Boston College

In 2008, according to a player's parent/sportswriter I spoke with BC funded six rides. There is a new field in the process of being built. It was a condition for joining the ACC. Believe it or not the current field is used as a parking lot for BC football. They lay boards over the field. I'm amazed it's in the good shape it's in relative to the weather in the area.

The field is OK. However it's not a facility. It's not enclosed. Admission can't be charged. No locker rooms for players or umpires... No bullpen for visiting team... The visiting team warms up underneath the ramp to the parking garage from flat ground. No press box... The visiting team's broadcast is done from the stands. If they want protection from weather they have to bring their own tarp... No concessions (big need for hot coffee)... Stands only on one side of the field... Fans stand on the walkway leading to a multi-level garage on the rightfield side. I was at two of the Georgia Tech - BC games last spring. It was 25-30 degrees with the wind chill. A GT fan told me their car parked with the heat on, on the third floor of the parking garage overlooking the field was their luxury box. BC baseball is a zero revenue sport.

My understanding is that they are increasing annually and expect to fully fund the 11.7 within the next year, maybe 2.

Thanks for the feedback. RJM you painted quite a (cold) picture. I'm shivering just imagining it. BC is a great school but obviously has some work to do to compete with the warm weather schools in the ACC (ie WF).

quote:

Originally posted by igball:
Thanks for the feedback. RJM you painted quite a (cold) picture. I'm shivering just imagining it. BC is a great school but obviously has some work to do to compete with the warm weather schools in the ACC (ie WF).

I believe BC will always range from middle of the pack to bottom feeder. It has nothing to do with the program. It has everything to do with the weather.

The ACC is a very tough conference. The other teams are located in adequate on most days (Maryland) to warm (Florida State) weather. It places BC at a tremendous disadvantage in recruiting. The top prospects in New England want to go south. BC gets mostly second tier regional prospects. When they recruit down south they get third tier prospects. The first tier goes to the southern school of their choice. The second tier attends their second choice in the south. The third tier might go to BC to play against other teams in the ACC. There may be exceptions. But I see this as the norm.

I watched part of a game and chatted with the parents of one of the players from the south. The grew up watching SEC ball. He loves Boston and applied to BC. He didn't even approach the baseball program. He wasn't planning on playing college ball. He didn't think he had the skills to play D1 based on what he saw in the SEC. He started his soph season at BC.

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
The visiting team warms up underneath the ramp to the parking garage from flat ground.

If that means the pitchers were warming up there, NCAA rules state that if the visiting team feels a disparity between home and visiting bullpens, the visitor must be allowed to use the home bullpen.

BC is a great school in a wonderful city. Yes, the baseball talent is not great and many of the southern players could really help their program but I have never heard of BC recruiting in the south other than the perfect game events. What BC needs is fully funded scholarships, a state of the art facility (this will help with recruiting) and an indoor facility that they can practice in during the late fall, winter and early spring. Due to the academics and religion I would love for one of my sons to attend BC and play baseball.

BC currently has 2 Richmond area boys on their roster and another VA Beach area kid. I also knew other 2008's who were deep in talks with BC before choosing to go elsewhere. So I can assure you, BC recruits to its south!

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Originally posted by CPLZ:

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
The visiting team warms up underneath the ramp to the parking garage from flat ground.

If that means the pitchers were warming up there, NCAA rules state that if the visiting team feels a disparity between home and visiting bullpens, the visitor must be allowed to use the home bullpen.

I'll guess visiting team coaches don't want their bullpen out behind the leftfield fence with the BC pitchers when their bench is on the first base side. I've seen four games there this year. The visiting team went under the runway. I think TPM commented on this. Her son told her about it.

I'll bet BC puts the opposition on the first base side for home field advantage. The first base dugout goes into the shadows early due to the parking garage. It gets cold fast in the shade in April.

Glad I spotted this post - my son (Georgia) is very interested in BC, has been since he was 12. Was up there a couple of weeks ago & toured the campus, but coaches were on vacation. They've been great, however, about responding to his notes & requests for info (he's a junior, can't get 'active' yet).

CBG, one piece of feedback he did get: 'We guys up North can't spend a lot of time recruiting in the South since those guys will likely not end up coming up this way'.

Regarding the new field, I read that it is still in the planning stages. They are having problems with the neighborhood accepting BC's master plan for redevelopment which includes a new stadium (hard to believe in a pro-development place like Boston).

Few better schools in the country but until the administration shows a committment to baseball they will continue to suffer big time in recruiting.

quote:

Originally posted by igball:
Regarding the new field, I read that it is still in the planning stages. They are having problems with the neighborhood accepting BC's master plan for redevelopment which includes a new stadium (hard to believe in a pro-development place like Boston).

Few better schools in the country but until the administration shows a committment to baseball they will continue to suffer big time in recruiting.

Boston College isn't in Boston. It's in the suburbs.

The same anti-growth crowd surrounds Chestnut Hill as does Beacon Hill.

Chestnut Hill is an area, not a town. It encompasses parts of Newton and Brookline. Boston College is in Newton. Newton borders on Brighton. Now that I think about it, I believe the complex is supposed to be built on the other side of Comm Av., behind the stores near the T stop. That's Brighton which is part of Boston.

I know a couple of kids that attend and play baseball, both freshmen and they say that the field is still for 2009-2010 but like posted, meeting lots of flack from the neighborhood. They have a solid ball club, good players but not be able to compete with long relief and Sunday pitchers from the upper tier ACC programs. Last year they lost quite a few games late when starters were replacedor on Sundays. I believe they will get to where they want to be, in that ACC tourney and this is Coach's 2nd (?) recruiting class. Go Eagles!

I don't know where the visitors bullpen is but many years ago it was flat ground. Some of the starters had trouble going from flat ground to mound. For some reason or another son felt comfortable and did well in relief.
Regardless of future new facilities, there are some changes that could be made now that would make it more friendly, some of which RJM mentioned. I do believe that it's going to be 4 years since they joined the ACC? You need better facilities to get commitments away from other programs, not just ACC. I know of some players that chose other northern programs in other conferences over BC, just for that fact alone. The school is a great institution, but it's very hard to play for any program that has a losing record.

BC's record was 26-27 and 9-21 in conference. They have a long way to go to even begin to be competitive in ACC in baseball.

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
BC's record was 26-27 and 9-21 in conference. They have a long way to go to even begin to be competitive in ACC in baseball.

They beat up on schools like Harvard, Northeastern and UMass during the week to get near .500. I watched a kid get his (bleeps) ripped off against Georgia Tech and Florida State in relief. I watched him mow down Harvard in a start.