BB: SUNYAC

[Bob Maxwell]

Obviously the Bashnight comment was a joke... and as Scuba says it is pretty funny.  A very well delivered comical comment at us being to serious on here... so +1 for that.

Starvin, I think that Brockport will be one of the teams that are in the mix when tournament time comes.  As a Brockport fan, I think that every year... isn't that what a fan does?  I also think that Plattsburgh is the team with the most coming back... and Oneonta and New Paltz will need to be reckoned with too.

I can't give you a starting lineup for Brockport at this point, but then no one here has been able to give the starting lineup for Cortland at this point either...  so that isn't a big deal.  I can give you some names that will be included in it and suspect that it will consist of a few new guys too (some returning from injuries, a transfer or two and possibly even a freshman or two)... along with returning guys who have shown they can play, some of which will be given increased rolls.  Beach, Caruana, Maxwell, Meola, Nicholson all will be bigger contributors this year... also they have Zaccardo and Warne returning from injuries behind the plate (yes they lost their #1 & #2 catchers last year).  They have three returning starters who have shown they can win in the league (perhaps not with the petigrees that have been touted for some of the Cortland pitchers on here but each of them has to be respected when they pitch against you) and they have experiecne in the bull pen.  There are a lot of new pitchers... a couple transfers... I feel as the  new guys get their feet wet that they will be OK on the mound. 

Scuba made a great point about their loss of Avery possibly being the biggest addition for Cortland (+1 for that).  He is most likely on the mark there, as Mike is a very good player.  But Brockport will move on from that loss...

As pointed out here, Oneonta has a lot of offense returning... and while they lost a lot of pitching, I'ver heard that they do have several new pitchers who will fill the void... don't know names - perhaps someone can fill us in.  Perhaps someone who knows this team can go through the lineup possibilities...

Yes, Plattsburgh has not won a game at the SUNYAC tournament... but when it happens it will most likely change the mix up a bit from the Brockport, Cortland Oneonta always being the three teams at the end... so they hold a key, who will they impact?   Same with Plattsburghs lineup and outlook, anyone with any insights?

And there was some talk about New Paltz... any one know anything more about them?

I still say that we will have some surprises and it won't be as cut and dry as it looks on paper... that is why we keep playing.  And no matter who wins the conference in the end we should all support them.

[Bob Maxwell]

Let me throw something out for discussion...

With the SUNYAC being one of the longest established and IMO one of the more competative D-III conferences.... AND the baseball Hall of Fame being in New York state.  What does anyone think of the conference possibly looking to play its baseball conference tournament in Cooperstown at Double Day Field?

With the HOF being in NY, and the SUNYAC being a conference of the University of New Yokr... I think it would be a great partnership.  I've always thought that it would be something that is at least work looking at.

There would be some issues that would need to be addressed but I think that the positive PR and tie in to baseball history would be awesome.

And all of the Logistical issues can be worked out.

Anyone have any comments on this?

[Bob Maxwell]

I seem to always be leaving Oswego out of my comments... maybe its because they aren't represented on the board very often.  Or because they are just hiding on the lake shore... I don't know.  Same with Fredonia...

But I think that they are a team that will be heard from this year too.  They won some solid games last year... notably sweeping both Brockport and Oneonta.  They were in every conference game last year with a chance to win... yet they still ended up not making the tournament.  They win one game in the last series against Oneonta and they qualify for the tournament.

Yes they lost their top pitcher (DeSantis), top hitter (Peroli) and their SS (Farrell), but they still have a lot of experience coming back... if they have a couple of guys coming in who can contribute in the conference right away they will need to be dealt with.

Same with Fredonia... they the second game against Plattsburgh and one against Oneonta at the end of the year and they may have snuck in too.  They look to be a little light on pitching with the loss of Huard, but they can score runs... so if you don't put top guys on the mound against them you may be in for some trouble.

