How long before Cohen is on the hot seat?

[IMissJack]

? Just wondering. I know we all want a former player to succeed, but with a $40M stadium to be paid for, Stricklin will get some pressure at some point.

[engie]

3+ really bad years in a row...

Cohen isn't going to find himself on the hot seat any time soon. He may make some staff adjustments though(I hope he does at 3b/hitting coach).

It is pretty clear that we've gotten away from the formula that worked for us in recruiting under Burroughs, who was as experienced as anyone around at evaluating and recruiting Mississippi...

[Bucky Dog]

It's warm right now. If we pull a 12-18 or 10-20 SEC record this year it should be HOT!! Cannot and should not accept mediocre or "down" years. To be clear, I don't think he should be fired if we have the type of year I described, but some I know are ready for him to be gone already. If he doesn't make a complete turn around and commit to change his philosophy next year then he's gone!

[IMissJack]

I'm not sure if it is just college baseball now, or Cohen's philosophy or a combination, but it's boring to watch these days.

[engie]

It's warm right now.
Bucky pls.


some I know are ready for him to be gone already
Can you call them by name so the rest of us can be sure to avoid them and their input on any level whatsoever in baseball?

The level of the meltdown right now is ridiculous. "MSU baseball should never experience growing pains" = Paul Mainieri missed postseason play altogether AT LSU just 4 years ago. Fire everybody**

This season is following a pretty consistent Cohen blueprint that somehow people still fail to recognize despite it being their 7th opportunity. Chances are, they won't recognize it in the 8th, 9th, or 10 opportunities either

I'm certainly not saying he's perfect -- but any talk of a hot seat is so far beyond asinine at this point that I have trouble comprehending it...

[Bully13]

3+ really bad years in a row...

Cohen isn't going to find himself on the hot seat any time soon. He may make some staff adjustments though(I hope he does at 3b/hitting coach).

It is pretty clear that we've gotten away from the formula that worked for us in recruiting under Burroughs, who was as experienced as anyone around at evaluating and recruiting Mississippi...

what disappoints me at this point is I've always enjoyed reading Todd's evaluations of the guys we signed and are playing for us right now that are not playing quality college baseball. it was so different from the guys polk was signing in the polk II era.

was Todd wrong or are these guys not getting properly developed? its got to be one or the other. I have a hard time believing all these teams we've lost a series to over the years signed more players with potential than what Cohen has signed.

it seems that the opinions we see on his bunting / offensive philosophy are right and it may be having a negative impact on the overall moral and mentality of the team as a whole.

[Coach34]

It's Cohen's job until he doesn't want it anymore. I can't see us going multiple years without making the NCAA's- and that is what it would take

[Drugdog]

It's Cohen's job until he doesn't want it anymore. I can't see us going multiple years without making the NCAA's- and that is what it would take

Kiss of Death? Ray will be back for another year. Careful.

[engie]

what disappoints me at this point is I've always enjoyed reading Todd's evaluations of the guys we signed and are playing for us right now that are not playing quality college baseball. it was so different from the guys polk was signing in the polk II era.
It's still very different from the Polk 2 era. There's growing pains because we've put something like 7 pitchers into the show the past 3 seasons.

Todd is not travelling nationally and "evaluating" kids. The MS kids he's seen for the most part in small snapshots(not enough for a good eval IMO), but overall he's just reporting others' evaluations. It's not Todd's misevaluation -- it's Kendall Rogers/Perfect Game's... And to an even bigger extent -- it's Mingione's and Cohen's.


was Todd wrong or are these guys not getting properly developed? its got to be one or the other. I have a hard time believing all these teams we've lost a series to over the years signed more players with potential than what Cohen has signed.
Then you have a hard time following college baseball recruiting, because we are chalk average in our own division and have overachieved relative to true talent level under Cohen. We are still not at our "talent ceiling" under Cohen at State. I don't believe we're even close to it to be honest with you.


it seems that the opinions we see on his bunting / offensive philosophy are right and it may be having a negative impact on the overall moral and mentality of the team as a whole.
I've been one of the first to say that. But the fact of the matter is -- IF we are getting the "right guys" FOR MISSISSIPPI STATE -- the bunting and crap adversity is just going to piss them off and make them better. At some point here, we've gotten soft. That's got to be addressed and fixed. And depending on how far down the "elite talent chasing" rabbit hole vs "very good talent with a chip on their shoulder that's going to shine under pressure" we've gone -- it can take a little while to fix...

