2022 Baseball Mega Thread

[Stonewall]

Injuries aren't , on the whole , just a matter of uncontrollable luck. Especially pitchers.

[AdoptedApp]

I think 89 has the correct take. Play it or drop it and stop throwing good money after bad. Seems this sport would have saved more athletic budget money than soccer, but hey it’s not my call.

[hapapp]

Clemson just fired Monte Lee.

Clemson is currently ranked 34th in RPI, .640 winning percentage in his 7 seasons. Clemson is making a coaching change because the guy they have is good but isn't going to get them where they want to be.

Clemson also spends $3m on baseball, which is more than either UNC or Va Tech do. We are last in the Sun Belt in that category. Yes, the expectations are different.

[spacemonkey]

Have I mentioned we should move baseball to Hickory. We should try to make a go of it down there. Our attendance is pretty small. We could still have some games in the mountains at Boone on Saturdays, when people have time to get up the mountain. We should have the first part of the season practice and play at Hickory. If we could get Hickory to take over the fund raising and partner with us it could go a long way in raising much needed money for App Baseball and promote the Hickory campus. I would lean hard with making a strong partnership with Hickory and AppState. Much more money and population in Hickory.

[WVAPPeer]

Injuries aren't , on the whole , just a matter of uncontrollable luck. Especially pitchers.

How many major league pitchers get hurt every year? - they have the best coaching, the best medical care and the best training - if not uncontrollable luck how would you categorize it?

[Boone Goon]

Injuries aren't , on the whole , just a matter of uncontrollable luck. Especially pitchers.

How many major league pitchers get hurt every year? - they have the best coaching, the best medical care and the best training - if not uncontrollable luck how would you categorize it?

Maybe I misinterpreted his post, but I read it as pitching injuries have a lot to do with preseason weight training and conditioning, as well as in season arm care and conditioning.

The consistency with which we’re having pitcher injuries I do question our strength and conditioning program.

[Oldlknapp]

Re: play in Hickory. I agree that the cold Jan, Feb, March is a deterrent to recruiting, especially pitchers. But I’m not sure moving the early part of the season to Hickory will be met with enthusiasm there. They have Lenoir-Rhyne there.... and they won 46 games this year.

[WVAPPeer]

Injuries aren't , on the whole , just a matter of uncontrollable luck. Especially pitchers.

How many major league pitchers get hurt every year? - they have the best coaching, the best medical care and the best training - if not uncontrollable luck how would you categorize it?

Maybe I misinterpreted his post, but I read it as pitching injuries have a lot to do with preseason weight training and conditioning, as well as in season arm care and conditioning.

The consistency with which we’re having pitcher injuries I do question our strength and conditioning program.

That's why I asked what he was referring to or how to categorize it - My example about MLB pitchers hold true either way -

[AppSt94]

Injuries happen and there needs to be incredible luck to get through a season relatively unscathed. Pitchers aside, we have had some bad luck. Guys missing time for unfortunate injuries forcing guys into playing positions that are not their primaries.

[WVAPPeer]

Also, if someone cares to investigate, can you come up with teams in the field of 64 that face anywhere near the hurdles the Mountaineers do ---

[AppSt94]

Also, if someone cares to investigate, can you come up with teams in the field of 64 that face anywhere near the hurdles the Mountaineers do ---

Remember. They aren’t hurdles. They are EXCUSES.

[WVAPPeer]

Schools at highest altitude - alphabetically
App State - 3333
Colo Mt College - 10152
Colo Sch of Mines - 5675
Colo St - 5000
Lees McRae - 3720
U of Colo - 5430
U - Nevada Reno - 4505
U New Mexico - 5312
U Wyoming - 7165
Western St Colo - 7700

[AppSt94]

I don’t think Colorado and Wyoming sponsor baseball.

[APPdiesel]

Man, if excuses were bricks we'd have a new IPF by now.

