What Is Going On With Ole Miss Baseball?

[Deltamud77]

Everything I had read and heard about Ole Miss going into the season was that this may be Bianco's best team. If things continue the way they are going, they will just barely squeak into the SEC Tourney and likely have to travel for regional play. What is the deal? Are there injuries, players not living up to expectations, etc.?

**As an aside, what is the deal with Vanderbilt dominating Ole Miss in everything?

[ScottyLee]

its pretty simple, pitching is good, defense has been okay (def can't say we lost games cuz of defense)

we just simply aren't hitting the ball. something like 35+ innings straight and less than 3 runs total.. think that says it all. wanna win, got to hit and string together a few hits.

all in all i think we are okay. I honestly believe we are just going through a hitting slump. club is pretty stout/deep as far as a talent level. just glad this is going on now, IF it had to happen, than to go through this at the tail end of season and tourney play.

we may fall apart big time throughout the next 6 series but i believe we can/will get it together.

[RebelYelp]

Everything I had read and heard about Ole Miss going into the season was that this may be Bianco's best team. If things continue the way they are going, they will just barely squeak into the SEC Tourney and likely have to travel for regional play. What is the deal? Are there injuries, players not living up to expectations, etc.?

**As an aside, what is the deal with Vanderbilt dominating Ole Miss in everything?

the answer to your question is Mike Bianco.... we are still feeling the effects of Mossberg/Reinstetle, from a talent standpoint and a coaching standpoint. and, it was 1 run in 35 innings if i'm not mistaken... pitching has been plenty good enough, but absolutely zero run support.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

The Rebels cannot hit good SEC pitching. Particularly, left handers with good curve balls give the Rebels fits.

The Rebels got by with this deficiency in the first series against Arkansas with good pitching and defense. But, good pitching and defense will only get you so far. At some point, you have to be able to score runs.

The Rebs results to-date in the SEC are as follows:

at Arkansas: 2-1
TAM: 1-2
at Florida: 1-2
Vandy: 0-3

SEC record to-date: 4-8. The Rebels better figure out their hitting problems soon, or their hole will be too deep to climb out of in order to reach the post-season.

Another issue with the Rebels is that the lack of hitting is causing the coaches and team to press things too hard in other areas, trying to make something happen that is simply not there. There is an impatient approach overall (at the plate and on the bases) that is preventing some potential runs from crossing the plate --- eg stealing and getting thrown out; bunting too much and not doing it well at all, giving the opponenet easy outs with no tangible result; going for extra bases on hits when runner is not fast enough or capable or making it without a bad throw or error; etc. etc. The Rebels need to try to relax and let the games come to them. With more patience, and less attempts to "manufacture" runs, we would have won at least one game this past weekend.

Yes, it is time for us to start beating Vandy more often in everything. We got a fresh start on this during basketball season, going 2-0 against Vandy. But, we just lost ground by getting swept in baseball. We may see them again at some point during this season IF the Rebels make it to the SEC tournament. Vandy is our first opponent this coming fall in football. And you can bet that this game is circled with special emphasis by our coaching staff and team. I KNOW it is with the fans.

Vandy has more $$$$ to spend on athletics than the rest of the SEC combined, if it wanted to do so. They are obviously spending more money and placing more emphasis on athletics over the last decade than ever before at Vandy, and are apparently starting to see the merits of having solid sports teams as a complement to great academics. Vandy has been very good in basketball and baseball over the last several years, and is really coming on strong now in football. When any team that is not a traditional power in the SEC rises, it is always at the expense of the other SEC teams in some regard. I'm tired of it being at the Rebels' expense.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

Prior to the basketball season, I received information from a very good inside source that if certain benchmarks were not met in basketball and baseball, that a change in the head coach would be made by our new AD. For basketball, it was making the NCAA tournament. Since AK's Rebels pulled one out of their rear ends --- by winning the SEC tournament --- and made it into the NCAA tournament, the basketball program met its benchmark and AK's job was saved. For baseball, it is hosting a regional and/or making a super regional. While the jury is still out on making that benchmark, it ain't looking too good right now. Based upon this inside info, I think that Bianco's future at Ole Miss is on the line this season. He is the highest paid head baseball coach in the SEC (per salary, without incentive bonuses) right now (which makes him one of the highest paid in the country), with a program that is annually in the top 5 nationally for attendance , has one of the largest baseball booster support groups in the country, and has baseball facilities that are top 10 in the country. IMO, and the opinion of many others, we aren't getting our money's worth, and the program is now being held back by his coaching or lack thereof. We are a "top 10" baseball program in every respect except results on the field. And that situation is becoming more and more untenable. Its past time for Bianco to "git er dun". The "honeymoon period" and "past accomplishments deference period" are over.

