We should throw the bank at Ostrander.

[CadaverDawg]

That's all I've got.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Woody Foxhall is going to get Sylvester Lemonis in hot water.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Ostrander isn't leaving. It's not about money. He was offered the LSU job this summer and turned it down. He's biding his time and is going to take over for Berry.

[CadaverDawg]

Ostrander isn't leaving. It's not about money. He was offered the LSU job this summer and turned it down. He's biding his time and is going to take over for Berry.

May or may not have been talking about as head coach.

[StarkVegasSteve]

May or may not have been talking about as head coach.

I would hope we'd shoot higher if we had to move on from Lemonis.

[AlSwearengen]

Ostrander isn't leaving. It's not about money. He was offered the LSU job this summer and turned it down. He's biding his time and is going to take over for Berry.

You are probably right. Berry was on the local Hburg news talking about usm’s success being the result of a long period of stability and very little change. I’d bet that Berry has already decided when he will retire and hand it off to Ostrander.

Something to watch though, usm fans are especially antsy after olemiss followed us up with a national title. They are sure they can do it now and will start to get impatient.

[Todd4State]

Ostrander isn't leaving. It's not about money. He was offered the LSU job this summer and turned it down. He's biding his time and is going to take over for Berry.

Is USM his destination job? Is Berry retiring after this season.

I mean he could be our pitching coach and then take their job when it becomes available. That's sort of what happened with Butch Thompson. Our pitching coaches have all landed head coaching jobs going back to Keith Madison and MSU has a great reputation for producing head baseball coaches.

And we can pay more too.

[Todd4State]

You are probably right. Berry was on the local Hburg news talking about usm’s success being the result of a long period of stability and very little change. I’d bet that Berry has already decided when he will retire and hand it off to Ostrander.

Something to watch though, usm fans are especially antsy after olemiss followed us up with a national title. They are sure they can do it now and will start to get impatient.

I guess Lane Burroughs is going for a SEC job? I don't blame him but until that happens I'm sure he would be a candidate if USM came open.

[Homedawg]

I guess Lane Burroughs is going for a SEC job? I don't blame him but until that happens I'm sure he would be a candidate if USM came open.

La tech just got a new facility. He's not leaving there for usm. Bad trade.

[Todd4State]

La tech just got a new facility. He's not leaving there for usm. Bad trade.

It's a lateral move but USM would be closer to home for him.

[Homedawg]

It's a lateral move but USM would be closer to home for him.

I don't even think it's lateral. But one can make that point. But it doesn't help him get closer to a big job. He can do that from la tech.

[Pinto]

Throwing another idea out, if we can Lemonis would we bring Butch back home from Auburn?

[StarkVegasSteve]

Is USM his destination job? Is Berry retiring after this season.

I mean he could be our pitching coach and then take their job when it becomes available. That's sort of what happened with Butch Thompson. Our pitching coaches have all landed head coaching jobs going back to Keith Madison and MSU has a great reputation for producing head baseball coaches.

And we can pay more too.

Second sentence of my post, "IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY". Ostrander turned down LSU. That's a better job than ours. He's happy in Hattiesburg. He'll get that job when Berry retires, which will probably be in the next 2-3 years.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Throwing another idea out, if we can Lemonis would we bring Butch back home from Auburn?

He would be in Tier B. And that's only because Tier A is your home run blank check type guys and there's probably only two of those, Tim Corbin and Tony Vitello. Tier B would be Butch, Elliot Avent at NCSU, Skip Johnson at OU, Cliff Godwin, Tom Walter at Wake, Scott Forbes at UNC, and probably Brian O Conner. Tier C would be Scott Berry, Lane Burroughs, Jordan Bischell, Kirk Sarloos, and Gautreau. You wouldn't get passed Tier B because I'm fairly certain Elliot Avent would crawl on broken glass to Starkville to coach us.

And again, we're not firing Lemonis unless this thing gets EXTREMELY sideways and way off the rails.

