Griz Baseball

[Spanky]

They must have some talent on the team.

 

[GK19]

I haven't seen them play since this is their first home weekend and I am stuck at work, but from what I have heard they have some pretty serious players. I mean its club, so its not like they are playing to keep schollies or anything, but I think they wouldn't mind puttin up some numbers and gettin some recognition. They are takin it seriously enough to where they can be competitive. One of the Oregon losses was 2-1 or 3-2, I cant remember now, and that was their first game of the season. Oregon had already been playing a couple weeks AND has a much more organized and coached team. So, again, I can't confirm any details of where the talent is, I picture a true Griz team that comes to play and isn't scared of anyone.

 

[grizfan_#2]

go watch the AA mavs open up their season april 23rd if you really want to see some home grown baseball players.

 

[DuckFan]

They are takin it seriously enough to where they can be competitive. One of the Oregon losses was 2-1 or 3-2, I cant remember now, and that was their first game of the season. Oregon had already been playing a couple weeks AND has a much more organized and coached team.

I played for Lane Community college in Eugene from 2002-2004. Lane is one of the premier junior colleges in the northwest. We won the NWAACC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges) conference my last year there in 2004. I can tell you that it's very competitive and there's a lot of talent in that conference. We played Oregon's club team every year in the pre-season, and we ten-runned them every time. Not scores like 11-1 either, they were more like 22-3 & 25-4 and what not. They may have a more organized and better coached team the the Grizzlies club team, but I can tell you from first hand experience that Oregon's club team is a joke. They're HORRIBLE. They're not organized at all. Hopefully they'll bring NCAA sanctioned ball back to Oregon some day, but until they do their club team is a disgrace to the game. The only positive thing I saw about a club team is when we played Boise State. Their team managers were very attractive blondes :thumb:. Club ball is nice for somebody that doesn't like the competition of college athletics and just wants to have a good time. But other than that, club ball is a joke.

 

[Cringer]

They are takin it seriously enough to where they can be competitive. One of the Oregon losses was 2-1 or 3-2, I cant remember now, and that was their first game of the season. Oregon had already been playing a couple weeks AND has a much more organized and coached team.

I played for Lane Community college in Eugene from 2002-2004. Lane is one of the premier junior colleges in the northwest. We won the NWAACC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges) conference my last year there in 2004. I can tell you that it's very competitive and there's a lot of talent in that conference. We played Oregon's club team every year in the pre-season, and we ten-runned them every time. Not scores like 11-1 either, they were more like 22-3 & 25-4 and what not. They may have a more organized and better coached team the the Grizzlies club team, but I can tell you from first hand experience that Oregon's club team is a joke. They're HORRIBLE. They're not organized at all. Hopefully they'll bring NCAA sanctioned ball back to Oregon some day, but until they do their club team is a disgrace to the game. The only positive thing I saw about a club team is when we played Boise State. Their team managers were very attractive blondes :thumb:. Club ball is nice for somebody that doesn't like the competition of college athletics and just wants to have a good time. But other than that, club ball is a joke.

That was also three years ago, and it is possible the Oregon team has improved since then. I see where your once proud Titans are a salty 1-7. Believe me, I am the last person who is going to rip on C.C. baseball, (Albert Pujols played a season for Maple Woods Community College before everyone realized he was...well God). Community College baseball squads are made up of players who hope to pursue a higher level of baseball, where as club teams are made of players who chose their school for academic purposes and wanted to play some ball on the side. I have no doubt your school was good, but with a roster of 31 players who consistantly practice (many of which were recruited) I am not shocked you beat the underfunded, sparsely supported club teams. Club team baseball isn't a joke, it's just not a priority. Out of curiousity, where did you play after you left Lane?

 

[DuckFan]

That was also three years ago, and it is possible the Oregon team has improved since then. I see where your once proud Titans are a salty 1-7. Believe me, I am the last person who is going to rip on C.C. baseball, (Albert Pujols played a season for Maple Woods Community College before everyone realized he was...well God). Community College baseball squads are made up of players who hope to pursue a higher level of baseball, where as club teams are made of players who chose their school for academic purposes and wanted to play some ball on the side. I have no doubt your school was good, but with a roster of 31 players who consistantly practice (many of which were recruited) I am not shocked you beat the underfunded, sparsely supported club teams. Club team baseball isn't a joke, it's just not a priority. Out of curiousity, where did you play after you left Lane?

