Bison BB

[scottheck]

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=82386&section=Columnists&columnist=Je ff%20Kolpack

Nice article about Bison pitcher Neil Wagner. He's a Jr pre-med with a 3.7 GPA.

[somebison]

Lost 10-0 to Utah Valley St today :P

[Pedro]

Lost to an old Junior College! :o :o

[BisonMav]

Lost to an old Junior College! :o :o

Hope we don't Lose to 2004 Liberty Bowl participant Boise St University then, using that logic.

Boise State University was founded as a junior college in 1932 under the sponsorship of the Episcopal Church. Boise Junior College developed a strong tradition of academic quality and service based in the liberal arts.
These philosophies guide the University today. The institution earned regional accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges in 1941 and experienced significant growth in the 1940s.

Boise Junior College was granted four-year status in 1965 and its enrollment reached 5,000 students in 1967. The college entered the state system of higher education in 1969 as Boise State College. The institution achieved university status in 1974 and was renamed Boise State University.

[Pedro]

The reality is that the baseball program should be dropped. I'll give an over/under on wins at 16. And that is undeserving because the Bison are playing one of the overall weakest D1 schedules in the country and that SDSU is actually worse. I give the Jacks an over under of 8.5 wins.

There is no funding, no scholarships, no population base to recruit and no one has any incentive to come play in Fargo despite the great facility. (are you going to pay someone 15K to come play?) Valpo will come because Twenge went to Mayville State. Other than that there will be few takers. You have nothing to bargin with.

go to www.boydsworld.com and educate yourself a bit.

[TomM]

The strength of schedule information for 2005 (www.boydsworld.com/baseball/sos/sos2005.html)
lists NDSU as 143rd of 290 D1 baseball programs. In other words, more than half of the D1 programs in the nation play an easier schedule than the Bison, and this in their first year of D1 competition. Bison baseball has been very successful in recent years and the facility is excellent. They have a difficult schedule and will lose games, but they will make the transition in fine shape. Let 'em play.

[89rabbit]

the Bison are playing one of the overall weakest D1 schedules in the country and that SDSU is actually worse. *. *. *.*

go to www.boydsworld.com and educate yourself a bit.


http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/sos/sos2005.html

SDSU is # 117, a couple of spots higher then Iowa. *NDSU is 143 of the 290 school listed. *The Bison are one ahead of Air Force. *::)

117 100.4 *8.8 * 117 100.4 *8.8 *South Dakota State
118 100.4 *6.2 * 143 *98.8 *6.8 *Western Kentucky
119 100.3 *6.9 * 129 *99.6 *9.4 *Iowa
120 100.2 *9.6 * *89 102.6 11.5 *Elon
* * * *
Rank SoS * SD * *Rank SoS * SD * Team

121 100.1 *8.8 * 152 *98.1 10.8 *Arkansas State
122 100.1 *9.1 * 110 100.7 *9.7 *Radford
123 100.0 *8.9 * *96 102.3 10.4 *The Citadel
124 *99.9 10.2 * *99 102.1 12.7 *Georgia Southern
125 *99.9 13.1 * *18 110.6 *7.3 *Oral Roberts
126 *99.9 *8.4 * 121 100.1 *9.1 *Troy
127 *99.8 10.2 * 146 *98.6 12.3 *Rutgers
128 *99.8 *8.2 * 130 *99.6 10.7 *Michigan
129 *99.8 *6.8 * 111 100.7 *6.6 *Creighton
130 *99.8 *9.2 * 126 *99.8 11.0 *Northern Iowa
131 *99.7 *9.0 * 115 100.5 *9.6 *North Carolina-Asheville
132 *99.7 *8.8 * 106 100.9 10.1 *Western Carolina
133 *99.7 *6.7 * 151 *98.2 *7.8 *Illinois
134 *99.6 *9.8 * 138 *99.4 11.5 *Evansville
135 *99.6 *9.0 * 145 *98.7 11.6 *Notre Dame
136 *99.4 *8.9 * 132 *99.5 *9.6 *Stetson
137 *99.4 *9.0 * 124 *99.9 10.8 *Furman
138 *99.3 11.1 * 104 101.2 13.0 *North Carolina-Wilmington
139 *99.2 *9.6 * 147 *98.5 11.1 *Campbell
140 *99.2 *7.2 * 190 *96.3 *8.9 *Penn State

