20/20 Baseball

[ManAboutTown]

We hit rock bottom once under Robe and he made changes. Why the ____ are having to go through it again?

If things turn around like they did after 2012, are we going to do this same ____ again and hit rock bottom after a few good years?

First, we did not hit "rock bottom" in 2012. That's ridiculous.
Second, we enjoyed the best 4 year run in our program's history after that reboot.

So yea, I'd be all for it.

[GeauxLouisiana]

First, we did not hit "rock bottom" in 2012. That's ridiculous.
Second, we enjoyed the best 4 year run in our program's history after that reboot.

So yea, I'd be all for it.

Worst record for Robe in his tenure here isn't rock bottom? Getting swept at home by ULM, which included getting blasted 17-0 on senior day, and missing out on the conference tournament isn't rock bottom? What is rock bottom then?

[wcd35]

Here's some numbers on the JUCO players coming in. Talley was at La Tech with Wells. Kimple was an OK State player. This doesnt include pitcher Jake McDonald who didnt go to JC but is transferring from Texas Tech. He's a guy who sits 90s as well

[ManAboutTown]

Worst record for Robe in his tenure here isn't rock bottom? Getting swept at home by ULM, which included getting blasted 17-0 on senior day, and missing out on the conference tournament isn't rock bottom? What is rock bottom then?

Were you here then?
We knew we had talent. We knew we had help coming in on the mound. It was a low point, but expectations weren't high that year either. We were picked to win the West and Kendall was talking about a regional birth in Feb. When you massively underachieve like this, have seen a full recruiting class come through and lose your identity as a baseball program, that, to me, is rock freaking bottom.

[GeauxLouisiana]

Were you here then?
We knew we had talent. We knew we had help coming in on the mound. It was a low point, but expectations weren't high that year either. We were picked to win the West and Kendall was talking about a regional birth in Feb. When you massively underachieve like this, have seen a full recruiting class come through and lose your identity as a baseball program, that, to me, is rock freaking bottom.

Yea, I was there then...still here now.

And yet people still think these coaches that got us to this low point are the same ones that will get us out of it.

[cajun55]

Here's some numbers on the JUCO players coming in. Talley was at La Tech with Wells. Kimple was an OK State player. This doesnt include pitcher Jake McDonald who didnt go to JC but is transferring from Texas Tech. He's a guy who sits 90s as well

Good stuff, I really like those K/9 rates.

[Dad04]

Here's some numbers on the JUCO players coming in. Talley was at La Tech with Wells. Kimple was an OK State player. This doesnt include pitcher Jake McDonald who didnt go to JC but is transferring from Texas Tech. He's a guy who sits 90s as well

I am hopeful the big juco push will stop the bleeding while we relearn how to recruit high school classes all over again.

The truth is we won't know if recruiting is fixed until after the fact, just like we didn't know hitting was fixed until last month. Maybe recruiting is fixed, or getting fixed. I hope so.

[wcd35]

I am hopeful these big juco push will stop the bleeding while we relearn how to recruit high school classes all over again.

The truth is we won't know if recruiting is fixed until after the fact, just like we didn't know hitting was fixed until last month. Maybe recruiting is fixed, or getting fixed. I hope so.

I like the position players from HS in this upcoming class. I have confidence in kids like Lejeune (not sure what he'll play here), Hoffpauir and Carson Jones. The Holt kid from Arkansas was highly recruited as well. The Bernard kid that will play football too was a solid OF and hitter for a good Lakeshore program.

HS pitching to me was the biggest question mark the last few classes. Really just Perrin has been regularly successful in that group and that's stretching the definition. Savoy has potential and Leaumont has had some stretches. The rest is the reason we're going JC heavy. We're looking at maybe a 10% hit on the last few classes for HS pitchers. Hopefully we improve in this class as well because honestly, that's one of the biggest keys indicators of program health.

[Dad04]

I agree. Pitching is key to the whole thing. Even with a bad offense in 2017 we were very competitive because of pitching. It is the barometer that forecasts our fortunes.

[LifeTimeCajun]

Dad04,
You mentioned the hitting system was in place now. Only issue is that everyone in the lineup today probably isn’t gonna be here next year other than Cantrelle and Breaux. So is it gonna take another 25 games next year till we hit?

[wcd35]

Spears too for a DH spot. Also you have Bourgeois, Windham, Toro coming back off injuries but they know the system now as well. It's not a full new system install like we had this fall, you're closer to a regular turnover number this offseason, though it is a little heavier and will be a concern early on. I certainly don't think hitting is a guarantee early on

[Dad04]

Dad04,
You mentioned the hitting system was in place now. Only issue is that everyone in the lineup today probably isn't gonna be here next year other than Cantrelle and Breaux. So is it gonna take another 25 games next year till we hit?

The learning curve should be steeper. We had to undo a lot of damage done by the previous hitting coach. Cantrelle was the canary in the coal mine. He picked it up faster. He, Breaux and Windy will be able bring the new guys along. Don't underestimate the coaching going on between players in the cages and bullpens. It is significant.

Also, if the talent coming in really is better, then those guys could pick it up quicker, since we are no longer telling hitters to forget everything they learned about hitting in the past 12 years.