BB: General West Region Discussion

Started by DIIIBASEBALLFAN, March 09, 2009, 03:04:44 PM

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BigPoppa

Quote from: SoCalSoxFan on February 10, 2014, 06:37:04 PM
Thanks Ralph,

Last year I started reading about half way through the season.  This year I decided to participate.

Welcome aboard:) Do you have an affiliation?
Baseball is not a game that builds character, it is a game that reveals it.

Jack Parkman

I think the first week or 2 of the season has been interesting.  Some really solid outings for some teams and others have been an absolute dumpster fire.

SCIAC
Not many positive things to say here.  Although Chapman dropped all 3 in Texas they were very competitive in all 3 games.  Their bats were shut down a little but their pitching seemed pretty good.  I think Chapman will be back in the top 2-3 in the SCIAC this year if they can play this way.  CLU's split was interesting.  One great game and one dud.  I think their pitching will be solid and their bats seemed to pick up right where they left off last year.  Almost a whole new team offensively.  CMS split with Willamette who I have no clue if they are very good.  Oxy got shut out by an awful team and got spanked by Emory.  It took 8 Whitworth errors for Oxy to squeak by in a 1-run game.  I really think Oxy is in trouble.  Pomona looked awful against Whitworth and Emory.  Did they lose that much and is their pitching that bad to give up 11 runs a game?  La Verne played some real tight games in AZ and they look like they could be pretty tough.  Whittier and Redlands have been just plain terrible.  I'm sure Cal Tech will be the same as well.

NWC
Linfield showed pretty well in AZ and I really thing they can repeat this year.  PLU and George Fox played pretty well in AZ too.  I would say the big surprise in the NWC is Whitman.  No clue what their coaching situation is but I think the current guy is new within the past few years.  They absolutely crushed the ball in AZ and only lost to GF in a close game.  Something might be brewing at Whitman.  Whitworth looked like they were going to have a very solid first weekend but their loss to Oxy is bad.  For a team that is trying to get back to their 2012 ways, a loss to a team like Oxy is bad.  I am sure they will be fine but they can't make 8 errors and expect to win.

Texas
Trinity's pitching sounds like it was really solid this weekend.  Turning a triple-play to end the game against Tyler is awesome.  Great start to their season.  TX Lutheran played really well and they could be a force this year.  UT-Tyler laid an egg so we will see what happens this year.

Obviously only 1 weekend but it could show a lot.  SCIAC gets right into conference action this weekend while the NWC stays out of conference.  Big weekend with Trinity and Millsaps.

Ralph Turner

If UTT is down, and TLU (and Schreiner) are gone, and Miss College cannot compete in the post-season tourney, then the conference may be very balanced and (and down) from previous seasons.

My darkhorse? Coach Driggers at ETBU.  He had a competitive weekend versus Centenary. I will watch the pitching depth at the #2 and #3 starter for ETBU.

108 Stitches

Well done Jack. +1

Make no mistake Chapman will be good, they just need to polish up the defense a little, their mid lineup bats were silent, but they will come around and so will their pitching. I don't know about CLU but my guess it will be a Chapman vs CLU final for the SCIAC.

TLU looks solid, and if they keep it up will have a shot getting back to the Regionals, the talk of two NW teams in McMinnville will likely come down to how TLU plays the rest of the season. UTT looks weak IMO, Trinity came out really flat and did not pitch all that well against them, I think in nearly every inning they put the lead off runner on.  Granted it was only one game but when I look at two teams I go through the weaker teams line up and think about which player would break through on the others starting line up and IMO maybe 1 or 2 of the UTT starters MIGHT make the starting line up on Trinity's team. Those Astro's 70's style jersey's look horrible. Trash um I say. Ugh  Their pitching was decent, which kept them in the game. I know it's early but they are not a top 20 team at the moment.

Trinity's bottom half of the order was horrible all weekend, but when they come around the line up will be very tough to pitch through 3-4 times. Their season will be determined how well their bullpen develops as well as who emerges as a 3 - 4. Pitching Coach Smith is one of the best in the business (D1 included) and he will likely find a few diamonds and develop them.

TU at Millsaps should be an interesting series, good barometer for both teams. 

BTW it was not a triple play to end the game, scorekeeper messed up. It was a double however, which is just as good when you are looking for two outs and the tying run is at second.  ;)

Whatagame

#244
Quote from: Jack Parkman link=topic=6314.msg1579199#msg1579199 date=1392182481

i]I would say the big surprise in the NWC is Whitman.  No clue what their coaching situation is but I think the current guy is new within the past few years.  [/i]

Jack:

This is Whitman head coach Kinney's 2nd season at the helm.  He's a 2005 grad of the school, and probably was one of the school's best baseball players in program history.  He was an assistant under Holowaty, and took over as interim coach last season, and was rewarded with the official HC position soon after the end of last season.

