Are you (yes, YOU) being honest about Tulane Baseball?

[1309th WAVE]

I don't think a lot of people are honest about what Tulane baseball is, what it can be/what they would like it to be, and I'll explain what I mean by that.

Simply put, the price on fielding a competitive/perennial postseason contender in college baseball has gone up, and I don't think Tulane has kept pace with the arms race at all. The hack shack might have been "nice for the late 2000s" but it's way out of date by comparison to what other programs are doing wrt analytics and using biometric data. I'd say this even if we weren't striking out a ton on the field too. Allegedly that is being addressed during our larger facilities overhaul but I don't know any specifics. If we're just adding more batting cages and not dabbling in tech like Rapsodo that I think we would benefit from, bin it. Don't even bother. I'm going to assume our penchant for throwing high fastballs comes from an analytic-driven approach because that's what's going on in the big leagues too. Though clearly the execution of hanging high fastballs so often leaves something to be desired...

All the dressing on my word salad here is just a long winded way to say you aren't going to make the College World Series practicing on a dirt lot like Long Beach State used to do. That's over. Finito. Am I wistful of the the way college baseball used to be? Absolutely. Rick Jones ball was what I grew up with. Complaining about the SEC dragging the upper quartile of the sport into a telethon isn't going to fix anything either. It is what it is.

Which leads me back to the burning question: What is Tulane baseball, anyway? The lens through which we view the program, as it sits in modern times, is smudged with so much nostalgia. Can we really achieve the upside we once took for granted with the way things are? If not, how long would it take to "fix" things? Is Tulane baseball "fixable" per se? What makes this a desirable job in college baseball? Is it the outsized fan support? It's not the facilities. Certainly not the conference anymore. How many coaches are gonna want to come here to struggle and get heckled by us diehards? We're on a streak with that and I hope it's not a habit.

To me, I see a "temporarily embarrassed" team with sporadic upside in this 2023 club. With some combination of supplementing the usable pieces we have, keeping said pieces from transferring, and better toys in our facilities, I think we could find something there. Maybe I'm not being honest either!

This is not a value statement on any coaches, necessarily. Maybe it should be. I'll leave that unsaid for now.

What do you think? I'm interested in solutions that would bring Tulane Baseball back to respectability, and that starts with properly diagnosing the problem(s). I'm not saying "rightful place" because what right do we have to be entitled to success anyway? Tulane built, EARNED its reputation on the field. One that it hasn't lived up to in several years. Now why would that be?

/rant (but it's not really a rant)

[GSx]

The imminent issue is 6-19, with blowout after blowout against average or worse teams. Fix that first, then we can figure out how to get where we were. And no "reason" that the most imaginative person could possibly dream up justifies what we're seeing.
What we will do about it is the question. Et tu, Dannen?

[G-wave]

Looking into the future the incoming FR class is not that great . Don't follow baseball recruiting but was told we signed only one player in Perfect Game top 1000. Might have wrong on that and God I hope so.

[DrHullabaloo]

I don't think a lot of people are honest about what Tulane baseball is, what it can be/what they would like it to be, and I'll explain what I mean by that.

Simply put, the price on fielding a competitive/perennial postseason contender in college baseball has gone up, and I don't think Tulane has kept pace with the arms race at all. The hack shack might have been "nice for the late 2000s" but it's way out of date by comparison to what other programs are doing wrt analytics and using biometric data. I'd say this even if we weren't striking out a ton on the field too. Allegedly that is being addressed during our larger facilities overhaul but I don't know any specifics. If we're just adding more batting cages and not dabbling in tech like Rapsodo that I think we would benefit from, bin it. Don't even bother. I'm going to assume our penchant for throwing high fastballs comes from an analytic-driven approach because that's what's going on in the big leagues too. Though clearly the execution of hanging high fastballs so often leaves something to be desired...

All the dressing on my word salad here is just a long winded way to say you aren't going to make the College World Series practicing on a dirt lot like Long Beach State used to do. That's over. Finito. Am I wistful of the the way college baseball used to be? Absolutely. Rick Jones ball was what I grew up with. Complaining about the SEC dragging the upper quartile of the sport into a telethon isn't going to fix anything either. It is what it is.

Which leads me back to the burning question: What is Tulane baseball, anyway? The lens through which we view the program, as it sits in modern times, is smudged with so much nostalgia. Can we really achieve the upside we once took for granted with the way things are? If not, how long would it take to "fix" things? Is Tulane baseball "fixable" per se? What makes this a desirable job in college baseball? Is it the outsized fan support? It's not the facilities. Certainly not the conference anymore. How many coaches are gonna want to come here to struggle and get heckled by us diehards? We're on a streak with that and I hope it's not a habit.

