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Post by uic53 on Apr 25, 2016 7:06:18 GMT -6
Time for the program to move in a new direction. How many years has it been since the team was in the NCAA tourney? Pitchers do not develop any more. Best facilities in the Horizon League by a longshot. Nothing to show for it for years. Wright State is now the team to beat and that is unacceptable. Time for changes.
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Post by circle70 on Apr 25, 2016 10:44:55 GMT -6
Time for the program to move in a new direction. How many years has it been since the team was in the NCAA tourney? Pitchers do not develop any more. Best facilities in the Horizon League by a longshot. Nothing to show for it for years. Wright State is now the team to beat and that is unacceptable. Time for changes. All excellent points, 53.
Some numbers to chew on:
Dee is the all-time winningest coach in UIC history---he's also the losingest. Through the end of last season, his overall record was 523-413, a pedestrian winning percentage of .558
In his 17 years at UIC, Dee has 11 first place finishes. Unfortunately, those top conference finishes rarely convert to tournament championships and thereby NCAA appearances---only 4 in 11 years. The most damning statistic for those advocating for change: no NCAA appearance for the last 7 years!!!
I know the league tournament is a crap shoot and basically anyone can win it (last place Youngstown State won 2 years ago). However, in those last 7 years, Wright State has won it 3 times and Valpo twice. So I'm not buying it as an excuse.
Your point on pitcher development is well-taken. Especially since Dee was a pitching coach at one time (Minnesota).
There is definitely regression from last year's 22-8 conference record. We are currently at 9-6 and in 4th place---closer to 5th place than to 1st. There have been some injuries I've been told, most key being to Mickey McDonald, who was projected to be the HL 1st team at 3B. That and being very young can be viewed as explanations or excuses for our showing thus far.
Be interesting to see what Chancellor Amiridis (er, I mean Schmidt) does at the end of the season, if we make it 8 consecutive years of futility. I would think at the very least, the recruiting coordinator would be replaced.
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Post by uic53 on Apr 25, 2016 11:48:19 GMT -6
Hi Circle,
Your message was much more thought out and organized than mine. I was just typing out of frustration. Thanks for taking the time to comment with facts and numbers.
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Post by Chuck A on Apr 26, 2016 2:14:49 GMT -6
I have to agree as well. Wright State values baseball. They have nice crowds as well. They actually recruit at a higher level for the sport and it doesn't hurt them that their local tv sports show highlights of their games! While we won't get that here, UIC needs to do something that is commensurate with having the best facilities in the HL. I like coach Dee, but I too have not seen development and progression. The team needs a hitting instructor. They have no discipline and don't do situational hitting particularly well. And I won't buy that we're a cold weather team either. Look what the Illini did last season! I'm starting to ramble, so the bottom line is we more than likely do need change!
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Post by UICJohn on Apr 27, 2016 17:41:57 GMT -6
The sport I follow second most to basketball at UIC has been a disappointment for years.
My first year at UIC was Curtis Granderson's final year so I am spoiled. To find players like that requires luck, a good scouting eye, and good coaching.
However, we should be getting players that should be drafted. Wright State had guys on national watch lists. And we are toiling as a middle of the pack team.
Coach Dee has taken this team places but we can't focus on all of the past. I don't know how we can get back there with this coaching staff.
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Post by UICJohn on May 9, 2016 7:09:51 GMT -6
Good news: UIC is in 2nd place
Bad news: They are a full 4 games behind Wright State
UIC had a doubleheader against lowly, last place Youngstown State while Wright State was playing (then) 2nd place Oakland. UIC split the doubleheader, getting shutout in the second game of the day. Wright State, on the other hand, destroyed Oakland outscoring them 34-10 on the day.
I remember when we were like Wright State. Well, we play them next weekend. Mathematically, I believe 1st place is unattainable. So goes another season.
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Post by Chuck A on May 9, 2016 8:58:16 GMT -6
Actually first place is still attainable as they are 4 games out, but UIC would have to win the remaider of their games. They've got 5 games left with WSU and 2 against Oakland. Wright State also has 2 with Milwaukee. There's a chance, but the way they and Wright State are playing...
Having said that, I still think something needs to be done with the staff or the program (ie., add money for recruiting).
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Post by circle70 on May 9, 2016 11:52:02 GMT -6
....I still think something needs to be done with the staff or the program (ie., add money for recruiting). It's gonna have to be staff changes (I mentioned on a previous post, if we don't win the HL Tourney for the 8th straight year, we need at least a new recruiting coordinator if not a new head coach (or both).
Regarding scholarships, every school is limited to 11.7 scholarships for Baseball.
www.scholarshipstats.com/ncaalimits.html
These are awarded as partials (I guess you can give a full one if you think a kid will be a superstar, but that's a huge risk). With 31 players on this year's team, that makes it a very tricky proposition as to what fraction to give to which players.
Apparently, Wright State has figured it out. It appears we haven't and hence my suggestion for changes in the Recruiting Coordinator position.
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Post by UICJohn on May 9, 2016 17:41:20 GMT -6
Ah. I didn't realize UIC had so many games against Wright State still. Nevertheless, hard to see us winning more than 2 let alone all.
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