Might have to apologize to Sunny

[AU64 10,122]

All year long I griped about our lousy base running, guys nailed at the plate and so on...but after watching four days of the SEC tourney, it seems to me that nobody knows how to run the bases these days. I've lost track of the number of guys picked off first, caught trying to take an extra base that was not there, caught stealing or nailed on failed sacrifice bunts or "hit and run" plays where batter missed the sign or missed the ball.

And the number of fielding errors was amazing....and for the first time in memory a college player misjudged an infield fly that hit him right in the forehead as he looked skyward....the ball bounced about 10 feet in the air and was caught by a team mate for the out.

Yet, despite all those errors, there were many outstanding defensive plays and some good games. Just too bad that AU did not make it.

And.....LSU really looks solid. All those runs scored against AU seems to be par for the course at this point in the season for those Tigers.

[PowerOfDixieland 3,232]

I believe many of these coaches and players are trying to figure out how to adjust to life after the BESR bat. Runs are at such a premium that these guys are making ridiculous attempts to get extra bases and move runners up. I will admit that I like the game as it is now, pitchers have a chance without fear of giving up the 400' home run to the 5' 8", 155 lb second baseman. I will be interested to see how the flatter seam baseball changes offensive production next year.

And you are dead on, LSU is going to be tough to beat from here on out. There is not an easy out in their lineup. Scoring runs like the old Bertman gorilla ball teams.

[douggwilliams 61]

If that is the game now, is looks like CSG has the answer: small ball. It will just take time to get it going. This year was a disappointment, like AU baseball is use to giving us. Lets give CSG a chance to run out old detrimental players and show if he is worth the money we paid him. The "its so broken" defense lasted this year only. We need to see marked improvement next year from this squad. AU is all about the best coaches. Get it done on the field or you are not one of them.

[Mikey 16,781]

With the impending changes in the ball, small ball will be less of a solution next season, if it ever was a solution. Big innings are what wins baseball games and when you trade an out for advancing a runner one base, your chances at a big inning are seriously damaged.

There's a place for one-run, small ball thinking. That place is late in a close game when one run is critical. If your leadoff batter in the 2nd inning hits a double, that's not the time to waste an out trying to bunt him to 3rd. That's the time to let your hitters play baseball!

[AU64 10,122]

With the impending changes in the ball, small ball will be less of a solution next season, if it ever was a solution. Big innings are what wins baseball games and when you trade an out for advancing a runner one base, your chances at a big inning are seriously damaged.

There's a place for one-run, small ball thinking. That place is late in a close game when one run is critical. If your leadoff batter in the 2nd inning hits a double, that's not the time to waste an out trying to bunt him to 3rd. That's the time to let your hitters play baseball!

The prevailing philosophy in the SEC this season was to swap an out for a base...starting right at the beginning of a game. I guess the theory was that a 2-0 or 3-0 lead would hold up with good pitching and defense. The announcers on the SEC tourney commented on that several times....during the tournament,,,but mostly teams that gave up "unforced outs" did not fare all that well.

LSU and UK pretty much ignored that theory and if UK had some good pitching they would be up there with LSU as a national threat IMO.

[eagle76 1]

With the impending changes in the ball, small ball will be less of a solution next season, if it ever was a solution. Big innings are what wins baseball games and when you trade an out for advancing a runner one base, your chances at a big inning are seriously damaged.

There's a place for one-run, small ball thinking. That place is late in a close game when one run is critical. If your leadoff batter in the 2nd inning hits a double, that's not the time to waste an out trying to bunt him to 3rd. That's the time to let your hitters play baseball!

You also have to have the pitching to back it up !!!!!

[AU64 10,122]

With the impending changes in the ball, small ball will be less of a solution next season, if it ever was a solution. Big innings are what wins baseball games and when you trade an out for advancing a runner one base, your chances at a big inning are seriously damaged.

There's a place for one-run, small ball thinking. That place is late in a close game when one run is critical. If your leadoff batter in the 2nd inning hits a double, that's not the time to waste an out trying to bunt him to 3rd. That's the time to let your hitters play baseball!

You also have to have the pitching to back it up !!!!!

At the start of the season CSG (and me too) thought our pitching was good enough to support the plan. Although I'm not a small ball advocate I could see his point. But, in addition to pitching, you must have a solid defense to back it up as you say...and we definitely did not have the D...nor the base running skills to milk every opportunity for a run.

Watched a good number of CWS games this weekend and lost track of how many "small ball" teams left the bases full when they "ran out of outs" before they could get the runs in. AU was probably as good as many teams in the CWS and many of them looked like AU....could not get clutch hits, made errors at crucial times, walked in runs, got picked off base, etc.

BUT....I love the CWS and will watch again today because you just never know what is going to happen with college baseball.

