Tennessee @ Texas A&M Game 3 Thread - 2pm SECN+

[31VFL]

Lipinski wasn't suspended. A door slammed on his finger at the hotel last night.

 

[LoudOrange]

It is clear they haven't quit. My post was out of line yesterday.

Yeah I compared Serrano to Dooley a couple of weeks ago I shouldn't have.

 

[BruinVol]

Lipinski wasn't suspended. A door slammed on his finger at the hotel last night.

Damn this team has the luck

 

[vol66]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChBjqFrXy5A[/youtube]


What is he talking about? No UT coach in my lifetime has had LESS criticism, especially given his record.

It compares to Wade Houston, Todd Raleigh, Buzz Peterson but almost every call to the radio shows, every message board...it's pretty unanimous, he's a nice guy, the hiring was a no brainer, wish he could succeed here...sure, there's always a smattering of GTFO...but compared to say...Cuonzo Martin or Holly Warlick...give me a break. The former track coach was under more fire.

TRACK.

AND

FIELD

The problem with the baseball program is systemic not giving a crap.

Imagine if the starting Center, Running Back, Slot Receiver, all upperclassman...weren't on the sidelines and dressed for a game.

I suppose none of the beat writers would ask any questions.

Yeah, Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

VN would be on high alert and the posts like "Fire Jones" would be fast and furious and "LIKED"...Wes Rucker would be talking about his GF, UT would be sending Hyams on a wild goose chase and John Pennington would be rearranging his "segments".

Am I missing something? Is there a place on the internet or some college baseball television or radio program that discusses Vol baseball more than we do here?

BTW, Apparently Lipinski slammed his finger in the hotel door which is why he was unavailable...hey, at least it's not food poisoning or home sickness...SMDH...

Everyone is and has been pulling for Coach Serrano and I mean REALLY pulling for him. All of us have looked the other way and been polite about what gets discussed on this forum and I know of no other coach in Vols history that I can say that about.

That dog don't hunt Coach.

 

[BruinVol]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChBjqFrXy5A[/youtube]


What is he talking about? No UT coach in my lifetime has had LESS criticism, especially given his record.

It compares to Wade Houston, Todd Raleigh, Buzz Peterson but almost every call to the radio shows, every message board...it's pretty unanimous, he's a nice guy, the hiring was a no brainer, wish he could succeed here...sure, there's always a smattering of GTFO...but compared to say...Cuonzo Martin or Holly Warlick...give me a break. The former track coach was under more fire.

TRACK.

AND

FIELD

The problem with the baseball program is systemic not giving a crap.

Imagine if the starting Center, Running Back, Slot Receiver, all upperclassman...weren't on the sidelines and dressed for a game.

I suppose none of the beat writers would ask any questions.

Yeah, Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

VN would be on high alert and the posts like "Fire Jones" would be fast and furious and "LIKED"...Wes Rucker would be talking about his GF, UT would be sending Hyams on a wild goose chase and John Pennington would be rearranging his "segments".

Am I missing something? Is there a place on the internet or some college baseball television or radio program that discusses Vol baseball more than we do here?

BTW, Apparently Lipinski slammed his finger in the hotel door which is why he was unavailable...hey, at least it's not food poisoning or home sickness...SMDH...

Everyone is and has been pulling for Coach Serrano and I mean REALLY pulling for him. All of us have looked the other way and been polite about what gets discussed on this forum and I know of no other coach in Vols history that I can say that about.

That dog don't hunt Coach.

What are you talking about 66?

He took ownership of the criticism.
I liked what he said.

One thing you need to know is no knoxville media is traveling with this team. That's a SID asking the questions

 

[Backwards K]

Still can't believe he bunted Moberg in the 9th or 10th inning!! But, glad for the win and glad to correctly call another series (1-2).

A lot still wrong with this team but the pitching has been very good and this is keeping them in games. Still a chance to get to Hoover with the goal of making it to the double elimination portion of the tournament!!

I had to leave after 10th inning but y'all make these games more enjoyable. THIS is Tennessee Baseball!!

 

[vol66]

What are you talking about 66?

He took ownership of the criticism.
I liked what he said.

One thing you need to know is no knoxville media is traveling with this team. That's a SID asking the questions

I think I was pretty plain. If that's what he needs to use to motivate his team it's fine by me, but I've heard very little criticism and for those of us, including you, that have supported him based on his credibility...this is a strain.

 

[BruinVol]

Still can't believe he bunted Moberg in the 9th or 10th inning!! But, glad for the win and glad to correctly call another series (1-2).

A lot still wrong with this team but the pitching has been very good and this is keeping them in games. Still a chance to get to Hoover with the goal of making it to the double elimination portion of the tournament!!

I had to leave after 10th inning but y'all make these games more enjoyable. THIS is Tennessee Baseball!!

