Representing Tech like all the rest

[maverick]

Please explain how he has set him back? He has/had gotten him to a potential 1st rounder status. Don't think he was a 1st rounder out of high school was he? Not saying he will be one now, but it has been at least mentioned. He has helped him tremendously.

Yeah, maybe I was a little strong. I can't say Tree set him back--but he sure did not take a raw product and produce a major league star like we'd expected. Luke's draft status seemed to be based on his summer experience, not his LaTech experience, which has not been that great. Look at the numbers--lots of K's, lots of walks, HBP, singles...runs coming in. Overall, not great.

But our coaches' job is to make him better and marketable--and that has not happened. Poor kid--it's hard to watch.

[mentechsters]

Yeah, maybe I was a little strong. I can't say Tree set him back--but he sure did not take a raw product and produce a major league star like we'd expected. Luke's draft status seemed to be based on his summer experience, not his LaTech experience, which has not been that great. Look at the numbers--lots of K's, lots of walks, HBP, singles...runs coming in. Overall, not great.

But our coaches' job is to make him better and marketable--and that has not happened. Poor kid--it's hard to watch.

You can't MAKE someone throw it over the plate.

[DocMarvin362]

if yall think its rough this year wait til next year when we are a very young team, with very little experience

Right now, all we'll lose is Albie, Cobb, Jericho, Knotts and Lorio.

If Luke doesn't turn things around, then he may fall big time in the draft. Best case might be to come back here and try again to dominate to start getting talked about in the top rounds.

[maverick]

[quote=DocMarvin362;598904]Right now, all we'll lose is Albie, Cobb, Jericho, Knotts and Lorio.

and Bunting and Braud

[beaux66]

Just forget trying to say anything to Mentechster. He thinks all is right with the world after getting our butt spanked 17-2 and going 0-4 against Nevada. And by the way I have answered that question. I have been following Tech sports and I mean all sports since being a student here in the early eighties. I even attended softball games. Of course I can only attend a few football games now because, I own a business in Atlanta, but it doesn't mean that I don't I don't follow what is going on. Maybe the reason I am not as excited about Sim as you is because I will not see the improvements until I get there for the Mississippi State football game. I have to go by pics alone and they look great. Thumbs up to Sim for that. But make no mistake. This our "best team in years" is laying a huge egg, and if Sim doesn't stop the bleeding, we need to bring in someone else. How embarassing will it be, if we host this tournament and don't play in it?

[dhussdawg]

I always thought the development of players was one of Tech's strongpoints as of late. Rike was a walkon, and we all know that he probably worked hard and developed a lot to get drafted in the second round, but I would like to think that Tech coaching helped him also. Luke and Jericho were 40 to 50th round draft picks and now they have been mentioned in top 5 rounds. Kersten was virtually unknown, I think we just saw him playing in a cornfield in Kansas one day and Tree saw his potential. Now, he is a potential top 10 rounder. He was going to go JUCO, same thing with Cobb. I dont want to take anything away from the guys because we all know they have worked hard, but the coaches have made an impact. To imply that our coaches have stunted player's growth because one guy obviously doesnt have his head on straight so far this year is ridiculous.

[maverick]

I always thought the development of players was one of Tech's strongpoints as of late. Rike was a walkon, and we all know that he probably worked hard and developed a lot to get drafted in the second round, but I would like to think that Tech coaching helped him also. Luke and Jericho were 40 to 50th round draft picks and now they have been mentioned in top 5 rounds. Kersten was virtually unknown, I think we just saw him playing in a cornfield in Kansas one day and Tree saw his potential. Now, he is a potential top 10 rounder. He was going to go JUCO, same thing with Cobb. I dont want to take anything away from the guys because we all know they have worked hard, but the coaches have made an impact. To imply that our coaches have stunted player's growth because one guy obviously doesnt have his head on straight so far this year is ridiculous.

Good point on Rike. He surely did more than was originally predicted. I'd hardly say Kersten was virtually unknown. Look at his bio.

Luke was drafted in the 35th. Jericho's never been drafted. The only other guy out of that class was D Thomas in the 45th.

[mentechsters]

I always thought the development of players was one of Tech's strongpoints as of late. Rike was a walkon, and we all know that he probably worked hard and developed a lot to get drafted in the second round, but I would like to think that Tech coaching helped him also. Luke and Jericho were 40 to 50th round draft picks and now they have been mentioned in top 5 rounds. Kersten was virtually unknown, I think we just saw him playing in a cornfield in Kansas one day and Tree saw his potential. Now, he is a potential top 10 rounder. He was going to go JUCO, same thing with Cobb. I dont want to take anything away from the guys because we all know they have worked hard, but the coaches have made an impact. To imply that our coaches have stunted player's growth because one guy obviously doesnt have his head on straight so far this year is ridiculous.

Thank you so much for an intelligent post.

[Bone_afide_Dawg]

After starting this thread and catching hell from many I'm back to say it looks like I know more about sports than some gave me credit. Tech should be better than they are and with the mounting loses they aren't likely to get into a groove to make much of this high-hopes season.

Players are just players some have a higher degree of talent than others but that difference wouldn't amount to much and isn't what determines winning games. What does make the difference is mental attitude. It isn't easy to recruit mental strength especially when it isn't housed in 6'+ / 210 lbs frame. My point is that most recruiters begin by judging players by their physical size and not their heart.

I've seen more undersized guys out-play the socks off of bigger guys but they aren't playing at Tech. Sims and his staff have not recruited good pitching talent (period)! There isn't a coach on Tech's staff that make any of their pitchers better, what you've been seeing is all you're going to get.

I'm not saying that Sims needs to go he just needs to re-think his recruiting strategy and start asking high school coaches who are the unhearalded over achievers and not listen so much to scouts and the media who only push the favorites.

[johnnylightnin]

Players are just players some have a higher degree of talent than others but that difference wouldn't amount to much and isn't what determines winning games.

That is debatable. I admit that I'm a football guy, but in my favorite sport, that statement doesn't ring true.

I don't know what's wrong with the team right now, but I do know that without Sim, we wouldn't have the high expectations that we have.

It's a long season. Let's see how this plays out.

I think we can ALL agree that, thus far, this has been a very disappointing season. We all need to remember that the season isn't over yet.

[beaux66]

WOW we really might not make the tournament

[Sportsman]

At this point in the season, with the schedule for the next couple of weekends, and the overall bad shape the team seems to be in. It will be very hard to make "OUR OWN TOURNAMENT".

I do think that the DAWGS will break out of this "funk" and represent all of us well in the end.

[ProfStudent158]

This our "best team in years" is laying a huge egg, and if Sim doesn't stop the bleeding, we need to bring in someone else.


Chris Long got a vote of confidence by our AD as WBB coach after this past season. If he got a vote of confidence, we'll probably present Coach Sim will get the medal of honor.

[beaux66]

Well I agree that we definitely have to recruit pitchers. As a pitcher myself, I know that pitching 1st, hitting second are the keys to winning. Unless of course you are a hitter against our pitchers.