I don't have enough info to make that call. I'm sure we can do better on the field, so I'd always hope we're not satisfied with the past X years and looking to improve the program. I just don't know if it's the staff or institutional obstacles (cold weather, moderate baseball tradition, etc.) behind our struggles.
I can say that in some instances (e.g., base running), the staff don't appear to be quick learners. As another example, they pitch Hearn most of the season mid-week where he kills it, finally give him a weekend start, and he gets the only win against UNC. Things like that make you question how they use personnel.
I say all this with a gigantic caveat -- I'm more of a casual fan and not that plugged in.
baseball program. I'm a baseball guy that loves ND baseball but its just not promoted much. I wasn't even able to get a media guide the last couple years. However, in my opinion we've hit our ceiling with Aoki. I think we have a tournament team this year but it's just so flat much of the time. Also, I don't see marked improvement of players from season to season that I think we should.
I always point to base running as an example of poor coaching and we have been consistently awful at it under Aoki. I turned on the NC game the other night and with bases loaded with 1 out down 7-0 the runner on first was on the move. Line drive DP to first. Why were the runners on the move in that situation? I teach my players to "sit down" until line drives get through the infield esp a line drive to the base that the runner in on. There is a difference between being aggressive on the base paths and just being dumb. I turned the game off at that point out of sheer frustration at the base running.
This program is a valuable commodity to Notre Dame athletics and we should be able to attract a decent coach that can raise the profile like Murphy and Mainieri even if he has designs on eventually moving on to a bigger program.
Jack, time to find a really good baseball coach.
Only the top 10 make the playoffs.
Current Aggregate Standings:
1. Miami, 19-6 (.760) (1st Coastal)
2. Louisville, 18-8 (.704) (1st Atlantic)
3. Florida State, 15-8 (.652)
4. Virginia, 16-11 (.593)
5. NC State, 13-12 (.520)
6t. Clemson, 13-14 (.481)
6t. Wake Forest, 13-14 (.481)
8. Georgia Tech, 12-14 (.462)
9. Notre Dame, 11-13 (.458)
10. Duke, 12-15 (.444)
11. Boston College 11-14 (.440)
12. North Carolina, 11-15 (.423)
13. Pitt, 10-16 (.385)
14. Virginia Tech, 6-21 (.222)
EDIT: Looks like we'll drop into an 11th place tie with BC. Just atrocious.