Where To From Here

[1972Shocker]

So Gene is long gone and not coming back and according to Sully his relationship with WSU is zilch. Brent has extricated himself from the current mess and apparently wants to retain his ties with WSU (unless something better comes along). It would appear that Todd Butler will get at least one more year to attempt to right the ship or at least get it turned in the right direction.

Clearly the key to get this turned around is to rebuild the pitching staff. Easier said then done. Sully explored this a bit in his recent article.

I did find it interesting that Sully mentioned that the recruitment of power arms under HCTB might need more mechanically tutoring and tweaking then Brent, who specializes in the mental side of pitching, has typically spent time on during his tenure at WSU. I had raised this question in another thread but most responses seemed to dismiss that idea as being a factor. It may or may not have been a factor.

Paul threw out a few names that could be in the mix but noted the source for these names were all outsiders:

Mark Rardin, very successful Head Coach for the past 14 years of Iowa Western Community College

Parker Bangs, pitching coach at Presbyterian College and a 2010 graduate of South Carolina. Clearly we would be getting more Bangs for the buck. Sorry.

Jack Giese, former OU pitching coach until he left the program in November 2013. Here is Giese's OU Bio. Looks like he may have been involved in some (minor?) NCAA Violations while on Sunny Galloway's staff at OU. When he left OU rumor was he would join Galloway at Auburn. Not sure that ever happened and Galloway was dismissed by Auburn under less than optimal circumstances. Not sure that this one appeals to me.

This hire may be HCTB's last chance to salvage his head coaching career at WSU (and probably just about anywhere else as well).

Any thoughts or other names to throw on the fire?

[DUShock]

If someone is successful in another location, who would want to risk a one-and-done career move to relocate to Wichita? It is not my intention to be a smart ass but it seems like the timing of this potential career opportunity has a lot more downside than upside. Am I missing something?

[shoxlax]

Steve Lienhard would be the first name I'd call

[Shocker85]

Steve Lienhard would be the first name I'd call

Steve' son is on the Okie State team - I doubt he would miss Joe's college career to coach at WSU. Also, his ties to Gene/Brent would preclude him from working for Butler.

[DJShocker10]

Steve Lienhard would be the first name I'd call

I was fortunate enough to have Lienhard as a pitching coach when I was playing high school summer ball for Sluggers Academy when Standiford was coaching the teams. He would be an amazing asset to the program if something like this were to come to fruition. Another idea could be Travis Banwart, former WSU pitcher who also was a pitching coach of mine at Sluggers. I have no idea if he is still playing professionally or not. But Lienhard and Banwart are a big reason I was able to jump from mid-upper 80s to low 90s with my fastball and began getting D-1 attention.

[shoxlax]

I was fortunate enough to have Lienhard as a pitching coach when I was playing high school summer ball for Sluggers Academy when Standiford was coaching the teams. He would be an amazing asset to the program if something like this were to come to fruition. Another idea could be Travis Banwart, former WSU pitcher who also was a pitching coach of mine at Sluggers. I have no idea if he is still playing professionally or not. But Lienhard and Banwart are a big reason I was able to jump from mid-upper 80s to low 90s with my fastball and began getting D-1 attention.

So why the hell aren't you pitching for us?:beguiled:

Seriously, a lot of our pitchers who were under Brent's umbrella, also went to Lienhard for help with mechanics.

[KansasShocker]

So why the hell aren't you pitching for us?:beguiled:

Seriously, a lot of our pitchers who were under Brent's umbrella, also went to Lienhard for help with mechanics.

very true!

[Aargh]

If someone is successful in another location, who would want to risk a one-and-done career move to relocate to Wichita? It is not my intention to be a smart ass but it seems like the timing of this potential career opportunity has a lot more downside than upside. Am I missing something?

I'm with DUShock on this. I think Kemnitz just stuck a fork in Butler.

Maybe something like this: "Hey, Todd, if you think you can do better than me when you've shown you're a losing coach at a place with a winning tradition and great facilities..."

Who on this blue planet would want to follow Kemnitz as a pitching coach - especially when they'd be hired by a head coach who appears to need a miracle to save his job.

[1972Shocker]

If someone is successful in another location, who would want to risk a one-and-done career move to relocate to Wichita? It is not my intention to be a smart ass but it seems like the timing of this potential career opportunity has a lot more downside than upside. Am I missing something?

Perhaps that's why we are seeing the names we are seeing. I am not even sure what the former OU pitching coach Jack Giese is doing. A 1-year shot at resurrecting his career may be as good as he can get at this point. Just not sure why he is in a position of having to resurrect his career.

Now as far as being one-and-done we might be assuming too much. We don't know what term of contract they will give the pitching coach? Recent history would indicate it would cover more than one year so they would at least have the financial security of more than a one-and-done. Also assuming that HCTB would be gone after one more poor year is reasonable but far from assured (which is hard pill to swallow for sure).

[Play Angry]

Steve Lienhard would be the first name I'd call

If I could 'Like' this post a thousand times I would. There would be no better candidate for this job, at this moment.

[SHOCKvalue]

Who on this blue planet would want to follow Kemnitz as a pitching coach - especially when they'd be hired by a head coach who appears to need a miracle to save his job.

Does this "Coach" Walker guy have a brother or cousin?

Some other former player now working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, perhaps?

The dude running the City of Wichita street sweeper that services campus?

A human embryo?

What about a golden retriever? (Would be excellent at rounding up the loose balls, but not much else, sorta like the current staff.)

[DJShocker10]

So why the hell aren't you pitching for us?:beguiled:

Seriously, a lot of our pitchers who were under Brent's umbrella, also went to Lienhard for help with mechanics.

Lol to answer your question I was a Shocker not all that long ago. I had a short stint with the team before having elbow issues and transferring (hopefully that doesn't out me lol). To tell the truth I still needed more work on the mechanical side of pitching and Brent is the genius of the mental game (something I truly admired because I always prided myself on mental toughness). Brent keeps a handwritten notebook called "The Brain" and went over different topics every single day before practice. He turned players into students of the game. I hope someday Brent will once again have an official role in the baseball program so that pitchers can receive more mechanical guidance from someone like Lienhard and also have easy access to the knowledge and theory Brent beings to the table.

[shockerfanmas]

I would be very surprised if, at this point, you would find any coach connected to the Stephenson/Kemnitz era that would even give the program a sniff now. I would be highly disappointed if any of them worked under HCTB. While I'm not happy that Brent did, I can at least understand why. But HCTB has made it clear that he wants to do things his way, and wants his own people, so I can't see Lienhard or Banwart getting a look, and even if they were contacted, I imagine their response would be a lot of laughter followed by a strong "Hell no". At least I hope.

At this point, my only other question regarding Brent is whether he can resurrect his friendship with Gene, or if it is too far gone.

[1972Shocker]

At this point, my only other question regarding Brent is whether he can resurrect his friendship with Gene, or if it is too far gone.

I have thought about that as well. My guess is probably not as long as Brent is associated in any way with Wichita State and who knows if that friendship may ever be rekindled.

[SB Shock]

Who on this blue planet would want to follow Kemnitz as a pitching coach - especially when they'd be hired by a head coach who appears to need a miracle to save his job.

With much risk comes great opportunity. There will be somebody who will see the opportunity greater than the risks.