Is Lemonis going to bench HH?....

[thekimmer]

Listening to his presser last night he all but said he might although he never directly used his name.

He said we had a lot of non competitive at bats with runners on base.

He said we had the middle of our line-up come up multiple time in those situations and not compete.

He said we have too many ABs where we are trying to pull, hooking balls way behind us, swinging and missing.

He said in response to a question specifically about Hines that he is going to have to look at his lineup and figure out some things because we can't go through some of those things we went through last year.

No question who he was talking about and what he is considering doing. Question is will he do it?

 

[Bulldog45]

He said we have too many ABs where we are trying to pull, hooking balls way behind us, swinging and missing.

No question who he was talking about and what he is considering doing. Question is will he do it?

Another question I would ask is are they doing what they have been taught or are they not doing what they are being taught.

 

[Anon1728174187]

In regards to Hunter why hasn’t Lemonis already corrected the problem. Hunter has been in the program long enough to know whether he can hit or not. Period!

 

[JonJuanQuixote]

Pitching was the problem.. we got a new pitching coach. Hitting is the problem now... who's to blame?

 

[HuntDawg]

Not only Hines... we've put Reese and Highfill on a pedestal as well

Reese is barely producing more than Hines.. and Highfill has a blistering 200 average and 580 OPS along with being below average behind the plate so far.

All.3 of those need to be much better if we are going to be any good...

 

[johnson86-1]

The comment about Hunter being stubborn is to me unacceptable. I don't know if Lemonis was just trying to deflect attention from his coaching or just didn't think the comment was correct and didn't want to engage on it, but if he really was saying Hunter was too stubborn to change his approach in accordance with directions from the coaches, that is damning of Lemonis. Although in fairness based on how little we've improved year to year, I guess I could understand players thinking listening to our hitting coaches might be a bad idea.

 

[onewoof]

What our team needs:

Deuliya Rashtro on Instagram: "Headteacher"

263K likes, 5,626 comments - deuliyagram on February 25, 2025: "Headteacher".

www.instagram.com

 

[thekimmer]

Not only Hines... we've put Reese and Highfill on a pedestal as well

Reese is barely producing more than Hines.. and Highfill has a blistering 200 average and 580 OPS along with being below average behind the plate so far.

All.3 of those need to be much better if we are going to be any good...

I think Reese is coming around a bit. He went 2-4 last night with a walk and an RBI and made good contact on a line out. Did much better the last couple of games vs MoSt too. Average has moved up to .241. Highfil is another story. He seems enamored with bunting which tells me his confidence swinging the bat is not the greatest. I don't get why he is still batting in the 2 spot hitting an anemic .200. He really hasn't knocked my socks off behind the plate either. Two passed balls just last night. A catcher hitting .200 he better be a rock star behind the dish.

 

[thekimmer]

Another question I would ask is are they doing what they have been taught or are they not doing what they are being taught.

Hines reminds me a bit of Eric Cerantola. Loaded with raw talent but just unable to consistently harness it at this level. Perhaps when he is at the pro level when he can face game action every day.

 

[patdog]

Highfil is another story. He seems enamored with bunting which tells me his confidence swinging the bat is not the greatest. I don't get why he is still batting in the 2 spot hitting an anemic .200.

Isn't he the one that bunted with 2 outs and men on 1st and 2nd. That is just screaming lack of any confidence at all (either by him if he did it on his own or by the coaches if it was called). You can't have a hitter in the lineup that bunts in that situation.

 

[HuntDawg]

I think Reese is coming around a bit. He went 2-4 last night with a walk and an RBI and made good contact on a line out. Did much better the last couple of games vs MoSt too. Average has moved up to .241. Highfil is another story. He seems enamored with bunting which tells me his confidence swinging the bat is not the greatest. I don't get why he is still batting in the 2 spot hitting an anemic .200. He really hasn't knocked my socks off behind the plate either. Two passed balls just last night. A catcher hitting .200 he better be a rock star behind the dish.

ive heard highfill is playing behind the dish b/c he was promsied that for draft prospects. We actually have 1-2 catchers better than him.. but if highfill moves into the OF, his draft stock takes a hit.

One of those deals where lemonis puts people over the team... same reason why landon sims was moved to starter...

