13 SEC L’s in a row for Lemonis…

[patdog]

Recruiting services aren’t perfect, but we have entirely too many coveted recruits for this to be true.
.

They're much further from perfect than most people think. Especially baseball recruiting services. It doesn't take a genius to look at this team and realize it's just not as talented as many of the teams we've had in the past, or that the rest of the SEC has now.

 

[The Cooterpoot]

I checked the PG site…. We’ve had 10 on campus in your range. Not as many as Lootie or Vandy, but not as close to Bama and Mizzou.

2020:
Kellum Clark
Jackson Fristoe
Mikey Tepper
Cade Smith

2021:
Aaron Downs
Pico Kohn

2022:
Cijnte
Dakota Jordan
Ross Highfill
Bradley Loftin

6 of those are pitchers. Look at our clueless pitching coach. He's 75% our problem.

 

[SchrodingersDawg]

In general I'd say March is a bit early for a baseball fandom meltdown, but damn, Lemonis, wtf?

Oh well...

 

[Cantdoitsal]

It will be the biggest fall from grace in school history If he cannot right the ship.

This and the thought of it saddens the hell outta me. Would drop a C-Note to know what's going thru Selmon's head right about now.

 

[boatsandhoes]

That’s tough to do.

I too am puzzled. I do not think it’s talent, but I do think there is a lack of starting pitching talent from what I see. It’s like we forgot how to win games. Maybe we underestimated the value of rowdy and tanner allen, and no one has stepped up to really lead. I underestimated the value of Simms being able to come in with a tight lead and finish without giving up diddly squat (1 in every 10 they’d get him). We don’t have anyone with 1/10th the sack he had in the 7th, 8th, and 9th.

it’s weird but I’m not giving up. Maybe we’re snake bit and will grow up. But given how last year finished I can’t see them turning it around.

 

[Perd Hapley]

I checked the PG site…. We’ve had 10 on campus in your range. Not as many as Lootie or Vandy, but not as close to Bama and Mizzou.

2020:
Kellum Clark
Jackson Fristoe
Mikey Tepper
Cade Smith

2021:
Aaron Downs
Pico Kohn

2022:
Cijnte
Dakota Jordan
Ross Highfill
Bradley Loftin

Correct. I was counting guys who are still here, so I did not include Fristoe or Tepper.

 

[Msuirondawgs]

And the number 4 transfer class in the country try this year. And let’s not forget Walling. Another stud get that fizzled. But part of the rankings issue is we were loyal to guys that were obvious no-takes. And Hines isnt a top 200 guy. That was a good find by the staff.

This isn’t a talent issue. if we were consistently a 2 seed then maybe it’s a different discussion.

And top 2 Freshman class according to the guys at D1 Baseball, which to me, is the best site for news and analysis.

 

[Perd Hapley]

And the number 4 transfer class in the country try this year. And let’s not forget Walling. Another stud get that fizzled. But part of the rankings issue is we were loyal to guys that were obvious no-takes. And Hines isnt a top 200 guy. That was a good find by the staff.

This isn’t a talent issue. if we were consistently a 2 seed then maybe it’s a different discussion.

Yes, but every other SEC school has guys outside the 200 blow up as well. And as much as I love bringing in impact transfers, they are typically from mid-majors which means they aren’t often top end talents in terms of raw ability. Classic example is RJ Yeager. He was a great college player but not an MLB guy like what LSU and Vandy are bringing in.

You are right that talent isn’t necessarily the issue, because we have been consistently a 2-seed until last season and likely this year. But the talent isn’t as good as half of the teams in the league. We don’t have a roster that you can just go on autopilot as a coach and still be a baseline regional team.

 

[Msuirondawgs]

Yes, but every other SEC school has guys outside the 200 blow up as well. And as much as I love bringing in impact transfers, they are typically from mid-majors which means they aren’t often top end talents in terms of raw ability. Classic example is RJ Yeager. He was a great college player but not an MLB guy like what LSU and Vandy are bringing in.

You are right that talent isn’t necessarily the issue, because we have been consistently a 2-seed until last season and likely this year. But the talent isn’t as good as half of the teams in the league. We don’t have a roster that you can just go on autopilot as a coach and still be a baseline regional team.

