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New England Baseball Journals The Base PathAuthor: Seamans Media
A comprehensive look at the baseball landscape in New England, tracking prospects, recruiting, college and more. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Hardball legend: Central Connecticut's Charlie Hickey
Episode 157
Wednesday, 18 February, 2026
Dan Guttenplan interviews Central Connecticut State coach Charlie Hickey, the longest-tenured Division 1 coach in New England, about how college baseball has changed with the transfer portal, NIL, and accelerated recruiting. Hickey discusses CCSU’s late February start, training indoors during winter, and the challenges of recruiting in the Northeast. He shares what he looks for in players, balancing freshman development with experienced transfers, and replacing key pitching innings. They cover fall practice benefits, conference title expectations, and the difficulty mid-majors face in NCAA regionals vs. SEC/ACC depth. Hickey also critiques showcase velocity culture and injury risk. “Three Up, Three Down” explores fandom, clutch hitters and baseball’s golden age. Topics 01:00 30-Plus Years in College Baseball: What’s Changed (Portal, NIL, Longevity) 02:28 Opening Day Prep in New England: Snow, Travel and Gym Workouts 04:16 Recruiting in the Northeast: Finding the Right Fit 05:33 Showcases vs. Real Baseball: Traits Coaches Still Value 07:54 Transfer Portal Strategy: Balancing Older Transfers and Freshmen 09:59 Where to Evaluate Players: High School Coaches, Visits and Practices 11:35 Recruiting Timeline and Identifying Undervalued Prospects 13:30 What a D-1 Year Really Looks Like: Fall Ball, Winter Build-Up, Early Starts 17:43 Sustained Success at CCSU: Conference Titles, Scheduling and Replacing Stars 20:15 Can Mid-Majors Compete in Regionals in the NIL Era? 22:24 Velocity Obsession and Arm Injuries: Mixed Messages in Modern Pitching 25:53 Three Up, Three Down: Why We Root for Teams 29:20 Game 7 Pinch-Hit Draft: Who Gets the Clutch Base Hit? 31:15 The Golden Age of Baseball (and Can We Get It Back?) 35:16 Wrap-Up, Thanks, and Where to Subscribe
