AL.com article...CMG says offense is a mystery

Status
Not open for further replies.

RedStar

Hall of Fame
Jan 28, 2005
9,628
0
0
39
The Shoals, AL
The team is hitting a combined .241/.323/.335.

That's not a "mystery," that's a total embarrassment. When the situation gets this bad, somebody has to be held accountable.

As if the offensive issues weren't bad enough, we're now statistically the SEC's worst pitching staff.

What is happening with our program right now is akin to what happened at Auburn under Tom Slater. Fortunately for Auburn, they built a new ballpark and upgraded their facilities before he ran the program into the ground. Although this train wreck can hardly be blamed entirely on Coach Gaspard, his decisions have only exacerbated the problem. The fact is, with such an indifferent administration and an apathetic AD, this program is set up to fail. It all starts at the top, and it's a miracle that we managed to win consistently from 1995 until 2011. Barring some truly unforeseen changes, baseball at Alabama is on the verge of joining women's basketball as a perennial loser.
So what's your suggestion? New AD?

I don't get the doom and gloom. Every team in every sport college and pros has a bad season every once in a while. It's been 18 years since we've fielded a team this bad, by comparison, it's only been 6 years since we've fielded a truly bad football team. I think a little perspective is in order.

Do I think we're getting everyone's best effort coaches & players? Absolutely not, and if things don't get better quickly, I obviously think some changes should be made. But we're nowhere near on the verge of doom like some of you seem to think.

JoJo you hit the nail on the head. I couldn't have said it better myself. This baseball program is the mirror of UAB football right now.
We're nowhere near UAB Football. That's an insane comparison. Our fans care far too much to be compared to them. We've been in the top 10 nationally in baseball attendance for a long time. Our fans demand excellence. You wont see many seasons like this without some major staff changes. Our fans demand it.
 
Last edited:

JoJoforHeisman

All-American
Dec 7, 2000
2,359
0
0
43
Birmingham
diamondtide.tidefans.com
But we're nowhere near on the verge of doom like some of you seem to think.
Have you watched this team play this season? Have you seen our facilities, or the facilities anywhere else in the conference?

We just got swept by what should be the worst team in the conference. I have serious doubts as to whether we'll even win a conference series this year. That's not just one "bad season." This is an absolute train wreck, and it's going to take a lot more than you realize to rebuild.

Barring some significant changes, this situation is not going to improve anytime soon.
 

TideHead

All-SEC
May 19, 2003
1,160
5
157
Barring some significant changes, this situation is not going to improve anytime soon.
What significant changes do you suggest? I think we all know that the facilities issue is at least a few years down the road. In the meantime, do you suggest changes with the assistant coaches or a total house cleaning? Or, something else entirely?

From what I understand, we do have a good class coming in, but of course, that's contingent on the June draft. UGA has as bad of a season as I've ever seen an SEC team have in 2010, and they've turned it around (to an extent; not Omaha, but they're probably back to having their name called regularly on Memorial Day). I'm hopeful that we can do the same, but of course, they have the lottery to help them.
 

crimsonkelly

All-American
Feb 2, 2002
2,937
59
172
Thomasville, GA, USA
What significant changes do you suggest? I think we all know that the facilities issue is at least a few years down the road. In the meantime, do you suggest changes with the assistant coaches or a total house cleaning? Or, something else entirely?

From what I understand, we do have a good class coming in, but of course, that's contingent on the June draft. UGA has as bad of a season as I've ever seen an SEC team have in 2010, and they've turned it around (to an extent; not Omaha, but they're probably back to having their name called regularly on Memorial Day). I'm hopeful that we can do the same, but of course, they have the lottery to help them.
UGA has the HOPE Scholarship fund at their disposal so turning it around is much easier with the few scholarships baseball has to offer. Besides UGA is usually and every other year program. They are good one year, then bad the next.
 

JoJoforHeisman

All-American
Dec 7, 2000
2,359
0
0
43
Birmingham
diamondtide.tidefans.com
What significant changes do you suggest?
Well, Tennessee was in the same situation and went out and hired the best coach available, an established winner from a championship-caliber program. With a far less-talented roster, he just got through embarrassing us.

When Wells un-retired, Alabama made the convenient, lazy hire without even bothering to conduct any kind of search. Mal acquiesced and immediately handed the job to Coach Wells' hand-picked successor, even though he had a losing season in his last as a head coach. I'm not suggesting that Coach Gaspard cannot win consistently, but at this juncture, his colossal failure in building his staff is only helping to run the program into the ground. The talent level has plummeted since he has taken over as head coach, yet it remained strong when he was an assistant and out on the recruiting trail. Maybe that's part of the problem - we have an outstanding assistant on the staff; he just happens to be the head coach.

