Confidence level

[Coach34]

I agree with a lot of your point about us not being LSU level and fans expectations being a little too unrealistic. I think they are that way because from 2013-2023 we went to 4 CWS, 6 Supers, and 7 Regionals. I mean we were on a hell of a 10 year run and Lemonis derailed it. Whether by injuries, mismanagement, or bad hiring it was derailed. All he had to do was just not screw it up, but he has managed to really screw it up. I think we are coming out of the 2 year low and getting back to respectability but to get back to the level we were at the end of Cohen is going to take some time. I also think our stadium being as palatial as it is has set a standard. I have said time and time again that stadium was not built for April. It was built for June. So when you build a stadium for that time of year, then the expectation is that you will be playing that time of year almost every year.

And I agree with this. We shouldnt miss the Tourney but once a decade- maybe twice if something happens like in 2022 when we had devastating injuries to our top pitchers. I guess that's the difference between me and most others here. Lemon got a pass for 2022 from me. Losing what we lost to graduation and then injuries was too much to overcome. He obviously gets no pass for 2023. So here we are in 2024 waiting on the verdict.

The team competes, hustles, and works to win. Find a closer and let's get a good spot in the Tourney. If not? Let's hire someone else and get to work.

[StarkVegasSteve]

And I agree with this. We shouldnt miss the Tourney but once a decade- maybe twice if something happens like in 2022 when we had devastating injuries to our top pitchers. I guess that's the difference between me and most others here. Lemon got a pass for 2022 from me. Losing what we lost to graduation and then injuries was too much to overcome. He obviously gets no pass for 2023. So here we are in 2024 waiting on the verdict.

The team competes, hustles, and works to win. Find a closer and let's get a good spot in the Tourney. If not? Let's hire someone else and get to work.

I think the closer is the biggest piece to our success for the rest of the season. I think that would allow Schuelke to be the SU guy so as to not stretch him too much. So whether it be Stevens, Dohm, Auger, Davis, etc. Someone is going to have to step into that role. I think you could say that about the 22 and 23 team as well. Not having a closer has costs us way too many games in the past 2.5 years. Obviously that is not something you typically recruit for, but nonetheless we need to find one.

[Commercecomet24]

And I agree with this. We shouldnt miss the Tourney but once a decade- maybe twice if something happens like in 2022 when we had devastating injuries to our top pitchers. I guess that's the difference between me and most others here. Lemon got a pass for 2022 from me. Losing what we lost to graduation and then injuries was too much to overcome. He obviously gets no pass for 2023. So here we are in 2024 waiting on the verdict.

The team competes, hustles, and works to win. Find a closer and let's get a good spot in the Tourney. If not? Let's hire someone else and get to work.

I view it the same exact way. Even with the players we lost to graduation in 22, if Sims, Simmons, Auger and the other pitchers we lost don't go down with injuries we would've still made it to post seaston play, so yeah i give him a pass for 22. 23 no excuse so this is make or break. Pee or get off the pot. Imperative to find someone, anyone who can close, even if it's a commitee of matchups in the 9th have to find a way to close games.

[Commercecomet24]

I think the closer is the biggest piece to our success for the rest of the season. I think that would allow Schuelke to be the SU guy so as to not stretch him too much. So whether it be Stevens, Dohm, Auger, Davis, etc. Someone is going to have to step into that role. I think you could say that about the 22 and 23 team as well. Not having a closer has costs us way too many games in the past 2.5 years. Obviously that is not something you typically recruit for, but nonetheless we need to find one.

Yeah closer has been a huge problem the last 2 years. In 22 we blew 13 games when we had the lead after the 7th, last year was also double figures. Toughest 3 outs in baseball and there's a reason why closers are so valuable.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Yeah closer has been a huge problem the last 2 years. In 22 we blew 13 games when we had the lead after the 7th, last year was also double figures. Toughest 3 outs in baseball and there's a reason why closers are so valuable.

So how do you recruit that? I truly don't know because I don't follow baseball recruiting very close. I mean is that just going to find a fireballer and kind of penciling him in to be the closer? I know with Sims, he was brought in to be a starter and lost out on the weekend rotation the first weekend of the 21 season and kind of found the closer role because of what he did to Texas.

Also, to go into that stat a little, a closer may not win all those 13 games, but just say you turn 8 of them around you are 35-18 and SAFELY in the NCAA tournament and depending on the 8 you may be vying for a hosting spot. So close, yet so far away.

[Commercecomet24]

So how do you recruit that? I truly don't know because I don't follow baseball recruiting very close. I mean is that just going to find a fireballer and kind of penciling him in to be the closer? I know with Sims, he was brought in to be a starter and lost out on the weekend rotation the first weekend of the 21 season and kind of found the closer role because of what he did to Texas.

