@TPM posted:That's awesome. Keep us posted!
Where will he/you be?
On way to Centennial Park in Port Charlotte.
@Gunner Mack Jr. posted:On way to Centennial Park in Port Charlotte.
Other coast but really nice over in Port Charlotte. Have fun!
Going to have to wait until tomorrow to see my first full college game. Up 6-2 in top 4 the skies opened and rain for next two hours. The other team has to bus home 22 hours, so game called. Our pitcher got the ball and fired it in. His pace between pitches was amazing The other pitcher took 30-40-50 secs between pitches. Many time outs called. We should have been in the 6th inning when the rains came but it is what it is.
Welcome to Florida!
My freshman kid’s D3 team has started out the season 2-3.
He got his first college plate appearance today, pinch hitting in the 8th inning with 2 outs and a man on 2nd. He hit a hard ground ball in the Tony Gwynn hole that the 3B dove to his left, made the play, got up and threw him out by a half a step. You ain’t in high school anymore kid, these infielders can pick it. Super proud to see him get his first college at bat though…
@3and2Fastball posted:My freshman kid’s D3 team has started out the season 2-3.
He got his first college plate appearance today, pinch hitting in the 8th inning with 2 outs and a man on 2nd. He hit a hard ground ball in the Tony Gwynn hole that the 3B dove to his left, made the play, got up and threw him out by a half a step. You ain’t in high school anymore kid, these infielders can pick it. Super proud to see him get his first college at bat though…
Pick it and throw it. In high school there probably wouldn’t have been a throw. A high school kid likely wouldn’t have got to his feet fast enough. Had there been a throw it would have been late.
@3and2Fastball posted:My freshman kid’s D3 team has started out the season 2-3.
He got his first college plate appearance today, pinch hitting in the 8th inning with 2 outs and a man on 2nd. He hit a hard ground ball in the Tony Gwynn hole that the 3B dove to his left, made the play, got up and threw him out by a half a step. You ain’t in high school anymore kid, these infielders can pick it. Super proud to see him get his first college at bat though…
Been there done that. I would guess that 100pts of my kid's HS BA was on bunts, slow rollers and balls in the 6-3 hole that HS players rarely get outs from but college players, even D3, handle routinely.
Good luck to him hitting it where they ain't next time up.
After watching three games it was time for me to return to CT from Florida. After a 5 hour delay (mostly mechanical) I got home at 1:30AM! So of course today my son made his collegiate debut. Came in down 6-0 with a runner on and no out in 4th. He threw 3.1 innings striking out 4 and walking none (he’s usually good for a few of these) against 15th ranked D3 team. He did give up an ER. Runners on corners two out and guy steals second, throw goes to second and guy scores from third. Our catchers are money throwing out guys. Son needs to work on time to plate but NOT complaining at all. I wish I was there…. I am going to see if I can watch on video.
I follow a lot of college players. Some are having good seasons, some are having frustrating seasons: playing well but team is not, not playing much, playing up and down, battling injuries. Regardless, congrats to all for being part of the game of college baseball.
My kids D3 team has started out 4-6. Beat a Top 25 team, lost a few games against perceived lesser opponents. We’ll see how it shakes out. Conference games start this weekend. He’s backing up a couple of 5th year Seniors who are 3 year starters and career .300+ hitters at 3B/1B. Learning a lot, having fun, working hard, staying prepared. The fate of this year’s team will be decided by (isn’t this true with any Baseball team at any level?) the pitching depth.
@3and2Fastball posted:My kids D3 team has started out 4-6. Beat a Top 25 team, lost a few games against perceived lesser opponents. We’ll see how it shakes out. Conference games start this weekend. He’s backing up a couple of 5th year Seniors who are 3 year starters and career .300+ hitters at 3B/1B. Learning a lot, having fun, working hard, staying prepared. The fate of this year’s team will be decided by (isn’t this true with any Baseball team at any level?) the pitching depth.
As much as pitching depth how well they take of the ball on D will be huge. All solid D3 teams hit, the lineups are deeper then the pitchers even for the better teams. The teams that limit the most free bags will have pitching staffs that look deeper then they really are. Good luck.
Son pitched 1 inning this weekend. Our starters did so well bullpen guys only got 1 inning each and some not that much. Freshman starter had a perfect game through 5 until ball dropped in center field. Son's apartment mate was 104.8 on Sunday afternoon with 91 mph changeup. That should be illegal.
I think it IS illegal, except maybe in Montana, Wyoming, and Texas.
My son is a freshman RHP. His D3 team started out the season 3-4. Then they headed to Myrtle Beach for a week and have won 10 of their last 11 games, beating a top 25 team. Their bats have come alive. They opened their conference schedule this weekend, sweeping the team. They have 3 grad students and 3 seniors who are in the starting lineup. My son is struggling on the mound and has only pitched one inning and I'm not optimistic that he'll see the field again this year. But he says he's happy, likes his teammates and his grades are good. Winning helps. For me, it was great to be able to meet many of the players and their parents on the trip.
Losses are piling up at an astounding rate. Lineup is extremely young, sometimes starting 7 freshman. Many close games but seem to find creative ways to end up losing. Hopefully, the boys aren’t getting discouraged since conference play is essentially a new season.
@PitchingFan posted:Son pitched 1 inning this weekend. Our starters did so well bullpen guys only got 1 inning each and some not that much. Freshman starter had a perfect game through 5 until ball dropped in center field. Son's apartment mate was 104.8 on Sunday afternoon with 91 mph changeup. That should be illegal.
That earned him a slot on MLB's home page today.
It is truly amazing to watch. He throws it effortless. He is not one of those guys who looks like he is throwing out of his shoes. I just wonder how much the human body can handle. He may become the highest closer drafted. Some are saying if he holds us through the season he may be first pick overall and never see a day in minor league. If you remember, he is not the first one throwing those types of numbers from UT during the Frank Anderson time. Garrett Crochet jumped to the majors after being drafted by Chicago and was 100 plus almost every pitch that year from the left side. People wonder why Chase Burns would turn down first round money to come to UT and Anderson is the reason.
@PitchingFan posted:I just wonder how much the human body can handle.
That's what keeps Mets fans up at night.
I have been watching NE D3 ball, and let me say I am disappointed, I was expecting better. players can hit, but they sure can't field for jack.
@HSDad22 posted:I have been watching NE D3 ball, and let me say I am disappointed, I was expecting better. players can hit, but they sure can't field for jack.
The field conditions suck in the spring for northeast teams playing on grass. Hard, almost frozen fields make for some awful bounces. Even in late spring the fields aren’t all that great. The high school field my son played on in southeastern PA was in better condition than most college fields in New England. BC would be the exception. Harvard’s infield was worse than his high school.
From raising my kids mostly In PA and now living in MA and ME … When it’s 50 in PA it’s 40 in MA and 30 in ME/NH.
We moved from Southern CA when my kids were little. In February of my daughter’s soph year of high school we did a softball visit to Boston College. It was twenty and windy. Walking across the parking lot my daughter turned to me and said, “What were you thinking when you moved us from California? Does any of this remind you of UC Santa Barbara?”