[sandjunky]

He would be in Tier B. And that's only because Tier A is your home run blank check type guys and there's probably only two of those, Tim Corbin and Tony Vitello. Tier B would be Butch, Elliot Avent at NCSU, Skip Johnson at OU, Cliff Godwin, Tom Walter at Wake, Scott Forbes at UNC, and probably Brian O Conner. Tier C would be Scott Berry, Lane Burroughs, Jordan Bischell, Kirk Sarloos, and Gautreau. You wouldn't get passed Tier B because I'm fairly certain Elliot Avent would crawl on broken glass to Starkville to coach us.

And again, we're not firing Lemonis unless this thing gets EXTREMELY sideways and way off the rails.
No Dan Heefner? He?d be in my top 3-4 names

[Cowbell]

They do call it over-reaction weekend

[PikeDawg15]

Throwing another idea out, if we can Lemonis would we bring Butch back home from Auburn?

We can but Cohen is gonna fight it hard.

But we are a much better baseball job than auburn by miles.

Butch Thompson is the next MSU head baseball coach.

[Todd4State]

Second sentence of my post, "IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY". Ostrander turned down LSU. That's a better job than ours. He's happy in Hattiesburg. He'll get that job when Berry retires, which will probably be in the next 2-3 years.

I wouldn't put too much stock into that. Jay Johnson is notoriously not good to work for.

[AlSwearengen]

It's a lateral move but USM would be closer to home for him.

USM (the university, not the baseball program) seems like they are always in a precarious situation. Their leadership over the last several years has been like a turnstile and most of those haven’t been very good.

[Homedawg]

We can but Cohen is gonna fight it hard.

But we are a much better baseball job than auburn by miles.

Butch Thompson is the next MSU head baseball coach.

We sure have fired a coach quick. Wow.

[StarkVegasSteve]

No Dan Heefner? He?d be in my top 3-4 names

He has stated on multiple occasions that he will not leave DBU. We tried to interview him in 19. He would be in that Tier B as well. Below Butch and Avent though.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I wouldn't put too much stock into that. Jay Johnson is notoriously not good to work for.

This is not some guess. This is from people that know Chris very well. He is not leaving. He and his family are happy and well taken care of in Hattiesburg. He will wait out Berry and take over.

[Todd4State]

USM (the university, not the baseball program) seems like they are always in a precarious situation. Their leadership over the last several years has been like a turnstile and most of those haven?t been very good.

Lots of pressure with MSU and Ole Miss winning Titles in baseball. And even Delta State has one in D2.

The issue is they're not a SEC team meaning it's hard for them to recruit the talent they need to win a title. And then you have SEC teams poaching their players. A lot of USM fans were fired up about what they had coming back- and then Florida took their ace. They weren't even really competitive against Ole Miss in their SR. At home.

[Todd4State]

This is not some guess. This is from people that know Chris very well. He is not leaving. He and his family are happy and well taken care of in Hattiesburg. He will wait out Berry and take over.

That's fair. I still think he would definitely listen and probably take our job because it's better and they could still hire him at USM when that job comes open. I'm sure he's playing the long game if and when an opportunity arises there.

[StarkVegasSteve]

That's fair. I still think he would definitely listen and probably take our job because it's better and they could still hire him at USM when that job comes open. I'm sure he's playing the long game if and when an opportunity arises there.

He would not. Did not listen to LSU or FSU this past summer.

[CoachT14]

No Dan Heefner? He?d be in my top 3-4 names

He's one of the best in the business, but I don't think he wants to leave DBU.

Saying that, I'd make him say no 100 times.

[Santiago]

Gautreau at some point here.

[CadaverDawg]

Foxhall goes or Lemonis goes. Wouldnt mind both.

[CovertDawg]

Meanwhile, Ostrander's D3 transfer pitcher, Billy Oldham, throws 5 scoreless tonight with no hits, no walks, and 9ks.

[Cowbell]

Foxhall goes or Lemonis goes. Wouldnt mind both.

They go together. Lemonis is allowing this and our issues tonight were as much defense and hitting as it was pitching

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Meanwhile, Ostrander's D3 transfer pitcher, Billy Oldham, throws 5 scoreless tonight with no hits, no walks, and 9ks.

Yeah that's the thing, we're in a Portal era with a immediate eligibility transfer rule.

