Its time to move back to power baseball

[Bulldogg31]

"OMAHA, Neb. -- The new flat-seam ball in college baseball is having the desired effect, with teams hitting 40 percent more home runs so far this season.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that teams are hitting a home run about every other game. Last year, teams homered about once every three games through the first three weeks of the season.

The actual average is 0.47 home runs per team compared with 0.33 at this point in 2014. Last season's final average of 0.39 per team was a record low.

The flat-seam ball was introduced this season in an attempt to punch up a game that has seen steep declines in offense since new bat standards took effect in 2011. Studies show the flat-seam ball travels 20 feet farther than the old raised-seam ball."

OK Coach Cohen...the game has changed. Go get us some big fellas that can drive the ball.

 

[Hammer Down]

I will not make my determination until I see if the ball leaves TD Ameritrade. I hope, for the game's sake, that it does. I still do not think a straight power game is the way to go, unless your goal is just to get to Omaha, not win it. Power guys general do not play the best defense.

 

[57stratdawg]

You forget it's impossible to hit HRs out of DNF. However, its not impossible for us to give up HRs, but it is impossible to hit them.**

 

[patdog]

Most of DNF's reputation as a "pitcher's park" is a function of us generally having very good pitching and a bunch of 5'10" 160 lb hitters. There was a time when that same park gave up a LOT of home runs, mostly by visiting pitchers. Our coach hit several of them.

 

[Hammer Down]

Most of DNF's reputation as a "pitcher's park" is a function of us generally having very good pitching and a bunch of 5'10" 160 lb hitters. There was a time when that same park gave up a LOT of home runs, mostly by visiting pitchers. Our coach hit several of them.

Dude, no it is not. Every coach in the SEC will tell you balls die at DNF, more than other parks.

 

[Bulldogg31]

I will not make my determination until I see if the ball leaves TD Ameritrade. I hope, for the game's sake, that it does. I still do not think a straight power game is the way to go, unless your goal is just to get to Omaha, not win it. Power guys general do not play the best defense.

You don't need a straight power game, but your 3-4-5 hitters need to present the threat of going deep with men on base. Put them at 1B, RF, and C or 3B and your still fine defensively. Cohen was defending using guys like Cody Brown (who is about 5'9 and 175 lbs) on the post game show after he made that great catch on Sunday, saying that's why we play guys like that...they have the speed to make those catches. I'd trade that speed for a home run every weekend or so, and a strong arm that might gun down a runner every now and then.

Again, just my opinion, but that's more fun to watch (for me) than the current Cohen small-ball style. What we do now is boring and we lose every series. I don't believe I'm alone in this opinion.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Yep, Cohen used to go deep every now and then for sure. Had a great arm too.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Dude, no it is not. Every coach in the SEC will tell you balls die at DNF, more than other parks.

That's not true. We're not like Kentucky's park, but you can hit the long ball at DNF. Sikes Orvis hit one last year that still hasn't landed. I saw that one in person.

 

[Hammer Down]

You don't need a straight power game, but your 3-4-5 hitters need to present the threat of going deep with men on base. Put them at 1B, RF, and C or 3B and your still fine defensively.

I agree with you here, except maybe RF and 3B. Either way, you can have the 3-4-5 guys hit for power AND play small-ball. The problem is we have a 6'5" mammoth taking up the 1B power position, but does not hit for power. We really need Humphreys, Rooker and Collins all in the lineup at one time.

 

[Bulldogg31]

I agree with you here, except maybe RF and 3B. Either way, you can have the 3-4-5 guys hit for power AND play small-ball. The problem is we have a 6'5" mammoth taking up the 1B power position, but does not hit for power. We really need Humphreys, Rooker and Collins all in the lineup at one time.

We agree here. Wow, that took a while

 

[Hammer Down]

Take it up with opposing coaches, not going to sit here and argue about a fact.

 

[Hammer Down]

The difference is, I trust Cohen is seeing something in practice and can do his job better than I can. I honestly think some people on this board think they are smarter than the d*mn coach who is paid $600,000 to coach baseball and played for a national championship two years ago.

 

[patdog]

In 1985, Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro, John Mitchell and Bobby Thigpen hit 60 home runs between them. Clark was only 4 HRs short of the NCAA record shared at the time by Bruce Castoria and Rafael Palmeiro. Don't tell me you can't hit the ball out of DNF.

 

[Hammer Down]

Ha, OK. The old bats plus the stadium was not built until after 1985. And it was the skyboxes later on, that are really blamed for why the balls do not carry.

