College: Column
Spotlight Shines On Hard Use Of Pitchers
Jun. 10, 2009
When the spotlight shines brightest on college baseball, in the postseason, the focus almost always seems to go on two aspects of the sport rarely seen in pro ball in May and June. First, the players will do anything to win, to get to Omaha, and once there, to win it. Second, it's very rare that pro pitchers will work as hard as Austin Wood and Mike Belfiore—who also was a DH and, amazingly, a left fielder and made 10 plate appearances—did in the Texas-BC 25-inning game. [...] Continue Reading »
Giving The Stiff Arm
Jun. 1, 2009
John Manuel says that the NCAA tournament field is proof that the NCAA is not really concerned with helping the game grow outside of the Sunbelt. [...] Continue Reading »
Hard To Profile
May. 12, 2009
Dustin Ackley is making scouts happy by playing in the outfield, but there still are some reasons to be concerned about whether his arm can handle the move. [...] Continue Reading »
Rolling The Wrong Way
Apr. 25, 2009
Bat rolling makes the Southern Conference the nation's most offensive league; plus, the controversy with Orange Coast JC coach John Altobelli. [...] Continue Reading »
How The Conferences Shape Up
Apr. 14, 2009
Let's take stock of how the conferences look so far, with an eye on the NCAA tournament. [...] Continue Reading »
It's Been A Great 10 Years
Apr. 8, 2009
John Manuel looks back over the first 10 years of BaseballAmerica.com [...] Continue Reading »
Economy Threatens Northern Programs
Apr. 7, 2009
A look at how the economy is affecting college baseball in the North, where it's most vulnerable. [...] Continue Reading »
Relevant Again
Mar. 19, 2009
Already this season, the Big 10 has been more relevant than at any time in the last decade. [...] Continue Reading »
Southern Men
Mar. 5, 2009
Lee Smith and Dave Stewart helped Southern as volunteer pitching coaches this preseason; also, what's the deal with Southern California? [...] Continue Reading »
It's All About the Heater
Feb. 12, 2009
As a recent coaching seminar explained again, throwing fastballs is key to success, even in metal-bat environment of college ball. [...] Continue Reading »
Manuel: Making Sense of Fresno
Jun. 25, 2008
Fresno State beat every odd to win its first College World Series championship. [...] Continue Reading »
One Shining Moment
Jun. 16, 2008
Now Bucknell beating Florida State in baseball—that's an upset. And on the first day of the 2008 regionals, it happened, with Bucknell shutting out the host Seminoles, winning 7-0 at Dick Howser Stadium. Florida State was shut out for the first time all season. [...] Continue Reading »
Few Answers For NCAA's Blunder
May. 30, 2008
The NCAA's decision to tap Oklahoma for the NCAA tournament left nearly everyone shaking their head. [...] Continue Reading »
Falling Short
May. 13, 2008
This wasn't a particularly pretty year for Baseball America's preseason Top 25, with three of our top four teams in the preseason—UCLA, Arizona and Mississippi—falling out of the rankings completely by April. Let's take a look at where we—and more importantly five of these teams—went wrong. [...] Continue Reading »
UnACCeptable
May. 6, 2008
The Atlantic Coast Conference ain't what it used to be. The league expanded this decade in two stages, from a nine-team league to a 12-team super-conference. Football drove the expansion, of course, as Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech joined the league. Since then, Wake Forest—one of the smallest Division I football programs in the country—has played in the Bowl Championship Series, while Miami and Florida State (added in 1992) have slipped from national powers to mediocrity. [...] Continue Reading »
Three To Watch
Apr. 16, 2008
In honor of former BA columnist Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" show on MSNBC, here are the three stories from the first half of the college season that bear watching in the second half. Sorry, the NCAA already has wrapped up this year's "Worst Person in the World" award. [...] Continue Reading »
Polk's Softer Side
Apr. 3, 2008
Ron Polk's career was so rich, it took two John Manuel columns to encapsulate it. This one focuses on Polk's career that has little to do with the NCAA—in other words, the part Polk won't talk about. [...] Continue Reading »
Quixotic Streak Defined Polk
Apr. 3, 2008
Ron Polk's constant criticism of the NCAA detracts from an otherwise outstanding career as a college baseball coach, including eight trips to the College World Series. [...] Continue Reading »
Paltry Sums
Mar. 25, 2008
