BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[historymajor]

No, I agree!  Can't wait to hear the ump holler "PLAY BALL"

[Ralph Turner]

http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/112408aaa.html

West Regional is at Linfield in 2009.

[PetrelBaseball]

Hope everybody is doing well since last year.  Any early predictions/analysis on the East side of the SCAC? I know Depauw and Rhodes lost plenty of talent due to graduation. How does everybody think the East will shape up? Any early favorites?
Petey

[richball]

Believe the East will be up for grabs this year between Rhodes, DePauw, and Centre. Rhodes lost some very talented players but still return some young experienced talent and have an edge facility wise, probably the best team offensively, DePauw relies heavily on pitching and lost their 3 conference starters, which will be tough to replace, but I'm sure they will, very good team fundamentally, Centre lost their #1 pitcher, but return everyone else plus added a good group of young arms, could arguably have best one two punch on the mound.

[Lou_Brown]

The East should be interesting this year...

Rhodes lost a ton of players but still return Holt - pitcher, Bizzell stud at SS , Mosby and Lindsey. They'll have to find a way to replace Flanagan, vanaman, hurd, and beesley.Still probaly the favorite to win the east. Their neew facility looks nice, they have some nice pics up on the web

Depauw lost a ton on the hill, but hit .309 as a team stole 114 bases and scored 352 runs in 46 games...thats a darn good offense! Always well coached, fundamentally sound team. They have lost a ton, but they always, always figure to be in the mix.

Centre? I can't figure out the comment best 1/2 punch? Herbert was a flat out stud, he's gone. The returning pitchers numbers are hardly overwhelming....Taking a look at their website it looks like the fall intrasquad games were high scoring afairs? Where was the pitching? RichBall do you have any inside info? Any stud Freshmen?

Oglethorpe returns all but one player...but they usually are very weak on the hill and lack offense punch. Looking at their stats nothing really jumps out..Llano is a good player at SS, and Briend is solid on the hill...


Sewanee has not had much to talk about the last few years...they did bring in 14 newcomers according to their roster. Bartelski was as a good pitcher for them last year...Burns is all conference player at 1B and Irwin returns after a solid freshmen year.

Overall the West shadows the East from top to bottom...and I don't see that trend ending this year.

[PetrelBaseball]

Less than 1 month until baseball season officially gets underway in the SCAC! Less than 2 months until non-conference opening games start for the SCAC! I know I'm excited, how about everyone else? Haven't heard a lot of talk about the year yet, so I figured I would maybe get us going. 

I believe OU has the talent to finally make some noise this year. I know this has been a recurring theme the past two or three years, but I can honestly tell all of you that this is it. The Petrels finally have a tremendous 1/2 punch on the bump, and a quality 3rd starter. The bullpen is the X factor in my eyes as it will be consisted of mostly all underclassmen, however they have the talent to succeed. The offense is the peak of the Petrels this season as they return all players on offense, and have added 3 or 4 bats that any team would die for.  And last but not least, the part of the  petrels that has caused them the most problems the last couple of years- defense.  This may be the smoothest fielding infield the Stormy Petrels have had...EVER. It looks to be a very exciting year in the SCAC and hopefully OU will live up to my usual preseason talk.  How's everyone else look?

[Krakatoa]

Trinity returns a team which came within one game of the CWS and all ten of their top ten at-bat guys from last seasion return:

.402, .367, .357, .353, .353, .344, .316, .307, .293, and .288 ...... and five of those were freshmen.  Offensively, TU promises to be highly potent.

On the hill, Bronson is back but lower-inning guys from last year and some talented newcomers will have to pick up the torch as Oates and Poffenroth have graduated.  If the P-staff can put it all together, they could go deep into May.

[Ralph Turner]

But they Trinity must get out of one of the most balanced regions in baseball.

[Krakatoa]

No argument there. However, they manage to do it fairly often (at least into Regional action).

[Jack Parkman]

I have said it many times before, but Trinity will always be average until they make it out of a regional.  Maybe they will do it this year but the TX schools have always had outstanding regular season records but come regional time, only one (CU Austin in 2002) has been able to do it.

[Ralph Turner]

I have said it many times before, but Trinity will always be average until they make it out of a regional.  Maybe they will do it this year but the TX schools have always had outstanding regular season records but come regional time, only one (CU Austin in 2002) has been able to do it.

+1!   

[infielddad]

I have said it many times before, but Trinity will always be average until they make it out of a regional.  Maybe they will do it this year but the TX schools have always had outstanding regular season records but come regional time, only one (CU Austin in 2002) has been able to do it.

I am not sure how that makes a program "average."  They have made it to the championship game in the West Regional 3 times since 2002.
Are we to think George Fox is above average solely  because they rode the arm of Scott Hyde, and I mean rode it, to the CWS in 2004? 
Trinity is anything but average, as evidenced by the number of guys they are getting drafted, and how well they have performed at a consistently high level.
On the other hand, unless and until they get to the CWS, there isn't anyone in the program who will feel satisfied. 
By your definition, there are about 16 or so above average programs in DIII and 300 or more that are average or below.
I guess it depends on how you define "average." In my experiences in college baseball, only those who are well above average get to and experience success in the Regionals, and do it regularly.

[Jack Parkman]

Maybe "average" isn't the best word to use....but honestly, I can't really think of another.
Many schools will have inflated regular season records but when it come to the regionals, they simply can not get it done.  I am not trying to sound like I have something against Trinity, but until they make it past a regional they are not going to be considered an elite team.
I don't really like the draft argument but I guess that is a pretty good indicator of the level of talent they are bringing in.
What do I think of George Fox?  Thats a tough one because they had the one year where they did ride Scott Hyde, but it takes A LOT more than one guy to win the CWS.  I do realize that without him they likely would not have even made it there but there were 24 other guys on that team that made it happen.

[infielddad]

"Inflated?"
If you are playing lollipop schedules, you don't get to the championship game of the West Regional 3 times since 2002.  There isn't a top team in the West Region that Trinity has not beaten, including Chapman.
Since 2002 they are on a tier just below Chapman but equal or above George Fox, anyone in the SCIAC and NWC, the ASC, and all the independents.
As Krakatoa pointed out, the issue is usually pitching depth, not quality.
I can assure you that in 2004, Coach Scannell could have thrown his #1, Mike Frost , an All Amercan, as many innings as Fox did with Hyde.
Last Spring he could have done the same with Evan Bronson in the McMurry regional.
He won't do those things.
Some think it is worth the risk and actuality of injury to do that and get to Wisconsin.  The Trinity coaching staff does not.
If those issues and coaching decisions leave you with the view they are "average," then so be it.
Their opponents know they are not and neither do the scouts heading down the I35 to scout their players.

[Jack Parkman]

I said MANY schools have inflated records, and did not say anything about Trinity.  We could go back and forth on this stuff until May, but I am just stating an opinion.  Like I said, I have nothing against Trinity but I would like to see them get over the hump before adding them in the nations elite.
On a side note, I do believe they would make it out of another regional without Chapman in it.  Look at what Linfield did...