But agree.. he's hasnt looked great at all behind the plate.

 

[Curby]

Highfil is another story. He seems enamored with bunting which tells me his confidence swinging the bat is not the greatest.

Highfill has speed to get down the line. He can bunt for base hits and has done so in scrimmages.

 

[eckie1]

ive heard highfill is playing behind the dish b/c he was promsied that for draft prospects. We actually have 1-2 catchers better than him.. but if highfill moves into the OF, his draft stock takes a hit.

One of those deals where lemonis puts people over the team... same reason why landon sims was moved to starter...

But agree.. he's hasnt looked great at all behind the plate.

Sims was a phenom on the mound. Highfill has no business being in power 5, if Div 1 at all. If Lem is catering to this guy because of his draft status, he needs to be fired yesterday. His grace period is over, and we can fire him this season if he blows it without consequence.

This said, I have no reason to believe a word you said, as usual.

 

[HuntDawg]

Sims was a phenom on the mound. Highfill has no business being in power 5, if Div 1 at all. If Lem is catering to this guy because of his draft status, he needs to be fired yesterday. His grace period is over, and we can fire him this season if he blows it without consequence.

This said, I have no reason to believe a word you said, as usual.

sims was unreal on the mound. Most dominate player in college baseball in a while IMO. Could win you two games alone on the weekends.

He was promised a chance to start.. so we moved the most dominate closer to a starting role because it was what promised. No reasonable person would think Sims and his stuff would profile as a starter... and pop goes the elbow.

Highfill came back because he was told he would catch. His draft stock is higher as a C than an OF. Lemonis talked about having 4 catchers all pre-season... so far highfill has caught 6 of the games and looked below avereage doing it.....

I personally dont care if you believe me or not.. those are the facts. Lemonis gets loyal to certain players and refuses to do whats best for the team because of it. Look no farther than guys like Hancock at 1b, Long catching last year... i could go on.. but thats a major downfall of lemonis

 

[thekimmer]

Isn't he the one that bunted with 2 outs and men on 1st and 2nd. That is just screaming lack of any confidence at all (either by him if he did it on his own or by the coaches if it was called). You can't have a hitter in the lineup that bunts in that situation.

That was explained in post-game as a 'miscommunication'. I personally think Highfil wanted to bunt so badly that he literally willed himself to see the sign there even though no coach in his right mind would have asked a player to lay one down in that situation.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

That was explained in post-game as a 'miscommunication'. I personally think Highfil wanted to bunt so badly that he literally willed himself to see the sign there even though no coach in his right mind would have asked a player to lay one down in that situation.

It's been said numerous times that he's the fastest one on the team. My opinion is there was never a bunt sign, and that was all Highfil.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

sims was unreal on the mound. Most dominate player in college baseball in a while IMO. Could win you two games alone on the weekends.

He was promised a chance to start.. so we moved the most dominate closer to a starting role because it was what promised. No reasonable person would think Sims and his stuff would profile as a starter... and pop goes the elbow.

Highfill came back because he was told he would catch. His draft stock is higher as a C than an OF. Lemonis talked about having 4 catchers all pre-season... so far highfill has caught 6 of the games and looked below avereage doing it.....

I personally dont care if you believe me or not.. those are the facts. Lemonis gets loyal to certain players and refuses to do whats best for the team because of it. Look no farther than guys like Hancock at 1b, Long catching last year... i could go on.. but thats a major downfall of lemonis

Basically everything you say, on every topic, is wrong.

 

[Thebulldogcountry1]

In regards to Hunter why hasn’t Lemonis already corrected the problem. Hunter has been in the program long enough to know whether he can hit or not. Period!

When Hines didn't get drafted last year, I figured it might light a fire under him, and he would commit to getting better in the offseason. I will say he made some great defensive plays this past weekend, but his hitting has not improved at all. No excuse for 4Ks and 9LOB for a senior who has played at DNF for 4 years.

 

[HuntDawg]

Basically everything you say, on every topic, is wrong.

nice!!!!!!!!

go back to your front porch and listen to hooked on phonics to get your education up to a 7th grade level GOAT

 

[JonJuanQuixote]

Highfill has speed to get down the line. He can bunt for base hits and has done so in scrimmages.

