Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Sims Brings the Intensity to MSU’s Postseason
June 04, 2021 | Baseball, Joel Coleman
Mississippi State’s closer has learned to flip a switch when taking the mound
STARKVILLE – There's a moment before each performance when everything changes for Landon Sims.
The Mississippi State closer, like Bruce Banner transforming into The Incredible Hulk, seemingly shifts from mere mortal into something otherworldly. And by the time Whitesnake's "Still of the Night" blares across the stadium speakers at Dudy Noble Field welcoming Sims to the diamond, the 6-foot-2, 216-pounder might as well be 10 feet tall.
"Usually, I head down to the bullpen in the fifth or sixth inning during each game," Sims said on Thursday as he tried to explain when his mindset shifts. "It starts to flip a little bit there, but when they call down to the bullpen and tell me to start getting ready, that's when it really switches. I have to go to that mentality of it's me versus these guys, and I have to do what I have to do to hold the game where it is and put us in the best spot to win."
Time and time again, Sims has indeed used his intensity to propel the Bulldogs to victory this season. Sims has pitched in 18 games this year. State has won 16 of those contests and the only two in that stretch where MSU didn't come out on top, Sims entered with MSU trailing.
But in the games Sims comes in when the Bulldogs are either tied are in the lead? Well it has been almost automatic that he's going to shut things down. And that's no surprise at all to MSU first baseman/catcher Luke Hancock who has had the not-so-pleasurable experience of standing in the batter's box against Sims in team scrimmages and practices.
"Well, it didn't go well for me, I know that," Hancock said of his encounters against Sims. "It's a different fastball, a different slider from him. Whenever he has that mindset that he's getting you out, he's going to get you out no matter what. It's tough."
As Sims has elevated himself to become one of college baseball's top hurlers, he's put up numbers that seem more like something you'd find on a video game than an actual, real-life stat sheet. In 37 1/3 innings of work, Sims has recorded over 66 percent of his outs via the strikeout. He averages almost right at two strikeouts per inning and has held opponents to just a .153 batting average.
That high-octane emotion Sims brings to each performance? Well there's no denying it's working and State hopes that can continue right into the postseason starting with this weekend's Starkville Regional. State head coach Chris Lemonis is certainly glad to enter these all-important games with Sims in his back pocket as his trump card.
"Great closers with that type of mentality in the postseason, you see it every year," Lemonis said. "Teams that make big runs to Omaha have those type of guys. We had it in 2019 with Cole Gordon, who had all those saves in the postseason, and we feel the same thing with Landon. The bigger the moment, the bigger the player you get with him. We're looking forward to it. He's probably going to have to stay relaxed and stay with that football mentality."
Lemonis' words point towards what might could be considered the foundation of Sims' mound makeup. There is a certain football mindset that seems to come to the surface for Sims whenever he pitches and it's not by accident.
Sims is a former standout safety at South Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia. He was a two-time first-team all-region and all-county performer on the gridiron. Sims admits he misses playing football, but it seems safe to say he's doing just fine without it. He might no longer be laying the lumber to wide receivers streaking over the middle or picking off passes, but Sims is still that same revved-up defensive back. He just happens to now be chunking a baseball.
"One of my first days on the road here at Mississippi State as a coach, I went to see Landon," Lemonis recalled. "[His intensity level] was the same [as it is now] the day I saw him there. It was a big environment. I don't know if he remembers it, but we were in Atlanta, Georgia, and I think he hit 96 [miles per hour] that day. I called [assistant coach Jake Gautreau] and said, 'I don't know if he's coming to school', but luckily, he made it to school. He's had that [intensity] about him the whole time. He's a really good football player, a really good baseball player, and just loves to compete."
The good news for Sims' teammates is he can flip his switch to the 'off' position when he's not shutting down opponents. Fans don't get to see it all that much, but there is a calmer side of Sims.
"When we're hanging out and doing whatever, he's actually really chill," Hancock said. "Whenever he gets on the field, he's a totally different animal. He just goes out there and competes like no one I've ever seen before. I've said this a million times, I'm just glad he's on my team and I don't have to hit against him."
The opponents in this weekend's Starkville Regional don't have such a luxury. There's a good chance Sims will get at least a chance or two this weekend to transform into Super Sims and try to help pitch the Bulldogs a step closer to the College World Series.
"Since the day I committed [to Mississippi State] back in my sophomore year of high school, I've just been watching these big moments unfold here in Starkville," Sims said. "Being in those big situations…is what you come here for. You don't want to go anywhere else in the country and play in front of anybody else with anybody else."
The Bulldogs are certainly equally as happy to have Sims on their side, too – even if he can seem a little scary when he's doing his thing.