* * * * Rank SoS * SD * *Rank SoS * SD * Team

141 *99.1 *7.9 * 178 *97.0 11.2 *Ohio State
142 *99.1 10.0 * 191 *96.3 12.0 *Florida International
143 *99.1 *9.5 * 149 *98.3 *9.7 *North Dakota State

I think the SUs did a nice job for their first seasons in D-I.

Go State! ;D

[Pedro]

I would think your expections would be higher, to call that a difficult schedule would be a stretch. If you all really cared about baseball (which you don't) You would have had concerns about joining the Big Sky. Not getting accepted is a hidden blessing for baseball people.

For what there is to work with, the Bison are running on all cylinders. Until there is appropriate support in scholarships, staffing, and budget concerns NDSU will be and remain in the bottom 5% of NCAA D1 teams.

If you saw the composite of all baseball playing universities NDSU was #269 and SDSU #621

SDSU and NDSU will be in the 280 range of RPI

[89rabbit]

I would think your expections would be higher, to call that a difficult schedule would be a stretch. *

The only person labeling NDSU's and SDSU's schedule is you. *You called NDSU's "one of the overall weakest D1 schedules in the country and that SDSU is actually worse." You went on to provide us with a source, so that we could "educate ourselves". *

When using the source you provided one finds that there are 173 schools with "weaker" schedules then SDSU. *You also see that NDSU is in the upper half. *Hardly the weakest in D-I.

Go State! *;D

[Pedro]

Let me rephrase as 89er Rabbit has accurately corrected me. SDSU is a weaker team and scheduled one of the strongest schedules. IMO this is a big mistake because the wheels will fall off because people will get tired of getting beat 15-0. NDSU has a moderate schedule and will get beat up as well despite the difference in scheduling.

This will not change unless improvements are made. If your truly baseball people (which 98% of you are not) you would get your heads out of the sand. But don't pretend its great because its not. Do what is necessary to improve it or get rid of it, the coaches and players deserve better.

[89rabbit]

I just got done watching all 4 of SDSU's games with Kansas. *Although we have things to improve upon overall we competed well for a team that just moved up to D-I. *I particularly enjoyed the season opener, KU 8 - SDSU 2. *Here is a link if you want to read the Argus Leader story on the game.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050217/SPORTS0202/502170337/1002/SPORTS

I agree that we need to up the scholarships, but that is true in every sport and this need is being addressed. *Here at SDSU we added an additional 1/2 scholarship to our total before this season as we build towards the D-I limit of 11.7. *We have also built a brand new practice field that opened this year. *Be patient, I am sure NDSU has plans in place as well.

[Pedro]

I watch games all over the country and I was at KU as well. I think your passion for SDSU blurred your vision. I'm going to go watch NDSU as well and check them out. In the next three weeks. If this kid blows 93 they need to make him a starter, he will get little work as a reliever except when they play SDSU.

[89rabbit]

I can respect your opinion of our performance. *You did keep in mind that this was our first series and KU had already played 9 games, right? *At times especially on Friday it was a little painful to watch. *In both Friday's games we gave up a huge inning that seemed like they wouldn't end. *Still we did not lose 15-0 as you suggested earlier. *To advocate disbanding the program(s) simple because they don't currently meet your expectations seems a tad shortsighted, in my opinion. *But to each their own. *Have a nice night.

