Quote from: airball55 on May 11, 2014, 06:11:16 AM
For UR, this seems to be their song. Although they have been under .500 the previous three years, when they do get to the tournament, it's excuse after excuse. Ithaca is down a bit, I don't like their chances at all. Cortland has the region for the taking. Fisher certainly has the arms to be a dangerous team, I wouldn't sleep on them. I can't see any scenario where the NCAA won't ship a team in. Whomever that may be, we would assume that team to be a threat. Neither Stevens or Farmingdale evoke fear. As for Fisher and Ithaca, who knows if they get in, could be both, might not be either. Fisher is 30-8 in the region, it would be unprecedented to have a mark like that and not get in.
The UR YellowJackets have no excuses, they flat out lost. I'm dissappointed as anyone. The last 3 years were tough to watch, I only wish I could have watched thsi year. However, call it "more competitive", etc., but in mu counts for nothing opinion, the league could not have been as strong as the past couple if years. All you have to do is compare the teams and many of the individual stats and ask yourself how, for example, does a team like UR go from 1 guy having a +>400 OBP to having 7 guys +.400? Look at slugging %, you go from a team.297 last year to .326 this year, with virtually the same guys. There were a couple of new faces, but it is mostly the same.
You see much of the same in the pitching staff. Tim LaSuer (RPI) played at UR his first year but had a personality conflict with the UR coaches (plus probably was played in the wrong position), had a nice continuation of his career at RPI. He was not in the top 10 in hitting (hit .267 at UR) but hit .435 this year.
Most teams have a better conference performance than overall, which leads me to believe the LL is not as strong as other leagues. However LL guys go for the education, which is a strength at LL schools and prepares the guys for great careers.
But, watch the Jackets over the next couple of years!