College Baseball 2014!

[nando714]

Trojans split double header yesterday vs Cal Poly. Dropping the first game 5-2 and winning the second game 16-0.

Next game vs UCI tomorrow

[m0nkey]

Trojans starting to suck

[nando714]

Trojans starting to suck

I haven't been able pay attention lately.

[HeavenlyHalos]

UCLA is still ranked, despite being 8-7. Crazy.

[LBHalos17]

That's out of respect for last season..  But, it's early still and they've played pretty good Cal Poly and UCSB teams.

 

The 'Bags are clawing-out of their early-season hole.  They beat #16 Indiana 2-1 last weekend.  Then, the same old story showed-up last Tues. at LMU and they got beat.

 

The recent versions of this team have seriously lacked consistency.  They'll be tested this weekend at Fullerton for a non-Conference series.

[Angel Oracle]

LB has quietly gone 10-5 since the 0-4 start.   I will finally make it out to see them play on Sunday at CSF.

CSF's park is more hitting friendly than Blair Field (most of LB's games being there so far), and thus LB fans will get a true feel for how far the pitching has come in 2014. 

[nando714]

After losing 2 of 3 @ Oregon last weekend

Trojans take 2 of 3 @ Stanford This weekend

[Angel Oracle]

And LB nearly completes the comeback from being down 0-6 yesterday, losing 5-6 and losing 2 of 3 at CSF but showing a never quit attitude.

[LBHalos17]

At least they have that...

 

Nothing has changed for the Bags; straight-up inconsistent.  They win a series with UCLA, then bellyflop at Davis.  Doesn't get any easier this weekend with UCSB coming into town; it's time to decide what kind of club they're gonna be this season.

 

The West-coast, for the most part, is not really playing up to par.  We're in danger of losing lots of Regionals...

[LBHalos17]

CS Fullerton Coach Rick Vanderhook was placed on Administrative leave this week, after a post-game incident with his team.

 

It's all rumor at this point, but I've heard from some decent sources that the incident involved Coach Vanderhook punishing his team after an 8-0 loss to Cal Poly last Thursday.

 

Supposedly, he sent his team up into the stands to do the custodial work.  They were directed to clean the stands, down to the last sunflower seed shell.  Not only is this not a great coaching idea, it's downright nasty since the players allegedly did not have gloves.

 

If true, I think it's not a very smart coaching technique.  I know he's a fiery character, but he should read-up on his "Herb Brooks" a little more.  Additional running, running the stairs, or other baseball-related punishments have a lot more value as far as bringing a team together.  This idea creates too much animosity towards him as the coach.

 

Another issue with the incident, is that CSF is the figure-head of the Big West.  It degrades the entire Conference.

[LBHalos17]

After losing 2 of 3 @ Oregon last weekend

Trojans take 2 of 3 @ Stanford This weekend

AND, the Trojans just finished-off the sweep of the Bruins...

[LBHalos17]

The Bags just took two-outta-three from NCAA #2 Cal Poly!  Hopefully, it's the start of a nice run!  Now, if they can only win a Tuesday game...

[nando714]

AND, the Trojans just finished-off the sweep of the Bruins...

They've 9 in a row and back in post season contention

That 16-0 win vs cal poly is looking really good right now. They split that series

Edited April 29, 2014 by nando714

[Adam]

CS Fullerton Coach Rick Vanderhook was placed on Administrative leave this week, after a post-game incident with his team.

 

It's all rumor at this point, but I've heard from some decent sources that the incident involved Coach Vanderhook punishing his team after an 8-0 loss to Cal Poly last Thursday.

 

Supposedly, he sent his team up into the stands to do the custodial work.  They were directed to clean the stands, down to the last sunflower seed shell.  Not only is this not a great coaching idea, it's downright nasty since the players allegedly did not have gloves.

 

If true, I think it's not a very smart coaching technique.  I know he's a fiery character, but he should read-up on his "Herb Brooks" a little more.  Additional running, running the stairs, or other baseball-related punishments have a lot more value as far as bringing a team together.  This idea creates too much animosity towards him as the coach.

 

Another issue with the incident, is that CSF is the figure-head of the Big West.  It degrades the entire Conference.

 

Really? Seems like good old school coaching to me. 

[LBHalos17]

It's actually a fine-line, Adam..  Punishing them by making them clean the stadium or wash cars, is purely punitive.  If they were afforded the proper protective equipment that the regular employees use, I might be able to see some value in it; They learn humility, and a responsibility for their "house."  The problem I have with it, is that it was 2AM and they were picking-up DNA-infested spit-cups, hot dogs, etc. with bare hands.

 

I still believe in the Herb Brooks school of team-building-  Keep it sport-related, and nobody can really complain.

[Angel Oracle]

Three straight shutouts for LB State after last night's 1-0 win over CSF.

The shutouts have come vs. Cal Poly, Pepperdine, and CSF, none of which is chopped liver.

Andrew Rohrbach and Josh Frye have been dominating starting pitchers, while Kyle Friedrechs has been almost automatic as the closer.

3rd place in the BWC, and if they can take this series and the UCI series (both at LB) and win 5 out of 6 road games from Hawaii and UCR, maybe just maybe a 2014 NCAA subregional could be in their future?

Edited May 3, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[Angel Oracle]

FOURTH shutout in a row for LB State today, 5-0 over CSF, now 9-5 in BWC play. A sweep tomorrow and a series win over UCI would be huge!

[nando714]

USC drops 2 of 3 in Pullman

[Tank]

LBstate better pray they don't draw el camino in the regionals.

[Angel Oracle]

No prob, I hear that Ralston Schmidt may be added to LB's roster.

[LBHalos17]

LBstate better pray they don't draw el camino in the regionals.

OR Long Beach Wilson!  Haaah!

 

The boys (along with LOTS of family!) are in Hawaii; took game1 3-1 with a couple of bases-loaded rbi walks..  Game2 tonight at 9:30 Pacific.

[LBHalos17]

The Bags completed the sweep in paradise, and are back in the post-season hunt!

 

Big game vs. San Diego at home Tuesday night..

[LBHalos17]

Regionals will be set tomoro morning...

 

Cal Poly won the Big West, and should be hosting.

The Bags overtook UCI to finish 2nd (lowering their RPI/strength of schedule).  They should be no worse than a 3-seed in regionals; hopefully they don't have to go to Oregon).

 

Here's where the debating starts-  UCI finished the season on an 0-8 free-fall, while CSF finished fairly strong.  UCSB has slim hopes of selection.

 

I think UCI gets in based on their overall season.  If Fullerton gets in, it will be based on name recognition as they had a disappointing season.

[nando714]

USC took 2 of 3 vs Oregon St this weekend

Idk if that is enough for them to get into post season play though

[LBHalos17]

Nope..  USC was one of the "Last four teams out" of the tourney (along with West Virginia, Mercer, and UCF).  The "Last four in" were UCI, Clemson, North Carolina, and Texas A&M). 

I'm hearing a lot of chatter over UCSB not getting into the tourney, or even listed as a "last four out."  They have better numbers (RPI, math, etc.) than most of these teams.

The Big West amazingly got FOUR teams in!  

 

Long Beach is the #2 seed at Florida, and will also get NC and College of Charleston.

Cal Poly is hosting Sac. St., Pepperdine, and ASU.

UCI is the #3 seed at Oregon St. with North Dakota and UNLV.

Fullerton is the #3 seed at Okla. St. with Binghampton and Nebraska.

 

Games start this Friday, May 30th.