Is college baseball the ultimate underdog sport?

[WayboDawg]

It seems like every single year you have at least one or even two teams from small or even tiny conferences that win a Super Regional. Examples: Stony Brook...Southern Miss

Also look at some of the teams that have won the world series recently:

Fresno State 2008
Cal State Fullerton 2004
Rice 2003
Pepperdine 1992
Wichita State 1989

Not to mention some of the best baseball programs in the country are relative unknowns in other sports: Cal St Fullerton, Rice, Wichita State, and (lets face it) Mississippi State.

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

In the Sun Belt, college baseball is profitable, the same way NCAA Hockey is profitable in the Midwest and Northeast and LaCrosse makes money on the Eastern Seaboard. For college baseball, the limited scholarships and Minor Leagues keep it from becoming a bunch of athletes using a college as a stepping stone to the pros. If they tried to do this in football and basketball, the NBA and NFL would both have 4 levels of minor leagues, and the NCAA would allow 25 total scholarships in football and 6 scholarships in basketball (split into 1/3's at best).

 

[DerHntr]

Just one point to make, Wichita doesn't have football but they are definitely known for basketball and baseball.

#GoShocks

 

[WayboDawg]

I saw a story yesterday that talked about how more and more players are choosing college over the minor leagues straight out of high school. In fact, the MLB Draft has shown a trend of drafting more college players than high school these days. I think when you weigh your two options:

1. Get drafted, get a dirt cheap salary, go to a minor league team in the middle of nowhere, spend 80% of your waking ours on a stinking tour bus full of men, most likely never make it to the majors and have nothing to show for it at 35 years old

or..................

2. Accept a college scholarship, be surrounded by people who pamper you and care about you, get an education, get just as much exposure as the minor leagues, if it works out in 4 years: get drafted and sign a big contract, if it doesn't: use the degree you earned to go do something else with your life

 

[patdog]

Seems like a pretty easy choice when you put it that way. And really, unless you're one of the elite players who are drafted in the first couple of rounds, college is a much better choice than the minors.