A study finds that college baseball players are not raking in scholarship dollars. [...] Continue Reading »
HBP Still A Weapon In College
Mar. 11, 2008
Missouri's offense is based around batters "taking a dose." [...] Continue Reading »
Changes Force Increased Parity
Feb. 20, 2008
The recent rules changes have sprung from a desire of Northern teams to have a more even playing field. [...] Continue Reading »
Evolution Has Made Summer Ball Strong
Sep. 11, 2007
Summer college leagues have grown and evolved over the last decade. [...] Continue Reading »
West Continues Dominance Of Post-Gorilla Era
Jul. 11, 2007
The Southeastern Conference is no longer the beast of baseball. [...] Continue Reading »
Great Stories Define The CWS Field
Jun. 14, 2007
Eight teams with the same dream, back home in Omaha . . . Heading into college baseball's pinnacle, here's a quick look at the stories that define the 2007 College World Series field. [...] Continue Reading »
Frequent Visitors, Surprise Guest Highlight CWS Field
Jun. 12, 2007
Eight teams with the same dream, back home in Omaha . . . heading into college baseball's pinnacle, here's a quick look at the stories that define the sport's 2007 College World Series field. [...] Continue Reading »
Committee Whiffed On Mid-Majors
Jun. 5, 2007
The job of choosing 64 teams for the NCAA tournament can't be easy, and every new committee seems to make one or two obvious gaffes. [...] Continue Reading »
Coaches Vexed By 33 Percent Rule
May. 29, 2007
A pair of rules changes could mark the end of college baserball's Golden Age. [...] Continue Reading »
Williams Helps Third School In Three Seasons
May. 10, 2007
Roger Williams has been well traveled, but he's had success wherever he's coached. [...] Continue Reading »
McNeese State Shows Resolve After 3-22 Start
Apr. 24, 2007
McNeese State is trying to put a slow start behind them. [...] Continue Reading »
Sidewinding Approach Suits Glafenhein Fine
Apr. 10, 2007
East Tennessee State senior Caleb Glafenhein, though, redefines value this season. As college baseball reached its midway point in April, his Buccaneers team had played 32 of its 56 regular-season games, and Glafenhein had appeared in 18 of them. He's made seven starts, more than all but one of his teammates. He's made 11 relief appearances as well—third on the team. [...] Continue Reading »
Spotlight Shines On Hard Use Of Pitchers
Jun. 10, 2009
When the spotlight shines brightest on college baseball, in the postseason, the focus almost always seems to go on two aspects of the sport rarely seen in pro ball in May and June. First, the players will do anything to win, to get to Omaha, and once there, to win it. Second, it's very rare that pro pitchers will work as hard as Austin Wood and Mike Belfiore—who also was a DH and, amazingly, a left fielder and made 10 plate appearances—did in the Texas-BC 25-inning game. [...] Continue Reading »
Giving The Stiff Arm
Jun. 1, 2009
John Manuel says that the NCAA tournament field is proof that the NCAA is not really concerned with helping the game grow outside of the Sunbelt. [...] Continue Reading »
Hard To Profile
May. 12, 2009
Dustin Ackley is making scouts happy by playing in the outfield, but there still are some reasons to be concerned about whether his arm can handle the move. [...] Continue Reading »
Rolling The Wrong Way
Apr. 25, 2009
Bat rolling makes the Southern Conference the nation's most offensive league; plus, the controversy with Orange Coast JC coach John Altobelli. [...] Continue Reading »
How The Conferences Shape Up
Apr. 14, 2009
Let's take stock of how the conferences look so far, with an eye on the NCAA tournament. [...] Continue Reading »
It's Been A Great 10 Years
Apr. 8, 2009
John Manuel looks back over the first 10 years of BaseballAmerica.com [...] Continue Reading »
Economy Threatens Northern Programs
Apr. 7, 2009
A look at how the economy is affecting college baseball in the North, where it's most vulnerable. [...] Continue Reading »
Relevant Again
Mar. 19, 2009
Already this season, the Big 10 has been more relevant than at any time in the last decade. [...] Continue Reading »
Southern Men
Mar. 5, 2009
Lee Smith and Dave Stewart helped Southern as volunteer pitching coaches this preseason; also, what's the deal with Southern California? [...] Continue Reading »
It's All About the Heater
Feb. 12, 2009
As a recent coaching seminar explained again, throwing fastballs is key to success, even in metal-bat environment of college ball. [...] Continue Reading »
Manuel: Making Sense of Fresno
Jun. 25, 2008
Fresno State beat every odd to win its first College World Series championship. [...] Continue Reading »
One Shining Moment