Good call, patdog.

 

[jakldawg]

I believe the term is Schrodingerball

The home run simultaneously exists, and does not exist.

 

[Palos verdes]

Amen to the thread title.

 

[dawgoneyall]

Ron Polk started this BS about inability to hit HR's at DNF due to his inability to recruit. Evidently, Cohen bought that BS.

 

[57stratdawg]

I think DNF is very tough to hit HRs up until the beginning of April. The wind shifts and the second half of the season is much more forgiving.

Having said that, it's tough as hell to get a ball out of center at DNF no matter the month. I have no idea why, but the ball just doesn't carry well there.

 

[skydawg1]

Good lord.

 

[JacksonTiger.sixpack]

Mason Katz disagrees.

 

[BiscuitEater]

Okay ..

Take it up with opposing coaches, not going to sit here and argue about a fact.

Your 'fact' is actually NOT a fact .. State has had players hit MANY HRs at the Dude .. from the time it was built through 2010 when Connor Powers finished his career with 54.


Player (Seasons) G AB HR
1. Rafael Palmeiro (1983-85) 183 720 67
2. Will Clark (1983-85) 175 534 61
3. Bruce Castoria (1979-82) 202 685 58
4. Connor Powers (2007-10) 202 754 54
5. Jon Knott (1998-2001) 228 822 51
6. Tracy Echols (1986-90) 237 750 47
7. Richard Lee (1995-98) 248 967 46
8. Tommy Raffo (1987-90) 218 760 45
9. David Hayman (1993-96) 221 721 44

 

[GhostOfJackie]

The game has changed within the past year. That's why we need to hold off our judgement of Cohen until we see the adjustments he makes next year. If he starts letting his power guys actually hit for power, cut down on the small ball (not all the way), start recruiting more power, and get pitchers that can sling it, then I will develop a more positive opinion of him. Baseball is all about adjustments and let's see that happens next year. You simply cannot ground ball your way to Omaha anymore. Plus, it's boring to watch.

I also want to see what type of senior leadership we have next year. That's a big part of the reason this team has no balls whatsoever. If Cohen is too hardheaded to change, then we might be too hardheaded to keep him.

 

[patdog]

No question Cohen needs to be given next year to see how he adjusts to the new ball. He's been slow adjusting to it, but that's partly because he had built his team specifically for the old ball more than most coaches did. I do agree that this team has no leadership at all, and it's time for Cohen to go back to being the intense bastard that he quit being a couple of years ago.

 

[HD6]

JT, a blast from the past!

 

[Hammer Down]

You may want to hold off until you see who wins the CWS this year. I think you are looking too deeply into something because you are frustrated with the results. Facts are, it has just been a bad luck season. I think it is less about the balls/strategy and more about personnel. The talented players are younger and the upperclass is just average. Then you have Ross Mitchell, who could have been affected by the ball, or teams may have just figured him out.

This is why I call you doomsayers. It is not nearly as bad as you all wish it was.

 

[Hammer Down]

IDIOTS.....you are talking about the old bats AND before the stadium was expanded (with most of your list). I really am dealing with the lowest common denominator here. Freaking clueless.

NOBODY SAYS YOU CANNOT HIT HOME RUNS AT DNF. I SAID THAT IT IS HARDER COMPARED TO OTHER FIELDS.

 

[Seinfeld]

For me, the thing that's fun is winning ballgames. Whether Cohen wants to fill the lineup a bunch of scrappy 180 lb singles hitters or nine guys that look like Ryan Howard is up to him, but the fact is that his style isn't winning games this year and it's on him to get that corrected next season one way or another.

I can live with a down year every now and then, but if we even come close to missing a regional again next year, I'll have some serious thoughts about needing to move in another coaching direction. A "down" year is acceptable. 13th in the SEC is not.

 

[drofdirt]

Things have changed markedly in SEC baseball since 1985. Biggest difference is the quality of pitching in the conference. And that's not just starting pitching, but bullpen as well. This has resulted in a lower frequency of 'mistake' pitches, which in turn translates into fewer home runs. Compound that with the BBCor bats, and the power 'home run' numbers are going to decrease.

