BB: Regionals (West) 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

[BigPoppa]

SoCal has just over 100 junior colleges with the majority of them having baseball programs. If you want a great day of talenmted baseball, attend the Junior College showcase at Loyola Marymount every fall in which most JCs send 1-2 unsigned players to workout for college coaches. (I always went looking for players and would bounce ideas off Big-time coaches in attendance (Fullerton, UCLA, Miami, UNC, Notre Dame, etc...) a great two days of baseball and an even better place to find top-notch arms.

Now, Chapman generally gets their arms right out of high school and that is partly because Coach Tereschuk was one of the regions most successful high school coaches and has a wide network of high school coaches helping him and guiding their players to Chapman.

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks, Big Poppa.  I have not found the governing organization for the California JUCO's. They are not members of NJCAA, as the Texas Schools are.  Region 1 in the NJCAA is Arizona and California, but all of the schools listed (14) look like they are in Arizona.

http://www.njcaa.org/colleges.cfm

There are 36 baseball-playing JUCO's, about 30 are scholarship*, in Texas this year, plus:

Non-scholarship
D-III -- 16 in Texas.  9 in CA.

Scholarship
NAIA -- 10 in Texas. 18 in CA. **
D-II   -- 10 in Texas. 12 in CA. **
D-1   --  17 in Texas.  22 in CA

It looks like the numbers are comparable.


*I don't think that NJCAA Division III offers scholarships.  (Corrections appreciated)]

** I have not determined whether those scholarships have been fully funded to the limits of NAIA or D-II.

See later discussions including ILVBB's comments.

[infielddad]

Jeff Green
Buddy Klovstad
Scott Akamine
Jairo Ochoa
Devin Drag
Kurt Yacko
Wayde Kitchens

... and now Rauh.

I can't speak for other regions of the country. But I suspect in Texas, you'd lose at least 6 of these 8 to a Junior College/Smaller Div 1 School. Kudos to Chapman for being able to go out and get these arms year in and year out.

JSG

I think JSG is exactly right about Rauh and what would happen in Texas.
It is pretty well known that California has far more talent than there are college slots available, far more.  When Evan Longoria burst onto the scene, there were many articles about how he and many players get lost in the numbers and level of talent.
When you build in that JC's in Texas also offer scholarships and the quantity of DII programs, it is tough for a talent of the type of Rauh to fall through the cracks.
Coach Scannell at Trinity has a very similar feeling on his ability to attract quality players who can qualify academically from Texas, in light of the number of DI, DII and JC's with scholarship money.  The fact that Trinity's roster since 2000,  perhaps beginning with Mike Frost and some others, is filled with talented California players who also do well in the classroom, isn't an accident.
The Coaches know they can come to California and find  talent that just falls through the cracks because of the sheer number and quality of players and more limited options which exist in California at the next level.

[BigPoppa]

It's not like Longoria came out of nowhere. He was the starting shortstop at Long Beach State, aka... "Shortstop U." He came out of St. John Bosco High School, a true powerhoue program and landed at Rio Hondo JC, whic is a great SoCal Juco... in fact, they were so good that I often recruited their backups as the starters landed at D1 programs.

[infielddad]

Big Poppa,
I was referring to Longoria out of HS.  He didn't have any college interest and ended up at a JC, where the coaching staff at LBSU found him.
I forget which HS but it was one of those with ton's of talent.
Many scouts in the SoCal area were interviewed at that time and said Longoria was just a kid who got lost in the sheer volume and numbers of players they see.

[BigPoppa]

Big Poppa,
I was referring to Longoria out of HS.  He didn't have any college interest and ended up at a JC, where the coaching staff at LBSU found him.
I forget which HS but it was one of those with ton's of talent.
Many scouts in the SoCal area were interviewed at that time and said Longoria was just a kid who got lost in the sheer volume and numbers of players they see.

Completely agree... I was often overwhelmed recruiting that area. Plus, Long Beach already had a stud SS in Bobby Crosby and Longoria is the guy that replaced him after graduation. If a D3 coach is diligent enough and patient, there are D1 caliber guys that go unnoticed just looking for a place to play. If D3s were smart, they'd all contact the SoCal JCs right about this time and ask what they have left for unsigned players. Most of the coaches are happy to help you find players and many of these kids will travel across the country for the chance to continue theri playing careers.

If you are interested, message me and I can give you a list of JC coaches that I found to be the most helpful over the years.

