By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

LOS ANGELES — UCLA Head Baseball Coach John Savage is one of the best pitching coaches in the business.

In this exclusive interview with Collegiate Baseball, Savage discusses all aspects of pitching within his time-honored system.

Savage has been a pitching coach on the college level for the past 21 years with stops at Nevada, U.C. Irvine, Southern California and now with the Bruins the past nine seasons.

UCLA’s team ERA the last four years has been remarkable.

• 2010 (3.00 ERA).
• 2011 (2.44 ERA).
• 2012 (3.13 ERA).
• 2013 (2.55 ERA).

Never in the history of UCLA baseball has pitching been so good for so long, and that is a direct reflection of Savage who teaches every aspect of pitching to his hurlers, including the vital mental side.

Over his nine years, Savage has produced some of the nation’s top drafted pitchers, including Gerrit Cole (first overall pick in 2011 Draft by the Pirates), Trevor Bauer (third overall pick in 2011 Draft by the Diamondbacks), David Huff (first round supplemental pick in 2006 by the Indians) and Rob Rasmussen (second round pick in 2010 by the Marlins), just to name a few.

Savage led the Bruins to their first national baseball championship at the 2013 College World Series as the Bruins rolled through the NCAA Tournament with a 10-0 record and finished 5-0 at the College World Series.

UCLA ran the table against an imposing gauntlet of ranked teams.

The Bruins started off by beating Cal Poly and San Diego in Regional action along with San Diego St.

Then UCLA competed at No. 4 ranked Cal. St. Fullerton and eliminated the Titans two straight.

At the College World Series, UCLA knocked off No. 1 ranked LSU, No. 5 N.C. State, No. 2 North Carolina and then swept Mississippi State two straight in the Championship Series.

Incredibly, the Bruins’ pitching staff only allowed four runs over five CWS games against these elite teams.

In the 67-year-history of the College World Series, only one national champion has given up fewer runs than UCLA this year as California allowed three in 1957.

The Bruins were the first team in CWS history to allow one run or less in each of the five games they played. 

Traditional Approach
“We are very traditional in the way that we utilize pitchers in games,” said Savage.

“We don’t try to reinvent the position. We have specific roles in our program that we set usually within a month or month and a half of them being on campus. We try to recruit depth and pitchability along with delivery projections and toughness. Those are the main ingredients of what we are looking for.

“Then we establish roles in terms of a Tuesday starter or a Friday, Saturday or Sunday starter. Sometimes that won’t be established until January. Every year is a little different depending on who you have coming back.

“Then we want to establish the seventh inning relief pitcher, setup guy in the eighth inning. And certainly, you must have a closer. Our biggest thing is having our pitchers knowing their roles and having them embrace their roles so they can become the pitching staff we want to become.

“We talk about one baton in two worlds. The baton is the baseball. You hand the baseball off to the starting world. Then it is turned over to the bullpen. We want to have the best starting pitching in the country and want to have the best bullpen in the nation.

“The goal is to connect the entire game as we have our strongest guy for that role on the mound. It takes time to establish those roles. But when you get to that position and get their minds right as they embrace their roles on the staff, we have seen a lot of good things happen.”

For the complete story on John Savage’s amazing pitching system, order the Oct. 4, 2013 issue of Collegiate Baseball by CLICKING HERE.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball
© 2013 Collegiate Baseball

The results are in with NCAA testing on flat seam vs. raised seam NCAA certified baseballs.

After several months of testing at the NCAA Bat Certification lab at Washington State University, the Sept. 30 results show that the flat seam ball will travel further than a raised seam ball due to the “drag effect.” The greater the distance a ball travels, the greater the drag effect.

The test was conducted with an average ball exit speed from a machine at 95 mph with a spin rate of 1,400 RPM and a launch angle of 25 degrees. These parameters were set because they replicate the settings of a typical home run or a hit that could become a home run.

The average distance the raised seam ball traveled was 367 feet while the average distance the flat seam ball traveled was 387 feet — 20 feet further.

Research was not able to give a difference between a raised seam vs. flat seam ball at a specific distance such as 320 feet, 350 feet and 400 feet. However, researchers believe this study is a good representation of what you will get with a raised seam vs. flat seam batted ball.

The results of the testing were sent to NCAA Division I head baseball coaches by American Baseball Coaches Association Executive Director Dave Keilitz, and head coaches will now vote on whether they prefer a raised seam NCAA approved ball or the flat seam ball for NCAA tournament use.

