(05-16-2017 08:07 PM)Dukester Wrote:  Was never impressed with this hire.

Why? I'm not disagreeing just want to hear your thoughts.

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.

(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.

(05-16-2017 07:28 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(05-16-2017 06:17 PM)tribe_transfer Wrote:  I'm not as familiar with college baseball or the program's history, but my impression from attending many games this year is that a coach would need 3-4 years to right the ship. Pitching is so integral to the game, and it seems unlikely that we'd be able to recruit top flight arms as frosh/sophs when mlb and major programs can scoop them up that you have to focus on developing guys who will be successful as juniors and seniors. Has it been reasonable to expect more than that from programs w/ JMU's level of funding and support in the past?

JMU fully funds its baseball program, and has for years. Prior to UVA's rise, JMU was the only program from VA to make the CWS. JMU is a historically strong baseball program and competed at the highest level nationally against the elite of college baseball. The problems with the program today are self-inflicted, and are directly related to having kept the last HC on too long, and settling for a less than impressive new ballpark. I'd also point out that JMU sits right in the middle of a rich baseball recruiting ground. The good people of the Shenandoah Valley love baseball, and the potential for supporting, recruiting and building a sustained national program of excellence are here. While MLB does have its pick of the litter of HS pitching, JMU can still recruit sucessfully against any program, and it's still possible to build a college program very quickly, within a 2-3 year time frame. Your idea JMU is somehow relegated to a third tier recruiting status behind MLB and "major" programs is not applicable to college baseball.

Thanks for the clarification. I appreciate the information.

(05-16-2017 07:28 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(05-16-2017 06:17 PM)tribe_transfer Wrote:  I'm not as familiar with college baseball or the program's history, but my impression from attending many games this year is that a coach would need 3-4 years to right the ship. Pitching is so integral to the game, and it seems unlikely that we'd be able to recruit top flight arms as frosh/sophs when mlb and major programs can scoop them up that you have to focus on developing guys who will be successful as juniors and seniors. Has it been reasonable to expect more than that from programs w/ JMU's level of funding and support in the past?

JMU fully funds its baseball program, and has for years. Prior to UVA's rise, JMU was the only program from VA to make the CWS. JMU is a historically strong baseball program and competed at the highest level nationally against the elite of college baseball. The problems with the program today are self-inflicted, and are directly related to having kept the last HC on too long, and settling for a less than impressive new ballpark. I'd also point out that JMU sits right in the middle of a rich baseball recruiting ground. The good people of the Shenandoah Valley love baseball, and the potential for supporting, recruiting and building a sustained national program of excellence are here. While MLB does have its pick of the litter of HS pitching, JMU can still recruit sucessfully against any program, and it's still possible to build a college program very quickly, within a 2-3 year time frame. Your idea JMU is somehow relegated to a third tier recruiting status behind MLB and "major" programs is not applicable to college baseball.

I call total BS and lack of awareess on the statement that 'JMU can still recruit successfully against any program, and it's still possible to build a college program very quickly, within a 2-3 year time frame. Your idea JMU is somehow relegated to a third tier recruiting status behind MLB and "major" programs is not applicable to college baseball.'

You might not like to admit up but JMU is 3rd tier in recruiting talent.
1. MLB out of HS.
2. Consistent top-30 programs (i.e. UVA, UNC, etc. ; UVA is the only top tier college program in Virginia)
3. All the other 4 year colleges.

I do agree that JMU can compete heads up recruiting against anyone else in the state of VA with the exception of UVA. We will rarely if ever win that recruiting battle as long as UVA is consistent top-20 program.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the stadium/complex JMU play in. It did lack some indoor facilities but that has been addressed since Ike has been the coach. The facilities are appropriate for JMU and a HUGE upgrade over the previous facility.

The original poster is correct JMU will have to find and then develop pitching as juniors/seniors much more so that elite programs who can just plug in freshmen into the weekend rotation and not miss a beat year-in year-out

(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.

College baseball is a warm weather climate sport. Harrisonburg doesn't exactly conjure up images of palm trees or warm weather.

