Jim Penders led UConn to a 2011 NCAA Regional win at Clemson before falling to South Carolina in Super Regional play.

The last two seasons have been nearly unprecedented for the Connecticut baseball team. Jim Penders led the Huskies to the program’s first Super Regional in 2011 before falling to eventual national champion South Carolina. UConn has won 93 games over the last two seasons after winning 45 games last year, while becoming the third Big East school to advance to a Super Regional.

Penders must now reload after losing home grown products George Springer and Matt Barnes in the first round of last year’s first year MLB Draft. In this exclusive interview with College Baseball 360 editor Sean Stires, Penders discusses his team’s success last season, replacing the two aforementioned Connecticut natives, how the Nutmeg State has come to produce other top talent like other college standouts Jason Esposito, A.J. Pollock and Matt Harvey, the one thing he would change about college baseball, and more.

Click the “Play” button below to listen to the interview.

Penders.mp3

Preston Tucker at the plate during the 2011 College World Series

Florida has been to the College World Series in each of the past two seasons. Preston Tucker has been there for each of those trips and is back for a chance to win a national championship in 2012.

The senior was drafted in the 16th round by the Colorado Rockies last year, but opted to return to Gainesville instead of turning pro. His return means the Gators return almost everyone from a team that was the national runner-up in Omaha in 2011.

Despite the arrival of BBCOR bats to college baseball, Tucker still had a monster bat last year, batting .308 with 15 home runs, a team-high 74 RBIs, 23 doubles, and a .926 OPS.

In this exclusive interview with College Baseball 360 editor Sean Stires, Tucker discusses his decision to return for his final year at Florida, the reason for his personal success at the plate with the new bats, his teammates, coaches, his team’s chances to win a national championship and more.

Press the “Play” button below to listen to the podcast interview.

Tucker

Brian O'Connor being interviewed by ESPN's Jenn Brown during the 2011 CWS

The last three seasons have been unprecedented for head coach Brian O’Connor and the Virginia baseball team. The Cavaliers are coming off their second trip to the College World Series in the last three years, with a Super Regional appearance sandwiched between the trips to Omaha.

Most of the players, including All-American two-way player Danny Hultzen, are gone from those two teams though. The roster turnover leaves O’Connor and his coaching staff faced with the new challenge of restocking not only the entire weekend pitching rotation, but also most of the everyday lineup.

In this exclusive interview with College Baseball 360 editor Sean Stires, O’Connor discusses those challenges and more – including the one thing he would change if he were king of college baseball for a day.

Press the “Play” button below to listen to the interview.

O\’Connor.mp3

Justin Jones in the Cal dugout in Omaha

The Cal baseball program ran the gamut of emotions during the 2010-2011 year. The Golden Bears experienced the lowest of lows when they thought their program would be eliminated, and then propelled themselves to the highest of highs-with a run to the 2011 College World Series.

Junior pitcher Justin Jones was there every step of the way. In this exclusive interview with College Baseball 360 editor Sean Stires, Jones discusses his team’s run to Omaha as well as the aftereffects.

He was not able to pitch at the CWS due to an injury he suffered in a Super Regional win over Dallas Baptist, so how is his arm now?

His other revelations include why he decided to remain a Golden Bear rather than transfer to another school after the announcement that Cal baseball would be cut after the 2011 season, who he would take a bullet for, who he would step in front of a car for, and which actor would play him if a movie is ever made about Cal’s unbelievable season.

Press the “play” button below to listen to the podcast.

Justin Jones – 6’2 – 188 – Jr. – LHP – Oakdale, CA

Head Coach:  David Esquer

JustinJones.mp3

The NCAA has reached an agreement that will allow ESPN to broadcast the College World Series and other NCAA championships through the 2023-2024 academic year.

The deal will give ESPN the international rights to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. It will also continue to hold the rights for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament as well as both the Men’s and Women’s College World Series.

According to ESPN, its multimedia platforms will air 24  championships – adding women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s fencing, Division I women’s lacrosse, Division I men’s and women’s outdoor track and women’s bowling. There will be more than 600 hours of live programming annually.

ESPN will air more contests in the early rounds of the Football Championship Series postseason and Division I women’s volleyball, softball and baseball tournaments. The deal, which takes effect immediately, includes expanded coverage of the preseason and postseason NIT.