If in the future complications involved with changing to a higher performance standard (COR) for the college ball can be resolved, Keilitz wanted to know if coaches would prefer to keep the present college ball standard of a .555 COR or if it should be increased to the pro maximum standard of .578.

Keilitz will submit the results of this survey to the NCAA Baseball Committee by Oct. 21 for their Nov. 4 meeting.

“I believe a decision on the ball will be made on Nov. 4,” said Keilitz in his letter to NCAA Division I coaches.

“If a change is to be made, it would not be for this year, but probably the 2014-2015 school year. So teams would have use of the new ball for fall practice. If we were to change from a raised seam ball (now required by the NCAA for tournament play) to a flat seam ball, the process is fairly simple. First of all, the change doesn’t have to go through the NCAA Rules Committee, which represents all three divisions — I, II and III, because it isn’t a ball rule change.

“The NCAA Division I Baseball Committee can declare that the flat seam ball will be used for tournament play, and it’s done. Secondly, safety is not a factor because the ball comes off the bat at the same speed whether it is a raised seam ball or a flat seam ball (the drag effect does not take effect until the ball travels a good distance). Third, all the major ball companies (Diamond, Wilson, Rawlings) can easily produce a flat seam ball at no extra cost to the schools.”

For years, NCAA Division I schools have used the raised seam baseball in practices and games since it is the ball being used in post-season NCAA tournament games.

No testing was done at Washington State on the minor league specification flat seam baseball since neither the NCAA Rules Committee nor the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee has any interest in using it for tournament games at this time with the higher maximum .578 COR performance level.

According to Keilitz, previous testing showed significant differences in the distances balls travel that are approved for college and pro baseball.

“Previous research has shown that a minor league flat seam ball with a maximum COR of .578 hit 300 feet would go 20-25 feet further than a college (raised seam) ball with a maximum COR of .555,” said Keilitz.

That would translate to 26.6 to 33.3 feet further on a ball hit 400 feet with the minor league baseball.

Keilitz said that the cost per dozen for the minor league ball would run more than the college ball. The major league ball would be cost prohibitive to most schools at a cost of over $100 per dozen.

Lower Offensive Numbers
Since BBCOR specification bats have been required since the 2011 season, offensive numbers have plummeted in college baseball.

The poster child for lack of offense took place at the recent College World Series as only three home runs were hit in 14 games. It marked the lowest home run total since 1966 — some 47 years ago when only two home runs were hit in 15 games. The total number of runs scored in the 2013 College World Series was 86 — the lowest total since 98 runs during the 1973 CWS which was the last year before aluminum bats and the designated hitter.

Over 14 games last June at the CWS, the batting average for teams was an anemic .237.

From an all-time high of 62 homers at the 1998 College World Series, the numbers have sunk lower and lower with 9 in 2011, 10 in 2012 and 3 in 2013. Numbers the last three years have closely mirrored the wood bat era in college baseball which took place up to the 1973 season.

Many coaches in college baseball don’t want to go back to the wild scoring games prior to BBCOR bats which featured numerous home runs and lengthy ball games. But a vocal core of coaches feel that a slight adjustment is in order that could pump offense into the game. The flat seam college baseball with a maximum COR of .555 might be the answer.

Keilitz said that in a survey sent to NCAA Division I coaches in October of 2012, a slight majority (55 percent) preferred a flat seam ball. The survey also showed that a slight majority of coaches (53 percent) did not want to change the present ball COR standard.

“There are a number of different styles that coaches favor in playing baseball,” said Keilitz.

“Some coaches enjoy having teams which feature great pitching and defense while they manufacture runs. Other coaches like the 3-run homer. I know that coaches take this into consideration when voting for things like this.

“My guess is that John Savage of UCLA probably likes the game the way it is since his teams are built on pitching and defense. When you look at the teams Skip Bertman previously built at LSU, the bats were more lively, and he took advantage of that as he loaded his lineup with nine guys who could hit home runs. He was smart doing this as they won several national titles with this strategy.

“The beauty of baseball involves the different ways you can play it. So it will be interesting to see what the vote will be by our coaches.”

Great For Pro Baseball
Derek Johnson, Minor League Pitching Coordinator for the Chicago Cubs and a highly successful pitching coach for 11 seasons at Vanderbilt, feels a change in balls will be great for pitchers going into pro baseball.

“If pitchers use the flat seam ball in college, there will be no adjustment period at all to the professional baseball (which also is a flat seam baseball),” said Johnson.

“When college pitchers come into pro ball now, there is an adjustment phase getting used to the flat seam ball when it comes to curves since pitchers have been throwing with the high seam baseball for years. It’s a bit different throwing the flat seam ball, but eventually pitchers adjust.”

