Who Replaces Gene?

[ABC]

I know a guy who played for Standiford at Tabor during the time he made that program a winner. He had good things to say about Mark and his ability to recruit. He thinks the reason he stayed in the area was not just to have good access to Wichita-area talent, but stay close to the WSU program for when this day arrives. It's possible I could have read a little into what my acquaintance told me, but I don't think so.


Anothing thing to consider is that you also have Greg Brummett nearby who could perhaps come on as pitching coach.

I have nothing but the greatest respect for Mark

However the step from NAIA to NCAA Division 1 is really tough.

It is a challenge to go from Division II to NCAA, though it has successfully happened with Brad Hill and Dave Bingham (Emporia State to KU)

[shox1989]

There are probably some on this board that remember Golloway trying to fight one of our pitchers and then our entire dugout during the 2002 Wichita regional.

I had forgotten about that incident, but do remember it well now that you jog my memory.

[Spaulding]

they stay in the wsu family:

Standiford
Hooper
Brummett
Hibbs

If they go outside (not in order):
Casey Dunn (Samford)
Erik Bakich (Michigan)
Brad Hill (KSU)
Dan Heefner (Dallas Baptist)
Kevin McMullan (Virginia assistant)
Clif Godwin (ole miss assistant)
Marty Lees (okie state assistant)

[ShockerInKC]

If anybody's going to the Wichita Airport, let me know if you spot Danny Ainge.

[DaShox]

Top 10 stadium? WSU has a nice large stadium, but it hasn't been top 10 for over 10 years. It is more like top 50. There are a lot of schools that have built nice, new stadiums in the last 10 years. I wouldn't be surprised if KSU is one of them in a few years. WSU had the fourth best stadium in the Valley this past season (Cu, MSU, and Bradley played in bigger, newer and better stadiums).

In 2012, our friends in the SEC said the Eck is #16. Speak with facts.

http://www.secrant.com/rant/p/31842325/Official-College-Baseball-Stadium-Review.aspx

[ShockTalk]

My short list for candidates I'd like to see interviewed:


Rob Walton
Mark Standiford
Brad Hill (every list needs a swing for the fences candidate)
Dan Heefner (Dallas Baptist HC)
Terry Rooney (UCF HC)
Erik Bakich (Michigan HC)


I would support Kevin Hooper as a coach but I am not wild about him as a candidate. He has never recruited before, anywhere, to anything. If we are going to keep this in the family I believe Standiford is a far superior choice- he has had quick success at the college level (albeit low-level) and has a great reputation among area kids/coaches that would take Hooper years to match.

Hoop is one of my all-time favorite players but probably the riskiest candidate we could possibly choose.

Not disagreeing, 89, but I thought Hooper played a major role in scouting for and bringing in players for the Wingnuts.

[mjbaker84]

There are probably some on this board that remember Golloway trying to fight one of our pitchers and then our entire dugout during the 2002 Wichita regional.

what was the cause of this?

[WuShock16]

Not disagreeing, 89, but I thought Hooper played a major role in scouting for and bringing in players for the Wingnuts.

I was thinking the same thing. Granted, it is a different skill than trying to convince high school/juco players (and their parents) to come to a school, but it isn't like he is totally a noob at the whole process. The guy knows baseball very well...got a cup of coffee in the bigs...seems to have a very approachable personality. I remember getting his autograph when I was a kid one summer when Kevin played for the El Dorado Broncos, and he was very polite and kind to me. He seems to have a great demeanor for a baseball coach. He seems very business-like and will hold guys accountable, but I don't see him as a brash, jack-hole type of guy to play for. Different sports need different types of leadership styles. It was often said that George Steinbrenner was in the wrong sport and that his brash, win-all-the-time personality didn't necessarily fit in the sport of baseball, which is a sport of constant failure.

[GoShockers89]

I get what you guys are saying about scouting, but I don't think it's analogous to college recruiting. Independent baseball scouting is frankly hunting for scraps. Those kids aren't weighing six or eight high-quality offers. A Wingnuts scout/GM is essentially hunting for bargains at the dollar store rather than pitching high-end services in a competitive market. There are no relationships built with high school coaches. There are no real contacts with top 18U regional teams, so on and so forth.

Again, I like Hoop and don't want to come across as a basher. But I think it's indisputable that he's the least qualified candidate on paper. His appeal is tied almost entirely to his status as a fan-favorite when he played.

[ShockTalk]

That's the million dollar (or $531k) question. What is the standard? I'm not sure I know what mine is. I'm not sure I know what others feel. I'm not sure what's fair anymore, given the change in landscape.

My reference to Valley schools was based on ShockTalk's comment.

It must have been in another thread, but I was asking the question to you and everyone else. Do you feel that the changing landscape should have any negative affect on WSU dominating the Valley? I think it should give us a competitive advantage over other MVC programs. I view domination as no less than finishing 1st or tied for 1st every 3 of 5 years and finishing 3rd a rarity.

Is setting a goal to be at least an at-large level team every 2 out of 5 years reasonable? I think so. I believe WSU can most always be in a position to have a quality chance of making the NCAA. Between general domination of the Valley regular season, winning the Valley tourney 2 or 3 times every 5 years, and being at an at-large level every other year, should give the Shockers the opportunity to qualify 4 out of every 5 years.

Please feel free to poke holes on why WSU should not be at least at that level.

[CharlieHog]

what was the cause of this?

ORU's dugout was being chatty near the end of the game and when our pitcher (Josh 'psycho' Merryman) got a big out to end the inning he said something to Golloway (who was coaching 3rd) and Golloway didn't like it. He tried to get at Merryman and I believe both benches emptied.


Good times... :)

[ShockTalk]

Have to admit, Standiford, Hooper, and Brummentt sounds awfully good together. Maybe with a salary structure that was mentioned with K St, where there is not so much disparity.

Standiford, Head Coach, hitting, and outfield instruction; Hooper, hitting, base running, and infield, and Brummett pitching. I would think that between the 3 of them, they'd have the recruiting covered and all have quality backgrounds. Just throwing it out.

[WSUwatcher]

"Hunting for scraps" may be something of an overstatement regarding independent league baseball, as former Shocker Mike Lansing could attest based on how he broke into the pro ranks, but regardless, some of WSU's better players over the years -- Braden Looper comes immediately to mind -- have been largely overlooked by other recruiters. And WSU's most talented teams historically have included guys who either weren't drafted or were drafted but low enough that they preferred going to college. I think that's been one of the failings of WSU's staff in recent recruiting classes: they've tended to get away from that sweet spot of players who were good enough to be championship college players but not such glittering prospects that they either couldn't sign them or couldn't keep them when they did.

Whether Hooper could restore that knack to WSU's recruiting I have no idea -- but it wouldn't surprise me at all for a good independent league manager, which Hooper clearly is, to be skilled at spotting Goldilocks-type players who are "just right" in terms of their talent level.

[1972Shocker]

Anyone know what Hooper makes as Wing-Nuts manager? Can't imagine its a lot.

[GoShockers89]

He could certainly work out. But there would be an awful, awful lot of on the job training. Moreso than any other candidate we are discussing. That is really the point I am trying to make.

If you crossed Kevin Hooper's name off his resume and did a blind comparison, his would be the first tossed in the shredder. Would we be remotely excited about hiring any other independent league manager with zero college coaching experience? It's sort of like if we hired Cliff Levingston to replace HCGM as head coach.