Disagree with you K. Bunting him was the right call. He is hitting something pretty terrible in SEC play. That wasn't playing small ball that was playing it by the book.

 

[Backwards K]

Disagree with you K. Bunting him was the right call. He is hitting something pretty terrible in SEC play. That wasn't playing small ball that was playing it by the book.

Vols only have 3 legit hitters in SEC play and Moberg had been hitting today. The bunt didn't even work and then Vols had a LH hitter vs a LH pitcher. Small ball has not worked in the 6 years he has been here.

If the bunt had worked, they would have struck out the LH hitter like they did and then walked Jordan Rogers and then struck out the LH Lipcius Brother like left-handers did all day.

 

[vol66]

Vols only have 3 legit hitters in SEC play and Moberg had been hitting today. The bunt didn't even work and then Vols had a LH hitter vs a LH pitcher. Small ball has not worked in the 6 years he has been here.

If the bunt had worked, they would have struck out the LH hitter like they did and then walked Jordan Rogers and then struck out the LH Lipcius Brother like left-handers did all day.

I don't think Moberg got his first hit until the 8th...not to get in the middle of yawl's scrum...he's just above the Mendoza line in SEC play...I think the only upperclassman that's an SEC hitter is JRog.

 

[TheBigOne10]

Moving up in the points baby!!

 

[txbo]

Team is fighting like hell. Maybe I am the lone supporter of CDS but I will continue to be as long as this team fights for him.

You're not alone. If our only solution is to change coaches, we'll get the same results we've gotten since WWII.

 

[Backwards K]

I don't think Moberg got his first hit until the 8th...not to get in the middle of yawl's scrum...he's just above the Mendoza line in SEC play...I think the only upperclassman that's an SEC hitter is JRog.

It still would have been easy enough to use the LH pitcher to get out Ammons (left on left), walk Rogers and then use the LH pitcher to get out the left-handed Lipcius brother (again, left on left). Both Ammons and Lipscius were overmatched by the Aggies' left-handers all day.

While the book says you have to bunt there, that move would have taken the bat out of Rogers' hands and then left the Vols counting on two lefty-lefty matchups to get the run in. That wasn't going to happen at that point.

 

[BruinVol]

It still would have been easy enough to use the LH pitcher to get out Ammons (left on left), walk Rogers and then use the LH pitcher to get out the left-handed Lipcius brother (again, left on left). Both Ammons and Lipscius were overmatched by the Aggies' left-handers all day.

While the book says you have to bunt there, that move would have taken the bat out of Rogers' hands and then left the Vols counting on two lefty-lefty matchups to get the run in. That wasn't going to happen at that point.

Looking at the left on left match ups to follow certainly leans toward your side of this but in an extra inning game I just think the book has to be followed. You never know when a well placed bunt blows a close game open anyway under the pressure of an extra inning game. To me it was the thing to do even though it likely ends up with Rogers having the bat taken out of his hands.

 

[vol66]

You're not alone. If our only solution is to change coaches, we'll get the same results we've gotten since WWII.

What I'm wondering is...Who is suggesting simply changing coaches?

I'm also wondering, for the first time in the CDS tenure, at such a critical time for the program and his job security, what is going on behind the scenes?

I just went to both the rival and scout sites and there are less than 5 posts in totality about baseball...so this criticism he is talking about must be coming from within...that should be troubling to everyone.

No one has been in Serrano's corner more than me, I've been right here for 6 seasons and I'm going to have to eat crow for the old school guys, which I'm prepared to do...but...

That doesn't get us any closer to having a baseball program to be proud of, nor does it explain why an athletic department with a 120-130 million dollar budget has bottom of the rung baseball facilities, bottom of the barrel marketing and promotion, virtually no press coverage...

Literally, aside from the young men and their folks, the best thing about UT baseball is John Wilkerson and I ask all of you to come up with a reason why that is okay?

We have won 5 out of 18 SEC baseball games this season, we are 52-113(SEC) in the CDS era.

I respect him as a man, father and a coach. I thought it was a home run hire and indeed in my lifetime, since Johnny Majors, UT hasn't hired a coach with as a proven record.

I think that's fair to say.

But I also know our pitchers have not been ready at the start of SEC play and HE is the pitching coach.

Each season...

2012: 7-8

2013: 5-10

2014: 6-9

2015: 5-10

2016: 4-11

2017: 4-11

We start in a hole and it's gotten worse and in this conference it's really hard to come back from that deficit. The guys that are pitching great right now needed it a couple months ago...that's on him and I truly believe that to my core. We aren't ready for SEC play, we get behind and then it's added pressure on the mental aspect and players start pressing...it's only natural.

I realize I'm venting more than coming up with solutions, but the men and the staff have a season to finish and there will be a time for that, it's just not now.

GBO!!!