To me, I see a "temporarily embarrassed" team with sporadic upside in this 2023 club. With some combination of supplementing the usable pieces we have, keeping said pieces from transferring, and better toys in our facilities, I think we could find something there. Maybe I'm not being honest either!

This is not a value statement on any coaches, necessarily. Maybe it should be. I'll leave that unsaid for now.

What do you think? I'm interested in solutions that would bring Tulane Baseball back to respectability, and that starts with properly diagnosing the problem(s). I'm not saying "rightful place" because what right do we have to be entitled to success anyway? Tulane built, EARNED its reputation on the field. One that it hasn't lived up to in several years. Now why would that be?

/rant (but it's not really a rant)

Hawaii’s facilities were a dump

[speckled trout]

We have our baseball version of Bob Toledo. Find something better to occupy your time until football starts

[tulaneoutlaw]

Until the ncaa allows full schollies, we are going to struggle to do anything consistent. Personally I think we could make a regional about once every 3-4 years in the current landscape. A good coach could get us there and we should be attractive as a step up to a bunch of conferences still below us. No expectation of deep runs much less cws. Baseball is and has been a sideshow since Pierce left. Let's just just try to not utterly embarrass the school as is happening now.

A lot rides on football since basketball fell short of any meaningful accomplishments this year. The surprise 2022 will always be awesome. Now need to deliver again with expectation in 2023. That's the only salve for this mess

[waverider]

Technologically we installed that system a few years ago that measure everything from the pitcher’s arm angle, velocity, etc to the batter’s swing level, contact point, etc. The planned baseball facility is supposed to be equipped with the modern bells and whistles, but the problems we are having are beyond what our batting cages look like.

[Charlie Dunn]

We need to hire someone else asap. There are so many former Tulane players who are coaches that would be better than this. Heck call up the UT coach who used to coach us and ask him who his top assistant is or get recommendations from
him. This season is absurd.

[long green]

The arms race angle makes this a dead letter. The only way we can do anything about that is get in a better conference. We can get a better coach in. Uhlman is no doubt cheap and the costs related to fixing that can’t be high. This is insupportably bad. Not one penny more can be added to the baseball budget until that is fixed.

[Baywave1]

Until the ncaa allows full schollies, we are going to struggle to do anything consistent. Personally I think we could make a regional about once every 3-4 years in the current landscape. A good coach could get us there and we should be attractive as a step up to a bunch of conferences still below us. No expectation of deep runs much less cws. Baseball is and has been a sideshow since Pierce left. Let's just just try to not utterly embarrass the school as is happening now.

A lot rides on football since basketball fell short of any meaningful accomplishments this year. The surprise 2022 will always be awesome. Now need to deliver again with expectation in 2023. That's the only salve for this mess

Uhlman has the number of players on legislative scholarships that Jones had at his peak with ranked post season teams annually when Vitter “blew it up.” When you have 18-20 equivalent full scholarships, you should at minimum have a competitive team.

The stadium was mostly empty last night for UNO. This is worse than Toledo. This is Ellis Johnson at USM bad.

[long green]

I was waiting for someone to drop that name (Ellis Johnson) and there, it’s done. Actually, that winless team probably was more competitive in more games (by comparison) than this team is. The good news is that Johnson’s impact on USM football lasted for years. In some ways they still haven’t gotten over it.

[LawGreenie]

We were more competitive in an era when full scholarships were rare. I'm guessing only a handful of players from the 2005 team had more than a half scholarship -- even including legislative scholarships in that mix. Most were on books and meal plan deal. Having to provide at least half scholarships, along with the restrictions on transfers, were adjustments that Jones couldn't make.

One thing I don't understand is that we dominated the free transfer market back then -- why are we struggling so badly now?

[GretnaGrn]

It's hard for any of us die-hards to be truly objective. There are absolutely barriers at Tulane for baseball; no argument there. The high tuition is a problem, as are the limited schollys in the current NCAA (although, as pointed out above, legislative schollys do help with this).

