BB: NCAC: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ScotsFan]

Pat, thanks for putting the buzz-kill on something I was trying very hard to put a positive spin on.   If the Scots were able to clean up their act a tad and they happened to get through to the CWS, they would come close to the 55 games Wooster played in the '97 season.  They have played 45 games now, and if they keep winning, they would play at least 4 more games next weekend, and by making the CWS, there's the possibility for even more games.  It's still no excuse for how poorly this team has played in the field, but any positive spin at this point can't hurt IMO.  It basically boils down to the gawdy amount of errors this team commits just becomes so irritating.  When a team is so loaded with talent, but can't field a ground ball cleanly, it just seems like it could all go to waste.

BTW, the record for worst fielding percentage wasn't set in 1997, so the 55 games played was a major contributing factor to that record being set.  This year's team has put up the worst fielding percentage in 12 year and if the Scots don't get their act together next weekend, they could break the record next weekend in less than 50 games. 

[woosterbooster]

They have played 45 games now, and if they keep winning, they would play at least 4 more games next weekend...

ScotsFan -

An article in today's Daily Record mentions that the Scots have been told that they will be the top seed in the Mideast Regional.  If it contains seven teams (which they don't know yet), Wooster would only have to play three games if they win straight through.

[Spence]

If this is true, it's ridiculous and unprofessional for the committee to say that. I have never had much respect for the committee in recent years or the Mideast members thereof, but this really would take the cake.

I guess this makes the convenient cancellation of the Marietta/Wooster game pay off nicely.

[woosterbooster]

I guess this makes the convenient cancellation of the Marietta/Wooster game pay off nicely.

A rather inconvenient remark.  Enjoy the negative karma.

[Spence]

Um, ok. I have no idea what you mean by that. But that's fine.

Here's a fun fact for you though. The only precip recorded in Wooster on the 13th was on the 11 p.m. hour. Since we know Wooster has no lights, I'm guessing that didn't play a factor.

More fun facts. Clear skies were observed at station KBJJ (what Weather Underground came up with for Wooster) from 8:15 until 2 p.m. with a drying wind ranging from 4 to 16 mph throughout the day. Plenty of morning sun. Only few to scattered clouds were observed throughout the day.

Bottom line? There's no reason Wooster and Marietta couldn't have played April 13. In a do-or-die situation (there was no time at which the game could have been made up after this), there's no excuse for calling it off.

[imderekpoe]

Bottom line? There's no reason Wooster and Marietta couldn't have played April 13. In a do-or-die situation (there was no time at which the game could have been made up after this), there's no excuse for calling it off.

The reason for the game being cancelled was discussed on here a few pages back.  After the game was postponed on the 12th (due to predicted storms), an NCAC rule game to light that limits the number of days during the week that a team can play to two.  Due to Easter, the Scots were playing a DH on Friday (instead of Sunday).  Since the Scots had already played against Otterbein on Tuesday, the conference rule theoretically prohibited them playing again during the week.  The conference did later state that no penalty would have been imposed, but the Scots didn't want to take the chance of forfeiting some games and ruining a fine season.

[Spence]

And phones haven't been introduced to Wooster? How hard would it have been to call the league office and ask a question?

I don't buy that. If that was the case, I don't know why there was even a consideration for playing the game on the 13th, and rather after the 12th was rained out (rightly) they say "well this league rule says we can't play tomorrow." That statement, or anything like it, was never disseminated by either Wooster or Marietta. After the 12th was rained out, the information I remember was that the game was originally rescheduled for the 13th.

In any event, very poor communication at the least by Wooster and the NCAC if you toe the party line. The scenarios only get worse from there. Sorry I didn't know about this board at the time of the discussion, but my opinion would have been the same.

[woosterbooster]

Here's a fun fact for you, Spence.  For years, Marietta's Coach Schaly would not agree to play Wooster at Wooster, although he was perfectly content to schedule the Scots in Marietta.  So, for years, two of the best baseball programs in Ohio did not meet on the field during the regular season.

Under your new coach, relations have improved.  Wooster played in Marietta in 2005 and had the game scheduled here in 2006. You implying that Wooster, after finally getting a working "home and home" relationship with Marietta, would purposely cancel a ballgame in order to protect a ranking is absurd and insulting to Wooster's coach and program.  Perhaps you should talk to your coach and see what he thinks.  I'd be very surprised and disappointed if he held the same view.

[Spence]

I completely understand why Schaly never wanted to play at Wooster. I'm not going to speculate (not that it's really speculation) why, but I understand and fully supported it. I didn't really want to play Wooster, but it's not my program and I know coach Brewer after the committee decisions of the last few years wanted to leave no doubt as to the schedule we play.

You might think what I say is absurd, but so was West Virginia trying to count a loss against us as an exhibition game after the fact. But that happened. That's just one example.

As of now, none of this matters because we for some reason cannot catch a break against Otterbein. DeMark was cruising before his back acted up and we end up throwing a freshman in there against the heart of their order, without our pitching coach, who is not even at the park due to illness. Give Otterbein credit, but I'm starting to know how Ohio Wesleyan felt in the 90s when they had very very good teams but could not would not somehow get by Marietta.

[woosterbooster]

The Mideast Regional information is up.  7 teams.  Here's the link:

http://www.rose-hulman.edu/sports/baseball/06regional/

All the regionals are up at the NCAA site:

http://www.ncaasports.com/baseball/mens/story/9439692

[woosterbooster]

I've just noticed that in the last couple of days I've lost a couple of karma points.  Not that these are very important, but it does kind of annoy me that I was obviously smitten because I took offense to a new guy coming on the board who immediately jumped on Wooster's program by insinuating that they cancelled a game against his team in order to protect their national ranking.

