BB: NCAC: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Thanks Wally, I was actually following on Live stats. I was really happy when Jake Martin was named coach.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

OWU preview is out.
https://battlingbishops.com/news/2019/2/26/BA_2019pre_1.aspx
Not nearly the number of Central Ohio players you usually see in a preview for OWU baseball. Except the OF is All Central Ohio.

[old scot]

Worst move ever naming Craddock interim coach for 2019. What recruit would come there not knowing who the next HC will be.AD Beckett says a nation wide search will go on. Really, you need 2 years to find a coach? give it to Craddock or name another HC.
You are setting back the program 10 years. Dark days ahead for Woo BB

[Dr. Acula]

I was a little surprised by that as well, but I can't imagine it'll set them back too much.  If they think Craddock is the guy then just name him successor now.  Put it to bed.  It seems like the administration wants to have one foot on each side of the fence.  We think we might want Craddock, but wait maybe let's just see who else applies too.  IMO this move tells me Craddock isn't the front runner I thought he was.  He very well may still get the job and his resume warrants strong consideration, but it seems like he is on even footing with everyone else at this point.  Does that perhaps mean someone with an equally strong resume and pedigree like Englander is interested?   

[old scot]

I see your point but, if you have someone in mind why not offer now. If not start the interview process. Craddock is getting jerked around.No way should it that that long to find a coach. Recruiting will suffer.


Maybe they should start looking for the next hoop coach.  Steve Moore won't be there forever and Beckett needs plenty of time to get in front of this.

[Pops33]

I believe that Craddock is their choice.  However, the administration probably wants to see how it goes without Coach P in the building.  Craddock has been a head coach before, knows Wooster baseball inside and out, and does the lion's share of the recruiting.  He deserves the full time head coaching position.  I just think that they are covering their butts in case they see something they don't 100% approve of and then it gives them an opportunity to make a change.  They definitely did not approve of every single thing that Coach P did, but his results spoke for themselves.

[wally_wabash]

Agree that announcing an interim HC for 2020 before you've played a game in 2019 is weird.  It seems that Wooster has plenty of time (all spring, plus the traditional carousel season) to find the next HC, who is probably already in house.  I don't think it will ultimately matter in any meaningful way, it's just a wonky way to handle the transition. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

I wonder if it is just Wooster over thinking it.  They want Craddock, however they do not want to name him as Coach during Coach P's farewell tour. And they do not want to chance losing Craddock, to another school. (I cannot see why they would be concerned, he has stuck around this long.)
Or maybe Craddock does not want it. Is it possible he was so soured on being head coach, from his experience at Denison, that he just does not want to be Head coach long term? Is that the reason he has stayed at Wooster as an assistant for so long. With the success he had at Denison and the success, Wooster has had with him as part of the program, I have to imagine he could have had other opportunities to be a head coach if he wanted to.
I agree with others, it just seems odd.

[old scot]

Is there something in his past that makes him so so  Don't know if he left Denison or was asked to leave. Woo athletic department needs to stand up to say this is our guy.

If not, get on with the search and name a coach at the end of this year.

[Dr. Acula]

If he was asked to leave Denison that would be more of a black mark on the AD at the time than Craddock. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

There is some info way back on this Forum about Craddocks time with Denison. I do not have more detail than what was posted way back when.

[Jim Dixon]

There is some info way back on this Forum about Craddocks time with Denison. I do not have more detail than what was posted way back when.

You can read all the comments by searching for Craddock but here is the most pertinent post:

Craddock was forced out by the Denison Administration over a personal matter that I do not feel is appropriate to mention publically on this board.  The issue occured in 2006 or early '07 (before the season) and Craddock remained as coach of the Big Red through all of last season despite the occurence.  My sources tell me a disgruntled player and his parent then took the matter to the Dension Admin. and the force out resulted.  A sad situation if the story is indeed fact.  Craddock is very much respected as a coach by this particular poster and I hope he gets another shot as a head coach next season or even finds work at a higher level.  What he accomplished at Denison is what every lower-middle range program in the midwest would love to see happen to their program.

I've been sitting on this information for several months out of respect to Coach Craddock and my source hoping that the curiosity would go away but the interested baseball fans that you all are have brought the question back to topic.  Hopefully enough time has now passed and the issue is not as sensitive now as last fall.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1101541976493699072

Owu season starts tomorrow.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

OWU wins their opener against Thomas More 12-10.
https://mobile.twitter.com/OWU_Baseball/status/1101932150193078272?
No live stats or box score yet. Second game starts soon.
Go Bishops

[Bishopleftiesdad]

OWU starts the season 2-0. The take the second game 11-4, from Thomas More.