I don't think any of us expects a perennial CWS contender, at least until we start seeing P5-type income overall. There's a vast, vast gulf between that and where we are, however. Yes, the schedule is tougher (something I favor, btw; helps dispel illusions and if we were actually decent would position us for an at-large). But it's not asking too much to be just respectable at baseball, with the occasional regional. All of these barriers were there for Pierce, who was able to do it (admittedly only over a short term, but still). It feels like we are very far from that, and getting farther every day. Every problem with this team is not coaching, but the coaching is so bad that it doesn't matter. Yes, we need investment in modern facilities, which is hopefully happening, but I fear it will be fruitless without new leadership, and I greatly question whether Dannen can be bothered to care.

[tjtlja]

We need to hire someone else asap. There are so many former Tulane players who are coaches that would be better than this. Heck call up the UT coach who used to coach us and ask him who his top assistant is or get recommendations from
him. This season is absurd.

Charlie, I don’t see us paying two baseball coaches as we allocate major funds to football. Just have to hope Uhlman turns it around.

Saw something last night that I don’t know I have ever seen at the college level. We missed two consecutive fly balls due to lack of communication between the CF and RF and then the CF and LF. We are at rock bottom right now.

[tjtlja]

It's hard for any of us die-hards to be truly objective. There are absolutely barriers at Tulane for baseball; no argument there. The high tuition is a problem, as are the limited schollys in the current NCAA (although, as pointed out above, legislative schollys do help with this).

I don't think any of us expects a perennial CWS contender, at least until we start seeing P5-type income overall. There's a vast, vast gulf between that and where we are, however. Yes, the schedule is tougher (something I favor, btw; helps dispel illusions and if we were actually decent would position us for an at-large). But it's not asking too much to be just respectable at baseball, with the occasional regional. All of these barriers were there for Pierce, who was able to do it (admittedly only over a short term, but still). It feels like we are very far from that, and getting farther every day. Every problem with this team is not coaching, but the coaching is so bad that it doesn't matter. Yes, we need investment in modern facilities, which is hopefully happening, but I fear it will be fruitless without new leadership, and I greatly question whether Dannen can be bothered to care.

Remember, we have need based income to sell.

[GretnaGrn]

It's hard for any of us die-hards to be truly objective. There are absolutely barriers at Tulane for baseball; no argument there. The high tuition is a problem, as are the limited schollys in the current NCAA (although, as pointed out above, legislative schollys do help with this).

I don't think any of us expects a perennial CWS contender, at least until we start seeing P5-type income overall. There's a vast, vast gulf between that and where we are, however. Yes, the schedule is tougher (something I favor, btw; helps dispel illusions and if we were actually decent would position us for an at-large). But it's not asking too much to be just respectable at baseball, with the occasional regional. All of these barriers were there for Pierce, who was able to do it (admittedly only over a short term, but still). It feels like we are very far from that, and getting farther every day. Every problem with this team is not coaching, but the coaching is so bad that it doesn't matter. Yes, we need investment in modern facilities, which is hopefully happening, but I fear it will be fruitless without new leadership, and I greatly question whether Dannen can be bothered to care.

Remember, we have need based income to sell.

Given that my tuition at Tulane was paid through a need-based scholarship, you would think I would remember that....

[tulaneoutlaw]

We need to hire someone else asap. There are so many former Tulane players who are coaches that would be better than this. Heck call up the UT coach who used to coach us and ask him who his top assistant is or get recommendations from
him. This season is absurd.

Charlie, I don’t see us paying two baseball coaches as we allocate major funds to football. Just have to hope Uhlman turns it around.

Saw something last night that I don’t know I have ever seen at the college level. We missed two consecutive fly balls due to lack of communication between the CF and RF and then the CF and LF. We are at rock bottom right now.

If Uhlman has any buyout at all that would be criminal. Who else was going to hire him as a head coach? The ONLY advantage to hiring in house would've been to get a sweetheart financial deal for Tulane. If TD put any kind of significant buyout in the contract, I say again it's criminal.

Now, that doesn't mean I expect we will make a change. Just that buyout money better not be an issue in this case.

[1309th WAVE]

Saw something last night that I don’t know I have ever seen at the college level. We missed two consecutive fly balls due to lack of communication between the CF and RF and then the CF and LF. We are at rock bottom right now.

seeing that the first time didn't inspire confidence. seeing that a second time... I turned that mess off. I almost never stop watching a game even when we're being waxed. Jay's been around a lot of good baseball... right? Worked under the great George Horton... RIGHT???? This is what they say. In practice I'd have a hard time telling that...

Jay notably declined to talk to the media after the game. Hopefully he went into the clubhouse and gave the Augie Garrido speech. (NSFW incoming:)
https://youtu.be/FuGrwxo0NVU

[LawGreenie]

We need to hire someone else asap. There are so many former Tulane players who are coaches that would be better than this. Heck call up the UT coach who used to coach us and ask him who his top assistant is or get recommendations from
him. This season is absurd.

