Like I said, TDA as it stands is LARGER than 21 major league parks, and I think the same dimensions as 6. That is unacceptable for an NCAA championship stadium. Not if they they have to hit a dead ball with a nerf bat. They could move the fences in 10ft and at little cost, hell if nothing else they can get the cost back with the added seats. Here is the article I read in the paper while I was in Omaha http://www.omaha.com/article/20130619/CWS/706199824/1685 its a great read.
yeah, that's a good article. describes the problems/issues well, and offers good practical solutions with the goal of balance b/t exciting baseball where comebacks can actually happen vs not returning to gorilla ball.
That is a great read and it sheds some light on the situation for the not so avid college baseball fans. But LSU fans should pass more of the blame on Mainieri for not having his kids prepared to defend what everyone knew UCLA was bringing to the game. UCLA played the same game all year, didn't matter small or large venue. Paul failed the Tigers more than the park and balls.
You know, everyone blames coaches in situations like this, but the players have to execute. CPM said they worked all week on an appropriate gameplan. He's dealing w/guys (I don't like the word kids here) primarily aged 18-22, who are still developing (i.e aren't professionals, and have inconsistencies) and just completed over 60 games in the SEC where the type of baseball is a bit different. Coaches are coaches, not magicians. Sometimes your efforts pay off, but sometimes you just match up w/someone who has your number, or your players are just in slumps (RRhymes, ABregman). UCLA won 2-1, and UNC 4-2, not exactly dominating losses, and we had chances to win both. We just came up short, simple as that. Blame CPM if you need to have someone to blame, but the players simply didn't execute, in my opinion. I do wish they would have had a little more fire late in both of those games, and I think CPM could have roused them up more or shook things up more in the rotation somehow. But, I don't think it was a preparation issue, personally.
Exactly right. LSU had one of the greatest hitters to ever wear a Tiger uni come up twice with the bases loaded. No need to take it yard there, hell he isn't even known for that. Perhaps the pressure was just too much for him which is understandable, forgivable even. We can "what if" this thing to death (maybe already there) I'm over the CWS, now I just hope the NCAA takes notice and does something about it.
The point most are trying to make, I think, is that the game is unfairly balanced towards pitching/defense and gnat ball (as I call it). I've accepted that LSU got outplayed in both games. Moreso than the team being unprepared, I believe the bats just went cold at the worst possible time. Case in point, Mainieri talked at length in his Gm 1 post game press conference about all the extra work the team did preparing for Plutko and his high fastball. The team just didn't execute what they practiced. I think this is a conflicting statement. UCLA played the same game all year, despite the venue. But, so did we and we tied for the most wins in school history. Why would you change the style of ball you're playing when you've been so successful with it the entire year? The reason we lost the first game to UCLA is not because we didn't bunt, it was because of shoddy defense; something that had been a strength for us all year.
I'm not talking about Omaha. I'm talking about the whole damn season. Fans come to be entertained. Take away the prospects for late rallies and hot bats and the game can get boring. Pitching duels are about as fun as watching paint dry.
And Nebraska was the champion of mediocre at 29-29. Live with it. LSU remains the toast of the town . . . in Nebraska.