Caltech vs CMS

Cal Tech has improved. Each of the past two years they've won two games. The two years before that they won a game each year. Before this they lost 228 straight. 

I agree with RJM , on the SCIAC forum over on D3 boards.com there is much hope that Caltech will win their first conference games this year. 

BTW, amid the hot discussion of over-recruiting and large roster size, these two are the counter example -- Caltech has a roster size of 22 and CMS 32.

32 is good, but 22 is a bit small. I do not think they can get the depth of pitching needed, with that size of roster. It only takes a few injuries, to derail a season.

My understanding from looking at Cal Tech is that coaches have no pull with admissions...student athletes must get in on their own. School with 9% acceptance rate and average ACT 34-35. Baseball, up until this year, not competitive and 2/3 to 1/3 male to female ratio. Not surprised they have a roster of just 22. Starting salaries after graduation are off the charts though so I tip my hat to those 22!

Louise, I agree, you do not go to Cal Tech, for the baseball experience.

@Louise you are correct about the admissions piece. Coach Mark can guide players through the admissions process, but not "support" them, or "slot" them, like you hear at other places.  A few years ago the athletic department brought in some young coaches in multiple sports to put some life into the athletic department, Coach Mark being one of them.  They also just put some $ into the ballfield for improvements.  

I had the chance to take a tour around campus with Coach Mark and one of his players. What a special place.  The kids their are truly out to change the world.  Very prestigious.

Watching today's game right now.  The guy doing the play-by-play is doing a nice job. Assuming he's a CalTech student, very impressive.

Edit to say: really funny to hear the chatter coming out of the CalTech dugout. Those kids may be future millionaires and captains of industry, but they sound just like the loudmouthed mulletheads who play in my son's  league.

Not sure if the kids know we can hear them over the internet. I also hear some parents talk loudly around the mic and be broadcasted all over the internet. As Steve Jobs said, "There's no privacy anymore. Get over it!"

One moment from the broadcast yesterday:

During chatter directed at a CMS batter, there's a loud bleating sound.

Announcer:  "And coming from one of the dugouts, that is what I would call a very accurate imitation of a goat."

+ about a million or whatever one writes when they think something is hilarious.

Since it rains everyday and most games cancelled in my neighborhood, I enjoyed watching the various online college baseball broadcasts. Very interesting to see the NWC and NESCAC colleges coming to play the SCIAC. I guess it's Spring break this week? Bard and Williams and Wesleyan are playing in SoCal. Bard is about the same level as Caltech. Williams vs Redland are very close. Weslyan and Bard got beaten up by CMS pretty badly. The CMS batters must be happy -- two consecutive 19 run games; stats are highly inflated.

It's not unusual for northeast programs to get off to a slow start even if they are good. The games on their spring break are usually their first time outdoors.

Caltech took 2 out of 3 vs. Bard.  They may be ready to get that league win.  Watch out Whittier!

JCG posted:

Caltech took 2 out of 3 vs. Bard.  They may be ready to get that league win.  Watch out Whittier!

hahaha.......That ain't gonna happen

no dog in this fight, but wagers, anyone? Will this be the year Cal Tech get its first conference win?

Their chances of getting one are probably under 50% at this point, but still, it could happen. It depends on a LHP who has 3 of their 5 wins and held CMS hitless through 4  and lost by just one run.  When he gets his start against Whittier that's Caltech's best shot this year.  Their league schedule at this point also includes Cal Lu, Pomona-Pitzer,  Chapman, and Redlands.  The first two are struggling a bit so far but still it's hard to see Caltech getting a win against any of these.

I see a lot of teams (including our own HS and travel teams) play their #1 pitcher in the first game of a series, #2 pitcher in the second, #3 pitcher in the third, and so forth. Is it a rule? Can a team be more strategic and play their best pitcher against the worst pitcher of another team? That may be Caltech's best chance to get a win in the league.

You're not the first to have that idea.  I'd want to hear from coaches, but I suspect most would not go for it because it means you're kind of conceding one or even two games to win a third.  A coach's mentality is to try to win all three, even if he knows he doesn't have the arms to do it.