2018 SFA BASEBALL

77,512 Views | 307 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by nacluth
Xathlete
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Chuber, I completly agree, loosing 6 starters can hurt a team, but this is why you go out and recruit. Our pitching staff has given up 80 more walks than opponents, this is a significant number. So either we are recruiting bad or do not have the ability to correct the pitchers mechanics/mindsets. I truly believe that a Division 1 baseball team can find a full staff of pitchers that throw strikes.
SFAXE93
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SFA vs. Lamar on Facebook (6:30 P.M.) tonight



SFA Jack Fanatic
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Jacks take the series with Lamar, winning 4-2 today. Jacks go to 17-32 overall and 9-18 in conference play. Obviously playing better ball now than at the beginning of the season, especially the pitchers.
TallTexan
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When's the tourney start?
Chuber
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The 23rd but sadly we will have to buy a ticket to attend. With Uno bearing Nichols
TallTexan
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Chuber said:

The 23rd but sadly we will have to buy a ticket to attend. With Uno bearing Nichols
I wasn't sure where the cutoff was, or if they let all teams in like some sports.
SFAXE93
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TCU (29-19) vs. SFA

The Horn Frogs have won 8 of their last 9 and their pitching has been exceptional.
(5 shutouts in the last 10 games.)

10-2 since we last saw them back in April.

Tomorrow at 6:30 P.M.
FACEBOOK LIVE
TallTexan
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This seems like a good home game for SFA baseball fans in terms of opponents. Just wish we had an on campus stadium to showcase it.
PurpleOut
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Staff
Top 8 teams go to the tournament. Even with the series win over Lamar, we're still 2nd to last.
SFAJack_76
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Watched a little Juco baseball at the region tournament. Saw coaches from Northwestern State, ULM, Lamar, Sam, and a couple of others. If there was anyone there from SFA, they must have been incognito. Cannot blame them I suppose.

Sam coach did not think they had the RPI to get an at large bid. Probably a one bid league this year. Too many low RPI teams in the SLC.
SFASawmillGuy
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Anyone want to discuss a coaching search?
cboothe09
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Look in Tyler first in the JC ranks...
TallTexan
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SFA_03 said:

Anyone want to discuss a coaching search?
Ron Washington or bust!
nacluth
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I'll take Wash in a heartbeat.
Ryan
Kinnaird Guitars
djsfw57
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At this point I'd take anyone. We can't get any worse than we are now.
SFASawmillGuy
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djsfw57 said:

At this point I'd take anyone. We can't get any worse than we are now.


I'll take it! Now let's talk benefits.
TallTexan
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I feel like this should be results based.

We'll pay you 150k for every NCAA tourney game you win, pending Baker's approval of course. Should you win the college world series, we'll name the as of yet unbuilt on-campus stadium after you.
PurpleOut
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Staff
Sigh, this sums up the season pretty well.

SFAJack_76
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PurpleOut said:

Sigh, this sums up the season pretty well.


We were at the game. Decent crowd. Really competitive game until the four straight walks top of the ninth. Gamez had been one of our most effective relievers Recently.

Yes, I too was thinking this inning was a too painful summary of the season. At least the TCU baseball team could find their way to Nacogdoches.
SFAXE93
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Oh well, three to go and this season will be in the books.
SFAJack_76
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Tough, tough season. Tough on the kids, coaches, and coaches wives.

I don't know any of the players parents but they are easy to spot: on the edge of their seats followed by slumping shoulders and head shaking.

Only four seniors on the team. Key kids out with injuries. As I have said before, the new AD and administration must decide soon if they want to step up or get out. Status quo is not acceptable.
SFASawmillGuy
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Absolutely a tough season.

And unfortunately next season might not be too much better just because its difficult for a new coach to jump in and have immediate success, but who knows.

Maybe Cardenas will get another year.
SFAJack_76
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SFA_03 said:

Absolutely a tough season.

And unfortunately next season might not be too much better just because its difficult for a new coach to jump in and have immediate success, but who knows.

Maybe Cardenas will get another year.
Assuming he wants it, I suspect Cardenas gets at least one more year.

For me, the direction of the baseball and softball programs as proposed by the grand, master athletic plan, wherever that is, is key. If the direction is to continue to play at the little league complex, accept that what you have is what you will get so no need to change a good guy that is accepting of that level of support for a D1 program and is very dedicated to his job. If there is a desire to have a real D1 program, setting about plans and fund raising will be the first priority since that does not happen quickly.

