BB: General West Region Discussion

[108 Stitches]

I also think that Whitworth could come back with a solid group of returners. Could be a bit of a dog fight in the NWest.

I think Chapman will be a contender. I think CLU will drop  as the season processes, and not sure about UTSA.

I already have my room booked in McMinnville and looking forward to the Alien    festival again..... Like I said there are some great winery's in the area and hoping for some decent weather, and if not, well we have something to complain about here.

[Jim Dixon]

Whitworth's trip to Appleton was no fluke.  If Pffeffer is back to 2012 form, they can contend. 

[Ralph Turner]

Whitworth's trip to Appleton was no fluke.  If Pffeffer is back to 2012 form, they can contend.

My thought is that no team winning the West Region is a fluke.

It is a small 6-team region that has the most balance of any region. Most of the 8-team regional brackets have 2-3 weaker teams in the bracket so the first round games can go easy.

[108 Stitches]

Dr. Acula posted this in another thread but it illustrates how difficult scheduling for West teams can be. (Centenary, UofDallas, and a prob a few others are missing as this is a football chart)

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NCAA_Division_3_football_map.gif

[108 Stitches]

I absolutely love Trinity's schedule this year, they probably have the toughest schedule in the West that I have seen at least.  If they are going to beat Linfield at home in the Regionals they will have to do it by getting experience playing tough teams on the road and they are doing jsut that. The come out of the gate Vs TT and Chapman, then go to Millsaps.

Fri Feb. 7          Texas-Tyler         
Sat Feb. 8    Chapman             
Sun Feb. 9    Chapman         
Fri Feb. 14    at Millsaps         
Sat Feb. 15    at Millsaps             
Sun Feb. 16    at Millsaps

They go to Hendrix, for a three game weekend mid season, then away to Hardin-Simmons and CTX for a two week stretch on the road, and then end the season at MHB and Centenary again on the road. Their conference schedule gives them more Centenary games.

Give the logistics in the West you could not come up with a tougher schedule. There will be no complaining about a pady-cake schedule this year for the Tigers. 

[Whatagame]

D3.com Pre-Season All American list is out, I think its fun to throw out some names from the West Region that might be on the end-of-season All American teams, who aren't on the pre-season list.  (I'm focusing on NWC/SCIAC as those are the two conferences I'm most familiar with) A few I think might have huge years:

Trevor Lubking (LHP) PLU:  Led NWC in strikeouts last year with 106, very, very tough.
Nick Fisher (OF) Linfield:  Lots of tools, Brosius thinks he's a potential draft pick.
Gerhard Muelheims (IF) Whitworth:  Batted over .400 last year.
Cam Young (2B) Whitman:  Potential to hit well into the .400's, with power and speed on the bases.
Travis McGee (RHP) Chapman:  If he's back to pre-injury form.....
Simon Rosenbaum (UTIL) Pomona-Pitzer:  Huge numbers last year
Jonathon Brooks (1B) Oxy: Batted .417 last year, look for more power this season.

I could think of more, but who is on your "watch list?"

[108 Stitches]

West Preview is out.

http://d3baseball.com/notables/2014/01/2014-previews/2014-west-regional-preview


My opinion on the teams (with somewhat limited information)

1. Linfield clear number one until proven otherwise. Most of the team is returning.

2. Trinity: Solid number two, got a big offensive boost when Hirshberg decided to go to graduate school and play one more year. Lost their number one pitcher but have a solid group returning, their number 1 & 2 are solid, season will depend on who steps up for their 3 & 4 starters and late inning bull pen.  Probably the strongest offensive lineup next to Linfield in the West and possibly the country.

3. George Fox: Returns a solid group and should be very competitive and has something to prove.

4. UTT: They are getting votes in the ASC coaches poll so they must know something about the team. I believe they will have to get some solid support from some freshmen to stay at the top.

5. CLU: Solid pitching, but lost most of their offense. Not sure they can hang as a top team, but we will see. Pitching will keep them in most games.

