BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Not at all convinced regional play happens for them.

In region you'd have to put Salisbury, Bridgewater, Huntingdon, Millsaps and perhaps Birmingham Southern ahead of them based on won-lost and in-region SOS. And Shenandoah and Frostburg State are pretty even with CNU with more games left.

In order of in region SOS (just because it's easier)
                  Win   SOS
Salisbury     .857  .548
Huntingdon .714   .547
Frostburg    .654   .542
B Southern  .742   .515
Bridgewater .880   .511
C Newport   .705   .508
Millsaps       .778   .503
Shenandoah .731   .495

Spence - Thanks for those numbers. I'd be curious as to how overall national ranking factors into the decision making. CNU has been in the Top 10 all year, and after the tournament, will probably still be in the 15-20 range. Salisbury will certainly still be ahead of CNU, and B-SC may be able to jump them, but at year's end CNU will still be ranked higher than the majority of the teams on that list. If CNU wins out, I don't see how the Regional Tournament can not put them in. Off of the above list, the only team(s) I see that would without a doubt get an at-large over CNU would be Salisbury.

Also, your winning percentage for Bridgewater is off (or the website you got the info from). They are 24-9, for a .727 winning percentage, with recent losses to the Apprentice School and Roanoke College (two bad losses). A few of the winning percentages are off actually, so I assume the website hasn't update the information as of this weekend yet. Do you get that from the NCAA website? That's good info to look at, so I'd like to start checking it out!

Ranking factors by the regional committee are found here:

http://www.d3baseball.com/interactive/faq/ncaaTournament

and here:

http://www.d3baseball.com/interactive/faq/ncaaTournament#pool

D3baseball.com Top 25 is not a criterion.

[OshDude]

In-region records and SOS numbers are found on the front page under News > Strength of Schedule.

[Spence]

In-region records and SOS numbers are found on the front page under News > Strength of Schedule.

That's where they came from. Apprentice is not Division III.

[narch]

Looks like thigpen just put a ribbon on the tourney MVP with a 3 run bomb on a 4-5 day...mu is up 10-2 in the bottom of the 8th

[OshDude]

Good webcast and great facilities for the USAS tourney. Well done, USAS!

Methodist looks like the first team in the NCAA field as I type after a home run in the bottom of the eighth.

[LTBB1971]

Well for NCWC, the season is over.  I guessed we would get 12 wins and they ended up 21-23 over all and really improved.  This may have been one of Coach Long's best jobs in recent years.  Still be nice to have a legit "Pitching Coach" on staff.  Some of the things, I'll take away from 2013:

1.  Only loosing 2 seniors.  SS Alexander and SP Swartout.  Both had outstanding years and will be highly missed.

2.  On the other hand, I think, SS will be manned by FR sensation Ciro Norzagaray next year and Swartout spot will be gobled up by Ciro as well in the starting rotation.  Kid has way too much talent to just play one way.

3.  Weekend SP will be just as strong with Beasley, Norzagaray and Brooks...I am assuming Pleasant will remain number 4 after disappointing year.

4.  FR D. Moore seems to be molding into a fine closer.

5.  In the lineup, need CF J. DiSanto to hit near .300 to set table and RF Hayden Williams to be more consistent.  He could develop into therir number 3 hitter next year.

As far as USAS tournament, I'm not really surprised MU won it all.  They are very well coached by Tom Austin and could go deep in regionals.

[USASfan]

LTHS,

Do you think Swartout or Alexander will continue their baseball careers. Indy ball or overseas possibly?
I think Swartouts arm could be used by someone somewhere.
As for Alexander. Having only 9 errors in 123 chances, a glove like that and a .300 hitter coul be used

[PNeal7]

I've never seen either one of them play, but it will be an uphill road for either to continue their career. While Alexander had a fine season at SS for NCWC, there have been many, many SS's that one would consider better than Alexander that did not even get a sniff at the next level. None of the following played at the next level (with the exception of Bailey getting a few AB's in indy ball): Trae Bailey (CNU), Brian Ingram (MU), Jesse Henry (SU), Paul Jaglowski (FC). Also, both Alexander and Swartout are very small, and do not have the protoypical build of a player at the next level. You certainly don't need size (see Dustin Pedroia); however, a 5'11" RHP throwing upper 80's is a dime a dozen once you get to that level, as well is a 5'7" MIF.

Several scouts have told me they subtract .080-.100 off of a players batting average per lower division they play (DII, DIII, etc.). Hitting .331 is a heck of a season, and certainly one to be very satisfied with; however, in the eyes of professional scouting .331 at the DIII isn't much to write home about. Perhaps Catfish can shed more light, as I just go off of what I am told from speaking with guys in the summers.