A .250 winning percentage against UAB? That's just ridiculous.
 
Last edited:

bamamick

All-American
Feb 22, 2005
2,047
219
82
In this league if you let yourself slip there are 11 other teams that will be more than happy to stomp on you and then step on your neck and hold you there if you are not man enough to work your way out of it. At the end of the Ron Polk era State started falling off and even though they brought in a good coach who had won at a pretty high level they are still fighting their way through it.

Just like we used to say about football and basketball, these 17 year old kids don't care that we have won 14 SEC titles or have been to Omaha five times. They care about what they see, as in facilities, and they care about being developed and prepared for the next level, and the job is not being done in Tuscaloosa. And if we sit and ignore that fact then we are going to fall so far behind that getting back to a good place again will look like scaling Everest. Sure, it does sound like doom and gloom essentially because it is doom and gloom as far as the outlook for our program goes right now.

rtr
 

JoJoforHeisman

All-American
Dec 7, 2000
2,359
0
0
43
Birmingham
diamondtide.tidefans.com
At the end of the Ron Polk era State started falling off and even though they brought in a good coach who had won at a pretty high level they are still fighting their way through it.
True, but State was also one win away from Omaha last year, and even with an inexperienced lineup full of freshmen, they're still in a lot better shape than we are this season.
 

BamaBriar

Scout Team
Mar 24, 2011
174
0
0
We were one hit away from Omaha two years ago when we should have been hosting Super Regionals in Tuscaloosa, but had to play them at Clemson. Although Miss State's 2012 record right now is clearly better than ours, we will find out next month head-to-head which team is in the better shape this year. I think we have cornered the market on inexperienced lineup full of freshmen, but I think that helps us for the future. Looking at their lineups last weekend for Auburn, only one game did they have more than one true freshman in the starting lineup - in most games we have two in most critical positions - the starting pitcher and the catcher.
 
Last edited:

JoJoforHeisman

All-American
Dec 7, 2000
2,359
0
0
43
Birmingham
diamondtide.tidefans.com
We were one hit away from Omaha two years ago when we should have been hosting Super Regionals in Tuscaloosa, but had to play them at Clemson. Although Miss State's 2012 record right now is clearly better than ours, we will find out next month head-to-head which team is in the better shape this year. I think we have cornered the market on inexperienced lineup full of freshmen, but I think that helps us for the future. Looking at their lineups last weekend for Auburn, only one game did they have more than one true freshman in the starting lineup - in most games we have two in most critical positions - the starting pitcher and the catcher.
That's just it - our lineup is not full of inexperienced freshmen! (And by "lineup" I was referring to the hitters). In fact, our only freshman starter is one of the two, maybe three, who has actually done anything at the plate this season.

Yes, we were one hit away from Omaha, but as you said, that was two years ago. How many on the current roster, aside from Dugas (obviously) and Moore, would have even seen the field on that team? Two of the players who did see plenty of action in 2010 - Miller and Kelton - were, for various reasons, actually better back then than they are now.

I'm not suggesting that State is anything spectacular, by any means, but they are clearly the better team right now. The only SEC team that might be as bad as we are just swept us.
 

Zona

1st Team
Feb 22, 2008
704
0
0
Mobile
We were one hit away from Omaha two years ago when we should have been hosting Super Regionals in Tuscaloosa, but had to play them at Clemson. Although Miss State's 2012 record right now is clearly better than ours, we will find out next month head-to-head which team is in the better shape this year. I think we have cornered the market on inexperienced lineup full of freshmen, but I think that helps us for the future. Looking at their lineups last weekend for Auburn, only one game did they have more than one true freshman in the starting lineup - in most games we have two in most critical positions - the starting pitcher and the catcher.
State is going to kick our ... on our own field. Cohen was the first choice to replace Wells the first time he retired, but because Cohen is a douche, Wells decided he wanted to unretire because at that point, Gaspard wasn't even being considered for the job. Cohen was 1 and Bobby Pierce was 2 and Tony Robichaux from ULL was another top choice.

The year we went to the supers, we went 15-15 in the SEC, thanks to a last-weekend sweep at Tennessee. With a team full of guys who got drafted. Great finish, underachieved for the most part. Last year's team was garbage helped by 4 quality losses to Florida and 3 quality losses to Vanderbilt
 

Play Ball!

1st Team
Oct 11, 2001
332
0
0
Birmingham
Sit back and look at the UA athletic programs today. All are getting what they need to be competitive, except baseball and women's basketball. Both are being allowed to die on the vine. Excuses have been made on why nothing has been done and they are getting old. Look at the commitments made to basketball softball, tennis, golf, not to mention the huge financial drain of gymnsatics..., and before anyone gets all defensive about gymnastics and their attendance, realize most are free. Thats why I cancelled my gymnastics season tickets, my kids were bringing home free ticket vouchers from school all the time so I stopped paying for them and its only 5-6 home events inside and on a Friday night. When was the last time baseball received a real commitment from the UA, not a bandaid? Have you been to a baseball game at other venues in the south, not just SEC. What is the commitment needed? New stadium? New coaches? New bathrooms? Just show a commitment on improving the product, whatever it is.
 

