Just A Bulldog Minute: What is the Problem with the Lineup for Mississippi State Baseball?

Mississippi State has struggled at the plate in the first nine games.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs have got off to a lackluster 5-4 start this season. To the surprise of many, the consistent issue with this team is the hitting, not the pitching.

Now, the offense has been okay for MSU. Per some numbers, the Bulldogs are doing well as they are batting .296 as a team and are averaging close to eight runs per game. However, MSU has been lackluster with extra-base hits as they are slugging .418 as a team with only 17 doubles and five home runs.

It is disappointing to see the lack of power from the offense, but that is not an issue, as scoring runs is all the same no matter how they score. However, Bulldog batters seem not to have that mindset because the lack of competition has hampered MSU. After all, hitters cannot adjust to the slower velocities, so they are either on top or getting under every pitch.

Another issue with this lineup is it is top-heavy, as the consistent 1-4 hitters are batting .393 while the 5-9 hitters are batting .275. This cannot continue for MSU in conference play because if you rely on only four guys in the lineup, it will be a long season.

Perhaps the biggest issue for MSU is their inability to get clutch hits. The Bulldogs have been walked 53 times and only have 64 RBIs on the season.

This has been a consistent issue since 2022, as the Bulldogs can rarely capitalize on teams giving them freebies. MSU has faced a relatively weak non-conference schedule this year compared to previous years, and somehow, their offense looks worse.

The pitching staff is supposed to be rebuilding, so they will falter at some point, and when they do, if the offense continues to be unreliable, it will be another long season at Dudy Noble Field. Mississippi State is back in action today at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network+ against Mount St. Mary. 

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