The 2009 College Baseball Season

[Tigercat]

I just don't buy that Okie State is a good baseball team arguement. Plenty of strong 3 and 4 seeds that aren't OSU can consistently win more games against strong major conference talent than OSU did down the stretch. Hell, it is my view(and the RPI last I saw) that SEC was stronger than the Big 12 this year, and Auburn and Kentucky did better inconference than OSU did, but still I am plenty confident that there are four seeds and teams left out that could have done better in the SEC than those two teams. It is easier to beat great teams as a decent team in baseball, cause "that's baseball." I find it hard to believe that a good baseball team can't win more games against other good baseball teams down the stretch.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

I just don't buy that Okie State is a good baseball team arguement. Plenty of strong 3 and 4 seeds that aren't OSU can consistently win more games against strong major conference talent than OSU did down the stretch. Hell, it is my view(and the RPI last I saw) that SEC was stronger than the Big 12 this year, and Auburn and Kentucky did better inconference than OSU did, but still I am plenty confident that there are four seeds and teams left out that could have done better in the SEC than those two teams. It is easier to beat great teams as a decent team in baseball, cause "that's baseball." I find it hard to believe that a good baseball team can't win more games against other good baseball teams down the stretch.

Well, your view carries a lot more weight than the RPI. Nothing personal against you, but I dismiss out of hand any argument that relies on the college baseball RPI as its sole supporting evidence. The RPI in college baseball really is that worthless.

Regarding the rest of your argument, we simply disagree. You are saying that going 10-16 against very good baseball teams is something that plenty of teams left out could have done better than. I disagree. Yes, lesser teams win more often in baseball, but the variance among college baseball teams is far greater than the pros. This isn't MLB. 10-16 against a very tough conference means you're a very good team.

Oklahoma State is 38/25/33/31 in the four systems I know of that don't use MOV in college baseball (Massey/ISR/NMV/EWP). Yes, the last two are mine.

They are 20/21/19 in the three systems that are purely MOV, all of which I run. They are 22/25 in my two combination sets. I find it hard to get worked up about such a team getting an at-large bid into a tournament where there are 34 such recipients.

I'd be happy to take up the cause for other teams that got left out. Whom should we examine? I'll check back tonight as my evening errands are getting started.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Live scoreboard for the baseball tournament/CWS is at
NCAA.com - The Official Web Site of the NCAA

So far on day one UGA has jumped all over Ohio State 10-2 in the fifth and Southern U. leads LSU 2-0 in the fifth.

[MJ4H]

The first inning of that UGA game was lolbad.

[Thomkal]

Coastal handling Kansas easily so far, leading 10-2 in the 7th.

[StLee]

LSU exploded in the 7th for 7 runs. Now leads 8-2 in the bottom of the 8th.

[Tigercat]

Ugh, LSU should roll for the rest of this game against Southern, but it again showed the team's HUGE weakness: the inability to string together any amount of hits against decent+ lefty starters. 13 of LSU's 16 loses this year were against lefty starters! (LSU trailed Southern 2-1 through 7.2 against a lefty, before scoring 7 with 2 outs in the 7th, mostly against righty relief.)

When facing RHPs this year, LSU is the best team in the nation and it isn't even close. (30-3) When facing LHPs this LSU team isn't close to a top 8 seed team. They better address this before Omaha, or the teams there just need to start their best lefty on the roster to roll for an easy win.

Oklahoma State is leading Alabama 8-5, so props to them for taking the opportunity and making a good showing thus far.

[MJ4H]

Arkansas continues to be utterly unable to hit the ball, striking out 156 times in 7 innings so far and trails WSU 3-1 bot 8th.

[MJ4H]

Finally getting some hits and Arkansas has tied it at 3 in the bottom of the 8th. 2 out and runners on 2nd and 3rd.

edit: Arkansas takes the lead on an error. (and that opened the floodgates, 7-3 now)

[StLee]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Finally getting some hits and Arkansas has tied it at 3 in the bottom of the 8th. 2 out and runners on 2nd and 3rd.

edit: Arkansas takes the lead on an error.

All right! I'm an LSU fan first and an SEC fan second. Geaux Hogs!

[StLee]

Final: LSU 10, Southern 2

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by StLee

All right! I'm an LSU fan first and an SEC fan second. Geaux Hogs!

ditto for Arkansas. Glad to see LSU get it going. Let's see if Bama and Vanderbilt can follow suit.

lol WSU finally gets a new pitcher first pitch is monstered off the scoreboard, 10-3.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Live scoreboard for the baseball tournament/CWS is at
NCAA.com - The Official Web Site of the NCAA

That is a *really* slick website, very impressive stuff from the NCAA web guys.

[Thomkal]

Coastal wins 11-3 on 15 hits. Let's hope they saved some of both runs and hits for the next game against likely to be North Carolina, their nemesis.

[MJ4H]

Arkansas 10, WSU 3 Final. Go Wichita State in game 2!

[larrymcg421]

Strasburg struggling so far.

[JonInMiddleGA]

After what must have been a heck of a rain delay, Georgia extends their lead over Ohio State to 24-6 & still batting in the bottom of the 8th.

Georgia Tech meanwhile off to their usual stellar post-season start, trailing Georgia State 3-1 after four.

[JonInMiddleGA]

3B Matt Skole with a grand slam in the fifth to give GT a 6-3 lead. Cool part was that my son called it about five seconds before he hit it.

Imagine the obnoxious nature of my child at this moment
("Oh yeah ... MASTERMIND !")

[digamma]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Strasburg struggling so far.

Seems to have calmed down 15 Ks through 7. Unfortunately, the Aztecs aren't hitting at all and UVA leads 2-0.

