THAT is how you respond...

[Todd4State]

Cohen wouldn't argue with that given hindsight. But he was pulled. Then what? He doesn't have a magic ball to make guys throw strikes. Threw everything we had at them there and really no one actually stepped up. When that happens, you lose games you shouldn't. See Kentucky, Eastern.

Most of our losses are because of the bullpen being inconsistent. I'd kill for Caleb Reed right now.

[engie]

The thing is, Cohen is ripped when we lose and even when win someone is call him out.

There is nothing pure or perfect in baseball, players have to make plays when called on, like Todd stated, everyone of of our pitchers have been up and down but mostly up when you look at our success.

Bama isn't a bad team, we had our chance in Game 2 but walks killed it.

We have won every road series, that is amazing, Cohen must be doing something right.

Thanks, I couldn't agree more. Basically my same opinion -- and probably better stated.

[CadaverDawg]

Cohen said postgame that Humphreys couldn't pitch because of soreness. And the thing is Brown looked bad on Thursday. I've been critical of the management of the pitching staff this season- but it's hard to manage any staff when you don't know what you are going to get. Rigby looked good today but he was shelled vs. LSU. And etc.

I don't have a problem with him bringing in Bilingsley at all. Prior to today he had several good outings the past two weeks- not just one good outing where he caught lightning in a bottle. You could make a case that he was our most consistent bullpen guy the past two weeks.

Sometimes it isn't the coach- sometimes the the players have to execute.

No excuse for bringing in Small, Young, or Billingsley (despite his success Wednesday), or for taking Brown out. I'm fine with Hump not pitching...but bringing in the 3 I listed above when you have Brown, Houston, Smith available is just dumb. That's not the time to hope a guy that hasn't thrown strikes all year suddenly wakes up despite his 13.00+ era. Just dumb. No excuses for that.

[engie]

Nobody is saying Cohen does everything wrong. Nor is anyone saying fire him, despite what some say. But Paul Young has never been "up". Billingsley has been "up" 1 time. Cyr has been "up" never in an SEC game. Ethan Small has never been "up" ever. That's where my issue is. Do I know those guys need experience? Yes. But you don't break guys in in a tie game, on the road, in a series clincher, with postseason home field on the line. Especially when you have several guys that HAVE been "up" and gotten it done before, fresh & ready.

I'm pumped we won the series. I just wish we didn't have to have 1 game per weekend where we either have to overcome our coach to win, or watch him lose us a game.

No one has ever done it until they get their chance and they do it. If you don't put them into that situation -- you never find your freshman Johnathan Holder. It's not a magic ball where every game "is what that guy is" -- it's in finding "it" -- and no one in our pen has consistently had it. You can pick on Young, Small, and Cyr -- but you really never know for sure what you are going to get out of any of them when they step out there. Although it usually only takes about 2 pitches if you are watching mannerism and warmups to figure out "who they are" in that particular outing. Which had a lot to do with the incredibly quick hook.

[Todd4State]

No excuse for bringing in Small, Young, or Billingsley (despite his success Wednesday), or for taking Brown out. I'm fine with Hump not pitching...but bringing in the 3 I listed above when you have Brown, Houston, Smith available is just dumb. That's not the time to hope a guy that hasn't thrown strikes all year suddenly wakes up despite his 13.00+ era. Just dumb. No excuses for that.

You must have missed Billinglsey's last four performances. He got us out of a jam in Biloxi. Pitched one scoreless inning against LSU and then shut down an Ole Miss team that has now won 7 of their last 9. We threw Young after we threw Brown and Houston and we didn't want to use Smith after having thrown 50 something pitches in game one with another game left to play. Small walked his guy, but if I remember correctly he didn't score so not a big deal.

[I seen it dawg]

So, he made a mistake pulling Sexton when he did. Then what? What would Cadaver have done to ensure success and a victory at that point? Keeping in mind that Sexton was responsible for the runs that tied the game -- and those relievers who did truly put on a total shitshow today actually didn't give up an earned run through over 4 innings of relief.

