Baseball resurgence

[bruiser.sixpack]

So this weekend we scored 9 runs and won 3 games! Kentucky scored something like 23 runs and won 3 games! As a wise Baseball philosopher once said, "that's baseball".

 

[CochiseCowbell]

You pining for Mingione (sp?)?

We seem to be shaking the stank off. But, we'll see. Stranding 14+ in one game is disconcerting. I feel like the freshmen bats & veteran pitching will be the do or die for this season.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

Actually, I doubt we could get Mingione after this year. He is building something at U.K.

I was just pointing out how frustrating this game of baseball can be.

Opening weekend we scored even less in 3 games (8). And lost all 3 by a combined 25-8 (11-0), (7-4), and (7-4).

Pretty much the same pitchers this weekend held our opponents to 1, 2, and 1 runs in 3 games. ULL has been a powerhouse over the years with the bats. Houston is historically a quality Regional team. Sam Houston State took down Texas Tech in their Regional last year and made a Super Regional.

The commonality of opening weekend against USM and this weekend? We hit the ball ( or failed to hit the ball as it were) at the same level both series. So it is not like over a two week period our guys became Pete Roses and Mark Maguires at the plate. However, our pitchers either found their spots around the plate.... or we found umpires who had strike zones as wide as a batters box. The end result is we are now pretty close to where to might expect us to be playing every game on the road to this point. Only if we could have that fogged out game back last Monday.

 

[512taylor]

So this weekend we scored 9 runs and won 3 games! Kentucky scored something like 23 runs and won 3 games! As a wise Baseball philosopher once said, "that's baseball".

So, we were both 3-0?

 

[KurtRambis4]

If we want Mingione, we'd

get him.

People said the same thing about Cohen.

Like I said, though, we are not currently going after him.

MSU baseball is one the one thing where we are not behind many.

 

[HumpDawgy]

Butch's team scored a lot of runs as well. I'd be ok with either one.

From what I've seen (or heard) so far, SEC play will not be fun unless we get better at clutch hitting. It was nice to see Billingsley have a strong outing.

 

[MSUDC11]

Vandy, our first conference opponent, went 1-2 against the three teams we beat this weekend, FWIW.

 

[engie]

You don’t “build something special” in college baseball with one recruiting class. We will see what Mingione actually is in his 3rd or 4th season. I suspect he will still be there and that won’t be because he told us thanks but no thanks.

 

[patdog]

That's 5 games in a row we've scored 3 runs in. Looks like offense is going to be a work in progress for a while this spring.

 

[msstate7]

That's 5 games in a row we've scored 3 runs in. Looks like offense is going to be a work in progress for a while this spring.

Lots of LOBs... gives me hope that hits will start falling some with guys on base soon

 

[engie]

The joys of assessing a baseball team’s future off 3 weeks of turmoil when they haven’t even been to their own yard yet — that saw all the weekend starting pitchers look elite against very good weekend competition in their most recent outing. Which was always going to have to carry us this year. Contact was much more consistent Sunday. We will be better offensively than we’ve looked so far.

All that to say — It’s too early to be forming sweeping big picture assessments, whether positive or negative.

 

[AlCoDog]

We scored 10 runs. 3 + 3 + 4 = 10

 

[messageboardsuperhero]

FWIW, Kendall Rogers says he thinks we will get a bigger name than Mingione, and this is not the first time he’s said that. Nick will probably not get the chance to turn us down, if what he says is true. I am certain Rogers has talked to some really elite coaches who have expressed interest- because there are only ~ 20 bigger name head coaches in the country than last season’s SEC coach of the year.

The new park has made the job more appealing than many (myself included) had previously thought.

 

[KurtRambis4]

The new park has made the job more appealing than many (myself included) had previously thought.

I think the new park, with where Cohen had brought us back to, plus the fanbase's enthusiasm all combined to bring the job back in the upper tier.

We've shown that we will pay whatever it takes.

 

[5049]

Going to need a Tadlock to keep all those coaches out of Cohen's office!

 

[maroonmania]

So this weekend we scored 9 runs and won 3 games! Kentucky scored something like 23 runs and won 3 games! As a wise Baseball philosopher once said, "that's baseball".

So what, they also allowed twice as many runs as we did. No doubt our offense is going to have to get better though.

 

[Junction John]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_baseball#Top_25_on-campus_college_baseball_crowds_of_all-time

 

[Todd4State]

You don’t “build something special” in college baseball with one recruiting class. We will see what Mingione actually is in his 3rd or 4th season. I suspect he will still be there and that won’t be because he told us thanks but no thanks.

The thing that people need to understand about Kentucky is:

1. They have a veteran team and that usually means that you are going to be pretty good unless your players are really bad.

2. Mingione has a hitting guru names Todd Guilliams who is one of the best in the country. If we get Mingione by chance we need to make sure that he brings Guilliams with him.

My thing about Mingione is I'm not sure if he can win a National Title here. Maybe if he brings Guilliams and an elite level pitching coach.

Personally I would rather have someone with MLB scouting connections because that has been a proven model for winning championships which is what we had with Cann until his head got too big for his own good.

 

[Todd4State]

FWIW, Kendall Rogers says he thinks we will get a bigger name than Mingione, and this is not the first time he’s said that. Nick will probably not get the chance to turn us down, if what he says is true. I am certain Rogers has talked to some really elite coaches who have expressed interest- because there are only ~ 20 bigger name head coaches in the country than last season’s SEC coach of the year.

The new park has made the job more appealing than many (myself included) had previously thought.

We've come a loooooooonnnnnggggg way since Polk II in a good way. I think we will get a big name because of the potential that we have plus what we put into the sport. We also have an AD who played baseball and coached baseball but at the same time is hands off enough to not interfere and we have a veteran team coming back plus a good recruiting class coming in which means we shouldn't have to rebuild like we did in 2009. Add in pay and I think the MSU job will be very attractive in the offseason.

 

[Arthur2478]

I feel like the freshmen bats & veteran pitching will be the do or die for this season.

Actually, the freshmen have been doing just fine. Team leaders in AVG, HRs & RBIs are all freshmen. Our biggest problem has been some of the experienced players who are really struggling. Alexander, MacNamee & Skelton are all hitting .200 or less and Vansau was right there with them until this past weekend. Those guys are really hindering our offense at the moment.

https://static.hailstate.com/custompages/stats/bb/2018/teamcume.htm

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Actually, the freshmen have been doing just fine. Team leaders in AVG, HRs & RBIs are all freshmen. Our biggest problem has been some of the experienced players who are really struggling. Alexander, MacNamee & Skelton are all hitting .200 or less and Vansau was right there with them until this past weekend. Those guys are really hindering our offense at the moment.

https://static.hailstate.com/custompages/stats/bb/2018/teamcume.htm

Yes. That is exactly what I meant.