BB: SUNYAC

[Truthfinder]

I have no idea why people think so highly of Plattsburgh.
Their schedule is a joke.
Their non-conference schedule had two good teams: Skidmore (rained out or something) and Castleton (who pounded them 18-4).
Here's the combined winning percentage of all the other non-conference teams on their schedule: .437.
It is to laugh.
Lyndon State, twice. Not a doubleheader, two single games. They're 9-21. Is that solid scheduling or about getting cake wins?
I'll bet a HUGE deal gets made this weekend when they get to 30 wins by beating St. Michael's.
The powerhouse 6-24-1 St. Michael's, that is.
I know they tout now making "eight straight postseason appearances." Let's not lose sight of the fact that they're 1-14 in SUNYAC tournament games.
Hey Cards, try scheduling someone good from your region. RPI. Skidmore. Rochester. Are you above them?
Nope, keep playing this selection of crap.
Like Middlebury, 8-13.
And some of these other schools, I don't even know how Plattsburgh found them.
Wilkes, 10-17.
Minnesota-Morris, a doubleheader sweep. They're 6-20.
Millikin University, a doubleheader sweep. They're 9-22.
If they're still in the national rankings this week, then clearly no one is paying any attention.
Go Cards. It's got to be tough to be the eighth-most-significant program at your own school.

[DefenseWins]

I have no idea why people think so highly of Plattsburgh.
Their schedule is a joke.
Their non-conference schedule had two good teams: Skidmore (rained out or something) and Castleton (who pounded them 18-4).
Here's the combined winning percentage of all the other non-conference teams on their schedule: .437.
It is to laugh.
Lyndon State, twice. Not a doubleheader, two single games. They're 9-21. Is that solid scheduling or about getting cake wins?
I'll bet a HUGE deal gets made this weekend when they get to 30 wins by beating St. Michael's.
The powerhouse 6-24-1 St. Michael's, that is.
I know they tout now making "eight straight postseason appearances." Let's not lose sight of the fact that they're 1-14 in SUNYAC tournament games.
Hey Cards, try scheduling someone good from your region. RPI. Skidmore. Rochester. Are you above them?
Nope, keep playing this selection of crap.
Like Middlebury, 8-13.
And some of these other schools, I don't even know how Plattsburgh found them.
Wilkes, 10-17.
Minnesota-Morris, a doubleheader sweep. They're 6-20.
Millikin University, a doubleheader sweep. They're 9-22.
If they're still in the national rankings this week, then clearly no one is paying any attention.
Go Cards. It's got to be tough to be the eighth-most-significant program at your own school.

Pretty intense post for you first post. I looked at plattsburghs past schedules and it seems that Plattsburgh has played a majority of the teams on this years schedule just about every year. And they had played RPI in years past every year. This is the first year they didnt play them. Probably because they are sick of going to that short right field porch in robinson field and having a 19-13 game. Because looking at the scheduale RPI never went to plattsburgh. As for being the 8th program on the ladder of programs at plattsburgh. I would have to completly disagree and that makes no sense to say. The only sport that gets the hype up there is mens and womens hockey. Other than that all the other sports are virtully the same. and you will see that with alot of colleges where there is a dominant program above the others. Unless you are a sports team powerhouse such as cortland. But even they have their bad teams.

In past several of the teams on Plattsburghs schedule have had much better records than this year. Its not their fault that the opponents they play year in and year out and im sure Coach Doorey has developed a relationship with those coaches and they schedule ahead of time. Thats how the rprocess works. You schedule a year or years in advance. You cant predict how good a team will be.

So honestly your take on plattsburghs weak scheduale is only applicable to this year because their competition is having down years. Either way a win is a win and you cant takeanything away from them because if you have been around college baseball long enough you will realize that any team can beat any team at any given time. Thats just the nature of sports.   

[StagnantFLY]

Plattsburgh is god awful. lets face it....they have no chance to win SUNYACS. Pburgh only has SOME hitting and Zero Pitching...Oleary is their # 1, i mean his 84 -85 mph fastballs arent scaring a good team.

[Truthfinder]

Sorry defense wins, but someone had to say it.
Also, I have to take back the "eighth-best program" at Plattsburgh comment, too.
They're actually ninth.

Men's soccer
Men's hockey
Women's hockey
Men's basketball
Softball
Women's soccer
Cross country
Indoor track

You can't look at the NCAA resumes of those programs and put a team that's 1-14 in SUNYAC tournament games ahead of them.

