Husker Baseball

[huskerswrkhavoc]

...go get a young guy who can recruit some kids who have a desire to win and whos ego's are not so fagile...

I don't quite get the "young have no ego" equation. Since when? Since when does trying to carve out a name for one's self, driving hard and seeking the right mix by some "young guy" absolve him from any ego? If anything, I think a tried-and-true vet with have a far-less fRagile ego. And the ability to spot and dissect "kids who have a desire to win" - is this easy to do? Only for some "young" coach though? Really? That's REALLY a function of youth, not experience?

 

I just don't get your opening arguments. They seem poorly reasoned. If you want a young replacement, fine. But claiming HE will have the experience to spot, discover and recruit winners - how's that? He's the only one with the lucky coin that, when flipped, always comes up with winners? I mean, that could be - maybe he's discovered a genie's bottle during some Spring Break beach trip? But your claims of finding a non-ego and great-talent-spotter sure sounds like "great, long-time experience" factors to me.

 

 

I'm going to agree with this post, however.. Very well put. Honestly, I don't think that 55 knows a ton about baseball just from the past, so take that for what it's worth.. It just seems that the "in" thing to do now-a-days in sports is to hire that hot young name, and thats something we could do..

 

 

 

And moe, you probably haven't seen my 1st post yet, but I'm gonna give you the name I'd want to come here, and we probably could lure here. Matt Deggs. He's an assistant coach at A&M right now under Childress. Deggs spent a few years down with Van Horn at Arkansas when Van Horn first went down there and helped return them to prominence.. He then went to A&M in 06 and has been there.. He's been part of both SEC and Big 12 championships, and has been to the CWS... He was the recruiting coordinator for Arkansas while he was down there.. Also, he took Texarkana to its 1st JUCO World Series back in the 90's when he was a head coach down there..

[CBHusker]

Havoc, I just want a well-reasoned argument for some candidate. Like yours for Deggs. I'm not impressed because of his Ark and A&M affiliations. If anything, I think those degrade my overall view of him. "Return to prominence" for Ark wasn't saying much, and it wasn't long-lived. They've done fair in the SEC but their champ teams have been on low-performing conference moments, too, so I don't give him high points for winning in a low-conference.

 

I do give him more credit for the JuCo affiliations, actually, where he's had to do so much with almost nothing. If Big Time NCAA Baseball suffers from the queer scholarship limits and backhanded treatment in the sports world (cast-off and overlooked HS prospects), the JuCo world is even worse - not only cast-offs and overlooked, but under-skilled in the classroom, or financially handicapped to disqualify them from NCAA programs. Having a coach who can get THOSE players up to champ levels - that's really something good. Wayne Graham at Rice (now at Rice, but the long-time head at San Jacinto, a national powerhouse in JuCo Baseball) has been able to take his 20+ years of JuCo success and take Rice from a Never-Was/Never-Will-Be into a team that NOW only raises eyebrows when it's flopping around - like this year. And yet they'll STILL make the NCAAs, I bet.

 

My biggest caution against Deggs is his locale. You listed his Ark-East Texas background. Moving him to Neb would gain him - uh - what territory? He'd no longer be "a hour's drive" from hot JuCo property or hotbeds of HS talent. So, taking Deggs out of that region might not deliver much more than his name on the scorecard.

 

At the same time, you could argue that "Every recruiting year is different and once he builds the inroads, that's how real recruiting success occurs - over time."

 

Yeah. But probably not 3 or 4 years. It's probably a 10-year process to create a pipeline where any HS or JuCo star would seriously consider his program rather than fair-to-middlin' pro bonus packages. That's what he needs to gain - those players' consideration. I'm never sure Deggs can deliver that - but I don't think any coach-prospect can guarantee that.

 

It's an interesting candidate to pose, and well-argued.

[huskerswrkhavoc]

Havoc, I just want a well-reasoned argument for some candidate. Like yours for Deggs. I'm not impressed because of his Ark and A&M affiliations. If anything, I think those degrade my overall view of him. "Return to prominence" for Ark wasn't saying much, and it wasn't long-lived. They've done fair in the SEC but their champ teams have been on low-performing conference moments, too, so I don't give him high points for winning in a low-conference.

