John Cohen- you are simply wrong right now

Jun 25, 2013; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach John Cohen (11) prepares in the dugout before game 2 of the College World Series finals against the UCLA Bruins at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Cohen,

Let me start off by saying I’m not some doorknob that runs a hardware store by day and watches baseball on the side. I’ve played baseball from T-ball thru HS, juco, and semi-pro ball. I pitched and hit for 22 years. I coached the game for a living over a decade and won a few awards doing so. I do not claim to know as much baseball as you do- but I can handle my own.

All this stuff you are doing with the line-up is wrong. It’s simply wrong- and it’s costing the offense, team, program, and fans. Putting a small slash-hitting, bunting Center-fielder 4th in the hitting order is not only wrong- it’s stupid. Bunting in the 1st inning to just give the opponent the 1st out of the game is not only wrong- it’s stupid. Case in point- yesterday’s 1st inning of the game:

1. Brown leads off the game with a single
2. Vickerson bunts him over to give Auburn an out
3. Collins gets on base with a fielder’s choice
4. Another bunt by Robson gets Brown thrown out at the plate
5. Gridley out on a FC- no runs

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We get a single to lead off the game- and instead of trying to build on that momentum, we give Auburn an out by taking the bat out of our 2nd best hitter’s hands. If we plan to bunt all the time when the leadoff batter gets on- why not have the guy thet bunts all the time batting 2nd? Robson is the perfect 2-hole for a team that wants to bunt a lot. Why in the flipping hell is he hitting 4th in an RBI slot? Why not put him in position to bunt Brown over then let Vickerson and Collins swing the bat?

I don’t agree with bunting very often period- let alone in the 1st inning. But if you are going to do it- at least set your line-up in a way that puts people in the best position to use their strengths. Did it ever occur to you that we aren’t scoring because we take chances away from our best hitters by making them bunt? That we might not score because we give away outs to the other team by bunting so much?

Your philosophy is not working Coach. Get a traditional line-up for a few weeks and lets see if things improve.

1. Brown
2. Robson
3. Vickerson
4. Collins
5. Rea
6. Humphreys (yes he is going to K- but at least he will swing the bat. His .240 this year will produce some runs)
7. Holland
8. Heck
9. Gridley

That line-up will score some runs and give us a chance if you will leave it alone for 2-3 weeks and let the players play. Quit worrying about alternating speed with whatever and play a traditional line-up for awhile. Over-coaching happens, even with the best- and right now you are over-coaching.