Small DI or Big DII

Its believe it or not we never heard the negativity before coming on this site. We never heard stuff like lesser D1, mid and all the other terms that I hear here every day.
We picked our school based on location and the competition. My son wanted to play the big name schools that he heard about. Shouldn't be a mystery to any one but TPM.
You get 4 years to play college ball and he wanted a great experience over all. He had no ambition to play after college.
There are some great players at all divisions as proved by the draft. I gave my opinion that it tougher to play at a lessor D1 because you can't compare teams like Florida State, USC to top D2 programs.
I have friends who played for top D2 s like my son's friend at Mt Olive who won the D2 WWS the year before last. He himself admitted it to us.

quote:

I gave my opinion that it tougher to play at a lessor D1 because you can't compare teams like Florida State, USC to top D2 programs.

You, know, when you post this right after the posts from itsinthegame and the responses of his son, I have to think you truly believe it. Since I don't think you are mean spirited, I will accept that you don't see and realize how condescending it comes across in reflecting your views on the quality of play and players at the top levels of DII baseball.
For the life of me, I don't understand how playing USC and/or Florida State anywhere from 3-10 times out of over 200 games, over 4 years, makes it tougher to play at a lesser DI, but you sure have me convinced that is your belief and opinion, when it comes to your son.

I've watched top-level D1 baseball for many years and have always enjoyed it. I watched a lot of D2 baseball last spring for the first time. Could the best D2's compete consistently with the best D1's? Probably not, for both depth reasons and top-of-the-line talent reasons. Could the best D2's consistently compete with mid-to-lower level D1's? You'd better believe it. Some D1's are in name-only and have fewer resources,less stability, and less commitment to the sport than the strong D2's.

quote:

Since I don't think you are mean spirited

When did you come to that conclusion.

They were just 2 of the top teams we played.

quote:

Originally posted by infielddad:


I don't understand how playing USC and/or Florida State anywhere from 3-10 times out of over 200 games, over 4 years, makes it tougher to play at a lesser DI, but you sure have me convinced that is your belief and opinion, when it comes to your son.

I have to agree with you, I just don't get how facing USC and/or Florida State one game every few years can convince even an entire team they can compete against them. Not unless you were a player like Alex Wilson (forgot where he first attended), who pitched complete games and beat them week after week each time he faced a bigger program.

When deciding to play at a smaller D1 because you want to prove to yourself that you can compete, make sure you choose one that consistantly plays larger teams each and every week or in a 2 game series or a weekend series. The reason for this, the more your team competes against those teams, the better you will get and the better chances your team will win your conference title, which for those teams gives them an auto berth to post season, even sometimes a regional spot (ex CC).

quote:

Could the best D2's consistently compete with mid-to-lower level D1's? You'd better believe it.

You may be correct but that has nothing to do with my opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:

quote:

Since I don't think you are mean spirited

When did you come to that conclusion.

They were just 2 of the top teams we played.

What top teams did your son pitch against each and every year and how many innings?

TPM you are as thick as a brick.

Besides USC or FSU?

If I am thick as a brick, Infielddad must be too, because he sees the same thing I do, which I have for many years.

If you consistantly play against larger programs and beat them on a consistant basis, that's one thing, if you play a handful of teams each year and can't pull it off, what's the point of continuously talking about it?

TPM as if the questions you ask have anything to do with my opinion. What does that matter ? You ask questions you already asked for years and know the answers to.
What does the number of innings have to do with my statement. For that matter what does wins and losses have to do with it as well. My statement has nothing to do with my son's team's ability to win. That is why you are so dumb. You can't understand English. You wasted all those years in college.
Other good teams. Missouri state , coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, The Citadel,Winthrop, Savannah State, Georgia Southern, Tennessee,Auburn.VMI, Air Force, Xavier, Boston college and others I can't remember.

OK, one more question.

Do you think some of those schools you mentioned are better or tougher than some D2 programs?

quote:

That is why you are so dumb. You can't understand English. You wasted all those years in college

Wow,thats harsh.No need to insult anybody.

Jezzzzzz, this thread stopped being useful a number of posts back.....

quote:

Originally posted by fanofgame:

quote:

That is why you are so dumb. You can't understand English. You wasted all those years in college

Wow,thats harsh.No need to insult anybody.

Fanofgame,
I agree, no need for insults, but the way I see it, it only makes the one making them look bad and most likely get the boot eventually as well.

I apologize for leaving the question so open ended. I guess what I meant to ask was: is the talent level at a strong DII program similar to that of a weaker or middle of the pack DI program? Would the DII team be able to play a close game, or beat the average DI team?

quote:

quote:
Could the best D2's consistently compete with mid-to-lower level D1's? You'd better believe it.


You may be correct but that has nothing to do with my opinion.

I believe one could look at Florida Gulf Coast University which transitioned 2 years ago from DII to DI. While it is only one University and not representative of any type of statistical sample, it is telling on how they continue to compete as they move up a level. I understand that so much plays into success as it is hugely dependent on coaching staffs, recruiting, 2 or 3 great arms, etc.

They play in the Atlantic Sun Conference with these schools which I will leave up to the reader to determine where they fall in the competitiveness of the DI ranks (mid major?)

Belmont
Campbell
ETSU
FGCU
Jacksonville
Kennesaw State
Lipscomb
Mercer
UNF
USC Upstate
Stetson

Here is the record of FGCU for the last seven years.

DII Years

2002-03 Baseball - 35-15-2
2003-04 Baseball - 38-17
2004-05 Baseball - 37-18
2005-06 Baseball - 40-16
2006-07 Baseball - 40-17

DI Years

2007-08 Baseball - 38-15
2008-09 Baseball - 36-18

You can look at their web site to see who they played and how they fared over those seven years:

FGCU

Is it harder to field a ground ball or throw a strike in d2 or d1? Is it harder to hit 90 mph in d1 or d2. The game does'nt know wether its d1, or d2. Guys from all over have talent D1 AND D2.

Not sure how many 90MPH fastballs you will see in D2, anyone have an opinion on that?

staff in college had 7-DII

NyMetropolitan22:

Here is one sample that may help answer your question. Rollins College the 6th place team in the Sunshine State Conference was 6 wins and 3 losses against Division I competition this year with wins over Ohio St, Georgetown, Penn and Maine.