Portal Update

Backstreetbuzz

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
534
I have never understood why we sign so many recruits every year. Most years we sign 20-25 recruits and at least 10-15 of them are never heard from again. How many are on the team anyway, maybe 30.

Maybe most get zero schlorship money so it does not matter. I guess most teams do this, but I have never understood why.
 

THWG

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,188
I have never understood why we sign so many recruits every year. Most years we sign 20-25 recruits and at least 10-15 of them are never heard from again. How many are on the team anyway, maybe 30.

Maybe most get zero schlorship money so it does not matter. I guess most teams do this, but I have never understood why.
Most college teams do this. You don't know which high schoolers will be taken in the draft and you also don't know which of your players will be taken in the draft. So, teams sign a lot of players to make up the difference and then fall ball is basically tryouts.
 

Richland County

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
422
It's too not to and I never watch the trash on CNN. You say you won't put a player's name or a parent to your claims but you have no problem disparaging our head coach with your claims. How is that any different? So I will choose to trash your comments just like you choose to trash our coach with them and I won't lose any sleep over it either.
Are you related to Danny Hall? He has earned all the accolades thrown his way as well all the criticism he is getting.
 

FredJacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,292
Location
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Are you related to Danny Hall? He has earned all the accolades thrown his way as well all the criticism he is getting.
I'd agree but change "all" to "most" in both instances.

The tide(s) are changing across college athletics. With an aging head coach... even a legend... it's going to get worse at Ga Tech before it gets better. AND the current landscape combined with Ga Tech's apparent conscious decision to not to be elite... we'll change course coaching-wise soon but it probably won't matter much.
 

78pike

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
906
Are you related to Danny Hall? He has earned all the accolades thrown his way as well all the criticism he is getting.
I agree with you. I just don't like people claiming a coach said something to a player or lied to someone without specifics being applied to those statements. We all know how the internet can be used to fit someone's agenda. In the past people were held to a standard where they had to verify their claims with facts to support those claims. In this case that is all I was asking for. If someone was lied to or promises not kept then tell us who was lied to and by whom. Otherwise why should anyone believe what you say is true.I'm not related to any coaches but I also don't want them unfairly disparaged by unsubstantiated claims.
 

Bogey

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,793
I agree with you. I just don't like people claiming a coach said something to a player or lied to someone without specifics being applied to those statements. We all know how the internet can be used to fit someone's agenda. In the past people were held to a standard where they had to verify their claims with facts to support those claims. In this case that is all I was asking for. If someone was lied to or promises not kept then tell us who was lied to and by whom. Otherwise why should anyone believe what you say is true.I'm not related to any coaches but I also don't want them unfairly disparaged by unsubstantiated claims.
You not going to get anyone to name names publicly when it was told to them in a private conversation, no way Jose'. Good luck on fact checking any message board. 🤣
 

Richland County

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
422
I'd agree but change "all" to "most" in both instances.

The tide(s) are changing across college athletics. With an aging head coach... even a legend... it's going to get worse at Ga Tech before it gets better. AND the current landscape combined with Ga Tech's apparent conscious decision to not to be elite... we'll change course coaching-wise soon but it probably won't matter much.
Fred I respect your position and loyalty to the program, but Danny Hall didn't build the foundation of this program. He inherited a great program and managed to have some success early in his time at Tech. He has managed to squander all that work Morris did and now we have a subpar program that is excited to get a 3rd seed in the fing Athens regional. The program is in desperate need of a change. Not sure Ramsey is the answer either. Only gotten worse with him in the dugout also. Blow it up!!!
 

Shanna

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
21
I agree it's not sustainable from a fan POV (not good for the game), but I think it probably is sustainable from a competition POV.

A baseball team (failing a bunch of injuries) needs about 12 hitters and probably 13 pitchers. To meet those needs you bring in 5 or so hitters each year from the high school ranks, keep 2 or 3 of them for year 2 (this year that is Burress, Kerce, and Lackey for us) and over a 3 year period you have between 6 and 9 hitters. Let's cut that down the middle and say that you have 8 good home grown players per season (4 freshmen, 2 sophomores, 2 juniors). With the shortened MLB draft you can probably assume that you'll have 1 John Giesler type who stick around more than 3 years, so now you have covered 9 of the 12 spots needed with home grown talent. For those final 3 spots you hit the portal for SoCon or C-USA players who have been developing over the past 3 years. That seems sustainable.