Go State! *;D


P.S. I am not sure what your definition of a baseball person is, but I am sure I don't meet it. Pretty much I am just a booster and I enjoy baseball. :)
*

[bison_baseball]

What do you expect from a team that is entering it's first DI season with 7 out of its 9 starters being fresman. For once they have a pitching staff that will all but a few throw in the low 90's. Their young and inexperienced but it will come around. And to say that they will never be able to recruit people is a farce. They have one of the best facilities in the north, they honestly just need a coach that can recruit.

As for Wagner, he doesn't have the mentality or the endurance to be a starter. He's been a reliever/closer since day one, and that's where he should stay. Look at Houston Street, from UT...he was a closer in college and a very high draft pick. Sure the guy can thrown in the 90's, but after a few innings...your timming catches on and anybody at this level will hit him. He needs to stay as a closer...SU just needs to get him the ball.

[JBB]

Yesterday in BB Sac State eked out a 3-0 win over the BISON.

[Rodentia]

Let me get this straight, Pedro: You say that NDSU's schedule, which is 143rd out of 290 (which, BTW means it is above average) is one of the weakest schedules in the country, yet you say that SDSU's #117 schedule is one of the most difficult schedules?

SDSU's schedule is stronger than is SDSU's, but there is not all that much differeence between the two.

I think you are the one who needs to get educated.

[Sioux_Yeah_Yeah]

Pedro, get a job! What are you doing traveling around watching college baseball games, you are obviously not a scout, or anyone who has much baseball knowledge!

"One of the weakest in the country" when posting a source you should check it out first!

"If this kid throws 93 they should make him a starter" This shows your lack of baseball knowledge, just because a kid can throw in the 90's doesn't mean you are going to auto. make him a starter!

Come on, maybe you should start WATCHING the games you attend and learn a little something rather then just eating your corndog, sipping on your Mr. Pibb, and telling everyone around you how you hit .375 in high school!

[Pedro]

If he is your best pitcher he is never going to throw.

64 teams go to NCAAS. Because of automatic bids etc you have to have an RPI of approximately 50 to get an at large berth. Washington got in with a 72 but they were in previously are pac 10 and had a rep on the committee. RPI's are based on your record, your opponents record, and your opponents opponents. Then small adjustments are made for top 50 victories, and loses for 150 below and last ten games.

Unless you get in a league getting a top 50 rpi will be difficult. The latest boydsnation has an article on geography and the distance for reputable opponents. The University of Minnesota was last I found that interesting.

The best thing that could happen for baseball is get in the mid-con now you have a chance and who you play non-conference doesn't matter, but if you have 4 or less scholarships you are still last in funding in arguably the worst baseball conference in America.

[Pedro]

The difference between 117 and 143 is significant for calculating an rpi. If you were eligible NDSU would need approximately 42 wins (D1) to be in the range to get selected and SDSU would need around 34.

You would say thats only eight games but winning 40 (D1) is difficult no matter how you equate it and who you play. And you are going to have to play more games on the road than want you would like.

If you don't have any ambition to make the postseason then do what your doing.

Personally I would take your current approach until your NCAA eligible, SDSU has overscheduled and by the time they play the Bison they will have become discouraged.

[Pedro]

Close Wagner on day one and start him the last day of the three game series.

[JACKGUYII]

Jacks have gone out and put together a tougher schedule than NDSU in every other sport this year why should baseball be any different.

[jjbluecw]

Jacks have gone out and put together a tougher schedule than NDSU in every other sport this year why should baseball be any different.

Ofcourse you are right. If NDSU had to play the Bison in most sports like SDSU does our schedule would be tougher too... ;)

[Bisonguy]

Jacks have gone out and put together a tougher schedule than NDSU in every other sport this year why should baseball be any different.

Wrestling, volleyball, soccer, and track are a few sports in which SDSU's schedule is much weaker than NDSU's this year. Glancing quickly, it also appears as if SDSU's softball schedule resembles that of a DII school. :-/