FYI - Post from Let's Play Two in Oct 2015 in the SCIAC Fall Ball thread.  As a newbie parent then, I learned that the "official" SCIAC Fall Ball season does not last that long since the SCIAC teams start playing spring games at end of January or beginning of Feb, thus allowing, at most, a few weeks for official SCIAC fall ball, depending when practices begin after the new year.

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"The SCIAC's rules regarding the non-traditional season are much more restrictive than those permitted by the NCAA.  Practice time, with coaches on the field, is limited to 6 hours per week and no more than 2 hours per day.  The NCAA has established a 19-week season for baseball, so counting back from the SCIAC Championship will determine how many weeks can be used in the fall.  Some schools have January Interim courses (Whittier and La Verne ??) allowing them to start as early as January 4th in 2016, but by doing so, they would only have one week in the fall.  As mentioned in a previous post, "Captain's practices" and conditioning are going on, but without the supervision of a coach on the field.  Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but it is their conference rule.  Hope this provides a little light on the subject!"

It happened!  So excited!

Quote from: Purple Heys on January 31, 2017, 10:22:24 AM

Quote from: Skips Soldier on January 30, 2017, 09:16:31 PM

Quote from: Appalachian Mtns on January 23, 2017, 04:49:26 PM
Okay, enough of the historic bottom of the SCIAC.

Posters - Let me know your predicted top half of the SCIAC in order of 1st thru 5th, and if you have one, share a brief reason for each particular prediction.  I am still learning about this conference.

1. Chapman - Offense is too explosive and Coach Laverty is an offensive genius. Too much fire power up and down the lineup between Larkin, Cook, Love, and Utility man Gavin Blodgett or Pudge as some of the guys call him. Pitching staff will be much improved from last season, except Tyler Peck to make a big impact on the rotation.
2. Cal Lutheran - Saito is always reliable to top the rotation and they always have guys step up and fill in, team will compete this year.
3. Redlands - Felix is a great guy to top a SCIAC rotation, but they're gonna need a lot of help to slow down the Panther offense this season.
4. Pomona-Pitzer - Nishioka is a dominant player that can change the game with one swing of the bat. It will help them a little, but the team simply has too many holes to win it all.
5. Occidental - No way they'll be able to repeat the same magic from last year, once again too many holes on the team especially in the pitching staff.

So...let me make sure I understand what you are saying, cuz it's coming in sorta fuzzy and it kinda seemed that he was hedging his bet here...Skip is picking Chapman to win the SCIAC, right?

Looks like it to me.  Chapman has a strong program.  Skip might be picking a little with his heart, plus it could also be financially motivated since the Flamingo has Chapman at 5 to 1 odds to win the SCIAC and get the at large bid.

Okay, enough of the historic bottom of the SCIAC.

Posters - Let me know your predicted top half of the SCIAC in order of 1st thru 5th, and if you have one, share a brief reason for each particular prediction.  I am still learning about this conference.

RT - I suspect that MIT's 5000 enrollment versus Caltech's 1000 enrollment has a lot to do with it.  I would like to believe Caltech's admission standards are more challenging than MIT's, but I doubt that is the case.  I would say that those standards are comparable.  MIT's advantage in my opinion is that the larger enrollment allows more flexibility from admissions to assist the athletic department in accepting some athletes with excellent credentials but below preferred test score ranges.  For example, if both institutions wants an average 35 ACT score for all enrolled students for a particular class, then MIT with 5 to 1 enrollment advantage, can have 8 non-athletic students with a 36, allowing them to pick up a LHP with a 31 and a power corner hitter with a 31, to average 35 ACT score among those 10 students.  Versus Caltech, accepting one non-athletic student with a 36, and one athlete needing a 34 to average the 35 ACT.  Such is the advantage with a 5 to 1 enrollment advantage.  Just my 2 cents guess.

PH - it looks like Caltech's deepest left field will no longer be deepest in the SCIAC.  Based on photos, it looks like the temporary fence will now be used in left field too, this resulting in a shallower left field.  Yes, Caltech should have a few more HRs now that it's left field will match other SCIAC fields; however, I suspect that will not be any type of advantage because other SCIAC teams will still have deeper rotation, and I think it will result in more HRs for visitors giving SCIAC opponents another advantage they do not need.  Although I do understand the coach not wanting a left field in excess of 400 feet.

