TheBadGuy Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 The answer is really simple. Hire Missouri’s standout assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Tony Vitello He is young, aggressive and has local ties (attended DeSmet Jesuit and played for his father local high school coaching legend Greg Vitello) . He has recruited at a major D1 Big 12 conference power and has learned at the knee of Tim Jamieson current Big 12 coach of the year. He has recruiting contacts all throughout the Midwest. This guy is a proven commodity. The 2007 Missouri recruiting class was nationally ranked in the top 25 (#22) by Baseball America for the first time ever and included 3 players who were drafted in last June’s (2006) Major League Baseball Draft = Kyle Gibson, rhp (Phillies, 36); Aaron Senne, of/lhp (Twins); Trevor Coleman, c (Reds, 30). Many of these young men contributed in huge way for Mizzou this year and Coleman was Big 12 Frosh of the Year Rumor has it that next years class could be in the top 15. Over the past three seasons, 13 Mizzou pitchers have been drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft, with five of those eight being selected in the top five rounds. Last year, five Mizzou pitchers were taken in the draft with two drafted in the first four rounds. The Missouri program was floundering in mediocrity before Vitello was hired as they hadn’t been to the NCAAs since 1996. It is no coincidence that Mizzou has qualified for the NCAAs every year with Vitello on board. Some of the other candidates I’ve heard? I hear Fiala and I laugh. He is an old man I hear Benes and Reitz and I laugh. Two former Cardinals that must be bored trying to spend their millions. Window dressing, publicity stunt nothing more nothing less. I hear Bieser and I laugh. He has only coached high school. High school is radically different than college folks. Has he ever bird dogged talent across the country before? Has ever run a big time college camp before and used it as a major recruiting tool? Has he ever put a schedule together? Ran a budget? Do you really want to HOPE he can transition from high school to the college game? Just because he wants the job doesn’t mean he should get it. I hear recently fired SEC coaches and I laugh. They would come to St Louis for a lesser conference and a huge pay cut. Do you have any idea how much these guys make? SLU needs Vitello. Hire him know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four Seventeen Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 I believe the proper word is "now," not "know." But they all say I don't no much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBadGuy Posted June 10, 2007 Author Share Posted June 10, 2007 >I believe the proper word is "now," not "know." > >But they all say I don't no much. At a loss for an intelligent response? Thanks for pointing out my mispelling. You must be a 2nd grade grammar school teacher in your spare time. Very mature and insightful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 to assume a baseball recruiter from a state school will automatically have the same success at slu is probably not sound thinking. remember, most of the position players in d-1 have to be convinced to take partial athletic scholarships or get academic rides. do the math. the tuition and room and board at slu vs the tuition and room and board at mi$$ouri. if the player gets 1/2 a scholarship, it isnt even close on the money issue. so slu has to either find smart kids that can play baseball or wealthy kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 bad guy said, "I hear Fiala and I laugh. He is an old man" he is 51. thanks for making a lot of us feel old with that comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billies Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 >to assume a baseball recruiter from a state school will >automatically have the same success at slu is probably not >sound thinking. > >remember, most of the position players in d-1 have to be >convinced to take partial athletic scholarships or get >academic rides. > >do the math. the tuition and room and board at slu vs the >tuition and room and board at mi$$ouri. if the player gets >1/2 a scholarship, it isnt even close on the money issue. >so slu has to either find smart kids that can play baseball >or wealthy kids. I think that he has the passion and connections to get started finding those smart and or wealthy kids that will fit the description needed. Right now he is filling the roster at MU nicely with the dynamics he is dealing with - I bet he could make the adjustment to SLU's situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp18 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I hope Vitello isn't anything like his dad, if in fact his dad is the head coach at DeSmet. If so, I can't see how he gets any recruits lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBadGuy Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 >to assume a baseball recruiter from a state school will >automatically have the same success at slu is probably not >sound thinking. > >remember, most of the position players in d-1 have to be >convinced to take partial athletic scholarships or get >academic rides. > >do the math. the tuition and room and board at slu vs the >tuition and room and board at mi$$ouri. if the player gets >1/2 a scholarship, it isnt even close on the money issue. >so slu has to either find smart kids that can play baseball >or wealthy kids. Huh? Vitello just participated in the reclamation of Mizzou from a cellar dweller in the Big 12 to a power. How did he do it? By recruiting his arse off and finding diamonds in the rough in every small town in the Midwest. The very same towns that SLU should have been recruiting but were not because the former coach was old, lazy and incompetent. I’m fully aware of how the baseball scholarship game works and I could have predicted the scholarship excuse would rear its ugly head. Time to get creative. The same type of creativity that Vitello showed at Mizzou. Some people offer excuses while others see opportunity. The SLU program is in need of a complete overhaul and an infusion of young aggressive ideas = someone who can recruit and sell ice to an Eskimo. No ex Cardinal retreads or local high school coaches need apply. And yes 51 is old especially when you are talking about spending roughly 180 days out of the year away from your family on the road looking for talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBadGuy Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 >I hope Vitello isn't anything like his dad, if in fact his >dad is the head coach at DeSmet. If so, I can't see how he >gets any recruits lol. Old man Vitello too tough for you? