New Asst Baseball Coach Hire

[Ifyouonlyknew]

https://twitter.com/kendallrogers/status/1012382440512466944?s=12

http://iuhoosiers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1946

[preachermatt83]

Big big big. Great for developing catchers!!

[Tbonewannabe]

We needed someone dedicated to our catchers. Just looking at college baseball in general, it is a tough position to play. Even the best guys have problems with passed balls and throwing guys out.

[hacker]

Cheeseburger and Lemons

[Bully13]

in a way, the catcher position can be the most important one on the field I've always thought. If the catcher can't throw out base stealers and let too many in the dirt go by, he can cost his team a lot of runs. Didn't we do not so good defensively behind the plate this year?

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

He's gonna like Edam

[Todd4State]

Nice hire! This will help make our defense better. Cheesebrough will handle catchers and the outfield and Gautreau will handle the infield.

[Spiderman]

https://twitter.com/kendallrogers/status/1012382440512466944?s=12

http://iuhoosiers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1946

Explain the "volunteer" coach. He's getting paid from somewhere.

[preachermatt83]

Explain the "volunteer" coach. He's getting paid from somewhere.

Camps and private funding

[yjnkdawg]

Nice hire! This will help make our defense better. Cheesebrough will handle catchers and the outfield and Gautreau will handle the infield.


Sounds like a winner! And he is one of them good "cruitin" coaches too. He and Lemonis spent three years together, as assistant coaches at Louisville, under McDonnell.

[Dawg61]

Cheeseburger and Lemons

Welcome back from your trip to Mars. You made it in time to discuss the World Cup with us.

[Todd4State]

Sounds like a winner! And he is one of them good "cruitin" coaches too. He and Lemonis spent three years together, as assistant coaches at Louisville, under McDonnell.

He'll be stuck on campus until the NCAA approves the "third" full assistant in a year or two. But we're now ahead of the curve when that happens.

The main question I have is will the NCAA make it three full time assistants and a volunteer or just three full time?

[yjnkdawg]

He'll be stuck on campus until the NCAA approves the "third" full assistant in a year or two. But we're now ahead of the curve when that happens.

The main question I have is will the NCAA make it three full time assistants and a volunteer or just three full time?


So a volunteer assistant baseball coach can't perform any recruiting activity? I'm just asking because I wasn't aware they couldn't. But that makes sense the way the NCAA operates. I would imagine that when the NCAA ever does approve a third assistant coach , that they would do away with the volunteer coach, but who knows what the NCAA will do. LSU has a graduate assistant (former player I think). SO under the NCAA rules I guess he is not able to participate in recruiting activities?

[Todd4State]

So a volunteer assistant baseball coach can't perform any recruiting activity? I'm just asking because I wasn't aware they couldn't. But that makes sense the way the NCAA operates. I would imagine that when the NCAA ever does approve a third assistant coach , that they would do away with the volunteer coach, but who knows what the NCAA will do. LSU has a graduate assistant (former player I think). SO under the NCAA rules I guess he is not able to participate in recruiting activities?

No- they can be involved with recruiting- but they can not recruit off campus. I think that's why a lot of them are assigned the title of "camp coordinator". But they can't go out to PG events in Georgia and recruit players there.

[Dawg61]

in a way, the catcher position can be the most important one on the field I've always thought. If the catcher can't throw out base stealers and let too many in the dirt go by, he can cost his team a lot of runs. Didn't we do not so good defensively behind the plate this year?

Good catchers are extremely important. Ours sucked this year. Oregon State's catcher just won CWS MVP (although it's because he hit .520 in Omaha and set an all-time record for hits (17) in a WS than because he's good defensively, which he also is). This is a tremendous addition by Lemons.

Indiana was good defensively under Lemons. Are we sure he's not going to be handling the infielders? Not sure how he instructs them on how to get low for ground balls though.

[Todd4State]

Good catchers are extremely important. Ours sucked this year. Oregon State's catcher just won CWS MVP (although it's because he hit .520 in Omaha and set an all-time record for hits (17) in a WS than because he's good defensively, which he also is). This is a tremendous addition by Lemons.

Indiana was good defensively under Lemons. Are we sure he's not going to be handling the infielders? Not sure how he instructs them on how to get low for ground balls though.

I wouldn't be surprised if he works with our infielders some.

[Commercecomet24]

No- they can be involved with recruiting- but they can not recruit off campus. I think that's why a lot of them are assigned the title of "camp coordinator". But they can't go out to PG events in Georgia and recruit players there.

This is correct. My 16 year old going through the recruiting process right now. He gets personal emails, invites, etc everyday from different programs camp directors. Stanford is on him the hardest. Coach Stotz emails him 3 or 4 times a week.