Jack Parkman

Quote from: Whatagame on February 12, 2014, 01:07:30 PM
Quote from: Jack Parkman link=topic=6314.msg1579199#msg1579199 date=1392182481

i]I would say the big surprise in the NWC is Whitman.  No clue what their coaching situation is but I think the current guy is new within the past few years.  [/i]

Jack:

This is Whitman head coach Kinney's 2nd season at the helm.  He's a 2005 grad of the school, and probably was one of the school's best baseball players in program history.  He was an assistant under Holowaty, and took over as interim coach last season, and was rewarded with the official HC position soon after the end of last season.

Thanks.  I guess I was too lazy to look it up.  Sounds like they found the right guy.

CrashDavisD3

Quote from: Jack Parkman on February 12, 2014, 12:21:21 AM
I think the first week or 2 of the season has been interesting.  Some really solid outings for some teams and others have been an absolute dumpster fire.

SCIAC
Not many positive things to say here.  Although Chapman dropped all 3 in Texas they were very competitive in all 3 games.  Their bats were shut down a little but their pitching seemed pretty good.  I think Chapman will be back in the top 2-3 in the SCIAC this year if they can play this way.  CLU's split was interesting.  One great game and one dud.  I think their pitching will be solid and their bats seemed to pick up right where they left off last year.  Almost a whole new team offensively.  CMS split with Willamette who I have no clue if they are very good.  Oxy got shut out by an awful team and got spanked by Emory.  It took 8 Whitworth errors for Oxy to squeak by in a 1-run game.  I really think Oxy is in trouble.  Pomona looked awful against Whitworth and Emory.  Did they lose that much and is their pitching that bad to give up 11 runs a game?  La Verne played some real tight games in AZ and they look like they could be pretty tough.  Whittier and Redlands have been just plain terrible.  I'm sure Cal Tech will be the same as well.

NWC
Linfield showed pretty well in AZ and I really thing they can repeat this year.  PLU and George Fox played pretty well in AZ too.  I would say the big surprise in the NWC is Whitman.  No clue what their coaching situation is but I think the current guy is new within the past few years.  They absolutely crushed the ball in AZ and only lost to GF in a close game.  Something might be brewing at Whitman.  Whitworth looked like they were going to have a very solid first weekend but their loss to Oxy is bad.  For a team that is trying to get back to their 2012 ways, a loss to a team like Oxy is bad.  I am sure they will be fine but they can't make 8 errors and expect to win.

Texas
Trinity's pitching sounds like it was really solid this weekend.  Turning a triple-play to end the game against Tyler is awesome.  Great start to their season.  TX Lutheran played really well and they could be a force this year.  UT-Tyler laid an egg so we will see what happens this year.

Obviously only 1 weekend but it could show a lot.  SCIAC gets right into conference action this weekend while the NWC stays out of conference.  Big weekend with Trinity and Millsaps.
Chapman needs to sweep Occidental to show that they will be a contender for the SCIAC. The following week will be a tough series with La Verne. So far, hitting(.245 BA) Pitching(4.09 ERA) and Fielding Percentage(.947) so far is worse than 2012 & 2013 BUT it is very early in the season and the next 3 games are very important for a team that has not done well for the past 2 years. Jury is out until it is shown on the field.
This... is a simple game. You throw the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball.  "There are three types of baseball players: those who make things happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened."
Crash Davis Bio - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/crash0908.html

Whatagame

Crash, I think La Verne could potentially be a very stout test for Chapman.  Their win over George Fox last weekend was impressive, particularly given that they held Fox's offense down in that game.  Additionally, La Verne was beating Linfield last weekend, but lost in the 9th inning in a close one.  Last season, La Verne seemed to be a lighter power, singles-hitting team, they look like they might have a bit more extra base pop this year.

Westside

Quote from: Whatagame on February 12, 2014, 07:33:01 PM
Additionally, La Verne was beating Linfield last weekend, but lost in the 9th inning in a close one.

Not to take anything away from La Verne, but Linfield was leading that game 7-1 before Haddeland left the game.

I agree though, I think La Verne and Cal Lu will be the teams to beat in the SCIAC. I watched Pomona and Claremont online, and neither of them looked as good as La Verne or Cal Lu. Chapman is definitely a wild card. We will see what happens when they start to gel.
NWC Baseball

Colorado

Against Oxy this weekend, Chapman's rotation will be Osaki, Riddle and Hanks/McGee. The 2  5th year seniors  are coming along. Both are feeling very good. In a perfect world, both could be back to pre-injury form within a month.. Despite the 5-error game, the Defense is pretty good. The offense? After San Marcos, I thought they had a lot of good  hitters. After the Texas weekend, I thought they didn't have enough. They are probably somewhere in between.Greg Dillon remains out but the headaches are fading away. Once back, the middle of the line up could be Saatzer Dillon Cook and Battaglia. That could be the Panther's strongest lineup in 3 years. The dads on probably 5-6 teams are probably all thinking the same thing about their own teams but if the SCIAC is that weak this year, then why not us?

