SEC Baseball

[messageboardsuperhero]

Coaches predicted order of finish and All-SEC teams are out. We have three guys on the All-SEC list (Sims, Tanner, and Hancock) and picked to finish T-2nd with OM and behind Arkansas. OM actually received the most 1st place votes to win the league overall. The SECW will be crazy this year.

https://www.secsports.com/article/33261061/2022-sec-baseball-preseason-all-sec-team-announced

ETA: Just looked at schedules and OM has a significantly easier draw than Arkansas, LSU, and us. Of the top 3 in the SECE, LSU plays all 3, State and Arkansas get 2, and OM doesn’t have to play any of them… Which probably explains how they were picked to finish behind Arkansas in the division but to win the conference overall.

 

[AlSwearengen]

Their offense could be scary considering everyone is coming back. It’s interesting that Elko and the archer in left field are 2 of the better hitters in the SEC but pro ball isn’t too interested in them so they are both back.

Reading the baseball publications, they signed some top rated juco pitchers. What those pitchers do will decide things for them.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Postseason will doom Arkansas, LSU and Ole Miss. Who they going to pitch? We saw last year that if you have great pitching, you have a shot. If you don't, forget about it.

But yeah, Ole Miss has a much easier regular season schedule than we do.

 

[Quincy A. Wagstaff]

Ole Miss should be good offensively. They get everyone back. I think the most productive offensive player they lose is Plumlee. Pitching is the question mark. If they find pitching and stay healthy they should be really good.

It will be interesting what happens to Bianco after this season. If he makes Omaha he's safe. If he doesn't make a Super the decision to fire him is easier. I'm hoping they lose in a Super for max drama.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Ole Miss should be good offensively. They get everyone back. I think the most productive offensive player they lose is Plumlee. Pitching is the question mark. If they find pitching and stay healthy they should be really good.

It will be interesting what happens to Bianco after this season. If he makes Omaha he's safe. If he doesn't make a Super the decision to fire him is easier. I'm hoping they lose in a Super for max drama.

They had a similar situation in 2014 and it worked out for them. Ellis stepped up, that JUCO guy stepped in and dealt on Saturday, and they pieced it together.

This time around, all the chips are on Diamond and a transfer again. We'll see. I'm not betting on the same outcome this time around.

 

[hogfan14]

They had a similar situation in 2014 and it worked out for them. Ellis stepped up, that JUCO guy stepped in and dealt on Saturday, and they pieced it together.

This time around, all the chips are on Diamond and a transfer again. We'll see. I'm not betting on the same outcome this time around.

No one saw Kopps coming last year, I'm sure there will be some guys emerge that no one knows about right now for some teams. But it definitely puts those teams behind the 8-ball if they don't figure out a rotation until mid-season.

 

[Smoked Toag]

No one saw Kopps coming last year, I'm sure there will be some guys emerge that no one knows about right now for some teams. But it definitely puts those teams behind the 8-ball if they don't figure out a rotation until mid-season.

Diamond got the same issue Pallette had. You guys are both behind the 8-ball right out of the gate.

You can't bash your way through the post season. You're going to run up on elite pitching and if you can't match it, you're done.

 

[Dawgtruc]

No one saw Kopps coming last year, I'm sure there will be some guys emerge that no one knows about right now for some teams. But it definitely puts those teams behind the 8-ball if they don't figure out a rotation until mid-season.

Kopps was WAY overused by Ark last year. I'm surprised that guy can lift his arm.

He's a warrior though. Mad respect for him.

 

[messageboardsuperhero]

I don’t know the details around Bianco’s job security. But if the guy hosts and wins a regional again but losses in a super, how do you fire him?

By my count, OM would have hosted regionals in four straight seasons and five of the last six years going back to 2016. Hosting regionals damn near every year and making three straight SRs is very difficult. Bianco to this point has never been worse than 13-17 in over 20 seasons, and he only was that bad once. That is so insanely good it’s hard to wrap your mind around.

I’m sure there would be angst but firing that track record is highly unusual… Especially if you are still selling tons of tickets.

 

[Quincy A. Wagstaff]

There is absolutely nothing to complain about looking at his regular season record. But there are a lot of Ole Miss fans that would be willing to risk that consistency to see if someone else can get them to Omaha more than once in 20 years.

The fact that fans still show up makes it hard to fire him. If they ever struggled to sell tickets he would be gone. But their fans are only disappointed in June. February to May they talk themselves into this being the year.

That’s why I think a loss in the Supers is max chaos: His record is too good to fire, but plenty of fans will want him gone.

 

[onewoof]

Kopps was WAY overused by Ark last year. I'm surprised that guy can lift his arm.

He's a warrior though. Mad respect for him.

