Back to school: League may have college vibe with short season

By David Brandt

PHOENIX (AP) » John Stuper remembers some of the first advice he got from veterans when he joined the St. Louis Cardinals as a rookie pitcher in 1982: Don’t get too high or too low during Major League Baseball’s grueling 162-game schedule or you’ll go insane.

Now as a veteran college coach with the Yale Bulldogs, the 63-year-old is the one who has some advice.

“A college baseball season is totally different,” Stuper said. “It’s a sprint.”

If MLB and the players’ union can come to an agreement and partially save the season amid the coronavirus pandemic, the 60- to 70-game schedule will look somewhat similar to a college schedule. NCAA Division

I teams can play a maximum of 56 games during the regular season and routinely top 70 games if they make the postseason and advance to the College World Series.

Some fans might miss the leisurely pace of baseball’s usual summer grind, but a condensed schedule could bring perks.

Grand Canyon coach Andy Stankiewicz — who was a utility infielder in the big leagues for seven seasons during the 1990s — said he’s grown to appreciate the subtle differences in the college and pro experience.

“It’s going to be quick and accelerated right out of the gate,” Stankiewicz said. “It’s going to be, ‘Let’s go man, we can’t afford to lose today.’ Managers are going to be making more decisions to win today and then worry about tomorrow when tomorrow.”

There’s a handful of former MLB players who are now in the college coaching ranks. Here are some more of their thoughts on what to watch for during a shortened season:

PITCHING DEPTH KING

Four-time All-Star closer Troy Percival is now the coach at UC Riverside and said he believes the recent trend of shorter outings for starting pitchers will accelerate. He said the aces — guys like Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole — will still go deep into ballgames but otherwise, mixing and matching relievers will be a key strategy.

If rosters expand, pitchers who might normally be in Triple-A will suddenly be it’s

IS pitching important innings for the big club.

“I just think every game, everyone’s going to be ready,” Percival said. “Guys in the bullpen stretching in the first inning, always alert. It’ll be interesting. I always like to see starters go seven and hand to the bullpen, but that might not be possible. There will be a whole lot of changes and moves. Managers who are good at that will excel.”

But having a Verlander or Cole might prove even more valuable than usual. Instead of the usual 32 or 33 starts per season, an elite pitcher will be on the mound just 12 to 14 times, and the cumulative wear and tear of a long season won’t be as big of a concern. Aces might be asked to go slightly deeper into games.