Also, to go into that stat a little, a closer may not win all those 13 games, but just say you turn 8 of them around you are 35-18 and SAFELY in the NCAA tournament and depending on the 8 you may be vying for a hosting spot. So close, yet so far away.

Recruiting a closer in college is tough because everyone wants to get drafted. To get drafted high in mlb looks to draft pitchers who have shown they can start and then mlb can convert them to relief if they can't start. They very rarely draft a pitcher just to be a closer. So to find a pitcher to close in college you have to have a sims like situation where he can close for a year or so and then start when he's going to be draft eligible. Or find a guy that maybe borderline and convince him the way to be drafted is to close. Sometimes you find a guy that just wants to close. It's not as easy as it sounds to recruit a guy just to close in college. I would look for a guy that's got a live fastball and a Bulldog mentality, that's mentally tough and can deal with blowing one every now and then and comeback the next day and shut it down. Sims really was a perfect fit for the role.

ETA I'm like you I wouldn't expect to win all 13 but as you said 8 or 9 would put you in post season. Yes so very close but so very far!

I believe in 21 we only blew 2 games when we had the lead after 7.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Recruiting a closer in college is tough because everyone wants to get drafted. To get drafted high in mlb looks to draft pitchers who have shown they can start and then mlb can convert them to relief if they can't start. They very rarely draft a pitcher just to be a closer. So to find a pitcher to close in college you have to have a sims like situation where he can close for a year or so and then start when he's going to be draft eligible. Or find a guy that maybe borderline and convince him the way to be drafted is to close. Sometimes you find a guy that just wants to close. It's not as easy as it sounds to recruit a guy just to close in college. I would look for a guy that's got a live fastball and a Bulldog mentality, that's mentally tough and can deal with blowing one every now and then and comeback the next day and shut it down. Sims really was a perfect fit for the role.

ETA I'm like you I wouldn't expect to win all 13 but as you said 8 or 9 would put you in post season. Yes so very close but so very far!

I believe in 21 we only blew 2 games when we had the lead after 7.

That's a great stat til you realize we didn't lead after 4 in many games much less 7.

[Commercecomet24]

That's a great stat til you realize we didn't lead after 4 in many games much less 7.

21 was the championship year we lead in most games that year

The Sims factor

[SPMT]

Nobody is saying we cant be in the Final 2 times in 11 years- but acting like us not making the CWS is a letdown year is ridiculous to me.

Stevens
Cupp
Mershon
Downs
Chance
Spalitta
Highfill??
O'Brien
Plus other freshmen buried right now because of who is ahead of them
Add a couple of portal guys
(Remember last year and even before the season people saying Hugesak was a bust and cant hit??? That looks like a bad take now doesnt it???)

That's a solid start to next season position-wise. We also have plenty of young pitchers. Not sure why everybody is whining about next year right now

We don?t get paid enough to be worried about this shit?.nonetheless, from 2011 - 2021 we missed the tournament one time. That?s clearly the minimum line.

We made super 7 years out of that span. That?s the real line.

Obviously 2020 was irrelevant.

For me make tournament every year is minimum. You get a pass of two years max. Better make super at a 50% clip.

[StarkVegasSteve]

21 was the championship year we lead in most games that year

The Sims factor

My bad. Was thinking 22 since we were talking about blown leads. What are the two games that we blew? Was it TCU and South Carolina?

[Commercecomet24]

My bad. Was thinking 22 since we were talking about blown leads. What are the two games that we blew? Was it TCU and South Carolina?

No worries. Lol at my age the years run together for me all the time and find myself having to double and triple check! Tcu was one but I'll have to look on the other one. PJ as setup and Sims closing gave us a big 8-9 inning double punch.

[maroonmania]

Having a Super as your standard is not lowering the bar at all. We all know Lemon has not been good the last 2 years. Get the job done this year or you will be unemployed.

The big thing is to let it play out. Almost nobody here thought we would be 4-5 in the SEC right now. It was all this ?we gonna be 1-8? chatter. Win the series against Georgia and we are still on track to accomplish our goals. Pretty simple

None of our baseball coaches have had any job issues while making Supers. Outside of 2007 when we went on a very unexpected run, I don't think Polk 2 ever made a Super. And with Lemonis, we are coming off of missing Hoover 2 straight years. Talk about what should be unacceptable, that's it. You can't even finish in the Top 12 of a freakin' 14 team league? No realistic MSU fan expects to make the CWS every year. We do expect to at least make a regional every year or close to it and with what we pour into our baseball program I think that is more than reasonable.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

We slide into the tournament this year as a 2. Lemon keeps his job. We miss the tournament next year and look for a new coach.

The worst of options, but I agree it's highly likely. We should have moved on end of last year and started the rebuild. I fear we'll have wasted 2 years by hanging on to a sub par coach (this year and next), but I hope I'm wrong

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Also have a nice class coming in. Im gonna call it Lemonis Derangement Syndrome lol. Pretty simple though if he doesnt win this year we'll have a new coach handling this next year.

