BB: ASC: American Southwest Conference

[TexasBB]

The reason for UTT success is the recruiting ability of James Vilade. (He recruited my son back when the program began. He followed my son since he was 16 though select baseball, HS and junior college.) He is a relentless recruiter and also  relentlessly works to build the program. He has had a lot to do behind the scenes in getting the facilities the way they are and getting easton to sponsor the teams equipment needs. At every home game he always has several HS or JC recruits attending and takes time to talk to their parents as well. I have ultimate respect for his abilities and enthusiasm.

What people may not remember is he had similar success at UD and started that program from scratch also. UD did not have the low tuition and other benefits that UTT has but Vilade's success was the same. His Crusaders dominated the ASC east.  After he left the kids he recruited had the best record of any team that never made it to the NCAA tournament.  It was only surpassed by his 2007 UTT team that went 37-1. My son was lucky enough to play and pitch for him when they won their first ASC east championship back in 2005. The first year my son played for James UTT had no facilities and had to play its games at a local Tyler rec facility with 300 ft fences and the wind always blowing out. Talk about bad ERAs then!! Now look at what they have.

It is the relentless commitment to improve the program and find the best possible players that has enabled UTT to be successful. James has proven that he can win wherever he coaches. Yes he knows hitting but he used to pitch and he knows a good pitcher when he sees one and has been successful in recruiting them.

The other thing James does is place his players in good summer league programs where they will be seen by scouts and get to play against DIV I talent. My son played on the east coast in NJ one year and then in the CICL just before his senior year competing against kids from the Big 10 and northern schools out of the Big 12. Then he has placed a bunch of graduating seniors into the pro ball. Just look at the website and see the list all since 2005.

He works for his players year round and they in turn help him as the word gets out. If you want to have a chance at the next level Vilade will give you the opportunity to pursue that dream. But you will have to compete to win a starting position and continue to work hard to keep it. If you work hard he will work hard for you.

That is the perscription for UTTs success pure and simple.
Texas BB

[Just_Some_Guy]

Texas BB

I gave you some karma love for that post. Tremendous insight into Vilade as a coach, and I think you bring up a very valid point about him at UD without denying that he does have at least a partial advantage at UT Tyler (though as your post denotes, he likely made part of that advantage possible through his own efforts).

There's something to be said for a coach that "gets it."

There are nice guys abound. There are solid coaches in abundance.

What separates the guys that win, and the guys that don't are the ones that know the game, but also know and understand kids and what it takes to build programs.

Do they know how to recruit? Do they know how to talk to parents? Do they know how to put not only the best players on the field, but the right players?

It's a fascinating game; one that transcends simple conventions and boxes that the casual fan tries to put it in.

Thanks for the insight.

JSG

[Blackcat00]

That was the same thing we went through at CTX. We had a field that looked like a city park and we built it with our own hands to what was a great looking park in downtown Austin. Now Gardner has to start over with the relocation of the field and now has to play practically a road game every weekend. But you are correct these type of coaches seperate themselves and know how to win in any situation.

[Ralph Turner]

That was the same thing we went through at CTX. We had a field that looked like a city park and we built it with our own hands to what was a great looking park in downtown Austin. Now Gardner has to start over with the relocation of the field and now has to play practically a road game every weekend. But you are correct these type of coaches seperate themselves and know how to win in any situation.

Blackcat, am I correct in understanding that the new CTX right field foul line will be pointed due north/south ( as an airport runway would be described 18/36, or is it slightly southeast 17/35)?  Thanks

[Blackcat00]

I heard the lights went up from the old field,  but i havent been to the new campus yet. As soon as I see it or hear what the dimensions are I will post it. I hear its on a huge hill on campus. So wind will be a factor it seems.

[Ralph Turner]

I heard the lights went up from the old field,  but i havent been to the new campus yet. As soon as I see it or hear what the dimensions are I will post it. I hear its on a huge hill on campus. So wind will be a factor it seems.

Yes, it is on top of a mesa with broad vistas of the Hill Country. 

Shucks, you could have beautiful views from the stadium boxes that CTX is preparing to sell.    