 

[vol66]

It still would have been easy enough to use the LH pitcher to get out Ammons (left on left), walk Rogers and then use the LH pitcher to get out the left-handed Lipcius brother (again, left on left). Both Ammons and Lipscius were overmatched by the Aggies' left-handers all day.

While the book says you have to bunt there, that move would have taken the bat out of Rogers' hands and then left the Vols counting on two lefty-lefty matchups to get the run in. That wasn't going to happen at that point.

I get what you are saying and I can get along with it, but if I try to put myself in the dugout with the production we've been managing as of late...I guess I'd feel like all I can go on is "gut" alone. It's like the middle east, no good choices...not meant to offend anyone.

 

[txbo]

What I'm wondering is...Who is suggesting simply changing coaches?

GBO!!!

I'm not suggesting that anybody on here thinks that's the solution...... I'm just afraid that's what we'll get.... and another promising coach's career will be ruined in 5 years when we do it all again.

 

[vol66]

I'm not suggesting that anybody on here thinks that's the solution...... I'm just afraid that's what we'll get.... and another promising coach's career will be ruined in 5 years when we do it all again.

Afraid. Interesting choice of words. We are currently the 13th team (based on head to head w/ UGA) in the SEC and we are fighting for Hoover only...something has to give, right? This is not acceptable, sustainable, right?

F'it...we don't have any control over it anyway...they don't even show the mid-week games.

If you had a boy that was a ball player, would you want him to go to UT? Would it be your first choice? That makes me sad.

That is more a knock on UT than Serrano BTW...

 

[Volsfriend]

What a crowd this weekend. Never seen anything like it. Some of the chants were awesome. Anyone else there. Thoughts?📣📣📣📣📣📢📢📢📢

 

[txbo]

Afraid. Interesting choice of words. We are currently the 13th team (based on head to head w/ UGA) in the SEC and we are fighting for Hoover only...something has to give, right? This is not acceptable, sustainable, right?

F'it...we don't have any control over it anyway...they don't even show the mid-week games.

If you had a boy that was a ball player, would you want him to go to UT? Would it be your first choice? That makes me sad.

That is more a knock on UT than Serrano BTW...

Well 66, let me change my phrasing and clarify myself. My concern is that this administration does nothing more than change coaches. We spend the next 5 years listening to early games on radio, hoping the mid-week games are on the road to a mid-major so we get a stream and praying to sneak into Hoover.

The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over while expecting different results. No thanks. Just firing another coach won't convince me of any new commitment to our program.

 

[Backwards K]

Vols' total attendance for a weekend is normally less than LSU or Miss State draws on Friday night. Facilities are part of the problem but lack of competitiveness is a bigger problem. It's easy to say that the Vols are playing a lot of young guys who will get better but the rest of the SEC is bringing in better talent every year.

What are the solutions?

 

[BruinVol]

Vols' total attendance for a weekend is normally less than LSU or Miss State draws on Friday night. Facilities are part of the problem but lack of competitiveness is a bigger problem. It's easy to say that the Vols are playing a lot of young guys who will get better but the rest of the SEC is bringing in better talent every year.

What are the solutions?

I have always thought facilities aren't the problem. The scholarship deal is the problem and IMO never will be a program that is better than middle of the pack as long as rules are as is. I think this roster is close to getting to that point.

 

[vol66]

Well 66, let me change my phrasing and clarify myself. My concern is that this administration does nothing more than change coaches. We spend the next 5 years listening to early games on radio, hoping the mid-week games are on the road to a mid-major so we get a stream and praying to sneak into Hoover.

The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over while expecting different results. No thanks. Just firing another coach won't convince me of any new commitment to our program.

I think any of us who have followed this for a while realize this is absolutely true.

It feels like there is no long range vision for baseball and it feels like it's just a bare bones approach...do the minimum because it's never going to generate money.

However, the school has one of the largest budgets in all of college sports. I realize there have been a lot of things take priority over baseball and that's probably fair, things that were sorely needed...

It's been 22 years since we went to the CWS or won the conference. It's been over a decade since we made the NCAA tournament, haven't finished higher than 5th in the East for 10 years.

I've never been for changing coaches for the sake of changing coaches, so I agree with you...until things behind the scenes start coming up. Maybe what's going on now is an isolated deal, I have no way of knowing.

Despite that drama, the team continues to fight which is a positive thing and is a testament to CDS. On the negative side we are again most likely going to have to fight to the last weekend to be 1 game over the 13th place team to get to Hoover.

 

[vol66]

I have always thought facilities aren't the problem. The scholarship deal is the problem and IMO never will be a program that is better than middle of the pack as long as rules are as is. I think this roster is close to getting to that point.

Does UK have a different scholarship deal?

 

[BruinVol]

Does UK have a different scholarship deal?

Not much. They are on the same level as Tennessee but yes they are winning at a higher level. They also have never been to Omaha. That type program is the best tennesse can do imo