2024 college baseball/softball thread

Solutions in search of problems, Part MCLXXVI . . .
Or: It just means more . . . bases.

https://www.secsports.com/news/2024...-be-utilized-for-2024-sec-baseball-tournament

 

I mean, I get it. You're trying to avoid collisions between the runner and the first baseman. But aren't there just as many injuries from hitting the bag itself? Maybe make the safety base completely flat?

And what happens if a ball hits the safety base and ricochets into fair territory?

 

Wouldn't a ball hitting the safety base just be a foul ball?

I will admit to generally being resistant to change on things like this, but after watching my kids play in low levels of youth baseball that used the "safety" base I tried to think of reasons it would be unworkable at higher levels and didn't come up with many. A scheme in which a runner is required to run outside the line on his way to touch a base that is inside the line really isn't ideal.

 

I feel like I see more dangerous collisions at second and home.

 

LSU radio with the first NIL collective commercial I’ve heard that doesn’t claim the school is behind its peers in the payola derby. Still putting the bite on of course, but at least it’s honest.

 

College baseball is serious stuff this time of year. Then there’s Vandy, where the bullpen staff plays Duck Duck Goose in the outfield between innings.

 

And they were actually D-I for a couple of years.

 

Stealing home > any other way to score a run.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/05/ja...rell-brewer-steals-home-diving-move-highlight

 

Florida loses to LSU, is eliminated from SEC tournament, finishes 28-27 with a losing conference record. Not even the crookedest Selection Committee can justify their selection to the NCAA tournament, although some talking heads will say they should be picked.

 

Today's sign of the apocalypse: The first day of the SEC Tournament is in the books at 10:15 p.m.

 

Might have been the best game I’ve seen in person at the Met, with only the 14 inning LSU win over Florida in 2016 coming close.



The downside is because virtually no one left, we all gave back the extra 45 minutes stuck in the parking lot.

 

I was excited for the Ivy League tourney to be played in upper Manhattan at the Columbia field block from our place. Columbia dominated all year so got to host the 4-team, double-elimination tourney. In the nine games against the other three teams during the regular season they went 8-1, outscoring them 94-39. So, naturally, they lose the first game to Penn 8-4. Then drop the second game to Princeton 16-6. Season over. Damn. Ton of little and big mental and physical mistakes that they never make, coupled with the pitching that was always the question mark falling apart. Also they averaged nearly 10 runs a game during the season so even the offense came up short.

But then things got weird in the tourney. During the Columbia-Princeton game the field turf on the mound blew a gasket and a big hole popped up where the pitchers were landing. Several times they had to come out and try to repair it. The second game on Saturday then got delayed and eventually postponed until Sunday and at midnight they said the whole tourney was moving to Montclair State in Jersey due to player safety. I was bummed because even though Columbia was out I'd planned on going to two more days of good baseball. The only thing that makes me wonder about it being an overreaction is the Ivy's history. I assume they were the only conference in the country to not have baseball in the spring of 2021. Which was fairly ludicrous. But obviously you don't want the pitchers fucking up their legs in a faulty landing spot. Sucked all around. Penn went on to win it.