Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... Two things: 1) Bertman has a job to keep and he wouldn't stay with Smoke if he didn't feel it was in LSU's best interest( which in turn is his own best interest since his job depends on the success of the sports teams). 2) Everyone praises Skip for being the great college baseball coach ever...Well then trust his instincts. He would know before us whether Smoke was wrong for the job and, in the long run, he'll do what he feels is best for the LSU program. I for one trust him...
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... Dallas, don't underestimate the financial "elite" that keep the LSU machine well oiled. They can certainly rachet up the pressure on Bertman to do something if they don't like what's happening. Look at the Auburn situation with Tubby a few years ago. Stripes I agree with the pitching/pitching coach situation. But you have to give credit to the pitchers like Greg Smith who were able to pick off a decent amount of runners. Although as left handers they should hold the runners better.
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... You raise some very valid issues, but this: Is just stupid.
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... I don't know how accurate you are with this info, but I strongly agree that if a coaching staff is demonstrably weak in teaching/improving the fundamental skills of the sport, then that coaching staff will not win championships. My hope is that Skip has a methodology to evaluate every LSU coaching staff in an objective manner, so that a decision to make a coaching change can be based on objective and quantifiable criteria. I have no idea whether Skip agrees with me, or whether the LSU baseball coaching staff is good at teaching/improving player skills.
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... You are entitled to your opinion but what is actually stupid is the way LSU coaches have ignored pitching problems which are obvious to anyone who knows baseball. If you think LSU's coaches have shown good judgement in handling the pitchers and the way the pitchers ALL are slow to the plate then you and I disagree but pitching delivery is just one of the FUNDAMENTAL problems on the LSU team. To ignore something like that for an entire year is "stupid" and is a large reason why LSU catchers threw out so few runners this year. If LSU does the same thing next year, it will have the same result. The pitchers are too slow to the plate. It's pretty simple.
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... That is your opinion and you may be correct. But to say they don't have an understanding of baseball fundamentals is ridiculous.
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... So does that mean all of the coaches who worked with Maddux and glavine and every other major league pitcher who is slow to the plate are bad coaches. You may be able to help a pitcher deveope a slide step but that is about it as far as their delivery is concerned unless they are very comfotable with a change and still able to pitch well. Most can't.
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... In the past four years at LSU the only pitcher I know of that completely changed his style of delivery was Faircloth.
Re: Tirk, regarding Liuza not throwing anyone out.... http://www.tigerforums.com/showthread.php?t=27870 way ahead of you. still about 1/3 of the blame is on liuzza. I never blamed him once but you have to throw out a damned runner during the year. at least one. rumor has it he has hid an injury all year I suppose for the draft. would make sense if true.
