It aināt gonna happen. Not just for the sake of moving it in closer at least. That would cost close to a million dollars. It may get adjusted some with the structure of the clubhouse moving a part of it in closer. But the money will go to the clubhouse first.
The field at Southside High School is 325, 375, 400. If they move that in, Southisdeās field would be bigger ![]()
Is the HC at Southside worried about them hitting HRs or winning baseball games?
Do you want the clubhouse?
Well then we will have shorter fences.
Donāt think he had any say in the field dimensions. Many of these new fields are designed by the architect who designed the entire facility.
Did Deggs have any say so in the design of the Tigue?
No but he does have say so now, especially with proposed improvements on the way.
He could have moved it up the year we got the new fence which would have been his first year here. Not sure why all of a sudden itās an issue for him.
If we HAVE to move them in for the clubhouse, can we raise the wall height?
Thatās what Iām hoping, if we have to move in 20 feet, then we need to have a little red Giant wall. Therefore line drives donāt get out of here, but got to still hit it a ton.
They will be taller from the LF line to the power alley.
This is a nonstarter for me. Itās a pitchers park for a reason. Keep it that way.
They better make the wall Vermillion padding for the lower 8 feet and just Vermillion for the next (12 feet I hope) and on top of the Club House a section of seating for some crazy couyons.
I mean I donāt really know what to tell you, once the clubhouse goes in the fences are moving ![]()
Final line of the season assuming our website is up to date from last nightās games.
HRs:
Cajuns: 55
Opponents 95
Our pitchers this season had a propensity to give up the long ball.
Get a few dudes in the portal who can smash the ball. Like the days of Hawke or Morris. Some dudes whose arms are as big as quads.
Kevin Foote: Would moving in fence at UL baseballās Russo Park produce more wins?
UL coach Matt Deggs is hoping to be seeing more home runs out of the Raginā Cajuns next spring. STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP
UL baseball coach Matt Deggs began hinting about it publicly in March.
He would like the Russo Park outfield fence to get moved in for the 2027 season.
Itās an idea thatās changed the way Iāve viewed every college baseball game Iāve watched since he brought it up.
Do I watch the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby during All-Star week each July? Certainly, and itās enjoyable for what it is. Do I ever want a player from my Houston Astros participating in it? Absolutely not.
Watching the balls fly out of the park consistently in regular games is not my first choice. Take the two super regional series between Southeastern Conference opponents last weekend, for example.
Georgia defeated Mississippi State 13-12 and 11-9. There were 21 home runs hit in those two games. Mississippi State hit 12 home runs and still was swept by Georgia. The combined ERAs for those two pitching staffs was 10.21.
To me, thatās not baseball. Thatās home run derby.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss swept Auburn by scores of 6-4 and 5-3.
There were a combined five home runs in the two games. It wasnāt like the pitching totally dominated. The combined ERA was 4.62, which wasnāt exactly glittering.
But it was baseball.
There are multiple issues to consider here.
One is the style of play. Thereās going to be UL coaches, players and fans who prefer the Ole Miss-Auburn version over what we saw in Georgia-Mississippi State.
The more important question: Will paving the way for more offense provide more wins for the Cajuns?
No one could ever accuse Russo Park of being a sandbox. In the Sun Belt, it might as well be the Astrodome.
To be fair, there are other factors such as the wind that could still make home runs a true achievement even if the fences are moved in.
And yes, itās possible the overall impact wonāt be dramatic. But at first glance, itās an awfully scary proposition. At best, itās a curious time for it.
While the team was red hot down the stretch and reached the Starkville Regional finals, the pitching staff had one major issue this season ā giving up home runs.
In fact, the 95 home runs allowed were the most in school history.
On the flip side, UL fans spent most of the season thinking the Cajuns couldnāt hit. And while the team did improve as the season went on, hitting the ball away from home after playing so many home games early in the season saw the Cajuns improve their overall numbers.
It would be easier to recruit more power hitters if theyāre going to be more rewarded for hitting a ball 365 feet in the power alleys. In most SEC parks, thatās a home run ā like the Cajuns saw firsthand in Starkville.
In Lafayette, itās an out.
Being a hitting coach, Deggs naturally would love for his players to hit more home runs.
In his mind, where the fence currently sits evens the playing field for lesser teams. For instance, if the Cajuns hit five balls to the warning track and theyāre all outs and the opponent hits two that far, that hurts the Cajuns more.
On the other side of the debate, UL always has been a program known for its pitching. Will that suffer if this move is made?
The Cajuns have a history of performing well in Sun Belt play. How much of that edge would be lost by playing baseball like the rest of the league?
At this point, itās a guessing game, but at least one transition season could be in order.
In 1999, the Astros won 97 games in the spacious Astrodome, giving up 675 runs and 128 home runs.
In the first season at the smaller then-Enron Field in 2000, their pitchers allowed 944 runs and 234 homers and the team won only 72 games.
A year later, the staff adjusted for a 93-win season, surrendering 769 runs and 221 homers.
The Cajuns have been good at playing small ball. Time will tell whether the offense can avoid the temptation of becoming home run dependent if bombs are much more accessible.
For now, itās a fascinating debate, but hereās hoping Charles Schwab Field in Omaha leans more toward the Auburn-Ole Miss version of baseball starting this weekend.
