BB: Pitcher of the Year Candidates

[Sprt16]

Sam Heaps (Elizabethtown College)

Sam Heaps, MAR.............  4.69   1-2    40.1 IP, 50 K, 12 BB (Coastal Plains League, 2008 summer)


Player                 ERA   W-L   APP  GS  CG SHO/CBO SV    IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  2B  3B  HR   AB B/Avg   

22 Sam Heaps........  2.57   6-1    11  10   2   2/0    0  66.2  58  24  19  17  60   7   2   1  252  .230   
(2008 Elizabethtown College, 26-12)

Not to mention...
                           

                            AVG  GP-GS    AB   R   H  2B  3B  HR RBI   TB  SLG%  BB HBP  SO GDP   OB%  SF  SH  SB-ATT   PO   A   E  FLD%

Sam Heaps........  .405  38-38   131  42  53   8   2   2  37   71  .542     23   5     30   1     .503   2     0   6-7    169  19   1  .995

[Mr. Ypsi]

Probably impractical (perhaps not even desirable) but:

What about separate Pitcher of the Year awards for sunbelt and snowbelt players?

They seem to be playing almost different sports.  A sunbelt ace often has nearly 20 starts; with the severely attenuated schedule (plus postponed/canceled games) snowbelt aces often have no more than 10.

The weather differential applies to all players and teams to a degree (northern teams on spring openers are generally going up against teams with many more games already played, when they have often never even had an outdoor practice), but the difference is especially striking in pitcher totals.

Comments?

[Ullcme41]

Im in favor with that Idea! It is definitly a big difference pitching on a handmade mound and a dirt mound all off season, or being able to have scrimmages against your team and facing hitters live in a cage! its like pitching in a tunnel haha

I think you are on to something Mr. Ypsi

[dgilblair]

Probably impractical (perhaps not even desirable) but:

What about separate Pitcher of the Year awards for sunbelt and snowbelt players?

They seem to be playing almost different sports.  A sunbelt ace often has nearly 20 starts; with the severely attenuated schedule (plus postponed/canceled games) snowbelt aces often have no more than 10.

The weather differential applies to all players and teams to a degree (northern teams on spring openers are generally going up against teams with many more games already played, when they have often never even had an outdoor practice), but the difference is especially striking in pitcher totals.

Comments?

Your reasoning is spot on, I think anyway.  It will never happen though.

[Ralph Turner]

Probably impractical (perhaps not even desirable) but:

What about separate Pitcher of the Year awards for sunbelt and snowbelt players?

They seem to be playing almost different sports.  A sunbelt ace often has nearly 20 starts; with the severely attenuated schedule (plus postponed/canceled games) snowbelt aces often have no more than 10.

The weather differential applies to all players and teams to a degree (northern teams on spring openers are generally going up against teams with many more games already played, when they have often never even had an outdoor practice), but the difference is especially striking in pitcher totals.

Comments?

+1!  Something to consider!

In your opinion, who is sunbelt?  Who is snowbelt?  Thanks!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Probably impractical (perhaps not even desirable) but:

What about separate Pitcher of the Year awards for sunbelt and snowbelt players?

They seem to be playing almost different sports.  A sunbelt ace often has nearly 20 starts; with the severely attenuated schedule (plus postponed/canceled games) snowbelt aces often have no more than 10.

The weather differential applies to all players and teams to a degree (northern teams on spring openers are generally going up against teams with many more games already played, when they have often never even had an outdoor practice), but the difference is especially striking in pitcher totals.

Comments?

+1!  Something to consider!

In your opinion, who is sunbelt?  Who is snowbelt?  Thanks!

And THAT is exactly why I said 'probably impractical'!

[I was specifically thinking about 2007 when Matt Aronson (IWU) had an absurd ERA (well under 1.00), but only 9 or 10 starts, and thus little chance of beating out whoever it was that won that year.  At the extremes, sunbelt vs. snowbelt is pretty obvious, but there are many schools somewhere in between.  And, yes, Matt did get recognition as a pre-season AA in 2008, then proceeded to be a good, but not great, pitcher his junior year.  If IWU is to live up to its pre-season predictions, with Kulavic apparently out for the year, we need Aronson to pitch like his sophomore year, not his junior! ]

[dgilblair]

Probably impractical (perhaps not even desirable) but:

What about separate Pitcher of the Year awards for sunbelt and snowbelt players?

They seem to be playing almost different sports.  A sunbelt ace often has nearly 20 starts; with the severely attenuated schedule (plus postponed/canceled games) snowbelt aces often have no more than 10.

The weather differential applies to all players and teams to a degree (northern teams on spring openers are generally going up against teams with many more games already played, when they have often never even had an outdoor practice), but the difference is especially striking in pitcher totals.

Comments?

+1!  Something to consider!

In your opinion, who is sunbelt?  Who is snowbelt?  Thanks!

And THAT is exactly why I said 'probably impractical'!

[I was specifically thinking about 2007 when Matt Aronson (IWU) had an absurd ERA (well under 1.00), but only 9 or 10 starts, and thus little chance of beating out whoever it was that won that year.  At the extremes, sunbelt vs. snowbelt is pretty obvious, but there are many schools somewhere in between.  And, yes, Matt did get recognition as a pre-season AA in 2008, then proceeded to be a good, but not great, pitcher his junior year.  If IWU is to live up to its pre-season predictions, with Kulavic apparently out for the year, we need Aronson to pitch like his sophomore year, not his junior! ]

Exactly!  How would you do it?  Set a regular season start date for each sunbelt and snowbelt?   With western and southern teams starting the first of February and most northern and eastern teams starting towards the end fo February break it in the middle of the month?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yeah, that is why I doubted it was practical.

