MSU fills void in CF

[Greenhead22]

June 22, 2006


Bulldogs pick up star frosh from Birmingham-Southern
By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com

STARKVILLE — One of Mississippi State's gaping holes for the 2007 season appears to have been filled.

Mark Goforth, a Louisville Slugger freshman All-American center fielder, said Wednesday he is transferring from Birmingham-Southern to MSU.

Incumbent Joseph Hunter fulfilled his eligibility and is in the minor leagues. There is no true center fielder in the system. Goforth is eligible - and may play - immediately.

"(I chose MSU) mostly because of the tradition of the baseball program, and whenever they play, everything stops in town," said the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder from Covington, Tenn., who considered LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Alabama. "And then the opportunity to play under Coach Ron Polk and Coach Tommy Raffo. I've got a couple buddies that play there, so it's going to be good to play with them."

Last month, BSC announced it was dropping from Division I athletics to D-III, which does not offer athletic scholarships, for the 2007-08 year.

Considering he hit .363, scored 56 runs and stole 27 bases in 29 tries as a freshman, Goforth does have the potential to fit right into MSU's lineup. While All-SEC lead-off hitter Jeffrey Rea plays in Cape Cod and considers signing a pro contract, Goforth could be at the top of the lineup if Rea doesn't return. He had a .428 on-base percentage for coach Brian Shoop, a former MSU assistant.

"Our coach gave me a lot of opportunities to succeed in the things I do well," Goforth said. "We run a lot and we bunt and those are two things I do well."

As per NCAA rules, Polk cannot comment on a transfer until he officially signs scholarship papers.

But following the season-ending loss to Clemson in the NCAA regionals, he cited the outfield as a major area of concern for this season. Hunter and left fielder Jeff Butts both exited.

"The outfield is going to get hurt a bit," Polk said. "With Butts and Hunter leaving, we've got some work to do there."

Maybe not so much now.
Staff writer Robbie Neiswanger contributed to this report.

[camlock]

shoulda been a Rebel!

[Greenhead22]

You honestly think Brian Shoop was going to send him to Ole Miss?

That's a no-brainer.

[RebelYelp]

he was a rebel for about 2 hours..... then his cockiness sealed his fate....

[Greenhead22]

He never was a rebel.

Brian Shoop played for Polk and coached under Polk. Did you have any doubts as to where he was going to end up?

[RebelYelp]

trust me.... he was a rebel..... give me a call

[stitch]

Coach Shoop was an assistant at Mississippi State at one time. When they announced that Birmingham Southern was going to Division 3 (no scholarships) the vultures came out. They had a stud left-handed pitcher that Bertman started calling immediately, now he is at LSU.....I've lost it for Bertman now..... Other coaches picked other players they wanted...... Coach Polk, Coach McMahon (Florida), Cohen (Kentucky) who all have MSU ties stayed away from Shoops players out of respect for him and his program. So, if this guy went to MSU, it was on his own........

[RebelYelp]

he was being recruited by MSU, Ole Miss, and Auburn....

[stitch]

Leave MSU out of it.....don't drag us down with the rest of you....

[Po Monkey Lounger]

there were a few more "voids" than centerfield

looked like some MSU players had hemoroids for the second half of the season, and needed to take some roids under the tutilege of Palmeiro

[bigwater]

po monky.. after it was all said and done um and msu were both left outta the ultimate goal.... i would try and spell it for you but its been since 1972 since um was last there ... so i doubt you would reckongize the word..


you freaking choke job artisit. reb fans... chit on ya'll... and futher more the truth be known had um made it to the cws.. in some small way i sworda would have been pullin for mississippi...

don't give me chit for saying that i would have been pullin for um in some small way.. cause believe me i've known lots of rebs fans through the years that have rooted for msu baseball..

helll we were hosting regionals while ya'll still played in that dispicable thing you call a baseball facility..

[rjohnson]

po monky.. after it was all said and done um and msu were both left outta the ultimate goal.... i would try and spell it for you but its been since 1972 since um was last there ... so i doubt you would reckongize the word..


you freaking choke job artisit. reb fans... chit on ya'll... and futher more the truth be known had um made it to the cws.. in some small way i sworda would have been pullin for mississippi...

don't give me chit for saying that i would have been pullin for um in some small way.. cause believe me i've known lots of rebs fans through the years that have rooted for msu baseball..

helll we were hosting regionals while ya'll still played in that dispicable thing you call a baseball facility..

Preach on brotha!!!

[Po Monkey Lounger]

"po monky.. after it was all said and done um and msu were both left outta the ultimate goal.... "

if that goal is the national title, then that could be said every season about both schools, as neither has won a national title in baseball

so, if that is all that matters, why even play?

[jkb87]

"po monky.. after it was all said and done um and msu were both left outta the ultimate goal.... "

if that goal is the national title, then that could be said every season about both schools, as neither has won a national title in baseball

so, if that is all that matters, why even play?

if that doesnt matter, why the hell would you play???? i could be wrong but im pretty sure i played to get a ring and be the best in the nation.........hell maybe some boys are playin cause they have nothing better to do now days.........

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Of course, as a player, a title is always the goal. And yes, they should be motivated toward that goal every season.

I am not a player at UM. I am 45 years old. As a fan, I have to learn to enjoy the experience and the quest for a title, realistically recognizing that more often than not, any type of title ---SEC or national --is a long shot.

Thus I reject the notion that a young team, picked by most to finish last or next to last in the West division, coming together at mid-season, winning an SEC tourney title, hosting and winning a regional, and hosting a Super Regional and coming within a few outs of making it to the CWS against a historical powerhouse as Miami, is somehow a failure, since they did not make it and ultimately did not get to the promised land of a national title.

The way I see it, if UM can keep knocking on that door, year in and year out, then we will eventually knock it down a time or two or three and get to the CWS for a shot at the ring.

Miami has probably been to more super regionals and CWSs than pretty much any team, but has only won the whole thing 2 or 3 times. Those years they fell a little short were not failures.

UM is taking baby steps in its baseball program, compared to the history of Miami and other programs, including MSU. We just have not been in position to knock the door down very often. Hopefully, that is changing.