We won't fire Lemonis, and we shouldn't, but I wish he would just leave

Let's lower his buyout to $0 and hope someone hires him away.

We are underachieving in the SEC by 4-5 wins this year. The team has talent and heart, but we should be in line for a top 8 or higher national seed if not for his baffling decisions and inability to manage a bullpen. He's simply not getting everything out of this team that a good coach would, just like he didn't in 2022 or 2023. A good coach, one that we could afford to bring in, should be able to.

And, yes, I continue to predict we will make Omaha in spite of him. But he's holding us back from continuing our elite national standard we held from 2011 through 2021.

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Let's lower his buyout to $0 and hope someone hires him away.

We are underachieving in the SEC by 4-5 wins this year. The team has talent and heart, but we should be in line for a top 8 or higher national seed if not for his baffling decisions and inability to manage a bullpen. He's simply not getting everything out of this team that a good coach would, just like he didn't in 2022 or 2023. A good coach, one that we could afford to bring in, should be able to.

And, yes, I continue to predict we will make Omaha in spite of him. But he's holding us back from continuing our elite national standard we held from 2011 through 2021.

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This team doesn't have the consistency to make it to Omaha. First game, where I can remember, we get outstanding production from the bottom of the lineup only for the top of the lineup to shite the bed. Our bullpen is like watching a hobo shit tomato gravy from his ass, just not good outside of Hardin (minus Fri) and Davis. Now why can Arkansas pitch their guy multiple times a weekend, but we can't even bother with it when it mattered?

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Originally Posted by Activated Alpha

This team doesn't have the consistency to make it to Omaha. First game, where I can remember, we get outstanding production from the bottom of the lineup only for the top of the lineup to shite the bed. Our bullpen is like watching a hobo shit tomato gravy from his ass, just not good outside of Hardin (minus Fri) and Davis. Now why can Arkansas pitch their guy multiple times a weekend, but we can't even bother with it when it mattered?

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We did pitch Harden twice. He was 50/50

No, no, no....and no

Next years roster looks rough. He is going to have to pull in a lot of Portal players just to be competitive

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Originally Posted by MaroonFlounder

We did pitch Harden twice. He was 50/50

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When it mattered. Should have brought him in earlier in the game, but we waited until we had already given up the lead

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Originally Posted by Leeshouldveflanked

Next years roster looks rough. He is going to have to pull in a lot of Portal players just to be competitive

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Yep, this is the up cycle year. Next year looks to be a major struggle unless we have get multiple studs out of the transfer portal.

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Let's lower his buyout to $0 and hope someone hires him away.

We are underachieving in the SEC by 4-5 wins this year. The team has talent and heart, but we should be in line for a top 8 or higher national seed if not for his baffling decisions and inability to manage a bullpen. He's simply not getting everything out of this team that a good coach would, just like he didn't in 2022 or 2023. A good coach, one that we could afford to bring in, should be able to.

And, yes, I continue to predict we will make Omaha in spite of him. But he's holding us back from continuing our elite national standard we held from 2011 through 2021.

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We're close to hosting and have improved a ton this year. The only problem is recruiting. We should extend him but not for four years or with a significant buyout.

He should be fired if he doesn't make it to a SR this year but we won't because we are pussies.

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

We're close to hosting and have improved a ton this year. The only problem is recruiting. We should extend him but not for four years or with a significant buyout.

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Extend him?!

Please Lord not this.

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

We're close to hosting and have improved a ton this year. The only problem is recruiting. We should extend him but not for four years or with a significant buyout.

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That would definitely be the Mississippi State thing to do. Give him another 4 years and stupid buyout to watch him make the tourney this year and go 2 & BBQ, thrn tank the next 2 years like 22 & 23 in hopes he will turn it around again in 27 enough to make the Tourney again.

The Roster is what it is because of the Head Coach!

We don't have anyone to step up and be a DH, a consistent middle reliever or a closer. A true closer can pitch 2 innings on Friday and an inning on Sunday.

It's like our fanbase forgot about the worst two years in our history with Lemonis in charge, it's crazy.

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Originally Posted by StateDawg44

Extend him?!

Please Lord not this.

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Tough spot.

Selmon has to do something with his contract after this season. But we need to be nimble enough to fire him if we lose Parker and/or miss the tournament next year.

I wouldn't do anything that would make firing him at the end of next year more difficult

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Originally Posted by HoopsDawg

Tough spot.

