Expectations

[zeppelincajun]

The topic of expectations has been a frequent discussion over the past several years. Some are of the mindset that expectations are too high while others say the expectations are appropriate and just aren’t being met.

Over the last 22 completed seasons, UL has made at least Regionals 10 times. As you can see below, up until the 2017 - 2021 run it had been since before the millennium when this program missed Regionals more than 2 years in a row.

Of the 10 Regional seasons, 8 of those teams either received an at large bid or were at large level quality. Obviously the landscape is different currently in terms of receiving at large bids. With that being said, I still think 6 of the 8 would have been in the tournament under today’s conditions, with 2002 and 2010 being the exceptions (37 win teams before regionals who got bounced in 2 games of the conference tournament).

It seems to be only the fans who are accused of setting the standard/expectations of the program too high, but I would argue that the fans were not alone in setting this bar. The university made a $15 million+ investment in building a 6,000 seat stadium with luxury suites and a stadium club. That is not an investment made by a program where the expectation is to be in Regionals once every 4 years. That is the investment of a program that expects to be in the postseason consistently and no stranger to hosting postseason play. To this day, the athletic department spends the 2nd most in the conference on its baseball program. We play in a top 3 venue in the conference and draw the 2nd best numbers in the league. Our head coach has never hid from what he believes this program to be and the heights he wants to see it achieve. He has also said in no uncertain terms that he would much rather coach somewhere with expectations as opposed to somewhere without. If the 1999-2000/2013-2016 runs created expectations, the fans are clearly far from the only ones who bought in to them.

• 2000 - CWS
• 2001 - Miss
• 2002 - Regional
• 2003 - Miss
• 2004 - Miss
• 2005 - Regional
• 2006 - Miss
• 2007 - Regional
• 2008 - Miss
• 2009 - Miss
• 2010 - Regional
• 2011 - Miss
• 2012 - Miss
• 2013 - Regional
• 2014 - Super
• 2015 - Super
• 2016 - Regional
• 2017 - Miss
• 2018 - Miss
• 2019 - Miss
• 2021 - Miss
• 2022 - Regional

This season is far from over. Deggs says this is a Regional team, and they could very well prove him right. What they won’t be barring a miracle is an at large team. This marks the 6th straight year of fielding a team that has to win the conference tournament to advance to the postseason. IMO that is a clear step below standards that, again, were not set by just a few loud posters on a message board. Coaches, players, administrators, the media (D1 Baseball and others), and yes…fans believed this program to be something more than what we are now being told is all we can ever and should have ever expected. I disagree with that notion, and I’m not ready to throw in the towel and just say, “well I guess this is it” just yet. It’s a plus to me that we have someone in charge who seems to be unwilling to do this as well. There are absolutely comments that go over the line in in-game threads. That to me is not a clear indication of unattainable expectations for the entire program.

I hope this thread can remain a DISCUSSION and certainly realize there will be opposing points made. The more the merrier. Let’s try and keep it on topic. We don’t care if your best friend’s cousin has a beef with Rando657’s neighbor’s sister-in-law.

GEAUX CAJUNS

[Turbine]

I will have to analyze this a little bit more but it certainly presents a well rounded perspective.

[JayWalker]

For the most part, I have no problem with expectations. Hell, it's better than being Arkansas State or ULM when it comes to baseball.

Now, some expectations are more reasonable than others. And, fans have a tendency to knee jerk after every win and loss.

You're correct when you say the landscape has changed. But that doesn't mean expectations need to.

What we need to get away from is wanting to question whether we have the right coach every time "expectations" are not met. Because sometimes expectations don't match up with talent (in any sport).

We want to be great. And, that's good.

[JMV JustMyView]

The topic of expectations has been a frequent discussion over the past several years. Some are of the mindset that expectations are too high while others say the expectations are appropriate and just aren’t being met.

Over the last 22 completed seasons, UL has made at least Regionals 10 times. As you can see below, up until the 2017 - 2021 run it had been since before the millennium when this program missed Regionals more than 2 years in a row.

Of the 10 Regional seasons, 8 of those teams either received an at large bid or were at large level quality. Obviously the landscape is different currently in terms of receiving at large bids. With that being said, I still think 6 of the 8 would have been in the tournament under today’s conditions, with 2002 and 2010 being the exceptions (37 win teams before regionals who got bounced in 2 games of the conference tournament).

