How many seasons does Butler get?

[bleed yellow]

In the event of this season being a dumpster fire, how many chances does Butler get?

[Shock Top]

Let's also remember this was ADES first "big" hire. Could prove telling for future hires; success or failure.

[DUShock]

I figure 5 years total time. The program was in disarray and this should be ample time to right the ship.

[1972Shocker]

This is really his 1st recruiting class and with next to nothing leftover from Gene's tenure. So I count this as year 1. I think he should get at least two more years minimum.

[twister17e]

I've been joking do we hire Gene back to attempt to be the Bill Synder of baseball. Normally I'd personally say give Butler another season or two, but this start has been an embarrassment. I really hope they turn it around.

[shockfan89_]

I think my biggest concern is this being the #2 recruiting class in the country and the product on the field looks like it has gone backwards in all three phases of the game from what it was under Gene. Either we were getting the most out of our players under the previous staff, or this recruiting class was #2 due to the size of the class and not the ability.

[SB Shock]

With this being heavily a JUCO recruiting class, I would expect to see it improve as the season progresses.

[shockfan89_]

I guess it depends on how you look at it? I expected a heavily JUCO class to have a shorter curve and hit the ground running faster than a typical recruiting class of kids coming out of high school. Either way, the season is now about 20% over so we need to see some quick improvement over the next few weeks.

[bleed yellow]

Funny part about it is, this horrible start is flying completely under the radar due to basketball. It will be interesting to see how Butler and the team respond to criticism around April if things don't get turned around.

[DUShock]

I guess it depends on how you look at it? I expected a heavily JUCO class to have a shorter curve and hit the ground running faster than a typical recruiting class of kids coming out of high school. Either way, the season is now about 20% over so we need to see some quick improvement over the next few weeks.

The lack of production from the JuCos is exactly what has me concerned as I believe as you do; they should hit the ground running. The lack of swinging really has me perplexed, or perhaps disappointed is a better word.

[shockerpitcher]

It is early in the season, but if you guys remember right, Butler took over a team last year that were champions of the MVC tourney and a regional team the previous season under Gene. Butler inherited basically the entire starting lineup and pitching rotation and finished 3 games above .500. Can Butler coach???

[1972Shocker]

It is early in the season, but if you guys remember right, Butler took over a team last year that were champions of the MVC tourney and a regional team the previous season under Gene. Butler inherited basically the entire starting lineup and pitching rotation and finished 3 games above .500. Can Butler coach???

Your making it sound like Butler inherited a juggernaut. That team was a pedestrian 34-25 at the end of the regular season. No doubt did a great job winning 5 games in a row to win the Valley tournament but went 2 and BBQ in the regional including a 20-11 beatdown at the hands of K-State.

That inherited team finished 31-28 under Coach Butler so perhaps that team was what it was. A slightly better than 0.500 team.
And that team did lose a very key piece to the pitching staff with closer Brandon Peterson being drafted.

Perhaps Todd Butler will prove he is not a great coach but to say he inherited much from Gene other than a lot of experience and a great hitter in Casey Gillaspie is quite a stretch. BTW, Casey had a much better year under Todd than he did the prior year under Gene although that doesn't necessarily prove anything.

I have no idea whether Todd Butler will work out or not. But he at least deserves a fair chance.

[ShockerFever]

Disturbingly bad start.

What a waste of $30 this year.

[Ashockalypse]

Answer:3

[SB Shock]

Butler took over a team last year that were champions of the MVC tourney and a regional team the previous season under Gene. Butler inherited basically the entire starting lineup and pitching rotation and finished 3 games above .500. Can Butler coach???

Gene team played in amazingly weak MVC (13th ranked - No DBU) who played an amazingly weak non-conference schedule but still struggled to win and finished with RPI of 103. They got lucky and put their only 5 game winning streak together in the MVC tournament. But lets not forget what this team really was - they got swept at home by PITTSBURGH and also swept by LBS (and swept by any other good team they played) and then they got rolled on the national stage. Oh, btw the NCAA appearance has been wiped expunged from WSU history.

Butler team last year played in a strong MVC (7th w/DBU) and finished with RPI of 78 and actually won some quality games (6-12 vs Top 50, while Gene team was embarrassing 0-7). If anything they were a little better.

Is Butler the answer? Idk. But Gene sure was not the answer - as he was fond of saying in his later years as his teams underachieved "Maybe the game passed me by" -- well it did.