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Baseball struggles are a result of 2 things IMO
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:02 pm
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:02 pm
I think these are just early struggles that eventually we’ll work through but I’m not as sure as I have been in the past for 2 reasons.
First the 34 man roster. Obviously everyone has the same limit but if you miss on a few of your evaluations it’s much more costly now. Especially on the mound.
Second, leaning into the transfer portal versus recruiting the high end 4 year guys. I think this part gets better as they get more comfortable but honestly I don’t think these transfers understand the expectations of LSU baseball. The culture is hard to build with 2 year guys. We’ve always had out of state guys but most of them were 4 year guys. I think with last years freshman class Jay is trying to shift back to the 4 year guys a little more but those guys aren’t ready yet. I’m a little worried we missed on some of these transfers. I still think the portal is important but the balance of 4 yr guys to portal guys is the tough question. Clearly finding Skenes in the portal was huge so evaluating portal guys will always be needed. The guys playing the best ball have been here a few years though.
First the 34 man roster. Obviously everyone has the same limit but if you miss on a few of your evaluations it’s much more costly now. Especially on the mound.
Second, leaning into the transfer portal versus recruiting the high end 4 year guys. I think this part gets better as they get more comfortable but honestly I don’t think these transfers understand the expectations of LSU baseball. The culture is hard to build with 2 year guys. We’ve always had out of state guys but most of them were 4 year guys. I think with last years freshman class Jay is trying to shift back to the 4 year guys a little more but those guys aren’t ready yet. I’m a little worried we missed on some of these transfers. I still think the portal is important but the balance of 4 yr guys to portal guys is the tough question. Clearly finding Skenes in the portal was huge so evaluating portal guys will always be needed. The guys playing the best ball have been here a few years though.
This post was edited on 3/8/26 at 9:04 pm
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:04 pm to tigereye58
We need more Louisiana guys
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:04 pm to tigereye58
quote:
leaning into the transfer portal versus recruiting the high end 4 year guys
Jay wants to and does try to recruit 3-4 year guys. Can’t make them skip the draft, though.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:05 pm to upgrade
quote:Yeah, and you also can't make the Ryan Costello's of the world stick around. If they're not promised PT (see Brady Neal, Paxton Kling) they leave.
Jay wants to and does try to recruit 3-4 year guys. Can’t make them skip the draft, though.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:05 pm to tigereye58
That fat first baseman will be gone to the bench or DH. Braun will be at first.
Arambide better get his shite square or his arse will be on the bench. His swing is too long.
The freshman will get more PT across the board. I can see DH roles for some of these transfers.
Arambide better get his shite square or his arse will be on the bench. His swing is too long.
The freshman will get more PT across the board. I can see DH roles for some of these transfers.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:06 pm to Ray Finkle
quote:
We need more Louisiana guys
I’d love more Louisiana guys but I think that’s a year to year thing. I do think he found some Louisiana guys that played elsewhere to transfer back. So far hasn’t really panned out yet.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:07 pm to tigereye58
Seriously? They are playing a #155 sos!!
This post was edited on 3/8/26 at 9:08 pm
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:10 pm to tigereye58
quote:
First the 34 man roster. Obviously everyone has the same limit but if you miss on a few of your evaluations it’s much more costly now. Especially on the mound.
It's like people have forgotten that, pre COVID, the roster limit was...35. The roster expansion was temporary and was always going to be temporary
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:10 pm to Ray Finkle
quote:Last year we had the following Louisiana guys get signficant PT
We need more Louisiana guys
Anderson
Frey
Brown
This year we have the following Louisiana guys getting significant PT
Schmidt
Fontenot
Guidry
Dardar
Harden
Brown
Ruckert
It means nothing.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:11 pm to tigereye58
3 guys left and are performing:
Costello is hitting .328 at Maryland
Larson is hitting .310 at Texas
Ryan is hitting .314 at NC State
Costello is hitting .328 at Maryland
Larson is hitting .310 at Texas
Ryan is hitting .314 at NC State
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:11 pm to tigereye58
This isn’t a roster limit problem
This is just baseball
This is just baseball
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:11 pm to tigereye58
Yeah, maybe the transfers are having a hard time adjusting to the pressure that comes with being a player in a program like LSU. They all said in the little introduction videos that they came to LSU to play for a the best program and coach in college baseball, but they haven't been able to "catch up" to it yet.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:12 pm to Lester Earl
You arent allowed to say that
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:21 pm to lsuag88
It's not just two things unfortunately.