 

I do give him more credit for the JuCo affiliations, actually, where he's had to do so much with almost nothing. If Big Time NCAA Baseball suffers from the queer scholarship limits and backhanded treatment in the sports world (cast-off and overlooked HS prospects), the JuCo world is even worse - not only cast-offs and overlooked, but under-skilled in the classroom, or financially handicapped to disqualify them from NCAA programs. Having a coach who can get THOSE players up to champ levels - that's really something good. Wayne Graham at Rice (now at Rice, but the long-time head at San Jacinto, a national powerhouse in JuCo Baseball) has been able to take his 20+ years of JuCo success and take Rice from a Never-Was/Never-Will-Be into a team that NOW only raises eyebrows when it's flopping around - like this year. And yet they'll STILL make the NCAAs, I bet.

 

My biggest caution against Deggs is his locale. You listed his Ark-East Texas background. Moving him to Neb would gain him - uh - what territory? He'd no longer be "a hour's drive" from hot JuCo property or hotbeds of HS talent. So, taking Deggs out of that region might not deliver much more than his name on the scorecard.

 

At the same time, you could argue that "Every recruiting year is different and once he builds the inroads, that's how real recruiting success occurs - over time."

 

Yeah. But probably not 3 or 4 years. It's probably a 10-year process to create a pipeline where any HS or JuCo star would seriously consider his program rather than fair-to-middlin' pro bonus packages. That's what he needs to gain - those players' consideration. I'm never sure Deggs can deliver that - but I don't think any coach-prospect can guarantee that.

 

It's an interesting candidate to pose, and well-argued.

 

 

The SEC is very arguably the best college baseball conference there is. Arkansas has been competetive, and still is.. maybe you forget their 3rd place finish in the CWS last year, but Deggs wasn't there at that time, and i get that. However, hard to argue that Deggs was there with Anderson when the Razorbacks made their first CWS appearance in 15 years.. Also, the Arkansas and A&M connections make him a viable candidate simply of his affiliation with the most successful time period in this programs history. Many people will grab onto the Van Horn and Childress connection and give at least some approval to Deggs. While I have been the furthest from impressed with what Childress has done with A&M, it is a major program and they have at least been somewhat successful.

 

I see you're point on recruiting, but the fact that he has connections to that part of the states could give him an advantage there. Same argument comes in with football, and while it is certainly different with baseball, the connection to southern high schools can't hurt at all, but I completely understand where you are coming from there.

 

As far as the JUCO coaching gig is concerned, I also could care less about it. However, some people will be quick to say "He's never been a head coach before," so I'm simply just throwing it out there that he has been a head coach at the college level.

 

I can find other coaches that would be worthy of considering that have D1 experience, but maybe not quite the potential upside and recognition that Deggs brings, but certainly safer options. What is you're opinion on it? Should Anderson be given ANOTHER year? If not, who is your idea of a candidate to replace him?

[moe]

Havoc, I just want a well-reasoned argument for some candidate. Like yours for Deggs. I'm not impressed because of his Ark and A&M affiliations. If anything, I think those degrade my overall view of him. "Return to prominence" for Ark wasn't saying much, and it wasn't long-lived. They've done fair in the SEC but their champ teams have been on low-performing conference moments, too, so I don't give him high points for winning in a low-conference.

 

I do give him more credit for the JuCo affiliations, actually, where he's had to do so much with almost nothing. If Big Time NCAA Baseball suffers from the queer scholarship limits and backhanded treatment in the sports world (cast-off and overlooked HS prospects), the JuCo world is even worse - not only cast-offs and overlooked, but under-skilled in the classroom, or financially handicapped to disqualify them from NCAA programs. Having a coach who can get THOSE players up to champ levels - that's really something good. Wayne Graham at Rice (now at Rice, but the long-time head at San Jacinto, a national powerhouse in JuCo Baseball) has been able to take his 20+ years of JuCo success and take Rice from a Never-Was/Never-Will-Be into a team that NOW only raises eyebrows when it's flopping around - like this year. And yet they'll STILL make the NCAAs, I bet.

 

My biggest caution against Deggs is his locale. You listed his Ark-East Texas background. Moving him to Neb would gain him - uh - what territory? He'd no longer be "a hour's drive" from hot JuCo property or hotbeds of HS talent. So, taking Deggs out of that region might not deliver much more than his name on the scorecard.

 

At the same time, you could argue that "Every recruiting year is different and once he builds the inroads, that's how real recruiting success occurs - over time."

 

Yeah. But probably not 3 or 4 years. It's probably a 10-year process to create a pipeline where any HS or JuCo star would seriously consider his program rather than fair-to-middlin' pro bonus packages. That's what he needs to gain - those players' consideration. I'm never sure Deggs can deliver that - but I don't think any coach-prospect can guarantee that.

 

It's an interesting candidate to pose, and well-argued.

