If you were Lemonis

Honestly just trying to create some positive thought here. This is not a bash our coaches thread. If you were Lemonis, how would you handle the next 3-4 days? What does this team need?

I think they need to be reminded that they are fortunate to get to do what they do on a daily basis. I would have them at a children's hospital and split up (not in big groups). I would challenge them to find what they want to finish this season. There would be little practice other than what is absolutely needed. I would also have them in a hotel for the regional. Maybe a few days before.

Night Practice today in Starkville weekend off practice Monday-Wed Thursday meet day off after meeting

I would have stood up on the bus upon returning last night and simply said- "GTFO. I dont want to look at any of you for the next couple of days. See you in the weightroom Sunday at 3pm" then off the bus to my office to meet with the coaches to plan out next week

Here is may .2 take. First off, yes take off today and Saturday, Sunday afternoon practice.
No reason to put players in a Hotel while playing at home. Reason being IF this team can't get focused and ready to play on there own then it doesn't matter.

Now, here is what I think, again just my take, it's gotta be team chemistry. Something just doesn't jive with me, we have no set lineup like 34 has stated. Players in and out of the lineup, I think some are carrying this on their shoulders and aren't really focused on the team. I think they have the attitude of not really caring when they aren't in the lineup. It goes back to with a player quits cause he didn't start and now it's carried over to some on the team. It's really immature on some of the guys and have their feelings somewhat hurt.

Again, this is just what I think, I know playing sports as well as Coaching, things like this happen.

I hope we make it out of our region, and we get hot, but it want be easy regardless who we play next week. I just think things have even out and now the season has gotten long for some.

Yes Team Chemistry is the question.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

I would have stood up on the bus upon returning last night and simply said- "GTFO. I dont want to look at any of you for the next couple of days. See you in the weightroom Sunday at 3pm" then off the bus to my office to meet with the coaches to plan out next week

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This.

I would call Elijah Macnamee, or others from mentally tough teams in the past, and have them come in and speak to the team. I would emphasize that what they've done the last few weeks is unacceptable and off brand for this baseball program. That if they feel "okay" about losing 2 at home to Mizzou and getting skull dragged in the first two games of the SECT, then they may ought to go ahead and GTFO now because this place isn't for them. I would look the veterans in the eyes and tell them how much they're going to regret not stepping up and demanding more from themselves and their teammates when they're watching the CWS at home while knowing they had the talent to be there and win it.

Then I'd tell them that if they aren't willing to put in max effort, neither will the coaches. And I'd say "you guys let us know when y'all are ready to practice like a team that is on a direct mission to win a National Championship this year. You know my number". And walk out. Leaving nothing but the players in the room to decide how they want the story to play out this year.

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Originally Posted by Coach34

I would have stood up on the bus upon returning last night and simply said- "GTFO. I dont want to look at any of you for the next couple of days. See you in the weightroom Sunday at 3pm" then off the bus to my office to meet with the coaches to plan out next week

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This. And have some scrimmages Sunday-Tuesday to get live AB's. Have a competiton for 3B, LF, DH, 3rd starter and let's get it settled. Then rep the hell out of defense. Rep the freaking hell out of it.

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

I would call Elijah Macnamee, or others from mentally tough teams in the past, and have them come in and speak to the team. I would emphasize that what they've done the last few weeks is unacceptable and off brand for this baseball program. That if they feel "okay" about losing 2 at home to Mizzou and getting skull dragged in the first two games of the SECT, then they may ought to go ahead and GTFO now because this place isn't for them. I would look the veterans in the eyes and tell them how much they're going to regret not stepping up and demanding more from themselves and their teammates when they're watching the CWS at home while knowing they had the talent to be there and win it.

Then I'd tell them that if they aren't willing to put in max effort, neither will the coaches. And I'd say "you guys let us know when y'all are ready to practice like a team that is on a direct mission to win a National Championship this year. You know my number". And walk out. Leaving nothing but the players in the room to decide how they want the story to play out this year.

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My HS baseball coach did something like that my Freshman year. Before region play started, usually 5-6 JV players got to stay on the varsity roster. After starting 0-3, and losing 7-0 halfway thru our 4th game, coach huddles the team and yanks every Senior from the game and puts us Freshman and JV guys in and says - "they care and are practicing better than you Seniors. If they come back and win, all of you seniors are benched." We rallied and tied the game, but lost on a walk off 8-7. Seniors went back in and won the next 3-4 games until region play started. Sometimes coaches have got to get in their heads.

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Originally Posted by basedog

Now, here is what I think, again just my take, it's gotta be team chemistry. Something just doesn't jive with me, we have no set lineup like 34 has stated.

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Didn't Cohen put out 50 different lineups in 2013? Seemed to work out okay.

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Originally Posted by Rex54

Didn't Cohen put out 50 different lineups in 2013? Seemed to work out okay.

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Different players now.

this is team is natty capable when they play well, but this is BY FAR the most emotionally immature team I can remember at MSU.