"Being a closer, you have to have a little bit of a 'me' mentality out there," Sims said. "Nobody is going to feel bad for you. It's you against everybody else. I like that. I like to bring a little bit of attitude on the mound."
The Mississippi State closer, like Bruce Banner transforming into The Incredible Hulk, seemingly shifts from mere mortal into something otherworldly. And by the time Whitesnake's "Still of the Night" blares across the stadium speakers at Dudy Noble Field welcoming Sims to the diamond, the 6-foot-2, 216-pounder might as well be 10 feet tall.
"Usually, I head down to the bullpen in the fifth or sixth inning during each game," Sims said on Thursday as he tried to explain when his mindset shifts. "It starts to flip a little bit there, but when they call down to the bullpen and tell me to start getting ready, that's when it really switches. I have to go to that mentality of it's me versus these guys, and I have to do what I have to do to hold the game where it is and put us in the best spot to win."
Time and time again, Sims has indeed used his intensity to propel the Bulldogs to victory this season. Sims has pitched in 18 games this year. State has won 16 of those contests and the only two in that stretch where MSU didn't come out on top, Sims entered with MSU trailing.
But in the games Sims comes in when the Bulldogs are either tied are in the lead? Well it has been almost automatic that he's going to shut things down. And that's no surprise at all to MSU first baseman/catcher Luke Hancock who has had the not-so-pleasurable experience of standing in the batter's box against Sims in team scrimmages and practices.
"Well, it didn't go well for me, I know that," Hancock said of his encounters against Sims. "It's a different fastball, a different slider from him. Whenever he has that mindset that he's getting you out, he's going to get you out no matter what. It's tough."
As Sims has elevated himself to become one of college baseball's top hurlers, he's put up numbers that seem more like something you'd find on a video game than an actual, real-life stat sheet. In 37 1/3 innings of work, Sims has recorded over 66 percent of his outs via the strikeout. He averages almost right at two strikeouts per inning and has held opponents to just a .153 batting average.
That high-octane emotion Sims brings to each performance? Well there's no denying it's working and State hopes that can continue right into the postseason starting with this weekend's Starkville Regional. State head coach Chris Lemonis is certainly glad to enter these all-important games with Sims in his back pocket as his trump card.
"Great closers with that type of mentality in the postseason, you see it every year," Lemonis said. "Teams that make big runs to Omaha have those type of guys. We had it in 2019 with Cole Gordon, who had all those saves in the postseason, and we feel the same thing with Landon. The bigger the moment, the bigger the player you get with him. We're looking forward to it. He's probably going to have to stay relaxed and stay with that football mentality."
Lemonis' words point towards what might could be considered the foundation of Sims' mound makeup. There is a certain football mindset that seems to come to the surface for Sims whenever he pitches and it's not by accident.
Sims is a former standout safety at South Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia. He was a two-time first-team all-region and all-county performer on the gridiron. Sims admits he misses playing football, but it seems safe to say he's doing just fine without it. He might no longer be laying the lumber to wide receivers streaking over the middle or picking off passes, but Sims is still that same revved-up defensive back. He just happens to now be chunking a baseball.
"One of my first days on the road here at Mississippi State as a coach, I went to see Landon," Lemonis recalled. "[His intensity level] was the same [as it is now] the day I saw him there. It was a big environment. I don't know if he remembers it, but we were in Atlanta, Georgia, and I think he hit 96 [miles per hour] that day. I called [assistant coach Jake Gautreau] and said, 'I don't know if he's coming to school', but luckily, he made it to school. He's had that [intensity] about him the whole time. He's a really good football player, a really good baseball player, and just loves to compete."
The good news for Sims' teammates is he can flip his switch to the 'off' position when he's not shutting down opponents. Fans don't get to see it all that much, but there is a calmer side of Sims.
"When we're hanging out and doing whatever, he's actually really chill," Hancock said. "Whenever he gets on the field, he's a totally different animal. He just goes out there and competes like no one I've ever seen before. I've said this a million times, I'm just glad he's on my team and I don't have to hit against him."
The opponents in this weekend's Starkville Regional don't have such a luxury. There's a good chance Sims will get at least a chance or two this weekend to transform into Super Sims and try to help pitch the Bulldogs a step closer to the College World Series.
"Since the day I committed [to Mississippi State] back in my sophomore year of high school, I've just been watching these big moments unfold here in Starkville," Sims said. "Being in those big situations…is what you come here for. You don't want to go anywhere else in the country and play in front of anybody else with anybody else."
The Bulldogs are certainly equally as happy to have Sims on their side, too – even if he can seem a little scary when he's doing his thing.
"Being a closer, you have to have a little bit of a 'me' mentality out there," Sims said. "Nobody is going to feel bad for you. It's you against everybody else. I like that. I like to bring a little bit of attitude on the mound."
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