National College Baseball Writer Mark Etheridge Analyzes Alabama Baseball’s Profile [Audio]

After a 2.5 week search for a successor to former Alabama head baseball coach Mitch Gaspard, athletic director Bill Battle formally introduced Greg Goff as the Crimson Tide’s new baseball coach.

Goff takes on the task of bringing Alabama baseball back to national prominence as the program has not appeared in the College World Series since 1999.

One of college baseball’s most respected writers in Mark Etheridge from D1Baseball.com surveyed the challenges facing Goff and Alabama baseball on the Gary Harris Show with guest host Travis Reier.

He outlined a chronic issue regarding the national perception of the support that Alabama baseball receives from the athletic department.

“Over the years, (former coach) Jim Wells was pretty outspoken about the lack of support that he felt the administration gave him, and Mitch (Gaspard) certainly had some misgivings about that as well, and that’s the reputation in the (college) baseball community. It’s a football school, and baseball is an afterthought. For that matter, a lot of other sports are as well.” Etheridge said.

Etheridge presented the positives and negatives of the hiring of Greg Goff by Alabama.

“They’re really taking a flier on a guy who has won wherever he’s been, but there is really some doubt on whether he’s ready for an SEC head coaching job, two years at Louisiana Tech and a few years at Campbell. He did great there, don’t get me wrong, and he’s an energetic guy. I think he’s certainly someone who is well-regarded. However there were safer, more established candidates that I think could have been had if this would have been handled a little maybe smoother or differently.” Etheridge said.

The Gary Harris Show airs every weekday from 9-11 AM on Tide 99.1 and the radioPup app.