Mainieri confident LSU will be in national title mix again
Like all teams, LSU began baseball practice for the 2018 season Friday.
In three weeks, the Tigers will open their season with a weekend series against Notre Dame at The Box.
However, LSU coach Paul Mainieri admitted at baseball media day on Friday afternoon that the way the 2017 season ended is still on his mind. The Tigers were swept in two games by Florida in the championship series of the CWS. LSU had to settle for being the national runner-up.
“It is a pretty distasteful feeling,” said Mainieri, referring to the loss in the finals of the College World Series. “I would like to say I’m over it, but I don’t think I ever will be over it. The loss hurts.”
Now, Mainieri must start preparing his team for another journey which hopefully ends at TD Ameritrade Stadium in Omaha. It has been nine seasons since Mainieri won a national championship at LSU. Mainieri is proud of his accomplishments, but he does strive for another national crown.
“We have a lot of consistency with our program,” Mainieri said. “There is a 99 percent renewal of season tickets. The fans like the way our teams hustle and compete. They don’t give up and they win championships.
“The only championship a lot of people worry about is the last one. I want to have that feeling again. Our goal every year is to win the last game of the year.”
There is some rebuilding for the Tigers, who are ranked from No. 9 to No. 17 in the country. Five everyday starters are back – Beau Jordan, Antoine Duplantis, Jake Slaughter, Josh Smith and Zach Watson. Bryce Jordan, who missed last year with an injury, is also returning.
Extensive work must be done as regards the pitching staff. Since Eric Walker is out after Tommy John surgery, the starting rotation will be new. Caleb Gilbert and Zack Hess are the two returnees who had key roles for LSU in their CWS run last June. Gilbert and Hess will now lead the weekend rotation.
“We are anywhere from No. 9 to No. 17 in the polls,” Mainieri said. “I don’t care if people want to underestimate us in the polls. I like this team. When May and June roll around, we will be right back in the hunt again.”
There are few positions to be decided during the next three weeks. At the end of fall practice, Mainieri was not sure how the starting infield would look. He now knows the makeup of his infield for the season-opener against Notre Dame.
“The infield is pretty much decided,” Mainieri said. “It will be Slaughter at third, Smith at shortstop, (Brandt) Broussard at second and Bryce Jordan at first. I am going to get Hal Hughes into the game in different roles as frequently as possible. Broussard is a very steady defensive player.
“The one thing Broussard has over Hughes is experience with two years of junior college. We’ll get Hughes in games at every position. He may play third and with Slaughter going to first base for defensive purposes late in games. We may start Hughes at second base in one game of the Notre Dame series.”
The outfield will have one new starter with freshman Daniel Cabrera in leftfield. Duplantis is moving back to rightfield where he started in 2016 as a freshman. Watson, who performed extremely well in the postseason, will be the centerfielder.
Beau Jordan and freshman Nick Webre are competing for the fourth outfield spot. Beau Jordan will be the primary designated hitter. A fourth outfielder will be needed because Mainieri expects to use Cabrera as a relief pitcher.
“Cabrera is ready to play as a freshman,” Mainieri said. “He is in that class with DJ LeMahieu, Alex Bregman and Antoine Duplantis. Cabrera just needs to be a little more focused to do it consistently.
“We need Cabrera to pitch this year. On the days we will use Cabrera in relief, we will use him as the DH or not use him at all, so we can get him ready out of the bullpen. Cabrera will do what he can to help the team.”
Junior college transfer Hunter Feduccia is the No. 1 catcher with Nick Coomes as the top backup. The individuals throwing to these catchers will have a new look.
Gilbert and Hess will lead off the weekend rotation, in that order. Gilbert threw mostly in relief until the postseason when he was excellent as a starter. Hess was the midweek starter over the first six weeks before he was shifted to the bullpen. He was a shutdown closer during June.
“I have a lot of confidence in Gilbert and Hess,” Mainieri said. “Gilbert had an outstanding performance vs. Oregon State in Omaha. You can’t pitch better than what he did. He has outstanding stuff and is oozing with confidence.
“Hess looked like a big-league ready relief pitcher at the end of the year. I had the temptation to keep him in that role. But, with no veteran starting pitchers, we have to take our best arm and get as many innings as possible from him.”
Sophomore Todd Peterson has the edge right now over junior college transfer Cam Sanders for the No. 3 spot in the rotation. Peterson had a disappointing end to his freshman season with a suspension and an injury.
“Peterson had some unfortunate things happen to him last year,” Mainieri said. “If he was healthy, he would have started the first game of the championship series vs. Florida. He spent all fall getting in better condition. He was outstanding in fall practice and in the simulated games in January.
“It is uncanny how much Sanders reminds you of Aaron Nola on the mound. He has really good stuff. He needs to corral his control. He is about half and half with his command. If we can get him close to 60/40 or 70/30, we’ll be in business with Cam Sanders.”
Even though LSU will be without Alex Lange, Jared Poche and Walker, Mainieri has far more worries about the relief pitching. Freshmen could nail down most of the innings out of the bullpen.
“I am more concerned about the bullpen than the starting rotation,” Mainieri said. “I have not hidden my feelings about how I feel about Devin Fontenot and Ma’Khail Hilliard. Fontenot is a strike-thrower. He has a good slider and is quick to the plate.
“Hilliard has a fast ball which cuts like crazy, but the best thing about him is his curve ball. Hilliard could be the guy who can get the last out of the game. It doesn’t seem like pressure bothers him. He pitched Central (La.) to the state championship last year, so he’s been the man.”
Three freshmen, whose progress has been slowed due to injuries, could be a part of the bullpen mix when healthy – AJ Labas, Nick Storz and Trent Vietmeier. Sophomore Nick Bush is another pitcher who could win a spot in the bullpen.