Baseball Season less than a month away.

[autigeremt 6,569]

"We have a good combination of talent and experience. I am as excited for this season to start as any that I have ever coached. "

Auburn Head Coach Tom Slater

I for one look at this season as "Slaters Last Stand". If he cannot take the Tigers to Birmingham and beyond, then look for a new coach at Plainsman Park next season. It's time to put this talent atop the SEC standings, or at least within striking distance.

[Ranger12 46]

I have to agree. I tried to give Slater the benefit of the doubt that last two seasons, but not this year. He has too much talent returning and they know how to win if they can just keep it together. That falls on Slater to make sure they do. If he can't manage his team, then we will need to find somebody that can.

[CircleDrill 178]

Look, after last season, it is impossible for me to get excited about anythign that Slater does. To have such an unbelievable non-conference season, then totally implode in SEC games was just shy of pathetic.

I am a tremendous AU Baseball fan, but I have heard talk of some extremely troubling internal problems in the program which basically amount to Slater has no balls and has lost control of the program.

This is a total change of heart for me this year. I have always been a sunshine pumper when it comes to baseball. But these things I have heard....I am just biding my time until Slater is gone so I can be a fan again.

[MDM4AU 330]

Slater better get it done this year. He has had great talent and has failed to get it done. There is no excuse for the performance (or lack there of) of the Tigers under his watch.

This is a talented young squad. While there are no Seniors, there are 10 Juniors out of 36 on the roster. There are 7 Sophomores, 4 RS Freshmen and 15 Freshmen.

[WarTiger 3,896]

no seniors?? really? how is that possible? I agree we need to see marked improvement this year. Our OOC record was good last year, and there is no reason that our conference record can't and shouldn't be equally as good. 10-20 in conference is pathetic. After reading the article somebody else posted here about the short stop transfer from ASU, mike hall, it sounds like he's ready to play and will contribute immediately. I love college baseball. MLB could totally implode for all i care, i haven't watched an MLB game in 5 years and won't anytime soon. SEC baseball is where it's at.

[AUChizad 0]

no seniors?? really? how is that possible? I agree we need to see marked improvement this year. Our OOC record was good last year, and there is no reason that our conference record can't and shouldn't be equally as good. 10-20 in conference is pathetic. After reading the article somebody else posted here about the short stop transfer from ASU, mike hall, it sounds like he's ready to play and will contribute immediately. I love college baseball. MLB could totally implode for all i care, i haven't watched an MLB game in 5 years and won't anytime soon. SEC baseball is where it's at.

It's actually quite common in baseball to have very few if any seniors.

Like football, after 3 years you are eligible to be drafted. The difference is in baseball pretty much every kid that's going ends up going after their third year. So often kids either leave, or realize they're not MLB material and quit before their senior year.

[GalensGhost 0]

If he truly has all this marvelous talent, has he really proved anything if he just gets Auburn to Birmingham? Is that really satisfactory?

I've already seen enough of Slater to know that one good season isn't going to excite me about him.

[AUslug 1]

I think it is Slater's last stand, and he has to go beyond Hoover to really change how people around here think about him. I haven't heard anything about internal problems on the team and I hope it is just rumor.

[autigeremt 6,569]

If he truly has all this marvelous talent, has he really proved anything if he just gets Auburn to Birmingham? Is that really satisfactory?

I've already seen enough of Slater to know that one good season isn't going to excite me about him.

Once again I agree with you, Galen (see, I'm not all bad). Slater has to get this team into the regionals. I know he would be around another year if we made it deep into the SEC and into the field for Omaha, but he really needs to do some good things to stay.

[mowegl 4]

If we make the SEC tourney, we get into a regional.

[WAR EAGLE!!! 0]

If we make the SEC tourney, we get into a regional.

Yeah, we were close last year to a regional and we didn't even make it to the SEC tourny. I am thinking a super regional this year would be fantastic!!! Or at least host a regional...that would be sweet too!

[Ranger12 46]

In coaching, consistency (the good kind) decides how long your career lasts. So, I have to agree with those that say it will take more than one good year to convince me that Slater knows what he is doing.

[AUChizad 0]

Baseball America put 3 Tigers in their Top 100 Prospects for the 2008 draft "through discussions with scouts".

50. Evan Crawford lhp Jr.

67. Mike Bianucci of Jr.

91. Luke Greinke rhp/of

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Baseball America put 3 Tigers in their Top 100 Prospects for the 2008 draft "through discussions with scouts".

50. Evan Crawford lhp Jr.

67. Mike Bianucci of Jr.

91. Luke Greinke rhp/of

Wonder why Hunter Morris isn't on this list since he was drafted last year by the Red Sox but decided to come to Auburn for now. I would expect if he has a great year he would be high on the list again.

