Problems with the TSSAA and what to fix

[HSbaseballguru]

My main problem when it comes to baseball is 3 classifications. There is no reason for Tullahoma with just over 1000 students to be in a classification with Arlington and McGavok which have over 2500 students. I also don't think that there should be 6 classes like football. Football got to add another class so Baseball should go to AAAA as it's highest class. It only makes sense and would give many more teams an equal shot to win a title. The other problem I have is the Spring Fling being Tuesday-Friday and not Wednesday-Saturday. Right now teams are forced to make a decision on Tuesday of the tourny. Do I throw my best guy on 3 days rest for the second straight start or do I start my number 2? If I start my number 1 and we get to the championship I may start him on short rest again in that game making it 3 straight times on short rest. There is no reason that each team shouldn't be able to throw their best pitcher on the first day of the tournament on 4 days rest. Stupid. There is also no logical reason to have the Championship games on Friday instead of Saturday. The attendence figures would double if the games were on Saturday. I have heard people make the argument before to members of the TSSAA and they replied "you don't have to throw your best guy on 3 days rest if you don't want to." The TSSAA only cares about getting that tournament over as quickly as possible so they can go home for the summer too and nobody can tell me any different. They don't make a fortune off of it like they do football so it's not important to them. When it goes to be all about the teams competing and not all about the TSSAA then maybe some of this stuff will get fixed. Sorry for the rant but I had to get it off my chest.

[davidlimbaugh]

My main problem when it comes to baseball is 3 classifications. There is no reason for Tullahoma with just over 1000 students to be in a classification with Arlington and McGavok which have over 2500 students. I also don't think that there should be 6 classes like football. Football got to add another class so Baseball should go to AAAA as it's highest class. It only makes sense and would give many more teams an equal shot to win a title. The other problem I have is the Spring Fling being Tuesday-Friday and not Wednesday-Saturday. Right now teams are forced to make a decision on Tuesday of the tourny. Do I throw my best guy on 3 days rest for the second straight start or do I start my number 2? If I start my number 1 and we get to the championship I may start him on short rest again in that game making it 3 straight times on short rest. There is no reason that each team shouldn't be able to throw their best pitcher on the first day of the tournament on 4 days rest. Stupid. There is also no logical reason to have the Championship games on Friday instead of Saturday. The attendence figures would double if the games were on Saturday. I have heard people make the argument before to members of the TSSAA and they replied "you don't have to throw your best guy on 3 days rest if you don't want to." The TSSAA only cares about getting that tournament over as quickly as possible so they can go home for the summer too and nobody can tell me any different. They don't make a fortune off of it like they do football so it's not important to them. When it goes to be all about the teams competing and not all about the TSSAA then maybe some of this stuff will get fixed. Sorry for the rant but I had to get it off my chest.

 

Represent!

 

Buddy Powers and myself have been advocating the 'Buddy' plan for years. Well over a decade now. The Buddy Plan?

 

Current baseball post-season makes zero sense. If you have one good arm, you win on Monday and Friday, you are in the State Tournament. Go to www.tssaa.org and look at scores since Spring Fling started in Chattanooga. A lot of those teams with one good arm get crushed in the other games.

 

Buddy Plan:

 

On even and odd years, even and odd districts host the region. Region is first and second place teams from adjoining districts. D1-2 vs D2-1 and D2-2 vs D1-1 from each district meet at host school (district #1 of district who's turn it is to host). Losers play. Winners Play. Winner Plays Loser. Winner has to win two versus winners bracket finalist - region champion goes to state - this finishes by Wednesday prior to Spring Fling week. Boys basketball waits a week between substate and state tournament and we are asking kids to pitch on Monday, Friday, Tuesday and Friday again.

 

Spring Fling can then run from Tuesday to Saturday so #1 can get some rest for Championship Game. Saturday will have a lot better walkup than Friday. How many parents have not been able to get off work to see their sons play his final games of his senior year because of start times during the day and during the week?

[Indian]

I would agree with four classes for baseball, softball and basketball. The AAA class which would include Tullahoma would go from around 750 or 800, to about 1200. One point though when you get to a certain enrollment there should be sufficient athletes in the school to compete with any in the state-potentially-regardless of size.

Edited April 12, 2012 by Indian

[Volzchamps]

I'd like to see the TSSAA consider using a best of 3 series for baseball from the region finals on and eliminate the substate or sectional round. The current system allows teams with only one quality starter the luxury of pitching him pretty much all the way into the state tournament. Using the best of 3 series would force coaches to develop their # 2 & #3 starters and eliminate some of the overworking we see now. Div II in TN & all of Alabama uses this playoff system and there is no doubt the champion would be the best team as opposed the those who have the best Ace. TSSAA think of the gate$ in a best of three series as opposed to just one game current scenario.

Edited April 12, 2012 by Volzchamps

[cbg]

In a perfect world the TSSAA would have four (4) classifications for baseball and place all of the schools (D1 & D2) back together. Take the school with the smallest enrollment and the school with the largest enrollment and divide by four to form the various classifications. All single sex schools, open zoned public schools and magnet schools should have their enrollment doubled.

