Good time to be a College Pitcher

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Would you have a different opinion if your son had 4 games scheduled one week and the university decided to add two games in there at a moments notice in order to make for a couple of rainouts the previous week? I think that sends a pretty clear message about priority being Omaha and not academics.

Thats a criticism of a school's administration...not a comment of support for the rule. To me, its actually a further admission that the USD is a bad idea given your critique of the fallout.

So we're building a list:

* Now instead of 1/3 to 1/2 the schools living with a cruddy schedule, they all will
* With no rainouts, a near-pro schedule is imposed on all baseball student-athletes
* Weekend pitchers will be overused
* Kids on the bench will have a harder time breaking through

and, thank you for this one...

* Some schools will work too hard to get their 56 games in at the possible expense of the students

I see 1 "good" thing....

- More action for pitchers 10-12 on the roster

This (1) is not worth the price of the others.

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I see 1 "good" thing....

- More action for pitchers 10-12 on the roster

This (1) is not worth the price of the others.

I would go a little deeper than that (12-17 perhaps) and that is what motivated me to start the thread. I am against the USD and never intended this thread to be about that. That said, and I agree with PG, it is always fun to get the warm blood flowing every now and then on the hsbbweb

Check out some of the ACC schools rosters. One team Tech has players from Iowa, Colorado, MN, OH. Clemson I do beleive only has 10 from South Carolina. The rest come from all over, MA, VT, NY. UVA has a player from Kansas?
What about Duke? MI, IL, RI, NY, NJ, MA.

Northern players don't get short changed, they only short change themselves assuming they don't have to get seen in front of the right people.

This is all about exposing your talent.

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There is no doubt that “more” good baseball players come from the south and the west.

25% of the population lives in California, Texas and Florida.

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This is all about exposing your talent.

It is no more complicated than that. Missing either one - talent or exposure could end your son's career. If one wants to play in the south or the west, they need to be exposed to coaches in the south or the west. From there, it is up to their ability.

justbb's Omaha team last year had one of the most talented freshmen pitchers in the country last year. Where was that kid from? Indiana!

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25% of the population lives in California, Texas and Florida.

Typically that 25% accounts for 60% of the total number of drafted players. Even in an off year it will acount for 50% of the draft.

The good news is... That still leaves plenty of room for the top players from other areas.

Getting back to the original question, it does provide more opportunity.

However one thing I don't get. My understanding is that this came about as teh big North powerhouse objected to the warmer climate schools getting opportunities to get out on the field earlier than others.

Yet the schools that have to travel still have to travel. This still doesn't take away further burden of the implications how it can affect one in the classroom.

From last year's outcome, I don't see any big changes. Does anyone else? The same schools dominate.

Who really will suffer in the end?

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Originally posted by justbaseball:

So we're building a list:

* Now instead of 1/3 to 1/2 the schools living with a cruddy schedule, they all will
* With no rainouts, a near-pro schedule is imposed on all baseball student-athletes
* Weekend pitchers will be overused
* Kids on the bench will have a harder time breaking through

It's funny how perspective differs. Your cruddy schedule is our business as usual, normal day/week/month.

The last three items you site have nothing to do with rules, and everything to do with administrative and coaching decisions, with them only being new to warm weather coaches.

Has the compressed schedule and roster limits led to more two way players? I thought the new rules would make kids who played a position and pitched a true commodity. I don't follow enough college games to know but is this happening more than in previous years?

deldad,

Just based on what our program did in the early signing period, I would say there wasn't much of a difference. I believe they signed eight during that period and one was listed as OF/LHP. We are losing twenty-one seniors this upcoming year so they could still sign those type of players in the Spring/Summer signing period.

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tpm quote:
...the big North powerhouse

Is that like jumbo shrimp?

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deldad quote:
Has the compressed schedule and roster limits led to more two way players?