[Tbonewannabe]

This is correct. My 16 year old going through the recruiting process right now. He gets personal emails, invites, etc everyday from different programs camp directors. Stanford is on him the hardest. Coach Stotz emails him 3 or 4 times a week.

Just curious, is MSU an option?

[Commercecomet24]

Just curious, is MSU an option?

That's the dream. He would love to play at State and of course I would love for him to play there. No contact from staff yet. USM, Tulane, ULL and Nichols watched him play 4 games last week. Hit a bomb at Tulane. He's a catcher. Led 5A catchers in just about every defensive category. Only 1 error and 2 passed balls this year and threw out 70% on SB attempts.

[Dawg61]

That's the dream. He would love to play at State and of course I would love for him to play there. No contact from staff yet. USM, Tulane, ULL and Nichols watched him play 4 games last week. Hit a bomb at Tulane. He's a catcher. Led 5A catchers in just about every defensive category. Only 1 error and 2 passed balls this year and threw out 70% on SB attempts.

Dreams are made to be achieved. When's MSU's summer camp and is he attending it?

[Commercecomet24]

Dreams are made to be achieved. When's MSU's summer camp and is he attending it?

Amen. We will be playing at perfect game national championships when State having summer camp. Have to get the winter session. New staff all be in place by then.

[State82]

Amen. We will be playing at perfect game national championships when State having summer camp. Have to get the winter session. New staff all be in place by then.

Nothing like having one of our own! Best of luck to y'all!

[Commercecomet24]

Nothing like having one of our own! Best of luck to y'all!

Appreciate that!

[Pit Bull]

https://twitter.com/kendallrogers/status/1012382440512466944?s=12

http://iuhoosiers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1946

If nothing else, I feel a new HC SHOULD bring an assistant or two with him that he has a good relationship and is comfortable with. Of course, in baseball there are only a few assistant positions, so good for Lemonis. And yeah....if he is truly good at the catching skills part, it would be a definite plus. That was one of our team's weaknesses this past year. Normally, at MSU we have really good defensive catchers. Hope he can help. We also need to add a couple of power hitters to the lineup. Here's to hoping Brad Cumbest can develop into one of those guys that scares the hell out of pitchers. And I kind of think Westburg is another big physical guy that can up his HR numbers. He reminds me of the early Rooker?..we can only hope he could get to be like the latter Rooker! I like the 4, 5, & 6 guys to have about 10+ HRs each so the opposing pitcher cannot throw around them. As small as our ballpark is, this should be easily doable every year. If we don't hit a bunch of HRs, you know our SEC opponents will. We have to at least catch up with them.

[Todd4State]

If nothing else, I feel a new HC SHOULD bring an assistant or two with him that he has a good relationship and is comfortable with. Of course, in baseball there are only a few assistant positions, so good for Lemonis. And yeah....if he is truly good at the catching skills part, it would be a definite plus. That was one of our team's weaknesses this past year. Normally, at MSU we have really good defensive catchers. Hope he can help. We also need to add a couple of power hitters to the lineup. Here's to hoping Brad Cumbest can develop into one of those guys that scares the hell out of pitchers. And I kind of think Westburg is another big physical guy that can up his HR numbers. He reminds me of the early Rooker?..we can only hope he could get to be like the latter Rooker! I like the 4, 5, & 6 guys to have about 10+ HRs each so the opposing pitcher cannot throw around them. As small as our ballpark is, this should be easily doable every year. If we don't hit a bunch of HRs, you know our SEC opponents will. We have to at least catch up with them.

Our outfield defense was a little shaky at times too. Not anywhere close to as bad as the defense with the catcher but it looked like MacNamee, Mangum, and Stovall had some communication issues at times on fly balls.

I like Westburg too. I hope he wins a SEC Triple Crown for us.

[sandjunky]

Who cut the Cheesebrough? Pass the Cheesebrough.

[yjnkdawg]

If nothing else, I feel a new HC SHOULD bring an assistant or two with him that he has a good relationship and is comfortable with. Of course, in baseball there are only a few assistant positions, so good for Lemonis. And yeah....if he is truly good at the catching skills part, it would be a definite plus. That was one of our team's weaknesses this past year. Normally, at MSU we have really good defensive catchers. Hope he can help. We also need to add a couple of power hitters to the lineup. Here's to hoping Brad Cumbest can develop into one of those guys that scares the hell out of pitchers. And I kind of think Westburg is another big physical guy that can up his HR numbers. He reminds me of the early Rooker?..we can only hope he could get to be like the latter Rooker! I like the 4, 5, & 6 guys to have about 10+ HRs each so the opposing pitcher cannot throw around them. As small as our ballpark is, this should be easily doable every year. If we don't hit a bunch of HRs, you know our SEC opponents will. We have to at least catch up with them.

