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Will Missouri try and bolster their baseball program?
Posted on 5/20/14 at 11:08 am
Posted on 5/20/14 at 11:08 am
Not a flame thread!
I know most Missouri fans couldn't care less about collegiate baseball. My question is if there is anything in the works to strengthen the baseball program. Renovations, advertising, package deals, etc.
I seem to recall something about a new stadium/stadium renovations.
I would love to see Missouri find themselves being competitive in the years to come. Or is it doomed to be an afterthought due to weather and a strong professional baseball foothold?
I know most Missouri fans couldn't care less about collegiate baseball. My question is if there is anything in the works to strengthen the baseball program. Renovations, advertising, package deals, etc.
I seem to recall something about a new stadium/stadium renovations.
I would love to see Missouri find themselves being competitive in the years to come. Or is it doomed to be an afterthought due to weather and a strong professional baseball foothold?
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Posted on 5/20/14 at 11:20 am to CNB
quote:
Not a flame thread!
I know most Missouri fans couldn't care less about collegiate baseball. My question is if there is anything in the works to strengthen the baseball program. Renovations, advertising, package deals, etc.
I seem to recall something about a new stadium/stadium renovations.
I would love to see Missouri find themselves being competitive in the years to come. Or is it doomed to be an afterthought due to weather and a strong professional baseball foothold?
There were stadium renovations, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to have changed much. The proposed pictures didn't come to fruition, but I guess the locker rooms were redone. Others here I am sure can supply the proposed as opposed to what we received. It was a pretty awful difference though.
Hopefully it will pickup in time as it's part of the SEC big three. Will the admin take the steps to get there though? Unknown.
This post was edited on 5/20/14 at 11:23 am
Posted on 5/20/14 at 11:27 am to CNB
quote:
Will Missouri try and bolster their baseball program?
Short answer...no.
They did just do some renovations, but those basically involved putting new padding up, some new seating but not much and a new locker room at the ballpark so the players didn't have to walk a mile from the locker room to the field for games. Basically nothing worth bragging about but some minor improvements.
In the short term I doubt it. I doubt Alden does anything about the coaching position. TJ has been there for 20 years or so, has had some pretty decent runs, nothing great, but the last 5 years have been a dreadful downward spiral. He has one year left on his contract and I'd bet Alden lets him play it out.
From reading on TB, there apparently were a ton of cancers on the team, including a sophomore pitcher who hasn't pitched despite being a 2nd round pick coming out of high school. The word is that the closest to bolstering the program they're going to do in the short term is to clean house of a lot of players. One junior has already tweeted that it was essentially good knowing y'all so I'm sure he was one.
Mizzou had more promos but I know they weren't promoted in STL and I gather they weren't promoted locally so how people would know is beyond me. Tons of games where kids in a uniform get in free. 1st responders get in free. And so on.
I doubt anything changes with how baseball is handled until a new coach is brought in, maybe after next year. I'd imagine a new coach will want assurances that the program will receive a bigger commitment from the university.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 12:00 pm to CNB
I can't see why there would be much interest in putting a bunch of money into baseball. It's one of the few SEC big sports that is greatly effected by weather and Columbia is where it is. I don't think there's any real effect from the professional baseball in Missouri, baseball is likely never going to be a revenue producer. The weather during early baseball season stinks; the game is falling in popularity nationwide, and especially with young people, and it just doesn't have the background at the school to maintain a level of support.
I suspect there will be some investment to get the program respectable, but I don't see a major push to start winning national championships. Especially when so many other programs at Mizzou need investment as well.
Maybe if they lighten up on the drinking and put in some sort of party patio or something for students and fans it could pick up. That's not an unusual thing at any level in baseball, though. Minor league teams and even the MLB teams are concentrating more on the fan experience than anything else in an effort to keep attendance up. Mizzou is no different than some small arse farm club trying to keep people interested, except there's no beer or fireworks nights.
