Preseason Rankings Overview

oxfordrebel · Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:41 pm

So here's how we'll start the year in the nation's eyes.

Baseball America - 6
Collegiate Baseball - 11
NCBWA - 14

Early

ntended) SoS by Boyd's World - 61

Not too shabby, though I'd like to see our SoS up some.

1 month to go!

rebeldevotee · Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:44 pm

oxfordrebel wrote:So here's how we'll start the year in the nation's eyes.

Baseball America - 6
Collegiate Baseball - 11
NCBWA - 14

Early ntended) SoS by Boyd's World - 61

Not too shabby, though I'd like to see our SoS up some.

1 month to go!

As much as I like this and I really really do considering the players that we lost, I remember last year being very similar and it might have been the most disappointing year of the Bianco era.

oxfordrebel · Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:15 pm

rebeldevotee wrote:
oxfordrebel wrote:So here's how we'll start the year in the nation's eyes.

Baseball America - 6
Collegiate Baseball - 11
NCBWA - 14

Early ntended) SoS by Boyd's World - 61

Not too shabby, though I'd like to see our SoS up some.

1 month to go!
As much as I like this and I really really do considering the players that we lost, I remember last year being very similar and it might have been the most disappointing year of the Bianco era.

I've got that in the back of my mind. But with our pitchers having another year of experience under their belts and Bittle returning AND with having veterans at most defensive positions...well, I feel good about this year and I'm cautiously optimistic at the moment.

This season with live and die with starting pitching. I say that every year, but this year it's critical. Baseball America has our rotation as Pomeranz, Irwin, and Baker. That gives us two southpaws in the rotation which is a plus; though I still have reservations. Pomeranz has the stuff and I think will be the ace this year. Irwin did well in relief last season and not too bad in mid-week starts, but his career long is 6.0 innings. Weekend starters need to be able to go 6.0 innings minimally and 7.0 or more innings ideally. Same with Baker. Baker had a rough year last year. The MSU game on Sunday keeps coming to mind to serve as the summary of how his season went for the most part. I hope his struggles last season have prepared him for this season.

rebeldevotee · Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:25 pm

oxfordrebel wrote:
rebeldevotee wrote:
oxfordrebel wrote:So here's how we'll start the year in the nation's eyes.

Baseball America - 6
Collegiate Baseball - 11
NCBWA - 14

Early ntended) SoS by Boyd's World - 61

Not too shabby, though I'd like to see our SoS up some.

1 month to go!
As much as I like this and I really really do considering the players that we lost, I remember last year being very similar and it might have been the most disappointing year of the Bianco era.
I've got that in the back of my mind. But with our pitchers having another year of experience under their belts and Bittle returning AND with having veterans at most defensive positions...well, I feel good about this year and I'm cautiously optimistic at the moment.

This season with live and die with starting pitching. I say that every year, but this year it's critical. Baseball America has our rotation as Pomeranz, Irwin, and Baker. That gives us two southpaws in the rotation which is a plus; though I still have reservations. Pomeranz has the stuff and I think will be the ace this year. Irwin did well in relief last season and not too bad in mid-week starts, but his career long is 6.0 innings. Weekend starters need to be able to go 6.0 innings minimally and 7.0 or more innings ideally. Same with Baker. Baker had a rough year last year. The MSU game on Sunday keeps coming to mind to serve as the summary of how his season went for the most part. I hope his struggles last season have prepared him for this season.

I agree with the pitching take. And I will be honest that rotation scares me to death. Pom is great as far as stuff goes but he faltered badly at the end of the year. Then you have a guy who was a big time disappointment and an unproven guy as your SEC starters so I am defiantly concerned but excited all the same. Baseball is by far and away my favorite sport. I love football but I can watch baseball everyday which gets me my fix for sports on a daily basis that football does not.

OMNOB · Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:30 pm

Just out of curiousity, why would Bittle not at least get a look as a stater?

oxfordrebel · Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:21 pm

OMNOB wrote:Just out of curiousity, why would Bittle not at least get a look as a stater?

Personally, I think he should (and he did get a start or two his first year, if memory recalls), but he just doesn't have the stamina for the most part...or at least, not in the past.

Now a very LONG game against State a couple of years ago (Sunday game) comes to mind when he went 9 innings I believe it was. too lazy to go look it up to see if it was him or not. Last year he had a couple of extended relief appearances.

I think Bittle would be a good starter, but he's most valuable wrapping up games and when a guy has a niche, it's hard to move him away from it without darn good reason. I think that's why Bianco would keep him there.

CMB · Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:10 am

OMNOB wrote:Now a very LONG game against State a couple of years ago (Sunday game) comes to mind when he went 9 innings I believe it was. too lazy to go look it up to see if it was him or not. Last year he had a couple of extended relief appearances.

if it is the game i am thinking of, it was satterwhite that went 9 innings in relief during the Sunday miss state game

also, on olemisssports.com, bianco answeres a question about the starters and bittle.....just in case anybody wanted to see it

http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticl ... EM_ID=2600

MtownRebel · Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:35 am

Bittle needs to stay in the pen. With him and Morgan available for relief, we should not lose many leads when we pull the starters and are ahead.

