Is it time for a baseball coaching change?

Was he trying to sneak in?

I'll be candid in saying that I'm not sure a coaching change will 'FIX' everything with OSU's baseball program....

But, for the Anderson defenders........wasn't this current team on quite a win streak earlier in the year (maybe three weeks ago)? When, at that point, did lack of facilities hurt them?

Fast forward to the last two+ weeks...which would constitute a losing streak, with consistent lack of execution........the difference is what defines coaching (or the lack thereof). Two consecutive seasons, the team has faltered when it counts the most, after having early or mid-season winning streaks. Part of coaching is providing consistency.

Can you blame it all on the coaches? NO. But, that is the one thing that HAS been consistent...late-season faltering. Once again, "two and barbque!"

It isn't pretty. Everyone on here wants the success of the Ward years from our baseball team. At some point, it's time to cut bait!

To be clear, this isn't about Anderson as a person. I can't make one comment about him personally, other than his persona seems classy and upstanding. I also think it's clear that he has a strong knowledge of pitching specifically. I haven't seen much to be real impressed with concerning managerial decision-making.

Some coaches/managers are better at certain things. Others excel all-around. Buck Showalter seems to excel at building young teams, to a point, and then his strict system seems to falter as more veterans are on his team. It's a pattern.....but he doesn't win championships, so teams move on without him (and usually have major success after he leaves).

It's difficult to compare coaches, or people. If Anderson is still a hot commodity, then perhaps he should be looking elsewhere, since it is apparent that things he was probably "promised" facility-wise have not materialized......but it's clear he is in a major rut here.

If he is retained, I obviously wish him the best and that he can find a way to turn the program into a power again. But, is it really so bad to think that someone else might be able to take a turn and just the difference itself might rejuvenate the program?

At the very least, the dwindling attendance is a reason to think something needs to change.

By the way, Eddie Sutton turned the basketball program into something special without ANY facilities.....it was his success that built the facilities! Some coaches just have a knack to create a winning environment at a high level just from their presence. I know it's apples and oranges, but it's still about the coaching.

I only question your decision to allow Twinkies in the dugout. I'd feel more comfortable if you only allowed oranges or something like that.

Understandable. They do get a bit messy on a hot summer day. On the bright side, I bring in plenty of hot mom's and the players families usually match Allie P. Reynolds attendance numbers.

A question for someone far more knowledgeable of the pokes program than I am. Does anyone have the attendance figures dating back to Gary Ward's 1st year and a source? I see a lot on here about people not going to the games these days but to be honest I don't remember throngs of people showing up in the mid 80's at least for mid tier d1 conf games. I am not stating a fact, as I only have 3 games worth of knowledge but someone on here I am guessing will know this answer. I really am just curious.

I believe the attendance argument came about because of the Texas A&M series (especially the 477 final game on a Saturday)......because comparatively, a weekend conference game in 1984 or 1985 or 1986 would have had a minimum of 1800.......if you're not convinced, contact the PBR and ask for Jack Carnefix....he was the SID assigned to baseball back then and could tell you exact statistics.

When GW showed up, we had the "hill" behind the third base dugout. Students could bring beer into the game and sit on the hill. There were usually at least 100 of us doing that.

And you had a 1b (Duane ?) who could hit a ball 700 feet and he ain't here anymore either, so let me try this again. Since APR was expanded does anyone have the yr over yr attendance figures, just trying to validate the attendance argument that seems like the pet for many, the if nothing else he has to go because nobody is showing up to games argument.
I think OSU has a damn fine bb coach but this yr is as many have said very difficult to defend, again if the criticism is warranted it is fair. But by the logic of fan base as a measure that also mean John Smith should be out as well, right, I don't have the figures but I am quite certain attendance was much higher for wrestling in the past AND they have not had a sustained down period.

Could it just be that the pokes students have become apathetic to anything that is not fb related, again not defending this yr in bb as the beginning and end were not defensible.
Given the fan, or lack thereof, support of other sports (NOT incl. facilties) it just does not seem like OSU draws students and for non fb / bsktball sports that is the bulk of your attendees. Would still like to see the attendance figures.

Duane Ward. We could use a few Duanes right now.

Football is all the students talk about anymore. You tell someone you can't make a group meeting or something because you are going to the baseball game tonight and they look at you funny.

There were plenty of alums not satified even when we were beating teams we should beat. This isn't about being average in the Big 12. This is about a program at Oklahoma State that actually has tradition or should I say had? It isn't too late to turn it around if we make a change now. Frank has been beat down. It isn't all of his fault as he was promised things that didn't happen. None of that matters because it is all excuses at this point. We need new blood that expects to win under the current conditions not posibilities down the line. There are plenty of good young coaches out there that would live to have the opportunity to coach at OSU even with the current facilities and budget. There are plenty of good high school players who would love to play at OSU even with the current facilities but not the current coaching staff. It is time to try and put some excitement back into the program by making a change! Excitement in the program will help bring money for new facilities. A new stadium would certainly help but we can't wait for that to happen so lets deal with reality. Make a change and give someone else a chance.

The fact of the matter is there is more to do as a college student today than 20 or 30 years ago. Video games, tv, movies, iPads, etc. The choice isn't between sports & drinking (or both) anymore. There are more entertainment possibilities for students today that don't involve university sports.

Wrestling is a dying sport that the majority of college students today do not understand. Don't expect the attendance of wrestling to get better even if Smith wins another 3 straight titles. College baseball has become rather boring, I do go to games (not every game) and it can be really dull. You know you're watching the 3rd or 4th tier of baseball but it used to make up for it with the live bats. With the dead bats it just reminds you that a lot of these guys won't even make it in the minors.

College basketball attendance is down across the nation, even at Duke. For many people, it has become a one month sport.

One sport on campus with some growing student attention, the women's soccer team. That has to do with their success and also because more kids coming out of high school have played soccer and know the sport.

It's Tom Holiday but your point is solid. At least Tom's teams were competitive with the top teams in the league and he was fired!!

You buy me season tix and gas money, I'll go to every game.

Holliday stunk it up too. Missed the NCAA's 3 out of his last 4 years. Anyone could have rode the wave of success from the Ward years, and that's what he did.

Duane Evans. Big left handed power hitter. His backup was some dude named Traber.

I don't think that the poor attendance & the current state of the program are unrelated. I know some people that have had season tickets for a long long time. They still have season tickets, but rarely attend games because they are unhappy with the level the program has sunk to.
At this point we need something more than a hot streak that ends with a dud. We need the entire program to turn around & inject hope back into the fanbase. Whether that comes from the new stadium being built or a new coaching staff, I think our attendance will continue to be dismal until it happens.

This is exactly right. Going on a winning streak against the lesser teams does not get the fans excited. We have seen this show dozens of times in beating the lessor teams and losing against the good teams. It's not just the losing either. It's the way Anderson snatches defeat from the jaws of victory time after time. Did anybody really think that Anderson had turned the coaching corner when they won series against Kansas, Kansas State and Texas Tech? I know I thought here we go again and sure enough, it played out just as I feared. Many people feel this way and it isn't going to change until a coach is brought in that makes teams beat us instead of handing it to them on a silver platter.

Baseball is boring when you can't score runs.