We didn't hire the Head Coach from Miami many years ago, we hired one of the assistants. No matter what anyone around here thinks of the LSU program, Morris is not going to leave a school that also has a tremendous baseball program in the hotbed of S. Florida to come coach baseball in Louisiana. Like football, there is so much baseball talent in the Florida area that it is almost impossible to not be very good. Plus they get to play year round in warm weather in Coral Gables.
My friend's brother is on the team and he said Smoke is calling the pitches instead of Weiderjoke. That was before the season so I don't know if that has changed now. It seems pitching is better now, but no freaking run support.
I promise you Smoke is not calling the pitches. He cant even see who's batting because he's pouting in the corner of the dugout. Wiederhold calls all the pitches.
Smoke can move anywhere he wants in the dugout, he still doesnt call the pitches and he still is not a great coach.
I've always thought Smoke was not a good manager. See, I think it there are 3 things a coach can be. He can be a good manager, or motivator, or have a good baseball mind. I believe Smoke has the baseball mind, but he can't motivate and he is a horrible manager of the game.
I actually agree with your post, and maybe you are right we on the downside of the cycle. Our pitching is fine from what I have seen this weekend, it just our hitting and some mistakes made out on the field is causing us to not get W's. I remember you said last month that bats are the last thing to come around and you right just like at CS Fullerton. They were on the outside looking in and they turned it around at the end of April and made their run to a CWST. I think my huge beef against this team is lack of consistent play and Smoke has to take most of the blame.
I agree that Smoke has to shoulder the blame. He's the head guy and is responsible for the team's performance. What I disagree with is those who say he can't coach. His record says otherwise. This team is under-achieving, especially at the plate and Smoke is trying to find out what will make them perform to their abilities. Lineup changes are a necessary part of that. Chris Jackson showed yesterday that he might have leadoff possibiliities. That's one of the main trouble spots right now. I believe I heard that we got the leadoff hitter on in only 3 innings in the entire series this weekend. That is a serious problem.
It would be nice if he at least put on the appearance of being more personally involved in his work. I never see Smoke go to the mound to talk to or remove a pitcher...he always sends Wiederhold out there to do it. That sounds like a small thing, but to me, it gives the appearance of somebody who thinks he's above such mundane tasks...somebody who just can't be bothered. And if you want to get right down to it, the appearance of somebody who's resting on somebody else's laurels.
