Tweaking a better mousetrap

COLUMBIA -- Some people are never satisfied. You know the type. They whine about wine and roses if the bouquet and bouquet are not just so.

Or if the best college baseball series in this state (and most others) is not as pleasantly packaged as possible.

Guilty, your honor.

Three South Carolina-Clemson games over the weekend were a grand success.

A thrilling one-run Tigers victory Friday night at Clemson (6,346 fans, a sellout).

A South Carolina rally before a packed house (7,105) Saturday in Greenville.

A Carolina Stadium-record crowd (8,214) Sunday as the 2010 Clemson baseball team outscored the 2009 Clemson football team in their visits to Columbia, these Tigers winning 19-6.

And it was also Free Flu Shot Day.

But three tweaks will make the series even better:

1. Rotation

We are getting there, conference obligation limitations and all.

A three-game weekend series beats anything involving Wednesday night pitchers. Everyone seemed pleased with the Fluor Field experience Saturday, and Greenville gets another turn next season in a two-year deal.

But how about adding the nice ballparks in Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Fort Mill to the middle-game concept?

"All those venues are great venues," South Carolina head coach Ray Tanner said. "I've fielded a call from Charleston, so I think there is some interest there. We have interest in Myrtle Beach, too. That being said, Greenville did a tremendous job and I'm not criticizing that at all. But getting baseball in different quadrants of the state seems like a good idea."

2. Television

TV or not TV? That is the question.

And you know the answer: Duh!

Sweet ratings times three. Yet no thrown-together network this year, no ETV, no nothing.

It wouldn't cost a lot. Carolina Stadium already features multi-camera video feeds for the flatscreens inside the ballpark. Simply supply a pair of excellent broadcasters such as Dan Scott and Tony Ciuffo.

There was not much sports competition Sunday -- relatively speaking -- in that 2-5 p.m. time slot. The best college basketball games were Boston College-N.C. State and Northern Iowa-Wichita State. A Cubs-White Sox spring training game on WGN. The PGA's Honda Classic. Lakers vs. Magic.

Baseball would have ruled in the Palmetto State, at least until the Gamecocks' pitching caved in for good.

The first two games were far more compelling.

"It's definitely a marketable three-game series if they can do it without hurting the crowds," Clemson coach Jack Leggett said.

Tanner's idea: Have the TV deal kick in only after the three games are sold out.

Here is what you missed on Sunday alone:

--Chris Epps' towering grand slam to center field to get Clemson off to a 4-0 start just after Tanner's visit to starting pitcher Tyler Webb.

--Jackie Bradley Jr. coming to bat in the South Carolina third inning to Michael Jackson's "Bad" and promptly zinging a single under the glove of shortstop Brad Miller. Then he swiped second base.

--Nick Ebert, the Gamecocks' slugging first baseman, legging out his first career triple -- and winning someone a new John Deere tractor in the process.

3. Branding

"This was big for us to win the state championship," Leggett said. "It was great for braggin' rights and pride and we're excited about it."

One of the best braggin' rights state championship series deserves a nickname, a logo, an official charity and a traveling trophy.

Like maybe a tractor.

Leggett, Tanner and like-minded marketing minds must realize the bigger this thing gets the better chance they have to keep the best high school players in state for college baseball.

The best tweak of all, of course, is a good, competitive Round II every now and then.

In Omaha.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com or (843) 937-5593.