lsu baseball

well baseball season is coming soon time to cheer for the tigers:geaux:

 

Been going since 1986, Bertman's first year. Hope to geaux back to Omaha too!

 

Never been to a Tiger baseball game at either Alex Box, though I've always wanted to. Never works out. Maybe this year.

 

can't wait pitching staff ought to be good but loss of mahtook will be hard to replace :tigbas:

 

Make sure you let me know. You can tailgate baseball style!

 

Did you see Paul's interview? He admitted that he had the team playing small ball too often in the early part of last season. He relied on the bunt too much because of concern over the new bats. He's learned from that and will be more agressive at the plate this year as his players have gotten used to the bats.

 

if my wife is doing ok i'll have my rv at the games and i will be there.

 

been going that long too,old alex box the good times

 

Love the tradition of the old box but am finally getting use to new box. Hopefully Paul will be a little more aggressive on offense from the start of the season. I feel we have all the pitching we need to contend.

 

LSU Baseball had a press conference today, transcript and hopefully video to be posted later

Press conference as told by the twitterverse. Tried to kill duplicates. Also, response time isn't identical so some of it is a few entries off on timing:
@LSUbaseball: Bill Franques, the Voice of Alex Box, introduces coach Mainieri and we're underway. "It's hard to believe it's my 6th year already..."
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Pitching staff this year will need to lead the way and I think it will.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: At the end of the year I thought we were playing as good as anybody in the country.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: I felt if given the opportunity we could have made some noise in NCAA tournament.
@TDR_sports: I know it's water under the bridge, but I do feel the finish (last season) gives us confidence heading into this year. - Mainieri LSU
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: How we ended the season has given us lot of confidence going into this season. Everyone will contribute.
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri: the whole team has a feeling that they will all contribute with Mahtook gone LSU
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: I've made bold comments about our pitching and the boldness is well-placed.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Kevin Gausman is draft eligible and has a chance to be a very high draft choice.
@RandyRosetta: Paul Mainieri: "I wouldn't trade (LSU's) rotation for any rotation in the country."
@TDR_sports: Gausman has a chance to be a very high draft choice, he's a draft eligible freshman. - Mainieri
@LSUbaseball: Our pitching staff is going to need to lead the way this year....Those 3 guys (Gausman, McCune, Eades) were outstanding (in 2011) Mainieri
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri expects Gausman (draft eligible sophomore) and Eades (eligible next year) to both be high draft picks LSU
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri: problems last year laid with the bullpen. One run games make or break a season LSU
@GaryMLaney: Mainieri: Bullpen was the Achilles Heel last season. Bullpen lost three ninth-inning leads. Change that, and LSU wins SEC West.
@HunterPaniagua: Rumbelow, Nola and Goody are the top three arms in the bullpen at this time LSU
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Nick Rumbelow has come on strong. Threw ball well in the summer and his confidence has gone through roof.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Our kids couldn't hit him (Rumbelow) in the fall. Aaron Nola is a strike-throwing machine.
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri: Nola fits the mold of Louis Coleman, can fit any role, should start by end of career LSU
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Nick Goody excelled as a closer in summer, but didn't pitch as well as he heoped in the fall.
@RandyRosetta: Paul Mainieri:Says freshman RHP Aaron Nola can fit into any role needed.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: LHP Cody Glenn has world of potential. Like to make him a full time midweek starter.
@GaryMLaney: Joey Bourgeois at full strength, throwing 93 mpg, Mainieri said. Coming off Tommy John surgery.
@RandyRosetta: Paul Mainieri: Would like new pitching coach Alan Dunn to have same impact DC John Chavis has in football. Big shoes to fill.
@LSUbaseball: I feel like we have 6 (offensive) starters who we can really count on to start this season. - Mainieri
@GaryMLaney: Tyler Ross is the everyday catcher after coming in in great shape.
@GaryMLaney: Ross "is going to be a force offensively before his career is over."
@GaryMLaney: Very blessed to have Hanover and Nola on left side of infield.
@RandyRosetta: Paul Mainieri: Deems Austin Nola and Tyler Hanover two of his favorite players of all time.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: JaCoby Jones is best athlete outside of Mahtook, that's why he's moving to CF.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Jones will cover a lot of ground with long legs and long strides. He was a DB in high school.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Casey Yocom will take over at 2B for Jones, played fantastic in the fall. He batted over .400.
@TDR_sports: Able to make the move with JaCoby Jones to CF because of JUCO transfer Casey Yocom. LSU
@GaryMLaney: Casey Yocum had a huge fall, Mainieri said.
@HunterPaniagua: Casey Yocum, JC transfer, will start at 2B. One of highlights of fall practice. Possible heir apparent at SS LSU