The pitching side is more challenging, since scouting is much harder for pitchers than hitters, and also injuries are much more common. But a smart coach will scale for that and bring in about 8 freshmen pitchers each season with the goal of hitting on maybe 3 of them. One each year for a weekend starter, one each year for a mid-week starter, and one each year for a bullpen piece. That's 9 arms, and now you need to find about 4 each year between home grown 4th year seniors and transfer portal additions. Admittedly we have struggled in this area, as this year (for example) I only see McKee as the weekend starter piece, Ballard as the mid-week starter piece, but apparently NOT Kovala as the bullpen piece. And years prior to 2024, I don't see a whole bunch homegrown talent there outside of Riley Stanford.

Its really not any different than how a major league team builds their roster. They need homegrown talent for sure, but very few teams can depend on strictly homegrown talent. The biggest issue, from where I sit, is that these are college kids hopefully trying to get an education while also playing ball, not grown men who know they are entering a cut throat industry.
I agree - it's a hard balance, but it is also a dirty game where everyone is out for themselves - especially at the higher levels. (SEC ACC) I just hate to see young kids having to go through the dirty side of the "business" but at this level, it is what it is. As for Kovala, he's gone, so they need many, many pitchers to fill all the roles that graduated or left. And one of the pitching coaches quit as well. Deck quit to go to Missouri State.
 

Shanna

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
21
I agree with you. I just don't like people claiming a coach said something to a player or lied to someone without specifics being applied to those statements. We all know how the internet can be used to fit someone's agenda. In the past people were held to a standard where they had to verify their claims with facts to support those claims. In this case that is all I was asking for. If someone was lied to or promises not kept then tell us who was lied to and by whom. Otherwise why should anyone believe what you say is true.I'm not related to any coaches but I also don't want them unfairly disparaged by unsubstantiated claims.
These are not "lies" - they are recruiting tools to get players to their program. ALL schools do this. They go on visits, meet with staff and the kids are told what "their role will be" and how they will be the starting this or that or pitch on weekends for example. It is not a lie and every player that has been recruited at any college level - including football - has received these texts. I have seen them from MANY players and every player you ask will tell you the same thing. Players pick the school based on how well the program is sold to them with facilities, playing time, their role as a player, etc. GT has some of the the worst facilities. They have no meeting room and no players area. GA State and GA Southern both have these and they are in the Sunbelt. GT is behind in all areas. Sorry, but it is facts. Until they invest in these areas, recruits will continue to slip away.
 

Shanna

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
21
Its hard to believe we flushed a pitcher who showed promise and yanked his scholly. IMO, this coaching staff are the ones that need to be flushed if that is indeed the case. That is not how GT should operate even in today's world.
Well, Deck McGuire just quit, so there is a start.
 

gtbeak

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
541
I agree - it's a hard balance, but it is also a dirty game where everyone is out for themselves - especially at the higher levels. (SEC ACC) I just hate to see young kids having to go through the dirty side of the "business" but at this level, it is what it is. As for Kovala, he's gone, so they need many, many pitchers to fill all the roles that graduated or left. And one of the pitching coaches quit as well. Deck quit to go to Missouri State.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Deck McGuire was an unpaid "volunteer" coach last season while he finished working on his degree. He was what is called at the major league level the bullpen coach, and an unpaid one at that. Assuming that he has now finished the academic side, it is normal for him to move on to an opportunity where he actually draws a paycheck. I wouldn't call that quitting, but rather things playing out as they should and a young coach moving up to more responsibility. TBH, it was what I was hoping would happen with James Ramsey a few years ago, i.e, CJR taking a head coaching job at a lower level school (Kennessaw State was rumored briefly when they had an opening 2 or 3 years ago), proving that he can run a program successfully (or not), and then returning to Tech when the time is right, but alas that hasn't happened.

Just a word of advice, and obviously you can ignore me if you want, but strive to avoid using terms that are meant to spin things in as bad a light as possible. Two examples: McGuire didn't "quit" and Kovala didn't leave because he didn't like the pitching coach (assuming what you say is correct that he lost his scholly). One can still have the belief that the culture is in bad shape and a change is needed without taking these extreme views.
 
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Shanna

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
21
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Deck McGuire was an unpaid "volunteer" coach last season while he finished working on his degree. He was what is called at the major league level the bullpen coach, and an unpaid one at that. Assuming that he has now finished the academic side, it is normal for him to move on to an opportunity where he actually draws a paycheck. I wouldn't call that quitting, but rather things playing out as they should and a young coach moving up to more responsibility. TBH, it was what I was hoping would happen with James Ramsey a few years ago, i.e, CJR taking a head coaching job at a lower level school (Kennessaw State was rumored briefly when they had an opening 2 or 3 years ago), proving that he can run a program successfully (or not), and then returning to Tech when the time is right, but alas that hasn't happened.

