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TCU eliminated LSU from the college world series Thursday night in Omaha 8-4. The Tigers lost two of their three games and made an early exit. Their previous trip to Omaha in 2013 ended early also as they went out 0-2/ LSU's post season play since they won the College World Series in 2009 has been a disappointment and Tiger fans are asking why is it happening. This writer will attempt to explain his thoughts on the matter.
First of all, everything has to be looked at objectively. LSU fans are rabid and many do not always follow the facts or want to admit unpleasant things about the team and are not objective. Many LSU sports writers who cover the team are not objective in covering and reporting on the team. Too much hype and cliches have become a part of their reports and have nothing to do with a true evaluation of the team. And of course, many fans take their reports as gospel. The same thing can be said about the sports writers for the New Orleans Saints and their reporting. Last years preseason reports from them predicted super bowl contention and other good things that never happened. "PolitiDose" commentary about their hype must have touched a nerve because so far this year they have toned down the hype.
A case in point is Randy Rosetta's article that appeared in the Times Picayune the day after LSU beat Lehigh in the regionals. LSU came from behind to win the game and Randy's article tried to convey the message that this years team has made it a habit to do so like it is their trade mark. Of course it is not but I know it makes for good copy. The team could have used a comeback against TCU. Randy also tried to put the spin on Mainieri's shuffling his line up putting Alex Brigman in the lead off spot. But it was a desperate move late in the year and too late at that.
In this writers judgement LSU has two major problems, coaching and recruitment. Great coaches do not usually follow each other and Paul Mainieri lacks the coaching skills of Skip Bertman. Mainieri is a good coach but is not the teacher or motivator Bertman was. It shows on the field and so does the teams lack of consistent play. LSU also lacks executing the fundamentals of the game. Not using the sacrifice bunt to move runners in scoring position is passed over at critical times as one example. Knowing and executing the fundamentals of the game is just as important as talent. Bertman was a great coach who managed the talent of his players much better than Mainieri and was more involved in the fundamentals of the game.
LSU has falling behind in the recruitment of pitchers, both starters and relievers. Poche and Lange are two exceptions but they can not do it all by themselves. LSU's opponets in the SEC have done a better job recruiting pitchers and that was on display during the regionals and the CWS. This writer feels Mainieri should have started Lange for the first game of the CWS instead of Poche. He is a better pitcher even though he is only a freshman and has the better stats, especially his ERA and he had one more day of rest that Poche. LSU's relief pitchers are not on a par with other teams that appeared in post season play.
LSU has never replaced the offensive talent they had several years ago when they lost Mikie Mahtook, Ryan Schimpe, D.J. LeMahieu, Micah Gibbs and Blake Dean. All those players hit well over .300, had productive RBI stats, delivered in clutch situations and produced consistent results when it counted the most. They were on the National Championship Team in 2009 and none of them were seniors at the time. Gibbs actually hit .400 most of the season. There is no way you can lose 5 players of that caliber in a short period of time and replace them with the same talent and LSU never has in this writers judgement.
LSU had a great won-loss record this year but that does not measure how good the team really is. Teams with lesser records have advanced farther than LSU this post season and that includes two other SEC teams and Vanderbilt will be playing for the National Championship again this year. Next year will be another test for Mainieri and the team as it is being reported LSU will likely lose 6 or 7 of their starters. It will be interested to see how sports writers cover the Tigers next year. Will their reports continue to be hype and cliches or will they try and give their readers a more balanced report on what might be in store. If LSU indeed does lose 6 or 7 players the next few seasons could be long ones.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
