Watching gametracker

TPM,

In the south, it won't help the condition of players, because they already get a month in, before the season starts. It may help the northern schools, but it's still pretty cold, in Feb up there.

My concern is they did not decrease the number of games. Teams will now play two midweek games, on certain weeks. That means more innings to be passed among the same pitching staff.

The decision doesn't make much sense to me. The northern schools have 50 or so games to be played. They have plenty of time to get ready for conference, and winning the conference tourney gets them to a regional. Maybe I'm dense, but I don't see how it will equal the playing field.

The best high school players, in the warmer climates, will still end up at warmer climate colleges. More money is sunk into warmer climate school baseball programs, for the most part. Although, there are certainly exceptions to the rule. It's as simple as that, in my mind.....but I could just be having a momentary lapse of reason.

If the NCAA really wanted to help out, they'd get rid of mid-week games, and allow 4-games per weekend. Our kids would miss much less classroom time, travel costs would go down, and there would be much fewer meaningless games. The 4-game series would be conference games, which ultimately grade the strength of your team, since the majority of your games are "in conference". For the most part, it doesn't matter whether you win a mid-week game or not. Otherwise, coaches would trot the same lineup out, as they do on the weekends.

Just my opinions, which cost nothing.....while having even less value.

Be good,
David

Leftydad,

I may be wrong, but schools here began the same time as son's school in South Carolina, mid january, that's not even a month. Were they practicing before school began? I know there are many schools who have tri and quarter mesters.

Mid week games are just as important as weekend days in many conferences. Some weekday games are tougher for some schools than there conference games. 5 games a week works, beginning later takes them beyond end date of school. Non conference game can be just as important as confrence games. Lineups don't change. You can't cram 4 games in per weekend, just not feasible and just not healthy.
Please note my opinion is based upon the where my son attends, I cannot relay what I know to smaller conference schools.

As far as pitching , I do believe you will see a rise in pitchers at smaller programs being recruited and rosters carry even larger pitching staffs. Coaches will have to adjust more than players.

JMO

The Big Ten plays four game series each weekend. They play one nine inning game on Friday, two seven inning games on Saturday and the last game is nine innings on Sunday. Then most teams play one game during the week. That game is used to allow pitchers who do not pitch much in conference to throw and to allow the same opportunity for position players.

Being from the north, I do not subscribe to the theory that a later start will help the cold weather schools. Unless you plan to start the season in mid April, it is still cold here. We will still be traveling south to play if not for the weather, then the competition. Don't think for a minute that we can have good practices outside in March. We have to practice inside.

That being said, I think we need to get these games in early so we can figure out where we are and what needs work. You can only do so much inside. Our team looks like all stars fielding those balls off of the turf.

For the record... Nobody up here agrees with me.

The Big Ten still plays four game conference weekend series, and the Missouri Valley reduced to three game weekends just a few years ago. In the Big Ten, its still not uncommon to be playing 6 games in a week, although not as often since they pushed back the end of the season a few years ago.

TPM,

Just as you are doing, I'm comparing it to my son's school. I believe they started on 1/15 and their first game is 2/10. That gives them four weeks of practice.

My point on the lesser amount of games was to elliminate the possibility of 5 games per week.

Based on roster rules, coaches would still pitch their chosen group that can help them win. Rarely do they pitch the bottom of the pen, but maybe that would happen, but I fear not. Therefore, probably 8 to 10 pitchers would have to divide at least 45-innings, in a given week.

Look at the box scores. There seems to be an average of 2 or 3 pitchers, for each team, in any given game. If there is an average of 3 per game, that is stretching even the deeper bullpens, of the larger schools. What will that do to the smaller D1's that don't have the quality depth? I'll tell you, the best pitchers on the staff will be in surgery after the season is over.

As far as five games, on five different days per week, our sons will never be in the classroom. It's bad enough as it is, unless your a top program that pays schools to play at your home field. This all just opens another can of worms.

If your going to start the season later, then decrease the number of games appropriately. Drop 4 or 5 from the total....it won't be missed. The problem stems from summer leagues that can't afford the late end of the regular season, if it indeed was extended. The summer leagues are one of the biggest problems concerning pitchers arm injuries. Your kid pitches 60 to 100 innings, in the spring season...takes off a couple of weeks, and they go throw another 40 in the summer. Come fall, they throw for a month, and back again in the winter, for the start of the spring season.

I'm rambling now, but I still don't see what they gained by pushing back and compressing the schedule, since they didn't decrease the number of games. But that's just my opinion. I do think, like you, that some schools have kids throwing and playing that are not yet in prime condition, if they start playing two weeks after practice begins. Maybe this change will control some of that???

I hope all turns out well for your son this spring!

Be good,
David

LD,
Schools can decrease their non conference games at any given time, I am wondering if that is why they left the max it that way. Then each coach, depending on his program will consider increasing depth in the bullpen or cutting games to reduce injury. This might become an important recruiting factor for both coaches and players.
Last year CU played away more than home. Sons schedule was based upon travel. This year, they are home much more than away, so for him it works out well. And his schools are probably one that pays teams to come play, but that is teh advantage you get according to the conference you are in and your RPI (temas playing against teams with high RPI's can reap the benefits).
Son as a freshman pitched 70 innings last year. Due to that, it was decided he not go play summer ball. If he did, he would have put in very limited innings. It was his decision to do what he did, so he could participate in fall instruction which he felt was more important than summer ball as a freshman with lots of innings. The work load for most larger D1 schools is about 100 innings or more for top pitchers. Depending on where you go, pitchers who are not healthy will not be asked to push past their limit. I do believe most coaches are truely concerned about their pitchers health.
I am just rambling too, glad we could ramble together. I like only having pitchers pitch a few innings in the begining in each game, it's better for the arm. Besides, it should not be based on innings but the pitch count. But are these guys truely ready? They seem to be struggling. The advantage of early games should go to pitchers, hitters timing is still off a bit where the pitchers have been doing bull pens (this tidbit from son). I know for my son, innings are limited as the season progresses if a starter he is expected to pitch at least 6-7 innings, if not an entire game.