Well its time to start thinking about baseball again....

[thekimmer]

Lord knows I've tried not to think about it too much these past 8-9 months. Obviously the focus is unfortunately on Lem and what the season holds for is continued employment.

Based on that I have three questions.

1. What is your realistic expectation for the team this season?

2. What is the minimum outcome required for Lem to keep his job?

3. If things start heading south again would you support a mid-season change?

 

[ababyatemydingo]

1. Hoover and done

2. 2 seed in regional

3. Yes

 

[Muttley]

1. I have zero expectations. I can't take another nut punch

2. Make a regional and be competitive

3. No, unless it is just a complete cluster, but be ready on May 18.

 

[TXDawg.sixpack]

1) We make the NCAA Tournament but don't host or win the Regional

2) Host a Regional

3) Maybe. Depends on how the team looks and when the nosedive happens. If we look bad/incompetent in OOC play, I'd support a change.

 

[The Cooterpoot]

We play half the top 10 teams, plus other ranked teams. The schedule is brutal. I'm not sure we make post season. Hoover will be a struggle. But, at the same time, I think we'll have a better team.
There's no chance of a mid-season change unless Lemonis gets his penis caught in someone he's not married to.

 

[the_marshall]

1. Realistically, I expect to start out hot, but to cool later in the year. Make it to Hoover, and then we're done after 2 games there

2. Super Regional

3. Interim for the rest of the season, yes, then go FINALLY get someone that is a sitting P5 HC that has taken teams to Omaha as a head coach (what Cohen promised us, but never delivered on with Lemo)

 

[patdog]

Lord knows I've tried not to think about it too much these past 8-9 months. Obviously the focus is unfortunately on Lem and what the season holds for is continued employment.

Based on that I have three questions.

1. What is your realistic expectation for the team this season?

2. What is the minimum outcome required for Lem to keep his job?

3. If things start heading south again would you support a mid-season change?

1. Make a regional
2. Make a regional
3. Yes

 

[57stratdawg]

All comes down to throwing strikes.

Hard to see Lemonis returning if we miss NCAA Tournament again. We could have some injuries, or run into a hot team, where it’s hard to fault us for not making a Super.

I’d like to think we’ll be better. We should have the offense. We just have to compete in the strike zone.

 

[Dawgg]

1. We're a 3 seed in the tournament. We'll get enough 'quality losses', 1-2 weekends, and one random sweep/2-1 weekend over a team we shouldn't and skate in to the tourney, but end up somewhere in the southwest where we go 2 & que.

2. Make the SEC and NCAA Tournament.

3. VERY unlikely, but could happen with one or more of the following:
A. Scandal
B. We end the Hancock Whitney with an overall .300 record and get swept by LSU, Memphis, and A&M
C. We have an agreement in principle with our next guy and Lemonis gets let go before the Mizzou series which I guess is technically 'mid-season'

 

[Dawgbite]

1. Hoover has become a glorified Exhibition, it no longer matters.
2. Regional, at least a two seed. Win at least one game.
3. Doesn’t mater when he’s fired, what matters is when the decision is made. The search for a new coach can begin irrelevant of whos sitting on the bucket.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Hard to see Lemonis returning if we miss NCAA Tournament again. We could have some injuries, or run into a hot team, where it’s hard to fault us for not making a Super.

It's really this simple. Make a regional.

And of course, nothing is ever concrete, right? I think after the past two years, the true baseline should be hosting, but have to allow for some wiggle room, the SEC could be super hard and we get unlucky, etc. So if we miss THAT mark and then miss a regional, wow, hard to imagine being that bad 3 years in a row after winning a natty. We all know he's fired at that point.

 

[Rupert Jenkins]

I say we talk about all the new pitchers and the experience that our returning pitchers have and how our new coach is gonna drastically improve their overall performance. Then discuss all the good hitting and fielding that we will have in this lineup. Get super hyped and then after the 7th game start chanting " Far Lemonhead"

 

[Podgy]

We have to make a regional. Even after the last two years no one should celebrate making it to Hoover. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one whose typical optimism about baseball has taken a huge hit.