I don't know the exact direction of the prevailing wins on that side of Austin, so the orientation of the diamond can have a huge effect.

[atl7]

Atl I never mentioned Riggles? Michael Johnson is thier best pitcher this year and he didnt throw. Yes Riggles did have 9k's against UT Dallas to open the year , and did struggle again a great team in Texas Weslayan. I dont know where you are going with this ? Whitley is the # 3 or four guy, and the pitcher that Transfered in from TCU didnt even throw the first game.  You need to seriously go to some games or revamp your insight on baseball to come with that weak smack . I hear Tennis is easy to catch up on.

Yes I know you never mentioned Riggles....my original post was taken off before you could read it so here it is with a little edit some grown men can't read bad words or get all mad like a bunch of women at a tea party

anyways all this hype over this san Jac pitcher is a bunch of BS....if he was the real deal he would have been drafted out of San Jac or gone to a D1 or D2 program....in fact he might have got offers but wanted to make his stats look better against D3 opponets....wow he can throw in the 90's he is 5'10 that ball is mostly likely flat as hell and would get crushed by anybody who can actually swing the stick...im sure he has a good curve, but I bet he cant hit with it every time...If HT got an average of a hit every inning he pitched he cant be that great...the last real deal out of Concordia was Miller and he did not even get drafted he is still in Indy Baseball and that guy had a slider that was like that of Lidge or somebody...so all this hype about this kid needs to stop...now on the otherhand Mister Tom Williams is a possible draft pick in the late rounds....he is big, strong, and can hit for power and average, he also has very good speed...his only downfall his he can get lazy out in the field but yes I could actually see him get drafted anywhere from 35th round till the end..

that pictcher from TCU did not even play for the Horned Frogs...and he has got hit pretty hard this year...8 runs on 7 hits in 5inn. agains LC

[TexasBB]

UTT defeats UMHB in the first game of a double header 7-1. Holland went the distance allowing one run on 6 hits and struck out 7.  The Patriots banged out 11 hits with Jared Hood having the big bat with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs. The Patriots jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back.

Booher is to pitch the second game so the Patriots should be favored for the 3 game sweep.

[Just_Some_Guy]

Seems UTD's live stats stopped working during the 5th inning of the first game. TLU was leading 13-3 and both Harvey and Macklin had homered. Orosey was still pitching for TLU. The UTD starting pitcher, Reeder, had been lifted.

Anybody heard (or seen) anything since?

JSG

[Blackcat00]

ATl sorry for all the post replies to you. I just got breaking news stating you were a pro scout. Your boy Whitley shut out LC today. You are very entertaining so please keep posting. Whats size and being in a D1 program have to do with pro baseball. If I recall the number of players in D3 getting drafted are going up every year.  You def have some catching up to do and maybe if you read the likes of some of the posters on here who actually know baseball you can go out and enjoy a game and maybe even learn how fill out a score sheet. By the way CTX takes 2 of 3 from Louisiana at thier place. And calling players out on here the way you did shows you obvoisly have a hard on for CTX catcher. Can you not hold his jock?

[TexasBB]

UTT is ahead of UMHB 9-1 in the bottom of the 5th. Blake Booher on the mound for Tyler. A great stat for the Patriots is that so far they have not commited a single error during the entire 3 game series.

[atl7]

ATl sorry for all the post replies to you. I just got breaking news stating you were a pro scout. Your boy Whitley shut out LC today. You are very entertaining so please keep posting. Whats size and being in a D1 program have to do with pro baseball. If I recall the number of players in D3 getting drafted are going up every year.  You def have some catching up to do and maybe if you read the likes of some of the posters on here who actually know baseball you can go out and enjoy a game and maybe even learn how fill out a score sheet. By the way CTX takes 2 of 3 from Louisiana at thier place. And calling players out on here the way you did shows you obvoisly have a hard on for CTX catcher. Can you not hold his jock?