(05-17-2017 01:25 PM)Dadgum Wrote:  College baseball is a warm weather climate sport. Harrisonburg doesn't exactly conjure up images of palm trees or warm weather.

Neither does Charlottesville. Weather has not affected UVA in the least!

(05-17-2017 02:04 PM)MidloPKP Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 01:25 PM)Dadgum Wrote:  College baseball is a warm weather climate sport. Harrisonburg doesn't exactly conjure up images of palm trees or warm weather.

Neither does Charlottesville. Weather has not affected UVA in the least!

Or Oregon State who is the #1 team this year

(05-17-2017 02:13 PM)RootinFerDukes Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 02:04 PM)MidloPKP Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 01:25 PM)Dadgum Wrote:  College baseball is a warm weather climate sport. Harrisonburg doesn't exactly conjure up images of palm trees or warm weather.

Neither does Charlottesville. Weather has not affected UVA in the least!

Or Oregon State who is the #1 team this year

Forget it. He's rolling.

We have the ability to recruit. We used to be one of the top 3 programs in the state and regularly beat Maryland, UVA, VT. There is no reason with our facilities and our program history we cant get it back. This coaching staff has that ability but needs another 2-3 years to get their recruits in and to dig out of the hole the program was in.

Longhorn,

Read this article for all you need to know about UVA baseball and its turnaround and why they have made themselves the #1 team in Virginia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/sports...ginia.html


"But an infusion of money from donors helped to save and enhance the baseball program. Virginia baseball now has a nearly $1.2 million budget and a 4,800-seat stadium. The author John Grisham, who lives near Charlottesville and whose son, Ty, played for the Cavaliers, is believed to be among benefactors who helped Virginia build Davenport Field, which opened in 2002, with lights, six sky boxes and an on-site locker room."

Once JMU gets multimillion dollar donations and has an author essentially pay for your stadium then we can talk.

(05-17-2017 03:45 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  Longhorn,

Read this article for all you need to know about UVA baseball and its turnaround and why they have made themselves the #1 team in Virginia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/sports...ginia.html


"But an infusion of money from donors helped to save and enhance the baseball program. Virginia baseball now has a nearly $1.2 million budget and a 4,800-seat stadium. The author John Grisham, who lives near Charlottesville and whose son, Ty, played for the Cavaliers, is believed to be among benefactors who helped Virginia build Davenport Field, which opened in 2002, with lights, six sky boxes and an on-site locker room."

Once JMU gets multimillion dollar donations and has an author essentially pay for your stadium then we can talk.

Not arguing with any of that, which is a recounting of info I already knew. Did you know JMU's new park was originally supposed to be built to hold 3k? Large enough to compete for hosting regional NCAA tournament play. However, a change of vision convinced Rose/King to scale VMP back. I bet you also aren't aware JMU and the City of Harrisonburg were offered the chance to become home to relocated A-AA pro team from South Carolina with a major league tie-in if we collaborated on building (and sharing) a 6k ballpark with attached Hilton Hotel and shopping center? The first scenario meant building a ballpark similar to Louisville or TCU. The second scenario meant a shared park similar to what Nebraska plays in. Neither scenario required Grisham-like money. What they required was vision and the balls to can Spanky. So we now have what we are...but we can get it back, although the clock is running for Ike.

(05-17-2017 04:14 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 03:45 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  Longhorn,

Read this article for all you need to know about UVA baseball and its turnaround and why they have made themselves the #1 team in Virginia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/sports...ginia.html


"But an infusion of money from donors helped to save and enhance the baseball program. Virginia baseball now has a nearly $1.2 million budget and a 4,800-seat stadium. The author John Grisham, who lives near Charlottesville and whose son, Ty, played for the Cavaliers, is believed to be among benefactors who helped Virginia build Davenport Field, which opened in 2002, with lights, six sky boxes and an on-site locker room."

Once JMU gets multimillion dollar donations and has an author essentially pay for your stadium then we can talk.

