2014 College World Series....Who ya got?

Personally I am OK with the lack of HRs - its the general lack of hitting that is troubling to me. I appreciate the low score game as much as the next guy but when ALL the games are so low scoring it gets a little monotonous.

 

Get a guy on base - bunt him over - hope to get a hit to score. I am OK with that stragtegy but the # of times I see the #3,4,5 hitters asked to bunt - that bothers me. Those guys are in those spots because they should be able to hit. I think coaches are giving up way too many ABs asking guys to bunt - especially the batters in those spots.

 

Just my opinion - obviously - all these teams are in the CWS for a reason - because they are good and if that is the way they go there - then I guess you got to stick with it.

 

Still - CWS not as much fun to watch for me as it used to be. I would love to find a happy medium between the old BESR days and the present day.

I got so bored I've been watching the Red Sox instead. At least the Sox scored five runs in the past three games. 

If the CWS was in Boston, we would be hearing how awful the stadium is..."we shouldn't be playing wallball on a routine fly ball to left..."

Doubt it... There'd be many homers hit out of Fenway if they played it there... Guaranteed.

"Still - CWS not as much fun to watch for me as it used to be. I would love to find a happy medium between the old BESR days and the present day"

 

agree 100%

 

I mean it is an issue. The announcers have talked about it day in and day out. NCAA so slow to change, but from what I'm reading its going to come down to money and college baseball is BIG money.

 

Average fans want more offense. When the NCAA loses money as they are, it will change,

Yeah, I totally agree and I think they are in perfect position to grow the business side nicely over the next few years.  Next year, the ball change.  Then, the following year, maybe a slight loosening of the bat restrictions.  With these two changes, a move back toward more offense which will make the fans happy and all new "higher performance" bats will be a big boost for the manufacturers.  Win, win, win.  Except maybe the pitchers who will first have to adjust to the ball and then will have to live with relatively less impressive numbers, dealing with the meter turned toward "Offense".

Okay, so we have TCU playing Ole Miss tonight for the right to stick around.  Ole Miss has the sticks to hit one out.   If Old Miss folds tonight that leaves TCU, UVA, Vandy and TX.  I don't see anyone else hitting a ball out the rest of the way based on their styles of play.  These pitchers are too good and those fences are just too far away.

 

If we leave Omaha with one or even a couple home runs don't you think even the deaf ,dumb and blind at the NCAA can sense something isn't quite right?  Ya think!

The NCAAs response to any complaints like those is this thread is ... The ball is changing next year.

The game being played now is awesome.
One thing to keep in mind is that they all have an unfamiliarity to the field. Unless things have changed you dont get to practice in the stadium. 
I remember complaints about Rosenblatt. The one that sticks in my mind is that the grass was too high. People speculated it was to slow down the ground balls!

I just want to add a complement to the announcing crew, they were on the DIII world series and now on the DI, and I have really enjoyed them. Get rid of some of the pro announcers and put them in.  Go Frog's ! 

 

FENWAY. What is that avatar all about? 

Another HR from a Texas team.  Maybe the real problem is not enough Texas teams!?

I think that the pitchers begin to wear down at this point.

The starters had not pitched before.  How could they be worn down?

How often do you have announcers with stop watches in the booth? 

I think the pitchers begin to wear down at this point. Doesnt matter if they havent started or not.

I think the pitchers begin to wear down at this point. Doesnt matter if they havent started or not. And everyone begins to feel more comfortable on the field.

Until Teakell came in for TCU, none of the other 6 guys had thrown in Omaha.  How exactly did they get worn down....eating?  Come on...no one's buying that hokey excuse (pardon me VT). 

None of them had thrown in omaha....why?

None of the pitchers tonight had thrown a pitch in a game in Omaha before tonight, other than Teakell.  Why would a pitcher be worn out if he had not thrown? 

BOF - Thanks for noticing.       This is my transitional avatar.   High school baseball season is over, so I changed my son's high school "camo 21 jersey" to my dog vacationing in Maine.  Her 7th birthday is coming up and it is officially summer.   She is the daughter I never could have.

 

I'm waiting for some American Legion games to get played (we got rained out last night) so I can get a new avatar with youngest son.

 

PS...While we're on the topic of avatars, I must say I like Birdman14's new avatar.  It looks like a picture of his new graduate in front of the school.  Kind of cool.

 

Back to the CWS......Last night's game was enjoyable.  There was a hint of offense in a 6-4 game.  First of all, I don't think those were the top 1-2 starters from either team. The broadcasting crew made a comment that hitters liked regular season Sunday games because you weren't getting the top of the rotation starter.....that is what that game was to me last night.  It was a battle of the 3-4-5-6 pitchers on their respective rosters.  As a result there was a glimmer of offense, and it was back and forth throughout much of the game.  It was a good game to watch. 