Yeah, they're not starting the year off on a very good note. This is apparently the last year of the baseball and volleyball programs at Lane. They've been saying it for the last few years, but now they're saying it's for sure this time. Due to lack of funding from the state, the school can no longer afford to support the programs. My last year, in 2004, they said it was the last year, so we as a team had an "us against the world" mentality and carried that mentality through the season and into the NWAACC tourney. After we won the regional championship, there was a ton of businesses and private donors who all of a sudden wanted to help fund the program. Ever since then, it's been funded only by the businesses and donors, and they don't take any money out of the schools athletic fund. I guess it's kind of a pride thing, to know that we saved the baseball program at Lane, even if was just for a few more years. It's just a shame that they have to cut the program now. It doesn't help that the athletic director HATES baseball. I won't go into detail about what I think about him, but anyway they say the reason for cutting the baseball program is because it has the biggest budget. Which is true, but the school is paying for they're budget anyway. Wierd. I guess that's what happens when you have an "anti-baseball" AD. The baseball program is the most successful sport at Lane and they doing away with it. It's very unfortunate. They have to cut a female sport in order to comply with title IX, and they chose volleyball. Hopefully this isn't the year, but if it is, maybe they'll be able to fund it again sometime down the road. The thing that hurts the program with the "well this is the last year" thing, is it turns away recruits when they know they're just gonna have to transfer after one year anyway. We lost 3 first team all-state recruits my last year there.

I stated that last post wrong. I shouldn't say that all club ball is a joke, but Oregon's team was a joke 3 & 4 years ago. I can't imagine that it's improved much, but I could be wrong. Club ball is a good opportunity for some people.

As for where I played, I screwed that up. I recieved my AAS degree in Auto Technology at Lane, and didn't even question the fact that my auto classes weren't going to transfer. Well, I was in the process of transferring to division II Western Oregon University when they informed me that I only had 36 transferable credits and that I needed 72 to be considered a junior. I was going to have to go to school for about a year and a half to get enough transferable credits before I could play ball. I wouldn't have got any scholarship money until I was an eligible junior. Therefore, I was gonna have to pay for a year & a half to two years out of my pocket with a little financial aid. Financially, I just couldn't afford it, so I had to give it up. I kick myself for not looking into what classes would transfer before I started my AAS program, but you live and learn I guess.

 

[GK19]

wow, when i made my last post i didnt think somebody was gonna come by to rip on club baseball. My screen was showin the last post was by gf2, so i didnt check back on this thread. DuckFan, I asked from the UM team about the oregon team and I was informed that they were, at the time they played UM, ranked #3 in the country for club baseball. Also, they had over 200 people try out, compared to about 30 for the Griz. I think oregon had an advantage. Anyways, its not that big of deal, that was awhile ago. The Griz played in bozeman this last weekend and LOST!!! I guess it was a pretty rough weekend and nothin went the Griz way. One game they out hit msu 12-3, but lost 5-1. Yep, 5 runs on 3 hits, and UM could push 'em across the plate the same. Oh well, its club baseball, and Cringer is right, club baseball is played by people who have academics to worry about first, and sport to worry about second. Doesn't mean they can't, or shouldn't be supported. Speaking of, UM is home this weekend again, against isu i believe. I think i have a real good shot at checkin them out in person, and if any of you have the urge, I suggest you do the same.

 

[Cringer]

That was also three years ago, and it is possible the Oregon team has improved since then. I see where your once proud Titans are a salty 1-7. Believe me, I am the last person who is going to rip on C.C. baseball, (Albert Pujols played a season for Maple Woods Community College before everyone realized he was...well God). Community College baseball squads are made up of players who hope to pursue a higher level of baseball, where as club teams are made of players who chose their school for academic purposes and wanted to play some ball on the side. I have no doubt your school was good, but with a roster of 31 players who consistantly practice (many of which were recruited) I am not shocked you beat the underfunded, sparsely supported club teams. Club team baseball isn't a joke, it's just not a priority. Out of curiousity, where did you play after you left Lane?

