New baseball coach: Tulane’s David Pierce

Pierce talked fondly about Sean Allen in the press conference as “definitely a great coach” and “a guy I’m still interested in.” I'm hoping Kendall has it right on him coming here. With non-head coach positions, I still think we can money whip many teams.

I listened twice to the press conference and never heard a mention of Tommy Nicholson. I love that Tommy bleeds orange and played here, but he did seem to help with recruiting. Defense went to hell this year, although hitting improved somewhat at times. He cannot do an adequate job coaching 3rd base. You only get three paid coaches and I just don’t see he adds enough value (other than recruiting contacts) to stay.
 
Tommy needs to be gone...Poor hire by Augie. I don't think his recruiting was all that...look at our record lately; and our hitting, when we needed it, sucked compared to the quality teams in the nation.
 
Shaun Allen and Phillip Miller are our new baseball assistants. Pierce is bringing his Tulane staff with him.
 
car54 said:
Shaun Allen and Phillip Miller are our new baseball assistants. Pierce is bringing his Tulane staff with him.
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So we one-upped Alabama on this one?...kewl!!!
(Kirk Bowels will insist we're still seeking Texas Tech's assistants.)
 
I'm too lazy to read the string but $4.75 for 6 years? Really? Perhaps I should apply for a ball boy job at Texas. They'd probably throw $500,000/year for that.

The way this university throws around money makes me want to puke. We are a bunch of chumps led, apparently, by Perrin.
 
dukesteer said:
I'm too lazy to read the string but $4.75 for 6 years? Really? Perhaps I should apply for a ball boy job at Texas. They'd probably throw $500,000/year for that.

The way this university throws around money makes me want to puke. We are a bunch of chumps led, apparently, by Perrin.
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I read somewhere that Pierce’s salary is about $200k/year less than Augie, for whatever that’s worth. What I never understood is why Patterson threw $5 mil at Strong. He may turn out to be worth it, maybe not, but why start that high when you don’t have to? Would Charlie have turned down, say, $2 mil to take the job with performance-based incentives? I doubt it.
 
It's absolutely absurd to spend that kind of money for anything other than a guananteed commodity and, with the exception of "perhaps" one or two coaches, guaranteed commodities just don't exist.

One has to factor in revenue generation and the prestige factor. In other words, what the program can bring back to the University in terms of value. In my mind, by that measure baseball ranks a distant third versus football (the obvious kingpin), and basketball. Even though we are overpaying for Strong, in my mind, the baseball coach should start at a level perhaps 50% to 60% of what the flagship program coach makes. The 4.75 over 6 boggles my mind and suggests to me that the folks running the show are either very weak or they simply don't get it.
 
If we're gonna commit our program and baseball well-being to the man, might as well pay him a check that reminds him of our expectations each time he cashes it.
 
That's awesome...love Woody...one of my fav Cowboys of all time. I'm sure his son is a great person and hard worker like his Dad. :hookem:
 
Love it. As the article states, it wasn't so bad before they deadened the bats. Though they switched to a flat seam ball recently to add carry, it's still rough at Disch.

Pierce has a long history of success with power hitting teams in normal sized parks. His teams didn't sacrifice stout pitching for the long ball.

Both Rice and Tulane have shorter power alleys (in most areas).

Greer Field (Tulane) - 8 ft fence, 12 ft in center
Reckling Park - can't find height (8-10 ft?), no monster
Disch - 10 ft fence, 20 ft. monster in center

Greer Field (Tulane):
Left field - 325 ft
Left center - 370 ft
Center Field - 400 ft (12 ft fence)
Right center - 370 ft
Right field - 325 ft

Reckling:
Left field - 330 ft
Left Center - 375 ft
Center field - 400 ft (no monster)
Right Center - 375 ft
Right field - 330 ft

Disch:
Left field - 340 ft
Left Center - 375 to 405
Center field - 400 ft (20 ft monster)
Right Center - 375-405 ft
Right field - 325 ft

Disch has a long ball disadvantage with deeper power alleys (where most shots go) in most areas, and the 20 ft center monster requires much extra lift and distance.

While they look close on paper, it takes at least 10 more feet (often more) to clear the Disch fences from left center to right center, where most shots go.

I've desired this change forever, especially once the bats went dead from restrictions. Now we have a coach who knows exactly how to build a power hitting team to excel in a park with normal power alleys and a reasonable center field fence.

I say let the man work his magic like at Rice and Tulane. Any coach following shouldn't have a problem competing in a park more in line with the rest of the college landscape.

Rice and Tulane didn't trade HR's for inferior pitching, neither do elite programs today.

Last year Tulane led the nation with 13 shutouts and ranked in the top 25 in both ERA (23rd/3.24) and WHIP (25th/1.24). All while adding 66 HR's, tied for 13th nationally.
 
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Nice poach. Here's Zubia's bio from Nov. 2015 article on Tulane's 2017 recruits...

Zach Zubia
Zubia (6-4, 215, R/R) is the fifth-best third baseman to come out of Texas according to Perfect Game. As a sophomore, Zubia was named the Newcomer of the Year for District 19-6A by hitting .342 and leading head coach Raul Garcia-Rameau and the Crusaders to the state playoffs. In 2015, Zubia hit .354 with seven homers and 39 RBI while going 1-1 on the mound with a 1.80 ERA and 16 strikeouts in just 11.2 innings.

Pierce on Zubia...
"Zach will be a factor as a two-way player early in his baseball career at Tulane. He has plus power and throws his fastball in the low 90s. Additionally, he can play third base and first base."

Allen on Zubia...
"Zach is another two-way player from Houston. He's a quarterback for a 6A high school in Texas, too. The future is very bright. He has a big body. He throws in the upper-80s right now and he has a very good breaking ball. He also possess a plus bat and can play first base."

That bio was before his stellar 2016 season...440 avg, 51 RBI's, 12 HR (school record) :hookem:
 
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