BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

Frank,

Remember when I asked for permission to use a baseball photo of yours for a project we were working on?

That project has opened: http://www.d3baseball.com.

[frank_ezelle]

Pat, that is fantastic.  I find that news tremendously exciting and I think that a lot of other folks will be thrilled with the new site.  I came in early this morning to post Millsaps photos for the second game with East Texas Baptist.  You know how to get to my photos and please feel free to use them.  If you ever need a higher quality photo then just let me know and I'll send you the original file.

I've said it over and over but I'll say it once again--thanks for all that you do and I know it means a lot to many folks who will never take the time to actually write an email and say thank you.  It makes the college experience so much better for so many young men and women.

Frank.

[Pat Coleman]

No problem -- but thank Jim Dixon for this, because it is his site that is joining the organization. I couldn't create a baseball site and run it myself.

[frank_ezelle]

Well thank you to Jim Dixon as well.  As for the photo, I didn't notice when I first looked at the website that it was being used in the logo at the top of the page.  While I do take some pride in seeing my photo on the page, I'm primarily pleased to see Millsaps being featured and I know the players will enjoy the fact that a Millsaps photo is in the logo.

[historymajor]

Thanks Pat and Jim for 'opening up' this website.  As a proud father of a former football/baseball DIII student athlete, I'm glad to see baseball joining the likes of D3football.com and D3hoops.com....  I'm confident that Ralph is too!

[Just_Some_Guy]

Another terrific match up this weekend could be Trinity(TX) ranked 27th/30th nationally at UT Dallas, coming off a 33 win season and returning nearly every starter.
Trinity has a solid and talented senior class, many of whom have started and been signficant contributors  since the 2004 West Region final team.
Trinity has quality pitching and depth of pitching but will need Brian Oates for the entire year.  Brian, is usually 88-89, touching 92/93 mph. He was nearly unhittable over 8 appearances last season before things were cut short by an injury.  Brian looks to have had a good summer in the Coastal Plain league along with teammate Nick Vera. 
Trinity will also be challenged to replace Ryan Cavan.  If they can suitably plug the hole left at short and Brian performs, this should be another very good team to challenge in the SCAC and West Region.

This is probably the wrong board for this, but I'll repost it on the SCAC board as well. I think Trinity definitely pushes Millsaps for that top spot, and I'll even go out on a limb and say Trinity wins the SCAC this year.  They have a lot of depth on the mound IF Oates stays healthy. He's 15-2 as a Tiger with opponents probably hitting under .200 against him despite a little bit of a sophomore slump, but he's dealt with injury issues the last two years after a stellar freshman year.  With Bignall, Huggins, Horn, Hopkins and a few others back their staff is really deep and they probably have the SCAC player of the year in Nick Vera who just dominated the Coastal Leagues this summer. Cavan was a big loss though and I just don't know that Stosh Hoover fills that hole, at least not offensively. It will be interesting to see how the pick up the offensive slack. Holman and Zabor will help solidify the middle, but Hoover has to swing it and Verrios has to return to 2005 form.

PS - I'm also psyched about the new site. What a great addition to the D3Baseball world.

[Browneagle64]

You guys are Awesome (Jim Dixon, Pat and Frank). Thanks for exposing the Web to D3 baseball. It sure adds a new flavor and new insight into D3 baseball.
Not only that, i am sure this will keep us update with future MLB stars; like Cal Lutherns Jason Hirsh.

[etg]

(El Tea Gray---re: 2007 Trinity Tiger Baseball)

Just_Some_Guy,
What a great overview of the Tiger's prospects for 2007; I absolutely agree with all of it. This is "not exactly" what Frank Ezelle wanted to hear regarding Trinity pitching; I summed it up in a much shorter version ("pitching, pitching, pitching") several days ago. Frankly, Frank sounds worried to me? Good reason. Thanks again.

                                                                           

[infielddad]

etg,
In watching him and his teams for 4 years, I learned to never underestimate Jim Page and the players at Millsaps.  He is a fine, fine coach for his players.  When all is said and done, they are competitive  every year.  That is a tribute to both his players and the coaching. 
With that said, Trinity pitching and timely hitting,  combined with Coach Scannell's agressiveness vs Millsaps hitting has been a lot of fun.  No lead is safe in any game and every one is contested at the highest level. Those baseball games are INTENSE!!!!  The SCAC tournament games in 2002 in Jackson and 2004 in Atlanta were highlights.
On the other hand, both teams recruit players who are very talented, good students, and truly nice and respectful players.  That makes the games even more fun. From what Frank is posting, it sounds like Coach Page has decided to load up on pitching.  I knew he would  get this  figured this out. But I agree, that even without Huggins, Trinity has depth of very fine pitching.  The SCAC schedule and playoffs help Trinity a lot.

[infielddad]

"Blue Jays Scout eh?  That wouldn't make you the proud pop of J. Armstrong would it which would explain the banter between he and Vera.  I hear Nick thinks he's going to go get some of Jason's records, and the two give each other a pretty good time about it.  I'd love to see Vera and Oates get a chance to play at the next level and feel like both could. Oates has the stuff, and certainly the work ethic so I hope scouts don't shy away because of his past nagging injuries.

