BB: LL: Liberty League

[airball55]

Vassar, Clarkson, St. Lawrence, Union, Skidmore, etc. etc...all the privates have those high school costs.  Rochester is very good in hoops, other sports, baseball has well...been average.  they had a cecent run a couple of years back but just can't seem to crack the tournament jinx.  Maybe the turf will help.  Returners aren't always a guarantee that the next year's team will be good.  I just thought they did a great job with that facility and now there may be a bit more pressure to get some more in the left column.  As for the weather, let's hope that all the teams can pitch well enough to play 5-7 games in spans of three to five days.  That's what it may take.  30 wins?  Cortland and St. John Fisher...maybe RPI if they can put up a big conference record.

[AlleyCat]

I'd be surprised if any LL team can get to 30 wins. They will be playing 10 league games in 7 days. That's if they play all the games. The league rules state that they only have to play 2 of the 4 if they are make ups. Stupid rule if you ask me. No other sport in the LL can play half a season and still be eligible for the playoffs. Hopefully the coaches will man up and make sure all the league games are played instead of making sure the non-leaguers are played to get their win total up. Some of the teams want to play while others are just trying to find a way into the playoff. Happened a few years ago when teams decided to only play 2 even though they are 30 minutes away.

Come on coaches PLAY THE GAMES!

[AlleyCat]

SUNYAC's always find a way to play the league games!

[Big Louie]

Liberty League format is a joke. They really need to get things figured out here with the scheduling. Four game series seems a little too much with as many teams as they have in the league. They really should probably go back to the 2 game series where everyone plays each other, but then again that creates a ton of non-league games to be schedule.

It doesn't seem right that several teams won't see each other at all and some coaches are not taking initiative to reschedule their make-ups trying to find anyway in the field. If that's the case just have an expanded conference tournament.

Again, theres a lot of things they can do but the format they have in place right now makes no sense at all and doesn't allow for the best competitive balance across the board. Too many ways to manipulate things in ones favor in the current setup. 

[AlleyCat]

Totally agree with you. That's why I posted the information.

[airball55]

I think the reason the schedule is what it is, is because this is the best way to play games.  These Universities are very strict on class time.  Now, when the ole hoops teams leave a couple of days early to play in region games, well..i will let you run with that.  But, it's very hard in baseball because games are played in the daytime and classes get missed.  So, the coaches have more hurdles.  It is not entirely up to them.  As far as 30 wins, not gonna happen.  When you play 7 teams four times, that's 28.  Most teams play, lets average out to 8 games in Florida.  Now you are down to 4 non league games.  So four games in two days up north.  8 games in as little as 5 days down south, no one has that kind of pitching.  It is so hard for these programs.  It is not like, say, Cortland, where they play a ton of single nine inning games, spread out on Tues., Wed. etc...it's just apples and oranges.  Can't blame not playing on coaches, hell, most fields here are still under snow.  That's why Rochester has such an advantage now with that facility. Just my two cents.

[BBFan62]

I think the reason the schedule is what it is, is because this is the best way to play games.  These Universities are very strict on class time.  Now, when the ole hoops teams leave a couple of days early to play in region games, well..i will let you run with that.  But, it's very hard in baseball because games are played in the daytime and classes get missed.  So, the coaches have more hurdles.  It is not entirely up to them.  As far as 30 wins, not gonna happen.  When you play 7 teams four times, that's 28.  Most teams play, lets average out to 8 games in Florida.  Now you are down to 4 non league games.  So four games in two days up north.  8 games in as little as 5 days down south, no one has that kind of pitching.  It is so hard for these programs.  It is not like, say, Cortland, where they play a ton of single nine inning games, spread out on Tues., Wed. etc...it's just apples and oranges.  Can't blame not playing on coaches, hell, most fields here are still under snow.  That's why Rochester has such an advantage now with that facility. Just my two cents.

airball55, et a;,
Ahhhh, I miss the season and the postings, etc. Such is the life for a parent of a graduated senior. Oh well, the sun is still shining, but perhaps not as brightly.
I agree with the past few posts. UR is expensive., as are several scools. My son (2013) was lucky enough to get a bit over 50% and wasd fortunate enough to play on the last really good UR team. The past 3 seasons were indeed brutal. However, the field is in fantastic shape and I believe it will help. But, beyond expense is the academic level required to succeed at UR. It is a challenge. However I have a feeling many of the other schools are the same but I do not know. I can only speak of the academicsa at UR and the difficulty of getting in.
I do know UR lost a few good players they counted on, mainly because the students did not get in, and a couple chose to go elsewhere.
IMO, starting next year UR will be back towards the top, IF the next incoming class is as good as the current Sophomore class. I don't know anything about the freshman clss, so I cannot rate them. Last year was tough because UR had a Freshman starter at several positions. UR had great pitching and had a tough defense but they just did not hit. Too many low run (or no runs) games. It was a big learning experience. There are some good senior and junior players, but the sophomore class reminds me of some of the players recruited a few years ago.