Our fans in general are not very good at predicting player career arcs and thus have to "see it".

This is year 6 of Lemo. Forgive me if I'm no longer buying the narrative that he just needs to get "his guys" in here, or that Jake G will "coach up" the hitters. We get talent yes, I'm not saying the recruiting is bad... I'm saying that last year and this year are completely Lemos team so why would another year of Lemo recruits be the key to victory?

At what point does "one more year to get his guys" become the definition of insanity?

Make it to a regional final or get out. Jake G and Cheese too. Parker can stay. That's as charitable to Lemo as I can be.

[Commercecomet24]

This is year 6 of Lemo. Forgive me if I'm no longer buying the narrative that he just needs to get "his guys" in here, or that Jake G will "coach up" the hitters. We get talent yes, I'm not saying the recruiting is bad... I'm saying that last year and this year are completely Lemos team so why would another year of Lemo recruits be the key to victory?

At what point does "one more year to get his guys" become the definition of insanity?

Make it to a regional final or get out. Jake G and Cheese too. Parker can stay. That's as charitable to Lemo as I can be.

I never said once wait til he gets his guys. I said we have a nice class coming in but also said he either wins or we'll have a new coach dealing with it next year.

I definitely agree with you though, win or go!

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

People are just frustrated.

LSU lost to the SWAC last night

Was today ok? **** no. But it comes down to our SEC record and what we do there. Be good or you will be fired. Need to take Georgia this weekend

You are 100% correct that crappy midweek loses happen to good teams. That alone isn't reason to get dramatic.

The thing to me is that this is the year Lemo needs to put up or shut up and yet... we're as borderline of a team as you can be. I could see us getting Dohm back and being a high 2 seed and winning a regional. I could also see the UF and midweek losses causing us to unravel a bit, the offense cool off to what we saw pre SEC play, and us missing the postseason with just 12 or 13 SEC wins. Either outcome is very possible.

Yes Lemo should be judged by how it ends. But I think we all see that this team is the definition of "borderline" and that's scary after the last 2 seasons. Hard to not feel nervous

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

I never said once wait til he gets his guys. I said we have a nice class coming in but also said he either wins or we'll have a new coach dealing with it next year.

I know you didn't say it directly, but what is the point of bringing up the recruiting class if not to imply something like "the future is bright with these Lemo recruits"? Not trying to put words in your mouth, I genuinely don't see what else you could have meant by bringing up recruiting

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

(Remember last year and even before the season people saying Hugesak was a bust and cant hit??? That looks like a bad take now doesnt it???)

I'll happily accept being wrong on him. But don't act like you're an expert either. I remember when you said all 3 of Holcomb, Loo, and Loftin would be big contributors because they were "too talented" not to be. Only Loo is. I remember you saying Simmons and Auger would come back from injury and be studs. Cupp was praised on here by some and he's just not ready for SEC pitching. We have all been disappointed in Kohler. Highfill is the example that you will usually loose somebody to injury- either a key hitter or a weekend starter but it will happen.

At the end of the day a lot of it is pretty hard to predict. Guys like Cupp, Stevens, Spalitta, O'Brien, and a Portal transfer could all be studs/a new Ledbetter. Or they could not be close to ready. Some guys like Mershon could become key leaders, but we didn't see a leader in '22 or '23 so that's not a given. Jordan and Hines and Dohm and Loo are big pieces to replace. Could be done for sure but it's not a given by any means.

[Commercecomet24]

I know you didn't say it directly, but what is the point of bringing up the recruiting class if not to imply something like "the future is bright with these Lemo recruits"? Not trying to put words in your mouth, I genuinely don't see what else you could have meant by bringing up recruiting

No I was literally saying it's a nice class we have nothing to do with keeping or letting him go. As I stated in the same post he has to win or we'll have someone else. Yeah I can actually look at a recruiting class because I know a lot of these kids and say it's a nice class without inferring anything about Lemonis staying. Same way I can look at lsu or Vandy or anyone else and say that's a nice class. So yeah you were putting words in my mouth with no idea of my mindset. Smh

ETA I'm not a person who thinks retaining a coach should be tied to his recruiting class coming in. If he can recruit but can't coach he can move on down the road.

[Coach34]

This is year 6 of Lemo. Forgive me if I'm no longer buying the narrative that he just needs to get "his guys" in here, or that Jake G will "coach up" the hitters. We get talent yes, I'm not saying the recruiting is bad... I'm saying that last year and this year are completely Lemos team so why would another year of Lemo recruits be the key to victory?

At what point does "one more year to get his guys" become the definition of insanity?

Make it to a regional final or get out. Jake G and Cheese too. Parker can stay. That's as charitable to Lemo as I can be.

He has his guys- we are watching it play out. We are ranked. Whats the problem?