Have Luke Hancock as your first baseman for a year? Sucks, but we understand holes in lineups happen. The problem is not getting a better 1B in the portal for the next year. Then, imagine having Luke Hancock on your team for 2 years but having zero clue he's got a noodle arm and can't play catcher, I mean WTF?? How did we not know we needed a Portal catcher before 11 bases got stolen in 1 game?

And then we keep bad pitchers, and target Portal guys who suck and miss the gems like that D3 transfer.

What are we doing? We can't develop the guys we have (Forsythe), we can't evaluate the skills of the guys we have (Hancock), we can't evaluate Portal talent, and we can't get the Portal talent we do target (Skenes). I mean we get some good players in the Portal and HS don't get me wrong I'm not saying Jordan or Larry aren't great gets for Lemo... but I am saying he's missing at way too high a rate to build a solid team. He's supposed to be an elite recruiter, but he's failing to build a roster at every level

[Pancho]

no million dollar result with a 75 cent effort from the top down

[TNDawg35]

Tom will tell us everything we need to know. We got plum embarrassed tonight and Lemonis even said so. If someone (and I’m not sure we even have one, even the guy with the C. I saw Highfill talk more to the pitchers than Hancock did) step up and lead us and fire us up, we are doomed.

I understand more than most that baseball is a long long season and can change quickly. Hell my junior year we started 5-7 and then went 31-3 and won a Natty, it took the coach literally sitting every one, including me, and playing true freshman to wake everyone up. We had leaders tho. I’m not sure State does.

Now if we can’t turn it around, we’re gonna learn a lot about Selmon. I still don’t think Lemonis would be fired, but if he was, I would literally throw the bank at Vitello. I want the swag. I want the cockiness. I want the teams that are gritty and act like they give a shit.

We have too many right now who look like they are just going through the motions and don’t give a shit. Hell, our catcher has let everyone including my grandmother steal 2nd and what does he do, he is doing the damn splits with a runner on 1st. Get your ass up and get ready for the ball!!

I have worked nights and then been waking up early to watch us play, tom I think I’ll sleep…

[StarkVegasSteve]

Yea he may say no to a lot. But at this point, if I'm Lemonis and my ass is on the line, I ask him what it would take to get him and find a way to make it happen.

[Cooterpoot]

Ostrander isn't leaving. It's not about money. He was offered the LSU job this summer and turned it down. He's biding his time and is going to take over for Berry.

He wasn't offered. He was on their list. His daughter is in school at State. Berry is going die in that USM uniform. I heard it straight from Berry last year. He's nowhere near retirement. Said he's coaching as long as he can. Hell, Foxhall makes as much as Berry.
Even so, just hire a competent pitching coach. We don't have one.
And I'm starting to question the other coaches too. Defense is trash.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Tom will tell us everything we need to know. We got plum embarrassed tonight and Lemonis even said so. If someone (and I’m not sure we even have one, even the guy with the C. I saw Highfill talk more to the pitchers than Hancock did) step up and lead us and fire us up, we are doomed.

I understand more than most that baseball is a long long season and can change quickly. Hell my junior year we started 5-7 and then went 31-3 and won a Natty, it took the coach literally sitting every one, including me, and playing true freshman to wake everyone up. We had leaders tho. I’m not sure State does.

Now if we can’t turn it around, we’re gonna learn a lot about Selmon. I still don’t think Lemonis would be fired, but if he was, I would literally throw the bank at Vitello. I want the swag. I want the cockiness. I want the teams that are gritty and act like they give a shit.

We have too many right now who look like they are just going through the motions and don’t give a shit. Hell, our catcher has let everyone including my grandmother steal 2nd and what does he do, he is doing the damn splits with a runner on 1st. Get your ass up and get ready for the ball!!

I have worked nights and then been waking up early to watch us play, tom I think I’ll sleep…

I think this is what we see tomorrow. I think we see a field placement of:

1B-Hancock
2B-Larry
SS-Hujsak/Mershon
3B- Downs
RF-Chance
CF-Jordan
LF-Ledbetter
C-Highfill
DH-Hines

[Todd4State]

Yeah that's the thing, we're in a Portal era with a immediate eligibility transfer rule.