Zona

1st Team
Feb 22, 2008
704
0
0
Mobile
Sarah Patterson has a lot of pull because she's been here forever and it's easy to win a national title when you're really only competing against 30 teams. Sarah doesn't want baseball to succeed and it's a DAMN SHAME when people choose gymnastics over baseball.
 

RedStar

Hall of Fame
Jan 28, 2005
9,628
0
0
39
The Shoals, AL
Sit back and look at the UA athletic programs today. All are getting what they need to be competitive, except baseball and women's basketball. Both are being allowed to die on the vine. Excuses have been made on why nothing has been done and they are getting old. Look at the commitments made to basketball softball, tennis, golf, not to mention the huge financial drain of gymnsatics..., and before anyone gets all defensive about gymnastics and their attendance, realize most are free. Thats why I cancelled my gymnastics season tickets, my kids were bringing home free ticket vouchers from school all the time so I stopped paying for them and its only 5-6 home events inside and on a Friday night. When was the last time baseball received a real commitment from the UA, not a bandaid? Have you been to a baseball game at other venues in the south, not just SEC. What is the commitment needed? New stadium? New coaches? New bathrooms? Just show a commitment on improving the product, whatever it is.
Best post on the subject so far. Not sure what the problem is. Our athletic department made something in the neighborhood of $35,000,000 last year? And that's with the drain of some of the other sports you mentioned. Not sure why there isn't more of a commitment made to baseball. It certainly isn't financial reasons.

Sarah Patterson has a lot of pull because she's been here forever and it's easy to win a national title when you're really only competing against 30 teams. Sarah doesn't want baseball to succeed and it's a DAMN SHAME when people choose gymnastics over baseball.
That's an unfair statement. Has she told you this? Where did this notion come from?
 

Hoot30

All-SEC
Jan 12, 2005
1,284
6
57
50
Nashville, TN
Watching Sun Belt games on TV, it looks as if Troy and South Ala. have nicer stadiums. Am I right? Watched some of the Tulane series online and their stadium is really nice. Obviously, AU got an upgrade on their stadium a few years ago. What's keeping our AD from making a commitment to baseball? I guess that is the $64,000 question.
 

pcfixup

Suspended
Feb 2, 2005
936
0
35
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
If you could get those who donate $10,000 or more to UA Athletics in a room and ask them how they felt about Baseball, you might get an answer re: Baseball support.
 

baseballfanatic

1st Team
Oct 30, 2008
850
62
52
Is it weird that my first thought when dreaming about spending my lottery winnings, had I won, was that baseball would finally get a new stadium?
 

bamamick

All-American
Feb 22, 2005
2,047
219
82
In the last two seasons I have been to see us play in Mobile, in New Orleans, and in Tallahassee, and there is no doubt whatsoever that all three venues are nicer for the fans than is the Joe. I have defended the Joe against people who call it a dump because it is far from being a dump, but it sends a definite message to recruits about what kind of commitment we are willing to make for our baseball program.

rtr
 

Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
18,734
9,919
187
State is going to kick our ... on our own field. Cohen was the first choice to replace Wells the first time he retired, but because Cohen is a douche, Wells decided he wanted to unretire because at that point, Gaspard wasn't even being considered for the job. Cohen was 1 and Bobby Pierce was 2 and Tony Robichaux from ULL was another top choice.
I don't know what your connection is with Cohen but just wanted to throw my two cents in. I went to Birmingham-Southern, where he played his freshman year. I was friends with him and got along great and thought he was a very nice guy. Granted, I haven't seen or spoken to him in over 25 years so I don't know how he is as a coach in dealing with players or people. But I just took exception to your description of him, at least as I knew him.

Sarah Patterson has a lot of pull because she's been here forever and it's easy to win a national title when you're really only competing against 30 teams. Sarah doesn't want baseball to succeed and it's a DAMN SHAME when people choose gymnastics over baseball.
Any sport on campus not led by Nick Saban is going to be fighting for leftover crumbs in terms of fan and administration support. So she's just doing what she needs to do to better herself. A school can have more than one successful "minor" sport at one time. Don't blame her for the baseball program's failings. And while i like baseball more than gymnastics (though I'd rather look at gymnasts than baseball players), I don't see it as a shame people choose gymnastics over baseball. Its just their preference.

Blame Mal Moore for how the program is treated, not Patterson.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.