From Rivals.com
Kendall Rogers
Rivals.com College Baseball Editor
All we've heard about for the past year is how weather is the overriding factor working against Big Ten and other northern schools, but there's some new information out there that will blow your mind.
Is the Big Ten's problem really weather-related?
I'm very much for the uniform start date, as I believe it makes sense no matter what conference or region a program is in. But I am completely against the condensed schedule, which is causing more problems than coaches originally thought.
I've heard so many observers say the Big Ten schools can't compete without pushing the season back a few weeks. Most Big Ten coaches, however, will tell you that while the inclement weather early in the season is a distraction, it's just one of many factors that are bringing the conference down from a baseball standpoint.
Even the Big Ten office seems content with tearing down its baseball programs.
In a conversation last week with Indiana coach Tracy Smith, he enlightened me on a few things affecting Big Ten programs. Among other hindrances, the Big Ten hasn't assimilated into today's college baseball environment.
Per my conversation with coach Smith, there are two things to remember:
The Big Ten apparently doesn't allow its programs to oversign. For instance, if a drafted players drags out negotiations into early August, Big Ten coaches are forced to sit on that scholarship until he actually signs the dotted line. There are programs notorious for oversigning, but it's outlawed in the Big Ten.
Most Big Ten schools apparently have this rule and it also is an Indiana institutional rule that if a player shows up with 50 percent of a full scholarship, he must have that scholarship as long as he's enrolled at the university. So, if a player is a team cancer or is not living up to expectations, Indiana must sit on that scholarship. Institutionally, Smith is not allowed lower a scholarship once a student-athlete is enrolled. This practice, which Smith doesn't like to engage in, is very common at programs around the country.
First, I certainly have an issue with massive oversigning, but given the state of college baseball and the fact that you often get burned by players signing pro contracts at the last second; I don't have a huge problem with oversigning by a few players. Again, it needs to be regulated, but certainly not outlawed.
Second, I have zero problem with a coach taking away a scholarship from an undeserving player, or better yet, a player that is causing problems inside the clubhouse. However, I take issue with coaches decreasing scholarship money as a player gets older to make room for more scholarship money for new recruits. I know of some coaches that use this practice as "taking it for the team", but it is unethical and wrong. There are negatives with this rule, but the positives certainly outweigh them.
We will have much more on this issue in the coming weeks, but it seems to me the Big Ten needs to assimilate to the way the sport works elsewhere. Though some Big Ten coaches probably would like the rest of the country to adopt their rules, the likelihood of that occurring is low.
While weather holds back some Big Ten schools, conference and institutional rules probably are doing more to hurt programs.
Rivals College Baseball
Thoughts and opinions on this?
Kendall Rogers
Rivals.com/Yahoo! Sports College Baseball Editor
rogersk@yahoo-inc.com
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