Former MSU Pitching Coach Wes Johnson to LSU

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Coming from the Minnesota Twins. get out the weighted balls and get the Tommy John surgeons lined up.

[Commercecomet24]

There's a reason Wes doesn't stay anywhere very long.

[Cooterpoot]

Perfect fit for those guys, & the rest of the league.

[MetEdDawg]

Twins are first place in the division and Top 10 in MLB in fewest runs allowed.

I've seen folks hinting that the money colleges are throwing around for assistant coaches is making MLB look bad. I've heard that with this situation.

I get Wes moves around a lot, but it's hard to knock the fact he was an MLB pitching coach for a first place team and now going to a direct competitor with us.

That's a big deal and I hope we are paying attention.

[Cooterpoot]

Twins are 11th in ERA and were 26th last year. He's basically doubling his pay and was one of the lower paid MLB pitching coaches. He's not a bad coach. But his focus is straight up velo.

[Jacksondevildog]

I wonder if he will live in a hotel in Baton Rouge like he did while he was in Starkville.

[MetEdDawg]

Twins are 11th in ERA and were 26th last year. He's basically doubling his pay and was one of the lower paid MLB pitching coaches. He's not a bad coach. But his focus is straight up velo.

Numbers coming out this morning saying he was making $350,000 with the Twins and will make $500,000+ with LSU. Born in Arkansas too so he's going to be a lot closer to home for a considerable amount more money.

It's just crazy that college teams are paying that much more than pro teams for assistant coaches. Like I said, hope we are taking notes because LSU is definitely not playing around.

[msstate7]

Numbers coming out this morning saying he was making $350,000 with the Twins and will make $500,000+ with LSU. Born in Arkansas too so he's going to be a lot closer to home for a considerable amount more money.

It's just crazy that college teams are paying that much more than pro teams for assistant coaches. Like I said, hope we are taking notes because LSU is definitely not playing around.

After OM this week saw they couldn't come up with the money needed for a manning, I expect them to pour money into baseball also

[TheLostDawg]

Twins are first place in the division and Top 10 in MLB in fewest runs allowed.

I've seen folks hinting that the money colleges are throwing around for assistant coaches is making MLB look bad. I've heard that with this situation.

I get Wes moves around a lot, but it's hard to knock the fact he was an MLB pitching coach for a first place team and now going to a direct competitor with us.

That's a big deal and I hope we are paying attention.

I do too. I thought when we brought Lemonis in, we were going to do something like this since at the time we saved on hiring Lemonis.

[Cooterpoot]

You guys do realize we paid Foxhall the highest salary of any assistant in the country at the time right?

[Commercecomet24]

You guys do realize we paid Foxhall the highest salary of any assistant in the country at the time right?

This, we've never skimped on baseball salaries.

[BrunswickDawg]

You guys do realize we paid Foxhall the highest salary of any assistant in the country at the time right?

And I'm pretty sure Goat's salary is pretty high as well.

[Coach34]

After OM this week saw they couldn't come up with the money needed for a manning, I expect them to pour money into baseball also

Arch was never going to go to OM. He is like Peyton and wants to be his own guy. He only mentioned them sporadically out of respect to his Dad and Grandfather.

[msstate7]

Arch was never going to go to OM. He is like Peyton and wants to be his own guy. He only mentioned them sporadically out of respect to his Dad and Grandfather.

Well fine, throw him out. They can't compete with the big boys in football now that cheating is legal. I expect them to use some of that money to get baseball players. We should do the same

[Coach34]

Well fine, throw him out. They can't compete with the big boys in football now that cheating is legal. I expect them to use some of that money to get baseball players. We should do the same

Oh I agree there. NIL has made competing more expensive in everything and that is a problem for us

[Leeshouldveflanked]

If NIL is the driving issue for success why give to the Bulldog Club? Just give to NIL.

[AROB44]

If NIL is the driving issue for success why give to the Bulldog Club? Just give to NIL.

I've wondered just how much the Bulldog Club gets annually from the seat license fees for football and basketball (not sure if baseball has the same arrangement). Should be a pretty tidy sum.