Just a word of advice, and obviously you can ignore me if you want, but strive to avoid using terms that are meant to spin things in as bad a light as possible. Two examples: McGuire didn't "quit" and Kovala didn't leave because he didn't like the pitching coach (assuming what you say is correct that he lost his scholly). One can still have the belief that the culture is in bad shape and a change is needed without taking these extreme views.
I understand your point of view, and I agree....to a point. Deck moving on is a good thing for everyone. Deck was well liked. I wish him the best. My position was meant that maybe another coach could come in that could help turn the program around and keep players. I wasn't being negative, as I was looking at an opportunity for new options for GT. Kovala left due to scholarship. He did not want to leave. I stated that. Other pitchers have left bc they did not like the pitching coach and the toxicity in the coaching staff right now. We need new coaches to bring high standards and build a trust with players. That is lacking right now and kids are feeling abused and unwanted.
 

FredJacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,292
Location
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fred I respect your position and loyalty to the program, but Danny Hall didn't build the foundation of this program. He inherited a great program and managed to have some success early in his time at Tech. He has managed to squander all that work Morris did and now we have a subpar program that is excited to get a 3rd seed in the fing Athens regional. The program is in desperate need of a change. Not sure Ramsey is the answer either. Only gotten worse with him in the dugout also. Blow it up!!!
You make me think I need to be clear. I'm ready for a change. Eager for one. We can pick nits over how good/bad Hall has been over 30+ years. We won't agree. And that's quite alright. I'm really more concerned about the future.

There are so many things totally out of Hall's control that have changed. Both he & Ga Tech haven't kept up. IMO... there is no path for any GT team to be consistently relevant among the elites of their respective sports. Stuff way bigger than Hall or his replacement.

I'll continue to pull for the Jackets & enjoy the winning battles while losing the war. I'll die very thankful I was blessed to experience 1986-1990 while a student. Unbelievable in light of current state of college athletics. Happened a "mere" 35 years ago. 😅
 

78pike

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
906
These are not "lies" - they are recruiting tools to get players to their program. ALL schools do this. They go on visits, meet with staff and the kids are told what "their role will be" and how they will be the starting this or that or pitch on weekends for example. It is not a lie and every player that has been recruited at any college level - including football - has received these texts. I have seen them from MANY players and every player you ask will tell you the same thing. Players pick the school based on how well the program is sold to them with facilities, playing time, their role as a player, etc. GT has some of the the worst facilities. They have no meeting room and no players area. GA State and GA Southern both have these and they are in the Sunbelt. GT is behind in all areas. Sorry, but it is facts. Until they invest in these areas, recruits will continue to slip away.
You are the one that started all this by saying a player was promised something and it wasn't followed through. Now you are saying they aren't lies. Make up your mind.
 

78pike

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
906
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Deck McGuire was an unpaid "volunteer" coach last season while he finished working on his degree. He was what is called at the major league level the bullpen coach, and an unpaid one at that. Assuming that he has now finished the academic side, it is normal for him to move on to an opportunity where he actually draws a paycheck. I wouldn't call that quitting, but rather things playing out as they should and a young coach moving up to more responsibility. TBH, it was what I was hoping would happen with James Ramsey a few years ago, i.e, CJR taking a head coaching job at a lower level school (Kennessaw State was rumored briefly when they had an opening 2 or 3 years ago), proving that he can run a program successfully (or not), and then returning to Tech when the time is right, but alas that hasn't happened.

Just a word of advice, and obviously you can ignore me if you want, but strive to avoid using terms that are meant to spin things in as bad a light as possible. Two examples: McGuire didn't "quit" and Kovala didn't leave because he didn't like the pitching coach (assuming what you say is correct that he lost his scholly). One can still have the belief that the culture is in bad shape and a change is needed without taking these extreme views.
Completely agree with you. Hall did Deck a favor by putting him on the staff and allowing him to learn for a year so he could find opportunities for a paying position like Missouri State. This is one of the reasons former players love him. But saying he quit better fits some people's agendas. I would also add that players who don't get the playing time they hoped for often don't like their position coach. That's not unique to Tech.
 

Ghost

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
2
Long time lurker, First time post. If you think this kind of thing hasn't been happening for at least the last 5 years with GT baseball you haven't been watching. The "shady" stuff like taking kids scholarships, over promising and under delivering, running kids off, over recruiting, taking in kids because their parents donate a lot of money to the program even though they don't have the talent to be recruited by GT. its all been going on for a long long time. It was much quieter at first, but something changed around the time CDH's kids came in. its been downhill ever since.
 
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