It actually seems you have a hard one with me...you are taking things so personal like these are your kids or players by trying to defend them on how good they are...and yes I have seen this kid pitch last year at San Jac and by comparing his ability to Miller who was not drafted its clear to me that Miller was a better pitcher thats all



Since when has Whitley been my boy?? I said if you think he is there top dog then you must be kidding, and I still hold on to that im glad he had a good game good for him against a team that only won 17 games last year. How would why I have a hard on for a player that I think is a wuss?  o well your logic and thinking confuses me sometimes by trying to be a better man and acting like I dont know anything about baseball but still throw little jabs at my personal self...little hypocritical but whatever  im always down for a little bj so i will pull my pants down so you can have a little taste next time im out at the ballpark


I wish Johnson the best of luck and Just think he is getting to much hype...we will see how he holds up latter on down the year when the opponets get harder and games mean something a little more than Just a W

[atl7]

ATl sorry for all the post replies to you. I just got breaking news stating you were a pro scout. Your boy Whitley shut out LC today. You are very entertaining so please keep posting. Whats size and being in a D1 program have to do with pro baseball. If I recall the number of players in D3 getting drafted are going up every year.  You def have some catching up to do and maybe if you read the likes of some of the posters on here who actually know baseball you can go out and enjoy a game and maybe even learn how fill out a score sheet. By the way CTX takes 2 of 3 from Louisiana at thier place. And calling players out on here the way you did shows you obvoisly have a hard on for CTX catcher. Can you not hold his jock?

O by the way I know its not uncommon for D-3 players to get drafted its just hard to make it in the system....all Im saying if I knew I was good and people kept telling me why not take things into my own hands and go talk to coaches at the higher level and tell them to give me shot at the better players to help me improve better...

[atl7]

o ya there are only 44 players in the system from d-3 baseball and out of those 44 only 6 are on major league rosters....scouts would rather pass on selecting a pitcher come out of D-3 baseball and go with kids out of High School because of how raw they are and they dont want players going to D1 schools becuase of how the coaches can sometimes mess things up, to much pitching, teach them things that dont want to be taught, another thing is a scout would look at looking at D3 players is are they even developed in the Mental side of the game, will the be able to keep pitching even when getting hitting, can they handle the pressure of having to pitch every pitch and not take a pitch off....there are so many variables that make it hard for D3 players to be drafted....its like the lowest of lowest forms of competition in colligate baseball below that of NAIA as well so bascially D-4....its hard to waste a draft pick on something you are not sure how long they will last or develop and plus age comes into play as well its very rare for player to picked after there junior year in d3 and most are picked after senior year making them about 22-23 or older in some cases so they dont have much time to a prospect and a being looked at like they could be on a major league team in 2-3 years

[HAMBONE]

Atl I never mentioned Riggles? Michael Johnson is thier best pitcher this year and he didnt throw. Yes Riggles did have 9k's against UT Dallas to open the year , and did struggle again a great team in Texas Weslayan. I dont know where you are going with this ? Whitley is the # 3 or four guy, and the pitcher that Transfered in from TCU didnt even throw the first game.  You need to seriously go to some games or revamp your insight on baseball to come with that weak smack . I hear Tennis is easy to catch up on.

Yes I know you never mentioned Riggles....my original post was taken off before you could read it so here it is with a little edit some grown men can't read bad words or get all mad like a bunch of women at a tea party

anyways all this hype over this san Jac pitcher is a bunch of BS....if he was the real deal he would have been drafted out of San Jac or gone to a D1 or D2 program....in fact he might have got offers but wanted to make his stats look better against D3 opponets....wow he can throw in the 90's he is 5'10 that ball is mostly likely flat as hell and would get crushed by anybody who can actually swing the stick...im sure he has a good curve, but I bet he cant hit with it every time...If HT got an average of a hit every inning he pitched he cant be that great...the last real deal out of Concordia was Miller and he did not even get drafted he is still in Indy Baseball and that guy had a slider that was like that of Lidge or somebody...so all this hype about this kid needs to stop...now on the otherhand Mister Tom Williams is a possible draft pick in the late rounds....he is big, strong, and can hit for power and average, he also has very good speed...his only downfall his he can get lazy out in the field but yes I could actually see him get drafted anywhere from 35th round till the end..

