Run-Rule BLOWOUTS IN COLLEGE BALL

[John 800]

What are you basing this on?

Edit: totally agree on your recruiting take.

Fair enough question. Partially (almost completely) a guess simply because I watch little to no ncaa softball (although I should try to watch more) partially an observation after watching the my kids at 11 and 13 in their endevors in volleyball, softball and other sports combined with working in education and volunteer coaching. One thing I have seen is a lopsided blow out, then a lopsided blow out the other way when th etwo teams meet later. The current generation seems to me to be very, hmm Ill say momentum based when it comes to performance and or mental toughness. Seems to be even stronger with volleyball for whatever reason.
And this is NOT a bash on the generation of kids we are talking about, I think they get more criticism than they deserve as is.

 

[Lobster Birch]

When discussing lopsided home run numbers last year for one of the top ncaa teams there was discussion about approach, technical hitter mumbo jumbo, pitching being hard to come by and I said that everyone missed, and I will say it again: This is not a hitting vs pitching or coaching debate, this, imho, should be a recruiting debate. The other possibility that I would debate is that these blowouts are not due to a mismatch of talent, but a lack of mental toughness. Get down a few runs and everyone gives up.

I agree with recruiting part, and am inclined to see merit in the idea of teams giving up, but how would one know that?

 

[jdint]

Fair enough question. Partially (almost completely) a guess simply because I watch little to no ncaa softball (although I should try to watch more) partially an observation after watching the my kids at 11 and 13 in their endevors in volleyball, softball and other sports combined with working in education and volunteer coaching. One thing I have seen is a lopsided blow out, then a lopsided blow out the other way when th etwo teams meet later. The current generation seems to me to be very, hmm Ill say momentum based when it comes to performance and or mental toughness. Seems to be even stronger with volleyball for whatever reason.
And this is NOT a bash on the generation of kids we are talking about, I think they get more criticism than they deserve as is.

I agree that volleyball is extremely momentum based. I didn't realize this until this year. DD's middle school team actually won state this year and a lot of the games seemed to be like watching the 4th quarter of an NBA game. Huge swings in momentum. I was actually impressed that when the girls would go down a set they would bounce right back and win the next one. More experienced parents tell me this is just part of the game. Makes for some very tense situations.

 

[John 800]

I agree with recruiting part, and am inclined to see merit in the idea of teams giving up, but how would one know that?

Maybe not so much giving up, but just playing better with a lead and some confidence. Or not playing their best when down. My point is that this trait is stronger with young people now, both ways. What I have seen that makes me believe that could easily be a separate thread.
One brief example
A young lady that gave my dd pitching lessons plays d2 ball and we wtched a few games of hers, a lopsided loss and a lopsided win. I dug i to history with pitchers who had faced each team multiple times and added scores for the team history on the season and it sure looked like they should be pretty evenly matched as they had been swapping wins most of the year, some close but quite a few were lopsided even though runs scored and winds were very close between the two teams. One thing that stuck out looking through stats was that almost every game when either team had no errors they scored alot more runs, and they rarely had one error in a game, errors seem to come in bucnhes, along with lopsided games
This is just for one team though

 

[Rolling Hard]

When discussing lopsided home run numbers last year for one of the top ncaa teams there was discussion about approach, technical hitter mumbo jumbo, pitching being hard to come by and I said that everyone missed, and I will say it again: This is not a hitting vs pitching or coaching debate, this, imho, should be a recruiting debate. The other possibility that I would debate is that these blowouts are not due to a mismatch of talent, but a lack of mental toughness. Get down a few runs and everyone gives up.

I guess everybody else understands. Are you suggesting poor recruiting and how so?

 

[tamss13]

I agree with recruiting part, and am inclined to see merit in the idea of teams giving up, but how would one know that?

I agree -- I watched Duke rock UNCG I think it was a pre-recorded game.....UNCG did not give up.....Duke had better players everywhere and crazy speed compared to UNCG.....

 

[John 800]

I guess everybody else understands. Are you suggesting poor recruiting and how so?

I dont have the foggiest idea how college recruiting works! Not much to add

What the heck is up with so many run-rule blowouts in college ball?!

Not necessarily finding it good softball.
Well at least not competitive softball.
Anyone else observing this as missing the competitive mark?


#GO COMMENTS DFP

First I thought recruiting, or is it just different scheduling? Are they teams that just shouldn’t be playing each other?
Homework Rad:
Think of the last handfull of blowouts you speak of and look up history that is available if the teams played each other multiple times preferably this season. Like I said I was suprised with two blowouts I saw that the season series was pretty even

 

[radness]

I dont have the foggiest idea how college recruiting works! Not much to add


First I thought recruiting, or is it just different scheduling? Are they teams that just shouldn’t be playing each other?
Homework Rad:
Think of the last handfull of blowouts you speak of and look up history that is available if the teams played each other multiple times preferably this season. Like I said I was suprised with two blowouts I saw that the season series was pretty even

No not 'even scoring' at all over a series of 3 games. Sometimes there will be a semi-close game but then... L
( not each team won by a blowout)

In a way its sorta reminding me of high schools where there are one, two or three competitive teams in high school league that trample the rest of everybody.

Do think that there is something to that recruitment part of this. Whether that is School location or campus status or lousy coach recruiting would not be able to guess which is more influential.

Definitely can tell a difference of some programs that have more composed hitting lineups even though they may have average pitching. But there are some teams that have average pitching and average hitters and it just doesn't look like a competition.

 

[radness]

? Not sure maybe there is an advantage to the teams that had more seniors staying for their 5th Year? Haven't got that in-depth at looking at rosters to compare in those blowout games

 

[_MIA_]

This thread is amusing. Do all of you also get more worried flying in an airplane than you do driving down the street ?