New baseball finally coming ...

[Edisto_Tiger]

but don't get too excited. It doesn't start until 2015 and, get this, it's only going to be used during the CWS.

DI committee changes to flat-seamed baseballs for 2015 championship | NCAA.com

The Division I Baseball Committee will move to the use of a flat-seamed baseball for its championship, starting with the 2015 Division I tournament.

Currently, raised-seamed baseballs are used in the Division I Baseball Championship.

Committee members made the decision to change to a flat-seamed baseball after research conducted this fall by the Washington State University Sport Science Laboratory showed that flat-seamed baseballs launched out of a pitching machine at averages of 95 mph, a 25-degree angle and a 1,400 rpm spin rate traveled around 387 feet compared to raised-seamed baseballs that went 367 feet.

On the NCAA’s behalf, the Washington State University lab evaluates and certifies baseball bats used in NCAA competition for compliance with bat performance standards.

In the flat-, raised-seamed baseball research, the speed and angles used in the testing were chosen because they are the conditions when typical home runs occur in Division I baseball competition.

Due to variables (individual bat speed, wind direction, whether the ball is stuck on the bat’s “sweet spot,” etc.) that can impact the distance a baseball can travel, not every trajectory hit with a flat-seamed ball will travel exactly 20 feet farther than a raised-seamed ball, but a 20-foot average difference is an approximate representation of what can be expected.

The NCAA’s official supplier of championship baseballs, Rawlings, also conducted testing of the flat-seam balls in its own research lab. That research was consistent with the findings in the WSU lab.

“We anticipate that this will moderately increase scoring but not take it back to the days where we were dealing with outrageous scores that looked more like football scores,” said Dennis Farrell, who is the committee chair and the commissioner of the Big West Conference. “We want to get the game back to what is a reasonable amount of scoring and defense.”

While the distance the baseball travels is increased due to less drag on the baseball, the health of and safety of the players will not be compromised. The core of the ball and the bat-exit speed will not change.

“We are always sensitive to student-athlete safety issues,” Farrell said. “According to the data we were presented with, those concerns are alleviated. The rationale behind making this change is hoping it will allow certain balls hit at certain trajectories to carry farther.”

Committee members were spurred to look at the research after becoming concerned with diminishing offensive numbers in the Division I Baseball Championship, particularly at the Men’s College World Series site in Omaha.

In the 2013 MCWS, there were only three home runs hit in TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, which opened in 2011. The first year of the new home of the MCWS also marked the year that the bat standards changed to make metal bats perform more like wood bats.

The bat standards were designed to protect pitchers and fielders from increasing bat-exit speeds and to bring balance to the game that was trending heavily toward the offense.

In 2011, there were nine home runs in the MCWS, and in the second year in the park, 10 homers were hit. By contrast in the last year at Rosenblatt Stadium in 2010, 32 homers left the park. Similarly, across all of Division I regular season baseball, offensive performance – batting averages, runs scored and home runs – has been on the decline in recent years.

The difference in the height of the seams between the two baseballs is small. The flatter-seamed ball has a seam height of .048 inches compared to .031 inches for a raised-seam ball. This flatter seam height is consistent with the balls used in minor league baseball, yet still higher than what is used in major league baseball.

The flat-seamed baseball may make it more difficult for pitchers to throw breaking pitches, but college baseball coaches feel their pitchers will be able to adjust over time.

A survey conducted by the American Baseball Coaches Association showed 87 percent of the respondents wanted to change to the flat-seamed baseball. Around 80 percent of the nearly 300 Division I baseball coaches responded to the survey.

The coaches were also asked questions pertaining to game excitement and home runs. Seventy-two percent thought the game needed more excitement and 69 percent believe Division I college baseball needs more home runs.

“The numbers from the survey means the coaches are making a strong statement,” Farrell said. “Even the coaches of programs that have traditionally strong pitching were in favor of going to the flat-seamed baseball.”

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

WTF? Why wouldn't you use the ball all season long. The NCAA is as fucked up as our government. Why wait until 2015? Do it now and do it all season. I suppose they need to put on a show when the most eyes are on them during the CWS, nevermind the rest of the fucking season.

 

[Red_Alert]

I kind of expected them to go single seam like MLB instead of the double seam the NCAA's been using since I can remember. Single seams fly farther.

Either way they still aren't identifying 100% of the problem w/ CWS scoring. Reducing ball off of bat speed was just a part of it.