Not arguing with any of that, which is a recounting of info I already knew. Did you know JMU's new park was originally supposed to be built to hold 3k? Large enough to compete for hosting regional NCAA tournament play. However, a change of vision convinced Rose/King to scale VMP back. I bet you also aren't aware JMU and the City of Harrisonburg were offered the chance to become home to relocated A-AA pro team from South Carolina with a major league tie-in if we collaborated on building (and sharing) a 6k ballpark with attached Hilton Hotel and shopping center? The first scenario meant building a ballpark similar to Louisville or TCU. The second scenario meant a shared park similar to what Nebraska plays in. Neither scenario required Grisham-like money. What they required was vision and the balls to can Spanky. So we now have what we are...but we can get it back, although the clock is running for Ike.

Dang that's the first I've heard of that! Was it the Columbia Fireflys (for whom Tim Tebow has played this year)? When was there for law school in 2009 their stadium was practically falling apart.

(05-18-2017 10:09 AM)JMUTrippster Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 04:14 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 03:45 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  Longhorn,

Read this article for all you need to know about UVA baseball and its turnaround and why they have made themselves the #1 team in Virginia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/sports...ginia.html


"But an infusion of money from donors helped to save and enhance the baseball program. Virginia baseball now has a nearly $1.2 million budget and a 4,800-seat stadium. The author John Grisham, who lives near Charlottesville and whose son, Ty, played for the Cavaliers, is believed to be among benefactors who helped Virginia build Davenport Field, which opened in 2002, with lights, six sky boxes and an on-site locker room."

Once JMU gets multimillion dollar donations and has an author essentially pay for your stadium then we can talk.

Not arguing with any of that, which is a recounting of info I already knew. Did you know JMU's new park was originally supposed to be built to hold 3k? Large enough to compete for hosting regional NCAA tournament play. However, a change of vision convinced Rose/King to scale VMP back. I bet you also aren't aware JMU and the City of Harrisonburg were offered the chance to become home to relocated A-AA pro team from South Carolina with a major league tie-in if we collaborated on building (and sharing) a 6k ballpark with attached Hilton Hotel and shopping center? The first scenario meant building a ballpark similar to Louisville or TCU. The second scenario meant a shared park similar to what Nebraska plays in. Neither scenario required Grisham-like money. What they required was vision and the balls to can Spanky. So we now have what we are...but we can get it back, although the clock is running for Ike.

Dang that's the first I've heard of that! Was it the Columbia Fireflys (for whom Tim Tebow has played this year)? When was there for law school in 2009 their stadium was practically falling apart.

Cent would have literally peed his pants if Tebow played in Harrisonburg...

(05-18-2017 10:09 AM)JMUTrippster Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 04:14 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(05-17-2017 03:45 PM)jmu98 Wrote:  Longhorn,

Read this article for all you need to know about UVA baseball and its turnaround and why they have made themselves the #1 team in Virginia.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/sports...ginia.html


"But an infusion of money from donors helped to save and enhance the baseball program. Virginia baseball now has a nearly $1.2 million budget and a 4,800-seat stadium. The author John Grisham, who lives near Charlottesville and whose son, Ty, played for the Cavaliers, is believed to be among benefactors who helped Virginia build Davenport Field, which opened in 2002, with lights, six sky boxes and an on-site locker room."

Once JMU gets multimillion dollar donations and has an author essentially pay for your stadium then we can talk.

Not arguing with any of that, which is a recounting of info I already knew. Did you know JMU's new park was originally supposed to be built to hold 3k? Large enough to compete for hosting regional NCAA tournament play. However, a change of vision convinced Rose/King to scale VMP back. I bet you also aren't aware JMU and the City of Harrisonburg were offered the chance to become home to relocated A-AA pro team from South Carolina with a major league tie-in if we collaborated on building (and sharing) a 6k ballpark with attached Hilton Hotel and shopping center? The first scenario meant building a ballpark similar to Louisville or TCU. The second scenario meant a shared park similar to what Nebraska plays in. Neither scenario required Grisham-like money. What they required was vision and the balls to can Spanky. So we now have what we are...but we can get it back, although the clock is running for Ike.