 

 

The SEC is very arguably the best college baseball conference there is. Arkansas has been competetive, and still is.. maybe you forget their 3rd place finish in the CWS last year, but Deggs wasn't there at that time, and i get that. However, hard to argue that Deggs was there with Anderson when the Razorbacks made their first CWS appearance in 15 years.. Also, the Arkansas and A&M connections make him a viable candidate simply of his affiliation with the most successful time period in this programs history. Many people will grab onto the Van Horn and Childress connection and give at least some approval to Deggs. While I have been the furthest from impressed with what Childress has done with A&M, it is a major program and they have at least been somewhat successful.

 

I see you're point on recruiting, but the fact that he has connections to that part of the states could give him an advantage there. Same argument comes in with football, and while it is certainly different with baseball, the connection to southern high schools can't hurt at all, but I completely understand where you are coming from there.

 

As far as the JUCO coaching gig is concerned, I also could care less about it. However, some people will be quick to say "He's never been a head coach before," so I'm simply just throwing it out there that he has been a head coach at the college level.

 

I can find other coaches that would be worthy of considering that have D1 experience, but maybe not quite the potential upside and recognition that Deggs brings, but certainly safer options. What is you're opinion on it? Should Anderson be given ANOTHER year? If not, who is your idea of a candidate to replace him?

 

Havoc:

 

Good to see that you're still around. I was afraid that you may have lost your marbles or something, considering this season.

 

I agree with you (having read your second post as well) that Matt Deggs is a great candidate. Unfortunately, for now that argument is moot. We'll just have to support our team for the rest of this season, and next season as well...regardless of the coach.

 

I really hope that we can make the tournament. However, after seeing us get shut out tonight by that Teppich kid from Missouri, I'm a little concerned. Good to see some of our younger guys come through with great hits tonight, unfortunately they were untimely.

 

At this point, we really need a lot of things to occur in our favor - in other words, it's almost...almost completely out of our hands and dependent upon Okie Lite and Missouri completely falling apart. I can't believe our tournament hopes are still alive...but they are.

 

Either way, I'll be there for all 3 games of our final home series against Tech.

 

GBR

[CBHusker]

Havoc, my comments about "Ark winning when SEC is down" remain. This isn't a degradation to THIS or any other season of SEC's capabilities but Ark's SEC champ seasons were - in my opinion - more due to a lack of SEC strength than Ark's talent levels. "Down" for the SEC is only relative TO THEM, not to some other conference. Frankly, I can't think of any of Ark's programs that have shown any in-conference (or national) dominance over even 2 consecutive seasons since they joined the SEC. I can think of a few 1-every-4-5-seasons of SEC Champ Level performance in their sports programs, but that's not a sustained dominance from their SWC days, when they rourtinely battled for conf champ in a variety of sports.

 

(Which always begs the question - was Ark that good in the SWC, or was the SWC that bad? Well, both, I suspect. Ark Football in the '60s lost a critical game or two, but they won a lot more, and they were a Top 5 team nationally for a good part of that decade, and into the '70s as well. Plus, they had the direct pipeline into Texas HS talent. They haven't had that kind of geographic donation to that program since they joined the SEC, though.)

 

But back to Nebraska Baseball...

 

I am noncommittal to judgments on Anderson because I've been waiting to see End Of Season improvements (or lack of). To me, this is where selecting the right pitching match-ups, inserting the right pinch-hitter, making the occasional but fine-pointed tune-up mods to fielding line-ups - all of these show me what a coach understands about his team. Or may not understand. Or simply can't change because no one's skill-set has improved enough to warrant an insertion.

 

"Coach, you HAVE to be responsible for those players because THOSE are the ones you recruited." That's a traditiona criticism. But College Baseball's queer scholarship numbers castrate that argument. He can recruit all he wants, but I doubt ANY program gets even half of the first-line players that the coaches wanted. Heck, I'd be surprised if it was 25% of their front-line Wish List players. I think a good many rosters are filled mostly with "Here's the leftovers from my Acceptance List, not my Wants List."

 

Coaches can't abrogate their teaching abilities, though. Heck, in some cases - and Nebraska's top teams were perfect examples - College Baseball shows off this coaching talent more often than any other program.

 

I get a tad pessimist when I see 2-0 games against the "other leading candidate for the cellar" though. I shouldn't pass judgment yet, but, well, 2-0 games certainly does stain my vision.