Selmon has to do something with his contract after this season. But we need to be nimble enough to fire him if we lose Parker and/or miss the tournament next year.

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He doesn't have to do anything. If Selmon says we are standing pat with no extension or raise, Lemonis will probably catch the first Bus across the State Line. Then Selmon could just waive the buyout and let him walk, and State slips out of a pickle and start the rebuild that is inevitable with a new head man.

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Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

He doesn't have to do anything. If Selmon says we are standing pat with no extension or raise, Lemonis will probably catch the first Bus across the State Line. Then Selmon could just waive the buyout and let him walk, and State slips out of a pickle and start the rebuild that is inevitable with a new head man.

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Are you saying that Cohen is going to hire Lemonis at Auburn?

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Are you saying that Cohen is going to hire Lemonis at Auburn?

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Well, he has been to Omaha multiple times with more than one team so he would be Cohen's Dream Coach for Auburn.

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Originally Posted by StateDawg44

Extend him?!

Please Lord not this.

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You don't think hosting a regional is good? LOL
Some of you have this false reality in your heads about how insanely great MSU baseball has been. We have one title ever. He won it. I'll bust him on recruiting, but that's about it other than Foxhall and his stupid injury policy. That's why I give him a couple years and no big buyout. He can sink or swim with that recruiting.. Next year is total rebuild too.

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Originally Posted by civildawg

It's like our fanbase forgot about the worst two years in our history with Lemonis in charge, it's crazy.

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Just like they also forgot about two Omaha trips and a NC. I agree- it is crazy.

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Originally Posted by HoopsDawg

Tough spot.

Selmon has to do something with his contract after this season. But we need to be nimble enough to fire him if we lose Parker and/or miss the tournament next year.

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It's "tough" right now because we don't know the true outcome of the season. All we know is that we are going to a regional. From there- do we go to a SR? Do we go to Omaha? Do we host a regional?

The only safe thing that we know is that he won't be fired. Nor should he be.

Other than that we have to see how it plays out.

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

You don't think hosting a regional is good? LOL
Some of you have this false reality in your heads about how insanely great MSU baseball has been. We have one title ever. He won it. I'll bust him on recruiting, but that's about it other than Foxhall and his stupid injury policy. That's why I give him a couple years and no big buyout. He can sink or swim with that recruiting.. Next year is total rebuild too.

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Most of our issues are because of injuries- not recruiting. This team has a completely different season if Stone Simmons, Dohm, and Pico are healthy all year long. The offense is different with a healthy Highfill and if Kohler is 100%- we're just now seeing him reach his potential. We've also been without Cupp, Loftin, and Grant too.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Most of our issues are because of injuries- not recruiting. This team has a completely different season if Stone Simmons, Dohm, and Pico are healthy all year long. The offense is different with a healthy Highfill and if Kohler is 100%- we're just now seeing him reach his potential. We've also been without Cupp, Loftin, and Grant too.

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Nah, we haven't recruited worth a shit and you'll see it next year in a massive way. Injuries hurt for sure, but recruiting is trash. We don't have many kids left from the last few classes either.

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

Nah, we haven't recruited worth a shit and you'll see it next year in a massive way. Injuries hurt for sure, but recruiting is trash. We don't have many kids left from the last few classes either.

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Well this is ****ing ominous....

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

Nah, we haven't recruited worth a shit and you'll see it next year in a massive way. Injuries hurt for sure, but recruiting is trash. We don't have many kids left from the last few classes either.

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I expect us to hit the portal pretty hard. I'll worry about 2025 if we completely swing and miss in the portal- and no I'm not talking about swinging and missing on whoever this portal season's Braden Montgomery is.

To be honest, I think that's just life in this era of college baseball.

I think if we can get Hardin back that would be nice. I like Nolan Stevens, Luke Dotson, and Bradley Loftin's potential. We should get Makhai Grant back as well. I'm optimistic that Parker can make Gavin Black and Siary better next plus we should get some decent JUCO pitchers plus whatever we can get out of the portal.

We might get Highfill back. I'm not sure if it's at catcher though. I'm sure we'll get a catcher out of the portal.

Our MIF looks strong with Cupp and Pulliam. And that's if Mershon goes pro. If Mershon comes back we can play Pulliam in the OF. Jackson McKenzie and Henry Allen are solid prospects but again I expect us to get corner INF/OF guys out of the portal as well. We get Chance back for the OF. Stevens should take one of the OF spots and we get Rives Reynolds back.