Last year the final team didn't qualify for the conference tournament until the last game of the year... it may come down to that again this year with New Paltz improving and these two teams being in the mix.

We seem to have agreed that Cortland most likely will be the top seed again... and that Plattsburgh has the most coming back and is the favorite to be #2 again.  But what about the other 5 teams battling to qualify for the last two spots.

Comments?

[pudge27]

Bob,
    I wanted to chime in on your Cooperstown suggestion.  This is going back quite a few years, but I used to play there quite a bit when I could still bend my knees.  For atmosphere and all that, Doubleday would be a slam dunk.  Anyone who's been down there would agree.  You'd also get much bigger crowds because it's pretty centrally located and there's a lot of people in town visiting that would just walk by and see a game going on.  For that, you really can't beat it. 

   I also don't think that logistics would be a problem.  Utica and Oneonta are an hour and 1/2 hour respectively and there is plenty of lodging within a short drive. 

   The biggest hiccup that I see is with the actual field itself.  Keep in mind that this is going back quite a few years, but the left field fence is way too close and the field was in ok shape, but not kept to the level that I'm sure the Auburn facility or even C. St. or IC's fields is kept.  They may have made changes to that since then, but that's my recollection.  The other factor is $$.  I would almost bet my house that Cooperstown charges more to play there than any of the other facilities that have been used in the recent past. 

   I think that it would be a great idea and would be all for it, but those are the problems that I see.  I would also suggest throwing out there more of a rotation in some of the minor league parks in NY.  I'm up in Rochester and think that Frontier Field would be a great location.  I'd say the same about Buffalo and Binghamton as well. 

[scuba16]

Agree about the loot doubleday charges but the real problem with playing there is the fact that if it even sprinkles they yank you off the field in .5 seconds. That would be ok if you were playing in a tournament or something but conference tournament games need to be played. If it happened there would need to be some sort of agreement with the field maintenance staff beforehand, but in my experience with doubleday, what they say goes.
How about the NY regional there, Oneonta could host. What a great atmosphere that would be. More food for thought!

[Bob Maxwell]

The grounds issue and charges are a couple of the things that I would think would need to be ironed out.  And most likely can if the conference were to get involved with the Double Day people...

Just a thought on the grounds thing, perhaps the schools invovled would bring someone who works on theiro own field along to help with the work load during the tournament.   draging, lining, mound & plate areas... as well as other things like supplies for the field.  Both teams would be the tarp crew...

I just think it would be very interesting to explore with both being in NY.  Probably more of a plum for the conference to be at the HOF then the other way around.  But I think it would be a plus for both...

Pudge, I think the left field fence is 315 down the line... and 370 to left center... so that is OK.  BUT it has been a few years since I've been to a game there so I may be wrong.  Also, I think the lure of this would be the tie in to SUNYAC and the HOF... but a rotation of minor league parks would be interesting.  Don't know if AAA would be the way to go, but A & AA would be nice too.

Scuba, interesting idea on the regional too.  Another possibility... and the NCAA would be involved then too.  The entire conference could sponsor it... with Oneonta and Cortland being the closest schools.  (not sure how far Cortland is)

I think it is worth the conference at least looking at.

[JQV]

Bob,

You make an interesting point about Doubleday Field but I have to believe the answer begins and ends with the expense of leasing the facility for a week.  Especially for a conference comprised of institutions funded with public money.

I must admit, I had no idea the SUNYAC had a postseason baseball tournament.  That is pretty cool. 

Love the debate in here.  Sorry you boys are all still buried in 4895243054 feet of snow.  Balls and bats are already out in sunny Florida.

[Bob Maxwell]

Jose,



thanks for the laugh.. we need as many as we can with this weather!!!   Are you the one they had come in to measure the depth?   



And there is talk about them eliminating it starting in 2009... I think that is a big mistake.  But then I have no say in if it happens or not.

[JQV]

Are you the one they had come in to measure the depth?

