BB: MWC: Midwest Conference

[warrior35]

Sounds like a very interesting move from the Carroll head coach.  It's really hard from the outside looking in.  Off the top of my head, I can think of a handful of reasons that doing something like that could be an appropriate action and a bunch of reasons not to do something like that.  Depending on his reasons and the kids that are currently in the program, we will find out in a few years whether it was a good move or not.

I do not agree with the argument that because Carroll's administration isn't committed to the baseball program that they can never be successful.  There are examples of teams at good academic institutions where the school administration has said that you will never be good here, and the coach and team have been able to play at a .500 or above rate after a building period of 4-6 years.  It's never an immediate solution and it almost always involves getting the right people on the team, a certain maturation process of the kids, and good coaching.  If those ingredients end up happening, then you have a chance of turning a program into a success.  A LOT easier said than done and it's a continual process not a one time deal.

In regards to recruiting, there are so many factors that play into it that the number of kids that are brought in and/or stay in the program is really a crap shoot.  You'd like to think that a winning program would have a higher rate of retention, but that's not necessarily true either.  You're dealing with kids that frequently don't truly know what they want in life and are still trying to find themselves.  There are mistakes made, career goal changes that sometimes prompt a school change, kids can get burnt out from a sport, the school wasn't the fit they thought it was, the team is full of cliques, etc.  Also, recruiting tactics play a part.  I know several coaches who recruit with the sales pitch that every kid will play right away.  Obviously that isn't true, so the only kids that usually stay are those who play within their first 2 years.  Also, some programs have limitations on roster allowances due to strict Title IX application, limiting the team to 25-30 guys.  In that case you're looking at bringing in 7-10 guys a year depending on retention.  Other programs have 40-50 guys on their team, allowing coaches to bring in 12-17 guys a year... but there are so many variables that you just can't count on.  I'd guess in a .500 program you can count on losing at least 2 per class during their career.  In worse programs it's probably higher than that.

[ballfan55]

So far they are 0-5.  After watching the Coach last year I don't know if he has the patience to wait a few years.

[warrior35]

Well, he's going to need it.  You can't expect a team that's 2/3 freshmen to compete in his first year.  But, if there was a lack of effort and a sense of complacency on the team last year, I could see how it would drive any coach nuts and cause him to kick a bunch of kids off the team.  I've known too many coaches in too many programs that should have kicked some kids off the team, but just didn't have the nerve to do it.

[ballfan55]

The complacency last year was largely the coach.  The kids on the team wanted to win, and felt they could win, but he made it clear from early on that he had no interest in this particular group of players....early on in the season the word was that they had "better enjoy the year because there were 17 recruits coming in to take their places".  Hard to play for a coach when that is his attitude about you.  He had his favorites.  One player made all conference as a utility player.  That player was clearly a favorite.  He finished fourth in the team in hitting, struck out 7 more times than any other player on the team, did finish second in RBIs and tied for 3rd in RBIs.  He also led the team in errors with 18, and an ERA of over 9.  But he was loved by the coach, made every start and somehow got all conference.  The players saw this.  Hard to support something like that.

Maybe things will be better now that he has "his" players.  Hope so.

[BigPoppa]

The complacency last year was largely the coach.  The kids on the team wanted to win, and felt they could win, but he made it clear from early on that he had no interest in this particular group of players....early on in the season the word was that they had "better enjoy the year because there were 17 recruits coming in to take their places".  Hard to play for a coach when that is his attitude about you.  He had his favorites.  One player made all conference as a utility player.  That player was clearly a favorite.  He finished fourth in the team in hitting, struck out 7 more times than any other player on the team, did finish second in RBIs and tied for 3rd in RBIs.  He also led the team in errors with 18, and an ERA of over 9.  But he was loved by the coach, made every start and somehow got all conference.  The players saw this.  Hard to support something like that.

Maybe things will be better now that he has "his" players.  Hope so.

Much easier to blame the coach now that your son has left the program, huh? Carroll has won four straight games and climbed to 4-5 on the season. As for how they played last year, that is on the players. The one all-MWC player they did have was just ripped apart by you as you pointed out all of his flaws. Are you more upset that your son did not get the playing time you felt he deserved last season or that a player you deemed "unworthy" made the all-MWC team?

Coach Hassell and I have been good friends since we were little kids. We grew up four houses apart, played ball together as kids, Little League, Babe Ruth, Legion and high school... we even coached against each other while both living in Southern California.  Knowing him (and his family) personally, and how hard he is working to improve a program that has had only TWO winning MWC seasons since 1993, I feel your attack on Coach Hassell is not only wrong, but cowardly as you choose to hide behind you screen name. It is hard to see someone bash a friend and know that, as a coach, he cannot defend himself on this forum. If you still have issues with him, make an appointment and sit down and talk to him man to man. He is, and always has been, a man who has lived a faith-centered life and does the best that he can. He, and all coaches, do their job in front of parents every day knowing that many will always disagree with the coach's decision if it involves either removing their son or not playing him enough... or he made the wrong pitching move here or there... or even, why would he bunt/not bunt in that situation?