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

If you think you owe CSG an apology then on should be extended to CJP also because those same issues were the reason everyone was so unhappy with him too. IMHO neither one really used good judgement at crucial times during the season, but so far CJP made fewer errors than CSG. The team is what it is, so use what you have and make it work.

LSU does not really play small ball. They have good hitters, outstanding pitching and excellent defense. They are playing baseball the way it should be played at the college level. They play to their many strengths and not to any current philosophy. Kentucky is a team of hitters and they don't really play small ball either. Their real strength was at the plate and they used it to go pretty far.

That's what I'm hoping I see at Auburn. A team with an identity based on available talent......win or lose. It has to start there.

[AU64 10,122]

Sorry Belle but I don't owe JP anything because he had five years to develop a team philosophy and recruit players to make it work, etc. and we got to where we got when he was finally dismissed. Generally, his players were no better after 3 years at AU than when they arrived.

Sunny inherited the team he had this year and got their faults with them.

As for the "available talent" comment....I'm hoping that Sunny (or his successor) will find a way to actually teach our players the correct way to play the game...and overcome the lack of coaching they apparently got in high school. Like you, I'm not a small ball person and with the upcoming change in the baseball next season, I think....hope...pray...that the small ball stuff will be abandoned at AU.

[autigeremt 6,970]

Belle doesn't care for Sonny so he has to start winning and soon to get her off his backside

[AU64 10,122]

Belle doesn't care for Sonny so he has to start winning and soon to get her off his backside

I understand her point...and I don't know that I would invite him over for dinner.....but I'm hoping he is able to live up the press clippings and put AU back on the baseball map again. He's been there before so the odds are pretty good that he can do it again IMO. Just hoping he will keep his mouth shut while doing it...

[autigeremt 6,970]

Well...the rumors are swirling that things have gotten pretty heated between CSG and some parents. Makes me sick if some of the things are true about the team right now. Belle may get her wish.

[Mikey 16,781]

Well...the rumors are swirling that things have gotten pretty heated between CSG and some parents. Makes me sick if some of the things are true about the team right now. Belle may get her wish.

If parents are trying to call the shots, and indeed are in a position to have an effect on things, we're in a bunch of trouble. A head coach/manager needs to be able to tell parents, girlfriends etc. to take a flying leap if the situation calls for it. If he can't, he needs to look for a better position where he does have that essential authority.

[AU64 10,122]

Well...the rumors are swirling that things have gotten pretty heated between CSG and some parents. Makes me sick if some of the things are true about the team right now. Belle may get her wish.

If parents are trying to call the shots, and indeed are in a position to have an effect on things, we're in a bunch of trouble. A head coach/manager needs to be able to tell parents, girlfriends etc. to take a flying leap if the situation calls for it. If he can't, he needs to look for a better position where he does have that essential authority.

PARENTS were the main reason I quit coaching kid's baseball after a few years. I could do well enough with the kids but parents drove me nuts.

If true, guess it is a left-over attitude from their little league days where parents freely tell coaches which kids should be playing (theirs of course). I can imagine that Sunny might have problems with them.

[C'viewTiger 242]

Well...the rumors are swirling that things have gotten pretty heated between CSG and some parents. Makes me sick if some of the things are true about the team right now. Belle may get her wish.

If parents are trying to call the shots, and indeed are in a position to have an effect on things, we're in a bunch of trouble. A head coach/manager needs to be able to tell parents, girlfriends etc. to take a flying leap if the situation calls for it. If he can't, he needs to look for a better position where he does have that essential authority.

PARENTS were the main reason I quit coaching kid's baseball after a few years. I could do well enough with the kids but parents drove me nuts.

If true, guess it is a left-over attitude from their little league days where parents freely tell coaches which kids should be playing (theirs of course). I can imagine that Sunny might have problems with them.

We are talking about college baseball, right? I have coached for the kids and I agree with 64, the parents will drive you nuts.

[tinman 305]

I'm friends with one of the player's parents and they are not the least bit fond of Sunny. And their kid plays a bunch. I was told most (not all) of the parents would like to see a change made.

[AUFAN78 4,060]

I'm friends with one of the player's parents and they are not the least bit fond of Sunny. And their kid plays a bunch. I was told most (not all) of the parents would like to see a change made.

Please eloborate. What exactly is the parents problem with CSG?

[tinman 305]

I'm friends with one of the player's parents and they are not the least bit fond of Sunny. And their kid plays a bunch. I was told most (not all) of the parents would like to see a change made.

Please eloborate. What exactly is the parents problem with CSG?

