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.Quote:
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
Well this is ****ing ominous....Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooterpoot
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooterpoot
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.
Not sure where I said that or even remotely hinted at that. Don?t twist my words.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooterpoot
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.
Yeah and which ones have happened more recently? Also let's not act like multiple coaches have taken our program to Omaha recently.Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
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.
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.Quote:
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by StarkVegasSteve
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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
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" ***
Because of the transfer portal.Quote:
Originally Posted by StateDawg44
Agree, and TN lost Chase Burns on top of that to Wake.Quote:
Originally Posted by StateDawg44
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.***
It's definitely part of it. Maybe the assistants moreso than Lemonis. Most of our guys have multiple SEC opportunities.Quote:
Originally Posted by StateDawg44
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.
Well the most recent is a good season. Which makes the case that I was right about Foxhall being the major problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by civildawg
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!Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
Your Honor, The State Rests!
We can extend him and not give him a ridiculous buyout. We're not run by Larry Templeton anymore.Quote:
Originally Posted by StateDawg44
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.
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?Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd4State
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.