Jun. 16, 2008
Now Bucknell beating Florida State in baseball—that's an upset. And on the first day of the 2008 regionals, it happened, with Bucknell shutting out the host Seminoles, winning 7-0 at Dick Howser Stadium. Florida State was shut out for the first time all season. [...] Continue Reading »
Few Answers For NCAA's Blunder
May. 30, 2008
The NCAA's decision to tap Oklahoma for the NCAA tournament left nearly everyone shaking their head. [...] Continue Reading »
Falling Short
May. 13, 2008
This wasn't a particularly pretty year for Baseball America's preseason Top 25, with three of our top four teams in the preseason—UCLA, Arizona and Mississippi—falling out of the rankings completely by April. Let's take a look at where we—and more importantly five of these teams—went wrong. [...] Continue Reading »
UnACCeptable
May. 6, 2008
The Atlantic Coast Conference ain't what it used to be. The league expanded this decade in two stages, from a nine-team league to a 12-team super-conference. Football drove the expansion, of course, as Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech joined the league. Since then, Wake Forest—one of the smallest Division I football programs in the country—has played in the Bowl Championship Series, while Miami and Florida State (added in 1992) have slipped from national powers to mediocrity. [...] Continue Reading »
Three To Watch
Apr. 16, 2008
In honor of former BA columnist Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" show on MSNBC, here are the three stories from the first half of the college season that bear watching in the second half. Sorry, the NCAA already has wrapped up this year's "Worst Person in the World" award. [...] Continue Reading »
Polk's Softer Side
Apr. 3, 2008
Ron Polk's career was so rich, it took two John Manuel columns to encapsulate it. This one focuses on Polk's career that has little to do with the NCAA—in other words, the part Polk won't talk about. [...] Continue Reading »
Quixotic Streak Defined Polk
Apr. 3, 2008
Ron Polk's constant criticism of the NCAA detracts from an otherwise outstanding career as a college baseball coach, including eight trips to the College World Series. [...] Continue Reading »
Paltry Sums
Mar. 25, 2008
A study finds that college baseball players are not raking in scholarship dollars. [...] Continue Reading »
HBP Still A Weapon In College
Mar. 11, 2008
Missouri's offense is based around batters "taking a dose." [...] Continue Reading »
Changes Force Increased Parity
Feb. 20, 2008
The recent rules changes have sprung from a desire of Northern teams to have a more even playing field. [...] Continue Reading »
Evolution Has Made Summer Ball Strong
Sep. 11, 2007
Summer college leagues have grown and evolved over the last decade. [...] Continue Reading »
West Continues Dominance Of Post-Gorilla Era
Jul. 11, 2007
The Southeastern Conference is no longer the beast of baseball. [...] Continue Reading »
Great Stories Define The CWS Field
Jun. 14, 2007
Eight teams with the same dream, back home in Omaha . . . Heading into college baseball's pinnacle, here's a quick look at the stories that define the 2007 College World Series field. [...] Continue Reading »
Frequent Visitors, Surprise Guest Highlight CWS Field
Jun. 12, 2007
Eight teams with the same dream, back home in Omaha . . . heading into college baseball's pinnacle, here's a quick look at the stories that define the sport's 2007 College World Series field. [...] Continue Reading »
Committee Whiffed On Mid-Majors
Jun. 5, 2007
The job of choosing 64 teams for the NCAA tournament can't be easy, and every new committee seems to make one or two obvious gaffes. [...] Continue Reading »
Coaches Vexed By 33 Percent Rule
May. 29, 2007
A pair of rules changes could mark the end of college baserball's Golden Age. [...] Continue Reading »
Williams Helps Third School In Three Seasons
May. 10, 2007
Roger Williams has been well traveled, but he's had success wherever he's coached. [...] Continue Reading »
McNeese State Shows Resolve After 3-22 Start
Apr. 24, 2007
McNeese State is trying to put a slow start behind them. [...] Continue Reading »
Sidewinding Approach Suits Glafenhein Fine
Apr. 10, 2007
East Tennessee State senior Caleb Glafenhein, though, redefines value this season. As college baseball reached its midway point in April, his Buccaneers team had played 32 of its 56 regular-season games, and Glafenhein had appeared in 18 of them. He's made seven starts, more than all but one of his teammates. He's made 11 relief appearances as well—third on the team. [...] Continue Reading »
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