BB: LL: Liberty League

[baseballislife]

I don't think you will have to worry about UR taking anybody lightly this year.  Mmmm....maybe that will be a good thing in the long run.

[LLbaseball]

Weekend Predictions:

UR/St. Lawrence - split
Vassar/RPI - split (Vassar is going to have to work to get it done for sure, but I think they can do it)
Clarkson/Union - Clarkson takes 3

I would like to say UR would win that series, but I just think they are very thin with all the injuries.  Obviously losing Stein and Fuke was hard on them, but then everything else that has happened has been very tough on them. 

Funny enough. Fuke is still in the league.  I see he is coaching at Vassar now.  Interesting.

Let's hope the weather holds up!!

[baseballislife]

The forecast for Canton has improved to sunny and highs in the 50's.  Only one day between now and Sunday with any showers predicted and that is only30% on Friday.  Maybe that is the answer, just drive north to the good weather!

I'm going with:

UR in a sweep over SLU if they don't have to use any pitching against Fisher tomorrow (rain out?). If they play tomorrow, I would say 3-1 UR on the weekend.

RPI 3-1 over Vassar.  Not sure the Vassar arms are quite ready for the RPI sticks.  I look for RPI's 1-2 starters to win and they'll split the other two in high scoring games.

Clarkson 4-0 over Union.  Home opener for Clarkson, decent weather, they'll be ready to extend their lead.

[DefenseWins]

St. Lawrence are the Saints.  Careful, there are some Plattsburgh bashers on the Sunyac side and we don't want them creeping over here.  St. Lawrence isn't an easy series with Cook, Considine and Conde.  Careful when you play them

Apologies on the Cardinals reference. As a PSU alum I see red and white and think Cardinals. I agree with you on the Saints pitching perspective. Cook was last years pitcher of the year, and not for no reason, he can throw and beat anyone. Considine, just going by numbers, has not been as good this year as last, he has the stuff to dominate though, he just needs to harness it and go after hitters. Conde has been a surprise in the league as well as for the Saints this year. Originally their game 4 starter got moved up to game 2 and performed just as well if not better this past weekend.

Weather scaring me for this weekend. If there is one thing this league really can not afford it is more rain outs. Get the squeegees ready!!

[Ron Ron]

The Skidmore coaching staff loves to switch lineups, batting orders, pitching rotations, and basically everything they can try to put their own fingerprints on (which usually wind up hurting players' confidences/rhythms), but I'm not quite sure why they would move the 1-2 starters (Laracuente/Brucato) to day two against Vassar.  Who knows if they had gone day 1 if anything would have changed, but I just think it's a weird ploy.

Maybe they pitched last Sunday against UR in their 2 game set? Did they play on last Sunday??? Maybe Skidmore is realizing that by matching up Brucato and Laracuente with every elses 3-4 (pending other teams actually throw their #3 and #4 in game 3 and 4) they have a good chance of at least getting 2 each weekend. Only time that hurts them is when what happened this weekend at Vassar happens. Wasn't expecting a 3 of 4 from Vassar I though Skidmore would salvage a split.

Clarkson who was my pre season pick is proving why, I just think they are the most well rounded team in the league. Watch out for RPI though they are playing very well this year.

Union & Vassar are in the playoffs if the league ended today!!!!! How often could we say that over the past several years!!!! But the season is still young and Union and Vassar will have to play the Clarkson's , RPI's , and UR's to keep their Cinderella hopes alive.

They did pitch Sunday but going to Saturday the next weekend is 5 full days off, so that doesn't matter.  Additionally, you can never go into a series (especially against a team like Vassar, yes they are improved, but no, they aren't RPI from 8 years ago) hoping to win only 2 games, and putting your 2 best pitchers in the 3 and 4.  There's no way to know if anything would have changed if Brucato/Laracuente had pitched the first game, but I'll take Laracuente over anyone in the liberty league right now, and then 2 vs 2, 3 vs 4, 4 vs 4 sounds a whole lot better than 3 vs 1, 4 vs 2, 2 vs 3 (Skidmore first in all those).  Just my 2 cents.

[scscoach]

mentioned my concerns with Skidmore's lack of depth on the pitching staff.  Lot of walks, lot of unproven arms, lot of question marks behind Laracuente.  They better figure things out soon, or it could be a long season.  They certainly had to replace a lot more than I think some people realize.

You are correct, Skidmore lost 2 of the 4 weekend starting pitchers, the #1 catcher, the 2B, 3B, SS and CF. Plus the leading HR/RBI/#3 hitter from last year is out until further notice. There are alot of new faces and new roles on this years team, it's just a matter of time until they get things in place in my opinion. Hopefully that happens soon or this season will just go down as a rebuilding one.

[scscoach]

The Skidmore coaching staff loves to switch lineups, batting orders, pitching rotations, and basically everything they can try to put their own fingerprints on (which usually wind up hurting players' confidences/rhythms), but I'm not quite sure why they would move the 1-2 starters (Laracuente/Brucato) to day two against Vassar.  Who knows if they had gone day 1 if anything would have changed, but I just think it's a weird ploy.

Ron Ron, they are using the 1 and 2 guys (Brucato and Laracuente) in the 9 innings games. Seems like a good stategy to me as they are both much stronger and more experienced than 3 and 4, and also more likely to be able to go 9.