A new coach with the same poor commitment to the program is not the answer.
tangerito
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Agreed....I think Johnny is in a very difficult position. Hard to compete for players with these facilities.
SFASawmillGuy
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SFAJack_76 said:

SFA_03 said:

Absolutely a tough season.

And unfortunately next season might not be too much better just because its difficult for a new coach to jump in and have immediate success, but who knows.

Maybe Cardenas will get another year.
Assuming he wants it, I suspect Cardenas gets at least one more year.

For me, the direction of the baseball and softball programs as proposed by the grand, master athletic plan, wherever that is, is key. If the direction is to continue to play at the little league complex, accept that what you have is what you will get so no need to change a good guy that is accepting of that level of support for a D1 program and is very dedicated to his job. If there is a desire to have a real D1 program, setting about plans and fund raising will be the first priority since that does not happen quickly.

A new coach with the same poor commitment to the program is not the answer.
I completely agree, Johnny has been in a really tough position his entire time here. The same as how Clint Conque has had issues with injuries to his best recruits since he's been here.

Coaches face adversity. I am not saying Johnny Cardenas is not a good coach. He has an amazing amount of pride for this school and is a wonderful human being. I think the same thing about Clint Conque. I think Clint is a good coach and amazing human being. Charlie Strong was a good coach and great human being.

Sometimes things just don't work out for whatever reason or another. I think Johnny, like Clint, deserves every chance in the world to keep his job, but eventually it might be a good idea to just look in another direction. Of course I think Clint deserves one more season so if Johnny got one more, I think it would be fair. But eventually, regardless of the circumstances, a coaches time runs out.

Sometimes a change in culture is what a team needs to start winning. Maybe that's what SFA baseball needs.
PurpleOut
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Staff
Run ruled and swept by Houston Baptist today to end the year at 17-36.
SFAJack_76
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PurpleOut said:

Run ruled and swept by Houston Baptist today to end the year at 17-36.
The only team in conference to finish below SFA:

SFAJack_76
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BigJack85
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Until we get Johnny better facilities I see no compelling reason to change leadership of the baseball program. I imagine we will bounce back and be a middle of the pack SLC baseball program.

With new leadership coming it's possible that all of our sports will be evaluated. I hate to say it but unless we grow as a university and get a student fee tied to athletics support we are going to need to make some tough choices.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
Xathlete
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Yes, the facilities are not up to Division 1 standards at all. But one year after starting back up the program, the team figured out how to win 31 games with worse facilities than they have now. So I do not buy that excuse. It comes down to coaches going out and finding the recruits then teaching them how to be better. Yes the coaches have to work a little harder than some schools to find guys and teach them, but its possible.
SFAJack_76
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Xathlete said:

Yes, the facilities are not up to Division 1 standards at all. But one year after starting back up the program, the team figured out how to win 31 games with worse facilities than they have now. So I do not buy that excuse. It comes down to coaches going out and finding the recruits then teaching them how to be better. Yes the coaches have to work a little harder than some schools to find guys and teach them, but its possible.
Curious about how much of the year two success was aided by expectations that facilities and support for the program were going to come. The coach left when it was clear what was going to happen, or not happen. At least his story was that he fealt he had been misled.
TallTexan
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I was at SFA in 2009-2011, and most of the baseball guys I had in class felt they had been misled with the promises of facilities that were soon to be built. Not sure how accurate it was, but that was the general perception.
PurpleOut
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Staff
TallTexan said:

I was at SFA in 2009-2011, and most of the baseball guys I had in class felt they had been misled with the promises of facilities that were soon to be built. Not sure how accurate it was, but that was the general perception.
To be fair, those would be the guys that came in right when we had our new park fully planned. That then was stopped due to lack of funding in early 2008.
PurpleOut
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Staff
And just for more on that topic. We couldn't even raise $2M to put towards the new park, I put that on the AD. And also wonder what would happen if we tried again (now).

Quote:


The proposed Bo Pilgrim Ballpark struck out at Tuesday's SFA board of regents meeting after university President Dr. Baker Pattillo recommended calling a halt to the project, due to a lack of funding.

"When we announced our fund-raising plans, I said that if the university did not have the minimum private funds in hand by January 2008, the project would be re-evaluated," Pattillo said. "Unfortunately, our fund-raising has not been as successful as our baseball team.

