JK's record in the 3 major men's sports is not that good yet.

(04-27-2018 01:54 PM)Ghost of 13thOwl Wrote:  

(04-27-2018 08:40 AM)Antarius Wrote:  

(04-26-2018 11:17 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(04-26-2018 10:28 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-26-2018 09:39 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  I hope Dr K uses a search firm like he has done in the past to get the best candidate for head coach. This seems to work best in the past instead if jumping on the first candidate eXpressing interest.

My fear is that there will be no genuine search. In this one case I'd prefer a committee, but one that includes Rice alums invested in the program, starting with Jose Cruz, Jr. Unlike football and basketball, JK simply has not been a strong advocate of Rice baseball, and rarely shows up at Reckling (and only travels with the team for post-season games). Rick Mello, on the other hand, is a fixture at Reckling.

Why are you afraid of that? Wasn’t someone posting on here we were interviewing TCU assistants (assume Saarloos) when they were here? I’d be happy with taking input from former Rice players who are still around baseball but ultimately I trust JK with his hires.

After the Greenspan fiasco, I am very skeptical of committees at Rice.

We need to either trust JK or fire him.

Fire Him.

Although I do not like losing a legend of the game, maybe the next coach will not try to do as much small ball. Modern analytics points out that small ball will usually cost a team run production. About the only time I think it is worthwhile is if bringing in only one run will allow you to walk off the field (home team in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings). Squeezing out a run is a thing of beauty if works but too often it does not work such as a player can not lay down the ball right.

(05-01-2018 10:42 AM)75src Wrote:  Although I do not like losing a legend of the game, maybe the next coach will not try to do as much small ball. Modern analytics points out that small ball will usually cost a team run production. About the only time I think it is worthwhile is if bringing in only one run will allow you to walk off the field (home team in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings). Squeezing out a run is a thing of beauty if works but too often it does not work such as a player can not lay down the ball right.

Small ball works when your staff ERA is top 10 in the country and you have a grade A closer (sub 2.50 ERA). It does not work when you are middle of the pack ERA wise and your bullpen's best arm has a 4.50 ERA (we only have two guys under 5.00 ERA in the pen) with many guys in the 6+ area.

(05-01-2018 10:42 AM)75src Wrote:  Although I do not like losing a legend of the game, maybe the next coach will not try to do as much small ball. Modern analytics points out that small ball will usually cost a team run production. About the only time I think it is worthwhile is if bringing in only one run will allow you to walk off the field (home team in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings). Squeezing out a run is a thing of beauty if works but too often it does not work such as a player can not lay down the ball right.

Speaking of analytics, JK has said that he wanted the next head coach to embrace analytics. This was in response to a question asked at the State of Athletics talk several months ago. He indicated that the top programs have been proactive in this area.

(05-01-2018 07:53 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 10:42 AM)75src Wrote:  Although I do not like losing a legend of the game, maybe the next coach will not try to do as much small ball. Modern analytics points out that small ball will usually cost a team run production. About the only time I think it is worthwhile is if bringing in only one run will allow you to walk off the field (home team in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings). Squeezing out a run is a thing of beauty if works but too often it does not work such as a player can not lay down the ball right.

Speaking of analytics, JK has said that he wanted the next head coach to embrace analytics. This was in response to a question asked at the State of Athletics talk several months ago. He indicated that the top programs have been proactive in this area.

Feel like the Astros could give us some tips there...

(05-01-2018 08:06 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 07:53 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(05-01-2018 10:42 AM)75src Wrote:  Although I do not like losing a legend of the game, maybe the next coach will not try to do as much small ball. Modern analytics points out that small ball will usually cost a team run production. About the only time I think it is worthwhile is if bringing in only one run will allow you to walk off the field (home team in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth or extra innings). Squeezing out a run is a thing of beauty if works but too often it does not work such as a player can not lay down the ball right.

Speaking of analytics, JK has said that he wanted the next head coach to embrace analytics. This was in response to a question asked at the State of Athletics talk several months ago. He indicated that the top programs have been proactive in this area.

Feel like the Astros could give us some tips there...

Not to mention Rice alum Ben Jedlovec.

(03-29-2018 05:41 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(03-29-2018 05:34 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-29-2018 05:23 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(03-29-2018 05:11 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(03-29-2018 04:05 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Vandy has gotten around the scholarship issue by setting up special scholarships for out-of-state african-american applicants.

Out of 36 players on Vanderbilt's roster, four are African-American (three of those are out of state). I find it difficult to believe that a scholarship that theoretically benefits 8% of the team is a game-changer.

Even if that was the case we could do it as well. Excuses excuses. None of these issues explain our below 0.500 record and getting swept by LaTech or losing a home series to a bad WKU program.
Come to think of it. That’s probably how Vandy got Dansby Swanson on campus...

It's definitely (well documented) how they got David Price on campus.

Enlighten us. It wasn’t through an out of state scholarship for African Americans, since Price went to HS In Murfreesboro.

And I don't believe Dansby Swanson is A-A. Dansby, by the way, is his mother's (Nancy Dansby) maiden name.