(05-16-2017 10:04 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(05-16-2017 09:30 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  Our pitching sucked this year and that is the biggest problem. While I agree that the last coach caused the downfall of the program to say that JMU can recruit against any program is a stretch at best. That is not to say that we can't recruit effectively, but unfortunately we are not going to be stealing pitching recruits from UVA anytime soon.

Personally, I would give Ike two more years to see what he can do.

There was a time we played UVA even up. Since UVA hired their current coach, and JMU continued with Spanky, that situation/level of competitiveness with UVA has dramatically changed. But to put this into perspective, would you say JMU softball can't recruit against UVA or VT?

Of course JMU softball can recruit against UVA, and there was a time the same could be said of baseball. It can be done again, if JMU has the right HC.

Seriously, do you wonder why it is almost always the same schools ranked for baseball........it is because these schools make baseball a priority. That is exactly what happened at UVA, they were mediocre at best for years prior to the athletic department making a decision to make baseball a priority. They hired a young, good, energetic coaching staff. Spent lots of $$$$ on facilities and boom it paid off. Much more so than in football and basketball (where everyone wants to be good) baseball is a sport that if the university makes a commitment to be good and it is a priority you can be good. That is where JMU seems to have made that decision, but it is going take a few years to dig out of the hole and most important totally rebuild the pitching staff. Position players you can fix very quickly, but pitching is a 3/4 year thing to fix unless you just get very lucky.

There is no reason JMU cannot be the 2nd best program in the state for baseball (UVA is king there and will be for the foreseeable future, like it or not). JMU should consistent be on a level with UNCW/ECU/Coastal Carolina. That is not saying I think JMU will win the CWS.....Coastal last year was an anomaly but anything can happen in baseball if you put yourself in good position consistently and your team gets hot at the right time of the year.