Vott Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 Only 5 weeks until the start of college baseball! What are your feelings on MSU Ole Miss and Southern Miss? I see all three hosting regionals and possibly 2 getting to the CWS if they are not paired up in a super regional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroontide06 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 (edited) State should be better this year, but time will eventually tell though. I think they will have a bounce back year, but baseball is a funny sport. Hopefully State can get hot at the right time to be able to have some success this year. USM and Ole Miss should be in regional play without any issues. Hopefully State gets enough conference wins to get them in a regional hosting spot. Dudy Noble is far too great of a venue not to be hosting. Edited January 12, 2023 by maroontide06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 I don’t have a dang clue on State. Lol. Brought in a lot of transfers, and expecting several guys to take steps forward, plus may be playing some true freshmen in spots. The expectations are definitely not quite as high as the last few years. Prior to 2022, THIS was expected to be the rebuilding year in the cycle. But it came a year early and nobody really knows what to make of 2023 now. I suspect they’ll be a good bit better than last year. My gut says 2 seed in someone else’s Regional. Last June was certainly a perception-shifting month for Ole Miss and Bianco. Forever considered a good regular season team that couldn’t get it done in the postseason. Obviously can’t say that anymore. I also anticipate this being a much better regular season team than the one that barely made the postseason as a 3 seed last year. I’ll say this, I don’t expect State or OM to win the SEC. I think LSU and Tennessee are going to be EXTREMELY good and there are others I’d have in the mix too before State and OM. I’d maybe rank OM in the 4-5 range in the league and maybe State in the 6-8 range, at least as we sit here today. Won’t pretend to know a ton about USM but the expectation seems to be that they’ll have a really good team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebmus Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Baseball is probably the most unpredictable sport of the "big 3". How crazy would it be if USM took home the NC this year to keep the trophy in state for 3 years in a row with 3 different teams? I suspect the odds are low USM wins the NC this season, but how low were the odds of OM winning it last year even after being selected (last one in) to the NCAAT? Baseball is about getting hot at the right time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 2 hours ago, rebmus said: Baseball is probably the most unpredictable sport of the "big 3". How crazy would it be if USM took home the NC this year to keep the trophy in state for 3 years in a row with 3 different teams? I suspect the odds are low USM wins the NC this season, but how low were the odds of OM winning it last year even after being selected (last one in) to the NCAAT? Baseball is about getting hot at the right time. To be fair, Ole Miss did get hot at the right time, but they were also one of the most talented teams in the country the whole time. They just way underachieved for the regular season and finally became who they were expected to be at the end. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 It was crazy. OM didn’t actually get hot until after they got the last spot in the tournament. It’s not like they made a run in the SECT. But once they got in, they were dominant. Lol. Some thought that last NCAAT spot should have gone to NC State, and that would have been a legit choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Once Ole Miss made the tournament and seeing the bracket they were in, I felt they had a great shot to go to Omaha. After they beat USM, I knew they were going to win it all. And I told several friends just that. You could just sense it was going to happen. I am so glad for Coach Bianco who has always been one of my favorite coaches. He earned that Championship. As die this year, I have no idea what is going to happen. Feels pretty wide open in the SEC though I agree that LSU/TN are the favorites now. There are no weak SEC teams. USM in the Sunbelt should be really good during the baseball season. Generally speaking the Sunbelt has a good baseball and the addition of USM is going to make it even better., Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 I had forgotten about USM’s move to the Sun Belt, I think baseball is where it will really help them the most. C-USA had some good teams the last few years but it was a very top heavy league. The Sun Belt feels like it’s generally more balanced, and definitely will be now with the addition of USM. Old Dominion made the move too and they’ve been good recently as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 D1 just released their preseason poll. Ole Miss is at 4, USM is 18, State is unranked. I think State will be somewhat in the mix but I can’t argue with them starting unranked after last season. Still a lot to prove. 7 of the Top 10 are SEC teams, including LSU and Tennessee at 1 and 2. Sheesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroontide06 Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 1 hour ago, Dawg83 said: D1 just released their preseason poll. Ole Miss is at 4, USM is 18, State is unranked. I think State will be somewhat in the mix but I can’t argue with them starting unranked after last season. Still a lot to prove. 7 of the Top 10 are SEC teams, including LSU and Tennessee at 1 and 2. Sheesh. State's baseball team will be practically brand new. I know we've got some veteran return guys like Hancock and Clark, but I think State gets in the top 25 somewhere along this season. How State finishes though is a complete mystery. I'd like to see State do something in the SEC Tournament because the drive to Hoover isn't that far and State fans could really fill the thing quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 (edited) I think State’s lineup has the potential to be pretty scary if guys like Slate Alford and Dakota Jordan step up and have the years some are anticipating. Return a bunch of guys otherwise and added some transfer bats in Ledbetter and Larry that I think can have strong years. I think Hunter Hines is a superstar and can be one of the best hitters in the country. Pitching is gonna define the season, though. It definitely did last year, but in a bad way. I like Cade Smith a lot but I’m not sure there’s a Landon Sims or Will Bednar on this roster. Just gonna have to figure out who can throw strikes consistently. The answer last year was basically no one by the end of the season. Lol. Edited January 17, 