BB: NESCAC: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[dgilblair]

ecfaninri

It's all good. The further you go in accolades the more the stats count thats for sure.  A lot of that is going to come in post season play, thats just the way it is.  

If you look at the history of All America players, at least the recent history, all the teams that make it to Appleton have at least one AA player on the team.  Some teams with 2 or 3.  It's become a given that if your in Appleton you have an AA or two on your team.  

Thats because you are going to have a player or two or three that have excelled on the big stage.  That in turn will improve that players stats and status.  It only makes sense right? Thats why when people say a player could never have gotten their if they played for UMD it's true.  It takes a team in most cases to make an All America player but like yoou said you still need the stats when you get there.

Now does that mean a player could get there on Calvin,  probably not most of the time.  That is unless Calvins surrounds that play with other quality players.  But ECSU and others can recruit yaer after year their players will get more awards.

I think the point I was missing from Yags is that you can be a great player on a team like Calvin and even go on to a MLB career and never be an AA player in college.  

That is what I think the Holowatys, Howes and Flahertys have over these other coaches more than anything.  They have history of winning, going to regional's and Appleton.  Players may even turn down lower tier DI or DII schools to play for a DIII because they know they will be playing in those big spots.  Not to mention playing at a great park like ECSU or USM.  That has to attract some lookers.  

I know if I was a recruiter I would being saying look at where your going to play your home games,  look at the competition you will going up against in the LEC and look at your chances of going to the Appleton.  Thats what those coaches do the best and why they and their player have so much success.  

[dgilblair]

I am the first one to give credit to the players and not the coaches! Hell, I'm only three years removed from being a player myself and I hated when my coaches took credit for victories in which they never threw a single pitch or never swung a bat. But, when it comes to accolades I'll never be convinced that coaches don't have pull inside the conference or throughout the country. More so nationwide because a particular coach can be hated by his immediate peers. Even during their rare down years, ECSU and USM flooded the regional and all-american teams.

When I played 3B at UMB I did not have the best stats and we did not have the best record. I did however build good relationhips with most of the coaches by B-S-ing with them throughout the game and telling them I wasn't coming back for my SR year because I was taking a job as a fireman in CT (part of conversation between our multiple pitching changes). Low and behold, I was voted 2nd team LEC my JR year even though a couple 3B had stats that were far better than mine. That's politics. I definitely think the process extends to regional and all american voting. Coaches talk. Coaches patronize eachother. Do they order 1 milkshake with 2 straws? Of course not.

When you play at, or are a parent at, a program like ECSU, USM and now even Keene, sometimes you might be too close to the forest to see the trees. I've played in games in which the tempo was totally dictated by Coach Holowaty and umpires were completely manipulated by Coach Flaherty. (Coach Howe was an absolute gentleman and if I could have played for one other guy, that's who it would have been) Again, I see nothing wrong with this and relished the challenge of playing against them in these circumstances. Young coaches don't have the sack to stand up to these guys and rightfully so. Umpires give them more leeway because they have EARNED it.

I definitely think that some players in the MLB get the benefit of call, just like the NBA. It's not a conspiracy but throughout their career, they have EARNED the benefit of the doubt. If a great hitter lays off of a pitch I believe some umpires think "Hey, he's got a great eye. If he's not swinging at it, it probably aint a strike!" That's almost a given in some situations. Great pitchers are the same way.

As for the large quantity of females in the boston area, lets just say I did alright. I was known to show up to a saturday DH with a story or two from the night before. That might explain my career .250 BA. Lucky for me, I'm still young and being a fireman doesn't exactly hurt my situation these days. Thanks for asking.

Not bad Yags, sounds like you enjoy your stay in Boston. 

It's fine you think they can affect the game with the umps.  Don't really disagree with that once in a while.  I do think most of the coaches and umps in the LEC are on to them.   

Knowing many umps on the high school and college level, they talk too and their onto these coaching antics.  Only the new young umps would be affected and in most of those games the coach gets ejected because the umps don't know what else to do.

Who does the ump go with when it's Greg against Manny in the world series?  DOes he just try to split the favored calls that they have earned?  Maybe it doesn't count then.  Would it count in inter-league or the All Star game?  Damn thats got to be a had job. In a nano second think of who is at bat or who is pitching and figure out wheather to call  it a ball or strike.  Thats why it takes those umps so long to make the call.  Just kidding.

I can just hear Joe Morgan now.  You know Jon, it is Greg Maddox pitching and if your Greg Maddox you get those calls.  Shut up Joe.  So Greg gets those calls everytime he throws it an inch or two off the black....please.  That umpire has never called it a strike for anyone but Greg or maybe Roger or RAndy.  I just dont see it.

Now you want to tell me a certain ump may like a certain pitcher or hitter more that another I could agree with that.  Still don't think its wide spread or provable.  Now that would be human nature.

I have always said the two best jobs are umpires and weathermen.  You can be wrong a lot and not lose your job.

[Jcon8958]

I will try to work on my typing boys that I promise

[dgilblair]

I will try to work on my typing boys that I promise

We all need to do that.  I think I would give you most improved this past year.  The effort has been noted.

[ECSUalum]

I will try to work on my typing boys that I promise

We all need to do that.  I think I would give you most improved this past year.  The effort has been noted.

Yea me too, I have been known to be unreadable some times as well

[Jcon8958]

Go figure I got a LEC AWARD most improved hahaha thanks boys.

[ECSUalum]

anyone know a good website to see where high school seniors have declared where they will play college baseball?

[Rick Vaughn]

http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/hsprospects/2008/college_commitments_08class.aspx?gyear=2008

Not great, but there are some D3 commits mixed in.

