In this episode of the Base Path Podcast, hosted by Dan Guttenplan, University of Rhode Island Baseball Coach Raphael Cerrato joins to discuss the challenges and adjustments during the fall season, particularly with the installation of a new turf field. Cerrato elaborates on the team's off-campus workouts and how they adapted to limited field usage. The conversation also delves into recruiting dynamics, touching on the impacts of the transfer portal, NIL changes, and the complexities of scouting high school players. The episode concludes with a 'Three Up, Three Down' segment focusing on baseball dilemmas and decision-making in coaching.

Topics

00:27 Challenges of the Fall Season

00:46 New Turf Field and Its Impact

04:05 Recruiting During Field Construction

05:52 Changes in Recruiting Landscape

06:32 Transfer Portal and Roster Management

14:50 Importance of In-Person Scouting

18:18 Evaluating Players Beyond Data

20:44 Summer Baseball Competitiveness

21:02 Evaluating Talent Beyond Stats

22:25 Impact of Travel Ball on Recruitment

23:04 Velocity vs. Pitching Skills

24:23 Developing Effective Pitchers

27:50 Three Up, Three Down: Baseball Dilemmas

28:20 Slump Strategies for Hitters

32:39 Ethics in Baseball: Faking It

35:13 Aggressiveness in the Outfield

38:00 Conclusion and Wrap-Up