USF Softball

[BullyPulpit]

2 hours ago, Dave_Glaser said:

The issue, just like baseball, is that when we get to a regional, it's always at UF, FSU or Miami, with the deck stacked against us before we even step on the field. In order to advance, you're likely going to have to beat the home team TWICE.

The issues is a little less prominent in softball, as Miami doesn't field a team, but your point still stands. It would be nice if the NCAA seeded a little bit more fairly for the tournament. The success of the Big 3 shouldn't hinder USF's chances, but the reality is that it often does. 

Just look at the teams that made it to the CWS since 2003. Only USF, UL-Layfette, Hawaii, and DePaul (when there was still a P6 in 2007) made it from non-P5 conferences. 7 out of 136 teams have been from the P5. Mid-majors only account for 5.1% of the CWS teams and we were one of 4 programs to make it. That is pretty **** remarkable. It also deserves noting that no mid-major finished better than 5th place in that timeframe. 

Also, in the last 9 tournaments only 2 non-P5 teams made it to the CWS (representing 2.8% of the field), with USF being one of those two. 

 

  

Edited March 9, 2021 by BullyPulpit

[Dave_Glaser]

1 hour ago, Ricky the Bull said:

These teams keep being the home teams because they are better than us, consistently.  Do their coaches have better abilities?

I'm not calling for CKE's head, here.  He has allegiance to the school.  I'm questioning, based on the rumors I'm hearing, that we have potential to be better.

They're better than us because they are members of the big leagues and they recruit better talent.

[Ricky the Bull]

41 minutes ago, Dave_Glaser said:

They're better than us because they are members of the big leagues and they recruit better talent.

I'm trying to understand, then, how Cal State-Fullerton can do it in baseball and it be "as good as it gets" for softball.

[chapelbull]

4 hours ago, Ricky the Bull said:

I'm trying to understand, then, how Cal State-Fullerton can do it in baseball and it be "as good as it gets" for softball.

Because it's baseball, not softball.  And even then the P5s are pretty dominant.    I mean the the stats are there in softball.  It isn't like a bunch of G5s are doing it in softball and we're not.

[Guest Jonesy Bull]

20 hours ago, Ricky the Bull said:

I'm trying to understand, then, how Cal State-Fullerton can do it in baseball and it be "as good as it gets" for softball.

You do see a lot more non-P5 schools do well in Baseball as compared to Softball for some reason.  It feels like with Softball you have to be in the SEC, Big 12, or PAC 12 to even have any chance to complete for the CWS......So at least with Baseball there is more of a fighting chance.

As was brought up, being in the State of FL, we rarely (like meteor falling on the planet rarely), are going to get past the Florida or Florida States in either Sport in their house.  Again, Baseball at least seems to have more of a fighting chance.  Look at Stetson, they hosted a Regional recently.

[BullyPulpit]

23 hours ago, Ricky the Bull said:

I'm trying to understand, then, how Cal State-Fullerton can do it in baseball and it be "as good as it gets" for softball.

The real reason in baseball is that most P5 teams lose a lot of potential recruits to the minor leagues. They get signed out of high school and lose out on guys they have been pursuing for 2 or 3 seasons. Also, they get hit hard by the draft when they lose juniors to the MLB pipeline again. That really levels the playing field for the mid-majors. They still get some blue-chippers and they certainly have us beat on the second tier guys, but the playing field is somewhat leveled by the P5's being second-tier to the minors. 

Edited March 10, 2021 by BullyPulpit

[Ricky the Bull]

We take game 1 of the double-header with New Mexico State, 4-3.  Game 2 to start shortly:

New Mexico State vs. South Florida (Softball) | Watch ESPN

---

Stream New Mexico State vs. South Florida (Softball) on Watch ESPN

 

[Dave_Glaser]

On 3/9/2021 at 4:58 PM, Ricky the Bull said:

I'm trying to understand, then, how Cal State-Fullerton can do it in baseball and it be "as good as it gets" for softball.

The same way Gonzaga does it. There are a few outliers who have a tradition established in a certain sport.

[chapelbull]

6 hours ago, BullyPulpit said:

The real reason in baseball is that most P5 teams lose a lot of potential recruits to the minor leagues. They get signed out of high school and lose out on guys they have been pursuing for 2 or 3 seasons. Also, they get hit hard by the draft when they lose juniors to the MLB pipeline again. That really levels the playing field for the mid-majors. They still get some blue-chippers and they certainly have us beat on the second tier guys, but the playing field is somewhat leveled by the P5's being second-tier to the minors. 

This really isn't true.   

1.  I pointed out above that P5s are only slightly less dominant in baseball than softball.   

2.  Mid-majors lose players too.  USF lost 2 pitchers last year.  They lost a few players a couple of seasons ago and lose recruits every year as well.  Just like many other mid-majors,

3.  The real reason that mid-majors can compete more in baseball is the depth of quality baseball players compared to softball especially in states like Florida, Texas, and California.   Jack Jaziak is good enough to beat any team in the country.   FGCU has a guy like that.   Stetson has a couple.   Most decent mid-majors will have at least one of those guys.   You won't see that in softball as much. 

4.  You also may see a different level of maturity/growth in baseball players.  Guys who weren't heavily recruited early on may bloom a little later thus leading to a mid-major getting a "steal" so to speak.  Not going to happen much in softball.

 

Bottom line .... P5's have a huge advantage overall but baseball can compete much more than Football/Basketball.   Softball can compete, but it's tough to compete with the P5's like UF and FSU when it comes tournament time

[JTrue]

41 minutes ago, chapelbull said:

This really isn't true.   

1.  I pointed out above that P5s are only slightly less dominant in baseball than softball.   

2.  Mid-majors lose players too.  USF lost 2 pitchers last year.  They lost a few players a couple of seasons ago and lose recruits every year as well.  Just like many other mid-majors,

3.  The real reason that mid-majors can compete more in baseball is the depth of quality baseball players compared to softball especially in states like Florida, Texas, and California.   Jack Jaziak is good enough to beat any team in the country.   FGCU has a guy like that.   Stetson has a couple.   Most decent mid-majors will have at least one of those guys.   You won't see that in softball as much. 

4.  You also may see a different level of maturity/growth in baseball players.  Guys who weren't heavily recruited early on may bloom a little later thus leading to a mid-major getting a "steal" so to speak.  Not going to happen much in softball.

 

Bottom line .... P5's have a huge advantage overall but baseball can compete much more than Football/Basketball.   Softball can compete, but it's tough to compete with the P5's like UF and FSU when it comes tournament time

One thing I've noticed too with women's sports is that there are is a lot less parity at the top. Might have something to do with the size and money in youth baseball and basketball for boys. There is so much talent it spreads out a lot more. You can get a cinderella who makes some waves in baseball and basketball, likely not win it all, but make a strong run. You rarely see the CWS and Elite 8 only stacked with #1s and #2s. But in women's sports, it happens pretty frequently. There is a VERY clear line between the top 10-12 teams in WBB and softball.