I suspect there will be some investment to get the program respectable, but I don't see a major push to start winning national championships. Especially when so many other programs at Mizzou need investment as well.
Maybe if they lighten up on the drinking and put in some sort of party patio or something for students and fans it could pick up. That's not an unusual thing at any level in baseball, though. Minor league teams and even the MLB teams are concentrating more on the fan experience than anything else in an effort to keep attendance up. Mizzou is no different than some small arse farm club trying to keep people interested, except there's no beer or fireworks nights.
This post was edited on 5/20/14 at 12:01 pm
Posted on 5/20/14 at 12:15 pm to Mizzeaux
Two good pro teams with nice stadiums a straight shot less than 2 hours down the interstate in either direction covering both the american and national league. And college season is 2/3rd's over before we can even play here. Never going to happen (unless maybe the SEC gives them some kind of crap). Nobody shows up when they are good
Posted on 5/20/14 at 2:01 pm to Mizzeaux
I would love to see our baseball program improve, and it bothers me that it sucks as badly as it does.
As for all the excuses (weather, interest, major league teams), look no further than what SLU has done recently. And look at what our softball team has done in the last 7 years.
There are plenty of homegrown recruits that could turn a program around within a couple of years. Playing in the SEC, Mizzou's record of producing major leaguers, those are big selling points.
The stadium needs major work and we need a coaching change, but I'm hopeful we get this fixed. Either that or scrap the program and add men's soccer.
As for all the excuses (weather, interest, major league teams), look no further than what SLU has done recently. And look at what our softball team has done in the last 7 years.
There are plenty of homegrown recruits that could turn a program around within a couple of years. Playing in the SEC, Mizzou's record of producing major leaguers, those are big selling points.
The stadium needs major work and we need a coaching change, but I'm hopeful we get this fixed. Either that or scrap the program and add men's soccer.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 2:09 pm to MIZ83
quote:
look no further than what SLU has done recently.
Its the A-10.
The 1st place team in the A-10, Saint Louis, has a lower RPI than the worst team, Missouri, in the SEC.
This post was edited on 5/20/14 at 2:23 pm
Posted on 5/20/14 at 2:48 pm to kilo
I think there have been a few mid sized renovations of the facilities in last few years, but as for anything major, I doubt it, at least not for a while.
My guess is baseball may take a backseat to the obvious big 2 and then getting the new softball field squared away. The fan support seems to be there for softball and we can't ignore the girls or we might upset the level playing field gods.
Basketball is pretty new but may get some inside improvements soon and we already know football will be an ongoing arms race. If the baseball program can bootstrap itself with a good season, it might make a big difference, MU big donors like to see results and evidence that effort is being made.
My guess is baseball may take a backseat to the obvious big 2 and then getting the new softball field squared away. The fan support seems to be there for softball and we can't ignore the girls or we might upset the level playing field gods.
Basketball is pretty new but may get some inside improvements soon and we already know football will be an ongoing arms race. If the baseball program can bootstrap itself with a good season, it might make a big difference, MU big donors like to see results and evidence that effort is being made.
This post was edited on 5/20/14 at 3:07 pm
Posted on 5/20/14 at 2:58 pm to kilo
8 times out of 10 SLU would smoke Mizzou right now. Next year....maybe 10 out of 10 times, unless some changes are made.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 2:59 pm to reedus23
quote:
8 times out of 10 SLU would smoke Mizzou right now. Next year....maybe 10 out of 10 times, unless some changes are made.
I dont think so. I think you are severely underestimating how shitty the A-10 is in baseball.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:01 pm to Jagd Tiger
And it should rightfully take a back seat to those 3. Softball has earned it.
Early season games in COMO will never be well attended. Just too cold. That doesn't mean Mizzou can't field a competitive team, it just won't be well attended when it's 40 out.
