2016-2021
- Thread starter JWSDawgs
- Start date
How could it not be?
5 seasons:
Host in 3 of the 5 years (all 3 as a top 8 national seed), 2 seed in the other 2
Win Regionals in all 5 years
Win Super Regionals in 3 of 5 to go to Omaha
1 National Title, also a semifinalist in Omaha and a tie for 5th
5 seasons:
Host in 3 of the 5 years (all 3 as a top 8 national seed), 2 seed in the other 2
Win Regionals in all 5 years
Win Super Regionals in 3 of 5 to go to Omaha
1 National Title, also a semifinalist in Omaha and a tie for 5th
We were a semi-finalist in 2018.
As great as this was, it should have been even better. That 2020 team was loaded with talent. How often do you have two 1st round picks in the same infield, both of whom have already made it to the bigs. That club definitely had Omaha potential.
You are right but has been noted, had the 2020 season been played out and a normal major league draft taken place, some of our best players, including TA, would not have returned for 2021.
2016 was just a replay of 1989 - best team in the country a lot of the year that ran into an incredibly hot team in post-season
easily the greatest 5 year stretch in program history. even crazier that it happened under 4 different coaches.
Which makes the whole defense of one coach pretty crazy.
Or, you could choose not to be shocked, shocked I say, that a drop off happens after the best 5 years in program history. And choose not to throw the baby out with the bath water and possibly make it much worse.
I think 2016 was maybe really more ran into a hit team. But 1989 was a total choke job. UNC went 0-2 at the CWS. We had a much better team and should have won it all.
Worst I've felt as an MSU baseball fan was 89. That was a strong team.
That still may be the best team we’ve ever had.
I have pretty vivid memories of that second game. Cohen made some defensive subs right before Arizona made their comeback and the result was the game got close and we had some of our best hitters on the bench. Namely Rooker who had two homers in the game.
We went to Rigby with a 4 run lead and assumed he would lock it down as he usually did, but nope. They hit a three run homer real quick and it was tightened sphincters the rest of the night.
Not a big fan of defensive subs until the 9th inning. That was one of the time Cohen overthought the situation.
I think Polk actively tried to not win a Natty.
We were preseason #1 and basically stayed at or near the top all year. Didn't we win 50 games in the season? Everyone knew we were the best team in the country.
The sudden end to that season was far from the first (or last) time I experienced the real, deep-down in the soul, gut punch MSU fan disappointment... but it was a big one.
I was 8 years old and baseball was the only thing I could crow about to the Ole Miss a-holes that populated my 3rd grade class. We had lost like 5 of the last 6 Egg Bowls. Tech & 10 had just happened and we were mired in the Felker years. Men's basketball hadn't turned the corner yet, but baseball was the one thing I could beat my chest about and, not only did we lose to Ole Miss twice that year, we laid a big egg in the Regional. I think that was one of the first times I remember being humbled as a State fan and I think it affected my ability to 'believe' in Mississippi State sports for the rest of my life. I love Mississippi State and I love watching our teams play, but I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop when we get really good at something.
I always liked Cohen as a coach, but the number of times he overthought situations is crazy.
Like changing pitchers mid-count? It was amusing when we were winning, but it always drove me mad regardless of the outcome of that particular at bat.
Truth is though, a lot of schools have these memories of particular teams. The best teams during the regular season often flame out short of a natty. Sometimes short of Omaha, as recent UT and Arky juggernauts did.
Pretty sure the 4 future MLB All Stars on the 85 team would argue. We've had quite a few really solid teams talent wise.
85 team didn’t have the depth of talent some of the others did though.
i would go back to the gator bowl in late 2010 through 2021 and replace baseball history will all of MSU sports history.
Agree.
But Brantley and Morgan starting. Van Cleave leading off and shagging. Clark, Palmeiro and Thiggy murdering baseballs and Thigpen trotting in to throw straight lava. It was pretty epic when it was rolling
Except it's his responsibility to maintain that level of play. Look what Van Horn has done, look how fast Wes got UGA going, Vitello has TN tops in a handful of years. This coach ran it in the ditch and ADMITTED the staff got lazy in recruiting. Now we're seeing the effects of that lazy.
I don't think firing him and a coaching search is the quick fix those against him do. And I think he's still a good coach.
So, I guess I just disagree with the oft suggested solution here. This season is a very typical MSU season, and I've mostly enjoyed it. We'll see where it goes from here.
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