Expectations for our Baseball team!

[shox1989]

It really needs multiple layers of answers. I expect us to make regionals at least every other year, Super regionals every 3 to 5 years and I still expect us to get to Omaha at least once every 7 to 10 years.

I know with all of the money that many of the BCS schools are pouring into baseball these days it is going to get harder and harder but I still think we can do it.

Really? Regionals only "at least every other year"?

I'd say we should be 14 out of 15 years.

Agreed.

When you have the peppiest and most positive of fans only expecting regionals "at least every other year", then you really know how bad it has become.

When our basketball team has only made a regional once since 1990, I just think it is a little unrealistic to expect our baseball team to make a regional every year.

I might have said 2 out of every 3 years or 4 out of every 5 years but they were not options.

The point I think you are missing is WSU level of investment and support in the baseball program >> exceeds any of the MVC schools (MVC really doesn't even try anymore), but that return on the investment is no longer paying dividends.

We have also won or tied for the Valley championship every year except two since 1987.

Prior to 1987, Gene's first 10 years, we only won it 6 times and failed 4 times.

The problem is that winning the Valley just doesn't mean much any more (in baseball or basketball).

So don't try to win it then?

I may be misunderstanding you, but it seems like all of your recent defense of the coaching staff focuses on the fact that it's just too dadgum hard to compete at a high level any more and that we should accept the program's direction as inevitable.

I cannot stress how much I despise that mindset.

No I am just pointing out how hard it is. And it is harder than it used to be because the BCS schools are pouring a lot of money into their baseball programs.

WSU has always had a very small operating budget for baseball. We require Gene to get at least 1/3 of the players from Kansas (so we can fund all 11.7 scholarships). We give Gene a very small recruiting budget.

I think he has performed miracles over the years with the little resources he has had. It is just catching up to us.

If we want to stay a top program in baseball (whoever our coach is) we need to invest more in baseball (keep up with the Jonses). We have done pretty well keeping up with our facilities, but we have never given Gene much of an operating budget.

We also have the problem of being stuck in a conference that continues to slide downward.

Trying to convince recruits to come to WSU and play in the Valley vs. playing at a BCS school in the big 12 or SEC is getting very hard to do.

[Hill Sitter]

May not mean much, but at a quick glance through last night the Valley is 5-3 vs The Big 12 this year.

[fuball7]

Hooper's name has been thrown out there by a few on here, as well as Staniford's. What about other former players (perhaps those with some success in the league) who could step into that role? I couldn't help but think about that last night when I was staring at Darin Erstad (he even has WSU ties) in the 1st Base Coach's box - he is a volunteer assistant for NU and probably not hurting financially after a nice career. He and Osborne have a relationship from his football days at NU and his northern ties are well-suited for recruiting for a team that will soon compete in the Big 10. Of course, he can only (legally) recruit if the volunteer title is shed, which I can only imagine is part of the plan as TO has alluded to the fact that Mike Anderson is living on borrowed time.

This succession planning has more uncertainty than that of Berkshire Hathaway - it's driving me nuts.

how bout eric wedge? doubt he would go college but not a bad idea

[fuball7]

I am about as big a BK fan as you'll ever find. I feel the exact opposite about JT and believe he cannot lose his job quickly enough. Gene is losing ground quickly with me because of his allegiance to JT.

I used to be a huge supporter of Kemnitz but I am have done a 180 and believe he is as much as a problem as the other two.

I'm starting to move to that camp as well. For a team that prides itself on taking care of our pitchers, we sure seem to have a lot of injuries both during and after college.

Maybe every program has this many and I just don't notice it.

no not every program does. I have been sayin this for years. he teaches them to throw pitches wrong and it tears their arm up. ever noticed its always the elbow? If it was a variety of injuries i might not think it was all him

[Shirley Schmidt]

I feel the exact opposite about JT and believe he cannot lose his job quickly enough. Gene is losing ground quickly with me because of his allegiance to JT.

JT will never go as long as Gene is the coach. There is to much baggage from the early Rusty Eck days with the three of them. He knows all the secrets and I am sure has pictures that insure his employment.

[tripleshock]

I am about as big a BK fan as you'll ever find. I feel the exact opposite about JT and believe he cannot lose his job quickly enough. Gene is losing ground quickly with me because of his allegiance to JT.

I used to be a huge supporter of Kemnitz but I am have done a 180 and believe he is as much as a problem as the other two.

I'm starting to move to that camp as well. For a team that prides itself on taking care of our pitchers, we sure seem to have a lot of injuries both during and after college.

Maybe every program has this many and I just don't notice it.

no not every program does. I have been sayin this for years. he teaches them to throw pitches wrong and it tears their arm up. ever noticed its always the elbow? If it was a variety of injuries i might not think it was all him

another factor in arm & injury problems has to do with the weights & conditioning programs in use.

modern thinking has diverged quite a bit from the things still being done in Shockerland.