There is, by the way, a good article in today's Huntsville Times about Morris.

ww.al.com see Huntsville Times/Sports

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Wonder why Hunter Morris isn't on this list since he was drafted last year by the Red Sox but decided to come to Auburn for now. I would expect if he has a great year he would be high on the list again.

There is, by the way, a good article in today's Huntsville Times about Morris.

www.al.com see Huntsville Times/Sports

He is not eligible for the draft until after his junior year. Baseball has screwy rules about that type of thing. You can get drafted out of high school, but if you decide to go to college, you have to wait. Therefore, he is not eligible to be drafted this year (even though he was a second round pick last year) and would not meet the criteria for the list.

Weird rules huh? I didn't know that. Thanks.

[AUChizad 0]

Wonder why Hunter Morris isn't on this list since he was drafted last year by the Red Sox but decided to come to Auburn for now. I would expect if he has a great year he would be high on the list again.

There is, by the way, a good article in today's Huntsville Times about Morris.

www.al.com see Huntsville Times/Sports

He is not eligible for the draft until after his junior year. Baseball has screwy rules about that type of thing. You can get drafted out of high school, but if you decide to go to college, you have to wait. Therefore, he is not eligible to be drafted this year (even though he was a second round pick last year) and would not meet the criteria for the list.

Very close, but actually it's based on age, not academic class. Which is even screwier and weirder. You have to be 21 to be eligible for the draft. Coincidentally you also have to be 21 to drink draft.

For example, last year Luke Greinke and Mike Biannucci turned 21 in June of last year, and therefore were both eligible last year for the draft after only two seasons at Auburn.

[aumd03 2]

I'm hoping Morris turns out to be the stud everyone is projecting him to be. I watched this kid play a lot in the Huntsville area and he's a true gamer and seems to play best when the game was on the line. In just a few games that I saw him he hit two go ahead homers in his teams last at bat.

[AU alum 2]

"We have a good combination of talent and experience. I am as excited for this season to start as any that I have ever coached. "

Auburn Head Coach Tom Slater

I for one look at this season as "Slaters Last Stand". If he cannot take the Tigers to Birmingham and beyond, then look for a new coach at Plainsman Park next season. It's time to put this talent atop the SEC standings, or at least within striking distance.

I HOPE it's Slater's last stand. I'm ready for us to field a good baseball team again.

[Ranger12 46]

I HOPE it's Slater's last stand. I'm ready for us to field a good baseball team again.

So you are hoping for a bad year just so Slater can get fired? I'm sure the players appreciate that.

[AU alum 2]

I HOPE it's Slater's last stand. I'm ready for us to field a good baseball team again.

So you are hoping for a bad year just so Slater can get fired? I'm sure the players appreciate that.

Not at all. I always want Auburn to do well. I just hope that it is his last year, no matter if we do well, or do poorly. I don't think he is a good coach and one good year won't change that.

[AUChizad 0]

For anyone going down this weekend for the uat basketball game, they're letting people into the baseball game free with a basketball ticket!

[AUChizad 0]

Baseball America put 3 Tigers in their Top 100 Prospects for the 2008 draft "through discussions with scouts".

50. Evan Crawford lhp Jr.

67. Mike Bianucci of Jr.

91. Luke Greinke rhp/of

BA just came out with a "Fabulous 50" list by class.

Freshmen

8. Kevin Patterson, 1b/of

12. Hunter Morris, 1b/3b

Sophomores

46. Taylor Thompson, rhp

Juniors

48. Evan Crawford, lhp

[aumd03 2]

Anyone want to comment on the season as it has played out thus far? Just lucky, or is Slater's recruiting and coaching finally paying off? I'll say I'm impressed considering what a young team we have. I think they'll continue to improve over the season.

[autigeremt 6,569]

As long as they win games and continue to improve. The season is still young, but they are fun to watch. I hope it continues for them.

[mowegl 4]

According to a poster on another forum..

Morris is currently #1 in conference games with a .478 batting average and Fletcher is #2 in conference games with a .462 average. I hope these guys can keep this up and Nooch and some of the other guys can get hot. We have a chance for a big year if this keeps up.

Not sure about the accuracy of those numbers, but I'd assume they're correct. They probably got them from the SEC site or something.

Look for Fletcher to get SEC POTW or at least SEC Freshman OTW.

Clearly, we struggled UF weekend, but I think part of it was not having our lineup set. There have been a few changes (Mummey to CF, Fletch to LF, and Hendrix SP on Sunday-though that didnt help any today). Today we had another Starting lineup change with Sanders at 2B and Cunningham at 3B to start the game.