What I described is our worst case scenario and it really doesn't look that bad AS LONG as we do OK in the portal. I mean I went scorched earth on draft prospects and assumed we lost guys like Pico too. And we should have plenty of NIL money freed up losing our seniors and guys like Hines and Dakota. Not to mention we don't look like a dumpster fire anymore which probably helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

You don't think hosting a regional is good? LOL
Some of you have this false reality in your heads about how insanely great MSU baseball has been. We have one title ever. He won it. I'll bust him on recruiting, but that's about it other than Foxhall and his stupid injury policy. That's why I give him a couple years and no big buyout. He can sink or swim with that recruiting.. Next year is total rebuild too.

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Not sure where I said that or even remotely hinted at that. Don?t twist my words.

But he definitely doesn?t deserve an extension for it. Maybe a pat on the back after the previous two years. Why make it harder to fire him next year when he tanks again though. In recruiting, the portal and on the field. I?m not saying we deserve the pick of the litter but he?s got a big overhaul ahead of him.

Some of you can?t grasp how we can still be fans and hope we do well but don?t believe in our head coach. Just like players who he tries to recruit from the portal that have snubbed their nose at him. The exact reason we are in this situation.

Yes injuries have created some problems but injuries happen every year so that?s not something new or unique to our team.

StateDawg44 with a dose of truth serum about Lemo.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Just like they also forgot about two Omaha trips and a NC. I agree- it is crazy.

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Yeah and which ones have happened more recently? Also let's not act like multiple coaches have taken our program to Omaha recently.

Lemo will probably get fired next year. I hope I’m wrong, because if I’m right that means we suck again. I have watched almost every game this season. We are just a couple of arms away from being a top ten team. If somebody in the BP can figure it out in the next week or two that will be season changing. See scUM 2022 for reference.

I think the bone some people pick on here is that there’s a couple people who seem like they want Lemo gone more than they want the team to win. I grew up as a state fan. Grand parents went there, mom and dad went there, and I went there. So I know how frustrating it can be and I think that’s what most of us feel about baseball right now. It was the one sport we KNEW we were good at consistently. Not every year, but consistently.

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Originally Posted by StateDawg44

Not sure where I said that or even remotely hinted at that. Don?t twist my words.

But he definitely doesn?t deserve an extension for it. Maybe a pat on the back after the previous two years. Why make it harder to fire him next year when he tanks again though. In recruiting, the portal and on the field. I?m not saying we deserve the pick of the litter but he?s got a big overhaul ahead of him.

Some of you can?t grasp how we can still be fans and hope we do well but don?t believe in our head coach. Just like players who he tries to recruit from the portal that have snubbed their nose at him. The exact reason we are in this situation.

Yes injuries have created some problems but injuries happen every year so that?s not something new or unique to our team.

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You have to extend him to 3 years. If you don't it leaves one year on the contract and he can't recruit anyone with one year left on the contract. You may could get by extending it just a year but I imagine it'll be extended to 3 years.

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Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve

You have to extend him to 3 years. If you don't it leaves one year on the contract and he can't recruit anyone with one year left on the contract. You may could get by extending it just a year but I imagine it'll be extended to 3 years.

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Eh... So we get some players and we suck again next year. Who is to say they don't transfer out regardless. With the portal now available and especially with no limit on transfers coming I don't think this means as much.

You think Lemonis' coaching is the main reason some of these players have chosen to come to play for us?

Why is it that TN can lose almost their entire starting lineup back to back years but reload and are top 5 year after year since Vitello has arrived?

They essentially have zero history as a baseball program.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I expect us to hit the portal pretty hard. I'll worry about 2025 if we completely swing and miss in the portal- and no I'm not talking about swinging and missing on whoever this portal season's Braden Montgomery is.

To be honest, I think that's just life in this era of college baseball.

I think if we can get Hardin back that would be nice. I like Nolan Stevens, Luke Dotson, and Bradley Loftin's potential. We should get Makhai Grant back as well. I'm optimistic that Parker can make Gavin Black and Siary better next plus we should get some decent JUCO pitchers plus whatever we can get out of the portal.

We might get Highfill back. I'm not sure if it's at catcher though. I'm sure we'll get a catcher out of the portal.

