2023 Baseball Mega Thread

[311neers]

If everything stayed the same year over year,(players, coaches) then sure it acceptable to expect constant improvement. But the reality is that everything turns over so quickly these days that the only thing that stays constant is culture. Culture takes time to build.

Take football for example. Last year sucked and we had talent that on the outside looked to be good enough to continue the ride. However, the one ingredient of a good cake was missing in leadership. A player led team needs player leadership and last years team was sorely lacking in it and it showed.

Agree to disagree. The culture was started 7 years ago when he came. This is the first winning year in his tenure. Expectations are all well and good I'm saying temper unrealistic expectations.

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Having played for both Pollard and Jones, the above statement is spot on. Jones quite literally screwed the program. Also couldn't agree more about Cobb. Kermit inherited what felt like a program with the death penalty and now has us back on the map. Where is that extension announcement!!!? Time to hit the portal.

[Appmountaineers19]

If everything stayed the same year over year,(players, coaches) then sure it acceptable to expect constant improvement. But the reality is that everything turns over so quickly these days that the only thing that stays constant is culture. Culture takes time to build.

Take football for example. Last year sucked and we had talent that on the outside looked to be good enough to continue the ride. However, the one ingredient of a good cake was missing in leadership. A player led team needs player leadership and last years team was sorely lacking in it and it showed.

Agree to disagree. The culture was started 7 years ago when he came. This is the first winning year in his tenure. Expectations are all well and good I'm saying temper unrealistic expectations.

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Again I'm not saying anything derogatory at all about KS and the team. I for one wanted him signed half way through the season. What I am saying is that we are looking a team that was 5 games over .500 and people are saying SB titles and regionals in an unrealistic timeframe. TP is helping. Let's start with another +.500 season and deep run into the SBC tourney then we can talk about moving expectations from there.

You might know better than me since you are in the know. Why is there a hold up on the KS extension.

[ViewCrew87]

Even more insulting was giving Jones an extension as Cobb was packing for Atlanta!

[Tru2ASU]

Promoting Kermit Smith baseball camps on social media. I feel like all we are waiting on is an announcement on an extension for Smith.

[hapapp]

If everything stayed the same year over year,(players, coaches) then sure it acceptable to expect constant improvement. But the reality is that everything turns over so quickly these days that the only thing that stays constant is culture. Culture takes time to build.

Take football for example. Last year sucked and we had talent that on the outside looked to be good enough to continue the ride. However, the one ingredient of a good cake was missing in leadership. A player led team needs player leadership and last years team was sorely lacking in it and it showed.

Agree to disagree. The culture was started 7 years ago when he came. This is the first winning year in his tenure. Expectations are all well and good I'm saying temper unrealistic expectations.

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Again I'm not saying anything derogatory at all about KS and the team. I for one wanted him signed half way through the season. What I am saying is that we are looking a team that was 5 games over .500 and people are saying SB titles and regionals in an unrealistic timeframe. TP is helping. Let's start with another +.500 season and deep run into the SBC tourney then we can talk about moving expectations from there.

You might know better than me since you are in the know. Why is there a hold up on the KS extension.

My understanding is that Kermit preferred to wait to season's completion. I don't think this reflects any dissatisfaction within the administration for the job he has done. My view is from afar and not one close to the program but it sure appears to me that Kermit is a quality human being and his players respect him.

[Stonewall]

We now have expectations , winning records ,making a run at title and/or a bid.With the anticipated extension comes a higher "bar".No excuses.

.500 or better should be the expectation going forward if KS returns (again surprised its not already done)

The rest..."higher" bar or not is just not realistic (maybe if it keeps going in the right trajectory 3-4 years from now people can have this discussion)

Regardless , the bar is higher .That discussion is being had.He pulled it out of the fire this year , a sub .500 season and he was done .The portal provided instant talent and likely will again.Everyone I speak to is high on him as a person and really pulling for him and the staff.As to an extension and it's timing , there are layers of approval and I am told it isn't there yet but should be forthcoming without any real issue.

[Tru2ASU]

Baseball is a lot trickier process to hire. No assistant from a successful school is going to leave for a mid-level Sun Belt job. The only way I wouldn't re-sign Smith is if Paul Oneil would leave Pembroke to come back up the mountain, and that's not happening.

[WVAPPeer]

Is that the Paul O'Neil who played for the Yankees?

[AppStateNews]

Is that the Paul O'Neil who played for the Yankees?

No. He was a player at App in the late 80s or early 90s. He's been the manager at Pembroke for over 20 years.

He was high on the list for wants last go around. But, we aren't luring him away for less than we are paying Kermit so it doesn't make sense right now.

[APPdiesel]

If everything stayed the same year over year,(players, coaches) then sure it acceptable to expect constant improvement. But the reality is that everything turns over so quickly these days that the only thing that stays constant is culture. Culture takes time to build.

Take football for example. Last year sucked and we had talent that on the outside looked to be good enough to continue the ride. However, the one ingredient of a good cake was missing in leadership. A player led team needs player leadership and last years team was sorely lacking in it and it showed.