The 2012 Men’s College World Series will start on Friday, June 15. The CWS typically starts on a Saturday. Click Here to read more about the schedule change.

Have you been watching the race for the MLB Wildcard this month? If you’re a Boston Red Sox fan you have more likely been cringing than actually watching September baseball.

The races for the final AL and NL playoff spots has been great drama for sure, and those races are also exactly why the College World Series should NOT use instant replay as it plans to do in 2012.

Huh?

That’s right, it’s still the regular season, but Major League Baseball doesn’t just use instant replay on home run calls in the postseason, it uses replay in games 1-162 as well as in each and every postseason playoff and World Series game.

Home run calls will be up for review at the 2012 College World Series

College baseball’s (and ESPN’s) plan is to merely use replay for those 15 or so games at the CWS, but not during the Regional or Super Regional rounds of the NCAA Tournament, not during conference tournaments and not during the thousands of games that take place during the regular season.

The rationale is, the technology is in place at the College World Series, so why not use it? I get that argument, but I don’t agree with it.

The fact is, the outcry for change (especially in sports) always comes when the spotlight is the greatest. The spotlight is the greatest in college baseball when those eight teams pull up in their buses in Omaha.

What should have been called a home run during a North Carolina-Vanderbilt game at this year’s CWS was not ruled a home run and ESPN’s cameras caught it. The result?

Outcry.

Every game the Red Sox, Rays, Angels, Braves, and Cardinals have played this month has counted just as much as the ones they played in April and they count just as much as the ones they may or may not play if they make it to the postseason. Instant replay has been an option for each and every one of those games this month and throughout the season, but that is not the case for college baseball.

Go back to 2008. The end of the story is “Wunderdog” Fresno State celebrating a national championship by defeating Georgia at the College World Series, but the journey started well before that.

Fresno had lost three straight with two games left to go in the regular season before it finally clinched the WAC regular season crown. The Bulldogs had to win the WAC postseason tournament just to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Contrary to what some in the NCAA would tell you, those four WAC Tourney games FSU won are postseason games and they all counted just as much as the two at the end of the regular season and the seven combined Regional and Super Regional games they played before the Bulldogs ever got to Omaha.

While they count just as much, instant replay would not have been an option in any of those games.

How about this year’s SWAC and Mountain West Conference postseason tournaments? Alcorn State and New Mexico, respectively, won those tourneys with losing records. If they hadn’t won their tournaments they wouldn’t have received an NCAA bid. Are those games less important than games in Omaha?

I know, those games are not all televised and therefore replay is not an option, but that doesn’t make the ones that are televised more important…this isn’t the Little League World Series (don’t get me started).

The reason instant replay should not be used at the CWS is the same reason the top college baseball players cannot afford to take a day off during the regular season-

Every game counts.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Dugout in Omaha is your one stop for the most officially licensed 2011 College World Series apparel.

The Dugout is located right across the street from the Road To Omaha statue outside TD Ameritrade Stadium, but if you left Omaha without that College World Series hat, shirt or memorabilia you were thinking about you can still get it at Dugouthats.com!  The Dugout also has fitted college and minor league caps – just like the ones the players where on the field.

The best part is, when you click on one of the red links to Dugouthats.com you will save 20% on your order when you enter the coupon code CB360!

OpEd By College Baseball 360 Editor Sean Stires

(July 19, 2011)

We could be playing college baseball right now.

If the college baseball season started in late March instead of February the College World Series would have started this past Saturday  instead of its traditional Father’s Day weekend.

If Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney had his way that’s exactly how things would go. Delaney has been joined by others to push back the start of the college baseball season by at least a month to help level the playing field for northern teams, and it’s actually one of the best ideas he has had.

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney

Delaney wants to see more northern representation at the College World Series. His other ideas to help that cause include placing less emphasis on RPI when it comes to NCAA Tournament selections and expanding the CWS field from eight to 10 teams, with the additional two teams being from the northern part of the country.

If my support for his ideas was measured in fastballs, Delaney would get a 95 (mph) for the schedule, an 88 for the RPI and a crafty lefty’s 67 for his plan to rubber stamp two teams from the north for the College World Series.

Let’s take them one at a time.

A Summer Schedule

Roughly half of the 300 Division One college baseball teams come from the northern part of the country, yet college baseball began its season on February 18 in 2011.

Who plays baseball in February?

Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers are just beginning to report when college baseball is cranking-up its schedule in late February. Where are the MLB guys reporting? Florida and Arizona. You know, where it’s actually warm in February!

That’s exactly where northern teams have to go, again and again, until the snow and ice thaws at the start of the season. It doesn’t take much to figure out that Michigan State, Ohio State, Connecticut, et. al have to go on the road more than their counterparts at places like Florida State, Arizona State and UCLA if they want to play in late February and early March.

Do you think folks in  Tallahassee and Tempe could even identify a snow blower if I walked down the street with one (maybe the retirees who’ve transplanted themselves, but that’s another story)? I’m not talking about the snow plows that clear the streets, I’m talking about the ones my neighbors use to clear their driveways in February and March after that white stuff hits the ground…again and again.

There are plenty of schools in smaller conferences like the Ivy League and America East Conference (to name just a couple) that have foregone even playing the first couple weeks of the season, because it just doesn’t fit into the budget.

Delaney’s idea to push back the start of the college baseball season by at least a month just makes sense, and he’s not the only one who’s floated the idea.

Sunny Golloway

Oklahoma head coach, Sunny Golloway, has vocally floated the idea of shifting the season into the summer as well. Golloway, who is one year removed from taking the Sooners to Omaha, thinks college baseball currently gets lost in the shadow of March Madness with its current start date. He also thinks there would be a better chance to get college baseball more TV exposure by pushing the season further into the summer months.

There are a few obstacles to this idea. The increased cost to schools to house and feed their student athletes while most other students are gone for the summer is one reason.

Another obstacle would be the actual scheduling of games. It’s easy for the Big Ten and other northern conferences to say they want to push back the start of the season to ease their travel woes, but starting the season in late March doesn’t give SEC and ACC schools any incentive to actually go to Columbus or Ann Arbor.  Delaney could get his wish for warmer weather in Ann Arbor to start the season, but that won’t make Texas or Florida want to go there to play.

Probably the biggest obstacle to the schedule shift though is…drum roll…TELEVISION. Nobody wants to hear it, but ESPN and Omaha both want the College World Series exactly where it is- in mid June.

Think about it, as it is the CWS fits perfectly into an open window for programming on ESPN, and more and more television drives the bus when it comes to sports (how about that 8:40 p.m. ET first pitch for last week’s All-Star game).

Less RPI Emphasis At Selection Time

Delaney’s biggest argument here is that because of their location, northern teams don’t have the inherent advantage that teams in the south have to play strong competition and build RPI during conference play. Northern schools aren’t the only ones who say the RPI formula favors southern schools though. Schools on the west coast, which obviously have the advantage of warmer weather, say the current system puts them at a disadvantage as well.

The NCAA did seem to make a step toward placing less importance on RPI this year though with the at-large selection of St. John’s rather than LSU, despite an RPI gap of about 30 spots.

It’s hard to have sympathy for Big Ten schools though who don’t even try to build early season RPI by playing a challenging early season schedule.

Michigan State and Illinois tied for the Big Ten regular season crown, while Purdue finished third in the regular season standings. Michigan State’s games against Clemson and Boston College and Purdue’s game at Vanderbilt were the only regular season games among those three teams in 2011 against schools from conferences that sent teams to Omaha (in fairness to Illinois, they did play three games at LSU two years ago).

Contrast that to Stanford, which went into the season knowing it would have to play conference series vs. UCLA and Arizona State (both 2010 CWS teams). The Cardinal started its 2011 season with three game series at Rice, at Vanderbilt and at Texas.

Or how about New Mexico? The Lobos played a total of 12 road games this past season at Arizona State, Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma. Big Ten schools could make those same trips (and get paid in the process) if they wanted to.

Those Lobos come from the same Mountain West Conference that Delaney has continually stiff-armed when the conversation of a Division One college football playoff comes up.

That’s right, while Delaney has pounded the pulpit to get more exposure (and the TV money that comes with it) for his Big Ten brethren, he has also stood in the way as the biggest road block to breaking-up the BCS football system (and the money that it funnels into his conference).

Add Two Northern Teams To The CWS

This is the absolute worst idea of the bunch. Prior to the 1980s, NCAA Tournament Regionals were exactly that-”regional”. That’s why teams like Minnesota, Michigan and Maine were regulars in Omaha, because they were playing other northern teams, so they were guaranteed that one of them would make it. That’s what Delaney wants to go back to.