@GaryMLaney: Lineup not as athletic as 2009 team, but it's a "tough, gritty" with gap-to-gap power, heady base runners, Mainieri said. Jones is exception
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: This lineup will be very hardnosed, tough out hitters. Line drive hitters, good baserunners.
@LSUbaseball: (JaCoby) Jones, like Mikie Mahtook, has the ability to be a first-round draft pick...last year was a big adjustment...the sky's the limit.
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri: Raph Rhymes could move to outfield once he recovers from Tommy Johns. Mason Katz would move to 1B LSU
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Jackson Slaid made big jump of improvement. He seems to put barrell of the bat on the ball consistently.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Freshman C Tyler Moore brings somehting we lack: a left-handed bat. Could be DH.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Arby Fields has chance to be most electric player we have. Needs to develop consistency.
@GaryMLaney: Jared Foster, a walk-on at QB, will likely be the first infielder off the bench, Mainieri said.
@LSUbaseball: On @LSUfball walk-on QB Jared Foster, "I think he'll be our first backup infielder." -Mainieri
@GaryMLaney: Mainieri: Likes to have a defined closer, but at the start of the season, all 3 top relievers will get their shot. Competition is "equal"
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: A lot was made that our offense wasn't that good. We were third in batting and led in runs scored.
@GaryMLaney: Mainieri: LSU led SEC in runs, third in BA. But offense was inconstent.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Because we don't have a lot of power, there are going to be some days where you don't have luck.
@GaryMLaney: Mainieri: Calling off the dogs on Friday at Alabama "took the aggressiveness out of us," last year. Tigers got shut out the next 2 days.
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri said he pulled the reins back on offense against Alabama last season because of atmosphere following tornados LSU
@GaryMLaney: Bad luck in hitting last year, Mainieri said. "That's what happens when you don't have power." No bad luck when you hit it over fence.
@GaryMLaney: Mainieri: Last year, there was emphasis on bunting, but they didn't have good enough pitching to give away outs.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: We have more punch in the lineup this year. We don't have a guy who will hit 14 HR but several 5 or 6.
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri: Team has grown more accustomed to the new bats. More pop throughout the lineup LSU
@GaryMLaney: Bourgeois could come out of bullpen or be a mid-week starter.
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri sees a lot of possibilities for Joey Bourgeois. Adapting to some changes in throwing motion LSU
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Want to see how Hanover handles leadoff spot. Walked more than ever last year.
@LSUbaseball: Very early batting order: 1. Hanover, 2. Rhymes, 3. Katz, 4. Slaid, 5. Jones, 6. Nola, 7. Ross, 8. the DH, 9. Yocum -Mainieri
@LSUbaseball: Pitching order has not been determined. Would like to rotate Kevin Gausman, Ryan Eades, Kurt McCune (on Friday) in the first 3 weekends.
@GaryMLaney: The SEC "may be the best it's ever been, quite frankly," Mainieri said. LSU is ranked 8 in Baseball America, but 4 in the SEC.
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: This might be the best its (SEC) ever been. We're 8th in country, 4th in SEC. Mind boggling.
@LSUbaseball: Mainieri on schedule: Home No. 4 Ark, No. 10 Vandy, No. 11 UGA; Away: No. 1 Fla., No. 3 S.C., No. 22 Ole Miss. "The league's just amazing."
@HuntPalmerBBI: Mainieri remembers the reception Wake Forests HC got last season after donating kidney. Hopes Air Force's coach (former C-17 pilot) gets 1.
@LSUbaseball: Mainieri asks Tiger fans to honor his former player, U.S. veteran and Air Force coach Mike Kazlausky, when his team opens 2012 at Alex Box.
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri: LSU missing SEC tournament contributed to AD's movement to expand tournament
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: League tournament expansion to 10 teams, we asked for it in 2013 and ADs approved it for 2012
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Pitch clock is back, hopefully it will be as insignificant as it was last year.
@HunterPaniagua: ADs will discuss expanding tournament to 12 teams in 2013 after A&M and Mizzou join the SEC LSU
@Tiger_Rag: LSU will use a combination of coaches and catchers calling pitches. Dunn used to coaching catchers to call pitches from pro ball
@HunterPaniagua: Mainieri and Dunn hasn't taken advice from Skip Bertman about allowing catchers to call pitches LSU
@Tiger_Rag: Mainieri predicts 75-25% split with coaches calling the majority of pitches
@GaryMLaney: Dunn's knowledge of the game and experience is impressive.
@LSUbaseball: On @LSUfball season "It was 1 for the ages...they had 1 bad night. There are great expectations (at LSU), I wouldn't have it any other way."
@GaryMLaney: Mainieri spent 45 minutes watching Dunn with pitchers Thursday. "Every day, he puts on a clinic." Of Dunn: 'Philosophically, we're the same'
@JimKleinpeter: Paul Mainieri: Philosophically, Alan Dunn and I are on the same page.
@HunterPaniagua: Jordy Snikeris has a small cyst on his wrist that he'll need to work through this season. Will be backup catcher LSU
@GaryMLaney: Role players like Snikeris are the "unsung heroes of the team.'
@LSUbaseball: Coach Mainieri wraps up his portion of Media Day, as writers, reporters and Tweeters head to the field @AlexBoxStadium.