Coleman gave Nats an offer they could refuse and became vital cog for Tigers
BATON ROUGE - Sometimes the best way to get a new job is when you love your current job and don't really want a new one just yet.
That was Louis Coleman's crafty pitch to the Washington Nationals a year ago when they made him a 14th-round selection in the draft. He made them an offer they could refuse, and the rest is LSU history.
Coleman ended up staying at LSU for his senior year and is likely more responsible for the Tigers reaching the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., than any other player as his 13 victories are tied for third in the nation with San Diego State's Stephen Strasburg. A right-hander from Schlater, Miss., Coleman has but two losses on the season and a 2.76 ERA that is the best among LSU starters.
It was Coleman who beat Rice, 5-3, Saturday to win the Super Regional and send LSU to Omaha as he held the Owls to three runs on nine hits in eight innings
The Tigers (51-16) meet Virginia (48-13-1) at 6 p.m. Saturday in Rosenblatt Stadium on ESPN. Coleman is slated for possible late relief of starter Anthony Ranaudo in that game and is expected to start LSU's second game on Monday.
Coleman was the last pitcher to throw for LSU in Omaha. With the scored tied 3-3 in the top of the ninth, he gave up a ninth-inning grand slam to North Carolina's Tim Federowicz, and LSU was eliminated 7-3 after three games. It was just the second home run allowed by Coleman that season.
Part of Coleman didn't want to be a National. He wanted to finish things off right in Omaha next time.
"The way last season ended, it left a bitter taste in my mouth," Coleman said. "I wanted to get back there and correct that."
No amount of money from the Nationals was going to change his mind. Well, almost.
Coleman was a junior last season. Most college players drafted in a decent round go pro after their junior season because they have leverage - their senior year - and tend to get more money than after their senior season when they have no leverage. Coleman was 8-1 with a 1.95 ERA and two saves in 2008. He'd made it to Omaha. It ended badly, but after the initial heartbreak wore off, he realized it might be time to go pro.
"It's sad, but it is about money sometimes," Coleman said.
At the same time, Coleman loved being at LSU. And there would be a new Alex Box opening in 2009 and most of the 2008 Tigers would be back for another run to Omaha and possibly a longer stay.
"And LSU's fans are the greatest in the world," Coleman said.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri met with Coleman not long after returning from Omaha. He had one request - make your decision soon. That way if he did go pro, Mainieri would have a chance to sign another pitcher. If Coleman let negotiations drag and didn't decide to sign until August, it would be too late for Mainieri to sign a capable pitcher.
"That would really hurt us," Mainier told Coleman.
Coleman had another idea.
"Coach, what if I put an enormous figure on my head?" Coleman asked Mainieri. "And I promise you I won't sign for a dollar less than that. That way I can wait the summer out and see what happens."
Mainieri said yes. The Nationals said no. And Coleman leaves for Omaha Thursday.
Mainieri said he will remember his August conversation with Coleman "until the day I die."
He did not want to tell him what the decision to stay would mean to LSU back when Coleman was still making up his mind so as not to pressure him. But when it was over, Mainieri said to Coleman, "Your decision to come back is going to be a monumental decision in the history of LSU baseball. You will have that sort of impact on this team. You're the missing piece of the puzzle. We'll have a chance to win the national championship because of you."
A year later and Coleman will likely be drafted significantly higher than the 14th round today.
"My guess is he's going to go in the first four or five rounds and end up getting the money he was asking for last year," Mainieri said.
Coleman will likely be getting the best of both worlds.
"It was the greatest decision I ever made in my life," Coleman said minutes after beating Rice to reach Omaha again. "I wouldn't change it for the world. God's blessed me with the ability to stay healthy for an entire year and get back to Omaha. I told coach when I decided to come back that I didn't care what happens between here and Omaha as long as we go back to Omaha and see what happens there."
Coleman only packed for a week, but that's not a problem.
"We can do laundry there," he said. "We should be there for a long time. We better be."
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