 

[8dog]

All comes down to throwing strikes.

Hard to see Lemonis returning if we miss NCAA Tournament again. We could have some injuries, or run into a hot team, where it’s hard to fault us for not making a Super.

I’d like to think we’ll be better. We should have the offense. We just have to compete in the strike zone.

The zone will supposedly be bigger this year so that helps us (and everyone)

 

[thekimmer]

I wanted to hear from a few others first but these are my answers.

I do expect us to be improved because we have pretty good hitting and pitching can't possibly be worse ( can it?) I expect we will make it to hoover and probably a 3 seed in a top 8 national seed's regional where we will quickly exit.

My minimum expectation is to be a high two-seed in a regional. I would still consider making a change if we don't make a super. Lem has had 3 years post NC. Time to put up or shut up.

If we see the same crap three weeks into NCAA play I would 100% support a mid-season change. After all, I thought Lem deserved to be shown the door last year.

 

[LandArchDawg]

1. Make the SEC Tourney, just miss making a regional.

2. Make a regional.

3. Yes, if it is something approaching the last 2 years or worse.

 

[ronpolk]

1) I don’t have high expectations of this team. I think we will hit lots of home runs and give up lots of runs.

2) gotta make a regional

3) I don’t see what firing lemonis mid season does in this instance. If we are not in the post season, there is plenty of time to make the move after the season. And hopefully whatever coach we go after is still coaching in the post season. Can’t imagine we’d hire a coach in May or early June anyway. The wheels have fallen off for sure but firing Lemonis mid season would serve nothing other than to embarrass a coach who won our only national title.

with all that said, I’ve been told we are going to be better on the mound. I don’t have some incredible inside sources, just friends with several former players. I’m in wait and see mode. I like Lemonis and want him to get it turned around but I’d be shocked if he does. I expect us to be disappointed again.

 

[MStateDawg]

1. I think both pitching & defense will be improved. We have plenty of talent in the lineup. I think we'll make Hover and be a 2 seed at a winnable Regional that's paired up vs an SEC National Seed.

2. Make Hoover & the NCAA Tournament.

3. I don't feel strongly one way or the other.

 

[columbiadawg2]

1. Hoover, barely
2. Make a regional and he's safe
3. I would say late season is fine if things look like the last two years. Just enough to get a jump on the hiring season.

I am at my lowest as far as excitement for State baseball at any point in my life. That includes Polk II/Cohen rebuild years. I have virtually no expectations this season other than being prepared to lose a lot of games. Lemo has broken me.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I don’t see what firing lemonis mid season does in this instance. If we are not in the post season, there is plenty of time to make the move after the season. And hopefully whatever coach we go after is still coaching in the post season. Can’t imagine we’d hire a coach in May or early June anyway. The wheels have fallen off for sure but firing Lemonis mid season would serve nothing other than to embarrass a coach who won our only national title.

Agree. However, it did sort of help us in football when we started spiraling and all the fans were freaking out. If we start just getting absolutely demolished, may as well just let go and let GoTro or Parker coach the team and see if we can get things stabilized and keep from getting embarrassed any more. Or at minimum, we'd have an excuse.

 

[MaroonSadness99]

14-16 back in tournament as 2 or 3

 

[HRMSU]

I'm way ahead of you.....as soon as that embarrassing underperforming Cowboys team finished crapping their pants I grabbed my Rangers hoodie and ball cap like it was a pacifier....i mean i was curled up in the floor letting my feelings get destroyed by facts......wait sorry only read the OP headline.

 

[thekimmer]

Agree. However, it did sort of help us in football when we started spiraling and all the fans were freaking out. If we start just getting absolutely demolished, may as well just let go and let GoTro or Parker coach the team and see if we can get things stabilized and keep from getting embarrassed any more. Or at minimum, we'd have an excuse.

It would be a huge pressure relief as you said, similar to when Arnett was let go. I can only speak for myself but it helped my attitude a great deal when that went down. It also puts your program on the radar of prospective coaches a lot earlier.