"When we refer to “high altitude” in sports medicine, we generally mean 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level or higher. Low altitude is approximately 4,000 feet above sea level or lower." - Ben Levine M.D., Internal Medicine and Cardiology

"High altitude is generally considered to be anywhere from 8,000 to 18,000 feet. However, those coming from sea level may start feeling the effects—lightheadedness, pounding heart, GI distress, dehydration, and compromised performance, to name a few—as low as 5,000 feet." - Outside Online in an article about high altitude running

"altitude positively (referring to ball travel in thin air) and negatively (referring to football players in intense bursts of physical activity) affects athletes ability to preform at an elite level. It can hinder an athlete’s performance because of the minimal oxygen particles available for use that can lead to shortness of breath. Or it can enhance an athlete’s performance, as a hitter in baseball is more likely to be more successful playing at high altitudes. The effect that altitude has on performance depends on the type of sport that is being played." in the article 'How does elevation affect sport performance?' specifically citing examples from Denver, Colorado (altitude 5,279 ft) published by Penn State University

Conclusions:
- 3,333 feet is NOT considered high altitude in the world of sports medicine
- Most humans don't feel the affects of high altitude until 5,000 ft
- In higher altitudes than Boone thinner air is considered to have a positive on baseballs and home runs
- Fans on this very website cite the cold conditions as a positive for football, but a negative for baseball???
- Almost every team on our schedule is coming from lower altitudes and should be impacted more than our players who have trained in those conditions.

[AppSt94]

We have significant obstacles in our path to being a top tier Sun Belt team. Weather being a significant problem in that we can have a snow covered field for extended periods of time. More so than schools within our footprint at lower elevations. We have an extremely tight recruiting footprint which severely dilutes our player pool. We don’t pay our baseball staff d!&k. Some have mentioned possibly playing in Hickory. That’s a great idea but that is an added cost to an already bare bones budget.

I’ve got no issue with folks wanting more from the baseball program. But the reality is that in order for DG and CKS to address those issues, there needs to be more money available to address the needs If it is difficult to stomach the product, then win the lottery and write the Athletic Department a check.

If you can’t face the fact that there is a strong correlation to our performance on the field and having the lowest budget in the 6th best baseball league, then I don’t know what else to tell you. All ot the yea but… rebuttals aren’t going to change the facts.

[Stonewall]

About one in five.

[hapapp]

Man, if excuses were bricks we'd have a new IPF by now.

"When we refer to “high altitude” in sports medicine, we generally mean 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level or higher. Low altitude is approximately 4,000 feet above sea level or lower." - Ben Levine M.D., Internal Medicine and Cardiology

"High altitude is generally considered to be anywhere from 8,000 to 18,000 feet. However, those coming from sea level may start feeling the effects—lightheadedness, pounding heart, GI distress, dehydration, and compromised performance, to name a few—as low as 5,000 feet." - Outside Online in an article about high altitude running

"altitude positively (referring to ball travel in thin air) and negatively (referring to football players in intense bursts of physical activity) affects athletes ability to preform at an elite level. It can hinder an athlete’s performance because of the minimal oxygen particles available for use that can lead to shortness of breath. Or it can enhance an athlete’s performance, as a hitter in baseball is more likely to be more successful playing at high altitudes. The effect that altitude has on performance depends on the type of sport that is being played." in the article 'How does elevation affect sport performance?' specifically citing examples from Denver, Colorado (altitude 5,279 ft) published by Penn State University

Conclusions:
- 3,333 feet is NOT considered high altitude in the world of sports medicine
- Most humans don't feel the affects of high altitude until 5,000 ft
- In higher altitudes than Boone thinner air is considered to have a positive on baseballs and home runs
- Fans on this very website cite the cold conditions as a positive for football, but a negative for baseball???
- Almost every team on our schedule is coming from lower altitudes and should be impacted more than our players who have trained in those conditions.

In fairness, its the climate not the altitude that makes a difference. Over the years, however, many of our teams have had consecutive successful (or at least winning) seasons. The climate is a negative but its not the most important factor given what teams have accomplished in the past. Until we commit more resources and expand our recruiting footprint, we will struggle in a league as good as the Sun Belt. I'm not an advocate of changing coaches at this juncture but I do believe we should expect better results going forward. One can't look at our record over the last two seasons and not suggest that none of it lies at the foot of the coaches. It is hard for me to believe that our fans are willing to accept a sub .500 performance year in and year out. Hopefully, the scholarship changes will help us seek out talent from a more diverse area.