6. TLU : Returns a solid group and will look to show that 2013 Regional was not a fluke. Should be a solid team.

7. Pomona: Should be very good with a strong group of return pitchers and fielders.

8. Chapman: I think they will ride  the returning pitchers who are coming off of injuries plus the Fr/Soph from last year. Will be a very dangerous team IMO if they jell.

Others/not sure:

Concordia: I think they are too young with many new faces.

Centenary: Lost too much and will have to rely on young talent, will be solid, but TBD as a top team.

Whitworth: Can they return to previous glory? The whole team is essentially there.

[108 Stitches]

For those who have not seen this. Interviews with the SCAC head coaches, gives some insight into what is really going on in these programs. Sometimes we on these boards jump to conclusions without really knowing, I listened to a couple of them (even with the annoying echo's) and found it interesting. I think all of the coaches had refreshing views on their programs in particular Centenary  Coach Diaz on how many freshmen are in the mix and Trinity from Coach Scannell on how far he thinks they are from being a top 5 program, as well as Southwestern Coach Thomas on trying to rebuild the program. Good stuff if you can get through the poor audio.

http://www.scacsports.com/sports/bsb/2013-14/releases/media_days_14

[NWBaseballFan10]

Coach Scannell's comments were definitely interesting. He knows far better than I do where his team stands at the present moment, but I have a hard time believing they won't be a top 15+ team when the season opens. He has been a tremendous recruiter (As he said they've been able to tap into some great talent outside of Texas as well) and developer of talent so I'm sure they will have answers to some of those question marks as the season opens. They will be tested early in those first couple weeks with dates against UTT, Chapman, and Millsaps however.

Perhaps, my favorite part of his interview was how he suggested that practices have been a little tougher lately with some colder weather and rain. Makes us here in the NW feel a little better ourselves 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Coach Scannell's comments were definitely interesting. He knows far better than I do where his team stands at the present moment, but I have a hard time believing they won't be a top 15+ team when the season opens. He has been a tremendous recruiter (As he said they've been able to tap into some great talent outside of Texas as well) and developer of talent so I'm sure they will have answers to some of those question marks as the season opens. They will be tested early in those first couple weeks with dates against UTT, Chapman, and Millsaps however.

Perhaps, my favorite part of his interview was how he suggested that practices have been a little tougher lately with some colder weather and rain. Makes us here in the NW feel a little better ourselves 

+1 makes us in the rust belt feel a little better too. Not sure when the young men in this area will get outside.

[TexasBB]

Looks like UTT is trying to beaf up its pre-season schedule without making a trip to Arizona.

This weekend they start play by heading south and playing a single game Friday night against #6 Trintiy then going to Austin to play a double header Saturday against Texas Lutheran. The following weekend they host a tournament and play a single game Friday night against Texas Lutheran then a double header Saturday against Centenary. 

After that the rest of the schedule is all against ASC opponents.

TexasBB

[108 Stitches]

Nothing like coming out of the gate against some solid opponents, without having to travel via airplane.

[CrashDavisD3]

Chapman has 9 seniors in 2014 on the roster including 3 pitchers and 2 starting position players that were with Chapman in 2011 when they were one win away from a National Championship. Now sure what to expect in 2014 after 2 down years for Chapman. If the pitchers are all healthy and pitch like pre 2012 Chapman, things could interesting in the West.

http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/bsb/2013-14/releases/201402031iym1n

[108 Stitches]

Trinity's roster is now up.

http://www.trinitytigers.com/sports/bsb/2013-14/roster

13- Sr
4  - Jr
18 - SO
10  - FR

Pretty young team to be ranked #5. We will be interesting weekend.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Trinity's roster is now up.

http://www.trinitytigers.com/sports/bsb/2013-14/roster

13- Sr
4  - Jr
18 - SO
10  - FR

Pretty young team to be ranked #5. We will be interesting weekend.

13 seniors seems to be quite  a good number. How many would you say are on the field contributors? That might be why the jr class is small. Has the JR class always been that small or have players left?

With 45 players do they field a JV team? If so how many games do they play?

One last comment, I like how they post community service for the players on the roster.