[1972Shocker]

I am about as big a BK fan as you'll ever find. I feel the exact opposite about JT and believe he cannot lose his job quickly enough. Gene is losing ground quickly with me because of his allegiance to JT.

I used to be a huge supporter of Kemnitz but I am have done a 180 and believe he is as much as a problem as the other two.

I'm starting to move to that camp as well. For a team that prides itself on taking care of our pitchers, we sure seem to have a lot of injuries both during and after college.

Maybe every program has this many and I just don't notice it.

no not every program does. I have been sayin this for years. he teaches them to throw pitches wrong and it tears their arm up. ever noticed its always the elbow? If it was a variety of injuries i might not think it was all him

another factor in arm & injury problems has to do with the weights & conditioning programs in use.

modern thinking has diverged quite a bit from the things still being done in Shockerland.

I've kind of wondered about that in general terms, although I have no specfic insights to share. Do you have any specifics you can share in that regard?

[JohnnieBallgame]

It seems to me that the injuries have increased in frequency since Gene chose to have someone other than Kerry Rosenboom handle baseball strength and conditioning. Is this the 3rd or 4th year for this?

IIRC, Gene wanted his team to become more "explosive" and work on "fast twitch" muscles. This was I believe in response to power outages at the plate. Apparently, Kerry was the fall guy then! ;-)

[ABC]

Help me understand this issue of Gene working miracles with limited funding.

I just don't see it.

How many seat licenses are there in college baseball? How many have indoor practice facilities? How many have two dozen uniform combinations?

I think Gene gets his players from Kansas and Oklahoma b/c it is easy.

[WuDrWu]

Help me understand this issue of Gene working miracles with limited funding.

I just don't see it.

How many seat licenses are there in college baseball? How many have indoor practice facilities? How many have two dozen uniform combinations?

I think Gene gets his players from Kansas and Oklahoma b/c it is easy.

I would like to hear more on this theory as well.


Also, fwiw, not everyone shares the same fascination with Kerry. Just sayin'.

[GoShockers89]

Help me understand this issue of Gene working miracles with limited funding.

I just don't see it.

How many seat licenses are there in college baseball? How many have indoor practice facilities? How many have two dozen uniform combinations?

I think Gene gets his players from Kansas and Oklahoma b/c it is easy.

This. Take a look at the top 25 at any given time, and we have better resources, facilities, and attendance than at least ten of them. The California schools would kill for our fan support and stadium.

By the end of this season, our average RPI for the last 3 years will be around 100. Think about that for a minute, and then try to defend the return on investment. It's impossible.

Gene and friends need to kick it in gear soon (like, by next year) or be shown the door.

[NCAABound]

It seems to me that the injuries have increased in frequency since Gene chose to have someone other than Kerry Rosenboom handle baseball strength and conditioning. Is this the 3rd or 4th year for this?

IIRC, Gene wanted his team to become more "explosive" and work on "fast twitch" muscles. This was I believe in response to power outages at the plate. Apparently, Kerry was the fall guy then! ;-)

http://www.shockernet.net/sn/viewtopic.php?t=9063

[shox27]

It seems to me that the injuries have increased in frequency since Gene chose to have someone other than Kerry Rosenboom handle baseball strength and conditioning. Is this the 3rd or 4th year for this?

IIRC, Gene wanted his team to become more "explosive" and work on "fast twitch" muscles. This was I believe in response to power outages at the plate. Apparently, Kerry was the fall guy then! ;-)

Kerry was the "fall guy" by choice. Somewhere around 2002/2003 he pretty much checked out of the baseball program in favor of concentrating on the basketball program.

[SFL]

Help me understand this issue of Gene working miracles with limited funding.

I just don't see it.

How many seat licenses are there in college baseball? How many have indoor practice facilities? How many have two dozen uniform combinations?

I think Gene gets his players from Kansas and Oklahoma b/c it is easy.

Maybe KCShox can answer these questions! :whistle:

[XManCometh]

Help me understand this issue of Gene working miracles with limited funding.

I just don't see it.

How many seat licenses are there in college baseball? How many have indoor practice facilities? How many have two dozen uniform combinations?

I think Gene gets his players from Kansas and Oklahoma b/c it is easy.

Gene's been a terrible recruiter since the late-90s. I've seen more talented players playing in the KCAC for Tabor and KWU recently, and even Friends and Sterling back 6-10 years ago, that were better than some of the guys we were/are running out there. Plus, our facilities are better than many professional teams have. Just recently, I was in Arizona and stopped by the U of A campus to look at the ballpark. Our ballpark makes that ballpark look like Love Field at West Urban. Gene's lost it but he's not getting fired, so we'll just have to hope that coaching these "uncoachable" players he's recruited will finally make him give up and retire. However, we'll probably be left with JT and Brent running the show for the next decade.

Face it Gene. Your old school style of recruiting "fast, singles hitters who go back up the middle" isn't working in college baseball anymore. Especially when those guys can't field.