Unfortunately, baseball isn't alone in bottom half finishes in Belt play. Last year we finished 8th and this year 9th in the Bubas Cup competition. The big 3 (FB, MBB, WBB) all did respectable in conference play and XC has been consistently in the top echelon of the Belt but the rest of our sports have struggled. And, just like baseball, they have budgets that lag significantly behind many of their peer programs.

[APPdiesel]

Man, if excuses were bricks we'd have a new IPF by now.

"When we refer to “high altitude” in sports medicine, we generally mean 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level or higher. Low altitude is approximately 4,000 feet above sea level or lower." - Ben Levine M.D., Internal Medicine and Cardiology

"High altitude is generally considered to be anywhere from 8,000 to 18,000 feet. However, those coming from sea level may start feeling the effects—lightheadedness, pounding heart, GI distress, dehydration, and compromised performance, to name a few—as low as 5,000 feet." - Outside Online in an article about high altitude running

"altitude positively (referring to ball travel in thin air) and negatively (referring to football players in intense bursts of physical activity) affects athletes ability to preform at an elite level. It can hinder an athlete’s performance because of the minimal oxygen particles available for use that can lead to shortness of breath. Or it can enhance an athlete’s performance, as a hitter in baseball is more likely to be more successful playing at high altitudes. The effect that altitude has on performance depends on the type of sport that is being played." in the article 'How does elevation affect sport performance?' specifically citing examples from Denver, Colorado (altitude 5,279 ft) published by Penn State University

Conclusions:
- 3,333 feet is NOT considered high altitude in the world of sports medicine
- Most humans don't feel the affects of high altitude until 5,000 ft
- In higher altitudes than Boone thinner air is considered to have a positive on baseballs and home runs
- Fans on this very website cite the cold conditions as a positive for football, but a negative for baseball???
- Almost every team on our schedule is coming from lower altitudes and should be impacted more than our players who have trained in those conditions.

In fairness, its the climate not the altitude that makes a difference. Over the years, however, many of our teams have had consecutive successful (or at least winning) seasons. The climate is a negative but its not the most important factor given what teams have accomplished in the past. Until we commit more resources and expand our recruiting footprint, we will struggle in a league as good as the Sun Belt. I'm not an advocate of changing coaches at this juncture but I do believe we should expect better results going forward. One can't look at our record over the last two seasons and not suggest that none of it lies at the foot of the coaches. It is hard for me to believe that our fans are willing to accept a sub .500 performance year in and year out. Hopefully, the scholarship changes will help us seek out talent from a more diverse area.

Unfortunately, baseball isn't alone in bottom half finishes in Belt play. Last year we finished 8th and this year 9th in the Bubas Cup competition. The big 3 (FB, MBB, WBB) all did respectable in conference play and XC has been consistently in the top echelon of the Belt but the rest of our sports have struggled. And, just like baseball, they have budgets that lag significantly behind many of their peer programs.

Way oversimplified fix: Invest $500-$750k more into baseball. That amount would get us to middle of the pack in spending.

That can look like a lot of different things: Invest in better coaches; invest in better facilities: indoor practice facilities, locker rooms, stadium enhancements; invest in recruiting (travel budget and marketing).

[AppSt94]

Great idea. So where is the money going to come from?

[WVAPPeer]

I'll say this in the most simple terms -
The hurdle (excuse to some) regarding App baseball has very little or nothing to do with altitude/climate - It's about recruiting players, particularly pitchers, who are willing to come to APP when everyone else is telling them they don't want to go there because the cold weather will kill their arm. The non-pitchers hear the same but the direct effects are less significant. It's Recruiting, Recruiting and Recruiting!
The reason I listed other schools at altitude is simply to say APP is not entirely alone but I believe is the only D-I school at altitude east of the Mississippi.
And again, how many Northern tier teams make the Tournament unless they are the auto bid from a Northern league?