TexasBB

UTT bounced back this weekend beating TX Lutheran and splitting with Centenary at home.  The lost all 3 on the road last week to Trinity and TX Lutheran but were competitive in each game. They have a young team and should get better as the season progresses. The ASC starts this coming weekend.


108 Stitches

Top Teams in the West         108 Stitches Ranking

George Fox   0-0   6-1   Won 4      3
Linfield      0-0   5-1   Lost 1      1
Whitman           0-0   6-3   Won 1
PLU                   0-0   4-2   Won 2
Willamette   0-0   4-2   Won 2
Whitworth   0-0   2-2   Lost 2
Chapman           2-1   3-4   Won 2
Pomona-Pitzer   2-1   3-4   Won 1
Cal Lutheran   0-0   1-1   Lost 1      
Texas-Tyler   0-0   2-4   Won 1
Trinity (Texas)   0-0   5-1   Won 1      2
Texas Lutheran   0-0   5-2   Won 1   4
   
The rest I cannot rank because their schedule so far was too weak or they have not played enough games. Northwest conference looks to be very competitive, which bodes well for an at large bid given regional is in McMinnville. Whitman is the surprise in the Northwest, lets see how they do against top competition, but give them credit for a good start. The SCIAC looks like it will be weaker this year with CLU and Chapman my pick for the top two teams there.  TLU is the surprise in the SCAC and will have to continue to play well to get an at large bid, (I believe they are not eligible for the SCAC this year, if not win their conference) Trinity continues their tradition of fielding a strong team, their pitching will have to develop during the year, but they will be an offensive force. I agree with TexasBB UTT is young but will develop. The rest we will see.

PS: Sorry for the formatting, word does not come across.

Note to administrators: Your link on the teams goes to 2013 schedules, if you put in "2014" in the link you get current schedules.


CrashDavisD3

#252
Quote from: 108 Stitches on February 17, 2014, 07:58:12 AM
Top Teams in the West         108 Stitches Ranking

George Fox   0-0   6-1   Won 4      3
Linfield      0-0   5-1   Lost 1      1
Whitman           0-0   6-3   Won 1
PLU                   0-0   4-2   Won 2
Willamette   0-0   4-2   Won 2
Whitworth   0-0   2-2   Lost 2
Chapman           2-1   3-4   Won 2
Pomona-Pitzer   2-1   3-4   Won 1
Cal Lutheran   0-0   1-1   Lost 1      
Texas-Tyler   0-0   2-4   Won 1
Trinity (Texas)   0-0   5-1   Won 1      2
Texas Lutheran   0-0   5-2   Won 1   4
   
The rest I cannot rank because their schedule so far was too weak or they have not played enough games. Northwest conference looks to be very competitive, which bodes well for an at large bid given regional is in McMinnville. Whitman is the surprise in the Northwest, lets see how they do against top competition, but give them credit for a good start. The SCIAC looks like it will be weaker this year with CLU and Chapman my pick for the top two teams there.  TLU is the surprise in the SCAC and will have to continue to play well to get an at large bid, (I believe they are not eligible for the SCAC this year, if not win their conference) Trinity continues their tradition of fielding a strong team, their pitching will have to develop during the year, but they will be an offensive force. I agree with TexasBB UTT is young but will develop. The rest we will see.

PS: Sorry for the formatting, word does not come across.

Note to administrators: Your link on the teams goes to 2013 schedules, if you put in "2014" in the link you get current schedules.


Nice list. Only changes I have it is hard imo to have teams with losing overall records be in the Top teams in the West right now. It is what they do on the field now. Maybe these teams at a later date show up and become on of the TOP team. Chapman has 6 very tough games over the next 2 weeks and could become a Top Team if they do well.

At this point I see NWC with 2 bids, 1 for SCIAC, 2 for SCAC and 1 for ASC. Of course this could/will change as the season goes.
This... is a simple game. You throw the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball.  "There are three types of baseball players: those who make things happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened."
Crash Davis Bio - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/crash0908.html

108 Stitches

I agree Crash but it is so early I was projecting a bit. Teams with winning records should be listed, but in reality if they are playing cup cake schedules it is difficult to figure out if they are good or not. In two weeks this list will be more accurate, but gives us something to discuss. Number 5/6 seeds at the Regional will be interesting... I guess they always are.  ;D

Ron Boerger

Pretty sure Texas Lutheran's eligible.    They've already won one SCAC championship this season (football).