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp18 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 That guy is a piece of work. I've never heard anyone say anything good about him. His people skills are lacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBadGuy Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 >>to assume a baseball recruiter from a state school will >>automatically have the same success at slu is probably not >>sound thinking. >> >>remember, most of the position players in d-1 have to be >>convinced to take partial athletic scholarships or get >>academic rides. >> >>do the math. the tuition and room and board at slu vs the >>tuition and room and board at mi$$ouri. if the player gets >>1/2 a scholarship, it isnt even close on the money issue. >>so slu has to either find smart kids that can play baseball >>or wealthy kids. > >Huh? > >Vitello just participated in the reclamation of Mizzou from >a cellar dweller in the Big 12 to a power. > >How did he do it? By recruiting his arse off and finding >diamonds in the rough in every small town in the Midwest. >The very same towns that SLU should have been recruiting but >were not because the former coach was old, lazy and >incompetent. > >I’m fully aware of how the baseball scholarship game works >and I could have predicted the scholarship excuse would rear >its ugly head. Time to get creative. The same type of >creativity that Vitello showed at Mizzou. Some people offer >excuses while others see opportunity. > >The SLU program is in need of a complete overhaul and an >infusion of young aggressive ideas = someone who can recruit >and sell ice to an Eskimo. No ex Cardinal retreads or local >high school coaches need apply. > >And yes 51 is old especially when you are talking about >spending roughly 180 days out of the year away from your >family on the road looking for talent. Oh by the way here is a listing of Missouri recruits drafted in the most recent MLB draft: · LHP T.J. McFarland, AA Stagg HS, Chicago, 4th round, 137th overall. Cleveland Indians. · 2B Justin Bass, Clements School, Texas, 21st round, 658th overall, California Angels. · RHP Nick Tepesch, Blue Springs, MO: 28th round, 864th overall, Boston Red Sox. · RHP Brad Buehler, Barnhart, MO, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 43rd round (1,270th overall). · RHP Tyler Clark, Springfield Catholic HS, MO: 1348th overall pick, Chicago Cubs. Vitello again showing that he can evaluate talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 so how many of those kids were on full scholarships? and if they werent, what % of a scholarship did they have and thus have to pick up how much of the remaining tuition, room and board bill? now please translate that to slu's tuition, room and board? do they have the home financial ability to pay the difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Ask Billy Mueller what he thinks of "Vito"? Or his dad who has been the assistant baseball coach at DeSmet the past 7 years. Or the many other soccer and baseball players under him the past 37 years. Many people like and many don't. It isn't one way or another. Greg is old school, and he is not there to be your friend(kind of like Majerus in some ways). He's very tough on his players, but many have great things to say about him. And he'll always help a kid after they leave. He's all about schoolwork, and practicing and playing your butt off at all times, within the team...fundamentals and discipline. Kids who want more individual freedom and less discipline would not do well under him in soccer or baseball....where he has amassed well over 1000 wins combined in baseball and soccer, and is the 3rd winningest high school soccer coach in U.S. history. Tony's a good kid, as is his sister and Mrs. Vito. Tony is a very hard worker, and is doing well for himself. Good for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubswin1234 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 I couldn't agree more. If they are interested in competing for league titles and NCAA Regional berths they need to hire Vitello, period. A program like that needs a young, enthusiastic coach that has experience coaching at the highest levels of college baseball. The St. Louis ties will be priceless as well. In addition, his established recruiting ties in Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Texas (check out Missouri's roster) will be a huge plus as those states are loaded with Catholic high schools that produce talented baseball players which should be a nice recruiting niche for SLU's program. I'm thinking that having recruiting nationally over the past 4 years would also benefit in the 4-year transfer department, too, which would be important this summer (as this is the last summer that kids can transfer from one 4-year school to another in baseball without having to sit out a year). Vitello was a self-made player and has worked hard to make himself one of the top assistant coaches in college baseball. This establsihed work ethic would translate into the building of a very good baseball program at SLU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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