There isn't enough money in the world.  I saw snow for the first time during my freshman year at IC and saw it for the last time, god willing, during my senior yeat at IC.  Four winters is plenty for me.

[StarvinMarvin]

Bob, thank you for your input about Brockport and some of the other teams in the conference.  In regard to hosting a tournament whether it be the SUNYAC or a regional, there's alwyas more to it than what's on the surface.  The SUNYAC tournament will never be held on a neutral site and rightfully so because it's one of the perks or advantages of winning the league and provides incentive.  However, the regionals are a totally different story as a school needs to first put in to host it.  Personally, I feel that Ithaca as well as other schools, choose to host because in their mind it may somehow help them if they were ever to falter in their regular season pursuit of a regional bid.  Most schools, if not all that host are usually favorites at the beginning of the season to make post-season play.  At the time of regional play, the spring semester is completed yet workers are needed at each regional site for concessions, security, field maintenance such as helping with the tarp if necessary etc.  Depending on how far the site is from the host college, these workers who are often students must drive back and forth from the college and the site of play.  I can't imagine that any college will pay for those working the site to stay in a hotel.  For example, Ithaca hosts the NY regional at Auburn and the workers they provide, mostly students, must drive the 45 minute to an hour drive (I think that's the distance) each day.  In m opinion, it's not easy to host a tournament and many things have to be taken into consideration.  Certain places sound like a great place to have a tournament but my point is that college baseball, especially DIII, doesn't generate enough revenue for people to go above and beyond the basic needs in order to run a tournament.  It's a shame because there's some very good baseball being played especially as the tournament progresses and the environment at these regional games rivals a funeral.  Have a good weekend everybody!     

[Bob Maxwell]

As you all point out... there are a lot of things that would make a HOF - SUNYAC working agreement really hard to do.  I just thought it would be a really great tie in becuase of the New York State and baseball connection.  I would be something that no other conference had.

Hey, you never know... but most likely not.

Opening day today, in Texas... jealous that we can't be there.   

[Bob Maxwell]

Question...  I see that Nick Perioli is playing basketball at Oswego this year.  He was hurt during the basketball season last year and there was some question if he would play baseball last year.

I think he is finishing up his last year of basketball eligibiility, but I think finished his baseball eligibility last year...  does anyone know for sure?

If he is back with baseball that is a big plus for Oswego.

[NYBaseball]

Bob he has no baseball elgibility left......and even if he did it really wouldnt matter.  Oswego took a huge hit on their pitching staff, and even with those guys from last year they still werent good enough to make the SUNYAC's.......should be another long yr up in laker country this yr

[John McGraw]

Interesting discussion on having SUNYAC's at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown. If Oneonta were to host, I think if they couldn't do it at Red Dragon Field, the next logical choice would be a renovated Damaschke Field where the Oneonta Tigers play (and Hartwick used to play).

But back to Cooperstown. Biggest reason from my point of view why you can't host a tournament there - no media facilities/press box/PA. There's lots of bleacher space on either side of the field then a tiny nook for a scoreboard operator behind the plate and that's it. In the third-base side grandstand there's a couple power outlets but that is all. There's no phone lines and no dedicated press box.

Normally, this wouldn't be that big a deal - like say if it were just one game. But when you have a three-day tournament, you can't wait until the end of the day to send out all the results and post information online - not in this electronic age.

Just my two cents from having broadcast a summer league game from that field on a cell phone while hand-scoring the game to later put it into TAS with a big zero fans in attendance. As soon as the game was done, the groundskeeper guy was kicking everyone off the field and out of the dugouts.

[JQV]

no media facilities/press box/PA.

Doubleday is perfectly capable of hosting media.  They probably just didn't put it out for the summer league game.  When I was with the Rays we took 8-10 writers and 2 PR people for the HOF game and everyone covered live.  But, like I said before, all that costs money and I presume the SUNYAC's Tourney budget wouldn't cover it.