Kevin Herget (Kean University) has similar build to Swartout, and most suspect Herget will get drafted; however, Herget is a rare bird. I personally saw him hit 93-94 consistently on MLB scouts radar guns this past summer in the VBL. He led the VBL in K's, and we had several scouts mention they had no idea how he is playing DIII baseball, as he does have a breaking ball and change-up (on some nights) to go with it.

[Spence]

Several scouts have told me they subtract .080-.100 off of a players batting average per lower division they play (DII, DIII, etc.). Hitting .331 is a heck of a season, and certainly one to be very satisfied with; however, in the eyes of professional scouting .331 at the DIII isn't much to write home about. Perhaps Catfish can shed more light, as I just go off of what I am told from speaking with guys in the summers.

Kevin Herget (Kean University) has similar build to Swartout, and most suspect Herget will get drafted; however, Herget is a rare bird. I personally saw him hit 93-94 consistently on MLB scouts radar guns this past summer in the VBL. He led the VBL in K's, and we had several scouts mention they had no idea how he is playing DIII baseball, as he does have a breaking ball and change-up (on some nights) to go with it.

Did anyone tell those scouts that he may not even be the best in D-III?

And that taking 100 points off per division is ridiculous. So you have to hit .450 to be able to be even passable in comparison to D-I? That's crazy. I wonder if the Cubs believe that after Tim Saunders' first half-year in the pros...

IMO the scouts miss guys every year because they won't look at a guy unless he fits into their cookie cutter even though those guys bust all the time. The Cubs paid this Cuban clown 10 million to play in high A and charge a dugout with bat in hand. IMO they should be looking less for numbers and more for ballplayers.

[USASfan]

I agree with both.

But I more agree with spence
I think most scouts look a build before numbers. I'd rather have a 5'8 SS who can get hit than a guy who's 6'4 and can't hit. But hey it is what it is. I just hate the fact that some young men get passed over because they don't fit the right "build" I've seen Alexander makes some plays that I dont think I D1 guy could make. As for Swartout. A good right hander is not hard to find. These 2 senior really led that bishop squad from what was looking like another bad year for the bishops to a second place finish in the conference and one of 4 teams left in the tournament. Any word on Regionals and who is in or out.

[108 Stitches]

Ahhh.... the old Scout question.
Scouts rate a player on tools and a point system.  For pitchers - Velo and pitch ranking.  Size matters in pro baseball like it or not.
Never heard about the drop in numbers by levels, but that would mean a DIII at 0.400 would be 0.300 in DII, and 0.200 in D1... not likely. Most play summer wood bat leagues so DIII numbers don't matter much. 

[LTBB1971]

LTHS,

Do you think Swartout or Alexander will continue their baseball careers. Indy ball or overseas possibly?
I think Swartouts arm could be used by someone somewhere.
As for Alexander. Having only 9 errors in 123 chances, a glove like that and a .300 hitter coul be used

USAS fan,
IMO Alexander's career is over.  Yes, he hit well last year and this year but defensively he lacks range and his arm is best suited for 2B.

As for Swartout, I really think he can take it to the next level.  I'm really surprised he got bombed his last 2 outings but that may be due to too many innings and he may be fatigued.  Last year he was primarily used out of the bullpen...(over used).  At a minimum he has the velocity to draw interest from Indy ball.

[Spence]

Ahhh.... the old Scout question.
Scouts rate a player on tools and a point system.  For pitchers - Velo and pitch ranking.  Size matters in pro baseball like it or not.

I guess it's a good thing that Ichiro was not North American then. Thinly built, not very tall, kind of a funny swing, doesn't walk a lot...and he may end up with the most hits of any man ever to walk the planet.

[108 Stitches]

Dustin Pedroia and many others fit this also. Like I said they measure "tools".

[narch]

Any word on Regionals and who is in or out.

only one team in right now...

here are some useful tools from the mother page (www.d3baseball.com)

playoff central - http://www.d3baseball.com/notables/2013/05/Playoff_Central
regional rankings - http://www.d3blogs.com/d3baseball/category/ncaa/regional-rankings/ (first ranking has not yet been released)
strength of schedule - http://www.d3baseball.com/seasons/2013/schedule?tmpl=sos-template - this goes a long way toward determining regional rankings and at-large selections

there is also good regional discussion here http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=7945.0 - jim dixon has done the good deed of pulling out the south region schools for SOS