Season change places pressure on pitching - Tulsa World (2-17-2008)

[ORUTerry]

Season change places pressure on pitching

By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

2/17/2008

(excerpt)

Shorter schedule likely to affect mid-majors the most, says ORU coach.

IT'S MID-FEBRUARY, and for the first time ever, college baseball is not underway.

This marks the first season of a new NCAA rule that establishes, like football and basketball, a uniform start date for practice and for opening day.

On the surface, it sounds good. Northern teams are now less disadvantaged because of winter weather than their counterparts in the south and west. Also, with practice starting no sooner than Feb. 1 and no games before Feb. 22, players have more time to spend establishing spring classroom routines.

But plenty of negatives remain.

"I think it hurts a little bit because you're having to double-up in your midweek games," said Oral Roberts coach Rob Walton. "For us, and for some smaller mid-major schools that are trying to make a run at winning a national title, it's just going to run through your pitching." ......

Link to Tulsa World Sports Extra

[Mike Minyard]

I love hearing the word national championship come out of Coach Walton's mouth.  I appreciate people that set extremely high goals.  What if we don't win it?  I think just the fact that you say it makes you better because you are going after that goal.  You're probably going to finish better than if you would have you set a mediocre goal.

Coach Walton is an impressive individual, and I have a ton of respect for him and his program.  I haven't been this excited about baseball season in a while.  Can't believe our first home game is Feb. 29.

Call (918) 495-6000 if you haven't taken care of your season tickets yet.  Reminder postcards are going out this week.