Tweet
I can't imagine more of a home run hire then this. WSU legend, former MLB player and manager, and a guy who is still young enough to do this for a while
-
-
I love the hire, it's a natural fit and transition to a new era in Shocker baseball. Still, we should probably temper our expectations for next season. I'm not expecting miracles right off the bat such as a 40 win season and a tourney birth, and I hope other fans won't complain about the hire if next season doesn't meet their expectations. What'dya think, 3 years and EW leads us back to dominance?Comment
-
Let me first start by saying that I hope this works out. Wedge has a great pedigree and clearly knows baseball, and seems to be a charismatic guy as well. Everyone in Wichita seems to like him.
But he has no college experience, and he doesn't have recruiting connections. The first step for him will be to hire an assistant who does. There's a big difference between knowing guys in the major league circles and knowing guys in college baseball circles.
From this article: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stor...as-head-coach/
I'm guessing there's a reason for that. The major leagues and minor leagues are both businesses. Coaches are much less involved at that level, but at the college level (in every sport), coaches must be more involved in the day-to-day tasks and developing relationships with players. I do also wonder if this will be a grind for Eric compared to what he's doing now.Wedge is believed to be the first former MLB manager to be hired as a college coach since Don Kessinger was hired by Ole Miss, his alma mater, before the 1991 season. Kessinger spent one season as player-manager of the White Sox in 1979.
Rarely do legacy hires work out. It's even more rare that they work out with a legacy hire who has no experience in the college game. I felt this would be a good chance to hire an up-and-coming coach from a smaller conference in the southeast, hopefully someone who can recruit and has a history of building programs.
Again, I hope this works out, and we get back to the tournament in a year or two. But I'm a little skeptical."In God we trust, all others must bring data." - W. Edwards DemingComment
-
I suspect we won’t see a Wedge led team be intimidated like they were last year at ECU. -
I think it's probably impossible to find an "up and comer" and someone who has a "history of building programs" in one person. Those don't seem like two connected traits.
I'd rather have someone who knows how to coach and who can hire someone to help with the recruiting. Aka how literally every college basketball coach does it and how Gene did it for years with Jim Thomas and Brent. -
Arent we the team that took 3 of 5 from them the last month of the season and cost them their national Top 8 seed?
And with quality young players making a lot of noise, I think ECU will have an axe to grind and Wedge and the boys will be ready.
-
-
We tried the "guy who can recruit but not coach em up" strategy with Butler. He was more worried about looking good coming off the bus and having high draft picks. I like the Stephenson method of finding athletes and turning them into mentally tough and fundamentally sound ball players, oh and winning the f'n handshake.Originally posted by Kel Varnsen View Post
Wedge will do it his own way but he will bring back the toughness and swagger and I can't wait for it. UCONN kind of runs the swagger department in the AAC and I for one can't wait to shove right back down their throats.Last edited by Shockerman; May 29, 2019, 05:57 PM.Comment
-
Here’s the mistake I see in this line of reasoning: Wedge didn’t obtain some magic coaching touch via osmosis 30 years ago, and assuming both that Gene’s approach still works (clearly, it didn’t work like it used to which was partially why he was fired) and that Wedge will do the same things is flawed at best.Originally posted by Shockerman View Post"In God we trust, all others must bring data." - W. Edwards DemingComment
-
Gene's final season he won 39 games and went to a regional. Todd Butler only won more than 30 games once and that's when his two first round picks lugged his butt there.
Plus, in the summers of 07 and 08, Gene lost about 4-5 recruits to the MLB draft that he wasn't expecting like Derek Norris and Logan Watkins (future MLB players). Those "bad" Gene final years (where we still won around 40 games a year) could have been incredible with those guys. Gene's approach still worked. He never should have been fired in the first place.
-
-
Is there a SASO donation with season tickets for baseball?Comment
-
This is freakin awesome. Thank you to Wedge and all the big swingin Richards that made this happen.Comment
-
Internet rumor has P.J. Forbes coming on as an assistant with the prospect of taking over as HC in 5 years.The future's so bright - I gotta wear shades.
We like to cut down nets and get sized for championship rings.Comment
-
I am not expecting a return to the 80's and 90's type of dominance. Consistently finish in the top 4 of the AAC and make the NCAA Tournament with a chance to do some damage in the post-season is a pretty high level of expectations at this point in time. Not saying I wouldn't take a return to the 80's and 90's type dominance. I would love it. Just not something I am expecting or that I need to be satsified witht the state of the program.Originally posted by Shox The Revenant View PostLast edited by 1972Shocker; May 30, 2019, 08:44 AM.Comment
-
Earth to Kel -- Seriously? Wedge isn't exactly your normal legacy hire, and there's no reason to think he plans to coach the 2020 Shockers the way he served as a coach on the field in 1989, or the way Gene coached thirty years ago. He was the AL manager of the year in 2007, and it was as much health problems as anything else that took him out of the dugout. There's absolutely no reason to doubt that he can work effectively with contemporary players, because he's done so, including a very successful minor league managerial career with young upcoming guys. And he actually had a big role in building the Indians into a successful franchise. He can recognize talent, and I haven't the slightest doubt he'll be able to recruit and hire a staff that can do so as well.Originally posted by Kel Varnsen View PostComment
-
Talk about instant swagger when the team walks out on the field now. With the right leader, all the other pieces fall into place. Couldn't be happier with the hire.Shocker fan for life after witnessing my first game in person, the 80-74 win over the #12 Creighton Bluejays at the Kansas Coliseum.Comment
-
He will definitely bring back some swagger. I want to see some edgy “nasty” return (Not to the point of ear holing an opponent in the batters box, but definitely return to the Shox being the team nobody wants to face.)Last edited by Eric; May 29, 2019, 08:30 PM.Comment
-
He needs to build whatever team he wants.Comment
-
Gonna be interesting the first time Wedge gets really worked up disagreeing with an ump. I'd hate to be an ump in an argument with a guy who's had in excess of 10 years managing in the majors. That would seem to be a little above the pay grade of an NCAA umpire.The future's so bright - I gotta wear shades.
We like to cut down nets and get sized for championship rings.Comment
-
I remember Gene getting tossed during line up exchange! Had a disagreement with the ump the game before and made a comment along the lines of "...hope your eyes are not somewhere the sun doesn't shine while you're behind the plate today, unlike yesterday." (I'm paraphrasing; I don't think the language was that nice.) Got tossed immediately! HIlarious!
-
Comment