Back to Earth goes WVU Baseball...

[coalcountry52]

Lose the series against a poor Furman squad. I'm not too focused on their close losses to South Carolina and Clemson. They are a slightly better Canisius. Inexcusable and essentially has eliminated any at-large chances WVU may have had. It's reaching "show me" time with this program to make a regional, and until we do, this program is at a plateau it may not climb above.

 

[Vernon]

Lose the series against a poor Furman squad. I'm not too focused on their close losses to South Carolina and Clemson. They are a slightly better Canisius. Inexcusable and essentially has eliminated any at-large chances WVU may have had. It's reaching "show me" time with this program to make a regional, and until we do, this program is at a plateau it may not climb above.

With Mazey or with any coach?

 

[HurdyGurdyEer]

Good grief .... once again .... this is a very young team.

 

[LowFatMilk]

Good grief .... once again .... this is a very young team.

The OP goes game from game thinking we're great to sucking....

 

[ColoradoMountaineer]

The OP goes game from game thinking we're great to sucking....

He never said that just you putting words into his mouth

 

[coalcountry52]

With Mazey or with any coach?

That may be the million dollar question. It's beginning to be a trend that teams under Mazey play to the level of their competition and when it causes series losses to teams around the 200s in RPI, that will always prevent us from being in legitimate discussion for at-large bids. If we are doomed as a program to always be on the outside looking in, then it really spits in the face of building a new ballpark and everything. Cold weather and conditions aside, it should not be crazy to think we can make regionals. I'm not going to knock the young guys, as I'm aware of our youth, but we are so schizophrenic from weekday to weekend, conference to nonconference that it begs the question, "what the hell are you doing Mazey?"

We are much improved as a program but we've not been building on our early successes in this conference. Our schedule is favorable to have finish over .500, but not winning the games you should throws that into jeopardy.

 

[xgunnx]

MOUNTAINEER BASEBALL TEAM
14 Freshmen
6 Juniors
9 Sophomores
4 Seniors

With such a YOUNG team there will be inconsistencies and "growing pains". What we need to be looking for is development and progression throughout the season. IMO

Thats the question that needs answered, is this team progressing and developing?

 

[CAJUNEER]

With Mazey or with any coach?

Northern teams are at no disadvantage at all when it comes to baseball.

TCU country

LSU country

Morgantown

 

[coalcountry52]

Thats the question that needs answered, is this team progressing and developing?

Another high-priced question which there isn't a clear answer, which is the problem. Since our teams will play a good OSU team to two wins then follow up with a series loss to Furman, I can't say definitively. As long as we can't answer it, I'm leaning towards no.

 

[GoWVU]

If we are doomed as a program to always be on the outside looking in, then it really spits in the face of building a new ballpark and everything. Cold weather and conditions aside, it should not be crazy to think we can make regionals. I'm not going to knock the young guys, as I'm aware of our youth, but we are so schizophrenic from weekday to weekend, conference to nonconference that it begs the question, "what the hell are you doing Mazey?"

We are much improved as a program but we've not been building on our early successes in this conference.

On the other hand, Mazey has a better record in Big 12 conference games than our football coach despite baseball having no recent history of success and despite starting the job with much worse facilities than football. Unlike our football coach, Mazey also knows what it's like to finish in the top 3 of a Big 12 season as a head coach.

It's only year 4 for Mazey and "we have a very young team." I am told both "facilities and recruiting are getting better and better" since joining the Big 12. Seems to me that he is "building the program" and that we're "headed in the right direction." Maybe all that Mazey really needs is 2 more years on the job and a personal gang of PR flacks who are angry that he can't get an extension in year 6. [cheers]

 

[countryroads89]

Another high-priced question which there isn't a clear answer, which is the problem. Since our teams will play a good OSU team to two wins then follow up with a series loss to Furman, I can't say definitively. As long as we can't answer it, I'm leaning towards no.

I tend to agree. They aren't progressing/building, working toward improvement. They are random hit and miss. I'm not saying we need to fire the coach, it's just disappointing since we had a pretty good first year under Mazey and now have improved the facilities and we are losing multiple games that we shouldn't.

 

[Orlaco]

Northern teams are at no disadvantage at all when it comes to baseball.

TCU country

LSU country

Morgantown

Do mind looking up Louisville and Michigan ?

