BB: Pool C

Started by CrashDavisD3, April 10, 2014, 01:03:26 PM

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Ralph Turner

Quote from: Spence on May 04, 2014, 01:03:20 PM
A few interesting developments the last few days: Wheaton, Kean, RU-Camden, and Alvernia are in Pool C, having fallen out of conference tournament play.

Also, Marietta has won the OAC regular season by two games clear over Heidelberg, so that may impact the potential Pool C candidacy of teams in that league.

ECSU and USM finished tied in the LEC (ECSU winning by tiebreak I believe), increasing the chances that both get bids there.

Shenandoah was already in Pool C.

Bottom line: the pool is getting crowded, already.

EDIT TO ADD: Gettysburg fell twice to Haverford in the Centennial championship.
The basketball message boards talk about the Power Conferences, the ones likely to make it to the Final Four or at least have (annual) Pool C bids.

In alphabetical order, most pundits talk about the CCIW, the NESCAC. the ODAC, the UAA and the WIAC.

In baseball, I consider the Power Conferences to include the LEC, the NESCAC, the NJAC, the OAC, the UAA members who manage to get a B and a C, and the WIAC.  (The SAA may move into that company in the next few years.)  The E8 as a Pool B is close.  So are the CAC, the CCIW and the MIAC. That leaves 7-9 for the rest of D-3.  Let's see how that works this year.

Spence

I really only consider the NJAC to be a power conference, but in that I think of a league that will get 2 bids practically every year, and sometimes 3 or even 4. Add in their depth, the number of teams that have won championships, won regionals, won the conference and it's not even close for me. It's unfortunate that this board really doesn't have any NJAC posters. While there's no other reason I'd want to be in New Jersey, I'd love to see a season of NJAC baseball -- I like the way their schedules are set up too, playing 4 games in 3 days against 3 different teams.

The LEC, OAC and WIAC will very likely get 2 bids this year, but that doesn't happen every year, and if a spoiler team wins the conference tournament, with the way Pool C is filling up, nothing is assured even for these 3. Marietta winning the OAC by 2 games clear was certainly an interesting development that might change how the committee thinks about the teams in that league.

I don't know if the CAC, CCIW and MIAC have multiple teams worthy of a Pool C. York has kind of shot itself in the foot, and Bethel was the MIAC's shot and they've lost 3 of 4 going into the conference tournament. I saw St. Thomas today and while they don't look unbeatable, they also are unlikely to beat themselves. Their FR #2 pitcher is big and throws hard, but was pretty wild today (7 BBs but only 1 run). They weren't playing a very good offensive team. I think Bethel ended up 3 games back or so.

Just Bill

Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?
"That seems silly and pointless..." - Hoops Fan

The first and still most accurate description of the D3 Championship BeltTM thread.

Jack Parkman

Quote from: Just Bill on May 05, 2014, 11:24:20 AM
Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?

My mind is blown how this can be done for D-3 softball but not baseball.

Spence

I wouldn't want it that way. You could pretty much get to the Championship round on 2 pitchers, which is pretty much how it used to be but I think it's better now. If there was an expansion to 64 I'd prefer to see 8 8-team regionals and a reworking of the regions (rather than New York, New England and Mid Atlantic all being separate regions, just being Northeast I, II and III or something IMO would balance better; same with Central/Midwest I and II since those two regionals often seem to be close together anyway).

hickory_cornhusker

Quote from: Jack Parkman on May 05, 2014, 01:07:06 PM
Quote from: Just Bill on May 05, 2014, 11:24:20 AM
Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?

My mind is blown how this can be done for D-3 softball but not baseball.

Probably would have to give up a week of the regular season in order to do it. Division III has made sure every sport is done by Memorial Day (well, the Tuesday after in baseball's case). Super Regionals would push the tournament a week later.

EttaFan1

Northern teams struggle to get their 40 games as it is.  Pushing up the start of the season would make it even more difficult.

JohnnyU

Predictions as of 5/5:

POOL A:
UW-Whitewater
Linfield
Webster
Heidelberg
Rowan
Cortland State
Southern Maine
Concordia (Ill.)
Amherst
St. Thomas
Buena Vista
Cal Lutheran
Trinity (Texas)
Salisbury
Augustana
Bridgewater (Va.)
Salem State
Endicott
Wooster
St. Scholastica
Concordia-Texas
Rochester
Keystone
Farmingdale State
Susquehanna
Adrian
Grinnell
St. Josephs (Maine)
Widener
Washington and Jefferson
Misericordia
La Roche
Castleton State
Anderson
MIT
Staten Island
Covenant
Haverford
Gallaudet
Mitchell

POOL B/C LOCKS:
Shenandoah
Moravian
Marietta
Emory
Eastern Connecticut
Case Western Reserve
UW-Stevens Point
Birmingham-Southern

POOL B/C LOOKING GOOD:
St. John Fisher
Ithaca
Kean
Rutgers-Camden
Tufts

BUBBLE (3 of these will be in if the remaining favorites win):
Baldwin-Wallace
Chapman
UW-La Crosse
Washington U.
Oswego State
Rhodes
Wartburg
Alvernia
Pacific Lutheran
North Park

Colorado

Quote from: hickory_cornhusker on May 05, 2014, 02:25:24 PM
Quote from: Jack Parkman on May 05, 2014, 01:07:06 PM
Quote from: Just Bill on May 05, 2014, 11:24:20 AM
Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?

My mind is blown how this can be done for D-3 softball but not baseball.

