"Northern" college baseball

Notice anything unusual about this schedule? Every game is a southern trip.

http://owls.umpi.edu/sports/bsb/2016-17/schedule

Location ...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Presque+Isle,+ME/@45.9945186,-68.4633419,7z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4cbcae63521e11db:0x3410cae257641d49?hl=en-US

Lol....fortunately his isn't  quite that bad....though if his home opener gets cancelled due to weather (it has the past 2 years) our season opening stretch of away games will get to 20

That has to be a really hard life for the academic kids who miss so much study and class time on those frequent and long bus rides.  I wonder how many of the players really factor that in when they make a decision of where to play college baseball?  No doubt a trip to Arizona or Florida looks like a lot of fun until you do it too often.

Being from SoCal where the fields are in playing condition year-round, it was amazing to see what some of the baseball fields looked like in Feb/March when my 2017 was exploring some Northern colleges.  We thought we were at the wrong place when we looked at the field the Manhattan Jaspers practice on--it looked worse than some of the youth fields behind the elementary schools in Orange County.  Great school and lots of opportunities in New York City, but a real challenge in recruiting baseball players to play there.  San Diego on the other hand...

Backstop22 posted:

That has to be a really hard life for the academic kids who miss so much study and class time on those frequent and long bus rides.  I wonder how many of the players really factor that in when they make a decision of where to play college baseball?  No doubt a trip to Arizona or Florida looks like a lot of fun until you do it too often.

Being from SoCal where the fields are in playing condition year-round, it was amazing to see what some of the baseball fields looked like in Feb/March when my 2017 was exploring some Northern colleges.  We thought we were at the wrong place when we looked at the field the Manhattan Jaspers practice on--it looked worse than some of the youth fields behind the elementary schools in Orange County.  Great school and lots of opportunities in New York City, but a real challenge in recruiting baseball players to play there.  San Diego on the other hand...

Unfortunately his team still doesn't have turf.  It takes until the first week of April here in Ohio until the outfield grass starts to grow....fortunately the tarp on the IF actually helps that grass get going a little earlier.  His team has 8 home games out of the first 36 (exactly 2 months) of the season

RJM posted:

Notice anything unusual about this schedule? Every game is a southern trip.

http://owls.umpi.edu/sports/bsb/2016-17/schedule

Location ...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Presque+Isle,+ME/@45.9945186,-68.4633419,7z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4cbcae63521e11db:0x3410cae257641d49?hl=en-US

U-Maine Farmington has been undefeated at home for like 8 years.  Their home record over that time is 4-0.    (due to the snow and poor weather, they've only had 4 home games in the past 8 years!! give or take)

Per TopCoachPodCast interview: http://topcoachpodcast.com/top...ey-umaine-farmington

Buckeye 2015 posted:

Son got his schedule today for next Spring....we knew most of it, but were waiting on a couple midweek games to finish out the Spring Break Trip.  For those of you who wonder why a lot of kids want to "go South" to play in college....here you go.

20 of the first 21 games on the road, including 9-game Spring Break trip.  

Total of 17 homes games from a 55 game schedule.   They aren't flying anywhere this year....all bus rides

First Home Game is game #17 of the season

Opening weekend:  11 hour bus ride each way

2nd weekend:  9 hours each way

Spring Trip: 37 hours on the bus...not including going from the hotel to the games.

That's 16 games in the first 24 days of the season....and 77 HOURS on a bus!

Good thing is...they should only have about  50 hours on a bus for the remaining 22 away games 

Well, if you look at it another way, it's only a little over 3 days on the bus in that stretch.

RJM posted:

Notice anything unusual about this schedule? Every game is a southern trip.

http://owls.umpi.edu/sports/bsb/2016-17/schedule

Location ...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Presque+Isle,+ME/@45.9945186,-68.4633419,7z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4cbcae63521e11db:0x3410cae257641d49?hl=en-US

Been there many, many times.  It's up there and the winters are long.  Outstanding snowmobiling though!

Looks about right Buckeye 2015, and no real surprises there for Northern teams playing their first 15-20 games in warmer climates.    I recall my son's first college games against a team ranked #1 in the polls at the time.   His team took their first outdoor practice prior to the first game....it had been a historically cold winter in the north and his team was not able to get outside.   The outfielders had their work cut out for themselves.  The outcome was memorable for all the wrong reasons. 

My northernmost school to I am regularly assigned is about 10 miles further from the Equator (or closer to the North Pole, if you prefer) than UMPI. When you're on that weird early spring day where it starts off with snow on the ground and the direct sun makes it too hot to wear jackets, it becomes uncomfortable in a hurry.

