They've gone too far in college baseball...your thoughts?

[Rick Cleveland]

http://msfame.com/news-updates/i-didnt-like-gorilla-ball-but-this-is-too-little/

[Coach34]

Good read there Gov....I dont know what the feasibility of going to wood would be for non-BCS teams, because baseball is struggling there as it is. But it can't continue with these current bats. It's like 1915 all over again

[State82]

I have always wanted the change to wood bats. To me that would be the ideal situation, along with the professional ball, but I just don't know how it would work out economically for the small budget schools. I really wish it could be worked out, though.

[biscuit]

Nice read.....I wish we were playing some gorilla ball tonight.

[War Machine Dawg]

We can keep metal bats, but they have to be juiced up a little bit. There's got to be a happy medium in aluminum bats between Gorilla Ball and what we're seeing now. You can't tell me it doesn't exist. A team batting .183 should NEVER be close to winning the CWS.

[Todd4State]

I think they are going to change the balls- not the bats. The seams are raised right now- I think you are going to see the ball wound a little bit tighter and the seams tighter.

[FlabLoser]

Agree completely. When a power hitter squares up on a ball and hits the sweet spot just to see it caught on the warning track or sooner - that's just awful. It has ruined the game.

I say go to wood. Small schools can't afford it? Too bad. Baseball may be all-American, but it isn't an inalienable right.

[Political Hack]

Todd, I was told that's definitely happening next year. They're going to the pro ball with flatter seams next season. It'll help some, but the balls that are being hit squarely now still aren't going to get out of the park next year.

[msstate7]

Agree completely. When a power hitter squares up on a ball and hits the sweet spot just to see it caught on the warning track or sooner - that's just awful. It has ruined the game.

I say go to wood. Small schools can't afford it? Too bad. Baseball may be all-American, but it isn't an inalienable right.

Any chance MLB could help with wood bats?

[Todd4State]

Any chance MLB could help with wood bats?

It has been discussed. But, it's not a priority. The issue is not the cost. Heck, schools were able to afford wood bats back in the 40's. The issue is the quality of the wood bats. MLB gets the best of the best, followed by the minors. College would be getting near the bottom of the barrel.

[Coach34]

I think they are going to change the balls- not the bats. The seams are raised right now- I think you are going to see the ball wound a little bit tighter and the seams tighter.

still wont help much- guys squaring up balls still arent going out

[State82]

still wont help much- guys squaring up balls still arent going out

Don't know if any of you guys saw it, but there was a segment during the pre-game on ESPNU regarding the new bats, the existing college ball and the general lack of offense since the new bat was implemented. A scientific study was done comparing the collegiate ball and the MLB ball that indicated the MLB ball travels about 25' further on a squared up contact. That would have put several more balls out of TD Ameritrade during this CWS. 25' is significant.

[sandwolf]

Don't know if any of you guys saw it, but there was a segment during the pre-game on ESPNU regarding the new bats, the existing college ball and the general lack of offense since the new bat was implemented. A scientific study was done comparing the collegiate ball and the MLB ball that indicated the MLB ball travels about 25' further on a squared up contact. That would have put several more balls out of TD Ameritrade during this CWS. 25' is significant.

I saw it, and based on what was said, it would definitely make a difference. One other thing they said was that the threads being 0.5 mm higher on the college balls, resulted in a 25% increase in drag on the ball.

[FISHDAWG]

if a pitcher makes a mistake then he should pay for it, that's just part of the game ... what we saw with UCLA was when their pitcher would make a mistake - they were rewarded with an easy out ... somehow that just doesn't fit in my baseball equation

[Ghost of Hank Flick]

I think they've got to change the seams next year and we'll see what happens. At the CWS they need to move the fences in because the wind blowing in is killing balls as much as the baseball or new bats. If they moved the fences in 5-10' and changed the seams I think we would have had 12-15 home runs instead of just 3.

[Political Hack]

wow, hard to believe the seams would cause the ball to fall 25' short of where it would otherwise land. That's a lot. As long as someone other than Joe Schad reported it, Ill take it at face value.

With pitching likely going to be our strong point next season, this may not be the best move. Hard to feel that way now since it cost us the National Title, but you have to wonder if we would have made it to the title game with balls flying out of the park for LSU, Or State, and NC.

[FlabLoser]

Tighter seams mean a more compressed ball that is essentially a harder baseball which will come off the bat faster.

[LiterallyPolice]

I'm not a physicist, but I would imagine tighter seems would also mean less movement on pitches. In other words, it would be easier to square one up.

[Sandman14]

I'm not a physicist, but I would imagine tighter seems would also mean less movement on pitches. In other words, it would be easier to square one up.

that's exactly what I was thinking. it will make pitchers less effective.

[Will James]

that's exactly what I was thinking. it will make pitchers less effective.

Which is good for us. Our pitchers will be better than most other pitchers so it will hurt us less.

[slickdawg]

I completely agree Rick. 2-1 games in a pitching duel are a thing of beauty, but lets face it, much like in football, offense sells tickets. Everyone loves to see a ball get sent over the bleachers. Unfortunately, I don't expect this to change.

[engie]

Tighter seams mean a more compressed ball that is essentially a harder baseball which will come off the bat faster.

I haven't seen anything stating that it's any "harder" -- it's just "smaller" with less drag in the air. Should come off the bat at about the same speed, I'd think -- just not die at the peak like the current ball does due to the drag...

[Rick Danko]

2-1 pitchers duel's are a thing of beauty when it is that way because of the great pitching, not when the pitchers are making mistakes that turn into looooonnnnggggg outs (Oregon State final play, Porter potential grand slam, Indiana catcher mauls one to center, etc etc). They definitely need to do something.

[Homedawg]

If they go to the pro ball, Holder will be hurt by it. It's much easier to throw that hammer he has with a college ball w great big seams.