 

WORTHY REPLACEMENT CANDIDATES: Deggs' lack of regionalism is my knock against him because I don't want Nebraska to APPEAR to have favoritism or any dependence on recruiting inside Texas. If I was a regional HS or club coach and I thought my good players would be cast aside because they weren't from Texas, I'd be shoveling those good players to every OTHER program. And I know that any new coach is going to try to fill up his cupboard as quickly - AND easily - as possible - which means he'll probably use "what he knows" first.

 

So, I'm hoping to find a more local coach, someone with a history of regional ties.

[CBHusker]

Saturday's 12-7 loss at Missouri makes it more difficult to not want to make judgments now. Sloppy play from the first batter on (a game-opening walk), then errors, poor choices for throws to bases - the Huskers didn't come out prepared to play, and Mizzou did so they had a big lead (8-2?) after just three innings. I thought the 2nd inning response (scoring two runs then holding Mizzou to nothing in their 2nd inning) was positive but then giving up 5 more in Mizzou's 3rd undermined it all.

 

I do think the Huskers have played their way into the total loser's place as the firm cellar-dweller. This was their chance, and they've still got 4 games left to extricate themselves. It's not impossible - but losing a series to the other worst-team doesn't give me high hopes.

[Joe_5700]

Here is what is troubling to me about the team.

 

How many runs has the pitching staff walked in?

How many wild pitch strike outs resulted in an opposing batter getting on base?

How many infield singles has the team allowed?

 

I know the team is young, but other teams seem to be getting the most out of their young players. Something is broken on the team. Anderson may be doing everything that he can, but it doesn't seem to be having any effect on his players. We have to give Anderson another year though. If we are in the cellar again or struggling to make the big12 tournament, I hope TO comes to his senses and a replacement is found.

[huskerswrkhavoc]

Havoc, I just want a well-reasoned argument for some candidate. Like yours for Deggs. I'm not impressed because of his Ark and A&M affiliations. If anything, I think those degrade my overall view of him. "Return to prominence" for Ark wasn't saying much, and it wasn't long-lived. They've done fair in the SEC but their champ teams have been on low-performing conference moments, too, so I don't give him high points for winning in a low-conference.

 

I do give him more credit for the JuCo affiliations, actually, where he's had to do so much with almost nothing. If Big Time NCAA Baseball suffers from the queer scholarship limits and backhanded treatment in the sports world (cast-off and overlooked HS prospects), the JuCo world is even worse - not only cast-offs and overlooked, but under-skilled in the classroom, or financially handicapped to disqualify them from NCAA programs. Having a coach who can get THOSE players up to champ levels - that's really something good. Wayne Graham at Rice (now at Rice, but the long-time head at San Jacinto, a national powerhouse in JuCo Baseball) has been able to take his 20+ years of JuCo success and take Rice from a Never-Was/Never-Will-Be into a team that NOW only raises eyebrows when it's flopping around - like this year. And yet they'll STILL make the NCAAs, I bet.

 

My biggest caution against Deggs is his locale. You listed his Ark-East Texas background. Moving him to Neb would gain him - uh - what territory? He'd no longer be "a hour's drive" from hot JuCo property or hotbeds of HS talent. So, taking Deggs out of that region might not deliver much more than his name on the scorecard.

 

At the same time, you could argue that "Every recruiting year is different and once he builds the inroads, that's how real recruiting success occurs - over time."

 

Yeah. But probably not 3 or 4 years. It's probably a 10-year process to create a pipeline where any HS or JuCo star would seriously consider his program rather than fair-to-middlin' pro bonus packages. That's what he needs to gain - those players' consideration. I'm never sure Deggs can deliver that - but I don't think any coach-prospect can guarantee that.

 

It's an interesting candidate to pose, and well-argued.

 

 

The SEC is very arguably the best college baseball conference there is. Arkansas has been competetive, and still is.. maybe you forget their 3rd place finish in the CWS last year, but Deggs wasn't there at that time, and i get that. However, hard to argue that Deggs was there with Anderson when the Razorbacks made their first CWS appearance in 15 years.. Also, the Arkansas and A&M connections make him a viable candidate simply of his affiliation with the most successful time period in this programs history. Many people will grab onto the Van Horn and Childress connection and give at least some approval to Deggs. While I have been the furthest from impressed with what Childress has done with A&M, it is a major program and they have at least been somewhat successful.

 

I see you're point on recruiting, but the fact that he has connections to that part of the states could give him an advantage there. Same argument comes in with football, and while it is certainly different with baseball, the connection to southern high schools can't hurt at all, but I completely understand where you are coming from there.

 

As far as the JUCO coaching gig is concerned, I also could care less about it. However, some people will be quick to say "He's never been a head coach before," so I'm simply just throwing it out there that he has been a head coach at the college level.