It seems to be only the fans who are accused of setting the standard/expectations of the program too high, but I would argue that the fans were not alone in setting this bar. The university made a $15 million+ investment in building a 6,000 seat stadium with luxury suites and a stadium club. That is not an investment made by a program where the expectation is to be in Regionals once every 4 years. That is the investment of a program that expects to be in the postseason consistently and no stranger to hosting postseason play. To this day, the athletic department spends the 2nd most in the conference on its baseball program. We play in a top 3 venue in the conference and draw the 2nd best numbers in the league. Our head coach has never hid from what he believes this program to be and the heights he wants to see it achieve. He has also said in no uncertain terms that he would much rather coach somewhere with expectations as opposed to somewhere without. If the 1999-2000/2013-2016 runs created expectations, the fans are clearly far from the only ones who bought in to them.

• 2000 - CWS
• 2001 - Miss
• 2002 - Regional
• 2003 - Miss
• 2004 - Miss
• 2005 - Regional
• 2006 - Miss
• 2007 - Regional
• 2008 - Miss
• 2009 - Miss
• 2010 - Regional
• 2011 - Miss
• 2012 - Miss
• 2013 - Regional
• 2014 - Super
• 2015 - Super
• 2016 - Regional
• 2017 - Miss
• 2018 - Miss
• 2019 - Miss
• 2021 - Miss
• 2022 - Regional

This season is far from over. Deggs says this is a Regional team, and they could very well prove him right. What they won’t be barring a miracle is an at large team. This marks the 6th straight year of fielding a team that has to win the conference tournament to advance to the postseason. IMO that is a clear step below standards that, again, were not set by just a few loud posters on a message board. Coaches, players, administrators, the media (D1 Baseball and others), and yes…fans believed this program to be something more than what we are now being told is all we can ever and should have ever expected. I disagree with that notion, and I’m not ready to throw in the towel and just say, “well I guess this is it” just yet. It’s a plus to me that we have someone in charge who seems to be unwilling to do this as well. There are absolutely comments that go over the line in in-game threads. That to me is not a clear indication of unattainable expectations for the entire program.

I hope this thread can remain a DISCUSSION and certainly realize there will be opposing points made. The more the merrier. Let’s try and keep it on topic. We don’t care if your best friend’s cousin has a beef with Rando657’s neighbor’s sister-in-law.

GEAUX CAJUNS

Thanks for putting this together. I will dive into it later on tonight.

[Cajunrunner]

I've seen some folks on here say every season we should be in a Regional; however, looking at the trend you put up there, one out of every three seasons looks to be the reality. For the investment that has been put into the baseball program certainly since the 2014 season compared to the conference, maybe every other season should be the sensible expectation?

That span from the end of the 2017 season to the end of the 2019 season, I believe, has had a lasting effect and presented challenges in recruiting and faith in the program that must be overcome.

We did overcome after 2011 and a disaster of a 2012 season that concluded with us being swept at home by ULM, losing the last game 0-17.

As others have stated recently, this year's team is struggling bad with consistency.

Personally, I've gone into each game this season feeling better about our chances to win than I did before each game last season. Maybe it's just some weird gut feeling, but I believe the ability to win and play vs. upper competition is higher this year than it was last year. However, we see where we currently stand, just trying to make the conference tournament. Is missing guys like Bonds, Schultz and Talley on the mound the difference?

[ULvictory]

With the money we have invested in the last 6 years with a new stadium and plans for a new clubhouse, expectations should be high in spite of results.

[Dad04]

So. Miss is an example of a mid-major with consistent achievement this century. 15 regional appearances, 2 supers and one trip to Omaha since 1999. If they can get to 15 of 22 regionals, that should be doable for us.

[Lej0285]

I've seen some folks on here say every season we should be in a Regional; however, looking at the trend you put up there, one out of every three seasons looks to be the reality. For the investment that has been put into the baseball program certainly since the 2014 season compared to the conference, maybe every other season should be the sensible expectation?

That span from the end of the 2017 season to the end of the 2019 season, I believe, has had a lasting effect and presented challenges in recruiting and faith in the program that must be overcome.

We did overcome after 2011 and a disaster of a 2012 season that concluded with us being swept at home by ULM, losing the last game 0-17.

As others have stated recently, this year's team is struggling bad with consistency.

Personally, I've gone into each game this season feeling better about our chances to win than I did before each game last season. Maybe it's just some weird gut feeling, but I believe the ability to win and play vs. upper competition is higher this year than it was last year. However, we see where we currently stand, just trying to make the conference tournament. Is missing guys like Bonds, Schultz and Talley on the mound the difference?

