BB: SCIAC: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Started by Ralph Turner, December 31, 2005, 09:33:55 AM

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SoCalBaseballfan

#3135
Quote from: Jack Parkman on September 02, 2017, 07:22:52 PM
Quote from: Purple Heys on August 31, 2017, 01:13:37 PM
Long awaited (needed) upgrades to the Whittier baseball facilities are underway!

http://www.wcpoets.com/sports/bsb/2017-18/releases/20170831ip99ss

Good stuff!

Nice to see WC making a little bit of a commitment to athletics.  I see the football field and track are new and they have a good number of players in camp for football.  The really needed this for baseball as that is probably the least enjoyable places to watch a game in the SCIAC.  Adding some new stands will  give it a better feel for the fans at the games.

Since absolutely nobody asked, I will give my thoughts on the SCIAC ballparks (in no particular order)

Redlands- the grounds crew does an absolutely fantastic job on the playing surface but the rest of the facility is very average.  Driving out to the desert and dealing with the gross air sucks too.

La Verne- They tore down their on-campus field and that makes them pretty low in my book.  Their new spot looks ok but has zero character.

Oxy- This place is awful all around.  This has to be one of the smallest parks in all of college baseball.  Terrible seating for fans and the dugouts are tiny.  I would like to see Oxy make the fences a lot higher than they are (or move them back) simply because a college baseball team should not play on a field that small.

Cal Lu- probably the second best playing surface and by far the best seating for fans.  The new National Champs banner will sure look nice as well.

Whittier- See above

Caltech- Having turf is nice since there is no maintenance but the rest is pretty average.

Claremont- I love the trees that line the outfield but the seating is bad.  The dugouts are pretty good and there is a lot of space all over.  Decent park.

Chapman- I HATE that they use a city park.  I realize there is no place for them to play on campus but the atmosphere stinks.  Playing a regional there wasn't very fun.
  I agree. I was there. I loved the regional in Abilene and the one without rain in McMinnville. Chapman shares field with high school. City has control of the field and allows no real upgrades from Chapman or Orange Lutheran who share the field and both have the money to make this a premier venue

Pomona- Really small to right field but I like this park.  The stands are very close to the field and I think the grounds crew does a pretty good job.
Best place in the SCIAC is Cal Lutheran in my opinion watching games their for 5 consecutive years. My son got his 1st start as Freshman at the field and his first career hit so always a special place for me. He did not go to Cal Lu...Add lights and it is the best place in the SCIAC if they ever get to host a regional. With their recent national championship, I think they should get a shot. Agree with the assessments from above. Most SCIAC fields are terrible with bad seating arrangements. A few exceptions for the fields but the exception and not the rule. Whittier looks like it is upgrading. La Verne has a newer field as Cal Tech but none will be at a level to attract a regional.

Purple Heys

Whittier having just completed the football field and track upgrades, and moving onto upgrading the seating for the Baseball field, along with a very nice Athletic Center with great competition pool is making an effort to support their statements that they care about the athletic experience at the school.  They may not have the same approach as at the more powerful D3 athletic programs, but making an effort, in my mind, is good to see.
You can't leave me....all the plants will die.

Purple Heys

For me, as a fan, the overall best baseball park is an easy pick:  CLU.  Great seats, great sight lines, MPH display on the scoreboard, good parking, easy dropoff/short walk for the grandparents next to the ballpark (an underrated parameter IMHO).
You can't leave me....all the plants will die.

Purple Heys

Quote from: Purple Heys on September 12, 2017, 11:55:03 AM
For me, as a fan, the overall best baseball park is an easy pick:  CLU.  Great seats, great sight lines, MPH display on the scoreboard, good parking, easy dropoff/short walk for the grandparents next to the ballpark (an underrated parameter IMHO).

In last place is Oxy's field. Field too small for College Level baseball, backstop too close to home plate, thick links in the fence hinders viewing.  This is a Pony League field.  Porta potties, nuff said.

In between, all the rest have their good point and not so good points.

Like like how nice UoR keeps the field, not a fan of the grass 1B and 3B running lanes (I think that's lazy), don't like the outfield berm in Center to Right (it's unnecessary).  Like the sight lines from the stands, good drop off point for the old folks, but too long a walk to take a tinkle.  I hear the scoreboard is getting upgraded, that will be nice.  The field plays honest (very few bad hops), deep backstop puts an emphasis on catching which I think is appropriate at this level.

La Verne...I like the place, I just wish they'd water the grass.  It may be sort of geometrically bland, but its a good sort of bland in a well maintained sort of way (just water the lawn once in a while).  The fact that it is not on campus makes no difference to me as we are always visitors.  Nice deep backstop.  Good drop off for the folks.

Whittier (Before Stands upgrade).  I like that they acknowledge the shortness of some outfield sections by raising the fences to a challenging height, makes the field play bigger.  I like the angled fencing.  Too short behind home plate.  Not great on the sight lines due to the protruding dugouts relative to the stands.  Good in-game entertainment watching Freshman players play mountain goat retrieving foul balls.  Bathrooms are close.

Chapman.  City Park field so at least it is pretty well kept, but really no identity to the school like a dedicated use field would have. Bathrooms way too far away.