Agree to disagree. The culture was started 7 years ago when he came. This is the first winning year in his tenure. Expectations are all well and good I'm saying temper unrealistic expectations.

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Again I'm not saying anything derogatory at all about KS and the team. I for one wanted him signed half way through the season. What I am saying is that we are looking a team that was 5 games over .500 and people are saying SB titles and regionals in an unrealistic timeframe. TP is helping. Let's start with another +.500 season and deep run into the SBC tourney then we can talk about moving expectations from there.

You might know better than me since you are in the know. Why is there a hold up on the KS extension.

And what I’m saying is just an incremental improvement on 5 games over .500 puts us in legitimate contention for a regional. You’re failing to realize that we weren’t too far off this year (record wise…I understand we had a weak RPI and bad losses this year and absolutely weren’t talented enough for that). So it stands to reason that 10 games over .500, a mere 5 game improvement over this season, produces a team in the hunt for a regional.

Charlotte is in a regional at 34-26 in a weaker conference.
Samford 36 wins
Penn 32 wins
Sam Houston 38 wins
Lipscomb 36
Rider 35
Maine 32
Florida A&M 29!!!!
Tulane 19!!!!
San Jose State 31
Cal State Fullerton 31
George Mason 34

35 win teams in the Sun Belt make the post season.

35-20 records IS the bench mark for post season baseball and we were only 5 games away. Stop acting like there’s an ocean standing in our way because there absolutely is not.

[Appmountaineers19]

If everything stayed the same year over year,(players, coaches) then sure it acceptable to expect constant improvement. But the reality is that everything turns over so quickly these days that the only thing that stays constant is culture. Culture takes time to build.

Take football for example. Last year sucked and we had talent that on the outside looked to be good enough to continue the ride. However, the one ingredient of a good cake was missing in leadership. A player led team needs player leadership and last years team was sorely lacking in it and it showed.

Agree to disagree. The culture was started 7 years ago when he came. This is the first winning year in his tenure. Expectations are all well and good I'm saying temper unrealistic expectations.

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Again I'm not saying anything derogatory at all about KS and the team. I for one wanted him signed half way through the season. What I am saying is that we are looking a team that was 5 games over .500 and people are saying SB titles and regionals in an unrealistic timeframe. TP is helping. Let's start with another +.500 season and deep run into the SBC tourney then we can talk about moving expectations from there.

You might know better than me since you are in the know. Why is there a hold up on the KS extension.

And what I’m saying is just an incremental improvement on 5 games over .500 puts us in legitimate contention for a regional. You’re failing to realize that we weren’t too far off this year (record wise…I understand we had a weak RPI and bad losses this year and absolutely weren’t talented enough for that). So it stands to reason that 10 games over .500, a mere 5 game improvement over this season, produces a team in the hunt for a regional.

Charlotte is in a regional at 34-26 in a weaker conference.
Samford 36 wins
Penn 32 wins
Sam Houston 38 wins
Lipscomb 36
Rider 35
Maine 32
Florida A&M 29!!!!
Tulane 19!!!!
San Jose State 31
Cal State Fullerton 31
George Mason 34

35 win teams in the Sun Belt make the post season.

35-20 records IS the bench mark for post season baseball and we were only 5 games away. Stop acting like there’s an ocean standing in our way because there absolutely is not.

Let it go big fella.

[APPdiesel]

Agree to disagree. The culture was started 7 years ago when he came. This is the first winning year in his tenure. Expectations are all well and good I'm saying temper unrealistic expectations.

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Again I'm not saying anything derogatory at all about KS and the team. I for one wanted him signed half way through the season. What I am saying is that we are looking a team that was 5 games over .500 and people are saying SB titles and regionals in an unrealistic timeframe. TP is helping. Let's start with another +.500 season and deep run into the SBC tourney then we can talk about moving expectations from there.

You might know better than me since you are in the know. Why is there a hold up on the KS extension.

And what I’m saying is just an incremental improvement on 5 games over .500 puts us in legitimate contention for a regional. You’re failing to realize that we weren’t too far off this year (record wise…I understand we had a weak RPI and bad losses this year and absolutely weren’t talented enough for that). So it stands to reason that 10 games over .500, a mere 5 game improvement over this season, produces a team in the hunt for a regional.

Charlotte is in a regional at 34-26 in a weaker conference.
Samford 36 wins
Penn 32 wins
Sam Houston 38 wins
Lipscomb 36
Rider 35
Maine 32
Florida A&M 29!!!!
Tulane 19!!!!
San Jose State 31
Cal State Fullerton 31
George Mason 34

35 win teams in the Sun Belt make the post season.

35-20 records IS the bench mark for post season baseball and we were only 5 games away. Stop acting like there’s an ocean standing in our way because there absolutely is not.

Let it go big fella.

Man I’m excited for when you finally adopt a winner’s mentality. That’s going to be a fun day for you.

[Appmountaineers19]

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Again I'm not saying anything derogatory at all about KS and the team. I for one wanted him signed half way through the season. What I am saying is that we are looking a team that was 5 games over .500 and people are saying SB titles and regionals in an unrealistic timeframe. TP is helping. Let's start with another +.500 season and deep run into the SBC tourney then we can talk about moving expectations from there.