Cant really argue that. Skenes picked LSU over us and they went and got Tommy Tanks from NC State and Christian Little from Vandy. MLB talent I agree.

Something else Im still puzzled at too brother... With the reputation that we have and the facilities and the fans and the attendance records and so on and so on I still don't understand how we are unable to get guys to campus from outside the state of Mississippi. Great talent in our home state dont get me wrong, but Sims was a GA guy, Bednar, PA. One of our top recruits this year is from GA too(Cupp). Jett Williams was a TX guy and went 1st round, I get that... It makes you wonder if the NIL money is just that much greater at these other schools. I mean Tennessee's recruiting their stud shortstop from Hawaii of all places. Skenes came from Air Force.

 

[8dog]

Yes, but every other SEC school has guys outside the 200 blow up as well. And as much as I love bringing in impact transfers, they are typically from mid-majors which means they aren’t often top end talents in terms of raw ability. Classic example is RJ Yeager. He was a great college player but not an MLB guy like what LSU and Vandy are bringing in.

You are right that talent isn’t necessarily the issue, because we have been consistently a 2-seed until last season and likely this year. But the talent isn’t as good as half of the teams in the league. We don’t have a roster that you can just go on autopilot as a coach and still be a baseline regional team.

RJ Yeager was one of the best players in the conference last year regardless of his MLB prospects. LSU wouldn’t be very good this year if not for the portal. I get that it’s now part of the game but they were not a program in great shape until the portal saved them.
If we had the right coach we would be in the postseason every year. Bianco, Vitello, Van Horn, Schloss. We just have a bad one. I mean we went to 5 straight Supers. Everyone has been bringing in tons of talent of the last decade and we have been as good as anyone.

like I said its worth discussing talent if we are a 2-3 seed each year but we are so far off the tracks there is no way this is a talent issue.

 

[Drebin]

RJ Yeager was one of the best players in the conference last year regardless of his MLB prospects. LSU wouldn’t be very good this year if not for the portal. I get that it’s now part of the game but they were not a program in great shape until the portal saved them.
If we had the right coach we would be in the postseason every year. Bianco, Vitello, Van Horn, Schloss. We just have a bad one. I mean we went to 5 straight Supers. Everyone has been bringing in tons of talent of the last decade and we have been as good as anyone.

like I said its worth discussing talent if we are a 2-3 seed each year but we are so far off the tracks there is no way this is a talent issue.

This post isn't debatable at all. Our problems are coaching related, not talent related. And it's the routine stuff that we struggle with the most, which is the dead giveaway. There are folks here who still don't want to believe this, but they'll eventually come around.

 

[Podgy]

If you look up the PG Top 200 recruits that made it to each SEC campus over the 2020, 2021, and 2022 classes, you will likely find that we are very middle of the pack talent-wise in the SEC.

Here’s some numbers on how many of each made it to campus at various schools:

LSU - 24
Vandy - 24
Florida - 21
South Carolina - 17
Arkansas - 15
Ole Miss - 10
MSU - 8
Tennessee - 8
Auburn - 7
Alabama - 7
Missouri - 6
UGA - 5
Texas A&M - 5
Kentucky - 4

Its a very sobering thought to realize how much closer our talent is to schools like Alabama and Missouri than it is to the upper third of teams in the SEC. Its really been that way for a long time….this didn’t start with Lemonis. And talent certainly isn’t our only problem. But we don’t have nearly as much margin for coaching error with this roster as you would be led to believe. And as it pertains to us specifically, half of our 8 are true freshmen this season - Highfill, Jordan, Cjintje, and Loftin.

This and just the 13 loss SEC streak shouldn't make anyone optimistic about this team. If you're looking for a job at a top baseball program, you don't mention this on a resume. It's not like we got a lot top flight guys in the portal either.

 

[8dog]

The top 200 ranking is not gospel. Let’s slow down with all that. Plenty of talent that doesn’t get ranked top 200. Go look at our 2019 and 2016 teams. Loaded with talent. Not a lot of top 200 guys. Our recruiting misses have been far less about M over S and far more about eval/development.