Personally, I am ready to make a change. The new era of college baseball with the new bats has left Bianco's "gorilla ball" approach to winning in the dust. And he wasn't even doing that very well in the couple of seasons before the new bat changes were implemented. He is NOT a "small ball" baseball coach. He micro-managed too much as it was. Now, its beyond ridiculous. He doesn't have the right personnel to play that style of game, and I don't think he could recognize that type of player while recruiting if the player bit him in the booty. His only strength is recruting and managing the pitchers. Its time to tip our cap to Mike, thank him for his great service, bid him well, and move on before we get further behind the rest of the SEC.

[Deltamud77]

I think Bianco is a good coach...in fact, one of the best. However, I could see a situation in which a change would be in his best interest as well as the best interest of Ole Miss baseball. If he does leave, he has certainly left it much better than he found it. I don't think anyone could rationally argue to the contrary. Ole Miss baseball is a "cool social scene" now and has as good of a game day experience as any in the country. I went to several Ole Miss baseball games back in the late 1990s when I literally could have sat anywhere in the stadium upon entry without much trouble.

One problem I see with Bianco, which all top level coaches deal with to one degree or another, is recruiting and signing guys that will never be on campus. He has signed several kids out of Louisiana in the past several years that people (Ole Miss fans) thought were recruiting coups of sorts (Stryker Trahan was one of them). Everyone in the state of Louisiana knew they would not play college ball because they would be drafted so high. It short, it was wasted energy that made the recruiting class look better than it was in reality.

I think if I were a coach in the South, I would only throw schollies at likely high draft prospects (Top 3 Rounds projected) if they were in my state. I would not chase them out of state because you are wasting resources, times and roster spots. It seems as though Bianco has fallen into this trap a lot lately.

In the end, I still think Ole Miss has some juice left in the tank. However, hosting a regional I would think is unrealistic at this point unless they go on an amazing run. LSU will host, Arky will host and Bama or Mississippi State will host. Geographically speaking, it is highly unlikely Ole Miss hosts. They will likely end up in Texas at a regional hosted by TCU or somebody and have to play their way through to a Super...which they will not host either.

[RebelYelp]

I think Bianco is a good coach...in fact, one of the best. However, I could see a situation in which a change would be in his best interest as well as the best interest of Ole Miss baseball. If he does leave, he has certainly left it much better than he found it. I don't think anyone could rationally argue to the contrary. Ole Miss baseball is a "cool social scene" now and has as good of a game day experience as any in the country. I went to several Ole Miss baseball games back in the late 1990s when I literally could have sat anywhere in the stadium upon entry without much trouble.

One problem I see with Bianco, which all top level coaches deal with to one degree or another, is recruiting and signing guys that will never be on campus. He has signed several kids out of Louisiana in the past several years that people (Ole Miss fans) thought were recruiting coups of sorts (Stryker Trahan was one of them). Everyone in the state of Louisiana knew they would not play college ball because they would be drafted so high. It short, it was wasted energy that made the recruiting class look better than it was in reality.

I think if I were a coach in the South, I would only throw schollies at likely high draft prospects (Top 3 Rounds projected) if they were in my state. I would not chase them out of state because you are wasting resources, times and roster spots. It seems as though Bianco has fallen into this trap a lot lately.

In the end, I still think Ole Miss has some juice left in the tank. However, hosting a regional I would think is unrealistic at this point unless they go on an amazing run. LSU will host, Arky will host and Bama or Mississippi State will host. Geographically speaking, it is highly unlikely Ole Miss hosts. They will likely end up in Texas at a regional hosted by TCU or somebody and have to play their way through to a Super...which they will not host either.

I don't disagree with most of that, and wasn't a knock on his coaching ability/inability earlier, I just think while he has done tons for the program, he has simply taken us as far as he can.

[stitch]

...now is when I step in and give my annual Ron Polk scholarship complaint.

First of all, I don't think Bianco is a very good Coach and I hear over and over from former players that they were not Bianco fans. That being said, please sign him to a long term contract.

All the points about facilities, attendance, etc are valid points......but the Mississippi Schools (Ole Miss and State) will struggle to put consistent teams on the field when all the schools around us have so much more scholarship money / potential. Mississippi Schools have 11 scholarships, the "lottery states" basically have unlimited. If you were to break down LSU's roster / scholarships, I would be willing to bet that it's the equivilent of 25 scholarships......you do the math. Mississippi State would a power year after year with 25 scholrships and LSU would struggle with only 11.

