Let me tell you something. Let me get this off my chest before I lose the nerve to say it out loud. Because this is not just about some college baseball coach and a podcast host. This is about integrity, about tradition, about how we define excellence in the sport that built America’s heartland — and how some people are trying to rewrite the rules of the game without even earning the right to be part of the conversation.
KANSAS’ DAN FITZGERALD. D1BASEBALL’S KENDALL ROGERS. Sidearm delivery. That’s what this is about, isn’t it? Let me break it down for you because I know that not everyone out there understands how deeply this cuts into the soul of our game.
First off, Dan Fitzgerald. He’s a coach at Kansas — one of the most storied programs in college baseball history. His name carries weight. He’s been on both sides of the dugout, played in the minors, coached in the big leagues, and now he’s back home trying to build something special at Kansas. That should be enough for you to respect him. But no — that doesn’t matter. Because when it comes to this conversation about sidearm delivery, Fitzgerald is being painted as a villain by someone who, frankly, has never had to hold a clipboard in the dugout.
Enter Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball, the podcast that’s become the go-to for college baseball fans who want to hear from “experts” who have never managed a team or even played above college ball. And now, this guy — this man with zero experience on the field — is criticizing Dan Fitzgerald for using a sidearm delivery? What in the hell are we doing here?
Let me be clear: I’ve watched this league for years. I’ve watched every pitch thrown from every mound across America. I know what a sidearm delivery looks like, and I know that it’s not some newfangled gimmick or some conspiracy to ruin the game. It’s a technique — just like a sinker, a slider, a curveball — it’s something that has been used for decades. And it is used by great pitchers.
Now, I understand why some people get uncomfortable with sidearm deliveries. They look different. The mechanics are different. But that doesn’t make them wrong or less effective. In fact, the best pitchers in baseball history have used sidearm deliveries. Nolan Ryan — yes, that Nolan Ryan — threw from a three-quarters arm angle and was one of the most dominant pitchers ever to step on a mound.
And yet, here we are. Some guy who has never even been on a field as a coach is telling Dan Fitzgerald what he can and cannot do with his pitching staff? That’s not just arrogant — that’s an affront to everything that college baseball stands for.
Let me tell you something else: this conversation isn’t about whether sidearm deliveries are effective. It’s about who gets to define what is “effective.” Because when a coach like Fitzgerald chooses to use a sidearm delivery, he’s making a decision based on the needs of his team, the development of his pitchers, and the strategies that have been proven to work in real games — not on some podcast where people can sit back and criticize from the comfort of their homes.
And yet, Kendall Rogers is out there saying things like “that’s not how it’s done,” as if he’s the arbiter of what “how it’s done” should be. But when have you ever seen a player or coach get up on that mound and say, “I’m going to throw this pitch from 10 feet off the ground because I heard it on a podcast”?
This is the problem with our modern sports media — we’ve allowed people like Rogers to take over the conversation without any real accountability. These so-called experts are given platforms and credibility not because they’ve earned it, but because they’re loud enough and have enough followers to make noise.
Now, I’m not saying that all critics should be ignored. In fact, coaches need feedback — we all do. But when you’re coming from a place of pure arrogance, without any real understanding or experience in the game, then your voice doesn’t carry much weight. And yet, somehow, this guy is getting attention?
Let me take it back to Kansas for a second. Dan Fitzgerald has been working hard to build a program that can compete with the best in the country. He’s brought in talent. He’s developed players. He’s tried different strategies because he knows that if you don’t adapt, you get left behind.
But now, instead of supporting his efforts — or at least not getting in the way of them — we have someone like Kendall Rogers trying to tear him down from a distance. What kind of message does that send to young coaches? That it’s okay to criticize people without even understanding what they’re doing?
Let me be clear: I don’t care how you throw the ball, as long as you’re throwing it with purpose and intent. If Dan Fitzgerald believes that sidearm delivery is the way to go for his pitchers — and if those pitchers are performing well on the field — then he should be allowed to do what he does best.
Because here’s the thing: college baseball isn’t about looking good on a podcast or getting likes on social media. It’s about playing the game, winning games, and developing players who can go out and compete at the highest level.
And if someone like Fitzgerald is doing that — regardless of how they throw — then he should be celebrated, not criticized from behind a screen by someone who has never had to face a 10-pitch count in a crucial moment of a game.
Let me tell you something else. When I look at the way college baseball is being covered these days, it’s like we’ve lost our way. We’re so focused on getting clicks and views that we’re not paying attention to what really matters — the players, the coaches, the games themselves.
And in this case, we have a coach who is trying to do his job at Kansas, and instead of giving him support, we’re letting some guy with a podcast take over the narrative. That’s not just bad for Fitzgerald — it’s bad for college baseball as a whole.
Because if you start telling coaches what they can and cannot do from behind a microphone, then where does that leave the people who are actually on the field? Are we going to let someone who has never managed a team or even played in the big leagues decide how the game should be played?
That’s not just ridiculous — it’s dangerous.
And yet, here we are. We’re letting this happen because it’s easy. It’s comfortable. It’s familiar. But if we don’t start holding these so-called experts accountable for their words — and for the platforms that give them power — then what’s next? Will we be telling coaches how to manage their rosters? How to develop players? How to make decisions in games?
And when will we stop allowing people who have never been on a field to dictate the way the game is played?
Because let me tell you something: if you’re not playing, coaching, or managing — then you don’t get to decide how it should be done. That’s not just my opinion — that’s the truth.
So I say this to Dan Fitzgerald: keep doing what you do best. Keep developing players. Keep winning games. And don’t let people like Kendall Rogers distract you from your mission.
And I say this to everyone else who watches college baseball: stop letting these so-called experts take over the conversation. They have no real authority in this game — and they shouldn’t be given a platform that makes them seem like they do.
Because when we start letting people who have never been on a field decide how the game is played, then we’re not just hurting coaches like Fitzgerald — we’re hurting the future of college baseball itself.
So let’s get back to what matters. Let’s talk about players making plays. Coaches winning games. Pitchers throwing strikes. That’s what this sport is all about.
And if someone like Dan Fitzgerald is doing that, then he should be celebrated — not criticized from behind a screen by people who have never had the courage to step on a field and do it themselves.
Because in the end, that’s what matters most: legacy. Status. The way we define excellence in this game. And if you’re going to talk about that — then you better know what you’re talking about.
And if you don’t — then maybe it’s time to shut up and watch the games.
