Boston College

I can't provide any insight on the athletic side, but based on our 2012 non-athlete daughter's experience, from the financial aid side BC is virtually all needs-based.

Best wishes as you go through your process.

The head coach was an assistant at Virginia Tech before returning to BC. I think he is a great guy and a very good coach who has competed well in the ACC at a school where that is very, very difficult.

Thanks for the input.

I think they compete well, we saw them in Miami last year but they lack the horses to go deep in a series.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimnev:
I think they compete well, we saw them in Miami last year but they lack the horses to go deep in a series.

The top northeast talent heads south. Now BC has a ranked (last year) UConn to contend with for talent.

[/QUOTE]The top northeast talent heads south.[/QUOTE]

Apparently some only had enough gas money to get them to Long Island. Besides, a look at the CWS rosters besides SB, I find 1 player from the NE. BC is a very expensive school that has a hard time attracting roster spot only players. The head coach
is very good, and as with MD, Duke, and VT, battles for wins in the very tough ACC.

"The top NE talent heads south" ? I find 6 Texas players on the Arkansas team. They probably say the top players go north.

I'm not sure what some Texas players going to college in a bordering state has to do with New England players headng south. Last time I checked Long Island is south of Boston. If you think it's cold on LI in the spring, try New England.

College baseball just isn't that big in New England. But I'm talking about the top prospects from New England that head for the ACC and SEC.

After BC and UConn playing major conference there isn't much in the way of winning mid majors. There are some good D2 and D3 programs. Please name a top prospect from New England rated higher than those headed for the SEC or ACC schools other than BC.

It's hard to win in the ACC without top prospects. Even with two #1's three years ago (Sanchez, Belfiore) and a couple of others drafted (Wiswall, Butera) BC was a .500 team in conference. Sanchez came to BC because no one down south from the SEC or ACC other than BC was interested.

Vanderbilt (Flaherty, Giobbi, Esposito, Casali, Yastrzemski, Beede, Wiseman and several others) does very well recruiting in New England. Corbin is from New Hampshire.

"If you think it's cold on LI in the spring, try New England."

That made me laugh.

I grew up on LI, live in NE, and can't WAIT to leave it all behind some day. Winters on LI can be pretty miserable too. We all caught a nice break this past winter, but I totally understand why my boy would love to play in the south. Put those snowy spring games behind ya.


But I am VERY proud of Stony Brook!!

quote:

Originally posted by BaseballmomandCEP:
"If you think it's cold on LI in the spring, try New England."

That made me laugh.

I grew up on LI, live in NE, and can't WAIT to leave it all behind some day. Winters on LI can be pretty miserable too. We all caught a nice break this past winter, but I totally understand why my boy would love to play in the south. Put those snowy spring games behind ya.


But I am VERY proud of Stony Brook!!

I grew up in NE and left for college. BC sent my son a bunch of recruiting stuff. They had recently purchased "The Bubble" an indoor cover for the football field they use all winter. They still promote "The Bubble." I couldn't get my son interested in matriculating north of Jacksonville.

BaseballmomCEP,
In my view, it really does not matter what top prospects leave New England for the ACC or SEC if your son isn't one of them.
What is important is whether BC is an attractive baseball option for your son.
Coach Hughes and Coach Aoki were terrific at scouting, recruiting, coaching and developing players and bringing some nice success to the BC program.
I don't have any experience with the current staff but I have great respect for jemaz views on college baseball. I think he is very knowledgable.
While we can look at this different ways, our experience suggests the best question to try and answer, if a player is not a top recruit or elite player coming out of HS, is where can he be in 3-4 years? How well can this staff develop him, if our son does everything needed...and a bit more?
I thought I would post a cut/paste on a recent blog on what happens at the University of San Francisco, where they don't recruit elite players, but end up developing them after 3-4 years.
I think the point of jemaz' post is he feels/believes this coaching staff is in a mold of what Coach Hughes started and they can develop talent which might not be "ranked" or "rated" as elite out of HS. In my view, jemaz opinion is a good one to consider and explore as far as you feel comfortable.
To me, what you want to be able to judge is whether coaches, such as those at BC, can develop players and their talent such as your son's.
The coaches generally do at USF and a number of college programs, but by no means all of them.
I hope this USF summary is helpful in moving your focus and thinking to places which will help you and especially your son over the next few years: Can and do these coaches develop players and can they do that for our son, if our son does his part?


"Ok, full disclosure here... I coached at USF, I played junior college ball for USF head coach Nino Giarratano, USF pitching coach Greg Moore was in my wedding and I coached him for a year, I consider that coaching staff part of my family and after my time there as a coach and after getting my master's degree there, not to mention meeting the mother of my son there, well, I BLEED USF green and gold.

However, all that aside (really? I can say "all that aside" and mean it?)... do you know how many college programs have had MORE pitchers drafted in the first round than USF's three since the 2007 draft? Do you?

The answer is TWO. Exactly two college programs have had MORE pitchers drafted in the first round (including the supplemental round) than the University of San Francisco.

Vanderbilt, Stanford, San Francisco, Georgia Tech... look at the names of the schools. Are you surprised?

Vanderbilt has had five pitchers drafted in the first round, Stanford has had four while USF and Georgia Tech have had three apiece.

ASU? UCLA? Texas? Virginia? Oregon? Kentucky? Florida? LSU? Missouri? Miami? Rice? Arizona? Hello? Noonan?

Those teams all have had at least one and a couple of them have had two pitchers drafted in the first round. In the case of Arizona, they were both relievers.

So where is Cal? Where is Fullerton? Where is Long Beach State? Where is Washington? Where is San Diego? Where is USC? Where is Cal Poly? Not on this list. However, those schools are on the "wish list" of the top high school pitchers. Hey high school pitchers, get wise, wake up, consider something other than the name on a jersey or the average everyday temp and all that brings with it.

