Anyone out there have an opinion on how a top notch college baseball program would compare to the minor leagues? Would they be able to compete at the AA level or High A? Low A? What do you think?
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Wood or aluminum bats?
They wouldn't compare at all...wood or aluminum.
Ken,
That's a good question, one I didn't think of. I guess since colleges play with aluminum bats, I would have to say aluminum. I just meant the quality of play mainly, not really whether or not one would beat the other consistently. Hope that made sense!!
That's a good question, one I didn't think of. I guess since colleges play with aluminum bats, I would have to say aluminum. I just meant the quality of play mainly, not really whether or not one would beat the other consistently. Hope that made sense!!
Certainly some of the top D1 programs would compete favorably with low A -- many have kids that go directly to low A after signing, due to their experience against top-notch teams. A key ingredient in pro-ball is the Latin connection -- missing to a large degree from NCAA baseball. I think high A teams would dominate college teams. Also, college teams would struggle with wood for a few weeks.
Think of the professional teams as an All-Star teams made up of the BEST the WORLD has to offer in the way of college, and high school players. Now take the college team. The college teams are limited to academically eligible players that for the most part have to pay to attend college. While I agree that you can take certain talented college players that can compete very effectively at the pro level, the college roster is not blessed with that talent with their 1 to 9 hitters. Nor does the college pitching depth even come close to the professional pitchers. Look at the numbers. Once you compare the number of college/high school/international players feeding the number of professional clubs it becomes obvious the talent funnel narrows considerably at the professional level.
Fungo
Fungo
What Fungo said! 
I agree with Fungo and PantherDad. I would add that the biggest difference maker would be team speed in both the of and inf. College teams just would not have the team speed overall. Lots of speed in the pro ranks. Of arms are stronger overall. Not as easy to advance.
NCAA D-I would be comparable with A ball, there is already lots of documentation on the matter within the NCAA and MLB.... the best of the best in NCAA would make an average A ball team.
Maybe low A ball, but the High A ball teams would put it on the very best D 1 teams.
JMO
JMO
The right pitcher and you would have a serious ball game.
Cris Emanuel on North Easten took Clemente of Boston out of the park in pre season.
Cris Emanuel on North Easten took Clemente of Boston out of the park in pre season.
This topic has been vigorously debated many times on the hsbbweb. Here is a recent thread from the After HS forum:
Comparison Between Minor Leagues and Major D1
Comparison Between Minor Leagues and Major D1
Team Canada Juniors 16-17yos just lost to the Detroit extended spring team 6-3. JNT as they are called are no power house ever since Loewen and Davidson finished playing for them.
quote:The right pitcher and you would have a serious ball game
BobbleheadDoll, You make a great point and I agree. BUT this is also misleading because one dominant pitcher on an average team can stifle the offensive output of a far superior team. While a great pitcher may make a serious game, A single great pitcher does not make a great team.
Fungo
Yes a great pitcher can make the difference on a realatively weak team.
A true power hitter can also swing a game.
A true power hitter can also swing a game.
In the classic match up of a dominant pitcher vs. the true power hitter the advantage will always go to the pitcher especially when that power hitter has a weaker lineup to support him. In this situation the dominant pitcher will pitch around him and may even go to IBB or the HBP. This is a great example of where the D-1 cannot compete with the pro team. Pitch around a single pro hitter and the next batter will burn you.
Fungo
Fungo
Well.............
In my opinion, I don't think a good D1 college team would stand a chance against any level of pro ball with a wood bat.
A good D1 team would be lucky to send 5 guys into the draft on a given year. With those five, maybe 2 would be top 10 round picks.
In pro ball, most players possess at least 1 big league tool. Not true at the college level.
Think about this. In pro ball you are dealing with a pitching staff with live arms all the way through the staff. In college, your lucky if you have 3.
On a final note, what a player learns in one week of professional baseball may exceed what that player learns his whole college career. This in the respect on how to play the game.....i.e. the game within the game.
The toughest thing about pro ball.....if you get past the starter, out from the bullpen comes another great arm. Not so true with college ball.
Finally, if you put an alluminum bat in the hands of a pro team.....it would be a deadly game. Seriously.
In my opinion, I don't think a good D1 college team would stand a chance against any level of pro ball with a wood bat.
A good D1 team would be lucky to send 5 guys into the draft on a given year. With those five, maybe 2 would be top 10 round picks.
In pro ball, most players possess at least 1 big league tool. Not true at the college level.
Think about this. In pro ball you are dealing with a pitching staff with live arms all the way through the staff. In college, your lucky if you have 3.
On a final note, what a player learns in one week of professional baseball may exceed what that player learns his whole college career. This in the respect on how to play the game.....i.e. the game within the game.
The toughest thing about pro ball.....if you get past the starter, out from the bullpen comes another great arm. Not so true with college ball.
Finally, if you put an alluminum bat in the hands of a pro team.....it would be a deadly game. Seriously.
Ken,
Great points!!! Especially the part about putting aluminum bats in the hands of professional hitters...scary!
Great points!!! Especially the part about putting aluminum bats in the hands of professional hitters...scary!
Most of the guys in the minors are 1 or 2 years removed from metal bats.
My son's team last year used wood and there were balls that dropped in that would have been long outs. The guys were still parking them in the parking lot.
I know college guys that can hit a ball out using wood bats against the Major league pitchers. Chris Emmanuel,against Boston's Clemente, Nick Weglarz who is playing in the minors this year and just 18. I know several more that have touched minor league pitchers with the long ball.
My son's team last year used wood and there were balls that dropped in that would have been long outs. The guys were still parking them in the parking lot.
I know college guys that can hit a ball out using wood bats against the Major league pitchers. Chris Emmanuel,against Boston's Clemente, Nick Weglarz who is playing in the minors this year and just 18. I know several more that have touched minor league pitchers with the long ball.
quote:The toughest thing about pro ball.....if you get past the starter, out from the bullpen comes another great arm. Not so true with college ball.
So true. Middle relief is the achilles heal of college baseball, very iffy by nature. Even the very best college teams struggle to find consistant out production from their bullpens, due to the lack of depth in the staffs.
In college, if the starter has a bad day so does the team. Not always true in pro ball.
I'll say this and my quote
" U of Houston can compete with any AAA team and even some big league teams when BRAD LINCOLN is on the mound"
It's all realtive to the pitching. Put Weaver or Prior or Becket just to name a few on the mound for a college team while they were college age and the out come may be college sided!
" U of Houston can compete with any AAA team and even some big league teams when BRAD LINCOLN is on the mound"
It's all realtive to the pitching. Put Weaver or Prior or Becket just to name a few on the mound for a college team while they were college age and the out come may be college sided!