28-8 or whatever they are is nothing to snort at. Well done. Winning isn't easy. But let's keep perspective, especially with all the propaganda we're starting to hear and read about that program.

[Kski]

It is tough for a team like Plattsburgh to find good competition.  Most of their contests are between 3 & 4 hours away.  Their closest contests are with St. Michaels which is a little more than an hour away.  I wonder why they play them?  It's like Cortland playing Itaca every year, it's convenient.  I'm sure Coach Doorey would love to travel 7 hours on a weekday and play teams like U of R, St. John Fisher, or 6 hrs to play Ithaca.  Likewise, I'm sure those teams would love to travel up to Plattsburgh on weekdays.  I know Plattsburgh is sick of going down to RPI without them returning the favor and coming up north to play on a real ball field.

In conference, Plattsburgh has an uphill battle.  They see every teams 1 & 2 guys every weekend.  Plattsburgh's opponent can use their best guys because they don't have to worry about playing 2 more games the next day.  I think they deserve some respect for making the tourney every year.  They have their issues winning those tourney games, but in essence there is only one true winner at the end of it all, and that is the only stat that matters to the coaches and players. 

[Truthfinder]

Here's their SUNYAC wins, per year, over the last five years in order: 10, 9, 7, 7, 7.

That's a team stuck in neutral.

They know they're not going to win the conference, so it's about playing the worst schedule in Florida of any team in the free world in order to come back with a helium-filled record.

[Kski]

Each year is completely different.  Some teams lose more than others.  Some bring in more than others.  I believe at the beginning of the year, Plattsburgh was mentioned as losing the most talent from the previous year.  Before the season started, I was hesitant to even mention them making the tourney this year.  Look where they are now. 

Truth, there really isn't any truth in what you are saying.  There are a lot of assumptions on your part.  For instance, Plattsburgh does not actively seek out the weakest possible schedule.  Sometimes it's best to stick with what we know.  Just because a team doesn't win more conference games does not mean that they are "stuck in neutral."  It could be argued that most other teams in the conference are stuck, as well because they can't catch up with Cortland.  Cortland's dominance does not keep other teams from showing up and trying to take them out.  All of the teams will be ready to go come tourney time.  I hope they give us a good show.

[DefenseWins]

Here's their SUNYAC wins, per year, over the last five years in order: 10, 9, 7, 7, 7.

That's a team stuck in neutral.

They know they're not going to win the conference, so it's about playing the worst schedule in Florida of any team in the free world in order to come back with a helium-filled record.

I understand where you are coming from with your entire arguement. --Stop playing weak competition to make your team look better than it really is--. Truth be told KSKI makes a good point. Geographically plattsburgh is screwed. They cant make those long trips during the middle of the week. And SUNYAC games every weekend are hard enough. And if you wanna say plattsburgh is stuck in neutral than you can say that about oneonta, brockport, fredonia, and new paltz, because they are yet to do much different in the past decade other than when brockport won it one year i believe. Your arguement is against plattsburgh, but when it comes down to it, you cant blame a team for doing anything of that nature until they are considered a real threat to dethrone cortland.

Maybe Doorey just wants a good record for recruiting purposes so he can finally try and win some sunyac games.

[airball55]

Although I can side some with Plattsburgh's southern schedule of misfit teams, to have that program as competitive as they have been deserves some credit.  Remember too, Plattsburgh does not have physical education as Cortland and Brockport does.  Also, the recruiting pool from upstate NY isn't as deep as Cortland's (Syracuse, LI, Binghamton, etc.)  Also, they don't get the transfers that a place like Cortland or Brockport can get.  I suppose Coach Doorey could try the Cortland way and get other SUNY school players to transfer to his place!! (That was supposed to be sarcasm).  I agree that they aren't a top 30 program, not even close.... but, they have done a nice job making a respectable and competitive team up there.  They are who they are, a slightly above average D3 program who is not an easy win anymore.

[StagnantFLY]

Defensewins is once again correct with saying plattsburgh is pretty much the same as Oneonta and Brockport. Oneonta plays one of the weakest schedules down in Florida and seems that they are 10-1 or 11-0 every year then when they come up north they become a 500 ball club...I feel like these coaches just dont try hard enough to schedule games against different opponents cuz its easy eevry year to call the same teams and say how bout we play that april 19th weekend again and its locked in. What coaches such as Doorey and Ferchen must do is go out and play some Wheatons or RPIs of the world therfore getting recruits mroe interested and also making them a better team by playing tougher opponents.

