Here It is!

[Todd4State]

Lower case It, as opposed to IT.

Yep, it's about baseball.

Yep, it's about MSU baseball.

Enjoy.

http://maroonandwhitenation.com/?p=5433

 

[FreeDawg]

Thanks Todd

I knew you would bring it

 

[drt7891]

Good Read, Todd. I think Cox really impressed some folks during spring ball. What he lacks in power, he was able to deliver in location. I thought he really pounded the bottom half of the zone very well... the only question mark I have with him is pressure situations. Pollo and Holder will both deliver in terms of expectations.

The thing I did not see a discernible difference in during the scrimmages I went to, and maybe this was simply the rotation, but we still struggle to work counts at the plate. We also struggled mightily to put the ball in play in key situations. I want to see a guy step up this year who is an on-base machine... much like Parks was a few years ago. I want a guy, who doesn't necessarily have a high BA, but a keen ability to work pitchers into deep counts and get on base >.400 or better. We really missed that last year, and I think that will really help our situational hitting if we can have that.

 

[rabiddawg]

Not going to lie. After reading that "it" moved.

 

[Railin Jemmye]

I agree with most, but......

I'm not as concerned about Woodruff. He was hitting 92-93 in the 4th inning of the scrimmage yesterday.

Henderson will start in LF and it will be his job to lose, he's been one of the best hitters. If Robson beats him out, we've got a beast on our hands. He'll play some though.

Porter will be the DH for most of the time.

Yes, Pirtle will start at 2B, but if he struggles at all, I expect to see Frost because for whatever reason Cohen loves him.

I agree at C, Ammariti will play some, and should. I hope to see him get on the field the contribute some, even at DH, he's definitely earned it.

 

[HueFreeze]

has anyone explained to patdog how our hitting will be better.

Great write up Todd!

Looking forward to a great year of baseball!

 

[CadaverDawg]

Nice write up, Todd. I knew we had pitching depth, but when you break it down like that it is really amazing at how deep this pitching staff is. We may have to take guys out when we get a decent lead early in the season, just so guys can get some reps on the mound in live action. If we can just get that 1 guy to step up and be a dominant Friday night guy, we could be scary good on the mound again this year.

Combine that with better bats, and that's a recipe for Omaha.

Question for you and others........
I'm a big Daryl Norris fan, and I hated to see how bad he played last year due to injury. I also see that you're thinking .300 with 5 HR's would be a good year for him. Am I the only one that thinks he could come back really strong this year? I think we could legitimately see him hit in the .350 range with 7-8 bombs and a bunch of RBI's. The only question to me is his confidence level. If he has regained confidence and is healthy like we think he is....he seems to have the tools to be really good. Especially if he is near the bottom of the order where he will likely see a lot of good pitches to hit.

Maybe I'm wrong though. I may just be hoping that he will give us a 3 hole SEC bat in a 6 or 7 hole in the order. Would definitely be a bonus if he does.

 

[Will James]

I think we could legitimately see him hit in the .350 range

I don't. Not with these bats. He's no Jarrod Parks

 

[bulldogcountry1]

Good stuff.

I know everyone is talking about the loss of Stratton and how the pitching staff simply won't be near as good because he's gone. That's a very logical assumption, and it will be hard to put up the same numbers, staff-wise, as last year. But, go back one year from today, and I don't recall many people expecting Stratton to have and All-American-type year. Sure, you heard Cohen says things like "the talent is there...he just has to put it all together", but I hear that every year about someone. See Hunter Renfroe.

1. Consider how many underclassmen made significant contributions last year and then assume a natural progression with experience.

2. What is the likelihood that someone will "put it all together" and have a breakout year? I think there's a good chance. Probably not the same leap as Stratton, but a big one nonetheless.

3. Remember that we spent most of the season pitching by committee on Sundays and we had to count on freshmen more than Cohen likes to. Fortunately, they answered the call.

4. Out offense has nowhere to go but up. This should create more situations where we have comfortable leads, and Thompson won't have to be as fine with managing the staff. This should get the better guys a little more rest and allow the newcomers to get their feet wet. We rarely had that opportunity last season.

