I just spent the last few minutes pouring over college baseball stats.
I started comparing Miami’s offensive numbers to the rest of the country and it’s not pleasant. The Canes’ rank 201st out of 292 teams in Division-I in batting average; they are 139th in scoring and 130th in runs.
I talked to a few players and head coach Jim Morris yesterday. Every one of them pointed to offensive inconsistency as being the main factor in this team being up and down this year. Pitching-wise, things are about as good as you could ask for, but scoring runs remains an issue.
Personally I can’t explain the offensive woe either. I could muster up some convoluted explanation revolving around new bats, injuries, opposing pitching and some Santeria hex … but for what? I’ve been around Coach Morris for as long as he’s been at ‘The U’ and I can’t even count how many times I’ve talked to him regarding the road to winning titles and 3 always talked about the need for pitching and defense.
It’s easy to worry that bats might go quiet in the post-season, but there’d be a bigger issue if a starting pitching issue arose. Bats can find a way to come alive, but pitching can’t suddenly “materialize”.
Before I write some sweeping piece about this team not living up to expectations this season – or over the past few years – I’ll let this one play out. There’s still a conference and NCAA tourney which this team will be in, even if not in the confines of Alex Rodriguez Park.
I’ve heard all the chatter about this team not winning a title in a decade and to that I offer the reminder that Florida and Florida State are still title-less after all these years. You can’t be the best every year and there are a lot of contributing factors to this team not having won a championship since 2001. Remember, it was fourteen seasons between 1985 and 1999.
I’m happy that this team is nationally relevant and I’m happy that the Canes have seen the post-season 38 straight years. Maybe once the season is over we can get into the big picture, but now is not the time for that topic. Right now we focus on post-season baseball. Miami drew a really tough draw at the ACC Tournament — North Carolina, Virginia and Wake Forest — but when I spoke with Zeke DeVoss yesterday, he let it be known that this team sees it as an opportunity, not a challenge.
Tune in to Wednesday’s edition of allCanes Radio and let’s see where the next few weeks take the Canes. Here’s hoping I don’t have to write a “disappointed in this team” follow up anytime soon.
IN OTHER NEWS : I was saddened to hear that former UM football player and long-time supporter of all Canes’ sports Phil Tracy passed away last week.
I got to know Phil very well over the years and he was a staple at every sporting event where Canes were taking the field, court or diamond. This was a man whose life revolved around ‘The U’ and he’ll be sorely missed by many.
On behalf of myself and allCanes, rest in peace, Phil.
Meh, another piece by the Beast where he's letting his working relationship with coaches or players gets in the way of giving an unbiased opinion.
You remind us that you've been around coach Morris since he came to THE U, but maybe that has clouded your judgment a bit.
First off, I don't care that FSU or UF haven't won any titles and I could care less that UM is "nationally relevant". Those aren't what we fans consider benchmarks for this program. Maybe those lowered expectations are allright at other programs, but go ask LSU or Texas fans if they're content with relevancy. That's a loser's mentality, brosef.
38 straight postseasons is a nice stat, but ranking 201 out of 292 teams, 139 in scoring and 130 in runs, those are the numbers that jump off the page.
This team has greatly underachieved this year. Could they pull an ACC title out of their culos? Of course. Miami could even make some noise in the regionals if the bats wake up, but this team isn't going anywhere if it did get to Omaha.
Personally, I see no ACC title in the cards, at best, a home regional and if Miami somehow got to the next round, 0-2 in the Supers. There's just zero consistency with this team this year and that makes for three straight down seasons for a program that should be better.
Hate to say it, but I agree with you, Anonymous. Not to beat a dead horse, I just hope these boys come out hungry and silence their critics.