Four Regionals and two Super Regionals would be dedicated to northern schools under Delaney’s proposal, thus guaranteeing two teams from the upper part of the country a clear road to Omaha.

Delaney’s north-south line would be drawn between Oklahoma and Kansas, though I’m not really sure how teams on the west coast would fit into the equation. But that’s part of the problem.

Under the Delaney plan, a school like Virginia would be a “northern” team even though they play in what’s considered a “southern conference” (the ACC). Seems like the Cavaliers have done alright over the last three years with two trips to Omaha and another Super Regional under their belt.

Oregon State, Wichita State, Nebraska, and Notre Dame are other schools north of that line that have all been welcomed to Omaha. Connecticut came within spitting distance of the CWS this year as well by winning the Clemson Regional before falling to eventual national champion South Carolina in Super Regional play.

Maybe pitting UConn against Virginia would have been the more “fair” thing to do (for the Huskies anyway), but that’s still a net of one northern team at the CWS.

Solutions

Hey, we’re equal opportunity here, we don’t just rip apart ideas without having other options. We have beaten this drum in different ways over the last couple of years, but we’ll keep beating it anyway. For change to happen guys like Delaney have to think outside the box in other ways. Rather than asking college baseball to drastically change its landscape, Delaney must first be willing to till his own immediate terrain.

If You Build It…

Assuming the college baseball calender/schedule is going to stay the same (which it is for the foreseeable future) then Delaney and the Big Ten (and possibly his counterparts in the Big East) have to step up to the plate in a big way to make something happen.

Build a domed stadium.

That’s right, build a 15-20,000 seat retractable roof stadium near Chicago and play college baseball in it from mid-February right on through the month of March (and for as long as the thermometer dictates).

Chicago could be the backdrop if the Big Ten shelled out the money for a retractable roof stadium.

The Big Ten could take that BCS money that Delaney doesn’t want to relinquish and sink it right into the college baseball programs he wants to help. He would have the most unique structure in college baseball.

The conference could host multiple Big Ten series in the same weekend in the building. Minnesota vs. Northwestern at Noon Friday-Sunday and Michigan-Illinois at 7 p.m. those same days. The Big Ten could lease the place to Horizon League, Summit League and MAC teams for mid-week and conference series as well. Even schools like St. Louis (Atlantic 10) and Eastern Illinois (Ohio Valley) could get in on the action.

The one of a kind building could also be used for conference post season tournaments (to include the Big Ten as well as potentially the other aforementioned leagues) as well as a potential Regional or Super Regional host site.

Delaney has also floated the idea of a northern answer to the College World Series, and the new building could host the event if it ever comes to fruition.

While we’re at it…

Challenge Yourself…

The Big Ten (which of course is now really 12) has taken part in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge for the last three seasons in Florida. It was a good idea, because teams from both northern conferences got to start the season on equal footing (and in the sunshine to boot) against each other. It was also great for pro scouts, because they could see nearly every big prospect from those conferences by making just one trip.

But maybe it’s time to take it up a notch. If a retractable roof stadium is in play, then think big. Ditch the games against Big East schools and crank-up the Big Ten/Pac-12, ACC, Big 12, and SEC Challenges (not all at the same time, but in varying seasons).

The season could start with Arizona State, Stanford and Oregon making the trip to Chicago to play three games in three days against Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. At the same time, Illinois, Purdue and Ohio State would be in the San Francisco Bay or Los Angeles area playing games against Cal, UCLA and Oregon State. The rest of the teams from the two conferences could play their “Challenge” games the following weekend.

Such an event reduces travel, keeps scouts interested, creates early season college baseball publicity, and builds RPI.

The draw wouldn’t be exclusive to Big Ten teams though. How about an event similar to the Houston College Classic, which is held annually at Minute Maid Park? Invite teams from all corners of the country to take part in the domed event. Considering it would be in Chicago, it would be easily accessible for most schools.

But don’t stop there…

Lights, Camera…

In case you hadn’t heard, the Big Ten has this thing called…(wait for it)…The Big Ten Network. On this network they televise Big Ten sporting events, including…(wait)…Big Ten baseball games!

The Big Ten could televise all of the previously mentioned games on its own TV network-further promoting its own product.

Cha-ching!