Johnson believes there will be fewer blisters with pitchers when they transition into pro ball if the flat seam ball is used since pitchers won’t try to grip the seams tighter.

The University of Florida landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, according to Collegiate Baseball newspaper’s annual evaluation of NCAA Division I baseball classes.

It marks the Gators’ second national recruiting title in the 31-year history of the rankings by Collegiate Baseball.

Florida captured its first recruiting championship in 2009 with seven drafted players.

Of the 17 new recruits which were brought in this fall, eight were drafted by professional baseball last June — the highest number of drafted players ever landed in a Florida recruiting class. Six of those are highly regarded pitchers.

The star-studded group includes 15 freshmen and two junior college transfers.

A complete rundown on Florida’s recruiting class, as well as each of the top 20 classes, is in the Oct. 4 issue of Collegiate Baseball.

To purchase that issue, CLICK HERE.

“We feel that we have brought in an outstanding class of players who will compete for playing time right away,” said Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan.

“This group of 17 players is being counted on, and we feel as though we have found the right mix of players who can help us immediately.”

Florida also continued a trend where a school from the Southeastern Conference has won the recruiting title in 10 of the last 11 years.

Another interesting situation developed where three of the top four teams in the Collegiate Baseball recruiting rankings are from the state of Florida in No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Florida St. and No. 4 Miami (Fla.) which has never happened before.

The rankings are based on players who enroll at school each fall. Athletes who initially signed letters of intent with a school but then signed a pro contract after being drafted do not count in the overall evaluation.

2013 NCAA Div. I
Recruiting Results
1. Florida
2. Mississippi St.
3. Florida St.
4. Miami (Fla.)
5. Oklahoma St.
6. Texas
7. Cal. St. Fullerton
8. Stanford
9. Oregon
10. Louisiana St.             

11. South Carolina
12. Mississippi
13. N.C. State
14. Tennessee
15. Texas A&M
16. UCLA
17. North Carolina
18. Arizona
19. Oklahoma
20. Michigan                    

21. Rice
22. Virginia
23. Vanderbilt
24. Oregon St.
25. Arizona St.
26. Nebraska
27. Texas Tech.
28. Texas Christian
29. South Alabama
30. California                   

31. U.C. Santa Barbara
32. Clemson
33. Arkansas
34. San Diego
Loyola Marymount
35. Georgia Tech.
36. Georgia
37. Louisville
38. East Carolina
39. Central Florida
40. Kent St.                     

Other Top Recruiting Classes: Southern California, U.C. Irvine, Kansas St., Kentucky, Fresno St., Indiana, Air Force, Alabama, Cal. Poly, Nevada, Austin Peay St., Hawaii, Florida Atlantic, Notre Dame, West Virginia, U.C. Riverside, Baylor, Western Michigan, Long Beach St., Winthrop, Coastal Carolina, N.C. Charlotte, Central Michigan, Nevada-Las Vegas, St. John’s, Auburn, Stetson, Samford, North Florida, Wichita St., Missouri St., Connecticut, Georgia St., Minnesota, Texas St., San Diego St., Wake Forest, Southern Mississippi, Louisiana-Lafayette, Tulane, James Madison, Memphis, South Florida, Liberty, Eastern Michigan, Maryland, Jacksonville, Kennesaw St., San Francisco, Appalachian St., Stony Brook, Ohio St., Purdue, Washington, Washington St., Florida International, Pepperdine, Missouri, New Mexico, Seton Hall, Georgia Southern, Monmouth.

Source: Collegiate Baseball

Previous NCAA Div. I
Recruiting Champions
2012: Vanderbilt
2011: South Carolina
2010: Louisiana St.
2009: Florida
2008: Arizona St.
2007: Louisiana St.
2006: South Carolina
2005: South Carolina
2004: Louisiana St.
2003: North Carolina
South Carolina
2002: Georgia Tech.
2001: Southern California
2000: Cal. St. Fullerton
1999: Southern California
1998: Georgia Tech.
1997: UCLA
1996: Texas A&M
1995: Arizona St.
1994: Mississippi St.
1993: Miami (Fla.)
1992: Florida St.
1991: Miami (Fla.)
1990: Arizona
1989: Florida St.
1988: Miami (Fla.)
1987: Stanford
1986: Stanford
1985: Hawaii
1984: Florida St.
1983: Arizona St.