[Cooterpoot]

When have we ever competed with the big boys in football? This is nothing new. It's the schools similar or behind us that are about to pass us up that's going to be the bigger issue. That and the fact schools like LSU will have fewer down years. That and schools like Miami that faded away will be coming back now. We were never going to compete with Alabama and haven't for over a decade now really. We go from around a top 30 or so program to a around 50 now probably. Only thing saving us is the conference.

[WPS]

Never thought he would come back to the college game. I know some Arkansas fans have him as maybe the guy after DVH retires. Sucks he's going to another SEC West school lol.

[MetEdDawg]

You guys do realize we paid Foxhall the highest salary of any assistant in the country at the time right?

I'm more so saying that we need to pay attention to the fact that the programs we directly compete with are making moves and that we can't be afraid to do the same.

LSU isn't sitting around waiting for things to happen. OM just won a title. Arkansas went back to Omaha. Auburn and Texas A&M were in Omaha. Alabama and Auburn are getting more of the top talent in Alabama now and we aren't getting as much.

We've got to watch out because others are capitalizing now.

[Coach34]

We def arent getting the talent out of Alabama that we used to

[ArrowDawg]

Well fine, throw him out. They can't compete with the big boys in football now that cheating is legal. I expect them to use some of that money to get baseball players. We should do the same

We should, but we aren't. We're getting our ass kicked in baseball NIL too. Things sure as awful quiet for us considering the fact that we're one year removed from a national title and the season has been over for a month.

[Todd4State]

We def arent getting the talent out of Alabama that we used to

We really shouldn't have to rely on Alabama for much talent. It's not much different than Mississippi even with the higher population.

[Todd4State]

We should, but we aren't. We're getting our ass kicked in baseball NIL too. Things sure as awful quiet for us considering the fact that we're one year removed from a national title and the season has been over for a month.

What we're offering in NIL is as competitive as the other SEC powers in baseball. It's a waiting game at this point.

The deadline to enter the portal is July 1. Once that deadline passes we'll know exactly who is in the portal and what our options are.

Then the next big deadline is the MLB draft which is a factor moreso with older draft eligible players. Once that happens and is over we'll know who is coming back from last year's team like Luke Hancock, we'll have an idea of how guys like Fristoe are doing in the summer, and who our freshmen and JUCO guys are going to be coming in. All of that factors in and dictates how we use the portal and who we target.

Too many of our fans expect no one to develop and want "proven" players. It was never going to be Cade Smith, Hunter Hines, and 20 guys from the portal.

The last time we were in this situation our fans all point to Jack Kruger and Nate Lowe helping us but the reality is they were only part of the turnaround- Jake Mangum, Konnor Pilkington, and Hunter Stovall all helped that team in 2016 immediately. And we also had some players develop in Dakota Hudson, Brent Rooker, Reid Humphreys, and Gavin Collins who all helped that team become much better. It's not one avenue- it's everything.

[Goldendawg]

What we're offering in NIL is as competitive as the other SEC powers in baseball. It's a waiting game at this point.

The deadline to enter the portal is July 1. Once that deadline passes we'll know exactly who is in the portal and what our options are.

Then the next big deadline is the MLB draft which is a factor moreso with older draft eligible players. Once that happens and is over we'll know who is coming back from last year's team like Luke Hancock, we'll have an idea of how guys like Fristoe are doing in the summer, and who our freshmen and JUCO guys are going to be coming in. All of that factors in and dictates how we use the portal and who we target.

Too many of our fans expect no one to develop and want "proven" players. It was never going to be Cade Smith, Hunter Hines, and 20 guys from the portal.

The last time we were in this situation our fans all point to Jack Kruger and Nate Lowe helping us but the reality is they were only part of the turnaround- Jake Mangum, Konnor Pilkington, and Hunter Stovall all helped that team in 2016 immediately. And we also had some players develop in Dakota Hudson, Brent Rooker, Reid Humphreys, and Gavin Collins who all helped that team become much better. It's not one avenue- it's everything.