Too many schools on 'the border'.  Too much variation year-to-year.

Unless we get a break pretty soon, some snowbelt schools may never get outdoors until mid-April!   (Except for their 'hope we can somehow compete' sunbelt swings!)

[OshDude]

Yeah, it can be tough up here in the snowbelt. If my math is correct, Oshkosh will play its 36 games in 43 days. UWO doesn't open the season until March 22. If that's not enough, UWO plays St. Thomas four times, and Whitewater and St. Olaf twice, in the first 11 days. Nothing like loading up the schedule and getting the in-region bullets flying right away! Bad news is some teams could be on life support one week in.

Another MW team, Maranatha, starts March 31. Northwestern, 3/26. Beloit, 3/21. Chicago, 3/22. Fontbonne, 3/25. Knox, 3/28. Lawrence, 3/21. Ripon, 3/18. St. Norbert, 3/16 ... some of our skeds get backloaded up here. Enjoy your outdoor February games, sunbelt. It's currently 2 degrees (above zero, which is nice) in my town.

[BaseballFan]

Hey Oshdude, do ou know whats with UWO and Thomas playing each other 4 games in florida. Was that because of a shortage of teams down in Winter Haven or did they just want the in-region matchup again/

[OshDude]

Hey Oshdude, do ou know whats with UWO and Thomas playing each other 4 games in florida. Was that because of a shortage of teams down in Winter Haven or did they just want the in-region matchup again/

Not sure, but I know Oshkosh has recently scheduled the best MW teams early and often. Pure speculation, but UWO has played only in-region games the past two seasons (this year UWO plays two nonregional games against DePauw). Perhaps there were not many in-region games available in Winter Haven, so St. Thomas may have been the only option.

It's great for fans. It's one thing for the Keans and Chapmans to play early with virtually nothing on the line. Granted, that's a fun matchup and all, but ...
Oshkosh vs. St. Thomas 4x?
St. Thomas vs. St. Scholastica 4x (2 of which are later)?
Whitewater vs. St. Thomas?
Whitewater vs. Carthage?

Right out of the gate UST plays CSS and UWW, then gets UWO 4x before the end of March. Weird thing is UST apparently plays 3 games in one day, 2 of those against UWO. Say what? That's the good stuff. Only way it could be better is if IL Wesleyan and Augustana were in the yearly scheduling mix. Gotta love the guts the MW coaches have in making their schedules.

[BaseballFan]

Hey Oshdude, do ou know whats with UWO and Thomas playing each other 4 games in florida. Was that because of a shortage of teams down in Winter Haven or did they just want the in-region matchup again/

Not sure, but I know Oshkosh has recently scheduled the best MW teams early and often. Pure speculation, but UWO has played only in-region games the past two seasons (this year UWO plays two nonregional games against DePauw). Perhaps there were not many in-region games available in Winter Haven, so St. Thomas may have been the only option.

It's great for fans. It's one thing for the Keans and Chapmans to play early with virtually nothing on the line. Granted, that's a fun matchup and all, but ...
Oshkosh vs. St. Thomas 4x?
St. Thomas vs. St. Scholastica 4x (2 of which are later)?
Whitewater vs. St. Thomas?
Whitewater vs. Carthage?

Right out of the gate UST plays CSS and UWW, then gets UWO 4x before the end of March. Weird thing is UST apparently plays 3 games in one day, 2 of those against UWO. Say what? That's the good stuff. Only way it could be better is if IL Wesleyan and Augustana were in the yearly scheduling mix. Gotta love the guts the MW coaches have in making their schedules.

I agree as a midwest fan its great having all these in-region matchups...One of the reasons why there have been the same teams near the top (thomas, CSS, UWW, UWO, STP, Olaf) is because of the tough in-region scheduling. I think all of these coaches understand how to get there teams ready for the playoffs and make it into the playoffs by utilizing the system that rewards in region wins against good teams

[VideoDawg]

Scott Ward (Blackburn College)

This guys a long shot for Pitcher of the Year. He had rough stats last year but with the defense of Blackburn he was lucky to be as good as he was. He has pro movement and upper 80 velocity. I once saw him strike out two batters in one game were the batter swung the bat and the ball hit them.

Any way fun to watch pitch. 

[theoneandonly]

Scott Ward (Blackburn College)

This guys a long shot for Pitcher of the Year. He had rough stats last year but with the defense of Blackburn he was lucky to be as good as he was. He has pro movement and upper 80 velocity. I once saw him strike out two batters in one game were the batter swung the bat and the ball hit them.

Any way fun to watch pitch. 

I agree even though it was originally my statement, Blackburn defense will really need to step it up to get him back to the numbers he had 2 years ago when he was a SLIAC all conference 1st teamer. I was just trying to get some talk about SLIAC baseball on here too. It seems like Blackburn always produces good catchers and first basemen. Third basemen are always decent too, they just seem to have problems finding middle infielders. Beninatti, their shortstop last year was BRUTAL. made plays that were crazy, but couldnt make routine plays.. that never works out to well. Their last good shortstop was in 2005 Mike Current, who is now a coach at ISU. OH and i was also at that game where Ward hit two batters but they went down swinging. classic. VERY good movement. I believe he can touch about 90-91. That info is straight from Webster's Gun.

[VideoDawg]

I know that Blackburn picked up a couple of pitchers that transferred. They couldn't close last year either. Nothing is worse than a good pitcher going a strong eight only to hand the ball to the bullpen and take a team loss.

That happened a lot to a duo of real good Westminster pitchers last year.