I still think in order to get a decent coach in, Mizzou is going to have to lay out to him what there vision is of the baseball program in 5 and 10 years. I don't see anything significant happening before then.
Early season games in COMO will never be well attended. Just too cold. That doesn't mean Mizzou can't field a competitive team, it just won't be well attended when it's 40 out.
I still think in order to get a decent coach in, Mizzou is going to have to lay out to him what there vision is of the baseball program in 5 and 10 years. I don't see anything significant happening before then.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:02 pm to kilo
quote:
I dont think so. I think you are severely underestimating how shitty the A-10 is in baseball.
No I'm not. That's just how shitty Mizzou baseball is right now.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:05 pm to reedus23
quote:
No I'm not. That's just how shitty Mizzou baseball is right now.
Do you understand that the whole of the SEC is higher than the highest A-10 team in the rankings?
I get that Mizzou is bad but the talk about SLU being some superior program or a model to follow is off in my opinion.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:07 pm to MIZ83
quote:
As for all the excuses (weather, interest, major league teams), look no further than what SLU has done recently. And look at what our softball team has done in the last 7 years.
Or look at Indiana, Vanderbilt, Oregon State, Washington State, Indiana State, Louisville, Kentucky, or Oregon. All in top 25 RPI and all similar climates.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:08 pm to kilo
quote:
I get that Mizzou is bad but the talk about SLU being some superior program or a model to follow is off in my opinion.
I don't think they're a better program. I do think they're a better team right now.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:08 pm to Mizzeaux
quote:
I can't see why there would be much interest in putting a bunch of money into baseball.
I guess I don't see why it would take a bunch of money.
Seems like they could build or renovate the existing park into a charismatic little venue without dropping too much money.
Didn't moving the hill cost like 10 millions (and they didn't even move it in enough).
Missouri has a lot of talented baseball players, seems like it could be a respectable program if there were some upgrades to the ballpark.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:09 pm to reedus23
quote:
And it should rightfully take a back seat to those 3
I mostly and completely agree with that cinna-ment.
quote:
I guess I don't see why it would take a bunch of money.
Because EVERYTHING these days takes a lot of money. I think the hill reno, was only around a million though, not 10 iirc from a flyer the U sent out. After all it's mostly dirt, concrete and sod, the idea was to make it more comfortable to sit on, as well as look better.
This post was edited on 5/20/14 at 3:17 pm
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:14 pm to kilo
McNeese State: 148
Cincinnati: 166
IPFW: 271
Southern Illinois: 198
Missouri State: 117
That and there's not much of a difference between 138 and 144. I'll put my money on SLU in a 7 game series. This year. Program with the higher ceiling? Obviously Mizzou.
Cincinnati: 166
IPFW: 271
Southern Illinois: 198
Missouri State: 117
That and there's not much of a difference between 138 and 144. I'll put my money on SLU in a 7 game series. This year. Program with the higher ceiling? Obviously Mizzou.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:32 pm to Jagd Tiger
quote:
Because EVERYTHING these days takes a lot of money. I think the hill reno, was only around a million though, not 10 iirc from a flyer the U sent out. After all it's mostly dirt, concrete and sod, the idea was to make it more comfortable to sit on, as well as look better.
I was under the impression they basically prepared the hill for stands if it ever becomes necessary, so it wasn't just moving the dirt and rocks, it was stabilizing the whole thing to take on some decent weight in the future.
That may all by message board BS, though.
Posted on 5/20/14 at 3:46 pm to Jagd Tiger
quote:
the idea was to make it more comfortable to sit on, as well as look better.
Ohhh, interesting. Yeah, until now I didn't know why they moved the hill in. Thanks.
And I believe you're wrong about it only costing 1 million to move the hill, but I have nothing but hearsay to support my claim.
Anyway, it seems like some things could be added to the ballpark to make it more respectable without going overboard financially.
With the amount of money spent on other things, it seems like such a small investment to turn the baseball program into something notable.
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