Charlie, I don’t see us paying two baseball coaches as we allocate major funds to football. Just have to hope Uhlman turns it around.

Saw something last night that I don’t know I have ever seen at the college level. We missed two consecutive fly balls due to lack of communication between the CF and RF and then the CF and LF. We are at rock bottom right now.

If Uhlman has any buyout at all that would be criminal. Who else was going to hire him as a head coach? The ONLY advantage to hiring in house would've been to get a sweetheart financial deal for Tulane. If TD put any kind of significant buyout in the contract, I say again it's criminal.

Now, that doesn't mean I expect we will make a change. Just that buyout money better not be an issue in this case.

He signed a contract for a set term. If you fire him before the end of the term, you have to pay him the full value of the contract. That's not a "buyout," it's just a contract.

Now, if we did something ridiculous like give him a six-year contract, that's a problem.

[tulaneoutlaw]

It should've been 3 years bottom dollar salary. And if that's a barrier to making a change (2 years minimal salary), assuming the season continues as is, then we should kill the program and use the space for other facilities. Keeping uhlman is tantamount to the same outcome

[ml wave]

We need to hire someone else asap. There are so many former Tulane players who are coaches that would be better than this. Heck call up the UT coach who used to coach us and ask him who his top assistant is or get recommendations from
him. This season is absurd.

Charlie, I don’t see us paying two baseball coaches as we allocate major funds to football. Just have to hope Uhlman turns it around.

Saw something last night that I don’t know I have ever seen at the college level. We missed two consecutive fly balls due to lack of communication between the CF and RF and then the CF and LF. We are at rock bottom right now.

If Uhlman has any buyout at all that would be criminal. Who else was going to hire him as a head coach? The ONLY advantage to hiring in house would've been to get a sweetheart financial deal for Tulane. If TD put any kind of significant buyout in the contract, I say again it's criminal.

Now, that doesn't mean I expect we will make a change. Just that buyout money better not be an issue in this case.

He signed a contract for a set term. If you fire him before the end of the term, you have to pay him the full value of the contract. That's not a "buyout," it's just a contract.

Now, if we did something ridiculous like give him a six-year contract, that's a problem.

College coaches will often have a lesser amount owed as a buyout in the event they're fired, as well as a buyout the other way if they leave early.

[GSx]

I was waiting for someone to drop that name (Ellis Johnson) and there, it’s done. Actually, that winless team probably was more competitive in more games (by comparison) than this team is. The good news is that Johnson’s impact on USM football lasted for years. In some ways they still haven’t gotten over it.

Johnson's teams were far more competitive than this team. This team reminds me of Tulane football from the last games of 2011 through the first 5 games of 2012. Or like that 2008 Army game on repeat.

[greenguy]

I was waiting for someone to drop that name (Ellis Johnson) and there, it’s done. Actually, that winless team probably was more competitive in more games (by comparison) than this team is. The good news is that Johnson’s impact on USM football lasted for years. In some ways they still haven’t gotten over it.

Johnson's teams were far more competitive than this team. This team reminds me of Tulane football from the last games of 2011 through the first 5 games of 2012. Or like that 2008 Army game on repeat.

If Tulane and USM played each other in 2012 they both would have lost.

[tjtlja]

Saw something last night that I don’t know I have ever seen at the college level. We missed two consecutive fly balls due to lack of communication between the CF and RF and then the CF and LF. We are at rock bottom right now.

seeing that the first time didn't inspire confidence. seeing that a second time... I turned that mess off. I almost never stop watching a game even when we're being waxed. Jay's been around a lot of good baseball... right? Worked under the great George Horton... RIGHT???? This is what they say. In practice I'd have a hard time telling that...

Jay notably declined to talk to the media after the game. Hopefully he went into the clubhouse and gave the Augie Garrido speech. (NSFW incoming:)
https://youtu.be/FuGrwxo0NVU

1309, I hope to meet you one day. Have some great Augie stories. My son played for him for a couple of years and loved the guy. Actually came to Tulane shortly before his death to see my son after the injury while visiting his daughter. He was one of a kind.

[waverider]

I’m The Current, Coach Uhlman said he tore into the team for “quitting on each other” and said they had a players only meeting afterwards.

Rest assured he said that it will change things, but added that it is not necessarily going to lead to more wins.