Last regular season series of the weekend coming up vs. Tulane. There are lots of good storylines to follow for the weekend. We were just swept by ECU, but still have a winning record by the narrowest of margins. Winning at least two games in the Tulane series will ensure Coach Jackson a winning record in his first season at the helm. Our last winning record was in 2017. This is real progress. Additionally, Tigers were unanimously picked to finish last in the AAC this season. If we have a good weekend we'll avoid that fate for certain. If all goes well with us and in other AAC games, we could finish as high as 4th. Not expecting that, but getting out of the basement is a really positive step. Not sure if the games are on ESPN+ so get out to the park and support the Tigers this weekend!

Season is already a success.

Agreed

I agree also that the season went better than I thought it would. The .500 record isn't bad although we must admit the front part of the schedule was pretty weak. But I was fine with that considering we had a new staff and squad. I'm looking forward to seeing how year two unfolds next season.

Agreed again. The SOS needs to improve. Play a tougher schedule + win = really exciting! Hopefully that's coming down the road.

I loved watching the team play this year. Lots of energy, and a few really nice wins.

Ike hopes they play coastal Carolina in Myrtle Beach next year

(05-15-2023 07:27 PM)memphisike Wrote:  Ike hopes they play coastal Carolina in Myrtle Beach next year

Perfect Game had our class at 42nd last week. Last year we weren't in top 100.

We're going to lose a number of key players but we're bringing in some quality replacements.

It has been a huge improvement after years of what amounted to stagnation.

Nice to see.

(05-16-2023 04:29 AM)ncrdbl1 Wrote:  

(05-15-2023 07:27 PM)memphisike Wrote:  Ike hopes they play coastal Carolina in Myrtle Beach next year

Perfect Game had our class at 42nd last week. Last year we weren't in top 100.

We're going to lose a number of key players but we're bringing in some quality replacements.

That is the 2024 class. Those kids are still HS juniors right now. So it's 2 years before we get them. The 2023 HS grad class coming in next season is not ranked in the Top 100. That was Rock's last recruiting class basically. It is a small class of only 6 players so the coaching staff is gonna have to hit the transfer portal hard this offseason.

(05-15-2023 02:53 PM)HardBall Fan Wrote:  Agreed again. The SOS needs to improve. Play a tougher schedule + win = really exciting! Hopefully that's coming down the road.

The SOS needs to stay exactly where it is for now. Continue to build a winning culture, continue to build momentum.

(05-16-2023 11:15 AM)Stammers Wrote:  

(05-15-2023 02:53 PM)HardBall Fan Wrote:  Agreed again. The SOS needs to improve. Play a tougher schedule + win = really exciting! Hopefully that's coming down the road.

The SOS needs to stay exactly where it is for now. Continue to build a winning culture, continue to build momentum.

I get where you're coming from re: building momentum. But look at Houston. They are 31-20 and very likely going to win the AAC regular season and still have no shot at making a Regional unless they win the conference tournament to get the automatic bid. Because their RPI is too low because their SOS is so weak (146).

If the goal is to make regionals and host regionals and make a run at the CWS in the future, you have to get the recruits. The high level recruits want to play games against Ole Miss, Vandy, Auburn, Tennessee, Oklahoma State, Texas, etc. They don't want to play against North Alabama and Southeast Louisiana and Youngstown State.

I fully realize you have to take it one step at a time and take baby steps to get where the coaches say they want to go. I think this season has displayed amazing progress and there is much to get excited about! I know you can't go from a 128 SOS (where ours is right now) to a 40 SOS right away. But I think we need to take steps in that direction. I do understand what you're saying. Going, say, 36-20 against a weaker schedule would build some momentum and breed an expectation of winning amongst the fan base. We've all been conditioned to expect below .500 seasons from the previous staff. I guess I'm greedy because I want to see us playing a tough schedule and winning!

36-20 against the same schedule is exactly what we need.We need a winning record, improvement in the won-loss column.

I don't know much about college baseball, but with as little as I heard was left when Rock left, is it realistic to even be thinking regionals for next season?

(05-16-2023 12:55 PM)Stammers Wrote:  36-20 against the same schedule is exactly what we need.We need a winning record, improvement in the won-loss column.

100%

(05-18-2023 07:48 AM)fsquid Wrote:  I don't know much about college baseball, but with as little as I heard was left when Rock left, is it realistic to even be thinking regionals for next season?