A New Format

The idea to add two more teams to the College World Series is just too drastic. If we’re going to guarantee two northern teams (regardless of merit) two slots at college baseball’s biggest event we might as well just have Michael Roth and Preston Tucker go hand out ribbons at youth soccer games and call it a day.

Rather than reworking the entire NCAA Tournament format to meet the needs of a few, there is a better compromise.

Augie Garrido

A plan to rework the NCAA Baseball Tournament’s format has been floated recently, and it’s gaining traction. Texas head coach Augie Garrido is among those who favor the change, which would keep the tournament field at 64 teams, while giving more people in different parts of the country the chance to go to the games.

It goes something like this:

Round One: The 64 teams in the NCAA Tournament would play at 32 different locations. Two teams at each site would play a best-two-of-three series (like the current Super Regional format). The winners would move on to the second round.

Round Two: The remaining 32 teams would again play a best-two-of-three series in 16 different locales. The winners would move to round three.

Round Three: The remaining 16 teams would play a best-two-of-three series. The eight winners would advance to the College World Series.

Under this format 32 different teams would have the chance to host a first round series, compared to the current 16 teams that get to host. Second and third round match-ups would be predetermined by seeding, so first round upsets would give more teams the opportunity to host in the next two rounds-meaning northern teams would have a much greater chance to host an NCAA event than they presently do.

Connecticut, Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame (northern schools who also play in “northern conferences”) are among the select truly “northern” teams that have hosted even a Regional over the last decade.

The landscape of college baseball has changed drastically since Michigan last represented the Big Ten in Omaha in 1984. If Delaney and the Big Ten want to think big, it’s time to think big and step-up to actually make things happen.

A panoramic view of TD Ameritrade Park

Paul:  I am aware that dozens of writers have already made comparisons of Omaha’s new TD Ameritrade Park to the condemned Rosenblatt Stadium three miles to the south. I almost didn’t bother writing my own review, but I feel like I needed to on behalf of the people who really loved Rosenblatt Stadium.

Having grown up with the Rosenblatt Stadium lights visible from my bedroom window, I became very attached to Rosenblatt. It was the center of activity in our South Omaha neighborhood where we could go for events. Most people think of the College World Series when they think of Rosenblatt, but it was once the spot for way more than that. I saw my first concert (the Beach Boys) there. To this day, I have still never seen a more spectacular fireworks display than the ones at Rosenblatt.  I think you get the point – I really loved Rosenblatt. So much that I maintain a blog of memories at rememberrosenblatt.com and a Rosenblatt Stadium fan page on Facebook.

Dusk settles on the last CWS game played at Rosenblatt Stadium in 2010.

I moved to Colorado in 1996 and have made it back to numerous events Rosenblatts since. I felt a great loss when I left the last College World Series game in 2010. Had it not been for the opportunity to guest blog for Collegebaseball360.com in 2011, I doubt I would have ever bothered to visit the new TD Ameritrade Park. Now that I have been there, I think it’s important that I share my thoughts on behalf of the thousands of others who are clinging to the memories of Rosenblatt.

In order for me to offer an objective review, I had to try to set aside my opinions about the politics and finances of the new stadium. It’s hard to do. Let me just make this one point before I get to my review.

Many people talk about the stadium cost of $131 million. The reality is it took two new stadiums to replace what Rosenblatt already offered the community. The other new stadium (Werner Park), in the town of Papillion southwest of Omaha cost $26 million. Not included in either figure are the infrastructure costs to get people to the stadiums or keeping flood waters out of the area surrounding TD Ameritrade Park.

Need more background? Read What happened to Rosenblatt Stadium>>

Sean: Unlike Paul, I didn’t grow-up in Omaha. My first visit to the city was in 2002 to attend the College World Series. I have subsequently covered the CWS four more times since then.

As with many people, the connections to Rosenblatt for me was instant and indelible. The College World Series was Rosenblatt Stadim and vice versa. The colors, the neighborhood, the surroundings…the people make forgetting Rosenblatt hard to do.

I am proud to be able to say that I am part of the group of people who were there for the last game at Rosenblatt Stadium and the first game played at TD Ameritrade Park.

A shot of the Road To Omaha statue outside of TDA

Paul: My first visit to TD Ameritrade Park was the evening of day four of the 2011 College World Series. I arrived so late in the game that I didn’t bother going in. I parked my car at an open meter about three blocks south and wandered around the new baseball village that is reportedly owned in part by Omaha’s mayor at the time the decision for a new stadium was made.