[cstate19]

I think there are plenty of valid points on both sides.

Kyle is right on one point and Stagnant needs to pay attention to.  Stop suggesting they play RPI.  They use to go down there and RPI never came up so they dropped them.  I dont blame the Cardinals.   To gain any out of conference competition they would have to make a long trip during the week with no chance of any of these teams coming up North. 

It is tough for a team like Plattsburgh to find good competition.  Most of their contests are between 3 & 4 hours away.  Their closest contests are with St. Michaels which is a little more than an hour away.   I know Plattsburgh is sick of going down to RPI without them returning the favor and coming up north to play on a real ball field.

Kyle's second point is the kink in the schedule where Plattsburghs SUNYAC opponents play only Plattsburgh and not another second team that same weekend so Plattsburgh is always facing the other teams best pitchers.  (I dont know why this is, if anyone can explain)


Now for the other side. 

I have no idea why people think so highly of Plattsburgh.
Their schedule is a joke.
Their non-conference schedule had two good teams: Skidmore (rained out or something) and Castleton (who pounded them 18-4).
Here's the combined winning percentage of all the other non-conference teams on their schedule: .437.
It is to laugh.
Lyndon State, twice. Not a doubleheader, two single games. They're 9-21. Is that solid scheduling or about getting cake wins?
I'll bet a HUGE deal gets made this weekend when they get to 30 wins by beating St. Michael's.
The powerhouse 6-24-1 St. Michael's, that is.
I know they tout now making "eight straight postseason appearances." Let's not lose sight of the fact that they're 1-14 in SUNYAC tournament games.
Hey Cards, try scheduling someone good from your region. RPI. Skidmore. Rochester. Are you above them?
Nope, keep playing this selection of crap.
Like Middlebury, 8-13.
And some of these other schools, I don't even know how Plattsburgh found them.
Wilkes, 10-17.
Minnesota-Morris, a doubleheader sweep. They're 6-20.
Millikin University, a doubleheader sweep. They're 9-22.
If they're still in the national rankings this week, then clearly no one is paying any attention.
Go Cards. It's got to be tough to be the eighth-most-significant program at your own school.

It is kind of silly to tout the fact you have made eight straight postseasons when you are 1-14 in your conferrence tourney. 




Here is where I am really confused.  I just looked at the SOS article on the front of D# and it says Plattsburgh has the 12th strongest schedule  in the country?  Am I missing something? Reading something wrong?

[RSSmith]

I think there are plenty of valid points on both sides.

Kyle is right on one point and Stagnant needs to pay attention to.  Stop suggesting they play RPI.  They use to go down there and RPI never came up so they dropped them.  I dont blame the Cardinals.   To gain any out of conference competition they would have to make a long trip during the week with no chance of any of these teams coming up North. 

It is tough for a team like Plattsburgh to find good competition.  Most of their contests are between 3 & 4 hours away.  Their closest contests are with St. Michaels which is a little more than an hour away.   I know Plattsburgh is sick of going down to RPI without them returning the favor and coming up north to play on a real ball field.

Kyle's second point is the kink in the schedule where Plattsburghs SUNYAC opponents play only Plattsburgh and not another second team that same weekend so Plattsburgh is always facing the other teams best pitchers.  (I dont know why this is, if anyone can explain)


Now for the other side. 

I have no idea why people think so highly of Plattsburgh.
Their schedule is a joke.
Their non-conference schedule had two good teams: Skidmore (rained out or something) and Castleton (who pounded them 18-4).
Here's the combined winning percentage of all the other non-conference teams on their schedule: .437.
It is to laugh.
Lyndon State, twice. Not a doubleheader, two single games. They're 9-21. Is that solid scheduling or about getting cake wins?
I'll bet a HUGE deal gets made this weekend when they get to 30 wins by beating St. Michael's.
The powerhouse 6-24-1 St. Michael's, that is.
I know they tout now making "eight straight postseason appearances." Let's not lose sight of the fact that they're 1-14 in SUNYAC tournament games.
Hey Cards, try scheduling someone good from your region. RPI. Skidmore. Rochester. Are you above them?
Nope, keep playing this selection of crap.
Like Middlebury, 8-13.
And some of these other schools, I don't even know how Plattsburgh found them.
Wilkes, 10-17.
Minnesota-Morris, a doubleheader sweep. They're 6-20.
Millikin University, a doubleheader sweep. They're 9-22.
If they're still in the national rankings this week, then clearly no one is paying any attention.
Go Cards. It's got to be tough to be the eighth-most-significant program at your own school.