 

I can find other coaches that would be worthy of considering that have D1 experience, but maybe not quite the potential upside and recognition that Deggs brings, but certainly safer options. What is you're opinion on it? Should Anderson be given ANOTHER year? If not, who is your idea of a candidate to replace him?

 

Havoc:

 

Good to see that you're still around. I was afraid that you may have lost your marbles or something, considering this season.

 

I agree with you (having read your second post as well) that Matt Deggs is a great candidate. Unfortunately, for now that argument is moot. We'll just have to support our team for the rest of this season, and next season as well...regardless of the coach.

 

I really hope that we can make the tournament. However, after seeing us get shut out tonight by that Teppich kid from Missouri, I'm a little concerned. Good to see some of our younger guys come through with great hits tonight, unfortunately they were untimely.

 

At this point, we really need a lot of things to occur in our favor - in other words, it's almost...almost completely out of our hands and dependent upon Okie Lite and Missouri completely falling apart. I can't believe our tournament hopes are still alive...but they are.

 

Either way, I'll be there for all 3 games of our final home series against Tech.

 

GBR

 

 

Yup still around, wasn't obviously able to be around here that much during conference season, probably better for my health that way though, because of school and work.. stupid priorities lol.. But i thought the same thing while being shut out by Teppich.. he is nothing special at all. Getting swept killed, obviously we are competely done now. I'll still be at the game tomorrow night and Friday and Saturday, but I'll have to work sunday so i'll miss that one.. And hopefully something will happen that makes Osborne reconsider his support for Anderson, but we'll see...

[huskerswrkhavoc]

Havoc, my comments about "Ark winning when SEC is down" remain. This isn't a degradation to THIS or any other season of SEC's capabilities but Ark's SEC champ seasons were - in my opinion - more due to a lack of SEC strength than Ark's talent levels. "Down" for the SEC is only relative TO THEM, not to some other conference. Frankly, I can't think of any of Ark's programs that have shown any in-conference (or national) dominance over even 2 consecutive seasons since they joined the SEC. I can think of a few 1-every-4-5-seasons of SEC Champ Level performance in their sports programs, but that's not a sustained dominance from their SWC days, when they rourtinely battled for conf champ in a variety of sports.

 

(Which always begs the question - was Ark that good in the SWC, or was the SWC that bad? Well, both, I suspect. Ark Football in the '60s lost a critical game or two, but they won a lot more, and they were a Top 5 team nationally for a good part of that decade, and into the '70s as well. Plus, they had the direct pipeline into Texas HS talent. They haven't had that kind of geographic donation to that program since they joined the SEC, though.)

 

But back to Nebraska Baseball...

 

I am noncommittal to judgments on Anderson because I've been waiting to see End Of Season improvements (or lack of). To me, this is where selecting the right pitching match-ups, inserting the right pinch-hitter, making the occasional but fine-pointed tune-up mods to fielding line-ups - all of these show me what a coach understands about his team. Or may not understand. Or simply can't change because no one's skill-set has improved enough to warrant an insertion.

 

"Coach, you HAVE to be responsible for those players because THOSE are the ones you recruited." That's a traditiona criticism. But College Baseball's queer scholarship numbers castrate that argument. He can recruit all he wants, but I doubt ANY program gets even half of the first-line players that the coaches wanted. Heck, I'd be surprised if it was 25% of their front-line Wish List players. I think a good many rosters are filled mostly with "Here's the leftovers from my Acceptance List, not my Wants List."

 

Coaches can't abrogate their teaching abilities, though. Heck, in some cases - and Nebraska's top teams were perfect examples - College Baseball shows off this coaching talent more often than any other program.

 

I get a tad pessimist when I see 2-0 games against the "other leading candidate for the cellar" though. I shouldn't pass judgment yet, but, well, 2-0 games certainly does stain my vision.

 

WORTHY REPLACEMENT CANDIDATES: Deggs' lack of regionalism is my knock against him because I don't want Nebraska to APPEAR to have favoritism or any dependence on recruiting inside Texas. If I was a regional HS or club coach and I thought my good players would be cast aside because they weren't from Texas, I'd be shoveling those good players to every OTHER program. And I know that any new coach is going to try to fill up his cupboard as quickly - AND easily - as possible - which means he'll probably use "what he knows" first.

 

So, I'm hoping to find a more local coach, someone with a history of regional ties.

 

 

Fair enough and I can respect that. Who would you suggest that we go after with regional ties though? There aren't exactly any mind blowing names from around this area right now, but I really haven't looked into it that much.. Any suggestions?