Another new baseball commit!!!

[Todd4State]

He may have been going with the small ball approach as far as position players and those usually aren't high draft choice types. Either way, let's just hope we can keep a fraction of what vandy keeps.

We built the right way. Focus on Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee and try to go after a couple of high end guys.

We went with the small ball approach because of what was happening in college baseball and also because of our ballpark. Some people will disagree and say that we should have swung for the fences more, but it's hard to argue with the overall win/loss results. I think our team last year was kind of an anamoly as far as power goes because we had a ton of JUCO guys and freshmen because we had a gap because our numbers were out of whack and last year was where it kind of caught up to us.

[State82]

Sadly at the time it was. It takes a few years to form relationships with these players. See the fact that we are having guys commit before their sophomore year already. You don't just wait until their junior year to go after them- and that was one of Polk's fatal flaws.

On top of that, we were having losing seasons and a much publicized falling out with the former coach and as an outsider looking in, I'm sure some recruits had their doubts about how long Cohen might last with split support. We knew that he would be fine, but an outsider from California wouldn't know that.

We also no longer had the facility and big crowd advantage.

Now that Cohen has been here for six years, we have caught up. Recruits have seen consistent sustained success and guys going to pro baseball as high picks and that's what they want to see along with everything else.

This. I still think a lot of people just do not realize how toxic our program had become by the time Cohen arrived. It was a complete disaster that was going to require a complete overhaul and that's what he has done.

[maroonmania]

This. I still think a lot of people just do not realize how toxic our program had become by the time Cohen arrived. It was a complete disaster that was going to require a complete overhaul and that's what he has done.

Sad, what do Jackie Sherrill, Rick Stansbury and Ron Polk all have in common? All VERY successful head coaches at MSU that apparently all left toxic programs upon their departure.

[Todd4State]

Sad, what do Jackie Sherrill, Rick Stansbury and Ron Polk all have in common? All VERY successful head coaches at MSU that apparently all left toxic programs upon their departure.

Jackie left us in the best shape and we were on probation when he left. LT simply kept him around a year too long. Not totally his fault.

I know this will start an eight page thread of monkey shit slinging, but IMO I think the bottom was about to fall out on Stansbury anyway. It was a matter of time. Great coach for us, but he was losing control of the team. I would have fired him after the incident in Hawaii personally. I appreciate the good things Stansbury did, but it was time. I don't care if you win 20 games, you can't embarrass the school like that.

Polk actually left at the right time, but he choose to create a toxic situation because his guy wasn't hired. Totally on him. Polk should have never been brought back in the first place. That was a move that you might see at a 3A school in Mississippi- bringing back an old legend like that.

[maroonmania]

Polk actually left at the right time, but he choose to create a toxic situation because his guy wasn't hired. Totally on him. Polk should have never been brought back in the first place. That was a move that you might see at a 3A school in Mississippi- bringing back an old legend like that.

I think Polk left at the right time the first time but I sincerely wish he had never come back even with some decent years he had after the return (and felt that way at the time LT brought him back). Polk left us totally devoid of SEC talent after his second tenure. Its all worked out now but its been a tough road back for Cohen.

[Homedawg]

Not sure why for Cohen at MSU it took Omaha to change his strategy on that though because he was having Top10 classes at the end of his tenure at KY. No way can you tell me its easier to attract high end talent for baseball at KY than it is at MSU.

Mingione had as much to do w going after high profile out of staters than anyone.

[Todd4State]

Mingione had as much to do w going after high profile out of staters than anyone.

This is true. He has really expanded our recruiting base ever since he was promoted.

[The Federalist Engineer]

This class is getting ridiculous! Can't wait to these players wearing Maroon hats!

[preachermatt83]

Jackie left us in the best shape and we were on probation when he left. LT simply kept him around a year too long. Not totally his fault.

I know this will start an eight page thread of monkey shit slinging, but IMO I think the bottom was about to fall out on Stansbury anyway. It was a matter of time. Great coach for us, but he was losing control of the team. I would have fired him after the incident in Hawaii personally. I appreciate the good things Stansbury did, but it was time. I don't care if you win 20 games, you can't embarrass the school like that.

Polk actually left at the right time, but he choose to create a toxic situation because his guy wasn't hired. Totally on him. Polk should have never been brought back in the first place. That was a move that you might see at a 3A school in Mississippi- bringing back an old legend like that.

I agree with every word of this.