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Hitting Coach

Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:46 pm
Posted by BDB83
Member since Mar 2019
125 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:46 pm
Is it normal for a college baseball program to have the head coach also serve as the hitting coach?

I could understand it if Jay were a renowned hitting guru who later transitioned into a head coaching role. Or if he had played in the Major Leagues and built a reputation as an elite hitter. But to my knowledge, he’s neither.

He even said on record last night that he plans to get even more involved and focused on the hitting moving forward. That raises a bigger question: why isn’t there a proven, dedicated hitting coach in that role?

This may be a special interest or labor of love for Jay, but in my opinion he might actually be getting in his own way if hitting is an area where this team really needs a proven/reputable coach developing that side and solely focusing on it. Would also free Jay up more I would think.
Posted by TigerBait2008
Boulder,CO
Member since Jun 2008
39792 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:48 pm to
Seems like it worked last year..
Posted by PenguinPubes
Frozen Tundra
Member since Jan 2018
11806 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:51 pm to
quote:

could understand it if Jay were a renowned hitting guru


He’s one of the best hitting coaches in the country.. you lost all credibility here
Posted by BDB83
Member since Mar 2019
125 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:54 pm to
Pitching was the identity and strength of the team last year. I remember we struggled a lot hitting last year too. But pitching certainly camouflaged and carried the team enough to make up for it. I don’t recall a year under Jay where we were excelling in the hitting department. But he claims that to be his area of expertise so I’m just curious what warrants that and if it’s more of an area of “interest” vs expertise and the team could really benefit from a proven hitting coach.
Posted by TigerCub
Team Boxtard
Member since May 2006
22410 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:56 pm to
quote:

I don’t recall a year under Jay where we were excelling in the hitting department.


Posted by BDB83
Member since Mar 2019
125 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:57 pm to
But is he really?
Posted by friendlyobservation
Member since Mar 2024
4743 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:59 pm to
Yes, he is. This post is beyond dumb. You can easily back this up statistically for LSU since his time here. Every team goes into hitting slumps at some point.
Posted by ProjectP2294
West St. Louis County
Member since May 2007
76617 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 2:59 pm to
quote:

That raises a bigger question: why isn’t there a proven, dedicated hitting coach in that role?


Just because you don't know who the hitting coach is doesn't mean that there isn't one.
Posted by BDB83
Member since Mar 2019
125 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:02 pm to
Jay is the hitting coach. There is no Ghost hitting coach on staff.
Posted by friendlyobservation
Member since Mar 2024
4743 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:03 pm to
Yeah, pitching was great on the back end. Did you only watch LSU the last half of the season? They got hot at the right time just as they did in the previous NC with Jay. Half the season people were saying fire Yeskie. There's hot/cold periods in pitching/hitting it doesn't matter who LSU has as their coach. This is facts of baseball.
Posted by ProjectP2294
West St. Louis County
Member since May 2007
76617 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:04 pm to
quote:

Jay is the hitting coach. There is no Ghost hitting coach on staff.


Like I said, just because you don't know who the hitting coach is doesn't mean there isn't one.

And I don't think anyone would confuse him for a ghost given his considerable corporal form.
Posted by Tiger Ryno
#WoF
Member since Feb 2007
107925 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:06 pm to
Jake brown seems to have improved as a hitter under Jay. I would add Stanfield, Jared jones despite a big slump.

Milam seems to have not developed much. Curiel too early to tell. Braswell got worse, travinsky worse.
Posted by friendlyobservation
Member since Mar 2024
4743 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:06 pm to
LSU had an assistant on staff for hitting for like 15 years in Dobson and they hired Eddie Smith as well. It's not entirely Jay which is why he said he'll get more involved with the hitting. Dobson has been on the program forever.
This post was edited on 3/5/26 at 3:07 pm
Posted by Classy Doge
Member since Nov 2021
5285 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:09 pm to
Marc Wanaka aka "Chief" works on hitting along with Jay
Posted by ProjectP2294
West St. Louis County
Member since May 2007
76617 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:10 pm to
quote:

LSU had an assistant on staff for hitting for like 15 years in Dobson and they hired Eddie Smith as well. It's not entirely Jay which is why he said he'll get more involved with the hitting. Dobson has been on the program forever.


Dobson was a softball coach. Eddie Smith is now the head coach at Washington and was never here under Jay (but did kind of help us get Danny Dickinson).

Wanaka is the hitting coach.
Posted by Kool Kaliper
Mansfield, TX
Member since Nov 2018
3443 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:11 pm to
C'mon Baren
Posted by tigerfoot
Alexandria
Member since Sep 2006
61191 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:13 pm to
Are you serious?
Posted by friendlyobservation
Member since Mar 2024
4743 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:13 pm to
Ah, okay, yeah. I wasn't sure on that. I got Dobson confused I just know he has been around LSU's program forever.
Posted by johno71
Member since Jul 2024
287 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:15 pm to
I thought this was the role the big guy who coaches 1b- wanniker or something like that...supposedly he has been with CJJ for years as his hitting guy.
Posted by ProjectP2294
West St. Louis County
Member since May 2007
76617 posts
Posted on 3/5/26 at 3:16 pm to
quote:

the big guy who coaches 1b


We have a different big guy coaching 1B now. Josh Simpson
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