Concerns and Comforts going into Omaha...

[thekimmer]

Concerns

Infield defense. Especially the left side, specifically the 5 spot. The supers were especially rough. Gotta get better there.
#3 pitcher. Ginn is supposedly back to normal. Is that the old normal or the new normal? We need old normal.

Comforts

#1 and #2 pitchers. Ethan Small, Mr. Consistency. He will always keep you in a ballgame. As close to an automatic win as we have. Plumb has pitched well ever since the Guv cup save the USC game.
In five NCAA tourney games we have given up more than 2 runs just once.
Hitting. Have enough good hitters to compensate for the occasional slump. Mangum goes on a three week slide, never missed a beat.
Post season experience. We have as much or more experience playing post season ball as anybody in the field.

 

[Cat Duck]

We are playing our best defense of the year right now. Not worried about that. Our pitching is great, not worried about that. My only worry is getting our bats totally shut down.

A lot of people say pitching wins championships. I say, pitching gives you a chance. Hitting wins championships.

A lot of teams that can mash but can’t pitch straight up go 25-30. Got to fix the pitching first. Seems counterintuitive since hitting scores the runs, but that’s how I see it.

 

[HumpDawgy]

Would like to know how Ginn is feeling. Also wish we pitched more of our bullpen to get them game ready for CWS. Other than White, Liebeldt, and Gordon, I don't remember anyone else coming out of the pen for regionals and supers. We are going to need some others to pitch well. Vandy and Louisville can both hit.

As long as Westy and Gilbert are hitting and driving in runs, we can overcome an error or two.

 

[Bulldogg31]

It may be sacrilege but I’d say Plumlee has looked to be nearly Small’s equal in his last couple of outings.

Facing a top 10 opponent in a must-win game he went 6 2/3 innings and gave up 1 run. After the leadoff HR he allowed one hit.

Against Miami he gave up 2 runs in 5 innings while scattering 5 hits.

More importantly he’s only walked one batter in his last two outings.

Obviously he’s not Small but he’s been a really solid #2 the last few weeks.

 

[patdog]

I’m not too worried about the defense. Fielding % is a little low, but we’re not giving up many unearned runs. I’ll take our defense to get our offense every day & twice on Sunday.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

Good point. We definitely make errors at SS and 3B, but our infield also regularly makes great plays that help compensate for it.

 

[thekimmer]

We are playing our best defense of the year right now. Not worried about that. Our pitching is great, not worried about that. My only worry is getting our bats totally shut down.

A lot of people say pitching wins championships. I say, pitching gives you a chance. Hitting wins championships.

A lot of teams that can mash but can’t pitch straight up go 25-30. Got to fix the pitching first. Seems counterintuitive since hitting scores the runs, but that’s how I see it.

Overall I agree defense has been pretty good and westburg was much better. But giving teams extra outs can bury a team. Gilbert had 3 errors on the weekend and two in the same inning. Fortunately it did not bite us like it did versus LSU in Hoover. It was after a 5 spot error that Ginn fell apart in that game. Not bashing gilbert, we all make mistakes but gotta shore up that area.

I agree with you about that old saying. Pitching might win championships but the paradox to that it is both impossible to win without scoring and impossible to score with pitching. Look no further than the vandy game in the SECT as an example.

 

[MSUDC11]

I think we are a complete team, just have to keep playing well. I don’t have any specific worries, just generally that one bad day or couple of days can end it for us. We have enough to win it all this year, probably the best team we’ve taken to Omaha since ‘85. But we’re playing other really good teams, so it’s possible they just play better than us next week.

 

[AlSwearengen]

I said the other day that if JT can get comfortable and pitch like he did early in the year and with the way Plumlee has been pitching, we have a starting rotation of 1A, 1B, and 1C. 1A (Small) is definitely the ace b/c of multiple factors, but if JT gets right, we have a damn damn good rotation.

 

[tired]

Our D has been better lately, Plumlee will hold his own, & if Ginn is 100, we're good.

 

[patdog]

Agree. This is the most complete team we’ve ever had. Maybe not quite the top-end talent the 85 team had, but great depth both 1-9 in the order & on the mound.

 

[DoggieDaddy13]

I believe we are more varied and creative with our at bats this year throughout the line-up. That should help.

But I remember how UCLA shut our hitters down in the 2013 championship. Frustrating as hell watching that. I still think having a pitching edge is the best advantage for a team.

Still, our line-up this year is solid 1 thru 9 and, if they are locked in, you gotta believe we got a great shot at winning it all this time around.

 

[57stratdawg]

NCAA National Champions by Fielding % (National Rank)

2018 - Or. State - #12
2017 - Florida - #8
2016 - Coastal Car - #83
2015 - Virginia - #75
2014 - Vandy - #26
2013 - UCLA - #5
2012 - Ariz - #93
2011 - South Car - #35

MSU is currently 81st. So, it's not impossible to win it all with our current field %.

 

[Cat Duck]

NCAA National Champions by Fielding % (National Rank)

2018 - Or. State - #12
2017 - Florida - #8
2016 - Coastal Car - #83
2015 - Virginia - #75
2014 - Vandy - #26
2013 - UCLA - #5
2012 - Ariz - #93
2011 - South Car - #35

MSU is currently 81st. So, it's not impossible to win it all with our current field %.

Bad news is I think we are going to see a decrease in the random teams winning it going forward. The bats and balls are about where they should be now. Gorilla ball was too far one direction, the dead bats were too far the other.

Good news is, we are fielding much better now than we were earlier. I liken it to Virginia in 2015, who got 2 guys back from injury and were suddenly unhittable in the postseason. Everybody said they were random but they were a great team all along.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

As long as the pro draft is in play,

it's a crap shoot, and Cinderella has a chance.

 

[Cat Duck]

it's a crap shoot, and Cinderella has a chance.

I love the draft rules, think it's the perfect system. The issue is and has always been scholarships.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Yeah well, you think you are about to sign a stud, and next thing you know he is signing pro.
Rug pulled out from under you. And then the scholarship limits.

 

[Hankp22]

Concern: Pitching depth after Small/Plumlee second start. It appears Ginn will go in CWS. But with the tightness, he will probably be limited to that one start. I definitely believe Brandon Smith can give us a quality start if needed. And Keegan can definitely get some quality innings. But that's a big stage and would be against an elite lineup.

Comfort: There is a lot to be confident about with this team. If we play our brand of baseball, a team is going to have to make a ton of high pressure plays while playing complete in other phases of the game to beat us. And even if that happens, our lineup can win from the losers bracket.

 

[rem101]

Our ability to hit doubles. We average 2.49 per game, best of anyone in Omah (Vandy just behind). With how TD plays, this could help us out offensively.

 

[Joe Schmedlap]

Concern: base running. It can be and often times is ridiculously bad. Infield defense can sometimes be shaky.

Comfort: our lineup can hit from 1 to 9. JT Ginn should be ready to contribute. Ethan Small is pitcher of the year. Plumlee has been lights out for over 6 weeks