Our MIF looks strong with Cupp and Pulliam. And that's if Mershon goes pro. If Mershon comes back we can play Pulliam in the OF. Jackson McKenzie and Henry Allen are solid prospects but again I expect us to get corner INF/OF guys out of the portal as well. We get Chance back for the OF. Stevens should take one of the OF spots and we get Rives Reynolds back.

What I described is our worst case scenario and it really doesn't look that bad AS LONG as we do OK in the portal. I mean I went scorched earth on draft prospects and assumed we lost guys like Pico too. And we should have plenty of NIL money freed up losing our seniors and guys like Hines and Dakota. Not to mention we don't look like a dumpster fire anymore which probably helps.

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I am about ready to change the phrase from "Swing and miss" to something about our base running such as "hopefully we try the portal and don't have runners on bases" ***

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Originally Posted by StateDawg44

Why is it that TN can lose almost their entire starting lineup back to back years but reload and are top 5 year after year since Vitello has arrived?

They essentially have zero history as a baseball program.

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Because of the transfer portal.

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Originally Posted by StateDawg44

Why is it that TN can lose almost their entire starting lineup back to back years but reload and are top 5 year after year since Vitello has arrived?

They essentially have zero history as a baseball program.

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Agree, and TN lost Chase Burns on top of that to Wake.
When I see some saying here "who else lost their top pitcher in the SEC" , well TN did to the portal and are reloading.
Edit: Burns has already broken Wake's single season strikeout record.
Vitello must not have looked back at TN's last 25 years and explained to the fans not to expect too much.***

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Originally Posted by StateDawg44

Eh... So we get some players and we suck again next year. Who is to say they don't transfer out regardless. With the portal now available and especially with no limit on transfers coming I don't think this means as much.

You think Lemonis' coaching is the main reason some of these players have chosen to come to play for us?

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It's definitely part of it. Maybe the assistants moreso than Lemonis. Most of our guys have multiple SEC opportunities.

This years team's bullpen doesn't have the quality depth it takes to make a run in a regional, super....
Mess up and lose 1st or 2nd game and they are in trouble.

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Originally Posted by civildawg

Yeah and which ones have happened more recently? Also let's not act like multiple coaches have taken our program to Omaha recently.

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Well the most recent is a good season. Which makes the case that I was right about Foxhall being the major problem.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Because of the transfer portal.

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So zero baseball history for Tennessee vs State's Baseball history means Tennessee's coach is a better HS AND Portal recruiter then State's coach!

Your Honor, The State Rests!

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Originally Posted by StateDawg44

Not sure where I said that or even remotely hinted at that. Don?t twist my words.

But he definitely doesn?t deserve an extension for it. Maybe a pat on the back after the previous two years. Why make it harder to fire him next year when he tanks again though. In recruiting, the portal and on the field. I?m not saying we deserve the pick of the litter but he?s got a big overhaul ahead of him.

Some of you can?t grasp how we can still be fans and hope we do well but don?t believe in our head coach. Just like players who he tries to recruit from the portal that have snubbed their nose at him. The exact reason we are in this situation.

Yes injuries have created some problems but injuries happen every year so that?s not something new or unique to our team.

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We can extend him and not give him a ridiculous buyout. We're not run by Larry Templeton anymore.

Losing your ace, closer, starting catcher, opening day shortstop and having to deal with other key guys like Pico recovering is what I would consider a lot more than a typical team injury wise.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

It's definitely part of it. Maybe the assistants moreso than Lemonis. Most of our guys have multiple SEC opportunities.

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The point is a good coach who knows what he is doing will evaluate where the needs are and will take advantage of the portal and fill the gaps and be back just as strong next year without batting an eye. Build depth and develop. Can you say he's done this?

Our fans are just hoping he can pull a miracle out of his ass next year. Meanwhile, other fanbases of the current top teams have full confidence that their coaches will make the right moves. Even if they lose half the pitching staff or majority of their offensive production.

We haven't had a 3rd basemen for 3 years now. Kohler is just now beginning to show a sign of a pulse. Certainly not enough to tip the cap to Lemonis yet.

We don't have a bit of depth on the bench that can pinch-hit. Next year our fans will say, "They need some time to adjust to SEC pitching". By that point, it's too late.

He hasn't proven that he can contend with a lot of teams now that basically everyone has opened their eyes and are fully invested.

It's not going to change until we make a change and make a solid hire.