Redbluedude · Fri Jan 23, 2009 8:06 am

MtownRebel wrote:Bittle needs to stay in the pen. With him and Morgan available for relief, we should not lose many leads when we pull the starters and are ahead.

I think that's the reasoning behind Bittle in the bullpen. If Bittle is a starter, we have a good shot at winning 1 game a weekend. If he's a closer and we are in the lead or it's a close game, we have a good chance to win several games a weekend.

oxfordrebel · Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:44 pm

CMB wrote:
OMNOB wrote:Now a very LONG game against State a couple of years ago (Sunday game) comes to mind when he went 9 innings I believe it was. too lazy to go look it up to see if it was him or not. Last year he had a couple of extended relief appearances.

if it is the game i am thinking of, it was satterwhite that went 9 innings in relief during the Sunday miss state game

also, on olemisssports.com, bianco answeres a question about the starters and bittle.....just in case anybody wanted to see it

http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticl ... EM_ID=2600

DUH. Of course it was Cody, not Bittle. What was I thinking?

And I agree with RBD. He gives us a chance to win more than one game every week as opposed to him starting.

Like I said, if I were coach I'd look at him as a possible starter, but only if our starting pitching rotation has a serious flaw and we need him. But if the starters can hit the ground running and keep their ERAs low, then by all means, leave him in the closer role!

Heath · Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:49 pm

This is the first year that I have thought, "holy crap, who is going to be our stud Friday night starter." I mean, last year it was Lynn, year before it was Kline, year before that it was Holloman (if I remember correctly). I just always felt we had the Friday night game in the bag. This year, i am kinda worried. I think Pom will be dominant at times, but things can change quickly in an SEC game. And, IMO, pulling early or leaving pitchers too long has been a weakness of Bianco's in the past.

oxfordrebel · Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:43 pm

Heath wrote:This is the first year that I have thought, "holy crap, who is going to be our stud Friday night starter." I mean, last year it was Lynn, year before it was Kline, year before that it was Holloman (if I remember correctly). I just always felt we had the Friday night game in the bag. This year, i am kinda worried. I think Pom will be dominant at times, but things can change quickly in an SEC game. And, IMO, pulling early or leaving pitchers too long has been a weakness of Bianco's in the past.

Agree with Bianco leaving pitchers too long in some cases. But we shall see how Pom does. Knowing that we have a veteran defense behind him (for the most part) does make me feel better.

MtownRebel · Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:44 pm

oxfordrebel wrote:
Heath wrote:This is the first year that I have thought, "holy crap, who is going to be our stud Friday night starter." I mean, last year it was Lynn, year before it was Kline, year before that it was Holloman (if I remember correctly). I just always felt we had the Friday night game in the bag. This year, i am kinda worried. I think Pom will be dominant at times, but things can change quickly in an SEC game. And, IMO, pulling early or leaving pitchers too long has been a weakness of Bianco's in the past.
Agree with Bianco leaving pitchers too long in some cases. But we shall see how Pom does. Knowing that we have a veteran defense behind him (for the most part) does make me feel better.

I'm still concerned about third base. Who is going to replace Cody? I pray not Fergilicious. Button at short makes me feel much more confident, I couldn't take anymore of E6 and Ferguson there.

oxfordrebel · Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:22 pm

MtownRebel wrote:
oxfordrebel wrote:
Heath wrote:This is the first year that I have thought, "holy crap, who is going to be our stud Friday night starter." I mean, last year it was Lynn, year before it was Kline, year before that it was Holloman (if I remember correctly). I just always felt we had the Friday night game in the bag. This year, i am kinda worried. I think Pom will be dominant at times, but things can change quickly in an SEC game. And, IMO, pulling early or leaving pitchers too long has been a weakness of Bianco's in the past.
Agree with Bianco leaving pitchers too long in some cases. But we shall see how Pom does. Knowing that we have a veteran defense behind him (for the most part) does make me feel better.
I'm still concerned about third base. Who is going to replace Cody? I pray not Fergilicious. Button at short makes me feel much more confident, I couldn't take anymore of E6 and Ferguson there.

Could be one of the Snyder bros. (doubt it), or maybe Logan Williams, but odds-on favorite would be Ferguson. I just hope last year was "trial by fire" for Ferguson. Those E6s got old fast. Can't remember how many runs were caused by that. Course SS and 3B are different positions. He may be really good at the hot corner.

Only time will tell. Something tells me we're libel to see a few faces there to pick the right guy.

Heath · Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:43 pm

I think Ferguson will be ok. It is hard to come into the SEC and do really well as a freshman. I think he will be ok. BUT, would you guys rather have a guy who is a really good fielder and ok at the plate, OR would you rather have a boy that may not have the fielding ability or arm strength, but is much better at the plate? I would rather have someone that may make a few more errors in a season, but drives in a lot more runs.