[CrashDavisD3]

In SoCal Coach Pickler at Cypress JC does a outstanding job finding 4 year schools for his players to transfer too. Every year it seems like all his starters and many backup players end up at 4 year schools. The numbers that transfer from Cypress JC is always in the double digits

[infielddad]

Crash,
I have nothing but compliments for many JC coaches in CA. who place very good players.
The point JSG made, and I support, is someone like Rauh would not be at a DIII, if he played HS ball in Texas.  With the number of DI's, DII's, and JC scholarship programs in Texas, contrasted with the amount of available talent in Texas, it is unlikely someone like Rauh falls to a DIII, unless he does it by choice.
By contrast, this happens all too frequently in California and good DIII coaches like those at Chapman and Trinity, and now Hendrix, Millsaps and a few others, are doing everything they can do to find the ones in CA. who fall through cracks, have very good academics and are looking for great baseball in a 4 year setting.
Chuck Huggins, from our area in Northern CA might be a good example as a pitcher. In HS, Chuck was the #2 guy on his HS team behind a 90mph lefty who committed to UCLA.
Chuck was an 85 to 87mph lefty with a lot of upside. He could not get a solid look from DI's in CA. Nothing.  Followed our son's path and experience and Chuck went  to Trinity. He progressed well as I expected he would, transferred(unfortunately a girlfriend) to UCSB, became the Friday night guy in the Big West and would have been picked in the 1st 10 rounds as a junior, except he would not sign.
Players like Rauh and Chuck would not fall through the cracks in Texas because there are more choices and less players.
California is a gold mine for talented players if a DIII coach works hard and uses his resources.
I agree completely with you and Big Poppa on that discussion!!!!
Rauh is just another example...but boy is he a good example.

[ILVBB]

The basic premise that Ralph pointed out was that the relationship between scholarship programs in Texas and California are comparable given the realative populations. The reality is that a good portion of the D2 programs and NAIA programs are less than fully funded. A number of the D2 programs only went D2 so that they could have other teams to play given the lack of D3 programs in California. It will be interesting in the next few years given the ongoing budget problems in California to see if the state will mandate athletics be non-scholorship.

Chapman has done a great job of recruiting in its back yard. It will be interesting to see how their membership in the SCIAC will impact their ability to maintain a strong SOS while playing a full SCIAC schedule.

[CrashDavisD3]

Chapman entry into the SCIAC will cause their SOS to nose dive and could impact the ability to obtain a Pool B bid in transition and a Pool C bid once they are fully integrated into the SCIAC. Only winning the SCIAC will insure you get to go to the dance. Chapman has had a tough time with some SCIAC Teams(Whittier and Pomona comes to mind past few years).
Games with Cal Lu and Redlands are also been very tough for Chapman.

Lets see if Chapman can win today against SCIAC Champion Redlands. The past three game this year have been very close with errors playing a major part on who won those games

[Ron Boerger]

Linfield all over UTT, 5-0 after one complete inning.  UT-T loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the inning but Linfield P Manley got two K's to preserve the early lead.  

Tyler started Matt Schimpf (6-1, 2.47, 73.0 IP in 11 starts)   Linfield's Manley is 5-0, 1.49 ERA, 36IP in 4 starts (11 total appearances).   

Linfield had five singles and a double in the first inning.    Looks like Schimpf is settling down in the second but that's a lot of runs to spot Linfield. 

[Just_Some_Guy]

Linfield all over UTT, 5-0 after one complete inning.  UT-T loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the inning but Linfield P Manley got two K's to preserve the early lead.  

Tyler started Matt Schimpf (6-1, 2.47, 73.0 IP in 11 starts)   Linfield's Manley is 5-0, 1.49 ERA, 36IP in 4 starts (11 total appearances).    

Linfield had five singles and a double in the first inning.    Looks like Schimpf is settling down in the second but that's a lot of runs to spot Linfield.  

Any visual on this game? UTT down 3 just had #2-hole single and the lead off guy got thrown out at the plate with 0 outs. 1st & 3rd with 3,4,5 coming up down 3 seems like a pretty decent scenario. Do you risk that down 3 runs?

*Edit

Shared this with a coach that knows the game that I respect and this was his response, "I dont care if it was 3 pitchers coming to the plate.  Down 3, with no outs you play station to station unless the ball goes to the wall." 

[Again. Couldn't see the play and everyone will have different opinions, but found his response humorous.]


JSG

[Ron Boerger]

No video    Not sure I would have done that, either ...

Schimpf got the job done after the first ... Cleveland (7-1, 2.57, 11 app/7 starts) now in for UT-Tyler in top of seventh.    Linfield has a runner at third w/two out.  edit: who scored on a single.  6-2 with UTT to bat in the bottom of the eighth after two three-up, three downs. 

[Ralph Turner]

Final -- Linfield 6, UTT 3.  UT-Tyler is eliminated.

[CrashDavisD3]

Final -- Linfield 6, UTT 3.  UT-Tyler is eliminated.

UTT gets 2 and BBQ. Must hurt to lose fast in ASC and West Regionals.