[flameshaw]

He was hired in at just over 100K, can't imagine it is a whole lot higher than that now. I have some issues with him, but not because he "supposedly" bunts too much or on the field management. He has been the best recruiter we have had in a long time, I would argue ever. I just don't believe that advertising where he is interviewing is a good idea for the program. If I am a good player, maybe recently drafted, and know the HC is interviewing elsewhere, I am not real confident that I am going to follow through with my commitment,or go pro, or go somewhere else. That is why I would not have announced he was looking at other schools. But, it is a message board and people are free to do as they wish. It may be a good thing that he leaves, but it could be worse too. Just look at the last several years before he got here.

Are you serious? We were 111-65, won 59% of our games, the 3 years before he came and lost in the Championship Game of the BSC those three years, twice by 1 run and by a total of 7 runs. Toman is 186-110 and also won 59% of his games and lost in 2 championship games in his 5 years here. Looks like we will be back to where we started;)

Are you serious? Seems like the raw stats say we are about the same. Do you think that the players we have today are better than those 5-10 years ago? In my opinion, they are clearly much better talent wise, but so is the competition. I know you are a huge Royer fan, but I said "several years", you might need to loosen those blinders a bit. Would you rather go back to the Hutton days? Pastor days? We are light years ahead of those days. I believe Pastors did a better job than all of them, but got caught up in some internal politics. You may/may not think it is largely due to Royer, but I would beg to differ. Without going into too much detail, I do have some first-hand knowledge from baseball people who have steered players to LU in the past "several years" and they have a much better opinion of Toman than what we have had in the past.
I think Sid Bream would do a great job as HC. There are a couple of other former players who could also do very well, given the chance.
I am willing to admit that we may be much better off with a new coach. I am also open minded enough to know that we could/ and have been much worse off.
Regardless of what happens, or doesn't happen, I hope that the players that have made commitments to LU, follow through and sign their LOI's and we go to the NCAA's. We can argue hypothetical situations all day.

[BJWilliams]

And for the record, even though proto was trying to be funny, that actually was me posting and not a hack job of some sort

[thepostman]

thank you BJ for clearing that one up. It was needed because I was really worried!!!

[BJWilliams]

your sarcasm is duly noted postie...

[thepostman]

i was serious!

[adam42381]

He was hired in at just over 100K, can't imagine it is a whole lot higher than that now. I have some issues with him, but not because he "supposedly" bunts too much or on the field management. He has been the best recruiter we have had in a long time, I would argue ever. I just don't believe that advertising where he is interviewing is a good idea for the program. If I am a good player, maybe recently drafted, and know the HC is interviewing elsewhere, I am not real confident that I am going to follow through with my commitment,or go pro, or go somewhere else. That is why I would not have announced he was looking at other schools. But, it is a message board and people are free to do as they wish. It may be a good thing that he leaves, but it could be worse too. Just look at the last several years before he got here.

Are you serious? We were 111-65, won 59% of our games, the 3 years before he came and lost in the Championship Game of the BSC those three years, twice by 1 run and by a total of 7 runs. Toman is 186-110 and also won 59% of his games and lost in 2 championship games in his 5 years here. Looks like we will be back to where we started;)

Are you serious? Seems like the raw stats say we are about the same. Do you think that the players we have today are better than those 5-10 years ago? In my opinion, they are clearly much better talent wise, but so is the competition. I know you are a huge Royer fan, but I said "several years", you might need to loosen those blinders a bit. Would you rather go back to the Hutton days? Pastor days? We are light years ahead of those days. I believe Pastors did a better job than all of them, but got caught up in some internal politics. You may/may not think it is largely due to Royer, but I would beg to differ. Without going into too much detail, I do have some first-hand knowledge from baseball people who have steered players to LU in the past "several years" and they have a much better opinion of Toman than what we have had in the past.
I think Sid Bream would do a great job as HC. There are a couple of other former players who could also do very well, given the chance.
I am willing to admit that we may be much better off with a new coach. I am also open minded enough to know that we could/ and have been much worse off.
Regardless of what happens, or doesn't happen, I hope that the players that have made commitments to LU, follow through and sign their LOI's and we go to the NCAA's. We can argue hypothetical situations all day.

Does Sid Bream have head coaching experience at any level?

[flameshaw]

I believe he has as much/more as Al Worthington and Bobby Richardson had when they came here. They were pretty successful.

[adam42381]

I believe he has as much/more as Al Worthington and Bobby Richardson had when they came here. They were pretty successful.

Hard to compare coaches from the 1970's and 1980's to today's current climate of wanting to move up to a major conference. Apples and oranges.

[flameshaw]

Not really, some of the best players we have ever had in a LU uniform were recruited by these guys. I am certain both of these gentleman would be quite successful regardless of the conference affiliation.

[adam42381]

Not really, some of the best players we have ever had in a LU uniform were recruited by these guys. I am certain both of these gentleman would be quite successful regardless of the conference affiliation.

While that may be true, I don't think you hand the team over to a new coach who has zero head coaching experience. Guys around here want to act like Liberty is becoming an elite program. Would an elite school hire a guy without experience these days? I think not.

[BJWilliams]

You can go one of three routes: 1) Try to entice a successful (and possibly elite) head coach from elsewhere (LU is not afraid to open up the wallet to make that happen Im sure...) 2) Get someone who may not be in that elite tier but does have some success and experience 3) Get a successful assistant (the least likely as that was the route that led to hiring Toman)

[logic]

You can go one of three routes: 1) Try to entice a successful (and possibly elite) head coach from elsewhere (LU is not afraid to open up the wallet to make that happen Im sure...) 2) Get someone who may not be in that elite tier but does have some success and experience 3) Get a successful assistant (the least likely as that was the route that led to hiring Toman)

BJ, what makes you think "LU is not afraid to open up the wallet to make that happen.." ?

