Coaches still want conference baseball tourneys

Unlike other sports on the high school calendar, baseball conference tournaments are a problem.

They are squeezed between the regular season and the CIAC state tournament, and when you take into consideration the unpredictable spring weather and the conservation of a team’s top pitching arms … like we said: a problem.

The Central Connecticut Conference and the Berkshire League do not have tournaments. The rest of the conferences in the state do.

Our Pete Paguaga did a little research. In fact, Pete did a lot of research. He dug into the numbers of the

FCIAC, SCC, SWC, NVL and Shoreline and found 117 conference champions crowned among those five leagues.

Only 12 among those 117 went on to win a state title in the same year. That’s a mere 10.26 percent.

There were two outliers that weren’t counted: Staples and Trumbull were named co-FCIAC champs in 2001 after the title game was rained out. Staples won Class L that year. Coginchaug was named Shoreline co-champ along with Valley Regional after a rainout and went on to win Class S in 2021.

Evidence shows conference championships aren’t worthy predicators on how teams will do in the state tournaments.

One reason is the better team in baseball, unlike, say, basketball or football, doesn’t necessarily win. Which leads us to the huge reason: Pitching.

An ace on a weak team can beat even the best team. And when it comes to a conference tournament, to conserve the best for states, the team’s third- or even fourth-best pitcher often starts in the championship.

So from a purely competitive standpoint — while both finalists may be trying like crazy that day — their best possible team is often not on the field.

The titles seem watered down. As a sports columnist it makes me wonder if they’re worth it. That irks me.

It clearly irks me more than the six coaches I spoke to from six different conferences. In fact, only Nonnewaug coach Frank Melillo said he was happy the Berkshire doesn’t have a tournament this year. And that came with a caveat.

“In the past, I would have I said I liked one,” Melillo said. “Being No. 1 in Class M this year, we’re kind of glad we don’t. We spread our season out a little more than other leagues. So it works out good for us. It keeps my pitchers a little fresher.”

Otherwise, the coaches insisted keep the conference tournaments … pros, cons, rainouts, tuxedos and all.

Their collective — and unanimous — directive to me was to keep arguing for a double-elimination state tournament.

“I love the conference tournament,” said Amity coach Sal Coppola, who won both the SCC and Class LL in 2006, 2015 and 2016. “Our league is super-competitive. The coaches take a lot of pride in winning it. I also think there is no better preparation than to be playing the best teams in your conference leading into the state tournament.

“To me, it’s crazy not to want to have it. Then you’re sitting around for a week trying to pick up scrimmages and keeping fresh. Even scrimmages aren’t the same as playing a competitive game that means something.”

Amity is No. 5 in the GameTimeCT Top 10 poll heading into the SCC. Matt Hart, coach of No. 7 Brookfield, remained unwavering after a 4-0 loss to Immaculate in the first round of the SWC.

“I think it’s a really good learning curve for us,” Hart said. “You have to get used to that single-elimination format going forward. We lost, we tipped our caps to Immaculate. Their (Tommy Conley) kid pitched amazing. They were the better team that day. I think we took a lot from it and learned from it.”

A veteran coach like Staples’ Jack McFarland, who won the FCIAC and Class LL in 2019, is for keeping the conference tournaments. So is the youngest coach in the CIAC, Ben Desaulnier from Killingly of the ECC. So, too, is Joe Serfass, coach of No. 4 Windsor, and the CCC doesn’t have a tournament.

“The more baseball you can play the better,” McFarland said. “We only play 20 games. So if you can get some more in, great. I’m not against the conference tournament. If there’s rain and your championship game gets moved to Friday or Saturday, you have to decide where your priorities are as far as state to get your ace on the mound on Tuesday. But I think it’s fine.”

Added Desaulnier, “We won the conference championship last year. It was our first one in school history. I think if you asked the kids if they wanted to play in the conference tournament, every one would say he did. It gets you ready for a single elimination format. The more games we can give these kids the better. The season is already too short. I would not be in favor of stopping it at all.”

Serfass points to the pros of preparing for a single elimination and the cons of potentially taxing arms if a team goes deep in the conference tournament — especially if bad weather forces postponements.

And then he said, “I would love to have one. Barry Chasen (former Windsor coach) made a push for it after he was done coaching. Softball just put in one this year. Obviously, pitching is different in softball. The CCC is so competitive and to have the top eight or top 16, if time permitted, I’d say give it a go.”

There are ways to link the regular season and the state tournament which starts Tuesday, May 31. Nonnewaug finishes against Thomaston (Monday) and Shepaug Valley (Wednesday). Windsor finishes with Bloomfield (Monday) and East Granby (Wednesday).

The SWC goes on to play its semifinals Tuesday and final Wednesday. Hart said he is trying to set up a couple of scrimmages, including one with Nonnewaug on Friday, and a couple of intra-squad scrimmages.

“We’re trying to stay in the game format instead of just sitting back and not doing anything,” Hart said.

The FCIAC had its quarters Saturday with semis Monday and championship Thursday. The SCC plays its tournament Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The Shoreline goes Monday, Tuesday and Friday, while the ECC goes all-out Tuesday through Friday. Desaulnier did not have either of his top two pitchers on the mound, including All-State star Bo Yaworski, when Killingly won last year.

There is always weather to consider.

“There have been years with rainouts when the conference championship ended up on a Saturday, because a lot of proms are Friday,” Coppola said. “We wouldn’t use a starter more than a couple innings. That would be silly. We’ve started our No. 3 and No. 4 in the conference championship before, still was competitive, the opposition too.”

Coppola recalls Amity and West Haven both started their No. 3s one year. He said Westies former coach Mike Anquillare brought in his ace Matt Gianini to close out the win and then Gianini started in the first round in the state tournament.

“The reaction of winning the SCC is like winning a mini-state championship,” Coppola said. “It can make a team’s season.”

And then Hart tells the bigger truth.

“I’m not taking anything away from conferences, but I think everyone would rather win a state championship.”

McFarland laughs and says, “We’ve been down this road before. You know I’m for something new.”

Whether it’s the system of eight pods of four teams or another variation, the coaches want double elimination for the CIAC tournament.

“Single elimination is brutal,” Serfass said.

“I think it’s so dumb,” Desaulnier said. “I hate single elimination. One good pitcher and it’s over.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Melillo said.

Double elimination? “Baseball is so hard to win five in a row against quality teams,” Coppola said. “I do think the best team wins most of the time, but I would love to see a double elimination.”

“I would absolutely love it,” Hart said.

When you think about it, double elimination in the states would actually give coaches more flexibility with their pitching in and after a conference tournament. That would be a good thing.