I guess those California boys just like going back to their home state, and without question there are some guys that I didn't mention... Horn, Dailey (who came on strong at the end of the year), and Poffenroth to name a few.

One thing about Trinity is that I wish Bardwell would've stuck with the program, because right about now TU could use that extra big bat, and he certainly could stick it. Fregosi is more a defensive option from what I've seen thus far."


Just_ Some_ Guy
Never heard of that Armstrong kid!!!  What could be better than Nick breaking one of the records.  No one thought Jason had a chance before he put up 90 hits his senior year.  It won't be easy for Nick because of the quality of competition.  But he certainly has the talent.  He also knows it can be done and what it takes to get it done.
I am a huge fan of Brian and Nick and agree they can capture a lot of scouts to San Antonio this season.  Both have that ability to continue playing and  have worked hard enough to, hopefully,  earn a look.

[Just_Some_Guy]

Just_ Some_ Guy
Never heard of that Armstrong kid!!!  What could be better than Nick breaking one of the records.  No one thought Jason had a chance before he put up 90 hits his senior year.  It won't be easy for Nick because of the quality of competition.  But he certainly has the talent.  He also knows it can be done and what it takes to get it done.
I am a huge fan of Brian and Nick and agree they can capture a lot of scouts to San Antonio this season.  Both have that ability to continue playing and  have worked hard enough to, hopefully,  earn a look.

I would like to think so, then, you never know.  I think that both are projectable so that will help them, but I was really disappointed that Aaron Crais of TLU didn't get any looks after his career there. I understand that projectability was an issue with his size, and that he didn't have the speed to convert to second base, but you can't argue with the numbers that he put up - and there isn't a number that dictates just how clutch of a player he was. After the 17 home run season his junior year, it was going to be hard to duplicate.  Well without Krog hitting behind him he still hit 9 Homeruns, increased his average from .331 to .422 and OBP% from .395 to .511 -- His BB/SO in '05 was 20/32, the following year 34/16 .  I just wish more D3 kids got a chance.

[infielddad]

" I just wish more D3 kids got a chance."

No disagreement on my end.  But this is where Coach Scannell stands out and does not get enough credit.  He sends his kids to the Cape, NECBL, Coastal Plain and other top wood bat leagues.  Risks that if they are successful they will get recruited and transfer.  Believe me, his concerns are real.
On the other hand, that type of exposure made and makes an enormous difference in the situations we are discussing.  Scouts got to see Jason play against Team USA, play in the NECBL, play with wood against top DI guys and saw he could play multiple positions and be successful against 91-05, when he used wood. With that said, only a few teams viewed him as a prospect and only two spent lots of time with him.  Coach Scannell deserves all the credit in the world because he risks everything for his top players to give them a chance at the next level.
DIII guys "earn" everything they achieve.  Getting to the professional level, and surviving at that level, takes  toughness and mental discipline, and the ability to play every position since only one might be open.  Coach Scannell sent Jason to the NECBL where he played 2nd and 3rd and got a chance to show he could handle it.  It is that versatility that gave him a chance at the next level.  Jason earned some things but Coach Scannell had the vision to see what was needed.

[frank_ezelle]

It is great to see so many posts here this morning.  I didn't go back to see if I sounded worried about Trinity and their pitching in any of my previous posts but I don't recall having that emotion.  I do think Trinity will have a great team as they always have and I don't assume that Millsaps will win the SCAC this season--I just know they have a great team.  And for the record, I was pulling for Trinity to come out of their regional last year--I do pull for SCAC teams once it comes to the NCAA Tournaments and I'd loved to see two SCAC teams at the World Series this year.

Millsaps had a great come-from-behind victory last night over Mississippi College, scoring 3 in the bottom of the 8th on a 3-run double by Hunter Owen to win 8-7.  It was brutally cold with a stiff wind blowing in all night--one of the worst nights for watching baseball that I can remember.  There a short summary at this link: 

http://www.millsaps.edu/athletic/baseball/0213_02_07story.shtml

(no box score has been posted at this time)

Just a note of interest.  Outside of pitching, the two question marks for Millsaps were the right field/cleanup hitter spot and the catching position which was handled by committee last year.  Hunter Owen has taken over for Garner Wetzel and has at least 8 rbi's, 2 home runs, and his base clearing double would have probably gone out on a normal night.  At catcher Russ Boyd has started off with 8 hits in 3 games.  Russ played basketball last year and didn't join the baseball team until March so this is the first year that he has gone through fall practice, etc.

[frank_ezelle]

Here's a link to the MC-Millsaps box score from the MC website:

http://www.gochoctaws.com/sports/baseball/2007/milvsmc1.htm

And Russ Boyd is only 7 of 11 so far instead of having 8 hits. 

[frank_ezelle]

One final post today and it is just an interesting tidbit that doesn't mean a lot at this point in the season.  Hunter Owen has gotten off to a fast start at Millsaps and I was wondering how it compared to Garner's start last year.  In the first three games against the same two teams, here are the numbers:

Hunter Owen-- 6 of 11, 8 rbi's, 2 HR, 1 Double

Garner Wetzel--9 of 16, 13 rbi's, 1 HR, 4 Doubles

Those are both nice starts--it's too bad no one can keep up those averages for an entire season.