Maybe not pull ****ing sexton to get someone that could "spin the ball"? How about leaving arguably your best pitcher on the mound in a game he could and should go 7 in. Yeah he was responsible for the runs...with major help from his reliever who should have never been in the game who threw 2 hangers that I could have hit to a guy who can't hit 175 who hit one. ****ing stupid to pull sexton. And then when he did pull him the odds of a shitshow increased dramatically. Want to decrease those odds don't ****ing pull him. Nice job Engie Cohen.

[I seen it dawg]

Someone called it a great bullpen performance? Where?

Sexton was leaving everything up and over the plate that inning. His breaker was hanging. He was becoming bombed Sexton of last year in that inning. Of course hindsight tells us that staying with him was still the better option. It's a non-conversation if Billingsley just throws strikes and doesn't hang the one breaker -- and is otherwise the same guy he had led us to believe he could be 4 days ago against an OM team that took 2 of 3 from LSU this weekend.

Somebody bombed him? You a soothsayer now?

[I seen it dawg]

Sexton also got that balk. He and Cohen were not happy with each other after he got pulled.

I think the biggest mistake was pulling Brown.

Biggest mistake was pulling sexton. Set the whole shitshow into motion. Never should have happened.

[engie]

Maybe not pull ****ing sexton to get someone that could "spin the ball"? How about leaving arguably your best pitcher on the mound in a game he could and should go 7 in. Yeah he was responsible for the runs...with major help from his reliever who should have never been in the game who threw 2 hangers that I could have hit to a guy who can't hit 175 who hit one. ****ing stupid to pull sexton. And then when he did pull him the odds of a shitshow increased dramatically. Want to decrease those odds don't ****ing pull him. Nice job Engie Cohen.

Not real sure when you ceased to post with reason -- but you've gone full ****ing stupid this season.

What are we ranked again? Last time we were ranked top 5 in May? Do you remember it? You probably do, since you were most likely still a highschooler at the time.

[CadaverDawg]

No one has ever done it until they get their chance and they do it. If you don't put them into that situation -- you never find your freshman Johnathan Holder. It's not a magic ball where every game "is what that guy is" -- it's in finding "it" -- and no one in our pen has consistently had it. You can pick on Young, Small, and Cyr -- but you really never know for sure what you are going to get out of any of them when they step out there. Although it usually only takes about 2 pitches if you are watching mannerism and warmups to figure out "who they are" in that particular outing. Which had a lot to do with the incredibly quick hook.

Can you read? I said I have no issue giving some of these guys SEC innings (not Young)....but NOT IN A 2-2 SERIES CLINCHING ROAD GAME WITH A NATIONAL SEED POSSIBLY ON THE LINE. Agree with it, disagree with it, whatever...but you will never change my mind that any of Billingsley, Small, Cyr, or Young should have been given their " first big chance" in that situation. Had it been the 15th inning & the Brown, Houston, Smith, Etc's of the World had already been used up, I would have no problem with it. But it wasn't, & they hadn't.

Glad we won the series, still like Cohen, think he's a good coach most of the time, have no issues with the pitchers I listed....Just want to clear that up b4 you spin and put words in my mouth in your response.

[engie]

Somebody bombed him? You a soothsayer now?

There was a command loss that made me question whether it was time to go get him, yes.

And, yes, I'm pretty ****ing good at predicting baseball. But I guess you've been too busy melting down as bad as Will James at his absolute worst about everything that has happened this season to notice.

While the idiot has us ranked in the top 5.

In May.

[CadaverDawg]

You must have missed Billinglsey's last four performances. He got us out of a jam in Biloxi. Pitched one scoreless inning against LSU and then shut down an Ole Miss team that has now won 7 of their last 9. We threw Young after we threw Brown and Houston and we didn't want to use Smith after having thrown 50 something pitches in game one with another game left to play. Small walked his guy, but if I remember correctly he didn't score so not a big deal.

Billingsley has 1 pitch, and never should have come in bc Sexton shouldn't have been pulled. Plus, you just talked Blake Smith and how many pitches he threw last game...but Bullingsley threw a bunch Wednesday. And again, you bring in a guy that they Know throws 1 pitch well, to face a guy that is hitting a buck fifty? Why? i don't dislike Billingsley, he just shouldn't have been brought in there.

And again, it was about the crucial spot we were in. You don't **** around with experiments in that spot. You just don't.

