Baseball Question..

[Amacomo]

Is it a concern for the fan base that we are the only program to not win a division championship since initial expansion(excluding Missouri and TAMU)? A buddy and I were talking about that yesterday, and it kind of startled me that we haven't one any regular season conference title since 1989. On top of that, we have only hosted a regional 6 times in the last 25 years.

Are we content with just hoping to get hot at the end of the season, and hoping to make a run every couple years? I'm not digging at Cohen, because I feel like he's done a good job during his tenure. I just thought it was interesting because if you look at SEC titles, Tourney Titles, Division titles, and CWS appearances since 1990, we are in the back of the pack in the SEC. Just curious to hear everyone's thoughts on the issue.

 

[Hammer Down]

Would be lying if we said it was not a concern. But the very reasons you list right there, are the very reasons we should give Cohen time to get us there. Our recruiting has gotten better every year, and is off the charts this current year. I personally think this is the last 'iffy' year for a long time.

 

[8dog]

All i care about is super regionals. Certainly a good season and hosting helps getting there. Those regular season titles are meaningless to me but its staggering we have never won a west title. But we also went a long time without really good coaches

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

How can you say recruiting is getting better when results are getting worse? Recruiting is a crapshoot in baseball, even more so than in football.

 

[Hammer Down]

You could just go ahead and call me a goat and get it over with, because your comment is ridiculous.

 

[rugbdawg]

Recruiting rankings are barely above meaningless.

Hell, the Prescott run in your signature-everyone on LSU's defense was as highly ranked or in most cases higher than anyone Miss State had on the field.

 

[Philly Dawg]

You may have answered your own question. Recruiting is not always linearly correlated to winning, but over time, if you recruit better, you will have better teams on average. We have been signing higher rated prospects lately and if that continues, you'd expect the average results to improve, even if there are ups and downs.

 

[patdog]

At best, the jury is still out on Cohen's recent recruiting.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Then why is this years team one of the worst in the sec? if our recruiting is so great then we wouldn't be 2-4 in league play and have huge pitching issues.

 

[Hammer Down]

I really do not think they will be one of the worst in the SEC by the time it is all said and done, but obviously no way for me to prove that yet. To answer your question, our only class on campus now that was highly rated was the 2013 class, which are 2nd year players now. The 2010 class was highly ranked, and they ended up in Omaha as juniors, with the help of others before that (Kendall Graveman, Chad Girodo, etc.). Seems to me what happened is that the guys left from 2010-2012 obviously are not cutting it as upperclassmen. There is an explanation for that, most of the 2010 and 2011 talent went pro early or were JUCO and graduated. We lost a few to the draft too (William Dupont) and some did not make it (Jacob Shempert). Obviously that was to be expected and must be taken into account by the coaches.

Either way, the number of guys getting drafted is increasing, especially in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 classes. We will lose some but keep most. That is a sure way to know recruiting is getting better. MLB scouts know what they are doing.

No team rebuilds and just stays there. South Carolina had a drop-off under Tanner too after their first peak, then went on to an even higher one. Tim Corbin too, had the #1 seed in the country in 2007 (but got bounced in their own regional), then went down a little. Now, if we end this season 23-33 like 2010, I will be right there with you complaining. But I am going to let it play out. South Carolina and Vanderbilt still made regionals in their rebuilding years, so that is what I am looking for from this team too.

 

[engie]

Then why is this years team one of the worst in the sec? if our recruiting is so great then we wouldn't be 2-4 in league play and have huge pitching issues.

The national finalists were 3-6 starting out in the SEC...

But back to the regularly scheduled midseason Cohen meltdown....

 

[Hammer Down]

The national finalists were 3-6 starting out in the SEC...

But back to the regularly scheduled midseason Cohen meltdown....

That team had played the hardest teams on the schedule at that point, this team has played the easiest. There is a reason for this particular meltdown, I will give them that much. This team will have to fight to make a regional, but that means nothing for 2016 and beyond due to recruiting. Do not get it twisted, it is not typical.

 

[engie]

Meh -- this team has 2 "bad" losses -- one of which is USM. Western Kentucky and San Diego are knocking on the door to the top 50. Kentucky and Bama are inside the top 50. We've had some growing pains -- but this was always going to be a tweener year for everyone that has been paying attention.

The incoming class = the 94 class. If they show up. There are about 12 draft risks in it however.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

We are nowhere close to being anything like that team. I'm not a mid season melt downer either, I'm a realist. This is the only year I can remember being critical of our team since Cohen took over

 

[57stratdawg]

It's a tweener year offensively. Out pitching staff has plenty of experience.

 

[engie]

It's a tweener year offensively. Out pitching staff has plenty of experience.

Not really... We have decent SP experience and the SP has been pretty good. The bullpen has almost no experience in their current roles outside of Ross...

We lost 3 pretty early round pitchers last year including 2 that were among our all-time best in the pen. It was always going to take a little time to fill those roles...

 

[engie]

We are nowhere close to being anything like that team. I'm not a mid season melt downer either, I'm a realist. This is the only year I can remember being critical of our team since Cohen took over

My post wasn't really directed at you -- this literally has happened with a huge number of posters every single year under Cohen. It's not even April yet....

 

[DamnGoodDawg]

I don't know if i can stomach our recruiting getting much better.

 

[Old Fart Dawg]

I'm not real concerned about it. Some teams start fast, our's generally doesn't. I can remember 1 that started 20-0, ranked #1 in the nation, and played .500 ball the rest of the way, missed the SECT, and slipped in to a Regional. I think we went 1-2 in the regional. So, starting fast helps get the overall record and puts you in a position to win a division, but it's how you finish that counts. Playing your best ball and peaking late is pretty much how we have competed since the pre-Bergman days.

I still think this team is going to be ok.

 

[patdog]

I predict even you will see the glaring differences between this team and that team a month from now. Like Goat said, our SEC schedule was frontloaded that year. This year it's backloaded.

 

[121Josey]

How can you say recruiting is getting better when results are getting worse? Recruiting is a crapshoot in baseball, even more so than in football.

Exceptions to the rule like the NFL draft. But definitely not a craps shoot. It's a team game and the more players, the more variables in the win-loss equation.