 

[GoWVU]

How about Charlottesville, Nashville, and Corvallis? Schools located in those cities all have won national championships in the last decade as well. (Must be the double-L thing.)

 

[CAJUNEER]

How about Charlottesville, Nashville, and Corvallis? Schools located in those cities all have won national championships in the last decade as well. (Must be the double-L thing.)

Be my guest. I think those schools all have favorable climates.

 

[CAJUNEER]

Do mind looking up Louisville and Michigan ?

Every CWS champion and runner up for the last 20 years has been either a southern school or a west cost school.

 

[Orlaco]

Every CWS champion and runner up for the last 20 years has been either a southern school or a west cost school.

So yes...you do mind.

 

[CAJUNEER]

So yes...you do mind.

Even you could probably do that for yourself.

 

[Orlaco]

Even you could probably do that for yourself.

Sure... ....and I would have if you provided a link. That way even if your link is inaccurate it's at least a consistent source.

I'm not surprised that you were comfortable sniping stats while refusing to compete in a turkey shoot.

 

[GoWVU]

Be my guest. I think those schools all have favorable climates.

I don't know what source you used, whether it was a graph of this year only, a graph of typical trends for those dates, why you chose just February, etc.

A quick glance at month-of-February averages shows me that Charlottesville appears far closer to what you posted for Morgantown than it does to either TCU or LSU. February averages for Corvallis and Nashville look very similar to each other, and possibly noticeably cooler than your posting for TCU. It seems inaccurate to call Charlottesville a "favorable climate" and perhaps not even the other two cities, either.

It would certainly help if you'd provide the same data from your original source so we could compare apples to apples instead of guessing.

 

[WESTBGVA]

I don't know what source you used, whether it was a graph of this year only, a graph of typical trends for those dates, etc.

A quick glance at month-of-February averages shows me that Charlottesville appears far closer to what you posted for Morgantown than it does to either TCU or LSU. February averages for Corvallis and Nashville look very similar to each other, and possibly noticeably cooler than your posting for TCU. It seems inaccurate to call Charlottesville a "favorable climate" and perhaps not even the other two cities, either.

It would certainly help if you'd provide the same data from your original source so we could compare apples to apples instead of guessing.

so this intricate thread is all about WVU baseball..simple..we will not be in Omaha unless we buy tickets to see the other teams play.

 

[GoWVU]

so this intricate thread is all about WVU baseball..simple..we will not be in Omaha unless we buy tickets to see the other teams play.

Kent St, Stony Brook, and Indiana all have made it to Omaha just since 2012. Don't all of them have the same disadvantages with terrible northern weather, facilities, recruiting areas, and lack of historical success that we do?

When WVU made its 11th and most recent NCAA tournament appearance in baseball in 1996, the combined total of NCAA appearances by Oregon St, Virginia, and Louisville was just 9. In the 20 years since, all 3 have reached Omaha multiple times and become national powers. I'll bet many of their school's fans had never considered that they could become important players in college baseball, either. Maybe the only thing holding us back is resigned acceptance of what has been rather than a genuine effort to see what could be.

 

[TexasforevEER]

Your correct but................there ain't nobody looking. Baseball is a great game.......but on the college level...............there ain't nobody looking. Football is king ..................with roundball second. There ain't no third place.

 

[coalcountry52]

so this intricate thread is all about WVU baseball..simple..we will not be in Omaha unless we buy tickets to see the other teams play.

That attitude right there is why I'm beginning to really hate our fanbase. If it isn't football or basketball, you either A) couldn't give a rat's ass, B) dismiss it because we're WVU, or C) both.

We have a legitimate chance to be good in baseball. Cold weather and travel are negatives, but you all act like none of the local players are either used to it or want to play here. Our biggest obstacles to being good have been coaching, our barely high school stadium, and fan turnout. We hired Mazey and immediately improved, we got a new ballpark that has already won awards, and fans have set high attendance numbers through the past couple years. What Mazey hasn't done is get the team up to play games they should have the advantage in, nor has he been really smart with his pitching choices or lineups (just look at us losing to Pitt tonight because of Connor Dotson, who plays with little confidence right now, and then playing almost all freshmen instead of upperclassmen). Our performances cannot be pinned entirely on youth. Mazey's decision making that disrupts consistency and keeps any cohesion from forming is just as culpable.