You might know better than me since you are in the know. Why is there a hold up on the KS extension.

And what I’m saying is just an incremental improvement on 5 games over .500 puts us in legitimate contention for a regional. You’re failing to realize that we weren’t too far off this year (record wise…I understand we had a weak RPI and bad losses this year and absolutely weren’t talented enough for that). So it stands to reason that 10 games over .500, a mere 5 game improvement over this season, produces a team in the hunt for a regional.

Charlotte is in a regional at 34-26 in a weaker conference.
Samford 36 wins
Penn 32 wins
Sam Houston 38 wins
Lipscomb 36
Rider 35
Maine 32
Florida A&M 29!!!!
Tulane 19!!!!
San Jose State 31
Cal State Fullerton 31
George Mason 34

35 win teams in the Sun Belt make the post season.

35-20 records IS the bench mark for post season baseball and we were only 5 games away. Stop acting like there’s an ocean standing in our way because there absolutely is not.

Let it go big fella.

Man I’m excited for when you finally adopt a winner’s mentality. That’s going to be a fun day for you.

So I'm not going to get in a pissing match over the forum ...I willing to say I've accomplished more as an athlete than you have ever with a loser mentality. (arrogant and petty I know). Glad for your "winning" mentality. I'm not only a fan but a realist that has dabble a thing or two in many levels of baseball whether coaching or playing. KS is building a good program but it's gonna take more time. You have a good day my man!

[APPdiesel]

Charlie Cobb, is that you?

[hapapp]

Most of those teams posted are in because they won conference tournaments. Charlotte is in with that record after winning their conference tournament. George Mason won the A10 title as a sixth seed. Neither team makes the field otherwise.

[Appstate35]

Baseball is a lot trickier process to hire. No assistant from a successful school is going to leave for a mid-level Sun Belt job. The only way I wouldn't re-sign Smith is if Paul Oneil would leave Pembroke to come back up the mountain, and that's not happening.

That is not true. Kermit was hired over someone with that scenario. Also, Mark Calvi, South Alabama's coach was the pitching coach for South Carolina during their national championship years.

[Tru2ASU]

Baseball is a lot trickier process to hire. No assistant from a successful school is going to leave for a mid-level Sun Belt job. The only way I wouldn't re-sign Smith is if Paul Oneil would leave Pembroke to come back up the mountain, and that's not happening.

That is not true. Kermit was hired over someone with that scenario. Also, Mark Calvi, South Alabama's coach was the pitching coach for South Carolina during their national championship years.

Ok.

[AppSt94]

Most of those teams posted are in because they won conference tournaments. Charlotte is in with that record after winning their conference tournament. George Mason won the A10 title as a sixth seed. Neither team makes the field otherwise.

Stop presenting sound facts. You are going to be labeled as having a loser’s mentality. Lol.

[AppSt94]

If Kermit came right after Pollard, then yes, I would agree with you. However, Jones screwed the baseball program so much (thanks Cobb for hiring a friend as your parting gift), it took that long to build the program back. Culture was started the day Kermit came. Program had to come from absolutely nothing to what it is now.

Again I'm not saying anything derogatory at all about KS and the team. I for one wanted him signed half way through the season. What I am saying is that we are looking a team that was 5 games over .500 and people are saying SB titles and regionals in an unrealistic timeframe. TP is helping. Let's start with another +.500 season and deep run into the SBC tourney then we can talk about moving expectations from there.

You might know better than me since you are in the know. Why is there a hold up on the KS extension.

And what I’m saying is just an incremental improvement on 5 games over .500 puts us in legitimate contention for a regional. You’re failing to realize that we weren’t too far off this year (record wise…I understand we had a weak RPI and bad losses this year and absolutely weren’t talented enough for that). So it stands to reason that 10 games over .500, a mere 5 game improvement over this season, produces a team in the hunt for a regional.

Charlotte is in a regional at 34-26 in a weaker conference.
Samford 36 wins
Penn 32 wins
Sam Houston 38 wins
Lipscomb 36
Rider 35
Maine 32
Florida A&M 29!!!!
Tulane 19!!!!
San Jose State 31
Cal State Fullerton 31
George Mason 34

35 win teams in the Sun Belt make the post season.

35-20 records IS the bench mark for post season baseball and we were only 5 games away. Stop acting like there’s an ocean standing in our way because there absolutely is not.

Let it go big fella.

Man I’m excited for when you finally adopt a winner’s mentality. That’s going to be a fun day for you.

Stop with the “loser’s mentality” crap. No one here wants to lose. Most of us can accept that there are hurdles in the way that can’t be just wished away.

[Appmountaineers19]

Most of those teams posted are in because they won conference tournaments. Charlotte is in with that record after winning their conference tournament. George Mason won the A10 title as a sixth seed. Neither team makes the field otherwise.

Thank you like I said I didn't want a pissing match. We (including myself can manipulate info the way we want it). But looking at that list I assumed they were automatic bids.

I'm sorry for being petty and d-baggish on here. I was wrong. I'll see you on this thread in 2024. In the meantime good luck to the squad.