2013 West Regional - Austin Tx

Started by 108 Stitches, May 12, 2013, 04:41:58 PM

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forheavendial4999

Actually it's higher than it was when I came back.

Not that I care...I'd rather be right.


playball

Quote from: CrashDavisD3 on May 20, 2013, 09:26:41 PM
Quote from: forheavendial4999 on May 20, 2013, 08:54:25 PM
Quote from: CrashDavisD3 on May 20, 2013, 08:41:52 PM
Did your Mama teach you not to call others names

I guess trolling gets you a +karma around here.

Sore losers...that's all I see here. The Linfield people are the only ones not acting like a bag of dicks.
Is your only defense is for you to resort to name calling rather than just stick to talking baseball.

I watched a SoCal program get to Appleton 5 times in 4 times and lucky enough to see all 4 times.  Not sure if we see another  SoCal program make it the near future anytime soon.

It will be tough for any program not named Linfield to challenge what Chapman was able to do when they went on their streak of dominance.  How did they fall so quickly?

forheavendial4999

Quote from: CrashDavisD3 on May 20, 2013, 09:26:41 PM

Is your only defense is for you to resort to name calling rather than just stick to talking baseball.

I watched a SoCal program get to Appleton 5 times in 4 times and lucky enough to see all 4 times.  Not sure if we see another  SoCal program make it the near future anytime soon.

Did they teach English at your school? Holy crap. I need the SoCal to English dictionary for this garble.

I'd rather you just stick to speaking your first language, whatever that is.

forheavendial4999

Quote from: playball on May 21, 2013, 12:59:18 AM

It will be tough for any program not named Linfield to challenge what Chapman was able to do when they went on their streak of dominance.  How did they fall so quickly?

If not for the coaching situation I wouldn't say they had. Marietta had a rough year in 2008. It happens, especially these days when there's so much competition for players and so few at-large spots in the postseason. It's not like it used to be when only the most worthy teams got it...now if you're the best of a group of 7 schools, you're in...no matter how bad that group is.

tigerfan_2001

Quote from: forheavendial4999 on May 21, 2013, 01:49:57 AM
Quote from: CrashDavisD3 on May 20, 2013, 09:26:41 PM

Is your only defense is for you to resort to name calling rather than just stick to talking baseball.

I watched a SoCal program get to Appleton 5 times in 4 times and lucky enough to see all 4 times.  Not sure if we see another  SoCal program make it the near future anytime soon.

Did they teach English at your school? Holy crap. I need the SoCal to English dictionary for this garble.

I'd rather you just stick to speaking your first language, whatever that is.
were you trying to be funny or racist?

Pat Coleman

Attn tigerfan_2001:

I've just had to remove nearly a dozen posts from this board.

I primarily blame you. Your personal attacks singling out another poster aren't necessary and aren't welcome.  4999 isn't perfect either (ahem, seriously? maybe let their childish comments go!), but you're the one going over the line on this.

Not sure what kind of board you think this is.
Publisher. Questions? Check our FAQ for D3f, D3h.
Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

Teddy_Ballgame

Quote from: forheavendial4999 on May 21, 2013, 01:56:36 AM
Quote from: playball on May 21, 2013, 12:59:18 AM

It will be tough for any program not named Linfield to challenge what Chapman was able to do when they went on their streak of dominance.  How did they fall so quickly?

If not for the coaching situation I wouldn't say they had. Marietta had a rough year in 2008. It happens, especially these days when there's so much competition for players and so few at-large spots in the postseason. It's not like it used to be when only the most worthy teams got it...now if you're the best of a group of 7 schools, you're in...no matter how bad that group is.

I think Chapman's descent, and call me crazy on this, actually started a few years ago. And its exacerbated by Coach T's departure. They haven't had a good offense since 2010 (2011 they hit .292, 2012 they hit .286, 2013 they hit .282), and they stopped being unbelievable on the mound. I think there's less talent on their team now, something that would have roots a few years back.

Obviously, 2011 they were able to piece together a pretty incredible season and were Runners up in the World Series. But that team wasn't like the Chapman teams of old. They started off the year losing 2 of 3 to Whittier and 2 in a row to PP before going on a tear. They relied on one incredible pitcher and a handful of very good pitchers at his back, and they did everything right to get as far as they did despite an uncharacteristically weak offense with little in the name of star power. I think Coach T gets a ton of credit for that season.

2012, they still had Ruah and they lose a couple of arms. Their team ERA goes up just a tick from 2.96 to 3.05 (still pretty phenomenal), and their batting average drops a few points. More importantly, they score runs at an even slower pace and all of the sudden they go from 37-13 to 20-20. The numbers for those teams weren't that different, but I think 2011 was an example of a team that relied heavily on a few good veteran pitchers and over-performed, while in 2012 their weaknesses began to show a little more and they underperformed. 2013 was a continuation of that downward trend, ERA jumps up a whole run to 4.03, and now you don't have a legendary coach helping you squeak out the tough games. And it doesn't help to have all that background noise.

Hopefully for Chapman their core stays. All things considered that's a very young staff who, I'm sure, has plenty of room for development. Maybe they can get someone in their that can work with those pitchers and can also bring a little bit of jolt to the offense. And with the right coach, it shouldn't be difficult to recruit into a good school with such a storied tradition of excellence on the diamond. I wouldn't be surprised to see Chapman right back in the mix in a few years. Heck, they won't be losing any pitching next year (through graduation anyway) so maybe they make some noise immediately. But they certainly aren't the Chapman of the 2000's, and I don't know if anyone in the West can ever replicate what they did.

