Should baseball be in class system?

[15thSportsFan]

A nice topic for discussion, though i don't ever see the KHSAA doing it. My opinion is that it SHOULD be in class systems. A few reasons why(that can't really be argued).

 

1. The best thing for student-athletes. It would have to be better to have

4 state champions than 1. This would allow 3x's more kids to have that

feeling than now.

 

2. EVERY state that borders KY has class systems. Why don't we? Is it

because we are so steeped in our baseball tradition that we don't want to

change? I think not. Is it because the KHSAA doesn't really care

enough about baseball? Possibly. Is it because we are a basketball

state and until basketball goes class(NEVER) than neither will baseball?

This is probably a real reason.

 

3. You would have 4 TRUE champions. Boyd Co or PRP or ST.X or Harrison

Co or any of the other large schools wouldn't have the luxury of getting

to play smaller schools in the district and region tournaments. On the

flip side, schools like Pikeville, Paintsville, Louisville Holy Cross, Heath,

Campbellsville, etc....wouldn't have to pull monumental upsets to even get

to the final four.

 

Any comments or thoughts?

[WebGems37]

Don't have anything to back myself up. I have no problem with how things our now but I honestly think you make good points and its a valid suggestion. I would definitely be open to it, but like you said it's doubtful the Khsaa will do anything to make this ever happen anytime soon.

[Buck Master]

I would like to see a class system myself. I wish the powers that be would at least post all-sate status somewhere each year. I havent seen one for 2 years now.

 

A class system might favor the private schools in the smaller classes would be the only downside that I see to it.

[STRIKE3]

Valid arguments and where size/strength can be an asset in Football, the same could be stated for Baseball and Basketball.

 

A school choosing from a student body of 1,800+ certainly does have a numbers advantage, from a school of 300+ but perhaps similar talent in a select few....but more times the larger size school, would have a noticeable difference in total talent, just as a result of the sheer numbers.

 

It would certainly pose scheduling problems in some areas, if they wanted to play only schools in their class size, for District seeding but does anyone have any numbers of the various size schools, per class in each Region.

 

How would you do the District's MBBF, would they be done away with and just a "Region" of 8-12 teams exist or re-structure differently or similar, to Football....Interesting question and I haven't given it much thought, until now.

[JeterFan04]

i kinda like the way things are right now but you cant argue whenever your chances of winning the state championship are now 4x greater, sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

[15thSportsFan]

I don't see the problem with scheduling. Play the same schedule as always. The districts and regions would look roughly like the football. THere are some differences, but for the most part, it would be the same.

[STRIKE3]

I don't see the problem with scheduling. Play the same schedule as always. The districts and regions would look roughly like the football. There are some differences, but for the most part, it would be the same.

The problem with scheduling, would be if the District and Region is similar to Football, than some teams would be traveling 4 days per week to play games, than might require 2hr trips or longer, plus having the players getting home late, on a school night.

 

Football has the advantage on this, since the play 99% of the time on Friday nights and the next day is a non-school day. Some Football Districts have teams that travel this much and if they played during the regular season to decide District seeding, if would certainly cause scheduling problems but perhaps those games can be played on Saturday.

 

All in all, I like the idea you have proposed and tweak the concept, that submit to the Board of Control for consideration... :thumb: .

[sixtyfeetsix]

I think it is a great idea, and I will do whatever I can to help you achieve this in KY. I can see a little bit of an edge to the private schools, but it would still be worth it in the long run.

[lexbaseball33]

Having 1 State champion is the only way to go, Who cares about having 4 times as many champions. The All A baseball state championship has teams from both 1a and some 2a football schools, ask Owensboro Catholic or Heath if they feel like the State champions from 2004 or 2005. Just having the chance to play for a true championship is what competition is all about. Football is a numbers game and small schools have no chance but in all other sports anything can happen and has. Winning watered down championships mean very little, I bet people from Highlands and Boyle County feel like they had the best football teams in the state a lot of times in the past few years but who will ever know?

[Buck Master]

Having 1 State champion is the only way to go, Who cares about having 4 times as many champions. The All A baseball state championship has teams from both 1a and some 2a football schools, ask Owensboro Catholic or Heath if they feel like the State champions from 2004 or 2005. Just having the chance to play for a true championship is what competition is all about. Winning watered down championships mean very little.

I will take exception to the comment on Heath and Owensboro Catholic, they are state caliber teams and could have won the open state just as easily as Lex. Christian did. As a matter of fact both won All A titles and LCA did not. In a tourney anything can happen and usually does. LCA is a class group dont get me wrong. I know them personally. The last two years the All A State participants have faired well in the Statewide Tourney with LCA winning it all last year. You are obviously from Lex and dont understand the difficulties in winning it all from a student body of 300 or less. Pikeville has had a great team the last two years who took LCA to extra innings in 2004 in the All A Semi's but that doesnt happen to often when a small school can compete with the larger ones. The All A doesnt seem so watered down if you do your homework. Especially in 2004 I think 4 teams in the Elite 8 were All A size Schools.

[lexbaseball33]

I wasn't calling the All A a watered down championship but it is not the same as winning the state championship. Actually have watched the All A the last 2 years and agree some of the best teams in the state including Pikeville were in this tournament. I do understand the difficulty of winning the State championship with a small school being that I am an LCA fan with an enrollment of 390. I just would hate to see a championship where no one can really call themselves the best team in the state. Big schools have an advantage but small schools can compete in baseball.

[13th Analyst]

A nice topic for discussion, though i don't ever see the KHSAA doing it. My opinion is that it SHOULD be in class systems. A few reasons why(that can't really be argued).

 

1. The best thing for student-athletes. It would have to be better to have

4 state champions than 1. This would allow 3x's more kids to have that

feeling than now.

 

2. EVERY state that borders KY has class systems. Why don't we? Is it

because we are so steeped in our baseball tradition that we don't want to

change? I think not. Is it because the KHSAA doesn't really care

enough about baseball? Possibly. Is it because we are a basketball

state and until basketball goes class(NEVER) than neither will baseball?

This is probably a real reason.

 

3. You would have 4 TRUE champions. Boyd Co or PRP or ST.X or Harrison

Co or any of the other large schools wouldn't have the luxury of getting

to play smaller schools in the district and region tournaments. On the

flip side, schools like Pikeville, Paintsville, Louisville Holy Cross, Heath,

Campbellsville, etc....wouldn't have to pull monumental upsets to even get

to the final four.

 

Any comments or thoughts?

 

 

It doesn't necessarily take monumental upsets. When Middlesboro went to the last true "Final Four" in 2002, it was there 4th time in 20 years. It simply takes good baseball which the average small school doesn't play.

[Buck Master]

I wasn't calling the All A a watered down championship but it is not the same as winning the state championship. Actually have watched the All A the last 2 years and agree some of the best teams in the state including Pikeville were in this tournament. I do understand the difficulty of winning the State championship with a small school being that I am an LCA fan with an enrollment of 390. I just would hate to see a championship where no one can really call themselves the best team in the state. Big schools have an advantage but small schools can compete in baseball.

I would be in favor of the class sytem with a blind draw for the 4 winners to play each other and then have a champion of champions.

[STRIKE3]

I would be in favor of the class system with a blind draw for the 4 winners to play each other and then have a champion of champions.

Single elimination or 2-3....interesting

[Buck Master]

Single elimination or 2-3....interesting

I just think this would be an interesting format. Probably single elim.