that pictcher from TCU did not even play for the Horned Frogs...and he has got hit pretty hard this year...8 runs on 7 hits in 5inn. agains LC

WOW...this is getting a little out of hand...ATL, act like you've been around the game for a while if you are going to single people out.  I am not sure why you are so bitter, and frankly I dont care; I am only responding to this post due to your disrespect of the people that govern this site and make it possible for us to discuss baseball together.  If you would do a little research you might understand that "the grown man that got all mad like a woman @ a tea party" is the site administrator.  This isn't orangebloods, and if you know anything about the D3 baseball community then hopefully you know the difference.  I am not telling you not to single out the players and give your honest opinion, just try and show a little class to the brass.  

Don't get your panties in a wad because Michael Johnson throws hard.  We are all well aware that he is at a D3 program.  Did you ever play kickball as a kid?  When you were picking your team, who did you pick first?  That being said, whether or not he is the real-deal or not doesn't matter.  You are bit more focused on what didnt happen in the past as opposed to making solid arguments about present situations.  We can all come with hypothetical situations but most of us save those for a wet dream.  When you make statements like a kid wants to pad his stats, you are only agreeing his talent might be good enough to play at a higher level of competition...who the hell wouldnt put themselves in a situation to have a successful college career.  If you want to know why the kid isnt @ a D1 or D2 school then write him a letter and ask him, I am sure he would be more than enthused to answer all of your positive insight on why he isn't as good as you want him to be.  FYI, before you write your letter, I think you should know there isn't a stat for: being 5'10", throwing a flat fastball, and not hitting with a curve everytime.  Statements like those only indicate you dont even understand whatever it is you are trying to say.  Now those of us that can actually swing a stick, also know its confidence that makes us good, not cockyness.  The difference between the two is respect.  You should try it sometime, trust me; your whole perspective of the game will broaden, you begin to see your stats improve, and you might even make a few friends along the way.

Concordia University Texas Athletic Dept.
Attn: Michael Johnson (Baseball)
11400 Concordia University Drive
Austin, TX 78726

Miller is the real deal?  Once again, your inability to make wise judgements only makes me wonder why I am spending the time to disect your post.  Miller was not the real deal.  He was in the weekend rotation, and he did throw hard...but he was consistently inconsistent.  You already said that if Michael Johnson was the real deal then he would have been drafted or at a D1 or D2 school...then your pick for the real deal is Miller.  You dont make any sense.  You do know that Concordia University is a D3 school right?  When you compare Miller's fastball to "Lidge or Somebody" it almosts sounds as though you caught him?  Anyone that knows anything about anything knows that David White was the last real deal to leave Concordia.

Your ability to make draft predictions makes me want to have you pick my lottery #'s next tuesday night. Why on earth would write an entire paragraph of BS and then try and make a logical prediction...you are a bit delusional and possibly suffering from hypomania...but I am not psychiatrist, so dont run off and start taking a bunch of meds...I dont know what all shows up on your crystal ball, but being the professional scout that you are, you should know that if in fact Williams did get drafted he wouldnt play outfield at a higher level...so this takes care of him being "lazy" in the outfield.  Put him at 1st base and let the kid rake, end of story.  My guess is that Coach Gardner and the rest of the Home Team would rather have WIlliams be "lazy" in the outfield as opposed to Thielepape grazing the outfield grass.  I bet you $100 you wont call Tom Williams "lazy" to his face.  

As for your insight on Matt Coburn ... the guy has made 3 appearances ... there isnt a starting pitcher alive that has a 0.0 ERA ... let the guy pitch.  If he is still getting shelled in 6 weeks, then run your mouth...just wait until the proper time to do so.

Why are you so bitter of these Concordia guys anyway?  Did you not make the squad?  Is one of them sleeping with your exgirlfriend?  You obviously cant hold any of these guys jockstraps or you would be wearing one ... thus resulting in you and I not having this conversation.

Hey, show your email address on your profile...i am gonna send you my NCAA bracket as a .pdf attachment.  I was hoping you could rub your crystal ball and fill it out for me. ill give you 10%. thanks!