Dang that's the first I've heard of that! Was it the Columbia Fireflys (for whom Tim Tebow has played this year)? When was there for law school in 2009 their stadium was practically falling apart.

No, I believe it's the team that's now in Kannapolis.

Side note to JMU baseball, but related to the diamond for those who might be interested...

...the Braves and Blue Jays finish their 4-game series tonight in ATL. Braves won 2 in Toronto Mon-Tue and then won last night at home. Braves have been hit by TOR pitchers 7 times this week. The terrible news for Braves fans (like myself) is that Freddie Freeman was beaned in the hand last night and just found out he will be out 8 weeks due to broken bone(s).

They almost went at it twice last night. An unnamed "Braves veteran" on the team told a reporter today that there would be a fight tonight. Forget the homophobic slur stuff by Blue Jays' Pillar. This could get nasty tonight if either pitcher comes inside. Pretty sure the umps will be on high-alert. Just a heads up for any who like watching multi-millionaires go at it (potentially).

Maybe that's what the Dukes need. A good old-fashioned bench-clearing brawl.

:>)

(05-18-2017 01:44 PM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Side note to JMU baseball, but related to the diamond for those who might be interested...

...the Braves and Blue Jays finish their 4-game series tonight in ATL. Braves won 2 in Toronto Mon-Tue and then won last night at home. Braves have been hit by TOR pitchers 7 times this week. The terrible news for Braves fans (like myself) is that Freddie Freeman was beaned in the hand last night and just found out he will be out 8 weeks due to broken bone(s).

They almost went at it twice last night. An unnamed "Braves veteran" on the team told a reporter today that there would be a fight tonight. Forget the homophobic slur stuff by Blue Jays' Pillar. This could get nasty tonight if either pitcher comes inside. Pretty sure the umps will be on high-alert. Just a heads up for any who like watching multi-millionaires go at it (potentially).

Maybe that's what the Dukes need. A good old-fashioned bench-clearing brawl.

:>)

I hope Joey Bats gets plunked (not injured of course, no one wishes that) but he's been so arrogant with his bat flips - and Pillar + Bautista last night mouthing off and showboating for no good reason on top of the Braves frustrations losing Freeman (the only bright light for us Braves fans aside from Enciarte perhaps), being hit 7 times in a series that they are actually going to win (!), will cause someone to get thrown at and the benches to clear. Who knows, maybe that will spark the Braves to a first place finish in the NL East (dreaming)!

(05-18-2017 03:35 PM)JMUTrippster Wrote:  I hope Joey Bats gets plunked (not injured of course, no one wishes that) but he's been so arrogant with his bat flips - and Pillar + Bautista last night mouthing off and showboating for no good reason on top of the Braves frustrations losing Freeman (the only bright light for us Braves fans aside from Enciarte perhaps), being hit 7 times in a series that they are actually going to win (!), will cause someone to get thrown at and the benches to clear. Who knows, maybe that will spark the Braves to a first place finish in the NL East (dreaming)!

It was a mild plunking, but message received I guess.

(05-18-2017 06:54 PM)s2dsayer Wrote:  

(05-18-2017 03:35 PM)JMUTrippster Wrote:  I hope Joey Bats gets plunked (not injured of course, no one wishes that) but he's been so arrogant with his bat flips - and Pillar + Bautista last night mouthing off and showboating for no good reason on top of the Braves frustrations losing Freeman (the only bright light for us Braves fans aside from Enciarte perhaps), being hit 7 times in a series that they are actually going to win (!), will cause someone to get thrown at and the benches to clear. Who knows, maybe that will spark the Braves to a first place finish in the NL East (dreaming)!

It was a mild plunking, but message received I guess.

From what I read, the pitch, and the brush back that proceeded it, were the two hardest pitches Teheran has thrown in two years. I think the Braves were probably more pissed about the Freeman injury than the bat flip although Bautista is an obvious target.