The increase in number of teams will allow more teams to contend. I do not recall if Julian clarified if the 15 inning rule, would still apply. He did discuss the Monday & Tuesday pitching rules being the same but I did not hear discussion on the limit.

 

I agree with others this is a financial decision for the KHSAA. Having to lodge more total teams and four will have to lodge 4-5 days. In the event of inclement weather additional days would be needed and increase costs, for some school systems.

Why not play the regionals on Monday, Wednesday, and then Friday/Saturday. This would force teams to have to use more than one pitcher. With this format, once a team gets to state they are going to have to be pretty deep in pitching to win it all. Why not make a team win the region with more than just one pitcher?

Under the new regional format the best teams may not be at the State Tournament.

The way it worked out last year for Harrison County, Brandon Martin was the winning pitcher in all 3 Regional Games. He also pitched a gem in the 1-0 loss to Lexington Catholic at Applebee's Park in the first round of the State Tournament.

I like the 16 team format, but the regional would need to be redone.

 

Totally agree, I think this is their way of not going to a class system. This definitely favors possibly a small school with that stud pitcher.

I like the 16 team format, but I really disagree with the region set up.

Edited January 26, 200917 yr by inthesuite
Left out a word.

Per the KHSAA man in charge of baseball, no changes for 2009. There will be changes in future years but he was not at liberty to elaborate.

I don't like the regional format because with a dominant pitcher on the mound that can come back after a couple of days they could pitch in all 3 region tourney games. I like it when you have to make decisions about pitchers and when a team has to use 3 pitchers in the tourney. I don't know why they went to this format. It measures the quality of a pitcher more than it does the quality of a team.

 

I very much disagree with the part of the pitcher being able to pitch in all three games. I as a pitcher of last year doing the same thing and ended up having laberal surgery during the summer. Some kids may get away with being able to pitch those games close together but most can't. I heard of many cases after my surgery that the same had happened to many kids.

 

But this should be a coach decision to not put the same pitcher on the mound for the next game.