[airball55]

This is a very demanding conference academically.  I think you could argue, THE toughest nationwide.  The NESCAC may want to challenge that statement, but, liberal arts versus technological based, business based and medical based fields from an undergraduate standpoint is just not the same.  Clarkson, Union, Rochester, RPI...lots of engineers on those teams.  Vassar is a national recognized school academically and St. Law and Skidmore are very good liberal arts schools.  I know absolutely nothing about Bard, but, if i had to guess, the conference took them because of their academic similarities.  One can argue for days on what school is better, they are all good.  Rochester with the facility and location (rochester is a good baseball city) should be in the top four in that league.  St. Lawrence and Clarkson have it the toughest geographically but are traditionally among the top three.  I think those staffs do a wonderful job getting their programs as competitive as they are simply because they don't have a major city to draw players from close by.  At least at Union you have Albany, Rochester, Rochester and so on.  i will grant you this, Rochester in the scheme of things locally is probably a third or fourth choice behind Fisher, Bport and maybe even Monroe.  All schools have their advantages and disadvantages.  I think personally U or R has more things going in their favor...$60,000g is 60000g and their no debating that hurdle.  I bet your kid is successful though, at the end of the day, a degree from any of these schools is a HUGE advantage.

[AlleyCat]

Skidmore and Vassar up to the old tricks again only playing a single game today instead of the DH. Until someone in the league mandates that they play the games, this league is a total joke and the coaches scheduling single league games instead of DH should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. The student athletes want to play! Let them decide it on the field. Both of these schools are close enough to play all 4 of the games. I imagine they don't want to extend their pitching. Too bad, play the games! Also, RIT and Rochester are playing a single, but hopefully they will make up that 4th game. Clarkson is at RPI to play 2 today like they're supposed to. Good job Coach Kane and Steffen.

[baseballislife]

Correction on the UR/Rit single game, AlleyCat.  They were scheduled for a DH today at 4pm and 6:30pm since the UR field has lights.  Unfortunately, Rochester got socked with so much snow Saturday night that there remains some on the field and they have had to postpone yet again.

UR has been bumping non-conference games in an effort to play all of their LL slate.  SJ Fisher was moved from today to make room for the RIT DH and now UR appears to by postponing (cancelling?) their trip to Cortland next Wednesday to play the RIT DH then.

Looks like UR's next games are @RPI this weekend.  It would be nice to actually play a four game set without changes.

[AlleyCat]

Thanks for the update. What do you think about the Vassar/Skidmore situation

[baseballislife]

I agree with you.  Every team should be making every effort to get all their league games as a priority.  It is part of the responsibility of belonging to a league with an automatic bid.

In a perfect world, they would play every game.  But these teams play baseball in the New York region in March and April.  Upstate NY gets the most snowfall (re: lousy, late springs) of any region in the country.  Choices have to be made, but league play should come first.

The real answer that will never happen......move baseball to the FALL when the weather can be very good into October!  Season from late August - late October.  Of course, Appleton might not be very nice in November......never mind, haha!

[AlleyCat]

The move to the fall will never happen. If you look at the SUNYAC conference they always get their league games in. In no other conference in the nation can you play half your games and have it considered to be ok and make the playoffs on your winning percentage. It was 60 degrees yesterday and the Skidmore/Vassar decided to play 1, yes one game. If I were a student athlete on those teams and a parent of them I would be outraged. With all the cancellations due to the weather when they get the chance to play, to only play one because the coaches don't want to extend their pitching is unacceptable. Coaches, play the games! That is what the student athletes want to do. The commish needs to step in and mandate that the league games are played. If you don't have pitching depth, go recruit!

Looks like Clarkson and RPI had a couple of good ones. I heard that the centerfielder for RPI in game 1 lost the ball in the sun in the 8th to score all three runs. Anyone there to confirm?

[John McGraw]

Even if the schools are close, it's hard to justify the missed class time for a mid-week doubleheader. If you play two on a weekday, you're looking at probably a 1:00 - 2:00 PM start at the latest so that both games can be played; depending on if you're playing two seven-inning games or two nines. Remember, neither field has lights.

Not saying that playing just two games instead of four is right, just saying that there are different variables at play here.

[airball55]

And, one of those variables is pitching depth.  Let's be honest. Some of these teams have no interest stacking games during the week if that means they can't use their top guys on the weekend.  The number of teams that can go 8-10 deep on the staff with quality is 2 maybe three, and that counts the whole region.  Add class, costs...no one want to pay for a bus, get to the other facility and not play..it can be a perfect storm.  I agree with Dr. McGraw...lots of variables.