1. Our bullpen sucks. It was supposed to be our strength, it's not. We have too many pitchers who can't get the ball over the plate consistently. And to add to it our starting catcher can't catch the pitches that aren't strikes.
2. Our defense is costing us 1-2 runs a game, easy.
3. We can't hit off-speed, like at all. We are swinging way underneath everything and popping up. We may actually benefit from getting to league play where we see pitching like they saw all winter.
4. We have too many good players vying for the same positions and players are pressing. Whether it's second base, left field, DH; nobody is playing well because they have no rhythm at the plate and they aren't good enough defensively to make up for it.
5. Team is playing like they were told the SEC is all that matters. Nobody looks upset, even CJJ just kind of plays it off postgame like it will all be ok. It obviously is not, he probably realizes it now.
There needs to be a major lineup shakeup imo.
Yorke is out. Arambide is out. Dardar is out.
Let Serna catch, put Braun on 1st, Caraway at 3rd, Simp at 2nd and for the love of God get Stanfield back.
And you ride your starting pitching until they say they can't go any longer. You're bullpen isn't good enough to give them a hook after 5 because they got two guys on.
1. Our bullpen sucks. It was supposed to be our strength, it's not. We have too many pitchers who can't get the ball over the plate consistently. And to add to it our starting catcher can't catch the pitches that aren't strikes.
2. Our defense is costing us 1-2 runs a game, easy.
3. We can't hit off-speed, like at all. We are swinging way underneath everything and popping up. We may actually benefit from getting to league play where we see pitching like they saw all winter.
4. We have too many good players vying for the same positions and players are pressing. Whether it's second base, left field, DH; nobody is playing well because they have no rhythm at the plate and they aren't good enough defensively to make up for it.
5. Team is playing like they were told the SEC is all that matters. Nobody looks upset, even CJJ just kind of plays it off postgame like it will all be ok. It obviously is not, he probably realizes it now.
There needs to be a major lineup shakeup imo.
Yorke is out. Arambide is out. Dardar is out.
Let Serna catch, put Braun on 1st, Caraway at 3rd, Simp at 2nd and for the love of God get Stanfield back.
And you ride your starting pitching until they say they can't go any longer. You're bullpen isn't good enough to give them a hook after 5 because they got two guys on.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:22 pm to lsufball19
quote:
The roster expansion was temporary and was always going to be temporary
Why though? 34 seems pretty thin for college kids that could play 70 games, especially pitching.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:24 pm to purplepylon
quote:
3. We are swinging way underneath everything and popping up
If we are missing under on 88, we don’t have a prayer vs 95.
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:24 pm to ForeverEllisHugh
The problem starts with the catcher. LSU has never won a title without an elite catcher. We don’t have an elite catcher this year. Facts are facts
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:29 pm to ForeverEllisHugh
quote:
Why though? 34 seems pretty thin for college kids that could play 70 games, especially pitching.
well another change that happened is everyone can be on full scholarship now. the entire roster is on full scholarship. Previously, you split 11.7 among 27 scholarship players and your remaining 8 were walk-ons
There are roster limits in every sport. 34 isn't a small number when they're all scholarship players
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:30 pm to Datsmoneydude
quote:
We don’t have an elite catcher this year.
White Sox can gargle my balls for taking Hodge
Posted on 3/8/26 at 9:36 pm to Datsmoneydude
quote:
LSU has never won a title without an elite catcher.
Milazzo was not "elite." And Brad Cresse wasn't elite defensively, he just made up for it by being one of the best hitters in the country. Tim Lanier (1996) was far from elite catching or hitting. Clint Earnhardt (1997) was not elite hitting or catching. If you want to go back further, Adrian Antonini was our starting catcher in 1993. He was not elite. He didn't even start in 1994 and barely played. Actually ended up pitching more than the 3 games he caught. Gary Hymel and Micah Gibbs were the only truly elite defensive catchers we've had on national title winning teams. We don't need an elite catcher to win, but we do need one who does the basics defensively, which we don't have now.
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