Besides seeing them as freaks of nature at the college level I think most would be used as inning eaters in a mop up role. The different conditioning routines along with inconsistent reps make most two way players a jack of all trades master of none.

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Originally posted by rz1:

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tpm quote:
...the big North powerhouse

Is that like jumbo shrimp?

Always looking for someway for a put down, huh.

It was the guy from Michigan right? He sat on the NCAA board? Someone correct me if I am wrong.

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Always looking for someway for a put down, huh.

You've got to be kidding me

Some might call it a play on words

Some may call it humor

Some may call it having fun in conversation

Some may call it a fun way of saying a Northern powerhouse might not exist

But I don't know how anyone can say I was putting you down. If anyone in this world would say Northern Powerhouse I would say jumbo shrimp. Its the first thing that came to mind.

I made a mistake, I meant northern powerhouse conference, but you knew that, didn't you.

How about just answering the question, that would be more helpful.

It was Michigan wasn't it?

Rz-they probably would be inning eaters but that may be a valuable commodity, with the schedules and roster limits. The difference in training techniques could make this a dangerous thing for the players but I wonder if it will become a necessity.

Another solution may be to take more pitchers and less position players. Has anyone seen more roster spots going to pitchers?

I will have to compare a college staff with a AA staff at about 60 games to see if the number of pitchers used is comparable. That may be interesting.

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The last three items you site have nothing to do with rules, and everything to do with administrative and coaching decisions, with them only being new to warm weather coaches.

Completely disagree.

deldad - you ask a good question. On one hand, yes the new rules would place a premium on two way players if you can find one. There are very few in college baseball who can actually do it however. Moreover, I believe because of the 11.75 scholarship rules, that two way players have always been a valuable commodity - assuming a player can produce in both roles. Thus, if a coach were to offer a two-way guy 100% and that guy was productive in two roles, it would be like signing two guys at 50% scholarship. Consequently, I think two-way guys have always turned heads. Again, many guys may come in as two-way guys but very few seem to pull it off. Tim Hudson and Micah Owings were both very productive two-way guys. Fungo's son Josh Bell followed Hudson at Auburn and was also a productive two-way guy. I know he has had some mixed emotions about those aspects and perhaps he can further comment.

I think on every college roster you will find one of those position guys who can play any role when called upon. Matt Weiters (GT) was one, he'd take off his catching gear and close if needed. Sean Doolittle (UVA), Friday night starter but first base other days because of his bat, Kris Harvey(CU), starter who DH'd his way through college ball and Dennis Raybin at Miami. And did't UNC have an outfielder (or still there) who did pitch some innings as well?
But I don't think that coaches recruit with that intention, to fill rosters with many two way players, it just doesn't work.

The two-way recruits I know of end up excelling in one position and not playing much in the other.

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Originally posted by Infield08:
The two-way recruits I know of end up excelling in one position and not playing much in the other.

That has been my experience as well but it is not universally true obviously in all cases. Sean Doolittle was a great example as he was basically an All-American at two positions. I would put Micah Owings in that same category. Micah is still one of the better hitters in the big leagues imho if only they would give him more chances to hit

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Originally posted by TPM:
Always looking for someway for a put down, huh.

Pssst...I think he was joking.

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Originally posted by justbaseball:
Beezer, thats a very good question that I obviously don't have the answer too.


So lets take a jump to a position player. I still see lineups mostly filled with the regulars on weekday games. How does the extra infielder...or 4th/5th outfielder work their way into the lineup? How do they get a rhythm? By 1 or 2 ABs a week? Doubt it.

I think this new schedule solidifies the lineup...locks it in just a little more. The 10th-12th pitcher may get more time...but the 13th-14th don't...and the 11th-20th position players don't either. Thats just my observation, no data, nothing more.

Good perspective. Thanks!

And what is "USD" that keeps getting refered to?

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Originally posted by Beezer:


And what is "USD" that keeps getting refered to?

USD = Uniform Start Date

Ahhhhhh....THAT makes sense!