Source: Collegiate Baseball

The 2013 USA Baseball 18U National Team beat Japan, 3-2 to win the 2013 IBAF ‘AAA’/18U World Cup in Taichung, Taiwan.

The U.S. won its first world title since 1999 last year, and now has won back-to-back championships.

“I’m not sure I can totally describe this feeling,” 18U National Team manager, Rob Cooper, said.

“What I do want to say is how proud I am to associated with these 20 young men: what they’ve gone through, how they came together and how they stayed together. In this tournament you saw 20 guys come together for something far more important than themselves and play for the letter on their chest.”

Cooper handed the ball to Brady Aiken (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.) with the World Cup championship on the line, and the left-hander delivered. He fired seven innings, spreading out five hits and one run while walking two and striking out 10 to earn the victory.

“To have the coaches any my teammates have the faith in me to go out and start this game means everything,” explained Aiken. “It was such an honor. Winning this championship means everything.”

Aiken found himself locked in a pitcher’s duel with Japanese southpaw Yuki Matsui. Matsui worked into the seventh inning, allowing just five hits and two runs while striking out nine and walking a pair. He threw 106 pitches in the losing effort.

Down by a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, Cole Tucker (Phoenix, Ariz.) got the offense started with a single – the first hit for the U.S. on the night. Two batters later, Michael Rivera (Venice, Fla.) singled to put runners on the corners for Adam Haseley (Windermere, Fla.). Haseley hit a ground ball, but hustled down the line to beat the double play attempt and score Tucker from third to tie the game.

An inning later, the offense went back to work. With two outs, Jakson Reetz (Hickman, Neb.) doubled down the left field line, and was driven in by a single from Bryson Brigman (San Jose, Calif.) to give the U.S. the lead.

With Aiken working in the seventh inning, he got an assist from his back stop Rivera. After a strike out on a missed two-strike bunt attempt, Rivera fired to first to pick off Ryuma Mori. Aiken punched out the next hitter to end the frame and hold the 2-1 U.S. lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Red, White and Blue grinded out a run in a third consecutive frame. Trace Loehr (Milwaukie, Ore.) hit the inning’s first pitch for a single, forcing a Japan pitching change. Reliever Taisuke Yamaoka’s first pitch was wild, allowing Loehr to advance to second. After Rivera sacrificed him over, Keaton McKinney (Ankeny, Iowa) singled through the right side to push the lead to 3-2.

Cooper wasted no time with the two-run lead, electing to go to closer Luis Ortiz (Sanger, Calif.) to start the eighth inning. With a runner on first, catcher Tomoya Mori skied a ball into foul territory just into the seats, but Haseley leaped, making an incredible catch.

Japan would strike for one in the inning on a two out single to cut the lead to 3-2, but Ortiz would silence the Japanese bats in the ninth inning to seal the victory and initiate a wild dog pile celebration on the field.

“To be a part of this is something I never even dreamed of,” 18U National Team assistant coach, Kevin Wilson, remarked. “When I got this opportunity, this was my goal. When the game ended I had to ask (Mike) Maack how we got the last out, I was just so overwhelmed.”

During the closing ceremony, Ortiz was named the tournament’s MVP after going 1-0 with three saves in five appearances. Ortiz allowed just two earned runs in eight and one-third innings pitched while striking out 12.

Adam Haseley was honored as one of three “Best Outfielders” and for leading the tournament in batting average (.452). Michael Rivera was named “Best Third Baseman.”

Baseball and softball finished a distant second in voting by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members Sunday, Sept. 8 to be reinstated as an official Olympic Sport.

Wrestling, which was dropped from the Olympics last February by the 15-person IOC Executive Board amid a huge uproar, was voted back in after receiving 49 of the 95 votes cast.

The joint bid of baseball/softball was second with 24 votes while squash received 22.

Because of the winning vote, wrestling is now assured of appearing at both the 2020 and the 2024 Summer Olympics.

For baseball/softball, which had among others Antonio Castro, the son of the long-time Cuban leader Fidel in their presentation team, it represents another blow after being voted out of the Olympics beginning with the 2012 London summer games.

USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO, Paul Seiler, issued the following statement regarding the vote:

“While we are obviously disappointed with the decision of the International Olympic Committee to not move forward with baseball and softball for inclusion on the Olympic program in 2020, we continue to believe the combined efforts of baseball and softball provide a great platform for international competition and we look forward to continuing our joint efforts of growing baseball and softball worldwide.

“USA Baseball will continue to promote baseball and softball both internationally and domestically through our various initiatives, and we look forward to the opportunity to return to the Olympic program in the future.