I was rather impressed with the layout of the “village”, although it really lacked people on that night. I continued my stroll around the vicinity and the overwhelming feeling was “Where am I?” Twenty years earlier I served a summer internship for the Omaha World-Herald in the same general area and spent quite a bit in north downtown. On my first visit back to the area I did not recognize it. I remember thinking to myself as I jumped back in my car to go meet some people in the Old Market, “Why wasn’t this here when I lived in Omaha?”

Parking & Tailgating

Day five of the College World Series was my first day to go inside the new stadium. Before that though I had to park in Lot D featuring the bubbling spring on the north end. I arrived 90 minutes before the game parked at the far east edge of the lot to preserve up close spots for fans. The few tailgate parties I saw paled in comparison to Rosenblatt tailgates by a long shot. The most active was a tent near the spots closest the stadium which was hosted by the advertising agency of record for College World Series Omaha, Inc.

Press box

Paul: Once inside the business end of the stadium I got a taste of what others mean when they have said the new stadium is “sterile”. I felt like I was in a hospital. I am not alone in my assessment that the press box set up was much better at Rosenblatt. I overheard one reporter say he felt like he was covering the games in a library. My particular beef with the press box at TD Ameritrade is that the glass panes are narrower than at Rosenblatt, so you have more vertical lines disrupting your view. On Day one of the series, a number of media members complained about spotty wifi (internet) access in the press box. I’m sorry, but that should not happen at a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium. Even the press box at 62 year-old Rosenblatt Stadium had good wifi.

Sean: I know some fellow media members mentioned via Twitter and other outlets their displeasure with the lack of “ambiance” in the press box for the first day-plus of the series. I didn’t voice my own thoughts on this at the time, because I’ve always found that “fans” watching on T.V. or paying for tickets to watch the games could care less about what media people who are sitting inside the press box have to “endure” (I use that word with a touch of sarcasm).

That said, it was very unnerving to watch the games in essentially complete silence for those first couple of days. Thankfully, someone finally patched-in the crowd microphone “ambiant” sounds of the stadium for the rest of the CWS. We went from hearing nothing, and I do mean nothing for those first few games to hearing what umpires were saying to players in the batters box. We couldn’t even hear the sound of bat hitting ball prior to the change. If we happened to be looking down to write a note and something happened on the field, we were all but lost. I was sitting next to College Baseball Today’s Eric Sorenson throughout my time at the CWS. Let’s just say if he and I had a dollar for every time we had to ask each other “What just happened?” we could have afforded several adult beverages after every game.

The "skyline" at TDA

View

Paul: On day two of my visit, I vowed to get out into the stadium to get a taste of the fan experience. To say the least, I was impressed. Some have said TD Ameritrade Park has a big league feel to it. I would say it doesn’t. It’s better. Most big league parks are so big that you don’t feel like you’re close to the action. I tested out numerous vantage points from around the main level and all the views of the field were great. However, I did not make it to the upper deck.

On the topic of views, I much preferred the view of treetops and the valley beyond at Rosenblatt than the buildings poking up around downtown Omaha. Regarding the grass on the field I have mixed feelings. Since the most common question I heard about the turf was whether it was real (it is) I’ll have to give it a thumbs down.

Sean: There’s no doubt that TD Ameritrade has a pro park feel. All the defenders of the stadium have basically echoed that sentiment.I asked several players during the CWS what they think of the stadium and they all loved it. All of them said it’s like playing in a pro park. That should come as no shock. Most of the players at the CWS are used to playing in stadiums that seat fewer than 10-thousand. And guess what? They all dream of playing professionallys so of course they are going to love playing in a pro style park.

Yes, there are no obstructed views. And yes, the seats are now wider to accommodate the trend of obesity in America that made them a necessity. I agree with Paul though. The view could be from anytown USA. There is just concrete and steel to stare at. Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside!

Paul's Pick: The Rosenblatt scoreboard.

