What we’re hearing about Paul Mainieri and South Carolina baseball
South Carolina is not making any rash decisions with its baseball program.
Per a university source, the Gamecocks will not make any major decisions about their baseball program — notably about the future of head coach Paul Mainieri — before the end of this season.
The speculation around Mainieri’s job security has been in question for a few weeks now and especially after this weekend. The Gamecocks were swept by Florida, losing 22-3 and 8-0 in games two and three.
The losses dropped the Gamecocks to 26-23 overall and 5-19 in the SEC, meaning the only feasible path for South Carolina to make the NCAA Tournament is by winning the conference tourney. There are seven games left in the regular season.
It’s not what anyone expected for USC in the first year under Mainieri. South Carolina has two national championships as a program but hasn’t been to Omaha since the 2012 season. Still, Mainieri at his introductory press conference in June said he was taking a win-now approach as the Gamecocks’ new coach
What is Paul Mainieri’s contract buyout?
If a split does happen between South Carolina and Mainieri, it could be expensive for USC.
If South Carolina fired Mainieri without cause after the season, the school would owe him $5.2 million — the remainder of his contract (four years, $1.3 million annually).
Conversely, if Mainieri wanted to leave South Carolina, he would owe the university $5.2 million if he took another college head coaching job but be required to pay nothing if he departed “for any other reason,” according to his contract.
In addition to Mainieri’s buyout, South Carolina with a decision for termination would also have to pay hitting coach Monte Lee $1.1 million and pitching coach Terry Rooney $850,000 — though those figures would be offset if they found new jobs.
If South Carolina did choose to go in another direction, the timing would be brutal financially. If the House settlement goes through as expected, USC and nearly every other Power-4 school will begin revenue sharing on July 1 and pay its student-athletes $20.5 million.
Budgeting an extra $20.5 million has already been a headache for athletic departments. Adding a multi-million buyout to that figure would make things much tougher.
What’s wrong with South Carolina baseball?
It’s not as if the Gamecocks have encountered loads of unfortunate luck in games this season. In its SEC losses, South Carolina is losing by an average of nearly six runs per game.
With there have been some notable injuries — star slugger Ethan Petry, second baseman Nolan Nawrocki and catcher Talmadge LeCroy — the team’s pitching staff has been relatively healthy.
Aside from the absences of Eli Jerzembeck and Eddie Copper, who both missed the entire season with injuries, the Gamecocks have had solid health luck with its arms. Which makes it all the more jarring that their team ERA in SEC games is 8.42 — second-worst in the conference.
As for team morale behind the scenes, it’s hard to say. But Mainieri’s postgame press conferences have includes some curious remarks.
At numerous points this season, the 67-year-old head coach has called out players by name about specific things.
After a game in late March against Tennessee, he said Jase Woita was “too selective” in an at-bat where he struck out with the bases loaded.
“You’ve got to adapt,” Mainieri said. “Even if he just takes an off-speed pitch for a fly ball to left field, he gets us a run in.”
In the same game, with a runner on third, Jordan Carrion hit a grounder to the third baseman, who was playing in.
Said Mainieri: “He should be trying to hit a ground ball to the middle of the infield, where the infield is back. So then you don’t have bad luck.”
On Sunday, when asked for the health status of first baseman Beau Hollins, who didn’t play, the Gamecocks’ head coach said: “I knew the back of his knee was a little bit sore. I didn’t think it was that extensive. I showed up to the park this morning, and evidently, Beau told the trainer that he couldn’t play. So that’s it for that.”
In a vacuum, no quote by itself is alarming. Added together over the season, it could come across as a trend.
Does that actually impact the play on the field? It’s hard to know. But it certainly hasn’t bought Mainieri much sympathy from the fan base.
Neither did this quote from the head coach during his radio appearance on 107.5 The Game last week:
“I had just underestimated the strength of the conference,” he said, “and how much better the conference has gotten in the last couple of years.”
On the heels of firing his second baseball coach, then-athletic director Ray Tanner — a two-time national champion with the Gamecocks — chose to hand the baseball program to Mainieri.
A national champion with LSU (2009), Mainieri’s track record was spectacular. He also hadn’t coached in three years, retiring because of health issues after the 2021 season as the NCAA Division I active wins leader.
His success was impeccable. His resume in the NIL-era of college baseball was unknown and remains in question after a disastrous opening season.
South Carolina baseball schedule
- Thursday at Auburn, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
- Friday at Auburn, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- Saturday at Auburn, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
- May 13 vs. Winthrop, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- May 15 vs. LSU, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)
- May 16 vs. LSU, 7 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
- May 17 vs. LSU, 3 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 1:54 PM.