A key element we have been missing is having hitters who can recognize pitching mistakes and square them up with the bat. We also are missing another component to early season success at Dudy Noble...left-handed power hitters with the good eyes to hit those mistakes out of the yard. We have guys trying to hit home runs from the right side, but because their batting mechanics are off, they end up hitting fly balls into the ever present north-northwest wind that end up being cans of corn for the left fielder. This occurs for the first month and a half of the season or so. Luckily, that part of the season is also when we play most of our soft competition. Then in late April and May, temperatures warm up and the wind switches to the SE-S-SW. The lighter, warmer air helps baseballs that are struck squarely fly out of Dudy Noble, especially to left field. So end of the season into post season, and Dudy Noble becomes more home run friendly.


Home run production is a function of a number of variables. Because of that, in a park that plays large much of the season like Dudy Noble, you are much better off with a team that hits a lot of doubles. Unfortunately, that requires coaching and players to be on the same page, focus-wise, and that is often a difficult challenge.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

What in my post makes me a doomsayer?

 

[The Peeper]

Never seen one yet hit out of the park while someone was squared around for a sacrifice bunt

 

[JacksonTiger.sixpack]

Fun with stats. In SEC games in Starkville, this is what I could find (not verifying accuracy):

Bama 3
MSU 0

Aub 1
MSU 1

USC 2
MSU 0

UF 1
MSU 1

Opponents 7
MSU 2

Not impossible to hit HR's in Starkville but maybe harder than other parks. Looks like Florida would average about 1 a game and only hit 1 in 3 games in Starkville. However, opponents are hitting more out than State.

 

[57stratdawg]

To me, the two biggest problems in our program are:

1) lack of power
2) weak OOC

The goal of each season should be to host a regional. There are too many variables in post season play to say "the goal of the team is to win the CWS". Cohen desperately needs to address 1 and 2 to start hosting regionals on a regular basis. If you look at our power numbers and OOC schedule in 2013 vs 2014/2015 you'll see what is missing.

 

[Hammer Down]

It is not like he planned to not have power. Technically Frazier and Renfroe could have been on the roster in 2014. Then, neither Detz nor Rea stepped up to provide power. Then you had some other power recruits go pro and some recruiting misses like Daniel Garner, that are affecting us this year. Humpheys, Rooker and Collins are struggling, but they are all power hitters. It happens. Cohen is not purposely avoiding power, that is asinine to believe.

 

[57stratdawg]

Here's some numbers based on the entire season. Basically shows that Texas A&M is the best team at keeping the ball in the park and UK is the worse (not surprising).

[URL="http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/jsn37/media/MSU%20HR%20Through%20April_zps3vb9ovlj.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s607/jsn37/MSU%20HR%20Through%20April_zps3vb9ovlj.jpg[/URL][/IMG]

 

[57stratdawg]

Awwwww. He isn't doing it on purpose. I guess it's okay then.**

Cohen has been here 7 years now. We've basically finished in the bottom 1/3 of the league in slugging 6 out of those 7 years. 2013 being the exception. It isn't hard to see what's missing. It's time he fixes it.

 

[Hammer Down]

Awwwww. He isn't doing it on purpose. I guess it's okay then.**

Cohen has been here 7 years now. We've basically finished in the bottom 1/3 of the league in slugging 6 out of those 7 years. 2013 being the exception. It isn't hard to see what's missing. It's time he fixes it.

Nice side-step, but unfortunately that is what your band of hypocrites have been spewing from your sandy ****** all season. Obviously Cohen is not getting anything done this year to anyone's satisfaction. No one is arguing that, pal. You lack the next level of thought and comprehension.

 

[MSU'92]

Last year was a down year. This year is a breach of contract.

 

[MSU'92]

I'm not sure if anyone here can do worse than last in the west which is where we are NOW!

 

[Bulldogg31]

Nice side-step, but unfortunately that is what your band of hypocrites have been spewing from your sandy ****** all season. Obviously Cohen is not getting anything done this year to anyone's satisfaction. No one is arguing that, pal. You lack the next level of thought and comprehension.

Mute.

 

[57stratdawg]

Nice side-step, but unfortunately that is what your band of hypocrites have been spewing from your sandy ****** all season. Obviously Cohen is not getting anything done this year to anyone's satisfaction. No one is arguing that, pal. You lack the next level of thought and comprehension.

No one sidestepped you. You got owned again. I assume you're getting use to that though.

It's always the MLB draft, or the wind patterns at DNF, or some other random thing you're throwing off a wall to apologize for Cohen's inability to field a team that can hit for power. When in reality it's the players and style of baseball that riddle our lineup year and year out under Cohen. Like I said, 6 out of 7 years we haven't been good enough offensively under him. That's no coincidence. Deal with it.