Commit to Baseball and Make a Change at Head Coach

I think the UGA fan base has it wrong with regards to the expectation level of this program. With regards to whether Perno should be kept or let go 23 point to our lack of participation in the CWS since 2008. Georgia should want a program that competes at the top of the SEC year in and year out. Most UGA fans are thrilled when we even make the NCAA tournament. Georgia fans should be pissed off when we are not HOSTING the regional every season. Our fans love to bash Danny Hall because he’s a Techie, but I would take a coach like him anyday because most years he has his team in a position to make it to Omaha. When we make it to Omaha, we follow it with years of below average baseball.

UGA baseball has for years been the program that has lacked the most support from the athletic office while in my view having the most potential for success. Since 2007 half of the first round picks in the MLB draft have come from four states (California, Texas, Florida, and Georgia). Are these picks likely going to college? Of course not, but it speaks to the depth of high school baseball talent in this state. And with this talent there is no excuse for not competing year in and year out at a high level.

Of course we must first make a commitment to baseball at the athletic department. I really hope McGarity will do what his mentor Jeremy Foley at Florida demanded which required 0every program to compete at the highest level while giving them adequate resources to do so. And yes Georgia has plenty of resources so that’s not an issue.

It’s utterly embarrassing that the athletic department has allowed the baseball facilities to deteriorate so badly. It is no excuse for Georgia Tech to have a top flight baseball facility while UGA has something that is worse than some high schools in this state.

I do believe it is time for a change at head coach. The hitting has been subpar for a few seasons. Our struggles with men in scoring position are not something new. In 2007 Perno pulled in one of the best recruiting hauls maybe in school history. He had two 3rd round picks (Zach Cone and Chase Davidson). He also had signed a stud pitching staff with Palzonne and Cecil Tanner. The result 0 regional hosting, 0 Super Regionals, 0 trips to Omaha. Oh, and we missed the tourmanment COMPLETELY two out of the four years (assuming we are left out this year).

Let’s look at some of the players in that class. Peter Verdin a 17th round pick was great signee as well as Christian Glission, Mike Freeman and Colby May. Cone, Verdin, May and Davidson never reached their potential. He ran Glission and Freeman off (they both went on to star at Valdosta St. and Clemson respectively). Tanner was a head case. The running off does not stop with the players as Perno showed the door to quality pitching coaches Butch Thompson and Roger Williams.

I go on and on. However, UGA should be after consistent success with its baseball program. That happens with a quality hire head coach which CAN happen with promise of an athletic department committment to the program.

 

Kensingtondawg

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