Have Luke Hancock as your first baseman for a year? Sucks, but we understand holes in lineups happen. The problem is not getting a better 1B in the portal for the next year. Then, imagine having Luke Hancock on your team for 2 years but having zero clue he's got a noodle arm and can't play catcher, I mean WTF?? How did we not know we needed a Portal catcher before 11 bases got stolen in 1 game?

And then we keep bad pitchers, and target Portal guys who suck and miss the gems like that D3 transfer.

What are we doing? We can't develop the guys we have (Forsythe), we can't evaluate the skills of the guys we have (Hancock), we can't evaluate Portal talent, and we can't get the Portal talent we do target (Skenes). I mean we get some good players in the Portal and HS don't get me wrong I'm not saying Jordan or Larry aren't great gets for Lemo... but I am saying he's missing at way too high a rate to build a solid team. He's supposed to be an elite recruiter, but he's failing to build a roster at every level

We messed up with the portal last year. We were too nice to guys who were on the team already even though we had holes last year like literally no established LHP.

Biggest concern to me right now is defense believe it or not. I can't figure that one out other than we are just trying to do too much or we aren't working on it enough one of the two.

[Todd4State]

Tom will tell us everything we need to know. We got plum embarrassed tonight and Lemonis even said so. If someone (and I’m not sure we even have one, even the guy with the C. I saw Highfill talk more to the pitchers than Hancock did) step up and lead us and fire us up, we are doomed.

I understand more than most that baseball is a long long season and can change quickly. Hell my junior year we started 5-7 and then went 31-3 and won a Natty, it took the coach literally sitting every one, including me, and playing true freshman to wake everyone up. We had leaders tho. I’m not sure State does.

Now if we can’t turn it around, we’re gonna learn a lot about Selmon. I still don’t think Lemonis would be fired, but if he was, I would literally throw the bank at Vitello. I want the swag. I want the cockiness. I want the teams that are gritty and act like they give a shit.

We have too many right now who look like they are just going through the motions and don’t give a shit. Hell, our catcher has let everyone including my grandmother steal 2nd and what does he do, he is doing the damn splits with a runner on 1st. Get your ass up and get ready for the ball!!

I have worked nights and then been waking up early to watch us play, tom I think I’ll sleep…

I think your leaders have to perform at some point. When your captain can't throw it to second base that's a problem.

[Todd4State]

I think this is what we see tomorrow. I think we see a field placement of:

1B-Hancock
2B-Larry
SS-Hujsak/Mershon
3B- Downs
RF-Chance
CF-Jordan
LF-Ledbetter
C-Highfill
DH-Hines

Mershon is hurt. But I could see us going with Hujsak or Will Hoyle. I know Hoyle can't hit but if he makes plays it would help in the short term until Mershon is back. Hujsak is a better hitter but not sure that he makes us better defensively.

I've suggested Chance in RF. Sure he can't throw but hard to take him out right now.

[StarkVegasSteve]

We messed up with the portal last year. We were too nice to guys who were on the team already even though we had holes last year like literally no established LHP.

Biggest concern to me right now is defense believe it or not. I can't figure that one out other than we are just trying to do too much or we aren't working on it enough one of the two.

No we messed up in 2021 and we're reaping the benefits now. We should have taken a MINIMUM of 4 position players (SS, 2B, CF, RF) and 6 pitchers from the portal and I think we took 2 or 3 total players. This all leads back to what I saw in July of 2021. I said it then and I have said it every day since, celebrating that team like we did was dumb as hell. It gave everyone from the coaches to the players to the damn managers and bullpen catchers this entitlement that their s*** didn't stink. We thought we were fine and we didn't need to improve. Cohen should've had Lemonis in his office July 1 asking what's the plan for the portal and for next year.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Mershon is hurt. But I could see us going with Hujsak or Will Hoyle. I know Hoyle can't hit but if he makes plays it would help in the short term until Mershon is back. Hujsak is a better hitter but not sure that he makes us better defensively.

I've suggested Chance in RF. Sure he can't throw but hard to take him out right now.

And I want to take Hancock out, but I don't feel comfortable with Von Siebert at 1B. I want anyone who contributed on that national championship team on the bench, preferably out of the program but I doubt we're that lucky. I want no mention of it any longer. It happened, but it's over. Our team, program, and fanbase need to move on.