Last winter I deserved what I got, or more.  I think this was unfair.

[kcreds]

Wooster Booster: Join the crowd. It is very interesting to me that the powers to be even allow karma and who gets to use them is even more interesting. I started a very good topic on spring practices and agreed with most people on the issue but amazingly enough, no karma. It is just a tool for the ones that want to feel empowered or an incentive for someone to get on here and post junk just to get their numbers up. If God forbid you have a difference in opinion with a fan of a certain college that has many posters, watch out. It also allows individuals to be a coward and hide behind them. Like a lot of you on here, I'm not going to suck up to the karma carriers and no matter how many negative karmas I will get, I will still state my opinion. It is nice to be respected but not at the expense of your integrity. The ones that will disagree with me will be the ones that have them or the ones that don't get controversial with the ones that do. I for one appreciate all the posts and links. This is a wonderful site and I find myself visiting it several times a day. Karma or no karma, I like all of you guys.   

[David Collinge]

The All-Conference selections have been announced.  They're not posted on the NCAC Baseball page, but some amateur sleuthing turned up the press release. 

I believe it's already been mentioned in here that Wooster swept the individual awards, although the press release indicates that the Coach of the Year award was split between Wooster's Tim Pettorini and Kenyon's Matt Burdette.

Overall, here's the representation by team:

East Division:
Allegheny: 2nd Team: P Drew Scibetta; Honorable Mention: C Zack Oblak
Hiram: Honorable Mention: 2B Jake Bailey, P John Prejsnar
Kenyon: 1st Team: SS Brendan Holsberry, 3B Matt Marcinczyk, OF Brad Reynolds; 2nd Team: OF Chad Rothschild; Honorable Mention: C Tyler Kavanaugh, 1B Blaise Milburn
Oberlin: Honorable Mention: 1B Joe Sheehan, SS Seth Binder
Wooster: 1st Team: DH Kurt Kapferer, OF Shaun Swearengen, P Jon Oliver, P Adam Samson; 2nd Team: C Brandon Boesinger, 2B Mike Barone, P Anthony Trapuzzano; Honorable Mention: 3B Oliver Enos, P Walt Samson

West Division:
Denison 1st Team: C A.J. Jezierski, 1B Lee Fischer, OF Todd Pitt; 2nd Team: P J.D. Wyborny; Honorable Mention: 3B Andy Johnson, P Dallas Puskar
Earlham: 2nd Team: OF Derreck Parkevich; Honorable Mention: C Cal Wilson, OF Eric Sturgeon
Ohio Wesleyan: 1st Team: 1B A.J. Dote, 2B Kyle Sherman, SS Brandon Williams, OF Adam Toney, P Sean Speed; 2nd Team: P Mike Krieger; Honorable Mention: 3B Sammy Hall, P Adam Dunn
Wabash: 2nd Team: 3B Jared Bogan, OF Phil Ramos; Honorable Mention: IF Matt Dodaro, P Chris Schmaltz
Wittenberg: 1st Team: P Jason Holmberg; 2nd Team: DH Brian Hampp, OF Pat Williams, P Steve Less; Honorable Mention: SS K.R. Schlievert, OF Matt Berry

Congratulations to these 48 outstanding student athletes!

Note: 3 first teamers from Dension, despite not making the playoffs, vs. only one for Wittenberg, which did.  Seems a little off-kilter to me.  Also it stands out that Wooster frosh SS John Quimby was left off the lists, despite being named the NCAC Newcomer of the Year and finishing in the top 10 in the league in six offensive categories, including a league-leading 54 RBIs.  Four other shortstops received all-conference accolades.

[woosterbooster]

And even though I've just finished off half a large pitcher of margaritas, I can tell you that Allegheny's Drew Scibetta deserves to be a first-team pitcher.  Geeze, the guy struck out over 4,200 men in 11 innings of work...

[ScotsFan]

I've just noticed that in the last couple of days I've lost a couple of karma points.  Not that these are very important, but it does kind of annoy me that I was obviously smitten because I took offense to a new guy coming on the board who immediately jumped on Wooster's program by insinuating that they cancelled a game against his team in order to protect their national ranking.

Last winter I deserved what I got, or more.  I think this was unfair.

Wooster Booster: Join the crowd. It is very interesting to me that the powers to be even allow karma and who gets to use them is even more interesting. I started a very good topic on spring practices and agreed with most people on the issue but amazingly enough, no karma. It is just a tool for the ones that want to feel empowered or an incentive for someone to get on here and post junk just to get their numbers up. If God forbid you have a difference in opinion with a fan of a certain college that has many posters, watch out. It also allows individuals to be a coward and hide behind them. Like a lot of you on here, I'm not going to suck up to the karma carriers and no matter how many negative karmas I will get, I will still state my opinion. It is nice to be respected but not at the expense of your integrity. The ones that will disagree with me will be the ones that have them or the ones that don't get controversial with the ones that do. I for one appreciate all the posts and links. This is a wonderful site and I find myself visiting it several times a day. Karma or no karma, I like all of you guys.   

Amen to that kcreds and WB!  Personally, the whole karma thing doesn't mean a whole lot to me in terms of interpreting someone's credibility on this board.  I look more at how many posts someone has.  To me, the # of posts goes a heck of a lot more than how many karma points they have or don't have.  Like you both said, many times you have something very interesting to add to the conversation in here and no one feels like giving karma, but the second you disagree or have an opinion that might be a bit contreversial and watch your karma drop faster than you can blink.  That's why I look at the # of posts before I check out whether or not a poster has a positive or negative karma.  I'm not going to be afraid of letting my true opinions be known just so I don't lose any karma points!