Backstop22 posted:

That has to be a really hard life for the academic kids who miss so much study and class time on those frequent and long bus rides.  I wonder how many of the players really factor that in when they make a decision of where to play college baseball?  No doubt a trip to Arizona or Florida looks like a lot of fun until you do it too often.

Being from SoCal where the fields are in playing condition year-round, it was amazing to see what some of the baseball fields looked like in Feb/March when my 2017 was exploring some Northern colleges.  We thought we were at the wrong place when we looked at the field the Manhattan Jaspers practice on--it looked worse than some of the youth fields behind the elementary schools in Orange County.  Great school and lots of opportunities in New York City, but a real challenge in recruiting baseball players to play there.  San Diego on the other hand...

Not to mention the costs involved not only for the school but any parents/fans who make the trip.  I remember a few times going up north.  One series out of 4 days there we had 1 playable day (drizzle ).  Trip probably cost me close to $1000 (hotel, rental car, air tickets, meals) just to see 1 game.  Got to spend extended time with son so maybe was worth it?  Can't complain with  SoCal and baseball weather.

fenwaysouth posted:

Looks about right Buckeye 2015, and no real surprises there for Northern teams playing their first 15-20 games in warmer climates.    I recall my son's first college games against a team ranked #1 in the polls at the time.   His team took their first outdoor practice prior to the first game....it had been a historically cold winter in the north and his team was not able to get outside.   The outfielders had their work cut out for themselves.  The outcome was memorable for all the wrong reasons. 

Exact same scenario for son's team last year....opened at an SEC school in front of close to 7000 people after having taken outdoor BP for the first time (no fielding) the day before they headed for TX. 

Some say weather shouldn’t be a factor in a kid’s college baseball decision.

IMHO, it’s just one of many, many factors. And it’s weighting in the overall process varies by kid. 

It was no big deal to my oldest coming out of high school. After a couple years up north, weather became a much bigger factor in the transfer destination.  

We saw him play in Mississippi, Texas, California, Nevada, Virginia...but never on his home field at his original school. Weather wreaked havoc on practice and game schedules. 

Branson Baseball posted:

Some say weather shouldn’t be a factor in a kid’s college baseball decision.

IMHO, it’s just one of many, many factors. And it’s weighting in the overall process varies by kid. 

It was no big deal to my oldest coming out of high school. After a couple years up north, weather became a much bigger factor in the transfer destination.  

We saw him play in Mississippi, Texas, California, Nevada, Virginia...but never on his home field at his original school. Weather wreaked havoc on practice and game schedules. 

Son grew up here in NW Ohio so he was used to cold (sometimes snowy) Spring weather, as HS practice starts here not long after the college spring season gets started.  He actually played HS games here that started about the same time as his current first college home game.  When my son was "targeting" future schools while in HS, I constantly asked him if he wanted to expand his search further south.  He didn't....he went about 3 hours South with his search.... schools as far south as Kentucky...but no further.  As it ended up, he went North....though only about 25 miles 

Two short anecdotes on playing for a northern team:

-The back of my neck was once sunburned during a Saturday double-header.  The game the following day was delayed to allow the snow to melt and the field to dry.

-My first ever college baseball game was the first time I threw outside that spring.

During youth baseball, our moms would run laps around the field to warm up between innings. Son once burned his bottom because the coaches gave the boys hand warmers to keep in their back pockets. His hands were still cold, but his rear was on fire!

You folks are scaring me. 

Plus talked to son yesterday on face time. I was startled that it was already dark.  4:45 pm. 

He likes his winter clothes: thinks they're "swag."  But, he's eager to get back to weather he's used to.

The December 21 sunset time for Boston is 4:15pm. The New England states are considering leaving the Eastern time zone. Geographically (latitude wise) it belongs in the Atlantic time zone. It won’t make it any warmer. But it will be lighter an hour later. It’s depressing to look up at 4pm and it’s almost dark. 

It was really weird the first December 21 I lived in southern CA. It was dark at 5pm and 70 degrees out. It didn’t compute. But I got used to it for twenty years. 

smokeminside posted:

You folks are scaring me. 

Plus talked to son yesterday on face time. I was startled that it was already dark.  4:45 pm. 

He likes his winter clothes: thinks they're "swag."  But, he's eager to get back to weather he's used to.

Does he have Bean boots? They’re the most ugly hip shoes on earth. 

https://www.llbean.com/llb/sho...an-boots-8&csp=f

I grew up in the east so I still have a pair of those, and of course the obligatory docksiders.

