BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

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Goat Holder II

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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

C - Thigpen
1B - Collins or Norris
2B - Frost or Henderson
SS - Ogden
3B - Parks
LF - Brownlee
CF - Shepard
RF - Bradford
DH - Vickerson

Pitching: Jones, Stratton and somebody else, I can't remember.

From the Starkville daily news interview with Cohen.

I know we've got some depth here and there (maybe not talented depth, but bodies nonetheless). It's a nice change to have some guys actually step up and take positions before the season starts.
 

Todd4State

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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

is going to be inexperience from some of our more talented guys. We have a lot of freshman that haven't played an inning of SEC baseball.

The third guy is probably going to be Girodo or Graveman to start the year. By SEC play, I'm hoping that Routt will be ready for the rotation. He is supposed to pitch in a scrimmage next week and is throwing. Tim Statz might be a guy to watch if Routt can't make it back. He is coming off of Tommy John surgery and pitched one inning last week and struck out the side while topping out at 91 and was consistently in the upper 80's. Obviously, he is further along than Routt at this point. I'm hoping that Statz will throw two innings in his next outing and then will get the first midweek start against Northwestern State and hopefully he can go three in that game.

One thing I would consider doing if I was Cohen is possibly piggy backing Statz and Routt on Sunday- have Statz go about 80 pitches and then bring in Routt for however many pitches. Channeling my inner Tony LaRussa here.

Also, Hunter Renfroe had another very good outing. I think he would be our closer if the season started today. At least he would if I was the coach. He has earned it, but he still needs to show that he can do it in live competition. Daryl Norris has pitched pretty well, also.
 

DowntownDawg

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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

...have a long way to go to be SEC weekend pitchers (even on Sunday) if last year was any indication.

Is Thigpen swinging the bat any better?
 

Todd4State

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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

but I think both are better suited for bullpen roles for sure. I think that's the hope of the coaching staff by SEC play.

Wes is hitting about the same. I wouldn't look for him to get much better from that standpoint next year to be honest. If he hits .250, I would be happy. He really should be a back-up catcher. Cody Freeman will play a lot as well, too. But Cody is not a good defensive catcher at all. I think he only threw out only one base runner all year.

I wouldn't be shocked if Hunter Renfroe takes over by the end of the year behind the plate. In my opinion, he is our best all around catcher, but he needs to work on his defense a little bit. I think coaches are a little apprehensive about starting a true freshman at least at the start of the year. But I think they will give him a shot. They also might be apprehensive about asking him to do too much if they ask him to close and catch.
 

alabamadog

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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

I have no idea what position he plays, but he has the potential to be a good hitter. The lineup should actually be solid defensively, so the question is how many players hit renardo's weight.
 

maroonmania

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Feb 23, 2008
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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

I thought Routt was already good to go.
 

Todd4State

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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

was a third baseman in high school, and a pitcher as well. He will probably be a corner infield/outfielder for us. Third base is probably his best position. Brayden is a winner, and he is an invited walk-on to the baseball team- not sure if he got an academic scholarship or not. He was also the Gatorade Player of the Year for Mississippi. I think he will be a fan favorite by the time he leaves MSU- he kind of reminds me a little bit of Rusty Thoms. He is a ballplayer, and he's the kind of guy that wins games for you. I've seen him play several times in high school at Madison Central, and he helped MC win the 5A championship as a junior, and they made it to the 6A championship as a senior. I thought he was MC's best player on the field- not most talented, but best in terms of baseball fundamentals. Great leader as well.
 

Todd4State

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BASEBALL: Lineup looks to be getting settled, a big improvement over past years.....

What I had heard was that he was throwing really well in the bullpen, and he was. He's just not ready for the mound quite yet. I assumed that he was ready, and I misunderstood.


Like I said, he is supposed to pitch in a scrimmage this upcoming week.