Well, the baseball season has come to an early close and there's really not a whole lot to say about it. I tend to look forward rather than backwards, but to tie a ribbon around this season I would describe it in one word: frustrating.
Really, from a roster standpoint, there isn't a whole lot different about the 2010 team from the 2009 team. Schimpf and Mitchell were big losses, but this team actually scored more runs than last year's team. The offense didn't miss a beat (or didn't until the Regionals).
A lot of the preseason answers just turned into big questions. Koeneman never forced his way onto the field and now he's leaving the program. Landry never seemed to fully blossom into the player he seems capable of becoming. None of the freshmen stepped up a third base until Edward moved from the outfield. Watkins was an immediate star, but an injury derailed his season and he was a shell of his former self upon returning to the lineup.
But really, the team just never could find decent pitching. The loss of Louis Coleman and Anthony Ranudo's injury struggles were just too much to overcome. The ironic thing is that the pitching actually sorted itself out in the postseason, and it was the bats who failed to come through in the elimination game. That's just baseball.
There's no way not to describe this season as a disappointment, but LSU still managed to win the SEC tournament and acquit themselves well in the NCAA tournament. Not every year ends in Omaha. It's a shame we won't be there to see the Blatt off, but asking for more success from the baseball program is just greedy. The program's in good shape, but you don't get to have a dream season every year. Disappointment is a lot easier to swallow when you have so many good recent memories.
We'll get ‘em next year.
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