I don't care about if UiF or FSU are title-less. It sounds similar to some football fans that still brag about the 2001 title – that was 10 years ago. Same with the baseball team – 10 years ago. The direction the Canes should be going in is the same one that O'Sullivan & his staff have the Crocs headed. Chris pointed out what the record is for O'Sullivan vs. the Morris in the last 10 meetings. Advantage Crocs – esp. in the post season since Sulley arrived. O'Sullivan is going to win a title before Morris & his current staff are – as much as it makes me nauseous in typing that, I'd take my life savings & place a wager on it
It's also starting to sound like grasping at excuses now with this baseball program when the "cost of tuition" card is played. I understand, it's hard to compete with state schools in that aspect – but why is it a problem now .. why hasn't it been mentioned before .. when was it really a problem before. Old Man Martin has been at FSU forever & it seemed like it was never a problem competing against him. Was it a problem during the McMahon & Lopez years at UiF? Has Miami always been this way for the baseball schollies? If not, then why is it brought up
I'll put these two cards on the table to see & raise you. Rice. Stanford. Both private schools, both outstanding baseball programs. Since 2000 – Rice has been to the CWS 5 times with 1 title. Since 2000 – Stanford has been to the CWS 5 times, no title. Since 2000 – Miami has been to the CWS 5 times with 1 title.
Since 2000 in the CWS Championship Game:
Stanford – 2000, 2001, 2003
Rice – 2003
Miami – 2001
Rice cost $47,821 a year. Stanford cost $52,499 a year. They both have to compete with just as many (if not more, in the case of Stanford) baseball programs within their state in the recruiting game – good baseball programs at that. Miami generally just has to compete with UiF & FSU for the top talent. I don't know for a fact if both Rice & Stanford give full ride schollies to their baseball players – but do you think they do?
I'll say what I said on this blog back on March 10, 2011. The biggest blow to the program is when 3 certain assistants left …
Turtle. Lazer. Gino.
As each left, it was a small blow & then huge blow to recruiting when all three were gone & a big blow to the coaching/developing of players as well. Of course there was some carry over of players from when the last of those coaches left, so the Cane teams had those players. Turtle – Recruiting/Hitting. Lazer – Pitching. Gino – Recruiting/Hitting
Now, if it is brought to light by #3 about how it is harder to recruit b/c these kids don't receive a full ride – then where is the development aspect of the kids that you do bring in? Can't always pray for the 3 run bomb. If you want to say that you can't out recruit the state schools, then you can at least out work them in the aspect of fundamental hitting/fielding, correct? Isn't that what Golden and D'Onofrio did while at Temple? Player development? Where is that with this current baseball staff, most notably with the hitting & fielding?
Fielding % – 2011 (174th). 2010 (89th). 2009 (114th). 2008 (11th)
Hits – 2011 (182nd). 2010 (90th). 2009 (120th). 2008 (17th)
Basically gotten progressively worse since the last time they've been to Omaha. Again, as I said back on here on March 10, 2011 – look at your staff #3, then take a long hard look in the mirror at yourself as well & think about what needs to be done. Morris is a very good coach no doubt, but a good staff helps make a good coach as well – even arguably, could take a lot of credit for making someone look like a good coach. The great coach that he was, even the Wizard of College Baseball had an assistant that went to LSU & helped them dominate while he was their "Skip"per – he also had Turtle for 3 CWS. Fraser was damn good, with damn good assistants as well
Check your staff #3
S. Woodward, there is literally fire coming off your post. Preach on brother!!! I've said the same thing to many folks over the years. Since Turtle, LL and DiMare left, UM baseball has lacked that 'it' factor that makes it a competitive and solid program.
Jim Morris is a fine coach, but he needs the assistants. Especially as he gets older in age and lacks the fire and passion that a coach half his age would bring. He went through a nasty divorce a few years ago an now he's having health issues.
Beast and others can say what they want about his legacy, but 2001 was a decade ago, and it is a great one, but you can't tell me that the beloved 3 is the same coach today at 61, with two titles in the bank, that he was at 49 when he won his first ring or 51 when the Canes won their last.
All of this legacy talk making a decorated coach untouchable, it's all the stuff we as Miami fans have made fun of Florida State fans of regarding Bobby Bowden. Not comparing Morris to Bowden, but in this day and age, no one's job should be untouchable because of what they've done in the past. That's called complacency and it's the worst thing that can happen to a program.
Solid points by both. As a matter of fact, I'd go on to describe them as excellent points. The only question I'd open up to this forum is, if you decide to make changes with either Morris or his assistants, who do you replace them with?
I'm not advocating Morris getting canned, but S. Woodward laid it out perfectly and you can't argue with those numbers/results of recent years. This new AD obviously will have to consider this, because his legacy at UM will depend on it. Tough call, but improvement definitely needs to be made sooner, rather than later.
This program has fallen way behind FSU and UF over the past few seasons. I'm getting tire of us always being their beeyotch!