TD Ameritrade Park outfield is built toward the SSW. That is the direction the prevalent winds come from in Omaha in June. The fly balls are getting knocked down.

Rosenblatt's outfield faced NE, so the wind carried the balls further.

I doubt these "experts" even took the time to consider such an important factor considering they are only in town here for 2 weeks a year. They are chasing their tails.

Coaches who aspire to come to Omaha next June (and even after implementation of the new balls) need to hone their small ball game, or they'll be going home early.

 

[The Derski]

I only read the first few sentences but what I got is the new balls have smaller seams (lower seams or whatever) and the ball travels further off the bat? What's the point? Pitchers are gonna be pissed.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

I only read the first few sentences but what I got is the new balls have smaller seams (lower seams or whatever) and the ball travels further off the bat? What's the point? Pitchers are gonna be pissed.

Yes, the ball will get more travel and pitchers will have to adjust to the flatter seams because they won't get the same rotation on their curve/breaking balls. The point is to allow for more HR's. Homeruns are a part of the game that has been all but taken away with the bat and ball changes made a while ago. There was on 3 HR's hit in the CWS last year and everyone has been bitching about the lack of the "long ball." My problem is they are only going to use this ball in post season play starting in 2015.

 

[Red_Alert]

They only changed the bats a few years ago. Not the balls.

That being said, I agree with Edisto in that only using them in the championship leads to inconsistency for the pitchers. A great pitching staff through 4 months of baseball can be rendered anemic in the CWS. The better batting teams will suddenly get an edge.

Changing the balls isn't an issue because pitchers have always had to adjust that whether they were going from HS to Pro, or College to Pro. However they need to use the same balls from the opening game through the CWS to put any consistency in the game. It's unfair to rob a team of it's pitching for the championship games.

 

[Kid Vicarious]

Will gorilla ball come back? Probably not, but i'm not going to complain. It's better than what we have now. The only problem i have is the same as you guys, why do they want restrict when the ball will be used in the season... kinda dumb. Good article tho! Can't wait for some Baseball!

 

[SuperGnat]

Read this week that it is going to be up to each conference whether they use the new balls during the season. Hoping all conferences make the switch.

 

[24seven]

pffffft. They can use a rock and we'll still win.

 

[fordman84]

pffffft. They can use a rock and we'll still win.

Which of your three college teams are you talking about in your "we" statement?

 

[JuiceTheGator]

I wouldn't think how far the ball flies in tests is as important as how much less junk pitchers could put on a pitch without that huge seam against his finger.

 

[redseat]

They only changed the bats a few years ago. Not the balls.

That being said, I agree with Edisto in that only using them in the championship leads to inconsistency for the pitchers. A great pitching staff through 4 months of baseball can be rendered anemic in the CWS. The better batting teams will suddenly get an edge.

Changing the balls isn't an issue because pitchers have always had to adjust that whether they were going from HS to Pro, or College to Pro. However they need to use the same balls from the opening game through the CWS to put any consistency in the game. It's unfair to rob a team of it's pitching for the championship games.

So regular season they don't want home runs but during the Championship Series they do?

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

So regular season they don't want home runs but during the Championship Series they do?

yup. It's about ratings, not the game.

 

[da55bums]

WTF? Why wouldn't you use the ball all season long. The NCAA is as fucked up as our government. Why wait until 2015? Do it now and do it all season. I suppose they need to put on a show when the most eyes are on them during the CWS, nevermind the rest of the fucking season.

those pitchers won't have a chance in the '15 series, but boy the scoring will be monsterous..might get a few position players a few extra dollars at the draft.

 

[MI Nightmare]

Reason #787,398 college baseball is a joke. Can't use real bats...now modified balls. Most of the talent plays minimal college ball or none whatsoever but come on man.

 

[charlie42s]

Still trolling baseball? Whatsa matter hockey gotten boring for you?

 

[da55bums]

Reason #787,398 college baseball is a joke. Can't use real bats...now modified balls. Most of the talent plays minimal college ball or none whatsoever but come on man.

like

Jacoby Ellsbury
Ryan Braun
Tim Hudson
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens

not real players like

Ian Kinsler
Andy Dirks
Max Scherzer
Doug Fister
Drew Smyly
Alex Avila

makes complete sense to me...

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

pffffft. They can use a rock and we'll still win.

lol @ kickin rocks.

 

[tech_iceman]

sucks for the pitchers that'll have to adjust to a new ball at the very end of the season