With all the casinos we have in this state, you would think the fine folks in Jackson would figure out a way to channel that money to kids for "higher education".....or let's get the lottery in place.

[SWAG]

Bianco has done well, but the program was starting to turn upward right before he took over the reins. I do not think Bianco is a great stategy guy. Too many times he has been close and been beat by the little things. Always thought he needed an old school assistant coach in the dugout with him when it came down to decision times. He is a good promoter of the program and has recruited very well. I agree with others that the BBCOR game being played now does not seem to fit his style or maybe he just has not yet got the players needed for the adjustment. Obvious how much more speed and defense means now with these bats.

I agree with Stitch on the scholarships. Georgia should be at CWS every year. State run tuition program and talent everywhere, especially around the core Atlanta area. Polk was right to fight the NCAA because it is just a tilted a playing field now as it would be if there were NO limits on scholarships.

[camlock]

In the end, I still think Ole Miss has some juice left in the tank. However, hosting a regional I would think is unrealistic at this point unless they go on an amazing run. LSU will host, Arky will host and Bama or Mississippi State will host. Geographically speaking, it is highly unlikely Ole Miss hosts. They will likely end up in Texas at a regional hosted by TCU or somebody and have to play their way through to a Super...which they will not host either.

TCU is 14-18 with a losing home and losing non-conference record. they aren't even gonna play in the tourney much less host in it.

Ole Miss still has LSU, Bama, and MSU on it's schedule and they have a road series win over Arkansas...the compilation of your list of host sites, Ole Miss still has the opportunity to win a series against every team in the list...they won't but if they go .500 they are as much in the discussion as the rest of the league, and you didn't even mention TAMU who is every much a conversation point at this time as anybody else but Auburn in the West.

Also, as of date, in all that Bianco has done, he currently has the second best record he's ever compiled through 32 games while the head coach at Ole Miss...it looks bad b/c they've slumped really badly past 3 weeks....there is still a lot of season left, I can't draw conclusions yet.

in disclaimer...I don't think Ole Miss will host a regional, I think they go in somewhere as a #2 seed. I don't think they go on a run and win anything notable, but I don't the sky is falling in the 2013 season, they are in a hitting slump, they will get out of it...they'll win some big ones and they'll lose some more games too; and they'll hit a level course and finish middle of the pack. Health and pitching will decide if they make a run in postseason.

[Deltamud77]

For the record, I threw out TCU not as factual, but for reference sake...it seems like most MS schools that don't host regionals either get sent to the FSU regional or some "lesser" Texas school regional, like a TCU, Rice, etc. I have no clue how any of those teams are doing, just referencing places where State, OM and USM seem to end up when not hosting.

[stitch]

I agree with Stitch on the scholarships. Georgia should be at CWS every year. State run tuition program and talent everywhere, especially around the core Atlanta area. Polk was right to fight the NCAA because it is just a tilted a playing field now as it would be if there were NO limits on scholarships.

That's what Polk said regarding Georgia (when he was there)......he had unlimited scholarships and enough talent in Atlanta to field 6 teams. It is why he took them to the top so fast......but he loved Mississippi state and came back to Starkville because he loved the place so much.

[MisterBlack]

In the end, I still think Ole Miss has some juice left in the tank. However, hosting a regional I would think is unrealistic at this point unless they go on an amazing run. LSU will host, Arky will host and Bama or Mississippi State will host. Geographically speaking, it is highly unlikely Ole Miss hosts. They will likely end up in Texas at a regional hosted by TCU or somebody and have to play their way through to a Super...which they will not host either.

TCU is 14-18 with a losing home and losing non-conference record. they aren't even gonna play in the tourney much less host in it.

Ole Miss still has LSU, Bama, and MSU on it's schedule and they have a road series win over Arkansas...the compilation of your list of host sites, Ole Miss still has the opportunity to win a series against every team in the list...they won't but if they go .500 they are as much in the discussion as the rest of the league, and you didn't even mention TAMU who is every much a conversation point at this time as anybody else but Auburn in the West.

Also, as of date, in all that Bianco has done, he currently has the second best record he's ever compiled through 32 games while the head coach at Ole Miss...it looks bad b/c they've slumped really badly past 3 weeks....there is still a lot of season left, I can't draw conclusions yet.

in disclaimer...I don't think Ole Miss will host a regional, I think they go in somewhere as a #2 seed. I don't think they go on a run and win anything notable, but I don't the sky is falling in the 2013 season, they are in a hitting slump, they will get out of it...they'll win some big ones and they'll lose some more games too; and they'll hit a level course and finish middle of the pack. Health and pitching will decide if they make a run in postseason.

I couldn't have said it any better cam. +1