[BaseB13]

Well they did get 18 innings out of their top two arms.  Perhaps that was the thinking behind it.  That those two guys are good enough to get 9 innings each against Vassar.  And they did.  Doesn't look like the pitching was an issue in 3 of the 4 games.  Now I think against better hitting teams perhaps you change that order and throw the top arms in the 7 inning games.  (No knock to Vassar on that but they're not the hitting power of a team such as RPI).  And it is easy to say you need to match your 1 vs another teams 1 etc but you don't necessarily know when the other team is throwing which arms.  You can hypothesize based on the past etc. 

[Truthfinder]

The Skidmore coaching staff loves to switch lineups, batting orders, pitching rotations, and basically everything they can try to put their own fingerprints on (which usually wind up hurting players' confidences/rhythms), but I'm not quite sure why they would move the 1-2 starters (Laracuente/Brucato) to day two against Vassar.  Who knows if they had gone day 1 if anything would have changed, but I just think it's a weird ploy.

Mark us confused.

Some would say it's a smart move to have the 1 and 2 going in the 9-inning games.

I'm watching an episode of Spencer For Hire and it dawns on me that I think other teams in the league will do the same thing soon.

Really don't understand all the second-guessing of coaching that goes on in this league. So many of these guys spend so much time standing behind the guys who let them down by becoming academically ineligible as upperclassmen, then welcome them back once the GPAs are in order. You never hear those stories. It's always these guys want to put "fingerprints" on their teams.

Duh. That's what coaches do. It's time for alumni across the LL to stand up for their schools, show a little love for their alma maters, and not keep grinding those axes for no reason.

[Ron Ron]

1. I have no affiliation with Skidmore. nor any D3 baseball team.

2.  I made a mistake, I thought I saw they were Brucato/Laracuente second day.  Stricken my mis-informed comments form the record books.  I apologize for everything muttered by me in the last few days.  I hope you guys can find it in your hearts to forgive me.

[airball55]

The truth man is back.  I do enjoy your posts but, you are Mr. Negativety in regard to a certain SUNYAC school.  Good to see you are alive but I do't really see anything wrong with the banter on here.  Heck, we even have the Rochester guys on here calling it down the middle!!  And they used to have the Jackets in the tournament every year.

Before you Rochester guys jump all over me, I have a weird feeling that this may be the year they make their deepest run, if they get in.  Don't really have a reason why, just the game is funny sometimes and when you don't think you have a shot, it can happen.

[BBFan62]

The truth man is back.  I do enjoy your posts but, you are Mr. Negativety in regard to a certain SUNYAC school.  Good to see you are alive but I do't really see anything wrong with the banter on here.  Heck, we even have the Rochester guys on here calling it down the middle!!  And they used to have the Jackets in the tournament every year.

Before you Rochester guys jump all over me, I have a weird feeling that this may be the year they make their deepest run, if they get in.  Don't really have a reason why, just the game is funny sometimes and when you don't think you have a shot, it can happen.

Thanks for the kind thoughts. Yeppers, the start UR is off to is below our pre-season expectations but in the long run (IF Ma Nature allows LL games to be played!) the freshmen and the transfers received valuable experience that we hope equates to success as the season progresses.

The bats seem to be awakening, but our team batting average (.289) is still way below what it should be. Our opponents BA is .299, so our pitching is coming around. We do, despite the 6.17 team ERA have some  very good arms. The guys need to step up and make their pitches. All in all, things are moving in the right direction.

[BoomerIL]

The truth man is back.  I do enjoy your posts but, you are Mr. Negativety in regard to a certain SUNYAC school.  Good to see you are alive but I do't really see anything wrong with the banter on here.  Heck, we even have the Rochester guys on here calling it down the middle!!  And they used to have the Jackets in the tournament every year.

Before you Rochester guys jump all over me, I have a weird feeling that this may be the year they make their deepest run, if they get in.  Don't really have a reason why, just the game is funny sometimes and when you don't think you have a shot, it can happen.

You're absolutely right in your comments!  I was the big "homer" that felt the Jackets should have made it to the regional tournament the last 2-3 years.  However, when you can't perform in the conference tournament, all respect was lost for UR.  I've eaten my words and been humbled many times believing in those teams in trying to get their first regional bid, tournament win or otherwise.  But, when you win your conference, host the tournament, and then not perform, who can blame anyone for not thinking UR has much of a chance.

Injuries have really hurt the Jackets, especially in some very key positions. The biggest challenge this season was to try and win most of their in-region games, not putting so much emphasis on winning the Liberty League.  Even if they finished 4th in the league, at least they were still in the tournament.  Just like you said, "the game is funny sometimes and when you don't think you have a shot, it can happen."

I'm hoping they put it together and get those bats hot!!  

[ocho]

"lot of question marks behind Laracuente."

Are you standing by this statement Ron Ron? LOL.

[airball55]

Clarkson gets two from Union, first game went 12 innings.  Union will do well to get one in that series.  Kinney is on fire for the Knights.  RPI and Vassar split.  Vassar is truly getting better and it appeared that they could have got both, they had 12 hits on RPI ace Ciesko.  St. Lawrence and Rochester not complete yet, Cook shuts out Rochester in game one 5-0.  Waiting on nightcap.