Some good points Better have more development than 2022.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

What we're offering in NIL is as competitive as the other SEC powers in baseball. It's a waiting game at this point.

The deadline to enter the portal is July 1. Once that deadline passes we'll know exactly who is in the portal and what our options are.

Then the next big deadline is the MLB draft which is a factor moreso with older draft eligible players. Once that happens and is over we'll know who is coming back from last year's team like Luke Hancock, we'll have an idea of how guys like Fristoe are doing in the summer, and who our freshmen and JUCO guys are going to be coming in. All of that factors in and dictates how we use the portal and who we target.

Too many of our fans expect no one to develop and want "proven" players. It was never going to be Cade Smith, Hunter Hines, and 20 guys from the portal.

The last time we were in this situation our fans all point to Jack Kruger and Nate Lowe helping us but the reality is they were only part of the turnaround- Jake Mangum, Konnor Pilkington, and Hunter Stovall all helped that team in 2016 immediately. And we also had some players develop in Dakota Hudson, Brent Rooker, Reid Humphreys, and Gavin Collins who all helped that team become much better. It's not one avenue- it's everything.

Obviously you need good Fr and progress from the returners as well as good Portal guys. That was the most concerning thing from last year- the returners didn't progress, and the Fr/Lemo transfers were underwhelming outside of Hines.

BUT, I do not but the "we are waiting to see who's out there once the Portal closes, then using our immense NIL funds to snag few players to compliment the guys we have" line.

The guys we have kinda suck. Pitching especially, there is ZERO reason to let good pitchers commit to other schools as we "wait to see what happens after the draft" or whatever. Like we have been on good players that we NEED, and they have gone elsewhere. Most good players will be recruited as soon as they hit he portal; you can't just sit and wait.

and I don't buy for SECOND we have NIL money comparable to everyone else. LSU is poaching MLB assistants and getting the top portal player, who 100% was shopping to the highest bidder. We are poor and almost always will be behind the times. Baseball stadium is the only time we were ahead of the curve

[Todd4State]

Obviously you need good Fr and progress from the returners as well as good Portal guys. That was the most concerning thing from last year- the returners didn't progress, and the Fr/Lemo transfers were underwhelming outside of Hines.

BUT, I do not but the "we are waiting to see who's out there once the Portal closes, then using our immense NIL funds to snag few players to compliment the guys we have" line.

The guys we have kinda suck. Pitching especially, there is ZERO reason to let good pitchers commit to other schools as we "wait to see what happens after the draft" or whatever. Like we have been on good players that we NEED, and they have gone elsewhere. Most good players will be recruited as soon as they hit he portal; you can't just sit and wait.

and I don't buy for SECOND we have NIL money comparable to everyone else. LSU is poaching MLB assistants and getting the top portal player, who 100% was shopping to the highest bidder. We are poor and almost always will be behind the times. Baseball stadium is the only time we were ahead of the curve

I thought Pico was pretty solid.

Here's the reality- we have to wait to a degree unless you prefer making a "splash" commit from the portal only to lose them a few weeks from now and then go back to square one. Which is the case that LSU is facing with one of their commits.

We have three portal commits so far. LSU has four if I remember correctly. And what we have is in line with most of the SEC at this time.

Tommy Tanks got 150K in NIL from LSU. If you don't think we have that much in NIL I can tell you you're wrong and if you don't believe me you can ask Charlie Winfield. You really think our fans and school will build a 60 million or whatever it was stadium but we can't afford 150K? If our 10K+ season ticket holders donate 100 dollars apiece that's a millions dollars right there. The shortstop from Kansas got 225K from Tennessee. We absolutely can compete and we are. It's more a matter of the coaches closing the deal at this time.

And what do you mean "letting good pitchers commit elsewhere"? If someone is good enough we'll absolutely take them right now. Ask Landon Gartman and Nate Dohm. Dohm by the way is looking like a major steal for us potentially.

[Pancho]

LSU is paying Wes 750K and he was making 350K with the Twins. Easy math for him.