Both of my kids flirted with going to school in the east.  The eldest almost went to a school in PA, and when the youngest was talking to schools in states like VT, NY, PA, WA, and NH, he claimed to have no qualms at all about going to school in a cold climate.

Fast forward to the present, and when the eldest came home from SoCal for Thanksgiving, he was wearing shorts, and put on long pants for TDay dinner, and that's it.  Meanwhile the youngest tells me while we're on the way to the airport how he happy he is to be going back to school in SoCal cause he was freezing to death here in his hometown  -- where it snows a quarter inch maybe once every 20 years.

I'm happy that the kid is happy, but the old fart in me says a few years in New England would have helped him toughen up and built some character!

Patagonia retro pile sweater/jacket.  Apparently, the Amherst uniform.

Pa

Timberlands. Insulated.  He likes them so much he says he sleeps in them.

What he looked like when we left him in early September.  You can take the boy out of Hawaii and it also looks like you can take Hawaii out of the boy.

Smoke - Nice clothes.  My youngest son is a Patagonia fan as well.  This jacket/pullover will get him through what remains of the dry winter season in western MA.   I was in Boston last week and it was in the 30s and 40's and not too bad temperature wise, but snow and sleet are a different matter entirely.   He's going to need another jacket for the wet winter season.   Just saying another winter jacket for the snow would make a nice Xmas present along with some wicking and warm athletic undergarments to go under his uniform.. 

RJM posted:

smokeminside posted:

You folks are scaring me. 

Plus talked to son yesterday on face time. I was startled that it was already dark.  4:45 pm. 

He likes his winter clothes: thinks they're "swag."  But, he's eager to get back to weather he's used to.

Does he have Bean boots? They’re the most ugly hip shoes on earth. 

https://www.llbean.com/llb/sho...an-boots-8&csp=f

Very popular New England gear right there.  I have four members of my household, which means there are four pairs of those next to the door.  Would highly recommend the Gore-Tex thinsulated versions (wife prefers the Sherpa lined) however. 

Smoke - Two nights ago I ordered those exact Timberlands for younger son who goes to school in upstate NY for Christmas.  Apparently that's the style now.

Flirted with 60 degrees yesterday. This is my pool today.

Got son some of those boots for WV also... I know, WV doesn't quite qualify as "Northern" but snow isn't uncommon where he is.  Of course, being a California kid, he'll wear the boots but it will be with shorts.

Crazy here today near the Central Calif Coast ... 22 degrees this morning with a huge wildfire problem just 100 miles south.

Smoke - love the September pic... I see someone is cut out.  We have a family member who enforces the 6" rule.  For any family gathering, if there is a new boyfriend or girlfriend, he makes them stand 6" apart for pictures so the newcomer can be cut out if things don't work out. 

Had to laugh at my son.  He’s a CA kid, but spent 6 years living in Connecticut — so he thinks he has winter all figured out.  Me:  I grew up in St Paul.  

So when he said he was going to Iowa for school and wasn’t worried about the cold, I just chuckled.  Told him that he has no idea what cold really is.

This fall — as we were buying the college clothes we tried hard to buy him sweaters, gloves, boots, etc… he said no, he’d be fine.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. I'm chatting with him and he tells me how he had to ride his bike to Walmart to get wool socks and gloves .  He called my wife as asked us to get him some Timberline boots too.  

He has no idea… but he soon will. If he thinks November is cold — I can’t wait to talk to him in February.  

MAM posted:

Had to laugh at my son.  He’s a CA kid, but spent 6 years living in Connecticut — so he thinks he has winter all figured out.  Me:  I grew up in St Paul.  

So when he said he was going to Iowa for school and wasn’t worried about the cold, I just chuckled.  Told him that he has no idea what cold really is.

This fall — as we were buying the college clothes we tried hard to buy him sweaters, gloves, boots, etc… he said no, he’d be fine.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. I'm chatting with him and he tells me how he had to ride his bike to Walmart to get wool socks and gloves .  He called my wife as asked us to get him some Timberline boots too.  

He has no idea… but he soon will. If he thinks November is cold — I can’t wait to talk to him in February.  

I live about 50 miles from where your son is going to school. Temp started over 60 yesterday morning, below 40 in the evening. 26 this morning. Welcome to Iowa!!!

Too cold to be mistaken for heaven, IMO.