So he's just going to bunt.. all season.. in the 2 hole ... in the SEC?

 

[patdog]

That was explained in post-game as a 'miscommunication'. I personally think Highfil wanted to bunt so badly that he literally willed himself to see the sign there even though no coach in his right mind would have asked a player to lay one down in that situation.

If I'm at the plate and get that sign in that situation, I'm calling time out and asking the coach "are you sure?" Calling that a "miscommunication" doesn't really make it any more acceptable.

 

[JonJuanQuixote]

nice!!!!!!!!

go back to your front porch and listen to hooked on phonics to get your education up to a 7th grade level GOAT

Says the guy that used the verb "dominate" twice instead of the correct word and adjective "dominant" earlier.

 

[17itdawg]

It's been said numerous times that he's the fastest one on the team. My opinion is there was never a bunt sign, and that was all Highfil.

Agreed and the miscommunication BS is Lemonis covering for his guy.

 

[Curby]

So he's just going to bunt.. all season.. in the 2 hole ... in the SEC?

The question was why is highfill in the 2-hole. He gets down the line quick and has the ability to beat out infield hits and set the table for the heavy hitters. It ain't rocket science. He also has the ability to drive the ball.

 

[thekimmer]

The question was why is highfill in the 2-hole. He gets down the line quick and has the ability to beat out infield hits and set the table for the heavy hitters. It ain't rocket science. He also has the ability to drive the ball.

Those are all valid reasons. Unfortunately he is batting .200 with just 1 double in cupcake season. Maybe he will turn it around but if not he at least needs to be moved down the lineup. He does lead the team in HBP so I will give him that.

 

[JonJuanQuixote]

The question was why is highfill in the 2-hole. He gets down the line quick and has the ability to beat out infield hits and set the table for the heavy hitters. It ain't rocket science. He also has the ability to drive the ball.

Lets see how that's working out for him: Of the starters he is currently.. second to last in OBP, dead last in AVG, dead last in OPS. I'd say that's not a 2-hole worthy performance thus far.

 

[Curby]

Lets see how that's working out for him: Of the starters he is currently.. second to last in OBP, dead last in AVG, dead last in OPS. I'd say that's not a 2-hole worthy performance thus far.

Then show us what your lineup would be, Chief.

I told you the reasoning behind it. The best baseball players are only successful 3 out of 10 times at the plate.

Every game so far in the early season has been played in 40-degree weather or colder.

 

[Dogdazey]

Hines hasn't been decent at the plate at all, but he's become an above average to pretty good defensive first baseman. He has saved many outs this year.

 

[johnson86-1]

sims was unreal on the mound. Most dominate player in college baseball in a while IMO. Could win you two games alone on the weekends.

He was promised a chance to start.. so we moved the most dominate closer to a starting role because it was what promised. No reasonable person would think Sims and his stuff would profile as a starter... and pop goes the elbow.

Highfill came back because he was told he would catch. His draft stock is higher as a C than an OF. Lemonis talked about having 4 catchers all pre-season... so far highfill has caught 6 of the games and looked below avereage doing it.....

I personally dont care if you believe me or not.. those are the facts. Lemonis gets loyal to certain players and refuses to do whats best for the team because of it. Look no farther than guys like Hancock at 1b, Long catching last year... i could go on.. but thats a major downfall of lemonis

Sims was also very good as a starter before he was hurt (w-l record wasn't his fault). I don't have a problem playing a draft pick at his preferred position as long as he is also our best option at that position. That's just part of the game you have to play, although NIL may change the calculations on that some.

If we are playing Highfill at catcher because of promises when there are options that are better than him (as in absolutely better than him at that spot; not better options in the sense that it helps us optimize the lineup elsewhere), that's a different issue and will destroy your team.

 

[She Mate Me]

Hines reminds me a bit of Eric Cerantola. Loaded with raw talent but just unable to consistently harness it at this level. Perhaps when he is at the pro level when he can face game action every day.

No offense, but this is a kinda ridiculous comparison. Cerantola never figured anything out at State and was a non factor for us his entire career.

Hines has been a good to great player for us from Day 1 his freshman year. Problem is, he's still basically that same player.