DeSmet Baseball Field

[slu92]

I know this is beating a dead horse, but DeSmet Jesuit High School just announced they are installing an all turf baseball field. Not just the infield like at SLU. Entire field. How do local high schools like DeSmet, Chaminade and Vianney have better set ups than a NCAA D1 program in St. Louis, MO? A very successful D1 program too. Chris May has been at SLU almost 20 years and can’t do what local high school AD’s can do. Plus I’ll bet good money Chaminade mbb is a hotter ticket to the casual basketball fan compared to the current slu mbb program in St. Louis. How do leaders at slu not see any of this as much bigger problems? SLU is falling behind in general across the board in new world of NCAA athletics, if you can’t compete with DeSmet or Chaminade, how do you truly compete with schools like Dayton, Creighton or Gonzaga? It’s sad, obvious and funny all at the same time.
 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. 
 

 

[wgstl]

That’s a big outfield 

[DirtyRican]

CBC will be getting an overhaul this coming summer as well.  Will be better than SLU's I am sure.

[cgeldmacher]

The issue with SLU's field is not that its grass.  Grass is preferred over turf for baseball.  The issue is the stands and other facilities.  The picture above does not show that Desmet is getting any more than SLU has.  What we need is not turf, its more stands, a press box, concessions, etc.

[courtside]

22 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

The issue with SLU's field is not that its grass.  Grass is preferred over turf for baseball.  The issue is the stands and other facilities.  The picture above does not show that Desmet is getting any more than SLU has.  What we need is not turf, its more stands, a press box, concessions, etc.

Actually, it’s the opposite for both similar types of baseball programs to SLU, as well as for bigger programs in better leagues with similar geographical weather challenges.

Much of the Big East, Big 10, Big 12, and some of the ACC, and some of the SEC etc…programs play on turf. 

The SEC has been the best league in the country for years and Vandy, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mizzou, soon to be additions Oklahoma, Texas, all play on turf. Notre Dame, Louisville, etc….

College baseball starts in February. Turf allows for more use and more year round training in a more efficient practical manner.

And, if you click on the link provided above it references some of the other things being added that you mentioned, in addition to turf. 

It’s a no brainer for SLU to have a turf facility for baseball, and for SLU to make several other necessary upgrades in order for it to be a more competitive program.

[willie]

20 minutes ago, courtside said:

Actually, it’s the opposite for both similar types of baseball programs to SLU, as well as for bigger programs in better leagues with similar geographical weather challenges.

Much of the Big East, Big 10, Big 12, and some of the ACC, and some of the SEC etc…programs play on turf. 

The SEC has been the best league in the country for years and Vandy, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mizzou, soon to be additions Oklahoma, Texas, all play on turf. Notre Dame, Louisville, etc….

College baseball starts in February. Turf allows for more use and more year round training in a more efficient practical manner.

And, if you click on the link provided above it references some of the other things being added that you mentioned, in addition to turf. 

It’s a no brainer for SLU to have a turf facility for baseball, and for SLU to make several other necessary upgrades in order for it to be a more competitive program.

Wash U converted to turf this year. 

[courtside]

4 minutes ago, willie said:

Wash U converted to turf this year. 

Wake Forest was one of the best teams in the country last year and they have it along with those mentioned, Duke, DBU, Southern Miss.  on and on.

This is the final RPI for the 2023 season. There are many turf field programs among the best and better teams on the list. 

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/baseball/d1/rpi

And there’s also October/November Fall Ball etc…winter months training too.

[Cowboy II]

-is DeSmet about the same distance from SLU as Sportsport?

[Speyburn]

1 hour ago, Cowboy II said:

-is DeSmet about the same distance from SLU as Sportsport?

DeSmet 14 miles , Sportport 22miles away

[Soderball]

SIUE(my beloved alma mater) has a better baseball field than SLU does. There's an actual permanent grandstand.

IMO the baseball field would really benefit from a decent permanent, covered grandstand. I attended once during the A10 tournament and the setup was just awful.

[slu92]

On 11/22/2023 at 1:04 PM, cgeldmacher said:

The issue with SLU's field is not that its grass.  Grass is preferred over turf for baseball.  The issue is the stands and other facilities.  The picture above does not show that Desmet is getting any more than SLU has.  What we need is not turf, its more stands, a press box, concessions, etc.

It costs almost $2 million to turf a field. DeSmet is doing that and then some. The coaches would agree with you that grass is better but they want turf because they start playing/practicing outside in February and turf works better for reliability/weather. You are correct though. It’s not just DeSmet it’s Chaminade, Vianney and soon CBC. I don’t get it. No way they have more resources than SLU AD to raise money. 

[slu92]

Plus the revenue alone renting the facility out year round in this city is a no brainer. I don’t get how the program stays competitive each year and how nobody at slu doesn’t realize how dumb the school/department/AD looks locally to the recruits and community bc reality is that field is a running joke around town. You’d be amazed at how many families spend weekends there playing over summer trying in the heat, no concessions, no shade and then you expect them to go play at slu when high school field is superior? Why even have the program if not done first class especially in a baseball city like St. Louis.  Seriously. 

[GOSLU68]

If they had concessions and decent seating they could out draw the grizzlies especially given the $20 beer and thing they call a hotdog nowadays at Busch Stadium