Regular season champs, those OmaHawgs

 

[hogfan14]

Kopps was WAY overused by Ark last year. I'm surprised that guy can lift his arm.

He's a warrior though. Mad respect for him.

Yeah you could tell he really worked like hell to take care of his body. Not the typical college aged pitcher since he was 24-25 years old and more physically developed to handle it. Think he probably is pitching in the majors this time next year.

 

[engie]

If I could find college baseball futures anywhere I’d bet OM to Omaha. Might even throw a few $$ on them making the final 4.

They always overperform off our biggest achievements, and the off-season should have fueled the hell out of them. Just gotta find a couple arms

 

[Cooterpoot]

I don't worry about OM baseball EVER. You shouldn't either

 

[patdog]

They would be fools to fire Bianco. I know there’s always some grumbling from frustrated fans, but I really doubt he’s under any threat of losing his job.

 

[Smoked Toag]

If I could find college baseball futures anywhere I’d bet OM to Omaha. Might even throw a few $$ on them making the final 4.

They always overperform off our biggest achievements, and the off-season should have fueled the hell out of them. Just gotta find a couple arms

Agree, but the arm part is easier said than done this time around.

 

[Smoked Toag]

I don't worry about OM baseball EVER. You shouldn't either

They were damn close to the championship series in 2014. When you make those overly rigid statements with words like "EVER" you do set yourself up to look like an idiot.

The good news is MSU fans should care a lot less period, now. The natty does that for you.

 

[MSUDC11]

They were damn close to the championship series in 2014. When you make those overly rigid statements with words like "EVER" you do set yourself up to look like an idiot.

The good news is MSU fans should care a lot less period, now. The natty does that for you.

They finished 4 wins away from winning it all in ‘14. Very good team but we’ve had three teams in the last decade that went deeper than that OM squad.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Pitching gets you to Omaha.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Pitching gets you to Omaha.

A lot of things can get you to Omaha. Elite pitching wins it when you're there.

 

[Mr. Cook]

*Deep* pitching gets you to Omaha

Elite pitching, solid fielding, and timely hitting wins it for you

 

[Cooterpoot]

They were damn close to the championship series in 2014. When you make those overly rigid statements with words like "EVER" you do set yourself up to look like an idiot.

The good news is MSU fans should care a lot less period, now. The natty does that for you.

We've got a sect of fans that are poossies and fear OM for some reason. We've won 9 of 13 governor cups and the last five series with them. They can suck it! They dream about being us. Let'm keep chasing those conference tourney titles.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Fear? No.

Respect? Yes.

Bianco has built Ole Miss to be an annual National Seed contender.

Ole Miss’s next step is to get to the level State has been: Continously Knocking on the Door at Omaha.

When they do that, the Rebels will eventually win a title.

 

[wsjmsu75]

Fear? No.

Respect? Yes.

Bianco has built Ole Miss to be an annual National Seed contender.

Ole Miss’s next step is to get to the level State has been: Continously Knocking on the Door at Omaha.

When they do that, the Rebels will eventually win a title.

Well, at their current rate, they are due back in Omaha in 2056, so I guess they might eventually break through.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

If everything goes right for Ole Miss, they very well could win a title by the end of the decade.

They need to get to Omaha first & get past the happy to be here attitude which ended for us when the 2013 team made it to the finals.

 

[The Usual Suspect]

They would be fools to fire Bianco. I know there’s always some grumbling from frustrated fans, but I really doubt he’s under any threat of losing his job.

I hope t to hey do fire him. The last time they did something that stupid was getting rid of Cutcliffe.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Fear? No.

Respect? Yes.

Bianco has built Ole Miss to be an annual National Seed contender.

Ole Miss’s next step is to get to the level State has been: Continously Knocking on the Door at Omaha.

When they do that, the Rebels will eventually win a title.

I think they win it this year.

 

[Quincy A. Wagstaff]

This is going to be a very good decade for us.

The key to winning national championships is getting to Omaha. The key to getting to Omaha is hosting regionals and supers. The key to hosting regionals and supers is earning top-8 seeds.

1999-2018 (20 years) we were a top-8 seed once. Lemonis is now 2 for 2 in not just getting us to Omaha (and winning one) but earning top-8 seeds. We've always been a decent postseason team (especially relative to our regular season record).

1999-2018	Hosted	Home losses	Road wins	+/-
Regionals	4	1	5	+4
Super Regionals	2	1	2	+1

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Add to that regular season success (and top-8 seeds) and we could be the top program in the country. I think Lemonis brings the stability/consistency to make us a good regular season team. I expect more top-8 seeds, more trips to Omaha, and more national titles.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Good point Quincy… for MSU to be known as a baseball school, we really underachieved in the 20 years before Lemonis.