Not saying that bending the rules is how all the rosters are formed at a HA. Agree, it's maybe 2-3 at most. These rosters are built from kids who have the ability to play a sport, have the academic skills, and the financial wherewithal. However, because the size of these schools are so small (typically less than 2,000 students), if you are not an athlete or are not a family legacy, it can be near impossible to get into these schools no matter what SAT and grade combination you have. Hence, a sport like Baseball is the ticket to getting in. Yes, you still need the same academic chops as everyone else in the student body...but you can get admitted. My point...Baseball is used as a vehicle to get into these schools, which in many cases can be a life long 'golden ticket'.