And it has been ongoing for several years. The team completed its regular season and posted a losing record of 13-17 during its SEC play. LSU did qualify for the SEC tournament and quickly eliminated in the very first game losing to Georgia 4-1. Prior to the SEC tournament, sports writers tried to put a spin on the fact that LSU has won more SEC tournaments than any other SEC team, like that would some how make a difference for this LSU team. It was not and was predictable.
The fact is LSU is not signing the quality players they have in the past and the LSU coaching staff has done a poor job of coaching. Other SEC teams have been more consistent in recruiting good talent, especially pitching and coaching. LSU coach Paul Mainieri has done a poor job with his pitching staff, both starters and relivers. It appears to this writer that Mainieri is living off his one and only National Championship.
LSU has not had the quality players with a consistent good batting average, RBI production and timely hitting since they lost Mikie Mahtook, Micah Gibbs, Blake Dean, Ryan Schimpf, D.J. Lemahieu and Mason Katz. Those players were consistent in their production at LSU during their whole career, not just every now and then like most LSU hitters since. Mainieri's "kids" as he calls them have not measured up to the challenge. And neither has the coaching staff. Mainieri's "kids" are really not kids. They are young men who have been playing the game of baseball all of their young lives.
So now LSU waits to see if they receive a bid to play in the NCAA tournament. If they do receive a bid this writer believes their fate has already been decided.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
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