in the 4-hole can't protect Renfroe!11!1 Get CT out of there!11!1 Just among the offensive/defensive stuff that I remember.

I wasn't one of those bitching. I'm new to the board. I'm just saying that I personally cannot think of a really good team that kept the same folks in the lineup and moved their positions all over the place. Alexander, Gridley, Stovall, & Collins have all played multiple infield positions. I think that hurts your defense. I believe ball players like to "own" a position for the most part. I don't know why you'd play Alexander at SS, Gridley at 2nd one day, then Alexander at 3rd, Gridley at SS the next. Hard to develop consistency this way. JMO.

I don't get in the batting order discussions cause there could be many ways to tackle that problem. Some of that depends on a given philosophy too, although dependent on the available personnel. I do think that 1-7 should be fairly consistent tho. I also think that something should be stuck with for a period of time to see how it works. Saying someone is batting .250 now isn't necessarily indicative of how they will bat over the whole season. I'm sorta assuming Cohen has a feel for how each player handle the bat, the type of hitter they are, how much power they have, etc.

[Jacksondevildog]

I think you are right about Kruger being good behind the plate, but two weeks ago, Cohen said that he could not toss the ball to a teammate. I doubt he will be a 1.85 guy anytime this year. I could be wrong. I think Marrero behind the dish and Kruger as DH is fine with me. If Collins keeps hitting, he can field at third with Kroger bag and I'll be fine. We are solid everywhere else on the diamond.

[dawgday166]

This is exactly how I feel watching Mullen coach our football team. A clusterf*** that doesn't have to be that way.

Sometimes I'm with you on that one too LOL.

[BrunswickDawg]

So, the "consistent" lineup is what it was that made us good in 2013?

This is the dumbest thing ever. The lineup was consistent in 2013 -- because guys did their jobs, earned their roles, put on their big-boy pants in big-boy games, and were the clear-cut best option for their spot. And make no mistake -- there was INCESSANT lineup and position bitching in 2013 as well. Sit Pirtle!11!1 Where is Porter?1?11 Detz to 2B!!!1! Norris to 3B!1! FLAIR to 3B or Dh!11! Pirtle in the 4-hole can't protect Renfroe!11!1 Get CT out of there!11!1 Just among the offensive/defensive stuff that I remember.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembers that. Cohen has never settled a lineup until SEC play, and even then he is willing to go with a hot hand or a hunch. The issue with 2014 & 2015 was that because no one would step up and win roles, Cohen had to keep juggling to try and spark something. It worked more in 2014 enough to get us in a regional, but blew up in 2015.

[Backwoodsdawg]

I think you are right about Kruger being good behind the plate, but two weeks ago, Cohen said that he could not toss the ball to a teammate. I doubt he will be a 1.85 guy anytime this year. I could be wrong. I think Marrero behind the dish and Kruger as DH is fine with me. If Collins keeps hitting, he can field at third with Kroger bag and I'll be fine. We are solid everywhere else on the diamond.

Kruger is very good behind the plate. His arm has been getting worked every single day and he is throwing hard again. Cohen actually said last week he could be ready by last night or by the Oregon series, and if Collins keeps making an error every game like he HAS, although we don't score it that way, and it cost us several series in the SEC where runs will be a rarity then you will be ready to trade that Kroger bag with a whole in it in!

[engie]

I wasn't one of those bitching. I'm new to the board. I'm just saying that I personally cannot think of a really good team that kept the same folks in the lineup and moved their positions all over the place.

Yeah -- they are REALLY GOOD teams for a reason. They have really good players. When you have really good players, you let them do their thing and don't mess with them. What guy has quantified himself for absolute certain as a really good player on this team has been mishandled in your opinion? The top of the lineup has been far more consistent at this point than it was at the same point in 2013. But guys do NOT become really good players BECAUSE you didn't mess with them. Your whole argument on this is cart before the horse on this IMO.

Alexander, Gridley, Stovall, & Collins have all played multiple infield positions. I think that hurts your defense. I believe ball players like to "own" a position for the most part. I don't know why you'd play Alexander at SS, Gridley at 2nd one day, then Alexander at 3rd, Gridley at SS the next. Hard to develop consistency this way. JMO.