I am guessing that you preferred the previous staff with Coach Kosanke as your son clearly played a lot more, but at the end of the day, they still lost a ton of games that year too! But as long as your son was in the line-up, Coach Kosanske was a good guy, right?

Sincerely,

Shannon "BigPoppa" Blansette

[ballfan55]

You know that you and I have had conversations about this at the time.   Further, I did try and talk with Coach Hassell last year via e-mail originally and got a total brush-off.  He made no attempt whatsoever to engage parents at any time.  Now maybe that was because he knew he was going to let virtually all of the players loose at the end of the year.  I also had conversation with the Carroll AD about issues that I saw.  What I said was backed up with documentation.

Frankly, the Carroll program needed a change under Kosanke, and I think the players were excited about the change.  I just think that they expected that they would get a chance to compete and contribute and it didn't occur.

I was responding to the poster saying that the players quit last year.  That wasn't true at all.

I notice you haven't refuted any of my points because you can't they are accurate. 

If you want the respect of your players you do the little things...you honor your seniors, you try and keep guys who have been with the program for 3 years around for their fourth (my son would not have been included in this group as he as only there for two), you sit down with your players and explain why they aren't playing and what they can do to improve, when you play a D1 or D2 school you take all of the players along so they can see what that experience is like, you keep accurate records of all of your games so that when you post statistics they are correct.  You try and keep your bench players involved, whether it is charting pitches, keeping a book, getting them some "garbage" time in the game, or giving them a spot start in case you have to rely on them sometime during the season.

As I said, time will tell this year.  Maybe his relationship with the players will be better now that they are players he recruited, that is what I said at the end of my post.  You are right, they did win their last four.  We will see what that means down the road. 

[ballfan55]

BTW-to say I am hiding behind my user name is a bit disingenuous.  All you have to do is look at my user name and you can see my e-mail and see who I am.

[BigPoppa]

I can see Carroll possibly winning their next six games (two each with Northland College, Wisconsin Lutheran College and Cornell)and climbing to 10-5, before finding out exactly what they are this year as they then face Beloit and Ripon in back-to-back four game weekends.

If they struggle in the next six, then they could be in trouble in the MWC North.

[warrior35]

I was responding to the poster saying that the players quit last year.  That wasn't true at all.

I think if you read my post again, you might notice that I said IF there was a lack of effort and complacency it would make sense why the coach would respond by kicking kids off the team.  Thanks for letting me know that there was not, but I was not in any way trying to say there was.  I never saw a game, nor did I track Carroll what-so-ever last year... so that would not be fair for me to make a judgement like that.  You might also notice in a previous post I mentioned that there are some good reasons to kick kids off the team, and some really bad reasons to kick kids off the team... and I think we'll know within the next few years whether or not his move was ok or a really bad choice.  I tend to believe that the general rule is if you run a program well, you'll be rewarded with a good program... if you run a program poorly, it'll be a poor program.  The only way to know if a poor program, in terms of Ws and Ls, is being run well is to let time tell if it's having more success.

[ballfan55]

BTW, one thing I did want to clarify, I have been led to believe that they have found funds so that between adjunct teaching and other funds the head coach position is full time.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Carroll had reeled of 8 straight wins to stand at 8 - 5.

[Maverick]

Since we've gone almost the entire conference season without a post...

Final Regular Season Standings

North Division
St. Norbert  23-11, 14-2*
Beloit  17-19, 9-7*
Ripon  17-19, 7-9
Lawrence  15-19, 5-11
Carroll  14-21, 5-11

South Division
Grinnell  16-18, 8-4*
Knox  16-17, 7-5*
Illinois C.  21-13, 5-7
Monmouth  12-22, 4-8

* = Conference Tournament qualifiers

[Maverick]

And since the conference tournament starts tomorrow...

Conference Tournament Schedule (Hosted by Grinnell)

Friday, May 11
Game 1: #2N Beloit vs. #1S Grinnell, 9:00 am
Game 2: #1N St. Norbert vs. #2S Knox, 9:00 am (@ William Penn)
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 12:30 pm
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 3:30 pm

Saturday, May 12
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 10:00 am
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 1:00 pm
Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6, 4:00 pm (if necessary)

[Maverick]

First 2 games are in the books, someone from the South will be eliminated later today...

Conference Tournament Schedule (Hosted by Grinnell)

Friday, May 11
Game 1: #2N Beloit vs. #1S Grinnell = Beloit, 4-3
Game 2: #1N St. Norbert vs. #2S Knox = St. Norbert, 3-1
Game 3: Beloit vs. St. Norbert, 12:30 pm
Game 4: Grinnell vs. Knox, 3:30 pm

Saturday, May 12
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 10:00 am
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 1:00 pm
Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6, 4:00 pm (if necessary)

[BigPoppa]

I'd be shocked if it weren't the teams from the North division in the final... again.