“In the meantime, we want to thank our partners and fans for their support of our joint efforts.”

By JACK DUNN
Special To Collegiate Baseball

PORTLAND, Ore. — This is a multiple drill that combines the teaching of both base stealing techniques and defensive skills to be used against those attempting to steal.

Equipment:
• Protective Screens.

• Place protective screen behind second base to protect runners from errant throws from the catcher.

• Place protective screen behind first base to protect runners from errant pick off throws from the pitcher.

• Throw down bases.

• Stopwatch.

Pitchers will practice throwing from the “set position,” holding runners at first base and quick delivery to home plate.

Procedure:
• Place a pitcher on the mound.

• Works from set position.

• Pitcher tries to pick runner off first base.

• Works on quickness to home plate.

• Works on varying time between pitches to home to keep runner guessing.

• Quickness to home plate should be timed from start of pitcher’s first movement until ball hits catcher’s glove.

1.6 seconds = Poor

1.4 seconds = Good

1.3 seconds = Excellent

Catcher will practice proper shifting and proper footwork to improve quickness and release time on throws to second base as well as accuracy of throws to second.

Procedure:
• Behind home plate and in full gear.

• Receives pitches and throws to second base.

• Coach will use a stopwatch to time catcher’s throw to second.

• Stop the stopwatch the instant the ball is caught at second base.

• Ideal time is 2.0 seconds or less.

First Baseman will practice correct position and stance for holding runner at first and how to apply the tag correctly.

Procedure:
• Assumes correct position at first base to hold runner on.

• Receives pick-off throws from pitcher and applies tag.

Middle Infielders will practice covering second base correctly, receiving catcher’s throw, applying the tag correctly and “cheating” toward second base to be there in time to receive the catcher’s throw.

Procedure:
• Place shortstop and second baseman in their positions.

• Shortstop and second baseman alternate covering second base and backing up the throw.

• Middle infielders learn how far to “cheat” (play closer to second base) to be at second base in time to receive catcher’s throw.

• Middle infielders receive catcher’s throw and apply tag.

Base Runners will practice how to lead off first base correctly, return to first base correctly after a pick-off attempt, read the pitcher’s moves, make the correct initial step when “breaking” for second base and how to “look-in” when attempting to steal as ball enters impact zone.

Procedure:
• No runner on first base…for reasons of safety.

• Players line up behind first base along the right field foul line.

• Use throw down bases.

• Space bases about four feet apart.

• Three or flour players practice “breaks and leads” at one time.

• Runners break for second base as pitcher delivers to home.

• Runners do not slide, but run behind protective screen at second base.

• Runners should be timed.

3.4 seconds — Very Fast

3.4 to 3.6 seconds — Alert to Steal

3.6 to 3.8 seconds — Questionable

3.8 to 4.0 seconds — Hit and Run

4.0 seconds — Forget Stealing

Jack Dunn is the former head baseball coach at Portland State University. He has written many articles over the years for Collegiate Baseball. His articles focus on actual drills that can be used by coaches and players to improve specific skills. To subscribe to Collegiate Baseball, CLICK HERE.

WICHITA, Kan. – The El Dorado (KS) Broncos and the San Diego (CA) Force each won four games to advance to Championship Week in the 79th Annual National Baseball Congress World Series.

The Broncos used aggressive offense and solid pitching to win four games and win the First Week Championship. Taking an early 4-0 lead to defeat the San Diego (CA) Force 6-2 in the meeting of the last two undefeated teams. Tyler Ware went 3-for-5 and scored twice and Clayton Taylor went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs.

Eric Schuermann, the second of four pitchers, earned the win in relief, allowing one hit and striking out three in 2 1/3 innings.

El Dorado, in winning a $5,000 compensation prize, led all teams in the First Week with a .331 batting average and was second in pitching with a 1.36 ERA. Taylor batted .500 (7-for-14) with 7 RBIs and three extra-base hits.

San Diego, which was unable to recover from that deficit, bounced back in the final game of the first week to beat Cape Girardeau (MO) 7-3. Timothy Williams went 3-for-5 and scored two runs, while Tyler Nordgren and K.J. Miramontes each drove in a pair of runs. Adrian DeMar went 5 2/3 innings to get the win.

The Broncos will open Championship Week on Aug. 2 against the Nevada (MO) Griffons.

The Force also earned a $5,000 compensation check and will play Clarinda (IA) Aug. 3

Those teams join 14 others, including two-time defending champion Santa Barbara (CA), in the second week double elimination phase.

This is the first year of the new format, in which the tournament is divided into two week-long segments.