2023 by Dawg83 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroontide06 Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 Hopefully they'll let Lo get some pitching in. I think everyone wants to see him pitch to one batter right handed and then the next left handed. He definitely has the potential to be a game changer as long as he keeps his pitches in the strike zone from both arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebmus Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 7 hours ago, maroontide06 said: I'd like to see State do something in the SEC Tournament because the drive to Hoover isn't that far and State fans could really fill the thing quite well. The SECT in Hoover is a great event and well put together. With that said, unless a team NEEDS some wins in Hoover to get a NCAA Tournament bid... it's really better to lose early and rest arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroontide06 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 2 hours ago, rebmus said: The SECT in Hoover is a great event and well put together. With that said, unless a team NEEDS some wins in Hoover to get a NCAA Tournament bid... it's really better to lose early and rest arms. Well I think we know that’s the recipe for us Mississippi SEC teams to have success in regionals and super regionals to get to the CWS, but if State doesn’t have the team this year to make a deep postseason run, then I’d like to see them do well in the SEC Tournament. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Hoover is fun, it also means nothing for 90% of the teams there. Having said that, one of my favorite memories from college was being in Hoover the whole week in 2012 when State won the tournament. They did flame out in a Regional the following weekend… but in the moment, that week was a lot of fun Was looking at nonconference schedules, State’s appears to be a step up from last year’s pretty weak schedule. Home series against Arizona State and then play Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Cal in the Frisco tournament. Ole Miss is just about playing a round robin against the Big 10, playing series against Maryland and Purdue and in a tourney in Minneapolis. That Maryland series should be a good one, they were a Regional host last year and in the preseason Top 15 this year. USM playing series against typically strong Liberty and Dallas Baptist teams, and their Sun Belt schedule has a bunch of fun looking series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroontide06 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Hoover is like the po’ man’s Omaha. You’ve got to have some petty cash lying around to make a trip to Omaha and I could make the drive to Hoover on a whole lot less. I guess you could say that Hoover is the more cost effective option and I wouldn’t mind the experience if the opportunity ever presents itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pancho Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Hoover doesn't have a Rocco's........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroontide06 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 1 hour ago, pancho said: Hoover doesn't have a Rocco's........... I don't even know what that is LOL! If pocket lint were used as a form of currency I'd definitely be able to make the trip to Omaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 1 hour ago, maroontide06 said: I don't even know what that is LOL! If pocket lint were used as a form of currency I'd definitely be able to make the trip to Omaha. The trip in 2021 probably cost me 3 grand all told. I had just gotten a bonus from work and that trip ate up all of it. And that was with the travel party just being me and my wife. Loved that trip and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world… probably gonna be at least another 5-10 years before I go back. Definitely not gonna be an every year thing for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pancho Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 14 hours ago, maroontide06 said: I don't even know what that is LOL! If pocket lint were used as a form of currency I'd definitely be able to make the trip to Omaha. Rocco's is the jello shot place across the street from the RF gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroontide06 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 1 minute ago, pancho said: Rocco's is the jello shot place across the street from the RF gate. If you would have told me it was a laundromat in Omaha I would have believed you LOL! I could at least load up on pocket lint at a laundromat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebmus Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 Ole Miss will definitely have a target on their backs this year being the defending NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 (edited) 9 hours ago, rebmus said: Ole Miss will definitely have a target on their backs this year being the defending NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. I can’t imagine their title defense goes any worse than the previous defending champion’s did. Would definitely be hard to do. That’s always been a big positive about Bianco, his worst teams have still been on the bubble. He has never had a team totally bottom out. State, on the other hand, has been more up and down. More Omaha trips than Ole Miss but every once in a while they’ll have a 2015 or 2022 where the wheels fall off. Edited January 19, 2023 by Dawg83 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebmus Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 11 hours ago, Dawg83 said: I can’t imagine their title defense goes any worse than the previous defending champion’s did. Would definitely be hard to do. That’s always been a big positive about Bianco, his worst teams have still been on the bubble. He has never had a team totally bottom out. State, on the other hand, has been more up and down. More Omaha trips than Ole Miss but every once in a while they’ll have a 2015 or 2022 where the wheels fall off. Injuries happen to every team, but MSU seemed to be snakebit last year. I lean MSU ends the regular season top 20-25 and is a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. I really don't know what to expect from OM this year for sure, but would guess they finish top 15-20 as a low 1 seed or high 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. I also think USM finishes somewhere close to OM/MSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 If the inter squad scrimmages are any indication, State either has a great offense or their pitching staff is going to really struggle again. Probably some truth on both sides there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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