OMAHA – In over three decades in college baseball, LSU coach Paul Mainieri has become highly decorated, winning 17 different coach of the year honors by various organizations.
Of course, the awards, like the National College Baseball Writers Association Coach of Year award he won today, give him a sense of pride, recognizing another successful season in command.
But there’s another emotion Manieri feels when he achieves an honor of such large magnitude – embarrassment.
“It was really flattering and very humbling, really,” Mainieri said. “When you’re the head coach, you get a certain amount of attention, and I know it comes with the job. But, really, it’s a little bit embarrassing to me because that kind of an award is not an award that should be given to just the head coach. It’s an award that’s earned by the entire staff.”
Mainieri is only the eighth coach to be given the prestigious honor, and it’s first time he has won this specific national award. While he won different national coach of the year honors in 2000, 2008 and 2009, Mainieri’s club has already eclipsed the total number of wins from the 2000 Notre Dame team and 2008 LSU team and is on pace to surpass the win total of the 2009 LSU National Championship team.
With a No. 1 ranking for most of the season and the best record in the nation, the selection is justified. But the Tigers’ skipper is quick to acknowledge the work of his assistants, staff members and players, who have been critical to his fifth trip to the College World Series.
“We have the best pitching coach in the world in Alan Dunn,” Mainieri said. “Our hitting coach Andy Cannizaro has been phenomenal. [Volunteer assistant coach] Will Davis has been with me for eight years as an assistant. [Coordinator of baseball operations] Nolan Cain, Jeremy Phillips, our strength and conditioning coach, Corey Couture, our trainer, they all have contributed to the success of our team. In fact, those guys are the unsung heros.
“I accept the award really on behalf of the entire staff, but nothing would have been possible if the players hadn’t gone out and been terrific all year.”
One of the players who has been terrific all year has been freshman ace Alex Lange. The undefeated right-hander credited Mainieri’s ability to keep the team focused and collected as an important aspect in this year’s run to Omaha.
“He deserves it,” Lange said. “Congrats to him. He’s worked hard all year. He’s kept us in control and in composure for us. [I] wouldn’t expect it to go to anyone else.”
Hale, Bregman familiar with Morrison
At this stage of the season, no pitcher LSU will face will be a pushover. But with four Southeastern Conference teams advancing to the College World Series, there is familiarity with some of the hurlers.
But despite tomorrow’s opponent not being a league foe, TCU right-handed starter Preston Morrison isn’t a stranger to two of LSU’s players in the heart of its order.
“I actually played with [Morrison] for a little bit in my first summer in the [Cape Cod League] before he went to Team USA,” said senior third baseman Conner Hale. “He’s [throws] more in the mid to upper 80s. [He’s] kind of a sidearm guy. He’ll run it in on you, and he has a frisbee type of slider.”
The summer Morrison (11-3, 2.55 ERA) went to Team USA was the summer LSU junior shortstop Alex Bregman played with the Horned Frogs’ ace. Although Morrison isn’t a hard-throwing pitcher, Bregman compared Morrison to SEC opponent his club saw this season.
“He has sink like [freshman right-hander] Tanner Houck from Missouri,” Bregman said. “He’s not 91-96 [miles per hour] like Houck, but he throws three pitches for strikes – three good pitches. He had a lot of success the summer I played with him.”
While Bregman insists that he and the LSU lineup will continue to be aggressive like they have been all season, Hale noted that Morrison’s pitching style against right-handed hitters will slightly alter his approach at the plate.
“Just back off the plate a little bit,” Hale said. “He’s going to try to run it in and just try to get to him.”