[msstate7]

It's possible to be happy with our coach and critique him at the same time. Overall Cohen has done a good job with this team, but let's not act like he's above criticism. I think our coaching was as responsible for the game 2 loss as much as our bullpen

[engie]

Can you read? I said I have no issue giving some of these guys SEC innings (not Young)....but NOT IN A 2-2 SERIES CLINCHING ROAD GAME WITH A NATIONAL SEED POSSIBLY ON THE LINE. Agree with it, disagree with it, whatever...but you will never change my mind that any of Billingsley, Small, Cyr, or Young should have been given their " first big chance" in that situation. Had it been the 15th inning & the Brown, Houston, Smith, Etc's of the World had already been used up, I would have no problem with it. But it wasn't, & they hadn't.

Glad we won the series, still like Cohen, think he's a good coach most of the time, have no issues with the pitchers I listed....Just want to clear that up b4 you spin and put words in my mouth in your response.

But you don't think he's a good coach most of the time. Throwing in an occasional disclaimer doesn't change the nature of what you actually say in the vast majority of your baseball posts.

You are going to melt every single time we lose a game for the next month aren't you? I already know the answer. Freaking out about the difference between a national seed and a simple regional host -- on a team that you thought legitimately might not make the postseason at all.

[engie]

It's possible to be happy with our coach and critique him at the same time. Overall Cohen has done a good job with this team, but let's not act like he's above criticism. I think our coaching was as responsible for the game 2 loss as much as our bullpen

He's not above criticism. It's the part where he's below praise that I have the problem with.

[CadaverDawg]

There was a command loss that made me question whether it was time to go get him, yes.

And, yes, I'm pretty ****ing good at predicting baseball. But I guess you've been too busy melting down as bad as Will James at his absolute worst about everything that has happened this season to notice.

While the idiot has us ranked in the top 5.

In May.

See, you're unable to see what he's saying and admit it's true and right. That's when you resort to talking about our ranking and record.

Engie, nobody is saying Cohen sucks or that he hasn't gotten us to our current position. Quit changing the subject...we're talking about THIS game. Game 2 of THIS series. Nobody is saying "fire Cohen". So don't spin it into that. Stay on topic

[CadaverDawg]

It's possible to be happy with our coach and critique him at the same time. Overall Cohen has done a good job with this team, but let's not act like he's above criticism. I think our coaching was as responsible for the game 2 loss as much as our bullpen

Thank you. This ^^^^^^^ is what engie is incapable of understanding.

[CadaverDawg]

But you don't think he's a good coach most of the time. Throwing in an occasional disclaimer doesn't change the nature of what you actually say in the vast majority of your baseball posts.

You are going to melt every single time we lose a game for the next month aren't you? I already know the answer. Freaking out about the difference between a national seed and a simple regional host -- on a team that you thought legitimately might not make the postseason at all.

And here we go. Engie changes the subject bc he can't admit when someone is right. Same ole engie. You don't fool anyone anymore.

[I seen it dawg]

Not real sure when you ceased to post with reason -- but you've gone full ****ing stupid this season.

What are we ranked again? Last time we were ranked top 5 in May? Do you remember it? You probably do, since you were most likely still a highschooler at the time.

You can't stay on point and talk about one decision that was a goat ****. Oh but we are top 5. Yes we are and Cohen deserves credit for that. But why can't we stop with the totally moronic decisions that should never be made at this level. Again he makes some decisions that are inexcusable. Why can't we avoid those that even the average baseball person knows is stupid. We got a guy loose in the third just because we want a guy that can spin it in the game if we get the chance? You agree with that shit? Take out our 1b? I know you know baseball because you've told us. I can't believe you would think that's remotely a good call.

I got another one...what happens if Lowe gets hurt in the 5th and has to come out...what do we do then?

[CadaverDawg]

He's not above criticism. It's the part where he's below praise that I have the problem with.

Stop making little league coaching moves once a week, and you might get more big league praise. It ain't that difficult to comprehend.

Oh, and just bc engie says he gets no praise, doesn't make it true. Cohen gets praise when he makes good calls, and criticism when he makes bad ones. Ever thought maybe YOU are the one that is only capable of focusing on the criticisms he gets? Hmm.