1) Lol Todd a week ago you were saying our only problems on defense were Forsythe and Alford, so replace them and were good... now you're saying it'll be "interesting" to follow Alford this summer. Which is it?

2) Regarding pitchers every team in this conference can list guys that have potential. Throwing 92+ isn't rare. Being a good pitcher is. But you can't just list guys with potential like that's all a staff needs to be good, or every SEC staff would be good.

3) A LOT of faith is being placed in Cupp. He needs to 1) Get to campus, 2) be ready to play SEC defense, and 3) be ready to hit SEC pitching. That's a lot of unproven things. "The MLB is high on him!" Yeah well the MLB is high on potential, not short term stuff like "he can start immediately in the SEC". The 2 correlate but its not a given Cupp will be able to be our SS savior.

4) As for being "strong up the middle", Highfill needs to get better. We had a lot of passed balls. Yes he can do it because he's young and did get better as the season went on, but it's an assumption to say he will. And it's an assumption Mershon will be solid at 2B when he wasn't at SS, especially because throwing errors were not the only kind he made. I've already mentioned Cupp. Jordan is good I agree there. So only 1/4 "up the middle" are we actually sure will be solid. And Hines needs to work on his glove at 1B, and we have to find a new 3B from the Portal.

5) people keep defending Lemonis because apparently FIVE YEARS isn't enough time to get decent players in. Let's look at that:

Schlossnagle is in year 2 at A&M. they were a national seed in year 1 and are a 2 seed this season. He's used the Portal a lot.

Vitello is in year 6 at Tennessee. In year 2 they made a regional, year 3 was canceled, year 4 made Omaha, year 5 were a national seed, year 6 are hosting.

Bohannon made a regional year 4, missed it year 5, was on path to host year 6.

Jay Johnson immediately used the Portal to elevate LSU. they are a national seed in year 2.

Butch Thompson is in year 8. They made a regional year 2, the supers year 3, Omaha year 4, year 5 was canceled, year 6 they missed, year 7 they made Omaha, year 8 are hosting. First years were before the Portal too

Corbin made a regional in year 2 and 4, and was a national seed year 5. That was obviously pre Portal.

Point is, it seems mediocre coach are mediocre, but good coaches can flip a team within 5 years.

No good coach has his team get worse the more the roster turns over to his recruits. Let me say that again: NO GOOD COACH HAS HIS TEAM GWT WORSE THE MORE THE ROSTER TUENS OVER TO HIS RECRUITS!

find me a coach who missed Hoover year 4 and 5 but turned it around after that. Go ahead, I'll wait.