montgomeryadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:
5.08.2007

Auburn baseball

Hey everyone. I'm back from the beach, and feeling quite sprite.

It's clear to me now that Auburn baseball coach Tom Slater won't be fired at season's end. The school's athletic administration is sold on Slater as a competent program-building coach, and they're fearful (perhaps unreasonably so) of another messy coaching search.

If you recall, several high-profile coaches rejected Auburn's advances last time around. The school was in a different place then, though, because SACS still was an issue and Jetgate aftershocks were all around. Auburn is much more stable now.

Is Slater the man for the job? The answer depends on what you emphasize.

He's almost though his third season at Auburn. Slater is 85-82 overall with a 29-55 record in the SEC. Those are disappointing numbers relative to Auburn's position in terms of tradition, facilities and recruiting base.

To see him work, though, is another matter. The kids like him, which was a major problem in the years before Slater's arrival. The program is sound. I think the program's talent level has risen each year, and Slater usually gets the best (available) players in the state.

I take occasional issue with his recruiting philosophy. Slater loves offering scholarships to kids whose draft stock will preclude them from playing college ball. Auburn "signed" Colby Rasmus two years ago. He was a first-round pick, and now is one of the 10 best OF prospects in the minors.

Same for Will Inman, who "signed" with Auburn, went in the third round and now is one of the Brewers' best prospects.

I know Slater wasn't banking on those guys coming to Auburn. Why bother?

With that said, Slater is bringing in some talent. He's not failing there.

Auburn's starters aren't ready. Paul Burnside is aching, Taylor Thompson is taking his lumps as you'd expect from a freshman and, well, there isn't much else.

It's reasonable to give Slater another year. Wrap it up if he fails to make the SECs next season. There's no excuse for Auburn failing to miss the SECs (top 8 teams) for five consecutive seasons. That's a terminal slide.

follow me on Twitter

• THE RING OF FIRE •
INAUGURAL CLASS
Phormerly Phred
Scottie B. in Tennessee
crudup
Hoopie
Ron Mexico
hip-hopanonymous
AUnMobilz
Sullivan013
Scott from Tucson
scottatl
jhag **FRANCHISE PLAYER**

CLASS OF 2008
Peter Frankenschmidt
Mr. Sensible
WarEagleRK

CLASS OF 2009
eddie4au
FakeSteveJobs (aka FSJ)
AUBigCat
michael
Steve from Columbia (aka SteveFC)
kristina
Jet

WHERE EAGLES SOAR
AUFan365 was Larry Bailey, 1948-2010

FEELING THE HEAT
WarEagleGirl
TarHeelTiger
Kathy
D. Miller
Dear Leader
j-z
Norm
digger4au
Harrison
LuvAU1968
cincytiger
mytommyd (is supposed to be mrtommyd)
ehyoutiger
wtc
IV
wakeriderof87
Sean
Scott Chocolate
NoVaTiger
Taylor
BinOBA
wes
Aeronaut
chip chip
Spongeworthy
Loganville Tiger
E-Bro
Ephemeral
au1n04
FearlessFreep
coosa
bear82
wartiger
patdyeswildturkey
atlantatiger
JD the Biscuitator
shesaid
depressedAUfan
dnatl

NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Cousin Humpers = Bammers (aka CH=B)
dan dan the AU fan
bellefay1
API
Jay 'W. not Tate'
missinit
Craig Miller
AU1292
MLF
Comm'r of Flesh Wounds
Stupup74
61northak
Jimmy
bigdaddy334
Secondaid
Andrew
SCoats
astatguy
Jason Crawford
paulmain
Lowcountry Tiger
BigEZ
Will
WDCWE

MY PEEPS
Wifey
cpf
GritzNGravy
roundtable
Josh_Moon
MrsFrontRim & FrontRim
ChuckCrim
troyznoiz

FIRST DOCUMENTED POSTER
Buck

BANHAMMERED
Hamburglar
ROLLTIDEROLL
hairydawg
DavidOku
Jay_G (an impostor)
WarEagleogDotCom

Powered by Blogger

Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]

Advertisement