5. We didn't even have the pitching services of Norris and Bradford last year. We do now.


To me, all of things make a good case to say that the staff can be just as good this year as last year.

 

[Shmuley]

Hell, Todd. You brought it. Appreciate it. How nice is it to stand at the precipice of potentially something special and not have the immediate thought, "How are we going to Mississippi State this up?"

 

[Statestudent93]

Preston brown could pitch quite a bit for us

 

[maroonmania]

Lower case It, as opposed to IT.

Yep, it's about baseball.

Yep, it's about MSU baseball.

Enjoy.

http://maroonandwhitenation.com/?p=5433

Thanks Todd, really good writeup. The only thing I will take issue with that you stated was that Britton was "forced on the field by injuries". If I remember correctly Cohen put Britton out there as our starting shortstop on Day 1 of the season BEFORE any injuries and he started making so many errors that eventually we had to move him over to platoon with Frost at 2nd and put Frazier back at SS. I still don't really understand how Britton gets touted as some terrific defensive fielder with a great arm but everytime I see him or read scrimmage stats he's making multiple fielding errors and his throws are all over the place. Don't want to ding a guy but it shouldn't take a tremendous amount of fielding prowess for Pirtle, or another 2nd baseman, to beat that out to be our regular 2nd baseman.

 

[Todd4State]

I really think Frazier could be that guy

Good Read, Todd. I think Cox really impressed some folks during spring ball. What he lacks in power, he was able to deliver in location. I thought he really pounded the bottom half of the zone very well... the only question mark I have with him is pressure situations. Pollo and Holder will both deliver in terms of expectations.

The thing I did not see a discernible difference in during the scrimmages I went to, and maybe this was simply the rotation, but we still struggle to work counts at the plate. We also struggled mightily to put the ball in play in key situations. I want to see a guy step up this year who is an on-base machine... much like Parks was a few years ago. I want a guy, who doesn't necessarily have a high BA, but a keen ability to work pitchers into deep counts and get on base >.400 or better. We really missed that last year, and I think that will really help our situational hitting if we can have that.

that you are talking about. If you have a more dangerous Renfroe and Rea hitting behind him and a healthy CT in front of him- he will have some opportunities to be that guy.

 

[Todd4State]

I wrote the article before Woodruff's last outing- which was a very good outing, so that lessens my concern as well. We'll see about Frost- or maybe hopefully we won't.

 

[Will James]

We'll see about Frost- or maybe hopefully we won't.

I'd like to see about Frost IF Rea gets on in a tie game in the 9th and we need a runner, AND If Henderson/Robson, Armstrong, Fullerton, and Britton, have all been burned.

 

[Todd4State]

The thing to remember about Jarrod Parks is he had to kind of re-invent himself as a hitter because of back problems. He was more of a power hitter that changed his stance and became a contact hitter because it was more comfortable for him. Daryl Norris is different. He had a leg injury, which affected his power- although he did hit one of the longer home runs of the year against Kentucky. I don't think 7-8 home runs is unrealistic, but may be on the high end. If he hits .350 along with that, I will be estatic.

 

[Todd4State]

Preston brown could pitch quite a bit for us

I think that's possible, but I expect him to mainly see action during midweek games.

 

[Todd4State]

You are correct that he was the opening day shortstop

Thanks Todd, really good writeup. The only thing I will take issue with that you stated was that Britton was "forced on the field by injuries". If I remember correctly Cohen put Britton out there as our starting shortstop on Day 1 of the season BEFORE any injuries and he started making so many errors that eventually we had to move him over to platoon with Frost at 2nd and put Frazier back at SS. I still don't really understand how Britton gets touted as some terrific defensive fielder with a great arm but everytime I see him or read scrimmage stats he's making multiple fielding errors and his throws are all over the place. Don't want to ding a guy but it shouldn't take a tremendous amount of fielding prowess for Pirtle, or another 2nd baseman, to beat that out to be our regular 2nd baseman.

but what I was referring to was more about being forced to play more than he should have over the course of the year. As bad as Frost is- he was better than Britton. But because Daryl Norris and Nick Flair were hurt we had to use Britton more because we played Frost at third base a little bit.

Britton is a good athlete. But he has to learn how to be a good baseball player.