Cohen is high on Westburg. I'm pretty sure that Cohen has mentioned that Westburg should turn into more of a power hitter, and be an elite player, and high draft choice, when he ends his career at MSU.

[KB21]

http://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/2018/06/28/carroll-high-schools-hayden-jones-named-2018-news-sentinel-baseball-player-of-the-year/

This guy probably has a strong chance of beating out Skelton for the top catcher position next year. I don't like to talk bad about players, but Skelton has a long ways to go when it comes to blocking pitches at the plate and pitch framing. If you watched the OSU catcher in our game against them on Saturday, you would see that he "stole" a lot of borderline pitches with his framing ability. Skelton is very much below average in that aspect at this point. Can it get better? Yes, it can. It will take a lot of work, and Coach Cheese has a good history of coaching catchers. He coached this guy at Louisville (https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-will-smith-a-rising-catching-prospect/c-264598934), and he coached this guy at Louisville (https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2017/05/25/catcher-colby-fitch-louisville-baseballs-steadying-field-presence/335543001/).

[KB21]

Also, he's going to be a draft risk, but Mississippi State has the top high school catcher prospect in the 2019 class committed to them in Logan Tanner.

[Todd4State]

Also, he's going to be a draft risk, but Mississippi State has the top high school catcher prospect in the 2019 class committed to them in Logan Tanner.

I think Tanner might be a pitcher. His fastball tops out at 94. He's probably a draft risk though.

[Bully13]

That's the dream. He would love to play at State and of course I would love for him to play there. No contact from staff yet. USM, Tulane, ULL and Nichols watched him play 4 games last week. Hit a bomb at Tulane. He's a catcher. Led 5A catchers in just about every defensive category. Only 1 error and 2 passed balls this year and threw out 70% on SB attempts.

You must be proud of him. If he's gotta Stanford Offer, Damn. Not understanding why MSU has not contacted him.

[BrunswickDawg]

That's the dream. He would love to play at State and of course I would love for him to play there. No contact from staff yet. USM, Tulane, ULL and Nichols watched him play 4 games last week. Hit a bomb at Tulane. He's a catcher. Led 5A catchers in just about every defensive category. Only 1 error and 2 passed balls this year and threw out 70% on SB attempts.

That's impressive CC24. As a Mantle guy, are you a Yogi Berra or Elston Howard fan? I always thought Howard was way under rated.

[Commercecomet24]

That's impressive CC24. As a Mantle guy, are you a Yogi Berra or Elston Howard fan? I always thought Howard was way under rated.

Tough call. I liked em both. Elston was way underrated! Great hitter and great defensive catcher! They 1a and 1b.

[Commercecomet24]

You must be proud of him. If he's gotta Stanford Offer, Damn. Not understanding why MSU has not contacted him.

Thanks, man. Probably cause we got 3 elite type catchers coming in this class although my son is a 2020 grad, still we have 3 good ones coming in this class.

[I seen it dawg]

http://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/2018/06/28/carroll-high-schools-hayden-jones-named-2018-news-sentinel-baseball-player-of-the-year/

This guy probably has a strong chance of beating out Skelton for the top catcher position next year. I don't like to talk bad about players, but Skelton has a long ways to go when it comes to blocking pitches at the plate and pitch framing. If you watched the OSU catcher in our game against them on Saturday, you would see that he "stole" a lot of borderline pitches with his framing ability. Skelton is very much below average in that aspect at this point. Can it get better? Yes, it can. It will take a lot of work, and Coach Cheese has a good history of coaching catchers. He coached this guy at Louisville (https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-will-smith-a-rising-catching-prospect/c-264598934), and he coached this guy at Louisville (https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2017/05/25/catcher-colby-fitch-louisville-baseballs-steadying-field-presence/335543001/).

From outside looking in it looks to me as if 1 skelton was never coached which I find hard to believe or 2 he doesn't work at his craft. I lean towards 2 because it looks to me watching him in games he is lazy as hell and doesn't even try to be good defensively. It takes work and it's obvious he doesn't work at it.

[Todd4State]

From outside looking in it looks to me as if 1 skelton was never coached which I find hard to believe or 2 he doesn't work at his craft. I lean towards 2 because it looks to me watching him in games he is lazy as hell and doesn't even try to be good defensively. It takes work and it's obvious he doesn't work at it.

That may be true but Gilbert didn't look that good either and we had issues with catchers ever since Ed Easley graduated.