Scoreboard

Paul: The scoreboard and video reply monitor at TD Park does not stack up to the one at Rosenblatt. If it’s not smaller, it sure looks like it and it doesn’t display as much information. At Rosenblatt, you could see information not just about the current batter, but you could also see who else was in the lineup. Not so at TD. The other thing I liked seeing at Rosenblatt was the pitch speed display. I looked all over and couldn’t find the pitch speed anywhere at the new stadium. The other gripe I have about the scoreboard is that everytime I look at it, I am reminded how much money I have lost in my IRA at TD Ameritrade and how difficult their statements are to read (zing!).

Sean: I honestly had no real thoughts on the scoreboard and how it compares to Rosenblatt. I thought the new one was alright. It serves its purpose. As long as its modern (which it is) and shows replays and the score (which it does) it’s fine with me.

The new scoreboard at TDA

Concessions

Paul: One thing that is vastly improved at TD is the concessions. Truthfully, I only bought a pretzel and a souvenir cup of Dr. Pepper but there was virtually no wait and the ambiance was much more inviting than at Rosenblatt. The people I am happiest for in the whole move to the new stadium are the concessions workers. I always felt bad for the sweaty folks working in the hot, cramped confines of the Rosenblatt concession stands and I’m glad they can now work in greater comfort. The menu boards are attractive and easy to read too.

One myth about TD Ameritrade is that you can watch the game while you stand in line. I actually lost my place in line because I heard a crowd roar and ran to the railing to see what caused the ruckus. The railing around the lower reserved seats, by the way, is very nice. I like the fact that you can set a drink on the narrow counter top or take notes if you want to.

Sean: I agree with pretty much everything Paul had to say on this subject. It is much nicer to have the wider concourse area and open air concessions. I only walked around outside a few times to find my son and his friend in the stands. I do think the bigger concourse and the fact that you can see the field from there only invites people to get up out of their seats and walk around more…so are those bigger seats really necessary if people aren’t sitting in them as long.

The outfield general admission seating area is nicer though. Concession stands are out there and have a view of the field. Those railings Paul was talking about are available as well.

The Dimensions

Sean: A lot was made about the fact that just eight home runs were hit during this year’s CWS, and most of the blame was placed on the new BBCOR bats that were used this season in college baseball. However, that was only part of the reason for the drop in long balls.

The dimensions of TDA are exactly the same as Rosenblatt:  335 feet down the lines, 375′ to right and left centerfield and 408′ to dead center. That makes it the biggest park most college baseball players will ever play in. Florida’s McKethen Stadium is 329′ to left, 325′ to right and 400′ to center, while South Carolina’s Carolina Stadium is 325′ down both lines and 390′ to center.

Remember, Rosenblatt was home to a Triple-A baseball team with bigger and stronger players who needed the bigger dimensions.

The argument for the bigger dimensions seems to be that they are the “great equalizer” for teams once they reach Omaha. Whether it’s a team like Texas with its small ball style or Florida, which ended the season with 69 home runs, no team would have an advantage over others in Omaha.

However, what TDA lacks is the strong southern winds that were prominent at the top of the hill at Rosenblatt that helped push balls out of the yard. TDA sits in the bottom of a valley and with home plate situated roughly ninety degrees clockwise from home plate at Rosenblatt, the winds are more likely to blow in than out.

It’s an easy fix, move the plate five feet and let the game be played.

The Big Picture

A shot from outside the old Rosenblatt Stadium

Sean: There’s no doubt that as an overall facility, TD Ameritrade is an upgrade from Rosenblatt. However, newer and more modern doesn’t mean everything is better.

There is a big difference between a “stadium” and a “ballpark”. The name TD Ameritrade “Park” is a misnomer. It is a stadium. There is no “ballpark” feel. It is all concrete and steel and lacking in emotion and nostalgia…kind of like the NCAA.

Keep it corporate, there’s no time for feelings here!

Put it this way, remember when the Chicago White Sox built the new Comiskey Park (now U.S. Cellular Field) back in 1991? They trumpeted the place as the “Eighth wonder of the world”. It was shiny and new and had all of the most modern amenities (it also had a view of the train yards and projects on the South Side…anything but wonderful). The next year Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened with its “retro ballpark feel” in Baltimore. Guess which one has been the model teams around the country have tried to replicate since? (Hint-it’s not the one with the corporate name.)

That’s my biggest gripe with TDA. I can’t fault the city for wanting a new stadium, but they act like it was required to build one without a soul. Go to Oklahoma City, Lansing, MI, Bridgewater, NJ and all points in between. Ballparks there have the feeling of a “ball park” not an overblown corporate event attended by Sterling, Cooper & Price et al.