So why do I write all of this? It isn't to pick on those other programs. Rather, it is to show just how good USF is at developing players and pitchers in particular. So why are the Dons not able to attract big time prospects out of high school?"

My son and I have talked about how much regard we have for the players and coaches at Boston College. As prior posts suggest, the combination of the Boston weather and high cost has to create quite a challenge. However, any of their opponents will tell you that they come into a series with them with a great deal of respect.

An anecdote about the weather: In my son's senior year, we traveled to Boston for a weekend series beginning on April 5th only to find that the first day's game was snowed out. It was so cold a couple of days later that our relief pitchers used some discarded plywood behind the outfield wall (where both bullpens are located) and built a lean-to to shield them from the strong wind.

Separately, infielddad, I thought your post about USF was terrific! I've watched with interest as they've consistently developed an excellent pitching staff.

For the record, UNC has had two starting pitchers drafted in the first round since 2007: Alex White as the Rockies' 15th pick in 2009 and Matt Harvey, as the 7th pick by the Mets in 2010.

My son played for the BC head coach at VT and really liked him....he also really likes the VT HC.

quote:

Originally posted by Prepster:
My son and I have talked about how much regard we have for the players and coaches at Boston College. As prior posts suggest, the combination of the Boston weather and high cost has to create quite a challenge. However, any of their opponents will tell you that they come into a series with them with a great deal of respect.

An anecdote about the weather: In my son's senior year, we traveled to Boston for a weekend series beginning on April 5th only to find that the first day's game was snowed out. It was so cold a couple of days later that our relief pitchers used some discarded plywood behind the outfield wall (where both bullpens are located) and built a lean-to to shield them from the strong wind.

Separately, infielddad, I thought your post about USF was terrific! I've watched with interest as they've consistently developed an excellent pitching staff.

For the record, UNC has had two starting pitchers drafted in the first round since 2007: Alex White as the Rockies' 15th pick in 2009 and Matt Harvey, as the 7th pick by the Mets in 2010.

It's cold at BC's field often. The wind whips across the reservoir and over an open exposed area to the field. That's on top of how cold it may be before the wind. From a fan's point of view with the parking garage up against the baseball field, parking at the right angle provides a heated luxury box. I can picture the bullpen guys doing anything to stay warm. The wind is blowing directly on their backs. And you ate at Legal Seafood, didn't you?

Infielddad and prepster and all- thanks for the postings, this is why I love this board so much. I knew I could get some great perspective.

Don't get me wrong, if an opportunity develops with BC we would be very pleased, cold is not a deciding factor! I was looking for some input on coaching staff and - as you suggested - the opportunties to develop as a pitcher and have a quality college baseball experience despite being in a tough position in that conference.

Sounds like a first class coaching staff, I'll share all this with my son.

Someday I hope the folks down south will give us some stories about the heat, because they have to overcome a lot in that regard.

I grew up in Texas (lived there 50 years), and learned to hydrate, recognize the signs of too much heat. My son, who lived in Texas the first 13 years of his life, says he has no interest in playing in that heat again.

I'm sure that many of the NE players who follow the dream down south have to learn to adjust to the heat, especially if they are playing where it is also humid. At least the college season is over before it gets really hot - but boy will it be hot in August and September.

Sorry Baseballmom - I know this is off topic. But everyone talks about the cold, and how awful it is to play in it. As a refugee from the heat and humidity, I'd just note that unless you are in sunny California, there will be weather challenges wherever you play, especially if you play in a climate which is new to you.

As for BC - the only exposure I have to the coach was at a BC camp his first year. Boy was I impressed - energetic, straightforward, practical. And what a great academic school with an amazing alumnae network. But you know that!

quote:

It was so cold a couple of days later that our relief pitchers used some discarded plywood behind the outfield wall (where both bullpens are located) and built a lean-to to shield them from the strong wind.

Prepster-I thought you were going to tell us they built a bonfire in the bullpen!

twotex - I agree there are weather challenges everywhere. Adapt.

quote:

Originally posted by fenwaysouth:

quote:

It was so cold a couple of days later that our relief pitchers used some discarded plywood behind the outfield wall (where both bullpens are located) and built a lean-to to shield them from the strong wind.

Prepster-I thought you were going to tell us they built a bonfire in the bullpen!

twotex - I agree there are weather challenges everywhere. Adapt.

Some weather challenges are greater than others. Among them, snow and wind and freezing rain.

Son and several HS & travel teammates went to winter prospect camp in the bubble. Bubble facility was impressive. Coach Friedholm was excellent and boys spoke highly of the rest of the staff.

I've played in suffocating heat and frigid wind chills. I'll take the heat anytime. You can pour water over your head in the heat. There's nothing that helps in the cold.

RJM, it is so funny you say that. Being transplanted from Houston to Connecticut we comment all the time that you can add a layer when it is cold, but you can't get naked enough to beat the heat and humidity.

(In Houston pouring water on your head does nothing, as you are already drenched because sweat doesn't evaporate in high humidity.)

I've jogged in Houston in August. I spent a year in Houston.

quote:

Originally posted by twotex:
RJM, it is so funny you say that. Being transplanted from Houston to Connecticut we comment all the time that you can add a layer when it is cold, but you can't get naked enough to beat the heat and humidity.

(In Houston pouring water on your head does nothing, as you are already drenched because sweat doesn't evaporate in high humidity.)

twotex: I agree with you about Houston. Nonetheless, you sound just like a guy who moved from the warm to the cold. I did the opposite and, of course, have a totally opposite point of view.