 

A Only the small public schools (no private, open zoned public or magnet schools)

AA Both public and small private schools that do not offer financial aid

AAA Public schools, open zone public schools, magnet schools & financial aid giving schools

AAAA Public schools, open zone public schools, magnet schools & financial aid giving schools

[Indian]

After you move some up A and AA would likely have a lot fewer teams, would you divide by four again or leave it as it turns out. Also some of the smallest financial aid schools would have very little chance to compete if they were in Class AAA out of four classes.

[thegreatwhite1]

I don't think it will change anytime in the near future. Its not exactly even competition when School A has twice as many students as School B, and they compete in the same district which is the case right now in some districts. I would like to see it be broken down into four public school divisions and two private school divisions. I think it would be best if you broke it down into increments of 500.

A - 0-500

AA 501 - 1000

AAA 1001 - 1500

AAAA 1500 +

 

Furthermore, there would be no privates playing against any publics in the post-season. If you pay a penny to go to school, then you play in the private division. It's as simple as that IMO. Cut the number of private schools in half and go from there.

 

Some really good ideas have been thrown around here on this thread.... but like i said i don't think the T$$AA cares enough to change anything.

[ksgovols]

I thought the OP's rant was more days rest so that the #1 can throw 3 games in state without short rest. Best pitcher wins state rather than best team. I'm not for anything that puts all your hopes on 1 arm. That's were we are now.

 

I agree with the best of 3 series from regions on and eliminate the seeding round of regions. Play a district tournament for regional seeding and then go best 2 out of 3 until you get to state where you have 2 pools of 4. Winners of pools play in championship game. Best teams win instead of best arm.

 

What TSSAA really needs to change is having a 7 week regular season and then 6 weeks of post season. Some of these teams are done before it's good baseball weather some years.

[swanson71]

I'd like to see the TSSAA consider using a best of 3 series for baseball from the region finals on and eliminate the substate or sectional round. The current system allows teams with only one quality starter the luxury of pitching him pretty much all the way into the state tournament. Using the best of 3 series would force coaches to develop their # 2 & #3 starters and eliminate some of the overworking we see now. Div II in TN & all of Alabama uses this playoff system and there is no doubt the champion would be the best team as opposed the those who have the best Ace. TSSAA think of the gate$ in a best of three series as opposed to just one game current scenario.

That would not be a bad idea for bigger schools in the upper classifications, but some smaller schools aren't able to do that. It's not that don't want to try but it's just they don't have the capability. FCS is in good shape becuase i'm sure they have a few guys that can start almost any game and win for them. However, the smaller schools like the ones in your region doesn't have that luxury. I'm sure a lot of coaches wish they could develop that solid #2 but sometimes they just can't. Most of these smaller schools depend on their big arm to get them where they're going. If you set up a best of 3 series more times that not they're going to be competitive in maybe 1 game then be done.

[thegreatwhite1]

That would not be a bad idea for bigger schools in the upper classifications, but some smaller schools aren't able to do that. It's not that don't want to try but it's just they don't have the capability. FCS is in good shape becuase i'm sure they have a few guys that can start almost any game and win for them. However, the smaller schools like the ones in your region doesn't have that luxury. I'm sure a lot of coaches wish they could develop that solid #2 but sometimes they just can't. Most of these smaller schools depend on their big arm to get them where they're going. If you set up a best of 3 series more times that not they're going to be competitive in maybe 1 game then be done.

Thats the whole point. The tournament should be set up so that the best team wins, not the team with the best pitcher.

[Volzchamps]

That would not be a bad idea for bigger schools in the upper classifications, but some smaller schools aren't able to do that. It's not that don't want to try but it's just they don't have the capability. FCS is in good shape becuase i'm sure they have a few guys that can start almost any game and win for them. However, the smaller schools like the ones in your region doesn't have that luxury. I'm sure a lot of coaches wish they could develop that solid #2 but sometimes they just can't. Most of these smaller schools depend on their big arm to get them where they're going. If you set up a best of 3 series more times that not they're going to be competitive in maybe 1 game then be done.

As "Greatwhite" has reiterated Swanson, the point I'm trying to make is with a best if three series throughout the final few rounds those schools with just 1 stud pitcher would be exposed as such and probably eliminated in games 2 & 3 of a series. Teams that can hit, play defense, and have pitching depth would usually win. Not to mention these "stud" pitchers would be less exposed to overworking in May. Try picturing Strausburg's Nationals going against the Yankees in a series. He might be good enough to win one game but the rest of the staff might get exposed. Probably why MLB favors the series format.

School Size is relative since we already have multiple classes. The idea is to find the "best team"and crown them

Champions. As it stands now I'm not sure this is the case. Just my opinion.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Volzchamps

[ihavenofriendzz]

Thats the whole point. The tournament should be set up so that the best team wins, not the team with the best pitcher.

 

If only teams with the best pitcher won, wouldn't Science Hill have won with Daniel Norris? I mean, they didn't even make it to the championship game when he was there.. and at least once, didn't make it past sectionals. You have to have a team around the pitcher too. A pitcher can't win without run support.