CMC, two seasons ago the field was mangy as they refused to water it (don't claim drought that's BS, other schools maintain their fields).   This past season was much better given the rain.  Another Porta Potty place.  I like the shade the trees bring.  The outfield tree line is a nice thing, but this park could be better kept without a whole lot of extra effort and it would shine.

PP...I alternate like/dislike for the short porch in right and the meadow in left.  I like the stands there, good sight lines.  A nice place to watch D3 baseball.  A bit of an uphill slog for the old folks and a long walk to the bathrooms

Cal Tech putting in turf absolved them of having to work the field and avoid competing with CMC for the worst kept field - an expediency choice most likely, but it works out...much like everything else with respect to the stands and the fence locations.  Not such great access for the old folks but not the worst either.
You can't leave me....all the plants will die.

Purple Heys

Where's the good places to get a post game micro-brew in the SCIAC cities (or reasonably nearby)?  Could be more than one...place that is.

I'll start:

Redlands:  Hangar 24

PP/CMS:  Last Name Brewing

La Verne:

Pasadena:

Whittier:

Chapman:

Thousand Oaks:

Eagle Rock:
You can't leave me....all the plants will die.

SoCalBaseballfan

Quote from: Purple Heys on September 12, 2017, 04:41:01 PM
Where's the good places to get a post game micro-brew in the SCIAC cities (or reasonably nearby)?  Could be more than one...place that is.

I'll start:

Redlands:  Hangar 24

PP/CMS:  Last Name Brewing

La Verne:

Pasadena:

Whittier:

Chapman: Haven Gastropub in Orange, CA


Thousand Oaks:

Eagle Rock:

MIFDad

RE PP/ CMS, Last Name doesn't have a kitchen, just a part time food truck. Ditto for Claremont, Craft Ales, which I hear is excellent. If you're hungry try Eureka for great tacos, burgers and outdoor seating.  Back Abbey is also very good.


Jim Dixon

All this talk makes me want to make a trip south in February.

Quote from: MIFDad on September 21, 2017, 11:36:15 AM
RE PP/ CMS, Last Name doesn't have a kitchen, just a part time food truck. Ditto for Claremont, Craft Ales, which I hear is excellent. If you're hungry try Eureka for great tacos, burgers and outdoor seating.  Back Abbey is also very good.

Jack Parkman

Quote from: Purple Heys on September 12, 2017, 04:41:01 PM
Where's the good places to get a post game micro-brew in the SCIAC cities (or reasonably nearby)?  Could be more than one...place that is.

I'll start:

Redlands:  Hangar 24

PP/CMS:  Last Name Brewing

La Verne:

Pasadena:

Whittier:

Chapman:

Thousand Oaks:

Eagle Rock:

Here are a few in Thousand Oaks, home of the 2017 National Champions (I just love the sound of that).

http://draughtsrestaurant.com

This used to be called Stuff Pizza and it was definitely a favorite of mine.  Great food and plenty of beers.

http://thedudesbrew.com/thousand-oaks

Never been here but you can't accuse them of having a terrible name.

Of course, if you are looking for simple wings and beer, you can always hit up the Hooters in Thousand Oaks.  Hooters occupies a building that was a constant rotating door to unsuccessful restaurants over the years.  There were a lot of people that were unhappy with Hooters going in but it's been there longer than any other restaurant that was there before.

Purple Heys

Quote from: Purple Heys on September 12, 2017, 04:41:01 PM
Where's the good places to get a post game micro-brew in the SCIAC cities (or reasonably nearby)?  Could be more than one...place that is.

I'll start:

Redlands:  Hangar 24

PP/CMS:  Last Name Brewing, Craft Ales, Back Abbey

La Verne:

Pasadena:

Whittier:  The Bottle Room, Red Oak BBQ

Chapman:

Thousand Oaks: Draughts Restaurant and Bar, The Dude's Brewing Company

Eagle Rock:
You can't leave me....all the plants will die.

Purple Heys

Quote from: Purple Heys on September 25, 2017, 07:59:14 PM
Quote from: Purple Heys on September 12, 2017, 04:41:01 PM
Where's the good places to get a post game micro-brew in the SCIAC cities (or reasonably nearby)?  Could be more than one...place that is.

I'll start:

Redlands:  Hangar 24

PP/CMS:  Last Name Brewing, Craft Ales, Back Abbey

La Verne:

Pasadena:

Whittier:  The Bottle Room, Red Oak BBQ

Chapman:  Chapman Crafted Beer

Thousand Oaks: Draughts Restaurant and Bar, The Dude's Brewing Company

Eagle Rock:
You can't leave me....all the plants will die.

Purple Heys

You can't leave me....all the plants will die.


Purple Heys

Quote from: Jack Parkman on September 26, 2017, 11:04:59 PM
Quote from: Purple Heys on September 26, 2017, 05:07:49 PM
Whittier's latest recruit is a true inspiration.   :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=r4DsSls6FXE

Love seeing programs do this.

I think this is being done throughout the SCIAC this season...so far Chapman and Oxy are also in (or have been in) for baseball.

http://www.goteamimpact.org/athletic-campus-involvement/southern-california-intercollegiate-athletic-conference.html

The look on Joshua's face is priceless...I know this has an impact on my kid too.  Everybody wins.
You can't leave me....all the plants will die.

Jack Parkman