When the Yankees built the new Yankee Stadium they didn’t forsake their past. While they might have done a better job to project things like wind tunnels in right field, they did everything they could to make it as much like the House That Ruth Built when they erected the new yard.

The left field concession area...can you see it?

TDA is also sorely lacking in color. Those sandy, tan concessions in left field look like they’re trying to hide from a camel in the desert. Would it hurt to dress them up? How about painting all that gray steel dark green (like they do at most parks) to set some contrast from the Qwest Center and all the other cold steel and glass in the background?

Rosenblatt wasn’t just unique for its structure, it was painted bright blue and red. It screamed “something fun’s happening here”. TDA screams…well, does it scream anything? The only bright colors there are the red on the sign across the street at The Dugout and those red structures at the corner of 10th and Cumming..

1. The new stadium – Omaha unveiled its shiny new big-league style $131 million dollar stadium.
2. George W. Bush - Threw out first pitch and out-chatted ESPN analysts in the booth. (game 1)
3. Five infielders – Pulling out all the stops to beat South Carolina, Texas A&M pulls an outfielder and inserts a fifth fielder into the infield  (game 4). They lost anyway.
4. Kent Emanuel - UNC’s freshman pitcher threw a complete game shutout to send the Texas Longhorns home as the first 2011 0-2 team. (game 5)
5. Wicked Weather – We knew things could get ugly when the Weather Channel crews showed up in Omaha for Day 3 of the series. High winds and rain from a storm cell that generated numerous tornadoes west of town caused the Florida-Vandy game to be postponed delayed until the next morning. The entire stadium, including the press box, was evacuated upon arrival of the storm.
6. California Bears – Thanks to the fundraising efforts of  boosters, the Cal Bears overcame elimination of the baseball program and qualified to compete in Omaha’s eight-team tournament.
7. Outfield Fence – Created controversy in the first game of the series when a Florida home run ball was rule a double by the home plate umpire.
8. Connor Harrell – Vanderbilt’s centerfielder became the “Home Run King” of TD Ameritrade Park hitting two bombs during the series. He says he was just trying to hit line drives and was able to get them up into the jet stream.
9. South Carolina - Won the “battle” and their second national championship in two years after overcoming injuries, loaded bases, extra innings and the nations top pitchers.
10. Scott Wingo - Second baseman for South Carolina, came of age as a college baseball icon, earning the designation as Most Outstanding Player for turning multiple double-plays along with great hitting and base running.

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Sure, the move downtown may have caused some Rosenblatt faithful to abandon the experience. But by all indications, they have been replaced with a new breed of college baseball fan.

South Carolina fan Zack Boyd in front of the Road to Omaha Statue

Take South Carolina fan Zack Boyd for example. He won’t miss the traditions and lore of Rosenblatt. That’s because he never experienced it. This is his first time in Omaha. He made the 18-hour drive from Columbia, S.C., to be here to support his title-defending Gamecocks.

“The stadium is great and so is the food,” Boyd said after three days in Omaha. “All the different college teams out here and whatnot. The people are also very friendly. I’ll stay here the whole time if my team repeats.”

Alanna Fortune is a new CWS fan too. “It seems like a really nice stadium. I love it!” she said.

Alanna and Cash Fortune at 2011 College World Series

Alanna and her husband Cash were in Omaha to celebrate three years of marriage.

“I’m surprised how loud it is here in person, ” Cash told me. “It seems so quiet on tv. The crowd is really into it.”

Cash got bit by the CWS bug in 2008 when his father and groomsmen took him to the College World Series to celebrate his bachelor party. This is his third time back in four years.

Cash informed me that the couple had spent their honeymoon in Denver … so they could attend a Rockies game at Coors Field.

Emily Poeschl has made the adjustment to the new stadium. The Omaha resident was a big fan of Rosenblatt. Having thrown out the first pitch at an Omaha Royals game during Rosenblatt’s final season, Poeschl even had a sentimental attachment to Rosenblatt.

After day-1 of the College World Series, her feelings about the new arrangement were unmistakable. “The new stadium and downtown location are a huge improvement!” she said.

It seems a new leaf in Omaha’s College World Series experience has been turned over. The memories of Rosenblatt Stadium remain with those who experienced it, and a new era is here to stay.