Years ago, no way. But with the transfer portal in play, teams can have pretty remarkable turnarounds in shorter timeframes now. I suspect we're a few years away from that level of success. The coaches need time to recruit, get the recruits to campus, develop them, etc. As you alluded, Rock left the cupboards very bare.

(05-18-2023 10:53 AM)HardBall Fan Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 07:48 AM)fsquid Wrote:  I don't know much about college baseball, but with as little as I heard was left when Rock left, is it realistic to even be thinking regionals for next season?

Years ago, no way. But with the transfer portal in play, teams can have pretty remarkable turnarounds in shorter timeframes now. I suspect we're a few years away from that level of success. The coaches need time to recruit, get the recruits to campus, develop them, etc. As you alluded, Rock left the cupboards very bare.

With the NIL, building through the portal is going to be hard. I not sure Memphis has the funds to get the players or even keep the good ones for that matter. I hope so but we shall see.

(05-18-2023 11:58 AM)UOFMGLENN Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 10:53 AM)HardBall Fan Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 07:48 AM)fsquid Wrote:  I don't know much about college baseball, but with as little as I heard was left when Rock left, is it realistic to even be thinking regionals for next season?

Years ago, no way. But with the transfer portal in play, teams can have pretty remarkable turnarounds in shorter timeframes now. I suspect we're a few years away from that level of success. The coaches need time to recruit, get the recruits to campus, develop them, etc. As you alluded, Rock left the cupboards very bare.

With the NIL, building through the portal is going to be hard. I not sure Memphis has the funds to get the players or even keep the good ones for that matter. I hope so but we shall see.

We may can compete with many programs in the south east but, SEC baseball is on a different planet than our program. We may have a few generous boosters will will pony up for baseball nil but it is a limited resource. Some SEC propgrams are renevnue generators that come close to breking even and they bring a lot of people to campus and a lot of exposure to the school and area.

(05-18-2023 01:06 PM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 11:58 AM)UOFMGLENN Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 10:53 AM)HardBall Fan Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 07:48 AM)fsquid Wrote:  I don't know much about college baseball, but with as little as I heard was left when Rock left, is it realistic to even be thinking regionals for next season?

Years ago, no way. But with the transfer portal in play, teams can have pretty remarkable turnarounds in shorter timeframes now. I suspect we're a few years away from that level of success. The coaches need time to recruit, get the recruits to campus, develop them, etc. As you alluded, Rock left the cupboards very bare.

With the NIL, building through the portal is going to be hard. I not sure Memphis has the funds to get the players or even keep the good ones for that matter. I hope so but we shall see.

We may can compete with many programs in the south east but, SEC baseball is on a different planet than our program. We may have a few generous boosters will will pony up for baseball nil but it is a limited resource. Some SEC propgrams are renevnue generators that come close to breking even and they bring a lot of people to campus and a lot of exposure to the school and area.

For anyone that doesn’t know the extent of this, this is 15,000 capacity Dudy Noble Field in Starkville. The building out in left field contains the Left Field Lofts, two br suites for rent.

(05-18-2023 02:44 PM)Browning Hall Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 01:06 PM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 11:58 AM)UOFMGLENN Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 10:53 AM)HardBall Fan Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 07:48 AM)fsquid Wrote:  I don't know much about college baseball, but with as little as I heard was left when Rock left, is it realistic to even be thinking regionals for next season?

Years ago, no way. But with the transfer portal in play, teams can have pretty remarkable turnarounds in shorter timeframes now. I suspect we're a few years away from that level of success. The coaches need time to recruit, get the recruits to campus, develop them, etc. As you alluded, Rock left the cupboards very bare.

With the NIL, building through the portal is going to be hard. I not sure Memphis has the funds to get the players or even keep the good ones for that matter. I hope so but we shall see.

We may can compete with many programs in the south east but, SEC baseball is on a different planet than our program. We may have a few generous boosters will will pony up for baseball nil but it is a limited resource. Some SEC propgrams are renevnue generators that come close to breking even and they bring a lot of people to campus and a lot of exposure to the school and area.

For anyone that doesn’t know the extent of this, this is 15,000 capacity Dudy Noble Field in Starkville. The building out in left field contains the Left Field Lofts, two br suites for rent.

That's what SEC $$ will do for a school even if they aren't big FB winners like MSU, $60M now & $100M in the next contract (2024 I think). That's why getting to the next level is so important, even if it's B12 level $$ - 4x-5x what the AAC pays.