I'll make a post in the coming days explaining what I think has happened here. And it's a combination of things. Ultimately, I think promoting Mingione from within was a mistake. He has pulled higher "rated" players, true enough, but he isn't pulling the same hard-nosed personality quality of guys that I absolutely loved about the guys that Burroughs was recruiting. Although I had an issue with the midget philosophy as well...

[HSVDawg]

It's Cohen's job until he doesn't want it anymore. I can't see us going multiple years without making the NCAA's- and that is what it would take

Agreed. Hypothetically, I would also say 3 straight years of no NCAA's would do it. Can't see that happening any time in the near future. For any other coach I'd say 2 years max of no NCAA's, but with what Cohen has already accomplished and plus the fact that he is on of our own, I'd give him a longer leash.

[Smitty]

Todd's recruit lists/evaluations are mostly sunshine/expectations too high. Everyone will contribute and be good, which obviously isn't the case.

I'd venture to say baseball recruiting is more hit and miss than other sports. Which is why I like a healthy juco influx along with the high talent guys. Give me a solid juco guy that has proven something at that level over a utility guy out of HS.

[I seen it dawg]

Todd's recruit lists/evaluations are mostly sunshine/expectations too high. Everyone will contribute and be good, which obviously isn't the case.

I'd venture to say baseball recruiting is more hit and miss than other sports. Which is why I like a healthy juco influx along with the high talent guys. Give me a solid juco guy that has proven something at that level over a utility guy out of HS.

Well that's certainly earth shattering. Thanks captain obvious.

[Smitty]

Well that's certainly earth shattering. Thanks captain obvious.

Rent free

[I seen it dawg]

Hahahahahahahaha I predicted you would post that!! So easy to troll you. You just can't help yourself sucking at baseball thoughts.

[I seen it dawg]

Hey Smitty why don't you break down Rea watching another fastball down the pipe yesterday for strike 3...I guess he's all-in with your 2 strike philosophy...

[rcsteph1]

I don't think he will be on the hot seat anytime soon. Baseball is such an up and down sport. We will come around.

[MsStateBaseball]

Cohen finally went after highly rated recruits, if he keeps most of those, we are in great shape for 2016. I expect them to get better and make a run this season.

[Smitty]

Hahahahahahahaha I predicted you would post that!! So easy to troll you. You just can't help yourself sucking at baseball thoughts.

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Buzz-Lightyear-Sad-Strange-Little-Man.gif

[maroonmania]

If people think that Ray inherited a mess, what Cohen inherited roster wise was as bad or worse, just didn't have the drugs and what not mixed in. Program definitely had a losing mentality at that point though and had given way to OM just like basketball now has. Whatever we have or haven't produced on the field since the 2013 runner up series at least there is no doubt that Cohen and staff recruit their butts off trying to upgrade our talent which is more than I ever saw from Ray. SO, given we have been to 4 straight post-seasons which include a CWS and SR appearance and we are still upgrading in overall talent, I can't really see Cohen being in trouble until we've missed 2 post-seasons in a row. It would get real at that point but not until then.

[Smitty]

I think at MSU it should be more than just "making regionals". Does that mean one postseason missed and he's done? No.

How long would Manieri last if he went, say, 10 years and only hosted 1 regional?

Point being we should expect elite baseball at Mississippi State. Lets say we miss the postseason altogether this year and come back and go 3-seed, 2-seed, 3-seed in '16-'18… with no real success.. What then?

There is no answer to the OP's question. When the little things get fixed, the big things get better.

[I seen it dawg]

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Buzz-Lightyear-Sad-Strange-Little-Man.gif

No I'm not you are

[I seen it dawg]

I think at MSU it should be more than just "making regionals". Does that mean one postseason missed and he's done? No.

How long would Manieri last if he went, say, 10 years and only hosted 1 regional?

Point being we should expect elite baseball at Mississippi State. Lets say we miss the postseason altogether this year and come back and go 3-seed, 2-seed, 3-seed in '16-'18… with no real success.. What then?

There is no answer to the OP's question. When the little things get fixed, the big things get better.

Stop letting your little brother use your username. This was a good post.

[Smitty]

Stop letting your little brother use your username. This was a good post.

Now you're in a catch-22 situation

[HancockCountyDog]

I think it's a recruiting problem.

I've asked this for a third time, who on the roster will be a top 150 pick in this years draft? I don't see anyone, and that is a recruiting problem.

[I seen it dawg]

Now you're in a catch-22 situation

No I'm not. I have no problem agreeing with a good take no matter whose it is. That post just shows your little brother knows more about baseball than you do.

You're not the enemy you just don't know near as much as you think you do about baseball. You can't help it.