Crash, I'd like to get your thoughts on this. My analysis is based a little on observation (playing them in 2011, watching a few games in 2012) and a lot on stats and word of mouth. You've been there, so if I'm full of sh*t let me know!


108 Stitches

I think it is CRITICAL to get a solid coach in there ASAP. Incoming recruits may be bailing on them as we type. They have pitchers coming back from injuries, and their current players. Without a coach did their players get placed in summer leagues?

They were a talented but young team this year, and should be getting some senior pitching back from injuries. (assuming they come back) You could tell this when they took BP, they could really hit the ball. I only saw three early games, but their biggest problem in those games were approach at the plate, which is what you expect in a young team. Next year those AB's will be much more disciplined.

I am not sure how you can replicate the success they had, kind of like USC at the D1 level years ago. JMO


Whatagame

The three Chapman pitchers who were hurt this season were all Juniors in 2012 (thus Seniors this year) Would they all be attending school a 5th year to play?  That's somewhat of a rarity at the D3 level it seems?

Ralph Turner

#235
Quote from: forheavendial4999 on May 21, 2013, 01:56:36 AM
Quote from: playball on May 21, 2013, 12:59:18 AM

It will be tough for any program not named Linfield to challenge what Chapman was able to do when they went on their streak of dominance.  How did they fall so quickly?

If not for the coaching situation I wouldn't say they had. Marietta had a rough year in 2008. It happens, especially these days when there's so much competition for players and so few at-large spots in the postseason. It's not like it used to be when only the most worthy teams got it...now if you're the best of a group of 7 schools, you're in...no matter how bad that group is.
The move to Pools was completed about 1999, because of the uncertainty of getting a post-season bid.  There were plenty of deserving teams that were left home under the old system.

Regardless of what you say about the Pool A bids, they got there on the field.  They earned the bid by the way that the conference (of as few as 7 teams, regardless of how bad they were) wanted to award the bid.

Every Pool B team this season won at least 2 games in the tourney. Two are going to Wisconsin.

Some people don't like my reference to Pool C bids as a "do-over".  The parity that we see in D-3 means that the money from the March Madness contract has let us have 14 Pool C teams, including some very good ones like Kean and Marietta.

The Presidents of the 430-odd institutions have determined how they want to conduct the intercollegiate athletics.  You are "ranting" in favor of a system that was deemed to need changing in the last century.

forheavendial4999

Quote from: Ralph Turner on May 21, 2013, 01:44:55 PM
The Presidents of the 430-odd institutions have determined how they want to conduct the intercollegiate athletics.  You are "ranting" in favor of a system that was deemed to need changing in the last century.

Not really ranting at all. It's fact that the system used to be that way, which is all I said.

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to have for dinner.

forheavendial4999

Quote from: Whatagame on May 21, 2013, 01:02:23 PM
The three Chapman pitchers who were hurt this season were all Juniors in 2012 (thus Seniors this year) Would they all be attending school a 5th year to play?  That's somewhat of a rarity at the D3 level it seems?

I would think it's fairly unusual. I used to hear stories that suggested (at least) one coach would use injury waivers on freshmen that never pitched and they amounted to redshirt years. I don't want to go into much detail on that, and it doesn't really matter because the program is not really a national power and the coach is no longer at the school (and hasn't been for some time).

But considering there are no athletic scholarships, I would think that decision would be based on progress toward degree (is the player going to be doing a 5th year anyway?), cost to attend the school, and interest in a master's program the school offers.

Teddy_Ballgame

Quote from: forheavendial4999 on May 21, 2013, 02:15:07 PM
Quote from: Whatagame on May 21, 2013, 01:02:23 PM
The three Chapman pitchers who were hurt this season were all Juniors in 2012 (thus Seniors this year) Would they all be attending school a 5th year to play?  That's somewhat of a rarity at the D3 level it seems?

I would think it's fairly unusual. I used to hear stories that suggested (at least) one coach would use injury waivers on freshmen that never pitched and they amounted to redshirt years. I don't want to go into much detail on that, and it doesn't really matter because the program is not really a national power and the coach is no longer at the school (and hasn't been for some time).

But considering there are no athletic scholarships, I would think that decision would be based on progress toward degree (is the player going to be doing a 5th year anyway?), cost to attend the school, and interest in a master's program the school offers.

I know a decent amount of kids who have done this in PP athletics, through joint programs with the Claremont Graduate University- usually as a simple "plus one" commitment. They get hurt for a year, but still have that year of eligibility so they pursue an advanced degree while getting to finish out their athletic careers. Most of the time it requires a lot of planning, but it might be smoother at a school like Chapman who has it's own graduate programs and thus may be able to transition from undergrad to graduate student a little easier.

The last PP baseball player to do this was Mike Silva. Turned out to be a great move for him- he had an awesome season on that 2009 team that went 37-7 and got a degree that turned into a great job right out of school. Brian Schumaker also did this at Redlands in 2008 and hit .414 with 6 home runs. I'm sure there are other examples...

Kids could also take a lighter load and extend their coursework over to a fifth year, but as you mention there are no athletic scholarships so this is an expensive route. With coaching uncertainty, if those Chapman pitchers hadn't already committed to a 5th year I doubt they will now. Anyone know for sure?

108 Stitches

The other complicating factor is that most DIII academic scholly's are only 4 years. But I have heard of kids getting their masters and staying. Not often but it happens.