BB: LL: Liberty League

[anonymous234]

Expect Skidmore's trends to continue as similar to previous years:
Skidmore underachieves during the regular season, especially during non-league games, due to poor coaching.  However, they will most likely make the tournament and do some damage once they stop listening to the coaching and play how the players want to and have fun instead of treating it like a business.  Just going by the last few years and what I've heard. 
Other teams have a lot of question marks that need to be answered (Rochester Pitching, Clarkson Pitching/replacing graduates, St. Law depth and talent that wasn't there last year, etc) so very difficult to predict.

[airball55]

LL predictions

1. RPI- Big surprise... Ace (Mondo), POY candidate (Reardon), enough said I would think

Now it gets interesting

2-4  I really don't know who to pick here.  I actually think Skidmore overachieves and is very well coached.  They are very good at small ball.  The effort to play better teams on their spring trip may help them.  No more Crown College (who?).  They are a candidate for the league tourney.  Rochester has the best home field advantage in the league (better duck in the dugouts).  Guzski is good but they lost a lot of guys.  That may not be bad though considering their post season results.  Clarkson can hit.  Torbitt, Curry, Coleman and Kinney give them a chance to score runs consistently.  Who is on the hill though??  I would probably go
2. Rochester (good regular season team)
3. Clarkson (offense should carry them)
4. Skidmore (Squeeze, bunt and run, etc..)

5- St. Lawrence: If anyone else jumps in it is probably these guys.  Lots of new faces and no real aces (unless Duff pitches).  But they could slide into the tourney if one of the above slips.

6-7  Union and Vassar:  Don't know too much about these two.  Pretty much consistent bottom feeders the past 5-10 seasons.

RPI may be in for another one of those 22-2, 20-4 type seasons.  Should be fun too watch.  Who wins the tournament is a whole other question. 

[anonymous234]

Skidmore only begins to overachieve in the post season (if they make it there) once the coach stops coaching like an idiot and stops bunting everyone (1-9).  He tries to win games 1-0 but tis impossible in the Liberty League and with most D3 pitchers.  If you look at regular season results for Skidmore, they lose many, many games against teams worse than them because they underachieve with the coach who wants to put his touch on the game every inning: "Like when I called that squeeze? That won us the game right there!" or, on the other hand, "We didn't get one bunt down in the first, you guys blew it." He either wins it himself, or the team loses it and he had nothing to do with the loss.  Skidmore has more talent than he lets get shown because of his style.  Without him, they could do some serious damage.  Their record over the last 4 years is severely hindered by non conference games where he pitches someone new every inning, often times not pitchers, but just someone to eat innings.

[airball55]

I will agree that it is impossible to win in college ball or anywhere with metal bats in low scoring games.  I also know that other teams hate playing them because of their style of play.  You and I just differ in opinions on Skidmore's talent level.  I can't remember the last pitcher they had who could touch 85.  I will say this though, I would personally much rather play Rochester late in the season versus Skidmore!

[anonymous234]

I will certainly agree with you there airball, I would much rather see Rochester at the end of the year than Skidmore as Rochester seems to fade each year.  Laracuente and Stork can both hit over 85 on the gun for what it's worth.

[BoomerIL]

Rochester started their season off in Vero Beach on Saturday by splitting a doubleheader with Neumann.  UR winning game 1, 8-6 and losing game 2, 8-3 sure shows that errors, and new season jitters for a young pitching staff, can cost you runs and wins.

Sunday was a bit of a different story.  Playing New Jersey City University, UR came out on top 9-2 with a fantastic pitching performance by freshman Nate Kowal. In his first collegiate apperance, Nate went 7 innings giving up 6 hits, 1 earned run, with 2 walks, 8 K's, and 1 wp.  DJ Schwartz (out last season because of rehab from surgery) came in to finish the last two innings allowing 1 hit, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 1 K, and 1 HBP.  According to some spectators, these two kids looked pretty good.  Maybe some of the answers to losing three starters due to graduation may be answered.  Time will tell.

UR continues their Florida trip tomorrow when they play in the UAA Tournament in Sanford , FL. starting Tuesday.

[John McGraw]

Rochester started their season off in Vero Beach on Saturday by splitting a doubleheader with Neumann.  UR winning game 1, 8-6 and losing game 2, 8-3 sure shows that errors, and new season jitters for a young pitching staff, can cost you runs and wins.

Sunday was a bit of a different story.  Playing New Jersey City University, UR came out on top 9-2 with a fantastic pitching performance by freshman Nate Kowal. In his first collegiate apperance, Nate went 7 innings giving up 6 hits, 1 earned run, with 2 walks, 8 K's, and 1 wp.  DJ Schwartz (out last season because of rehab from surgery) came in to finish the last two innings allowing 1 hit, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 1 K, and 1 HBP.  According to some spectators, these two kids looked pretty good.  Maybe some of the answers to losing three starters due to graduation may be answered.  Time will tell.

UR continues their Florida trip tomorrow when they play in the UAA Tournament in Sanford , FL. starting Tuesday.

Hello Neumann indeed

Actually, Neumann isn't that bad as initially thought of. While Keystone is by far the best team in the CSAC conference, the Knights could be a viable number two if their JUCO transfers work out and they can get some pitching.

Good luck to UR in the UAA tournament - one that could be played right now in upstate New York with temperatures hitting the mid-40s today with 50s on tap for the middle of the week.

[BoomerIL]

John....

I thought New Jersey would have been a tougher game for UR considering that New Jersey plays in a very good conference.  I think though,and I not in Florida yet, that there may be some good surprises for UR this season with some of the young arms they have.  I'll know more when I see them firsthand.  The only thing I'm wondering about is if any of our "big" guys can put some balls over the fences.  That has not been UR's strong suit for many, many years from what I have been told.

