How is this usually handled? I'm guessing a lot has to do with the coach but for example are weekend starters always making the weekday game trips? If it's clear a pitcher isn't going to pitch in the weekday game(s) are they usually going?
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Typically the travel roster is 27 players traveling out of the 35 roster spots with 12+ or so pitchers. They take a lot of pitchers as sometimes many are used in a weekend series.
If a weekend starter is not going to pitch midweek, then in my experience, they generally don't travel. But there are exceptions.
A lot of this is conference and division dependent. How many games are being played and in what timeframe? What are the travel roster limitations which can depend on in conference vs. out of conference, tournament play, the coach's preference, etc.
D1 son's conference played two DH's on the weekends and typically two mid week games. You need a lot of pitchers for that. As a weekend starter he would not travel midweek unless the coach wanted him to get an inning or two.
At D3 there are far fewer games in a season than D1, but some schools have to compete in a 6-8 week span due to weather. That makes 5-6 games a week for some D3 schools too. Again, a lot of innings to pitch.
My youngest son's D3 traveled everybody to non-league tournament games and Spring break trips. My oldest son's D3 just traveled 25 players two weeks ago even though there's no D3 roster size limitation and the tourney had no roster limit either. But cost dictated that fewer traveled. It was 13 position players and 12 pitchers.
We don't really travel for midweeks, but from what I understand the travel roster will stay the same or be very close to the same. The only guys not traveling are the guys who are injured or reshirting (and likely transferring). I know the pitchers want to go to the midweeks. Even though the travel sucks it's more about hanging with the guys and getting out of class for a day.
We are hoping to find out (son had first weekend start Sunday. We'll see if it sticks). He thinks he will travel for midweeks even if he doesn't play.
At Clemson, the 27 travel squad guys traveled for out of town series. I believe the entire roster traveled to any weekday games that weren't at home as most were a short bus ride away.
This is a great opportunity for the Pitching Coach to conduct a seminar in the bull pen or on the bench during the game. "how would you pitch to a specific hitter" during the actual game.
Bob
Bob,
You are absolutely correct. Sadly, in my sons' experiences, they've never had a pitching coach engage much in game other than mound visits. So much coaching and training could be done that just doesn't happen.
And back to the OP question, my guy is getting the midweek start tomorrow which is a huge surprise. His team has had some pitching challenges, so perhaps it's just a matter of getting a veteran to begin the game. Usually midweek is a time to get younger guys or lesser used guys experience, or your top guys an inning or two. We'll see what shakes out.
nycdad posted:How is this usually handled? I'm guessing a lot has to do with the coach but for example are weekend starters always making the weekday game trips? If it's clear a pitcher isn't going to pitch in the weekday game(s) are they usually going?
This is one of the issues that always bugged me about college baseball. My son played in the ACC, 2008-2012. The general rule at his school was that all 35 traveled to pretty much everything UNLESS it was a conference game. As I recall, ACC rules capped the travel roster at 27. So, if there was a mid-week game EVERYONE traveled, even the Friday/Saturday/Sunday starters who were never going to pitch in a mid-week game. Yeah, most of the mid-week games were within a two hour drive. But, if you had a game at Western Carolina (or SC or UGA) you might leave at noon or 1:00 and get back well after midnight.
You would have the same, or worse scenario, with mid-week starters having to travel on the weekends. No way in heck was a mid-week starter gonna pitch on the weekend, but they still had to get on the bus at 10:00 Thursday morning, make the ride to Boston or Tallahassee or wherever, and make it back at 2:00 a.m. Monday morning.
Depending on your son's intended major, this may not be a big deal. Heck, it may even be a selling point for some. But, if he's considering any sort of STEM degree, it makes it tough.
Bottom line, at some programs you're an athlete first, then a student.
We had a starting weekend pitcher who was out last year with an injury. Back this year and he said one of the worst parts of last year was not being able to travel with the team. He simply felt like he was less a part of the team.
He's also a very good student. I think it just takes a super special person to be able to balance all that. I know I couldn't have done it when I was in college. Heck, I couldn't do it now.