It is kind of silly to tout the fact you have made eight straight postseasons when you are 1-14 in your conferrence tourney. 




Here is where I am really confused.  I just looked at the SOS article on the front of D# and it says Plattsburgh has the 12th strongest schedule  in the country?  Am I missing something? Reading something wrong?

You're not missing anything.  SOS is 2 times your opponents' winning percentage plus your opponents' opponents' winning percentage.  It tends to be very regional in nature, for example in the West, SOS tends to hover around 500 because of the distance involved in playing a wide variety of opponents.  Personally, I think SOS is highly overrated as a predictor.

[Kski]

Keeping everything in perspective, I respect everyone's opinion here.  Valid arguments all around.  My "insider" perspective does not allow me to be completely objective when it comes to Plattsburgh.  

I agree that teams like Plattsburgh and Oneonta need to look into tougher spring training schedules.  I know Plattsburgh stepped it up in 2008 playing a tough spring schedule against ranked opponents like Edgewood (splitting a DH) and Rowan (losing in extras).  Plattsburgh ended up at 2-10 after their trip and had a sub .500 record overall at the end of the season, although they did beat Cortland once and made the post-season.  This season may have left a sour taste in Coach Doorey's mouth... but we'll never know.  That's the past, and in order to beat the best, you definitely have to prepare against the best.  New Paltz stepped up big-time this year putting themselves against a strong Salisbury team.  Props to them.  Plattsburgh and Oneonta should consider doing the same in future years.  Brockport usually plays decent competition every year in their trip, and they should keep it up.  

Geographic location plays against Plattsburgh's strength of schedule.  Clarkson, St. Lawrence, RPI, and Skidmore are the closest regional opponents.  The toughest team Plattsburgh got to face was Division I UVM, and they no longer have a baseball program, as of this year.  

Other SUNYAC teams don't have to face another team after playing Plattsburgh because SUNYIT left the conference.  Not like that would have effected anything.  Plattsburgh would still see the 1 & 2 pitchers.  SUNYIT was an automatice W no matter who you put out there.  

Touting 8 post-season appearances in a row is a bit dramatic, but it serves as motivation for the next season.  It lets the newcomers know what is expected.  Plattsburgh is focusing on the positive accomplishments, not the negative (1-14 in tournament play).  I'll compare this to Cortland displaying all of their SUNYAC championship/World Series banners along the outfield fence at Wallace Field (although this is much more impressive to the eye).  It is something to be proud of.  They may not have been the national champion, but it lets everyone know what they are working towards.  Positives, not negatives.  

Lastly, I am shocked to see that Plattsburgh has the 12th strongest schedule in the country.  It sure doesn't seem like they do, but then again I'm not an expert on who the rest of the country is playing.          

[jack31]

wow, alot has happened here the past couple days.

As Kski has stated, location plays a big part in who Plattsburgh plays.  It is a long trip for them to go anywhere and nobody wants to go to "the chipper." U of R  is never gonna happen unless its in the regionals.  They are just to far.  Same for utica and a couple other schools mentioned. We played RPI every year at their place and they never came to us.  Would you continue to go there if you were coach doorey? 


And as for being stuck in neutral, so then must everyone else.  They just finished second in the conference.  ... I don't even know what else to say.

You know what, i was gonna type a lot more but  there is no point. Most of what i was gonna say has already been stated.  Plattsburgh is a good, young team.  They have always been competitive in the conference and just need to take that step and win consistently in the playoffs.  What some people are trying to knock them for, i have no idea.

[Big Louie]

First and foremost let me say this about Plattsburgh. They are a quality opponent who has consistently won baseball games. They have been improving over the last decade and have always had some decent hitting. The never have the pitching to win when it counts in the conference tourney. You need more than four pitchers in the SUNYAC tourney. Let's talk about their schedule. Plattsburgh has no control over who they play in the NY region as Kski mentions they have to play the teams that are close to them geographically just like everyone else in the region has to during the midweek games. I will say this they play no one on their spring trips. If they want to gain some credibility stop going to Myrtle Beach to play no one and schedule games in the Florida that matter. That right their is 15 games of playing no one.

I don't buy the facing everyones top guys argument. Yes they usually have to play 4 conference games in a weekend but so does other team. New Paltz, Brockport, Fredonia, Cortland have all played 4 games in the same weekend. Plattsburgh just happens to be partnered with New Paltz so everyone saves there top guys for Plattsburgh and throw whoever against New Paltz.