They've basically been a more talented, more successful version of our basketball program. Right when you think they're getting over the hump & have decided that they're going to compete for a natty, they throw up multiple absolute clunkers in a row & fall right back to square one.

I can't put my finger on this team. When they're good, they're awesome, but when it swings the other way, it's embarrassing

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

this is team is natty capable when they play well, but this is BY FAR the most emotionally immature team I can remember at MSU.

They've basically been a more talented, more successful version of our basketball program. Right when you think they're getting over the hump & have decided that they're going to compete for a natty, they throw up multiple absolute clunkers in a row & fall right back to square one.

I can't put my finger on this team. When they're good, they're awesome, but when it swings the other way, it's embarrassing

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I really think a lot of that is the impact of not playing the 2020 SEC season. Most of the immaturity is from guys who haven't been thru the SEC grind. Other than Jordan, Allen, and Hatcher you have virtually no SEC experience on the roster. I think we have watched what last season would have been like a year late because of it. The main difference being last year would have been better offensively and defensively because of Westburg and Foscue. We had already scuffled a bit when COVID hit and we had a lot of people questioning how good we would be in 2020 - especially pitching after losing Ginn and our loss to a 1-9 Texas Southern.

I would've done what my HS coach did one night. He didn't say shit on the bus drive back. When we made it back to our school he told us to grab our shit and hit the field. Another 1 to 2 hours of practice absolutely sucked.

You break their asses down for the next 5 days. Then, on the day before the regional, you build them up and having them flying high

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Originally Posted by basedog

Different players now.

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Or maybe it's a bullshit excuse

No, they aren't. There isn't enough depth in the starting pitching and we cannot hit up and down the lineup. Plus, we don't have but one guy that can close out games and don't say Preston Johnson. If all that wasn't enough there's our shitty defense. Even our back up "defensive specialist" is very average.

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Originally Posted by Rex54

Or maybe it's a bullshit excuse

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LOL, ok.

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Originally Posted by BrunswickDawg

I really think a lot of that is the impact of not playing the 2020 SEC season. Most of the immaturity is from guys who haven't been thru the SEC grind. Other than Jordan, Allen, and Hatcher you have virtually no SEC experience on the roster. I think we have watched what last season would have been like a year late because of it. The main difference being last year would have been better offensively and defensively because of Westburg and Foscue. We had already scuffled a bit when COVID hit and we had a lot of people questioning how good we would be in 2020 - especially pitching after losing Ginn and our loss to a 1-9 Texas Southern.

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Great point, never thought of that

This team put us in the spot we are in by losing that Missouri series. Had we won that series we would?ve been the two seed. Not saying we definitely would?ve beat USC but getting the 3 seed put us with UF which was a bad match. I never wanted to play UF and I made that clear a week ago. I just think had we won that Saturday game and not come out flat we might be in a different spot

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Originally Posted by PGHBulldogBG

This team put us in the spot we are in by losing that Missouri series. Had we won that series we would?ve been the two seed. Not saying we definitely would?ve beat USC but getting the 3 seed put us with UF which was a bad match. I never wanted to play UF and I made that clear a week ago. I just think had we won that Saturday game and not come out flat we might be in a different spot

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We couldn't be the 2 seed.

Hit the weights Sunday and Tuesday. Bp in Wednesday and quick field session Thursday.

Withhold as much as you can so they are excited to take the field on Friday/Saturday.

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Originally Posted by WinningIsRelentless

Hit the weights Sunday and Tuesday. Bp in Wednesday and quick field session Thursday.

Withhold as much as you can so they are excited to take the field on Friday/Saturday.

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Ummm, NO!

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Originally Posted by WinningIsRelentless

Hit the weights Sunday and Tuesday. Bp in Wednesday and quick field session Thursday.

Withhold as much as you can so they are excited to take the field on Friday/Saturday.

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Smdh

Time off might be the best thing for them right now.

I'd come back on Sunday afternoon at the earliest and just rep the heck out of defense. Like 200 ground balls for every infielder except for the catcher. Don't won't wear Tanner out plus he is our best defender anyway. Work on fundamental footwork and mechanics stuff.

Let Foxhall handle the pitchers and their bullpens.

Normal BP.

Nothing too crazy or excessive. Maybe a short meeting about how unacceptable the SEC Tournament was and that's not up to our standard and why it happened. And then move on from there.

At this stage, nothing the coaches say or do will make a difference. It's up to the players if they want to play to win or lose. You can't teach heart and guts.

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Originally Posted by TaleofTwoDogs

At this stage, nothing the coaches say or do will make a difference. It's up to the players if they want to play to win or lose. You can't teach heart and guts.

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In the present, that?s mostly true but as the coach you have set the future standard of what is not acceptable down through the younger players. I disagree with your last sentence, you absolutely are trying to teach them that they have more heart, more guts, more drive than they think of themselves and how to transfer that to play on the field. Usually the biggest obstacle for player to overcome, to push past their perceived limits, is the person in the mirror. Doesn?t always work depending on the player and how their talent alone got them to this level and you have players that made it to this level because they already found that heart.

No more sugar before bed. Take away their ps5's.