Another Baseball Defection

[Parrott]

Per my blog at 4:24 p.m.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pb.advertiser.com

[CajunT]

_ Per my blog at 4:24 p.m.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pb.advertiser.com _

My understanding on Whipple as per Coach Rob is he was dismissed from the program, not on scholarship. So he would not be leaving the program, since he is not officially part of the program. But I wish him the best of luck and Lackie as well. His folks are real nice people.

[Parrott]

My understanding on Whipple as per Coach Rob is he was dismissed from the program, not on scholarship. So he would not be leaving the program, since he is not officially part of the program. But I wish him the best of luck and Lackie as well. His folks are real nice people.

Everytime I spoke with coach Robe, which was almost on average five times a week during the season, he said Whipple was suspended for the rest of 2009 (11 games) and all of 2010 and had lost his scholarship. Suspended from team activities, including games and workouts. Whether he was on scholarship has absolutely nothing to do with this story.

If Whipple wasn't part of the program, why did the coaches include him with the list of names of UL players playing summer ball? That's likely because Whipple was expected to do what was asked of him during his suspension and stay at UL despite being ineligible to play in '10.

He was going to remain enrolled at UL for 2009-10 in hopes of playing again in '11 before deciding to transfer. End of story. But I edited the blog post to eliminate any confusion. Lucky you!

For the sake of other board members free feel to PM me with any further questions or comments about me, my writing or choice of words. I always appreciate public feedback, but that way will allow the thread to stay on track. Guess it's just an issue of showing some courtesy for others. I think everyone would appreciate that.

[BrudaCajun]

Now we are really screwed. No Whip in 2011. My glass is half empty right about now with UL athletics. The news just keeps on coming.

What is the most players we have had in an offseason "leave", "transfer" or "Put off the team" , does anyone know?

[Turbine]

_ Now we are really screwed. No Whip in 2011. My glass is half empty right about now with UL athletics. The news just keeps on coming.

What is the most players we have had in an offseason "leave", "transfer" or "Put off the team" , does anyone know? _

I have heard (2nd hand) from (1st hand) players of the era that of almost entire teams have quit on the coach (from one year to the next) one in the late 50's and another in the early 70's

[LifeTimeCajun]

ealrlier there was rumor that there would be others thinking of leaving.i dont remember who.maybe some younger pitcher??? Lackie is a little suprising to me but figured whipple would opt out

[NewsCopy]

  Two players from UL's baseball program will continue their collegiate careers elsewhere as outfielder/first

Stockpickss.combaseman Travis Whipple and right-handed pitcher Matthew Lackie have decided to transfer.

Whipple will play his final two years at Emporia State, an NCAA Division II school in Kansas. Lackie will spend next season at Navarro Junior College in his home state of

Texas. Both players will be eligible at their new schools for the 2010 season.

the rest of the story

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • July 15, 2009

[Turbine]

Beyond the in-season story, how can a suspended player be considered leaving?


igeaux.mobi

[cajunbaseball1]

_ I'm with ya. Maybe some fresh meat would do us some good, which is hard to say because i am a huge robe guy. I just find it funny that ppl are forgetting that he doesn't have a lifetime contract at ul. Isn't in funny that all of the defections are young players? Being the classy man that tony is, it would not suprise me if he called those guys in, and laid his future plans out on the table; which we all agree would be the right thing to do. But we'll see, i supposed.
igeaux.mobi _

It's all young players because they can transfer to Juco's and not lose eligibility.

[Cajun90]

Now we are really screwed. No Whip in 2011. My glass is half empty right about now with UL athletics. The news just keeps on coming.

What is the most players we have had in an offseason "leave", "transfer" or "Put off the team" , does anyone know?

For baseball at least this is not uncommon at all. Recent changes on transfer rules will start making this less common in the future but this really isn't anything out of the ordinary in Div 1 college baseball.

Best of luck to both guys.

[Parrott]

Beyond the in-season story, how can a suspended player be considered leaving?

igeaux.mobi _

Simple. Although Whipple wasn't enrolled in summer school due to playing summer league ball in Kansas, he was expected to be enrolled in school in the fall, according to coach Robe. Thus, Whipple leaves the school/program via transfer. Even if a player quits a team and later transfers to play elsewhere, you could say he is "leaving" one school for another.

Again, Robe told me in all my conversations that Whipple was suspended, and I think I have a proven track record in providing correct information.

Here are a few other examples of similar situations across the country. Note the headlines:

BC quarterback Davis suspended, will transfer
Suspended NU player Incognito leaves school
Suspended player calls it quits at UNM
Ray Small suspended, will leave program

[anhil8tor]

How do these defections affect our APR?

[Parrott]

Depends how the student-athlete was GPA-wise. The NCAA adopted a recent rule that does not penalize programs if a student-athlete leaves one school to play athletics elsewhere, granted he/she meets a number of criteria. The most notable is leaving their previous school with an overall GPA of at least 2.6.

It is my understanding that academics were not a concern with Smith, Benzel, Lackie or Whipple. Unlike basketball, there is the benefit of larger roster sizes. With 35 student-athletes accounting for a possible 140 points (one apiece for eligibility and retention each semester), the team cannot lose more than 10 points. Otherwise the team would fall below the single-year APR requirement of 925. (129/140 is .921.)

[SlappyCajun]

_ Depends how the student-athlete was GPA-wise. The NCAA adopted a recent rule that does not penalize programs if a student-athlete leaves one school to play athletics elsewhere, granted he/she meets a number of criteria. The most notable is leaving their previous school with an overall GPA of at least 2.6.

It is my understanding that academics were not a concern with Smith, Benzel, Lackie or Whipple. Unlike basketball, there is the benefit of larger roster sizes. With 35 student-athletes accounting for a possible 140 points (one apiece for eligibility and retention each semester), the team cannot lose more than 10 points. Otherwise the team would fall below the single-year APR requirement of 925. (129/140 is .921.) _

Josh -

I think one of the APR criteria is that you are eligible and transfer to anothr 4 year school. So, I think anyone who leaves a 4 year and goes to a junior college would be an APR hit, I'm not sure though.

[LifeTimeCajun]

So now the business side of college baseball has hit us locally. i know that it probably happens more at other schools that recruit the best of the best kids. this is probably a little more common, and this is the first time in a while that its happened here. IMO, Lackie and smith's situation is about being name recognition and getting drafted. Whipple is a little different with the suspension and having to sit out a year, but next year is his so called "money" year for the draft so sitting out may affect that. Whats gonna happen when they get drafted in the late rounds(25th or higher) and get offered peanuts and a plane ticket? then what are they gonna do?