"Not only do we not have pledges for the 25 percent required by the state, we do not have a dedicated revenue stream to repay the costs for the other 75 percent of the project. I do not believe that we would get approval in Austin to issue the bonds, and I simply don't believe the project can go forward at this time."

Valerie Ertz, board of regents chairwoman, said the board fully supports Pattillo's decision.

"We accept this decision, knowing that Dr. Pattillo has given thoughtful consideration about the overall impact of this project on the university," Ertz said.

About 25 percent of the $14 estimated total cost, or $3.5 million, was to have been raised through private donations during the campaign, which began in November 2006 and ended in December 2007.

But only $1.94 million in gifts and pledges for the ballpark had been raised by the end of December, which was about $1.56 million short of the goal.

Pattillo said after consulting numerous individuals, including "people in Austin," he came to the conclusion that the project would not be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board because of the lack of "dedicated revenue."

"The athletic director (Robert Hill) will notify the coach, players and parents," Pattillo said.

Those who donated money to the ballpark, including Bo Pilgrim, the man for whom the proposed park would have been named and who pledged $1 million to the project, will also be contacted, thanked for their support and offered refunds, Pattillo said. He also said that "work will begin" to see what can be done to improve the fields that both the SFA baseball and softball teams currently use, which is the Nacogdoches City Complex on West Loop 224. If any donors decide they do not want a refund, their donations will be invested in the improvements of the current facility.

"At the time (the ballpark was approved) everyone felt like it would be successful," Pattillo said. " ... perhaps some time in the future."

While Pattillo did not exactly say when in the future the idea of constructing a university ballpark complex would be revisited, Andy Kesling, SFA executive director of marketing, said the focus now will be on improving the current facility that the team uses. Hill said he will also work with the city of Nacogdoches and a local baseball association to improve the existing facility.

"Obviously, anytime you have an ambitious project that you want to happen and then it doesn't, there's some disappointment to that," Hill said. "What we had, what we collected and what our goal was, we couldn't close the gap."

Before Pattillo made his recommendation, Terry Lehmann, a parent of an SFA baseball player, addressed the board during the public hearing segment of the meeting. She said one of the main reasons her son committed to play baseball at SFA was because he was told that a stadium would be built in two years. She also said that "false promises" were made to the baseball players to get them to commit to SFA.

"You (regents) can make a big step in the right direction by approving the ballpark," Lehmann said.

Lehmann said she met with Pattillo in November and that "he emphasized that he was not consulted before baseball was brought back (to the university in 2004)."

"That was a strong impression on how he felt about baseball," Lehmann said.

She also said that the fundraising responsibility was given to someone who had "no experience in fundraising."

Lehmann encouraged the regents to hire a fundraiser and begin building the ballpark with funds already raised.

After hearing Pattillo's recommendation, Lehmann said, "it would have been nice if they would have chosen to honor their commitments."

"SFA's integrity is at stake here," Lehmann said.

The SFA baseball program was dropped as a sport in 1995 and a women's soccer team was added, with the administration citing concerns of Title 9, a 1972 law that states that no person shall be excluded from participation based on gender.

Donnie Watson, SFA baseball coach, said when he was interviewed by SFA in the process of eventually becoming the head baseball coach, that it was with the understanding that the return of the sport would coincide with the process of building a new baseball complex.

With that in mind, Watson and his staff used the ballpark as one of their recruiting tools.

"That is what we sold (to recruits)," Watson said.

Now, the question is, "What message do we send out as a Division I program to potential recruits who want to play baseball at SFA?" Watson said.

"We still sell to them that (they've) got a great place to go to school, that Nacogdoches is a great community and our coaching staff can develop (them) into players (they) want to become," Watson said.




Jacks4460
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PurpleOut thank you so much for that read... I always wondered what happend but was too busy to keep up.. This pretty much sums it up.. Pattillo made a decision to not persue a new stadium because he really didnt care for a SFA baseball team. He puts someone inexperienced on raising the funds, in charge of raising monies necessary to proceed.. Ofcourse it was gonna fail and he probally had a hunch that it would. Maybe our new AD can change his mind... It can be a revenue generator with HS playoff games,camps,tournaments,etc. If it was even close to campus, then have some type of party area and sell beer there and cheap food... The 21 yr old students would love going to a place to get hammered and not have to even leave campus.. I had a cool fake id tho that I would use as a freshman until it got taken up at Bullwinkles..
 
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