This thread reminds of the Swedish proverb/rhyme: "Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder" -- there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing

fenwaysouth posted:

Smoke - Nice clothes.  My youngest son is a Patagonia fan as well.  This jacket/pullover will get him through what remains of the dry winter season in western MA.   I was in Boston last week and it was in the 30s and 40's and not too bad temperature wise, but snow and sleet are a different matter entirely.   He's going to need another jacket for the wet winter season.   Just saying another winter jacket for the snow would make a nice Xmas present along with some wicking and warm athletic undergarments to go under his uniform.. 

Fenway, your note made me think of this.  Not a perfect metaphor, but not bad, either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT9BeGNnCqw

9and7dad posted:

RJM posted:

smokeminside posted:

You folks are scaring me. 

Plus talked to son yesterday on face time. I was startled that it was already dark.  4:45 pm. 

He likes his winter clothes: thinks they're "swag."  But, he's eager to get back to weather he's used to.

Does he have Bean boots? They’re the most ugly hip shoes on earth. 

https://www.llbean.com/llb/sho...an-boots-8&csp=f

Very popular New England gear right there.  I have four members of my household, which means there are four pairs of those next to the door.  Would highly recommend the Gore-Tex thinsulated versions (wife prefers the Sherpa lined) however. 

Smoke - Two nights ago I ordered those exact Timberlands for younger son who goes to school in upstate NY for Christmas.  Apparently that's the style now.

I lived in Portland ME from grades 3-7. I spent summers on Sebago Lake growing up. We vacationed there with the kids growing up. I now have an apartment in Portland I live part time due to my mother being in assisted living. She’s from ME.

I only joke about Bean boots. I refuse to wear them. My mother will buy a pair if I will wear them. I wear Timberlands in the winter. What is funny in downtown Portland to see lawyers in suits and Bean boots. What was better was in CA I wore Reebok’s in the winter. 

We moved from LA to northern NJ for a year to open an east coast office. When the person I hired didn’t work out I commutted from LA to NJ three out of four weeks for a year. I starting thinking the cold weather wasn’t so bad. I wasn’t thinking every Friday night I was back in LA.

I volunteered to move to the east coast permanently. We moved to SE PA in the fall. December was in the 50s. At Christmas in LA I told people the winter weather was ok. When we returned the winter became the coldest in history with 17 ice storms. We couldn’t wait for spring. It was the hottest, most humid spring and summer in history. In the spring they were calling off school due to heat and no AC. We thought we had moved to hell. 

cabbagedad posted:

Smoke - love the September pic... I see someone is cut out.  We have a family member who enforces the 6" rule.  For any family gathering, if there is a new boyfriend or girlfriend, he makes them stand 6" apart for pictures so the newcomer can be cut out if things don't work out. 

 

Got me!  But this one is gonna work out.  It's his mom.

And I know this is a little late, but Kai celebrated Thanksgiving with a bunch of HS friends also going to school in New England out on the deck of their room at Fenway Residence Inn.  All bundled up for their homemade Thanksgiving feast.

HIs mom's comment when she saw the pics:  "That bottle in the bottom left hand corner better be Martinellis!" and "Where the heck are the vegetables?"

I think New England life is suiting Kai just fine--though we all realize winter is yet to come.

Thats great they had their Friendsgiving.  He has a lot of support in the area.  You may have to remind your wife that he is in college now and that champagne may just be the tip of the iceberg.  Our son has been to enough drinking parties that he has figured out that he doesnt like to drink.  He likes to be the DD and watch the others drink too much.

What is in the gallon jugs?  POG?

sunwalkingvalley posted:

What is in the gallon jugs?  POG?

Looks like cider to me.

Winnah, winnah, chicken dinnah.

But very funny, and excellent guess, SWV.  Can that even be found in NE?

So happy for you Smoke!  Looks like Kai is having a great time!  Thanks for sharing what they wear over there.  Good to know.

sunwalkingvalley posted:

Thats great they had their Friendsgiving.  He has a lot of support in the area.  You may have to remind your wife that he is in college now and that champagne may just be the tip of the iceberg.  Our son has been to enough drinking parties that he has figured out that he doesnt like to drink.  He likes to be the DD and watch the others drink too much.

I got a call from my son fall of freshman year. He was arrested for underage drinking in the parking lot of a football game. My response was ...

“The university is half the town. The entire town fills the stadium. Where the hell do you think all the police are going to be on Saturday.”

He said he needed $500 to have the charges dropped. In a big university town I’m guessing they make a lot of money off the $500 alcohol awareness class to have the charges dropped. I told him he had money and he better budget a little to make it last to the end of the semester. I warned him next year it will be “Baseball player arrested for drinking” and you’re in big trouble. 

My son excelled at falling out of trees and landing on his feet scoring a perfect 10. He’s a successful, working adult now. I survived!