[baseball1974]

To be honest, I can't in anyway imagine "travel ball" would ever cross the mind of anyone working at the KHSAA when making decisions about the high school season schedule.

There has been a movement since 2008 to try and find a way to go to a class system for baseball in order to create a more balanced system. However, the KHSAA has dismissed every proposal that comes their way. That decision DOES have to do with money, but has nothing to do with baseball. I think they are worried if baseball changes then basketball will want to do the same, and there's no way the KHSAA is going to give up the "Sweet Sixteen" format from what it has always been.

Basically, they changed the baseball format as a way to appease the people who are wanting a class system. They believe this will allow smaller schools with less players to use their better pitchers for each game. Actually most states do it this way already with a class system. Each round will be at a different location and then the top two teams in each class meet at their state's designated stadium. For us, it would be Legends Field, or Whitaker or whatever it's called.

For example, if KY had a class system; the district and region would be played as they are now, only the teams would be different based on size instead of geographical location. The winner of each regional would meet at a sectional tournament that consisted of four teams. Two games on Friday and championship on Saturday. That would bring you down to four teams left in each class. Two teams would play a best-of-3 series with one game on Friday night and two(if needed) on Saturday to decide the "Semi-State" championship. I've seen states do it with alternating locations as well as set locations. States that have several "centralized facilities," at the college or minor league level make it fun when they hve set locations. Every year, you would know you were going to EKU, UofL, UK, WKU, Campbellsville, etc.to play the sectional and semi-state series. Anyway, so now you have two teams in each class left, they would meet at Whitaker Park/Legends Field to play for the championship. There would only be four-six games played in the championship, and I think that is what worries the KHSAA. They feel like once they give-in to baseball then it's basketball wanting the same thing and that's where they stand to lose money.

I don't think it has anything to do with baseball. Sorry about the rant. This is how I wish they would do it, but I can't see it happening.