VMABaseball06

"Posts from Tuesday, March 31 Cat Scratches John Calipari named UK coach Posted at 9:15 p.m. EDT – Eric Lindsey, UK Media Relations It’s official: John Calipari has been named the 22nd coach in men’s basketball history. The Cats' Pause has reported that Calipari has signed an eight-year contract that will pay him $31.65 million over the entirety of the contract. Cat Scratches has confirmed the signing of the deal with UK officials. Calipari, who spent nine seasons at Memphis, will be introduced as the new head coach Wednesday morning at 9 at a news conference. Cat Scratches will be with you all day Wednesday to bring you the latest on the news conference and on the hiring of Calipari" In addition the day before's post states that the new conference will not be open to the public.

Sanders really hit the nail on the head with this one. Villa is definitely a young team who lost a good amount last year and the year before. However it is very good to see interest in the program from some of the schools younger kids. It had at one point been a bit of a problem in the past. Villa will take their licks this year from the sound of it but thats part of a young team. The coaching at Villa seems to be doing avery good job. I personally hope to get out and catch a few Villa games this year. Bets of luck to Villa this year.

Recently talked to someone from the KDFW and he said they expect big things from Ky Elk Populations in the future. He claimed that the Ky could get much bigger then some of the Elk out west due to the ground not being as frozen and the animals having a more abundant food source year round. Looks like Ky has the potential to be a nice slice of Elk Hunting heaven given more time and management but the KDFW.

As a former player from one of these "small market (?)" schools I think this would give the players a unique opportunity. Take Villa for example. School of at most 190 students. 90 or so of them are guys. You field a team of 20 kids. Thats over 20% of the male athletes at that school on the team. Now take a school with 1500 students, Take the top 20%... thats 300 people thats more then the number kids that you have trying out for the baseball team in general. You getting what is likely the best of the best. Just from sheer odds alone quantity drives quality. If this idea of "one state champion" really appeals so much to everyone why not have a run off tournament at the season after the division championships are figured out. I don't think it would lead to their being a major rift in the length of the season because all the classes could play at the same time. For instance, the A championship could maybe be held at the Florence Freedom, the AA at another prime facility (UK maybe (?)) and the AAA at applebees park.

In my opinion it doesn't really matter where you go. If you have 1st round talent, your going to get your looks. In terms of competition I have always thought of JUCO as being for student who may not make the grades of D-I, D-II, D-III schools, or NAIA schools. If your talking about players overall I'd say your top 25 D-III schools are just as good as say the bottom 1-15% of D-I schools. The top 25 of D-II school as good as the top 50% of D-I schools. Schools at all levels have a lot of talent. if your going to college route rather then the Profiessional route out of High School, then in my opinion go where ever you see yourself fitting in academically an socially. You never know when an arm issue, hamstring injury, etc. my ruin a career. It's something nobody wants to happen but its reality. Go to college where you will see yourself benefiting as a whole. Not necessarily where you athletics will be given 100% priority. -- I've seen many people go this route and end up quitting baseball their freshmen and sophomore years because they weren't comfortable at their respected institutions.

I agree, however I will say that over time it' got that kind of possibility. We are seeing many programs in that state making noise at a national level.

Not so much I think on the D1 level for a majority of school only because there you deal with Presitge coaches etc. etc. However just from a numbers standpoint, an average High School Varsity Roster is what, 16-20 kids? Thats not even a full offense and defense at a good football school.

I honestly think it comes down to the schematics of the two sports. In baseball you can field a team of 12-13 good players to be competitive. In football however your need 30-40 good players to remain competitive. The smaller rosters, and nature of baseball makes it easier for smaller schools to be competitive in baseball. You have the same team playing offense as defense. You don't rely on 11 different players playing both sides of the ball, special teams, and your backups in football, where you just have a few starting pitchers, position players and your backups for baseball.

A good coaching staff, no matter what the sport should have the ability to conduct a well structured, and organized practice in 2 hours. There is only so much you can have high school kids do. With a new program it's about drawing kids to the field and having some fun. 2 hours is plenty of time to get a LOT of work done on an athletic field.

I would say so, it's a rather selfish move in my opinion and almost says "I'm only here to coach my kid to heck with the rest of the program."

OK in this flurry of rules I have potentially revised my statement. It is true, after reading the rule and thinking the situation through this is not a balk. The pitcher (using the definition of pitcher and not fielder), is throwing to third to make a play on a runner attempting to occupy the bag. After taking out a rule book the reasoning for the similar situation and the pitcher throwing to first must be different because, the pitcher, in this situation is not throwing to first to make a play at FIRST BASE. However, in a runner on first runner goes before pitcher commits to home situation, could the pitcher lift his leg and throw to second using the same rule assuming he does not commit a balk with his body or commitment to a previously asserted bag?

One other thing to also remember. If a pitcher steps off the back of the rubber, he is no longer by definition a "pitcher" he becomes a fielder. In this case many rules change. A pitcher may not throw to an unoccupied base, a fielder however can.

If this is not a balk then how does this situation differ from the situation of a runner attempting a walk-off play from first to second and the pitcher not stepping of the rubber with his right foot to make a play? The same reasoning for ruling this play a balk in nearly all levels of baseball should also apply here should it not?

Wrong the ball is not dead on a balk call. In a game at Transy this year we had a play where a balk was called and the batter was awarded first base. The ball is NOT dead on a balk call. I balked pitch is a legal pitch and the batter may make contact at it. In theory if a balk is called swing for the fences. You cannot make an out on a balk call HOWEVER if you were to hit a homerun on a balked pitch it would count. A strike can also not be called on a balk. A balk may only benefit the offensive team. In theory I believe if the ball were thrown away from the 3rd basemen, the runner could even in fact score.

This is in fact a balk. A pitcher must disengage the rubber (IE: Step off with the back right foot) in this situation. The second that the runner breaks for third 2nd and 3rd are both unoccupied until he reaches the base safely. This is the same type of situation as a runner of first second unoccupied. The runner on first looks to steal before the pitcher motions toward home. If the pitcher jump turns to 1st base it is in fact a balk. You may not make a pick off move to a base that is unoccupied. The correct move for the pitcher to do is step off the rubber and then throw the ball to 3rd.