Yeah, they're not starting the year off on a very good note. This is apparently the last year of the baseball and volleyball programs at Lane. They've been saying it for the last few years, but now they're saying it's for sure this time. Due to lack of funding from the state, the school can no longer afford to support the programs. My last year, in 2004, they said it was the last year, so we as a team had an "us against the world" mentality and carried that mentality through the season and into the NWAACC tourney. After we won the regional championship, there was a ton of businesses and private donors who all of a sudden wanted to help fund the program. Ever since then, it's been funded only by the businesses and donors, and they don't take any money out of the schools athletic fund. I guess it's kind of a pride thing, to know that we saved the baseball program at Lane, even if was just for a few more years. It's just a shame that they have to cut the program now. It doesn't help that the athletic director HATES baseball. I won't go into detail about what I think about him, but anyway they say the reason for cutting the baseball program is because it has the biggest budget. Which is true, but the school is paying for they're budget anyway. Wierd. I guess that's what happens when you have an "anti-baseball" AD. The baseball program is the most successful sport at Lane and they doing away with it. It's very unfortunate. They have to cut a female sport in order to comply with title IX, and they chose volleyball. Hopefully this isn't the year, but if it is, maybe they'll be able to fund it again sometime down the road. The thing that hurts the program with the "well this is the last year" thing, is it turns away recruits when they know they're just gonna have to transfer after one year anyway. We lost 3 first team all-state recruits my last year there.

I stated that last post wrong. I shouldn't say that all club ball is a joke, but Oregon's team was a joke 3 & 4 years ago. I can't imagine that it's improved much, but I could be wrong. Club ball is a good opportunity for some people.

As for where I played, I screwed that up. I recieved my AAS degree in Auto Technology at Lane, and didn't even question the fact that my auto classes weren't going to transfer. Well, I was in the process of transferring to division II Western Oregon University when they informed me that I only had 36 transferable credits and that I needed 72 to be considered a junior. I was going to have to go to school for about a year and a half to get enough transferable credits before I could play ball. I wouldn't have got any scholarship money until I was an eligible junior. Therefore, I was gonna have to pay for a year & a half to two years out of my pocket with a little financial aid. Financially, I just couldn't afford it, so I had to give it up. I kick myself for not looking into what classes would transfer before I started my AAS program, but you live and learn I guess.

It's actually kind of ironic, as you would have benefitted from playing club baseball at a college that would have accepted your credits or whatever (did you go to Missoula?). I understand some of your digs on club team ball, but they are really trying to make it a good mix of competition/academics. It's too bad you didn't get to play though, at the same time your story about Lane is pretty cool. People don't understand just how competative JuCo ball really is (Again, see previous comment on Albert Pujols)

I think the toughest part for me was when I tried out (going on four years ago) some of us got to travel for a Fall ball game and it cost me $70 just to stay in a hotel with six other players trying out only to get two at bats in three games and cut from a team with only 2/3 of its players actually attending the U. I don't think it bothers me too much, considering there were about two other guys who were cut that were better than I was. In the end everyone they kept had more to offer the team than I did, so I still wish them all the best, and the bum shoulder I carried since high school had time to heal (there, my excuse :thumb: ) About three years ago they got some ambitious players and are now sanctioned, and can play in the club post season (assuming they ever find the right funds). I don't think they need a million write ups in The Kaimin, but for crying out loud put a box score in there every now and then. These guys do work hard and play pretty good brand of baseball (remember, these are pretty much the best ball players at a school of 13,000). I'd toss a couple of bones there way WHEN I get my first real job. Don't hit me up just yet folks, two more years of graduate school, and you might want to wait until the loans are paid off.

I think I'll call this book, Club Team Mambo

 

[DuckFan]

It's actually kind of ironic, as you would have benefitted from playing club baseball at a college that would have accepted your credits or whatever (did you go to Missoula?).

Like I said, club ball is a good opportunity for people who just want to have a laid back good time, which is fun in its own right. However, I wouldn't have benefitted from club ball, as I am a very competitive person, and club ball isn't that competitive when campared to sanctioned college ball. The clubs teams that I played against where pretty laid back and they took their time when they took the field on defense and when they came in to hit. At Lane, and almost every other sanctioned college team, they don't walk anywhere. They hustle everywhere they go on the field. It's just a different level. That's the level I'm accustomed to. I would have become very frustrated with the laid back style of club ball. Since they don't have any city league baseball up here in Kalispell, I have to play softball instead. I play both men's and co-rec. Men's is a little more competitve than co-rec, but they're still pretty laid back. Don't get me wrong it's a blast in its own right, but its just not quite the same. Hopefully someday they'll start a baseball league up here, but until they do, it's beer league softball.
CHEERS!!! :drinking: