The Paul Mainieri era officially began Sunday as the LSU baseball team began fall practice.
Mainieri takes over a LSU team that finished 35-24 last season and did not qualify for post-season play for the first time since 1988.
Mainieri said the main purpose of the camp was to evaluate his players, so he knows what the team has to improve on before the season opener Feb. 9 against St. Mary’s University.
The Tigers have been working together on individual conditioning drills, but Sunday marked the first time they returned to the baseball diamond since last season’s Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Mainieri said his players are beginning to understand the commitment expected of them.
“I think the kids are starting to realize what I’ve been preaching to them from the beginning,” Mainieri said in a news release. “Winning college baseball games and championships is not an easy task, and it takes a great level of commitment, dedication and sacrifice.”
Also making his coaching debut at LSU was Mainieri’s pitching coach Terry Rooney.
Rooney has the task of helping rebuild a Tigers’ pitching staff that had an ERA of 5.66 last season, giving up 10 runs or more in 11 games.
Mainieri said he and Rooney will put a huge emphasis on improving the pitching staff.
“We think there is a lot of talent on our pitching staff,” he said. “We think we have some kids that are going to really pitch well for us.”
Mainieri said he is also expecting big things from the Tigers’ hitters. The Tigers return five starters from last season’s lineup that averaged nearly six runs a game last season.
Mainieri said the hitters have looked good the past few weeks in individual hitting sessions with new assistant coach Blair Barbier.
Fall camp will consist of several intrasquad scrimmages and will conclude Nov. 1.
Mainieri said he expects his players to play hard throughout the camp, even though the season does not begin until February.
“We’re not letting up on them,” he said. “If they want to play at LSU and represent this university, they must be dedicated to the cause.”
—–Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]