[ECSUalum]

http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/hsprospects/2008/college_commitments_08class.aspx?gyear=2008

Not great, but there are some D3 commits mixed in.

Rick,  Many thanks

[JustAFan]

Trinity survives tonight against Linfield but it should have been easier. The Trinity bats are struggling (14 K's last night, 9 tonight), and for the second game in a row Trinity committed 3 errors (4 of the 6 errors so far by the 2Bman), and that eventually will catch up with them if it persists no matter how good the Bantams pitching continues to be. 

While the Trinity 2B is really struggling defensively, it was good to see him have a big hit tonight in the 7th to drive in what proved to be the game winning runs. What happened in the 9th, though, after Abbott led off the inning with a double? Did Decker want Piacentini to bunt Abbott over but he couldn't get it done?

I was a little surprised to see Decker go to Reagan rather than McGrath or Anderson in the 9th, although he did the same thing against Tufts in the NESCAC tournament. That certainly means that Barnard will get the ball tomorrow, not Reagan. I believe McGrath hasn't pitched since the NESCAC tournament--got to wonder how sharp he'll be if/when needed.

While Trinity certainly has shown that it can win the close games thus far in the Wisconsin, both games would/should have been a lot easier if they'd had some more timely hitting, but I guess I'm just getting greedy to expect easier games at this level, where all wins are good wins given the level of competition and quality of pitching!  Let's hope they tighten things up defensively and get the bats going against the #3 and #4 pitchers they will soon face.

[Ralph Turner]

...

While Trinity certainly has shown that it can win the close games thus far in the Wisconsin, both games would/should have been a lot easier if they'd had some more timely hitting, but I guess I'm just getting greedy to expect easier games at this level, where all wins are good wins given the level of competition and quality of pitching!  Let's hope they tighten things up defensively and get the bats going against the #3 and #4 pitchers they will soon face.

Very mature assessment of the competition.  I am grateful for the respect that you are showing the teams in WI.  +1! 
 
Trinity maybe facing a #3 or a #4 tomorrow, or even "pitching by committee".  They are in excellent shape now.

Mr Ypsi has already proclaimed them prohibitive favorites.  This should be fun!

[Rick Vaughn]

What makes Trinity even dangerous is what they have waiting for whatever team slugs their way through today.  Tim Kiely on three days rest, or if he isn't ready, Regan, who has already made two relief appearance this week and went 8-0 with a sub-two ERA.  I'd like to think they are in OK shape.

I was a little surprised to see Decker go to Reagan rather than McGrath or Anderson in the 9th, although he did the same thing against Tufts in the NESCAC tournament. That certainly means that Barnard will get the ball tomorrow, not Reagan. I believe McGrath hasn't pitched since the NESCAC tournament--got to wonder how sharp he'll be if/when needed.

I doubt getting McGrath or Anderson innings are much of a concern at this point.

[JustAFan]

Trinity has to hope that Kiely is ready tomorrow on 3 days rest. If not, then it'll be interesting to see who Decker goes to in relief in game 1.  Decker is going to have some very tough decisions to make if Kiely gets knocked out early--in particular, does he keep Reagan his back pocket for game 2 or use him in game 1?  I don't believe Trinity's pitching is as deep, or as tested, as many say it is once you get beyond its iron-man starting 4 rotation, who deserve all the plaudits they've received. However, the only other proven starter after Kiely/Beyer/Barnard/Reagan is Rappaport, and he's only pitched 18 innings all year. So if Kiely's not ready, or starts and doesn't have it, Decker will have some interesting decisions about what to do next.  If Hopkins forces a game 2, Trinity probably is going to have to pitch by committee from among Reagan, Anderson, McGrath, Rappaport and Beyer (assuming he has 2-3 innings left in him on 2 days rest), depending on who's not used in game 1. While Trinity has some other arms on the bench, none of them are proven since Decker hasn't had any innings to give them this year. If Kiely can go deep into game 1, things look a lot better for Trinity even if they lose game 1.

Incidentally, of the best arms on the Trinity bench is right fielder James Wood, who was a very good pitcher in high school but has not had an opportunity to take the mound for the Bantams thus far in his career. Look for that to change next year.

Hopkins will most likely start 6-4 senior Ryan Kealy tomorrow. Kealy came on in relief in game 1 vs. Adrian and pitched the last 5 innings of Hopkins 14 inning win, only giving up 1 hit and no runs.  He only faced 17 hitters, so he should be pretty fresh even though he'll be going on 3 days rest like Kiely (who faced 34 batters on Friday). Hopkins also has sophomore Greg Harbeck available (2-0, 2.78 ERA, 22.2 IP, 2 GS), who threw .1 of an inning against Trinity Sunday, and 6-6 junior Dave Fiorettie (2-0, 2.41 ERA, 4 GS, 18.2 IP).  Bottom line: There's still some depth left in the Hopkins pitching staff, enough to make it interesting if Trinity can't get it done in game 1. Let's hope they can!

[Rick Vaughn]

Fan-- Good info on the Hopkins pitching situation.  I think you are looking way too far into the Trinity situation.  If Kiely isn't ready for tomorrow, it's Regan.  The ony pitcher unavailable for the championship should be Barnard.  If they need a closer I would expect Bayer over anyone else, unless Kiely starts then Regan should be the first one out of the pen if it's a close game.

[KSCfan]

Congrats on Trinity and the NESCAC for thier first d3 baseball championship.  NESCAC on a roll latley with Amherst basketball last year and Trinity baseball this year, Congrats again