One of the challenges of long-time fans of UT have is that they don't realize the depths of what utisdabomb and NorthTexasGolfer are saying.
Getting a kid to campus over the lure of being taken in the MLB draft are slim. We don't lose too many kids to other teams via recruiting, (think about in football where a kid chooses OU over Texas or the like.) We have, in the recent past, (as dabomb talked about,) lost kids to the draft. When the staff changed their approach to go and get players that were outside of the top 100, that made a big difference.
Back in the day of Texas Baseball dominance, there were not nearly the scholarship limits. There were also not too many kids that bolted for the majors (or minors as it were,) in lieu of pursing a 4-year stint at a college. Add to that the changes in the baseball, the bats and the pitchers being even stronger than in years gone by, (top to bottom of the entire staff) and I think you see that not only has recruiting had to change, but the game itself has changed immensely.
Which, in my opinion, is why you see far more parity in college baseball now than you did before.
TT, TCU, UH, etc. were not in the CWS before the new schollie rules, BBCOR bats, etc. Those things have leveled the playing field considerably.
And I don't hold you hopping back into the discussion against you.
But you used it as a way to explain our current problems. The rules are the same for everybody. Parity means everyone is doing about the same, which is not accurate.
Actually I didn't use it as a way to explain our current issues. I said, back in the day, we didn't lose many kids to the majors. I said that the game itself has changed, and that has created more parity. Let me help you understand my use of parity: more teams that traditionally had less, now have equal or better players and this, along with the changes in the game, (no more gorilla ball and stronger/bigger pitchers,) brings the pack closer together. That's why you're seeing teams like Missouri St, VCU, Dallas Baptist, College of Charleston, Wright St, Louisiana Lafayette and UNC Wilmington discussed on a more regular basis in rankings and CWS than ever before. The pool of baseball players coming out of HS that also play on clubs is greater than it's ever been. The talent is off the charts. Go watch a club game over the summer. These kids can play some ball. They're smart players. We are recruiting at a high level. What is going on in the UT players' heads right now is a mystery. I'm sure there are folks higher up in the baseball chain at Texas that are wondering that very thing.
Bear, I feel that you are not going to be satisfied with anything I say until you hear
"yeah, we suck and we need to be where we were in the glory days and there's no excuse that we don't fix it." I'm not going to say that. That's not me. I try to stay level around here, without pumping too much sunshine, nor slinging too much mud.
I understand that the landscape has changed over the last 10 years.
I understand that the way Texas, (and every other school for that matter,) recruits players has changed.
I understand that this team is struggling mightily with basic defense and relief pitching, areas that were supposed to be strengths coming into the season.
I understand that you are not happy with what you're seeing on a game-to-game basis, and you want to see it changed.
Honestly, I don't think you could plug in a different coach right now and get a significantly different outcome. I think the bottom line is that the kids need to play to their abilities and figure out what they want out of wearing the TEXAS jersey. The coaching staff has drastically changed how they recruit, what type of players they recruit and how they approach the game.
I'm not saying you have to buy into what I'm telling you, but I'm not going to be sucked into the bashing for the sake of bashing, and getting angry about something that I can't change. This team is what it is right now, take it or leave it. I'm going to continue to support the team and staff.
All said, sorry I can't provide you with what you want to hear. I don't have the answer. I don't know that anyone does. We just have to let it play out.