Bonds was a huge loss no doubt out of the bullpen. Not having theut was also a killer as well. We just have not had the quality of pitching that we need this year. I understand getting hit but the walks and hit batters have been real bad. We need a Friday night type of arm next year bad. NIL shell out some money to get one

[CajunNation]

So. Miss is an example of a mid-major with consistent achievement this century. 15 regional appearances, 2 supers and one trip to Omaha since 1999. If they can get to 15 of 22 regionals, that should be doable for us.

This right here.

[cajun4life]

So. Miss is an example of a mid-major with consistent achievement this century. 15 regional appearances, 2 supers and one trip to Omaha since 1999. If they can get to 15 of 22 regionals, that should be doable for us.

My expectations for baseball is a regional every single year. Will that happen, no. But those can still be my expectations.

If this team were just a little more consistent we would absolutely be an at large quality program. A few series really hurt us. Especially JMU.

We just don’t have the pitching quality and depth right now. That can be corrected.

Now I think we still have a really good shot when it comes to the tournament. We are a dangerous team.

[ZoomZoom]

The topic of expectations has been a frequent discussion over the past several years. Some are of the mindset that expectations are too high while others say the expectations are appropriate and just aren’t being met.

Over the last 22 completed seasons, UL has made at least Regionals 10 times. As you can see below, up until the 2017 - 2021 run it had been since before the millennium when this program missed Regionals more than 2 years in a row.

Of the 10 Regional seasons, 8 of those teams either received an at large bid or were at large level quality. Obviously the landscape is different currently in terms of receiving at large bids. With that being said, I still think 6 of the 8 would have been in the tournament under today’s conditions, with 2002 and 2010 being the exceptions (37 win teams before regionals who got bounced in 2 games of the conference tournament).

It seems to be only the fans who are accused of setting the standard/expectations of the program too high, but I would argue that the fans were not alone in setting this bar. The university made a $15 million+ investment in building a 6,000 seat stadium with luxury suites and a stadium club. That is not an investment made by a program where the expectation is to be in Regionals once every 4 years. That is the investment of a program that expects to be in the postseason consistently and no stranger to hosting postseason play. To this day, the athletic department spends the 2nd most in the conference on its baseball program. We play in a top 3 venue in the conference and draw the 2nd best numbers in the league. Our head coach has never hid from what he believes this program to be and the heights he wants to see it achieve. He has also said in no uncertain terms that he would much rather coach somewhere with expectations as opposed to somewhere without. If the 1999-2000/2013-2016 runs created expectations, the fans are clearly far from the only ones who bought in to them.

• 2000 - CWS
• 2001 - Miss
• 2002 - Regional
• 2003 - Miss
• 2004 - Miss
• 2005 - Regional
• 2006 - Miss
• 2007 - Regional
• 2008 - Miss
• 2009 - Miss
• 2010 - Regional
• 2011 - Miss
• 2012 - Miss
• 2013 - Regional
• 2014 - Super
• 2015 - Super
• 2016 - Regional
• 2017 - Miss
• 2018 - Miss
• 2019 - Miss
• 2021 - Miss
• 2022 - Regional

This season is far from over. Deggs says this is a Regional team, and they could very well prove him right. What they won’t be barring a miracle is an at large team. This marks the 6th straight year of fielding a team that has to win the conference tournament to advance to the postseason. IMO that is a clear step below standards that, again, were not set by just a few loud posters on a message board. Coaches, players, administrators, the media (D1 Baseball and others), and yes…fans believed this program to be something more than what we are now being told is all we can ever and should have ever expected. I disagree with that notion, and I’m not ready to throw in the towel and just say, “well I guess this is it” just yet. It’s a plus to me that we have someone in charge who seems to be unwilling to do this as well. There are absolutely comments that go over the line in in-game threads. That to me is not a clear indication of unattainable expectations for the entire program.

I hope this thread can remain a DISCUSSION and certainly realize there will be opposing points made. The more the merrier. Let’s try and keep it on topic. We don’t care if your best friend’s cousin has a beef with Rando657’s neighbor’s sister-in-law.

GEAUX CAJUNS

I posted something a few weeks ago regarding 2017 forward, pointing out if not for getting hot in the tournament last year, we would have been sitting home since 2016, with a slump not seen since last century. Not a single comment.

Thanks for going deeper.

[Turbine]

I posted something a few weeks ago regarding 2017 forward, pointing out if not for getting hot in the tournament last year, we would have been sitting home since 2016, with a slump not seen since last century. Not a single comment.

Thanks for going deeper.

Was this it?

That was Deggs last year. Cajuns had to win the tournament, RPI wasn’t good enough going into the tournament.

Otherwise UL would be headed to a 7th year since last appearance. As it is, 6 years was the longest drought since first making the tournament in the late 80’s.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loui...ajuns_baseball