Some CWS Stats

[Ricardo del Rio]

As y'all know, UCLA is playing for the CWS championship.

Here as some UCLA stats in three games.

Batting average - 0.182
Hits - 16
Singles - 14
Doubles - 2
Triples - 0
Home Runs - 0

What ever happened to the L.S.U. bashers of the 90s. (Besides the change in bats)

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

New stadium. Lots of flyouts for many teams at the warning track.

[SB Shock]

As y'all know, UCLA is playing for the CWS championship.

Here as some UCLA stats in three games.

Batting average - 0.182
Hits - 16
Singles - 14
Doubles - 2
Triples - 0
Home Runs - 0

What ever happened to the L.S.U. bashers of the 90s. (Besides the change in bats)

With 335 down the line, 375 in the alleys and almost 410 to centerfield - pretty tough dimensions that would cut back HR in itself. Then add in that most times of the year with the orientation (home plate in the NW quadrant, CF SE quadrant) of the park means the wind will be blowing in. There are not going to be any cheap HR.

[WSUwatcher]

One thing about it, though: it goes to show that if your frontline pitching is good enough -- and the CWS format is set up to allow teams not to have to go all that deep into their staff,s as long as they don't drop into the loser's bracket prematurely -- and if it steps up at the right time, it can cover for some pretty offensive offense.

An important factor in how WSU does next year will be whether Kemnitz's staff performs the way they have many times in the past. Actually, if they had done so this year instead of being inconsistent and mediocre by Shocker standards, we might be wondering right now whether Gene was headed for an extension or a farewell tour.

[BenWSU]

The Bruins' .227 batting average in the CWS also was the lowest since teams went away from wood bats. The Bruins' 19 runs in four games were the fewest by a champion since the CWS went to eight teams in 1950.

[The Mad Hatter]

New stadium. Lots of flyouts for many teams at the warning track.

In addition, college baseball uses different balls than MLB, with bigger seams. The estimates I saw, if I remember correctly, was that a flyball with the more aerodynamic MLB ball will travel around 20 feet further than with the college ball. That difference really shows up when combined with the new bats and stadium. There were a number of flyouts in the CWS this year that would have been home runs with MLB balls.

[WSUwatcher]

Wow, Hatter -- 20 feet? That's an enormous difference -- where did you find that?

[jdmee]

Doesn't mention 20 feet, but this article is interesting

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/college-baseball-coaches-urge-livelier-ball

The NCAA does not set standards for seams, but national tournament games are played with a Rawlings ball that has raised seams. Because of that, most conferences choose to use the raised-seam ball in the regular season as well.

Though science hasn't offered a definitive answer, it's widely believed that raised-seam balls have a "drag" effect and don't travel as far as those with flat seams.

NCAA rules mandate balls used in regular-season and tournament play have a COR, or coefficient of restitution, of no greater than .555. The COR is a measure of bounciness at impact. The higher the COR, the greater the bounce. Balls used in pro baseball have a maximum COR of .578.

[The Mad Hatter]

Wow, Hatter -- 20 feet? That's an enormous difference -- where did you find that?

The ESPN announcers were talking about it during one of the CWS games. I don't know where they got the 20 ft number from, but I am almost positive that is the number they gave.

[1972Shocker]

I would also think that the raised seam balls allow the pitchers to get a little more movement on their pitches again to the detriment of offense. The NCAA really needs to take a hard look at this.

[RoyalShock]

Without looking it up, it almost sounds like an artifact from the pre-BBCOR days, in an attempt to stifle the offense a little. If so, time to use a different ball.

[CharlieHog]

Without looking it up, it almost sounds like an artifact from the pre-BBCOR days, in an attempt to stifle the offense a little. If so, time to use a different ball.

There's some coaches making some noise to that effect. Clemson's Jack Leggett among them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/sports/after-a-decline-in-offense-some-want-a-livelier-college-ball.html?_r=0

[Ricardo del Rio]

Today, I was told that only three homeruns were hit in the CWS.

[GoShockers89]

.

[1972Shocker]

Apparently the NCAA, in an effort to make the game even safer, has decided to go with the rubberized baseballs that most of the tee-ball teams use. My 6-year old grandson hit one on the sweet spot last night and drove it all the way to the outfield grass in the air, a Ruthian feat indeed.