They should be better this year, but they need to focus on winning a conference game.  Winning 8 conference games out of 24 probably not in the cards, but I agree with your assessment, and pitching strategy.

I am hearing a roster of over 20 with more arms, which is a step in the right direction. 

Quote from: 108 Stitches on January 19, 2017, 06:51:35 PM

Quote from: Purple Heys on January 19, 2017, 12:17:51 PM
I expect Cal Tech to be more of a threat than ever.

At what? Discovering water on Mars?

Now, even I have to admit that is pretty funny.  I hope ours do their best, and I hope yours makes it to the show.

108 Stitches:

Thank you for sharing your opinion, and I respect it, but I disagree.

It is possible the same could have been said about Caltech's basketball program, but look at that turn around.

Give this new Athletic Director and Coach Mark some more time.  Let them eventually get to a roster between 20 and 25, and you will see some wins.

And no disrespect, but blaming 3 games (mostly) against a charter member of the conference as a reason it fails to get in the tournament is horse hockey.  If you think you deserve to run with the big Dogs in a mighty D3 division, put on your big boy pants and go schedule some national competition.  That is you problem, not a me problem.  No disrespect.  JMHO.

Great story, thanks for sharing.  Understood.

I suspect Coach Mark is recruiting and coaching to win, and some believe he is getting closer to turning the program around similar to the early stages prior to the basketball turning its program around.  I also suspect that he will not be at Caltech for 30 years, but hopefully he will be at Caltech longer to continue building the program. 

Rest assured, Coach Mark will not be the losingest D3 coach of 30 years.  I suspect at some point in time, he will win at Caltech, and move on after he believes he has built the program to its highest potential level of achievement, or gets an offer that is too good to refuse.  I think, he thinks he can accomplish more at Caltech, and I am confident he will.  The more he turns the program around, the better for him.  It is a win-win situation for coach and school.

I understand your point about coaching is a profession and that coaches are in it to win.  My point is that the same questions and concerns apply to a hypothetical coach in a league with a sub 500 record over a period of 10+ years without a championship, but also without the inherent obstacles the Caltech coach is starting to overcome.  The same losing sucks that applies to a winless program making headway statistically closer to possible wins, equally applies in other's opinions, to a consistent sub 500 program without the same inherent obstacles which can't a championship.

So your original point is valid, and yes I do recognize the possibility that Coach Mark will move on some day, hopefully with a resume entry of turning around Caltech's program.  My point is that the your same questions and concerns that apply to Caltech's coach can equally apply to the Whittier coach who has been there 18 years without a championship.  Caltech would love to have the wins and results that the Whittier coach has achieved, but at the same time, other programs would view such wins and results as unacceptable.  Fortunately, for various reasons both coaches have decided to stay where they are for now with patient administrations, and continue to coach and mold young men to be better ball players, students and individuals.

Valid questions and concerns, especially for Caltech, but probably also for other SCIAC programs not named Cal Lutheran, La Verne, Pomona Pitzer in recent SCIAC championship history.  Glad Oxy broke through after nearly 30 years - great story.  Newbie Chapman and Redlands always a threat

Caltech is just not on the same level athletically as other SCIAC programs.  I get it.  But it is closer today than yesterday.  Amazed Caltech has only had 9 coaches since 1909, and grateful the current coach remains at the helm today, and wish nothing but the best for him and his family in his future endeavors.  Just glad his immediate future is with Caltech until he decides it isn't. 

Programs want their coaches to be coveted.  That is a good thing.  Whether it is improving statistically and narrowing the gap in results, or improving a program from a sub 500 team to finishing in the top half of the conference once every decade.

You are right, losing sucks and it is extremely difficult.  We have had people say that about other non-Caltech programs, why consider that program?, they are a 500 program without a legitimate shot to be contenders.  I get it.  However I do not consider the  fine young men from Whittier competing and attending an excellent school who will go on to fabulous careers at NASA, Wall Street, and other industries or government to be losers, just because they do not have a legitimate shot to make it to Appleton or regularly compete for the SCIAC championship. I know you did not call the players losers, but there are those that do.