It started when the players were let go early in the season. One of the players had a meeting with Sunny and the conversation went very good (he thought). The player told Sunny that he understood he would not be getting a lot of playing time and he was willing to play any role he could to help the team. He told Sunny that he loved Auburn and would be the biggest supporter he could be. Even told Sunny he was proud to wear the Auburn uniform. Sunny told him "great, we need your support". Next day Sunny publicly said the player was let go because he had a bad attitude. This parent agrees with the player that was let go in that his attitude was good. So basically the trust factor is not there for many of the players and parents in that if a coach tells you one thing one day and the next day he says something totally different, then you can't trust him. Again, this is what I was told by the parent of a player that is getting a lot of playing time.

[around4ever 4,139]

I find it hard to believe that he is that terrible. He has been coaching at this level for a long time and been successful. Could it be that the previous regime let the boys get away with whatever they wanted and Coach Golloway won't put up with it?

[AUFAN78 4,060]

I find it hard to believe that he is that terrible. He has been coaching at this level for a long time and been successful. Could it be that the previous regime let the boys get away with whatever they wanted and Coach Golloway won't put up with it?

I wondered the same thing. I appreciate Tinman's explanantion, but something doesn't add up. You may have nailed it A4E.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

I understand CSG's approach on things is different then what some parents/players would like, but at least he's not babying them. If the player's goal is to make it to the big leagues, they won't get babied there. Why should CSG baby them at Auburn?

[AU64 10,122]

I understand CSG's approach on things is different then what some parents/players would like, but at least he's not babying them. If the player's goal is to make it to the big leagues, they won't get babied there. Why should CSG baby them at Auburn?

I guess there is "babying" them and then there is treating them like adults with respect. The latter is not "babying" in my view. And with all the coaching mistakes this season, it's possible that some players called the coaches out for all the outs we gave away.

In any game, players need to have confidence that the coach's strategies are sound . Certainly, there was plenty of room to question what went on this past season.....some by the players but IMO the coaches gave away a ton of outs and runs with their approach to the game.

[AUFAN78 4,060]

I understand CSG's approach on things is different then what some parents/players would like, but at least he's not babying them. If the player's goal is to make it to the big leagues, they won't get babied there. Why should CSG baby them at Auburn?

I guess there is "babying" them and then there is treating them like adults with respect. The latter is not "babying" in my view. And with all the coaching mistakes this season, it's possible that some players called the coaches out for all the outs we gave away.

In any game, players need to have confidence that the coach's strategies are sound . Certainly, there was plenty of room to question what went on this past season.....some by the players but IMO the coaches gave away a ton of outs and runs with their approach to the game.

I almost always have a problem when players/youth call out coaches/adults. It seems like an entitlement/spoiled brat like quality that poison's team chemistry. I am trying to recall a time when this tactic was not detrimental, but cannot.

[PowerOfDixieland 3,232]

I understand CSG's approach on things is different then what some parents/players would like, but at least he's not babying them. If the player's goal is to make it to the big leagues, they won't get babied there. Why should CSG baby them at Auburn?

I guess there is "babying" them and then there is treating them like adults with respect. The latter is not "babying" in my view. And with all the coaching mistakes this season, it's possible that some players called the coaches out for all the outs we gave away.

In any game, players need to have confidence that the coach's strategies are sound . Certainly, there was plenty of room to question what went on this past season.....some by the players but IMO the coaches gave away a ton of outs and runs with their approach to the game.

I almost always have a problem when players/youth call out coaches/adults. It seems like an entitlement/spoiled brat like quality that poison's team chemistry. I am trying to recall a time when this tactic was not detrimental, but cannot.

It's insubordination, plain and simple. Accountability is reprehensible to mankind, selfishness and pride are cheaters. Submitting to authority is one of the great pillars of amateur sports. As I tell my son (often), I guarantee one day you will work for someone you do not like (probably despise) but you will have to humble yourself for the greater good and do what is required of you.

Calling out your own coach is pro sports thing. And it's a huge problem.

[AUFAN78 4,060]

I understand CSG's approach on things is different then what some parents/players would like, but at least he's not babying them. If the player's goal is to make it to the big leagues, they won't get babied there. Why should CSG baby them at Auburn?

I guess there is "babying" them and then there is treating them like adults with respect. The latter is not "babying" in my view. And with all the coaching mistakes this season, it's possible that some players called the coaches out for all the outs we gave away.

In any game, players need to have confidence that the coach's strategies are sound . Certainly, there was plenty of room to question what went on this past season.....some by the players but IMO the coaches gave away a ton of outs and runs with their approach to the game.

I almost always have a problem when players/youth call out coaches/adults. It seems like an entitlement/spoiled brat like quality that poison's team chemistry. I am trying to recall a time when this tactic was not detrimental, but cannot.

It's insubordination, plain and simple. Accountability is reprehensible to mankind, selfishness and pride are cheaters. Submitting to authority is one of the great pillars of amateur sports. As I tell my son (often), I guarantee one day you will work for someone you do not like (probably despise) but you will have to humble yourself for the greater good and do what is required of you.

Calling out your own coach is pro sports thing. And it's a huge problem.

Amen