Why do we struggle at baseball?

[SRQ]

it all comes down to being a top notch evaluator; not only of talent, but of intentions. time to make a fresh start imho.

[Mike Stuben]

 

 

 

Having been recruited in baseball out of high school...USF has a terrible baseball reputation in the state and schools will steer players towards Juco ranks before sending them to USF because they can leave for the pros sooner.

For those who don't know what is being referenced. Go to a Juco, get your AA and you can turn pro in 2 years. Go to a 4 year college, you can't turn pro until after your junior year.

False. Juco players are eligible after their first year as well.

Ok, I didn't know that ... sorry for the bad info ... But the part of those who chose a 4 year school having to wait 3 years is true. So the correction further makes the Juco even more attractive. Baseball is weird in the there is so much incentive not to get a 4 year degree (for those talented enough to have pro aspirations.)

And yet every other school in the state has been able to largely overcome this, besides USF (and FAMU but they suck at everything).

But let's not get it confused, the best players out there are not choosing Juco over playing for a solid D1 program. It's mainly the fringe guys that choose to play at a Chipola JC or Polk State rather than go somewhere out of state and pay out of state tuition to play at some crummy program. Or the guys that were drafted in high school, want to improve their draft stock and don't want to wait 3 years.

A friend from high school was going to play JC ball in florida until Rice scooped him up. He played 4 years, got his degree and was drafted in The 10th round last year. Another went to Polk State instead of going out of state. He pitches for Bethune-Cookman now. It obviously depends on the kids situation, however. A lot of guys start out D1 and then transfer out after a year. There are a lot of factors at play. Go look at a solid juco or D2 program roster and look at "previous school" and chances are there are about a half dozen that came from top tier programs.

 

All you have to do is look at a calendar to know why there is so much good baseball in Florida (at HS and college level). Kids can be outside playing year round.... and when the college season starts many north teams have to head south to play.

 

USF didn't leave the state of Florida until this week, about their 25 or so game.

[Reliable Source]

USF in 2nd place in the Big East. Glass half full???

[Quo Vadis]

I wish I had an answer. It has baffled me since the 1980s. We have every conceivable structural advantage in putting together an A+ level baseball program, and believe me, living just a few miles from LSU I know what one of those looks like. It truly is ridiculous.

[Damon]

 

[bullcocky101]

Bulls drop rubber match game and to lowly Georgetown 7-2...

[Mike Stuben]

Something interesting to consider, we gave a bunch of our programs awesome new facilities 2.5 years ago. Let's look at what each team has been able to do in  2 seasons.

 

Men's Soccer, 2 seasons - NCAA tournament both years, elite 8 one of those years, equaling the best results in program history.

 

Women's Soccer - 2 seasons - so so first season and a solid second season, we were on the door step of the NCAA's for a program who has very few appearances in the post season.

 

Men's Basketball - 2 seasons (speaking of the Muma Center, not the renovated Sun Dome) - won first 2 NCAA tourney games in program history and had the best season in program history.

 

Women's Basketball - 2 seasons - Postseason in both, first NCAA tournament win in program history and had the best season in program history.

 

Softball - 2 season - Went to College Word Series and had best season in program history.

 

Baseball - 2 seasons

 

So 6 programs got new facilities at the same time. 3 have had the best season in program history. Men's Soccer equaled the best season in program history (and in their defense, they have a pretty good history). Women's Soccer improved. Now its time for baseball to win. I'm not going to complain about the past few years, but now we should be getting our program to be an NCAA most every year sort of program. May not start this year (unless we win the Big East tournament, which is possible). .. but hopefully it will be starting soon.

 

Edited to fix my inability to count years.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Mike Stuben

[SattyBull]

This is the 3rd season in the baseball/softball complex.

[Mike Stuben]

This is the 3rd season in the baseball/softball complex.

 

 

Glad I can count .. really? man time just zips by.

 

I went back and edited it. ...

 

I forgot that baseball and softball were the first to open.

 

I might have the wrong count on the Muma Center too.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Mike Stuben

[SattyBull]

This is the 3rd season in the baseball/softball complex.

 

 

Glad I can count .. really? man time just zips by.

 

Just ignore everything I wrote

Oh trust me I know. You had me second guessing myself and I had to google it really quick haha!