I feel the same about Caltech players.  Just as you posted a while back, you recognized the character of players who continue to compete, obtain an excellent education while making life long friends competing with their teammates and coaches, and becoming acquaintances with other SCIAC coaches and players, whether playing for a winless team, a sub 500 team, or a Cal Lutheran.  So, in the long run, I do not consider them losers, and I no you do not either.  Maybe it is just an ill conceived rational, but that is how I feel.  So, for those who want to get rid of Caltech, there are those out there that feel the same about many programs who do not realistically have a shot to compete for a conference championship.  I disagree with thise people.

Aside from family, alma mater, geography, or other reasons, I suspect their isn't a SCIAC coach who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to coach at a Cal Lutheran, Trinity, Marietta, type of school.  Or "jump" up to D2, or take a D1 job.  We are talking about D3 baseball, and even if it is just D3 baseball, it is a good thing for other programs to want your coach.

And for whatever reason, if a coach wants to stick around and improve a program that doesn' have a shot of getting to Appleton, then I think that is great, and I am grateful that ours is where he is today.

Not a SCIAC insider, but I suspect MIT has been allowed to recruit more players with a 5000 enrollment for a substantial longer period of time than Caltech with an enrollment of less than 1000

Having match-ups of 15 roster team versus 25 roster team is hard to overcome and nearly impossible playing a 35 roster team.

Fortunately the current coach is doing an excellent job recruiting and building Caltech's program as a SCIAC charter member and baseball playing program since 1909, and will probably end up with close to a 20 roster team next year, hopefully closing the disadvantage gap.

Not complaining, because it is Caltech's choice and mission to limit admissions.  Just grateful that they are now allowing the coach to recruit to build a better team. 

Personally, I think the Caltech coach needs to take more Krispy Kreme donuts on a regular basis to the admissions office. 😊

However I am just a clueless east coast fan of the Beavers and SCIAC, and maybe Caltech allowed other coaches in the past to recruit players for a 25 to a 35 roster team, but I seriously doubt it.  I know the numbers were a huge concern for us during our recruiting visit when a 13 dressed roster team played a 35 roster La Verne in Feb of 2015.  However we made the right decision.  We just have to redefine success, and alter our goals. 

Congratulations to Whittier for taking care of business.  Beavers out hit the Poets, but the lack of timely hits allowing the Poets best pitcher in lefty Garcia to remain on the hill for 8 innings was too much to overcome.

The Beavers failure to turn the double play in the fourth, and missing the opportunity to keep the score at 2 to 1 thru the 6th, together with the bad 4 run 6 inning, was the Beaver's downfall.

Again Congrats to Whittier on the W.

Proud of the entire Caltech Beaver baseball program for the substantial improvement over the past few years.  Glad I will be around three more years to watch the continued improvement despite the terrible odds these players face that few truly appreciate or understand.  Yeah, they knew what they were getting into when they chose Caltech, but still very proud of each and every Beaver student athlete on the roster.

More arms are on the way, and we will see all you SCIAC brothers next year.

Good Luck to both Occidental and Cal Lutheran in securing two bids to the Regionals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkADj0TPrJA

"[Caltech Baseball]", Tear Down This Wall!

Please do not include another President to the streak since Ronald Reagan with Hillary or Donald taking the oath before the next SCIAC conference game. 

Statistically the improvement has been remarkable, so keep it headed in the right direction.  For 2 1/2 hours forget about midterms, and playing on less than 3 hours of sleep game after game, and get it done!

Thank you BLD.  Yes, my son thought it was the perfect fit, loved the coach and players, and felt the love in return, and just too good of an opportunity to turn down in favor of other D3 opportunities closer to home.  I suspect a couple SCIAC teams will be in a dogfight or two this year to keep from being the first victim.  The recruiting efforts of Coach Mark are paying off.  I firmly believe the Beavers will be more competitive each and every year.

Good luck to yours and OWU.  It is always a pleasure reading your knowledgeable posts on various regions and programs.