 

Selfishly, I wanted Ole Miss to win as I think UVA matches up better against Ole Miss.  UVA is going to start their #3 guy in a non-elimination game for them rather than pitch their #1.  If UVA can win this game, their rotation will be set up well for the next round. 

Fenway brings up the point I was trying to make. The top starters worked hard to get to where they are, rest is essential, so you have to use your 2-4 string guys.  So I repeat as hokie as one may think my statement was, pitchers are wearing down this time of year, therefore you will see changes in offense.
Hope that you get the point I was getting at.
I also agree the Rebels will be a better match up and SEC vs ACC always are good games to watch.

Ditto on the avatar Fenway!

Fenway -

 

I just checked UVa's website.  As you speculated, they've announced Sborz as the "probable starter".

 

I debated with friends back and forth about the prospect of Kirby starting tonight.  Throwing tonight would have been 6 days rest (I think).  And that could have give him chance to come back on short rest to throw game 3 of championship series possibly.

 

Our thought process is/was that if UVA isn't willing to have him go on short rest AND if UVA has to another game with Ole Miss, then he'd be out for the championship series.

 

Personally, I'd want him to go tonight and then in Game 3 of championship if necessary.

 

All that being said, the world outside of hard core college fans are about to find out the depth of the UVA pitching staff.

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com/bus_tour

I am from the club who believe use your best to move foward.

Then again, Sborz was lights out in his last start.  

You went all season with a rotation of 3 weekend starters, why would you stop now?

As stated above,  If the #1 gets pushed to today he'd have a chance to throw again in championships series on short rest.

 

If #3 throws today and loses then #1 misses championships series completely.

 

Luckily #1, 2 & 3 for UVa are all top tier.

Truthfully, I don't think there is much of difference between UVA's top 3 pitchers.  Sborz pitched extremely well in the Super Regional elimination game against the Terps.  In this case, it s more about matchups than whether it is #1, #2 or #3 pitcher on the staff.  Give Sborz the rock is my vote!

I never thought I would ever say anything this cruel to a parent. But, your daughter is a real dog.

Looking like Sborz will come back today after last nights rain delay.

 

Any thoughts?

 

This would be Kirby's day no?  1 week since last start I think.  

 

On a different note, how is it that they have access to instant replay at the LLWS but not CWS?  

 

Rich

 

 

I never knew anyone who sent their dog away on a vacation, pretty nice guy! 

 

Has Connor joined the working word yet, or is he still on vacation? (not that his is not warranted) 

 

I never really thought about changing mine,  just leave it with the annoying Yoda. 

If they want more runs I have a simple solution. Get new umps. They are consistently giving a ball or two off the plate. I cannot believe how poor it is called and how consistently poor strikes well off the plate are called for strikes. Lets see how the hitters fare with a true strike zone. It would probably add 3+ runs a game to each team. I cannot believe these guys are the best the NCAA has to offer and if they are told to call it that way, why would they do that? Are all the NCAA's kids pitchers?

 

It is horrible.

The key is "consistently" they have been very consistent IMO, plus the field umps have made some very tough calls and got them right. When not they get together and get it right. They are keeping kids in the box and keeping the game moving, overall I have been very impressed with the crews they have been running out there. 

Gotta disagree BOF. The ball they are calling a strike is killing the offense. It is a HUGE advantage for the defense. Consistent or not it is an unhittable pitch that is called for a strike. I have never understood why a strike zone isn't called straight up at such a high level. They have even stopped using the electronic strike zone in the telecast. It was embarrassing the boys in blue. The field umps have been very good,

If a pitcher is consistently pounding the strike zone, when the catcher sets up two or three inches off the zone and the pitcher hits the mitt without it moving, he will usually get the call.

RJM is right. When the pitchers pound the zone and have consistantly the calls will be in their favor also.
I think its been pretty good.
If you think this is bad you havent been to many milb games!

 

I haven't watched enough of the CWS to comment on the quality of these particular umpires. However, I'm going to respectfully disagree with this comment here, BOF. Consistently wrong is still wrong.

 

That is true. But it is sad that an umpire can be fooled that easily. Especially at the freakin CWS. These guys are supposed to be the best and they are missing the call all game every game Why not reward the batter who has a good eye? The ball either catches the plate or it doesn't. I don't expect perfection, but it really hurts the game IMO. It would increase scoring and watchability and still keep the players safe by not changing the ball or bat to increase the speed of a batted ball.

I have seen a lot of college baseball in the past three years and there is nothing worse than an ump who is a) inconsistent b) postage stamp zone. These guys have been very very consistent, and equal to both teams. Adjust and play on. I agree some of the balls are a little too far off IMO, but I will take this any day over a), b). 

Here is the other thing you have to remember about NCAA umpires. Unlike other major college sports where there is one level of separation between NCAA and the top Pro Level there are at least 5 levels of professional baseball and therefore 5 levels of umpire development between NCAA and MLB.

Yesss....SEC v ACC !