Probably would have to give up a week of the regular season in order to do it. Division III has made sure every sport is done by Memorial Day (well, the Tuesday after in baseball's case). Super Regionals would push the tournament a week later.

If they expanded to 64 teams for softball, where's Title IX when you need it? There are too many good teams sitting on the bubble that should get in. I like the idea of a 64 team draw but would scrap a super regional in favor of adding a couple days to an 8 team regional. Have all conference tourneys conclude on the Saturday before. Announce selections by Sunday. Start the Regionals on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. Finish it by Sunday or the same as now. When your team is sitting on the bubble like mine is, this plan works for me.

Mr. Ypsi

Quote from: Colorado on May 05, 2014, 06:00:37 PM
Quote from: hickory_cornhusker on May 05, 2014, 02:25:24 PM
Quote from: Jack Parkman on May 05, 2014, 01:07:06 PM
Quote from: Just Bill on May 05, 2014, 11:24:20 AM
Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?

My mind is blown how this can be done for D-3 softball but not baseball.

Probably would have to give up a week of the regular season in order to do it. Division III has made sure every sport is done by Memorial Day (well, the Tuesday after in baseball's case). Super Regionals would push the tournament a week later.

If they expanded to 64 teams for softball, where's Title IX when you need it? There are too many good teams sitting on the bubble that should get in. I like the idea of a 64 team draw but would scrap a super regional in favor of adding a couple days to an 8 team regional. Have all conference tourneys conclude on the Saturday before. Announce selections by Sunday. Start the Regionals on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. Finish it by Sunday or the same as now. When your team is sitting on the bubble like mine is, this plan works for me.

The reason there are more teams in the softball tourney than the baseball tourney is because more schools sponsor softball than baseball.  It is not a Title IX issue, as they are proportionately the same representation (I believe it is one team for every 6.5 schools who play).

Ralph Turner

Quote from: Just Bill on May 05, 2014, 11:24:20 AM
Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?
On closer inspection, I count 62 bids for Softball.  The upper two brackets on the right side are "geographic proximity" brackets for Texas and the West Coast.  UTTyler and Linfield get the byes but UTTyler and Redlands are hosting.

Ralph Turner

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on May 05, 2014, 06:16:39 PM
Quote from: Colorado on May 05, 2014, 06:00:37 PM
Quote from: hickory_cornhusker on May 05, 2014, 02:25:24 PM
Quote from: Jack Parkman on May 05, 2014, 01:07:06 PM
Quote from: Just Bill on May 05, 2014, 11:24:20 AM
Didn't realize D-III softball went to a new format this year:

http://i2.turner.ncaa.com/dr/ncaa/ncaa7/release/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/2014d3softballregionals.pdf

16 double-elimination regionals, and then 8 best-of-three super regionals to reach an 8-team World Series. I like it! Maybe for baseball too, someday?

My mind is blown how this can be done for D-3 softball but not baseball.

Probably would have to give up a week of the regular season in order to do it. Division III has made sure every sport is done by Memorial Day (well, the Tuesday after in baseball's case). Super Regionals would push the tournament a week later.

If they expanded to 64 teams for softball, where's Title IX when you need it? There are too many good teams sitting on the bubble that should get in. I like the idea of a 64 team draw but would scrap a super regional in favor of adding a couple days to an 8 team regional. Have all conference tourneys conclude on the Saturday before. Announce selections by Sunday. Start the Regionals on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. Finish it by Sunday or the same as now. When your team is sitting on the bubble like mine is, this plan works for me.

The reason there are more teams in the softball tourney than the baseball tourney is because more schools sponsor softball than baseball. It is not a Title IX issue, as they are proportionately the same representation (I believe it is one team for every 6.5 schools who play).
Mr Ypsi is correct!

cubs

Quote from: Spence on May 05, 2014, 01:30:05 AM
The LEC, OAC and WIAC will very likely get 2 bids this year, but that doesn't happen every year, and if a spoiler team wins the conference tournament, with the way Pool C is filling up, nothing is assured even for these 3. Marietta winning the OAC by 2 games clear was certainly an interesting development that might change how the committee thinks about the teams in that league.
Interesting....  Going back to 2000 (just took a round year)  the WIAC has put multiple teams in the Regionals, ten out of fourteen years.  This includes 2008 when three teams (Oshkosh, Stevens Point, and Whitewater) got in.  The only years the WIAC put in only one team since 2000 were in 2006 (Stevens Point,) 2004 (Whitewater,) 2002 (Stevens Point,) and 2000 (Whitewater.)

I'd say for the most part, it's usually a safe bet that the WIAC is going to put two teams in Regionals, especially looking at how things have played out over the last 10-15 years.

As far as your other comments, the WIAC has put four different teams (out of a possible seven) in Regionals, had three different teams win Regionals, and had two teams win Championships in the last twenty years.

If the WIAC isn't considered a "power conference" in baseball, I'm thinking there aren't any....

Just out of curiosity, how would the NJAC compare over that same time period?
2008-09 and 2012-13 WIAC Fantasy League Champion

2008-09 WIAC Pick'Em Tri-Champion

BigPoppa

There was a year recently when the NJAC had four bids.
Baseball is not a game that builds character, it is a game that reveals it.

Jim Dixon

Quote from: BigPoppa on May 07, 2014, 03:19:40 PM
There was a year recently when the NJAC had four bids.

Heck there was a World Series with four NJAC teams out of the six team final.