By the way, losing to Pitt tonight isn't bad - they are mid 30s RPI - but it'd still be nice if we'd have a home field advantage.

 

[bEER_Nation13]

I thought the team was "young" last year. Now, I hear that same word this year. And I have a feeling that same word will be tossed around next year.

 

[MntnEERinSC]

I thought the team was "young" last year. Now, I hear that same word this year. And I have a feeling that same word will be tossed around next year.

I understand what you're saying, but what would you consider 14 Freshmen, 9 Sophomores, 6 juniors, and 4 Seniors?

 

[xgunnx]

I understand what you're saying, but what would you consider 14 Freshmen, 9 Sophomores, 6 juniors, and 4 Seniors?

Obviously the Beer_nation guy considers that to be a upperclassmen/senior, highly experience laded, juggernaut team of soon to be major league game changers.

 

[GoWVU]

coalcountry, have you been continuing to follow the ups and downs of the baseball team over the last few weeks?

I'm just wondering if you feel like you've seen enough progress lately. It certainly seems that way to me, not that the job is done by any means. However, in an obvious down year for the conference our very young roster appears to be better positioned to take advantage now than they were a month ago--which is definitely a good sign.

Any thoughts of your own? Just being curious here...it was nice to read some discussion on the baseball program for once whenever you started threads about it, even though I didn't necessarily agree with everything.

 

[LowFatMilk]

BUMP... ...curious if Coal will attempt to answer the questions from Go (even though he posted them in a polite manner).

 

[BobbyBoucheer]

BUMP... ...curious if Coal will attempt to answer the questions from Go (even though he posted them in a polite manner).

The team is playing really well right now.

 

[LowFatMilk]

The team is playing really well right now.

Cool.

So we're back to Earth ? ...aka...grounded ?

 

[BobbyBoucheer]

Cool.

So we're back to Earth ? ...aka...grounded ?

So you're looking to argue with with Coal and since I replied to your post you choose to be snarky with me? ok.

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers]

So you're looking to argue with with Coal and since I replied to your post you choose to be snarky with me? ok.

The way I see it: Since WVU has the longest winning streak in the nation (10), I think the OP's headline is way off base. Premature bashing, even. TT may be a tough nut to crack, however. But bringing this young team this far is a-Mazey-ing. Yes, I wrote it that way!

 

[BoremanEer]

Be my guest. I think those schools all have favorable climates.

You are telling me Charlottesville has a climate much different than Morgantown? Nashville is only slightly better....

 

[GoWVU]

Amazing run for the baseball team over the final weeks of the season. Wouldn't it be great if they could repeat the basketball team's run to the championship game of the Big 12 tournament?

 

[CE4WVU]

Reminds me of when Nebraska baseball made it to Omaha twice in the past decade. The Husker fans could have cared less for anything but football. As soon as they made it two Omaha, those Husker Football fans became baseball 'fans'... showed up in droves to cheer on their team in the CWS both times. The morning show for a local rock station in Omaha called out those 'fans' asking them where they had been before then... summed it up by saying they were a bunch of hypocrites. Neither of the hosts are Husker fans (one guy is a ) and go out of their way to make the Nebraska fans lives miserable by cheering for their opponents.

That attitude right there is why I'm beginning to really hate our fanbase. If it isn't football or basketball, you either A) couldn't give a rat's ass, B) dismiss it because we're WVU, or C) both.

We have a legitimate chance to be good in baseball. Cold weather and travel are negatives, but you all act like none of the local players are either used to it or want to play here. Our biggest obstacles to being good have been coaching, our barely high school stadium, and fan turnout. We hired Mazey and immediately improved, we got a new ballpark that has already won awards, and fans have set high attendance numbers through the past couple years. What Mazey hasn't done is get the team up to play games they should have the advantage in, nor has he been really smart with his pitching choices or lineups (just look at us losing to Pitt tonight because of Connor Dotson, who plays with little confidence right now, and then playing almost all freshmen instead of upperclassmen). Our performances cannot be pinned entirely on youth. Mazey's decision making that disrupts consistency and keeps any cohesion from forming is just as culpable.

By the way, losing to Pitt tonight isn't bad - they are mid 30s RPI - but it'd still be nice if we'd have a home field advantage.