[SnDvls]

ASU is up 12-3 in the bottom of the 4th

[k0ruptr]

also Oklahoma State beat alabama, so maybe they did deserve to get in.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Assuming FSU doesn't blow a 15-4 lead in the ninth, the ACC will have gone 7-0 in opening day play, SEC was 6-2, Big 12 was 5-3.

Big 10 was 0-3, the Sun Belt was 2-0 with MTSU beating Vandy & Western Kentucky beating Missouri.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

also Oklahoma State beat alabama, so maybe they did deserve to get in.

I don't think that word means what you think it means. Baylor and OSU won, so they are certainly talented enough to compete in the post season. Doesn't change if their merits were deserving or not. Rhode Island, a team many think was more deserving, may have ended up advancing many games further than Baylor or OSU will end up at. But we will never know...

[MJ4H]

A team does not deserve to be in a tournament based on what it does once it is in the tournament, in other words. They deserve to based on what they di before the tournament. A team could be gifted a berth into the tournament by the committee, win the whole thing, but still not actually deserve to be in.

[k0ruptr]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

I don't think that word means what you think it means. Baylor and OSU won, so they are certainly talented enough to compete in the post season. Doesn't change if their merits were deserving or not. Rhode Island, a team many think was more deserving, may have ended up advancing many games further than Baylor or OSU will end up at. But we will never know...

very true indeed.

[Thomkal]

nice to see my "hometown college" Marist on TV today, and last I looked leading Ohio State. Looking forward to the Coastal/North Carolina battle today at 5pm. Cody Wheeler, starter for the Chants is 10-0 this season, and 16-0 in his Coastal career. A lefty which should give the Tarheels some problems. They are countering with a guy who beat Coastal pretty easily in the Super Regionals last year though.

[Thomkal]

well neither starting pitcher was up to the task in the Coastal/N Carolina game. Cody Wheeler was lucky to get out of the 1st inning looking very nervous-gave up three walks and two hits I think, but just 2 runs. And then was removed after giving up 4 runs in the third. Alex White started off well for N. Carolina but was lucky to get out of the first unscathed after two errors. He made it to the third before he gave up his first runs (3) in the game, then gave up another in the fourth and fifth before finally being removed. So its 6-5 N Carolina in the bottom of the fifth right now. C'mon Coastal!

[Thomkal]

it just got worse from there for Coastal, including hitting into a double play with the bases loaded in the 9th to end the game. They lose 14-5 and will have to hope for a very strong starting pitcher performance tomorrow when they take on Kansas again if they want any hope of winning the regional now.

[StLee]

LSU locked in a pitcher's battle, up 2-1 in the 7th. Ranaudo had a one-hit shut out going into the 6th, but gave up a solo homer.

[StLee]

Ranaudo is looking a bit tired. I hope he can will this one out.

Wow! I thought that was strike three. Full count on the first batter.
Struck him out! #9. One out.



<---------Oops! Meant to post this on an LSU board!

[larrymcg421]

Canes eating it right now. Losing 7-2 in the 7th.

[StLee]

Since I posted it, Ranaudo may not be tired at all. He struck out the side in the 7th. Now he has 11 Ks on the day. LSU up 2-1 in the 8th.

[MJ4H]

Arkansas jumped out well on Oklahoma, leading 6-1 in the bottom of the 3rd. Bats warm for the first time in a LONG time. Might be getting hot at the right time. Here's hoping.

[k0ruptr]

San Diego St. wins and eliminates the defending champs Fresno St. 4-1

[k0ruptr]

Dola Oklahoma St. beat clemson today as well.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Georgia Tech digs too big a hole & a 9th inning rally falls well short, losing 10-7 to Southern Miss. Jackets face Elon in an elimination game tomorrow after Elon knocks out Georgia State.

FSU handles Georgia 8-2, sending UGA into a rematch with Ohio State who beat Marist 6-4.

#2 seeds gone so far include Alabama, Texas State, and Georgia Southern.
#3 seeds starting 2-0 include Southern Miss & Oklahoma State, while Baylor & Boston College are tied in late/extra innings trying to join that group

[DaddyTorgo]

GO BC!!!!!

[MJ4H]

Arkansas still looking lively, up 10-1 after 5 innings over Oklahoma.

[StLee]

LSU pulled one out of their asses today thanks to their great pitching.

Final 3-2 over Baylor in 10 innings.

Ranaudo pitched 9 innings, striking out 14 and giving up only 3 hits. Ott came in to get his 15th save on the season.

LSU left 14 runners on.

[digamma]

Just back from the Georgia SOuthern-Utah game. Nice venue at Fullerton. THose fans love their baseball. GSU really tightened up and blew a game in which they were pretty clearly the better team.

[Tigercat]

This Texas BC game will seemingly never end. Doesn't help that Texas has no pop in their bats and play in a stadium built for low scoring baseball. (bottom of the 13th, still tied at 2)

[MJ4H]

Oklahoma storming back, Arkansas still leads 10-6 bottom 6th

[Tigercat]

Texas and BC going to the 16th inning, Texas's closer has now pitched 8+ innings.

[Tigercat]

Dola, Texas and BC going to the 17th inning. Texas's closer has now pitched 9 2/3 innings of NO HIT baseball. Insane.

[DaddyTorgo]

cmon EAGLES!!!

[DaddyTorgo]

http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1624551&segment=223076

-- the game

[Tigercat]

Someone has to turn on a bad pitch from one of these tired pitchers sooner or later.... Right....? Hopefully it is BC in the bottom of this inning.

[DaddyTorgo]

hopefully

leadoff baserunner for BC

[larrymcg421]

This is amazing.

[Tigercat]

Texas can't hit, but they sure can field (and pitch). Texas's closer is over 10 innings, over 140 pitches, of no hit baseball.