[RSSmith]

Rochester started their season off in Vero Beach on Saturday by splitting a doubleheader with Neumann.  UR winning game 1, 8-6 and losing game 2, 8-3 sure shows that errors, and new season jitters for a young pitching staff, can cost you runs and wins.
//
Sunday was a bit of a different story.  Playing New Jersey City University, UR came out on top 9-2 with a fantastic pitching performance by freshman Nate Kowal. In his first collegiate apperance, Nate went 7 innings giving up 6 hits, 1 earned run, with 2 walks, 8 K's, and 1 wp.  DJ Schwartz (out last season because of rehab from surgery) came in to finish the last two innings allowing 1 hit, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 1 K, and 1 HBP.  According to some spectators, these two kids looked pretty good.  Maybe some of the answers to losing three starters due to graduation may be answered.  Time will tell.

UR continues their Florida trip tomorrow when they play in the UAA Tournament in Sanford , FL. starting Tuesday.

Hello Neumann indeed

Actually, Neumann isn't that bad as initially thought of. While Keystone is by far the best team in the CSAC conference, the Knights could be a viable number two if their JUCO transfers work out and they can get some pitching.

Good luck to UR in the UAA tournament - one that could be played right now in upstate New York with temperatures hitting the mid-40s today with 50s on tap for the middle of the week.

Actually, Neumann may be that bad--1-8 having given up 104 runs.

[John McGraw]

Rochester started their season off in Vero Beach on Saturday by splitting a doubleheader with Neumann.  UR winning game 1, 8-6 and losing game 2, 8-3 sure shows that errors, and new season jitters for a young pitching staff, can cost you runs and wins.
//
Sunday was a bit of a different story.  Playing New Jersey City University, UR came out on top 9-2 with a fantastic pitching performance by freshman Nate Kowal. In his first collegiate apperance, Nate went 7 innings giving up 6 hits, 1 earned run, with 2 walks, 8 K's, and 1 wp.  DJ Schwartz (out last season because of rehab from surgery) came in to finish the last two innings allowing 1 hit, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 1 K, and 1 HBP.  According to some spectators, these two kids looked pretty good.  Maybe some of the answers to losing three starters due to graduation may be answered.  Time will tell.

UR continues their Florida trip tomorrow when they play in the UAA Tournament in Sanford , FL. starting Tuesday.

Hello Neumann indeed

Actually, Neumann isn't that bad as initially thought of. While Keystone is by far the best team in the CSAC conference, the Knights could be a viable number two if their JUCO transfers work out and they can get some pitching.

Good luck to UR in the UAA tournament - one that could be played right now in upstate New York with temperatures hitting the mid-40s today with 50s on tap for the middle of the week.

Actually, Neumann may be that bad--1-8 having given up 104 runs.

Well, alright I s'pose. Eesh - shows what I know

[airball55]

hello Neumann!!  Who the heck is Neumann??  Anyway, Seinfeld, I mean RPI is off and running.  They smacked Keystone and had a little slip up against WPI, but they appear to be just fine.  U of R is off to a good start as well, which they always seem to do.  Emory win is nice, however, Emory isn't the same Emory of old (Cortland may disagree??).  So far so good for the Liberty League.  St. Lawrence is quietly 5-1 (Tom Fay, 500th victory Congrats!).  They haven't really challenged themselves schedule wise but confidence is big for a young team.  Clarkson starts up this weekend.  Skidmore is 1-1 and I personally look forward to the game they have schedule with Wooster.  If they can hang with them they can hang with anyone in this region.  No clue on Union and Vassar (does is matter??).  All in all, a pretty good start for the Liberty League. 

[BaseB13]

Expect Skidmore's trends to continue as similar to previous years:
Skidmore underachieves during the regular season, especially during non-league games, due to poor coaching.  However, they will most likely make the tournament and do some damage once they stop listening to the coaching and play how the players want to and have fun instead of treating it like a business.  Just going by the last few years and what I've heard. 
Other teams have a lot of question marks that need to be answered (Rochester Pitching, Clarkson Pitching/replacing graduates, St. Law depth and talent that wasn't there last year, etc) so very difficult to predict.

I have a feeling most of the top teams in New York and the country probably take baseball pretty seriously with a business like approach.  Regardless, they're the only team other than RPI to appear in in the NCAA tournament twice in the past five years from the LL.  They also lost a couple close ones in the LL last year.  I think they'll be in the LL tournament again along with the usual suspects, RPI, Clarkson, and Rochester.  SLU could also be in there as well if one of them falters.  Until Vassar or Union make a run at a decent season I have a tough time expecting much from them, but you never know.

[AlleyCat]

Looks like the LL is off to a great start. RPI is 6-1 and looking like a team to worry about. They played a real tough schedule in Florida and came out of it 6-1, with the only loss coming to WPI in extras on an error. Uof R is 6-2 and won the UAA, St Lawrence is 6-2 although playing a easier schedule. Skidmore is 2-2 and Clarkson 1-1. Looks like this could be another strong year. Hopefully things work out and the LL can get 2 teams in the show.

[AlleyCat]

Skidmore put up a tough fight against #2 Wooster losing 3-1 in extra's. Does anyone know who pitched for Skidmore? LL could be a real exciting with Rochester, RPI, Skidmore, St Lawrence and Clarkson.

[John McGraw]

Skidmore put up a tough fight against #2 Wooster losing 3-1 in extra's. Does anyone know who pitched for Skidmore? LL could be a real exciting with Rochester, RPI, Skidmore, St Lawrence and Clarkson.

Skidmore web site says Trevor Brucato was the pitcher.