How would you go about handing over "ownership" of these positions to these players -- without giving them all a shot first allowing the cream to rise? Just take the Polk approach -- and whoever you recruited hardest in high school basically gets that spot for 4 years? We are trying to find the best player for each individual spot and your best mix. Different teams require different approaches. You want Alexander at 3rd if you are playing a small-ball team because he's quicker, has better instincts, and has the makings of an elite utility defender. It improves your infield defense but weakens your offense. You want Collins at 3rd for his bat as long as he isn't a total liability over there. Which, in the end, he is going to be OK there. He's going to end up better over there than Frost, Detz, Norris, and Reynolds. Yes, there have been growing pains. It's all situational. While I don't agree with the extent that Cohen takes it some times -- it is certainly not nearly as simple as the faction of our fanbase doing the most complaining tries to present it.

I don't get in the batting order discussions cause there could be many ways to tackle that problem. Some of that depends on a given philosophy too, although dependent on the available personnel. I do think that 1-7 should be fairly consistent tho. I also think that something should be stuck with for a period of time to see how it works. Saying someone is batting .250 now isn't necessarily indicative of how they will bat over the whole season. I'm sorta assuming Cohen has a feel for how each player handle the bat, the type of hitter they are, how much power they have, etc.

So, if you are basically saying that you are going to trust him in the aspect of the game we've been mostly sub-par in his tenure -- why not also trust him in the aspect that has been far above average(overall team defense)?

I think a lot of MSU fans get caught up looking at this stuff in a vacuum. They lose perspective on stuff. Again -- Cohen does stuff that is annoying, sure. We haven't had a true 3B since Parks left. They have all been half-rights(could hit or defend but not do both). We've been bad at catcher the past few years. Also annoying. Our baserunning has never been good. Our outfield footwork is terrible. I could go on -- but it's pointless. All little stuff that almost always adds up to zero in the scheme of things.

[tcdog70]

i think JC needs a big thumbs up for Signing Ethan Small who was once a Vandy Commit. Small played on an elite Memphis travel team. He has a BIG arm and He pitches with an attitude. He is the real deal. I am impressed with the win considering our best Hitter had a bad night. If Kruger had been hitting we would have had an early lead. Thanks Collins for stepping up, please keep it up. Collins, Rooker and Kruger playing up to their potential and Our Pitching staff dealing will make for a fun year. Just everyone get off Cohen's ass and let the season play out.

[engie]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembers that. Cohen has never settled a lineup until SEC play, and even then he is willing to go with a hot hand or a hunch. The issue with 2014 & 2015 was that because no one would step up and win roles, Cohen had to keep juggling to try and spark something. It worked more in 2014 enough to get us in a regional, but blew up in 2015.

Exactly. The problem with the 2014 team was a lack of nuts. Could be seen very early on.

The problem with the 2015 was in-fighting and a lack of nuts plus the ball change. It didn't really manifest itself until the first adversity hit.

We'll see on 2016 -- but I love the apparent mental makeup of the vast majority of our freshmen both on the hill and at the plate. It's the juniors that are going to make/break us -- and for the most part I still can't bring myself to fully trust those guys yet. But a lot of guys do flip the switch in their 3rd year for us. Hope that happens -- and if it does -- it could turn into a truly special season.

[Political Hack]

Does him along with everyone else moving all over the infield increase errors? Every position is different so Cohen constantly moving someone around can only hurt us defensively. I understand if he is still trying to figure out where Alexander, Gridley, and Stovall should play but Collins should be either at 3rd or in the outfield unless he has to catch. He should take most of his reps at 3rd to get comfortable.

I'm a reps and rhythm guy. I think guys play better when they get into a groove, so if like to see it more stabilized. That said, he's developing a lot of guys right now and that could be huge come tournament time. His system and subs are built towards winning in the post-season. Last year it may have cost us a birth, but if we get in with a decent seed we're going to be a very difficult out.

[Coach34]

I hate to break it to you all, but Kruger is probably not going to catch a lot this year. Marrero will be your catcher. Cohen would rather take defense behind the plate than offense. That may mean that we have a hole at third-base defensively. Third base has been a lost position for Mississippi State baseball since he has been our coach.

Marrero is a future All-SEC catcher. Best I've seen as a Fr in awhile- and yeah, don't look for Kruger to catch much

[msstate7]

Exactly. The problem with the 2014 team was a lack of nuts. Could be seen very early on.

The problem with the 2015 was in-fighting and a lack of nuts plus the ball change. It didn't really manifest itself until the first adversity hit.

We'll see on 2016 -- but I love the apparent mental makeup of the vast majority of our freshmen both on the hill and at the plate. It's the juniors that are going to make/break us -- and for the most part I still can't bring myself to fully trust those guys yet. But a lot of guys do flip the switch in their 3rd year for us. Hope that happens -- and if it does -- it could turn into a truly special season.

Yep. I think we'll go as far as Hudson and sexton can take us... They have to be good, not decent