Very credible reports are saying Andy Cannizaro will be named MSU’s new head baseball coach, replacing John Cohen.
STORY: @HailStateBB will hire @LSUbaseball’s Andy Cannizaro. My piece w/ great Paul Mainieri quotes: https://t.co/1QZRhDN5Gw #HailState #LSU pic.twitter.com/UozwxfPEHk
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) November 4, 2016
Cannizaro has served as LSU’s hitting coach and recruiting coordinator each of the last two seasons. As far as coaching experience, that is all he has.
At 37 years old, Cannizaro has spent most of his career, since graduating from Tulane, playing in the minor leagues. He finally got a shot in the majors during a September call up in 2006. With the New York Yankees, he went 2 for 8 (but hit a home run). In 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays, he received one plate appearance. After retirement in 2009, he was a scout for the Yankees until he took the job with LSU in 2014.
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With John Cohen being announced as athletic director on Friday, it’s pretty clear he wanted to hand-pick Cannizaro as his successor before his announcement as A.D. I have to assume Scott Wetherbee’s interim status was just so Cohen could complete his search for a new baseball coach. Also, Dr. Keenum and especially Sid Salter really look foolish for their stance against the Mike Bonner from a few weeks ago.
It’s questionable to hire a coach without any experience to take a job the stature of MSU baseball. However – we’ve seen MLB teams do it, and a lot of NBA teams. We don’t really know what we’re getting here, but if you’re going to pluck from a program LSU is the one to do it from.
LSU lost 8 starters from that 2015 team, but in 2016 they recovered to have the 3rd highest batting average in the SEC at .295
— DAWGS' Baseball (@mwnbaseball) November 4, 2016
Cannizaro will have big shoes to fill. Each of the last five head baseball coaches at Mississippi State have made it to the College World Series: Paul Gregory (1971), Ron Polk (1979, 1981, 1985, 1990, 1997), Pat McMahon (1998), Polk II (2007) and John Cohen (2013).
The good news is, Cannizaro will be inheriting a program with a full cupboard of talent and a brand new stadium in the works. John Cohen had nothing of the sort when he took the job in 2008, so this is a much different situation. Most likely we’ll see a press conference on Monday announcing Andy Cannizaro.