You've seen some of the salaries posted online, For example does Layer making just a pinch above 200,000 scream big wallet to you? Historically LU has paid below the national average in all positions, athletics included.

[jcmanson]

Maybe we should save the "who should be our next coach" debate for ... you know... when we actually have an opening.

[adam42381]

You can go one of three routes: 1) Try to entice a successful (and possibly elite) head coach from elsewhere (LU is not afraid to open up the wallet to make that happen Im sure...) 2) Get someone who may not be in that elite tier but does have some success and experience 3) Get a successful assistant (the least likely as that was the route that led to hiring Toman)

BJ, what makes you think "LU is not afraid to open up the wallet to make that happen.." ?

You've seen some of the salaries posted online, For example does Layer making just a pinch above 200,000 scream big wallet to you? Historically LU has paid below the national average in all positions, athletics included.

But they have $1 Billion and are having a hard time spending it fast enough!

[BJWilliams]

If they are going after an elite level coach logic, theyll put out the kind of money to make that happen IF they go that route. the more likely of the three when the time comes (in my opinion) is the second one...get someone that has been successful at another school, maybe isnt on the level of a Ray Tanner or a Brian O'Connor or a Augie Garrido or a Wayne Graham (shout out to Sly with those two) or a Paul Mainieri, but is someone that can do well not only in the living rooms talking to potential recruits and their families, but also can do well in between the lines whether in a weekend series or in a midweek game against somebody like UNC or UVa or UGA

[Sly Fox]

Per MTSU Scout Board, Toman is one of four finalists along with LU alum Delmonico and the decision will come late next week. The local beat wrote Adam Starks dropped the candidate names last week on Twitter.

[olldflame]

I believe he has as much/more as Al Worthington and Bobby Richardson had when they came here. They were pretty successful.

Gotta call you on this one flameshaw. before coming to LU, Richardson was HC at South Carolina for 6 years, including a runner-up finish in the CWS and another team which was ranked #1 for most of the season.

Sid doesn't have much experience as a HC, but I believe he knows his baseball, and I would be excited to see him as our coach if Toman choses to leave.

[BJWilliams]

Sid would be a nice splash hire for us (with his major league experience). Maybe have him on a staff with Tomlin and possibly Guetterman as well.

[olldflame]

Sid would be a nice splash hire for us (with his major league experience). Maybe have him on a staff with Tomlin and possibly Guetterman as well.

I can't see both Tomlin and Guetterman on our staff. Who would be the pitching coach, and what would the other one do? Tomlin is a proven commodity as a coach, but Sid and Lee were teammates back in my day. Both of them are pretty entrenched where they are though.

[BJWilliams]

Tomlin's at LCA so it wont be that much of a stretch for him. I forgot that Guetterman was also a pitcher though...either one of them would be a good person to have on the staff if that sort of change was made. I was talking to somebody at the Hillcats game last night and he threw out an interesting name for a coach (though not a head coach)...John Smoltz.

[Sly Fox]

Suffice it to say that we would have a nice talent pool from which to choose a coach if we get to that stage. Nobody has even mentioned Randy's teammate Tony Beasley probably because he is likely to be a MLB manager at some point.

Let's just watch the situation in Murfreesboro and go from there.

[sporter]

Report from College Baseball America - "Jim Toman pulled out of mix for #MTSU job to stay at Liberty, where he posted 2 winningest seasons in school history in '10 (43), '12 (41)."

Ark St coach considered the leading candidate for the job.

[adam42381]

Report from College Baseball America - "Jim Toman pulled out of mix for #MTSU job to stay at Liberty, where he posted 2 winningest seasons in school history in '10 (43), '12 (41)."

Ark St coach considered the leading candidate for the job.

SuperJon is gonna be happy.

[flameshaw]

I believe he has as much/more as Al Worthington and Bobby Richardson had when they came here. They were pretty successful.

Gotta call you on this one flameshaw. before coming to LU, Richardson was HC at South Carolina for 6 years, including a runner-up finish in the CWS and another team which was ranked #1 for most of the season.

Sid doesn't have much experience as a HC, but I believe he knows his baseball, and I would be excited to see him as our coach if Toman choses to leave.

LOL getting old doesn't come easy. I should have known this, being that Liberty played SC when Richardson was their HC (believe it was 74) and I was on that team. We even had a nice meeting before the game and Bobby came in to talk to us.
Hope I don't forget how to get home.

[Flamepop]

The players received an e mail from Coach Toman this weekend saying he was staying at Liberty for at least the next 4 years, that he has decided that Liberty is where he belongs.

I don't get the hate for Coach Toman on this board. He has been a very sucessful coach, recruited good players and has had 40 win seasons 2 out of the last 3 years. This year he did it with his #2, 3, 4 and 5 hitters from opening day (Smith, Robertson, Grauer and Cox) missing major parts of the season or playing injured and well below 100%. He also did it with a short squad, really only 29 active players and only had his closer, Josh Richardson for one inning the whole year. If we had played Coastel in the beginning of the season when most of the players were healthy it may well have been a different result.

He doesn't only bring in good players, he brings in good kids. Not always easy to do. I wish the Coach good luck in the next four years.