Looking at what is coming back for each team and using a "complex" formula of 3, 2, 1 for all-regional teams for hitters and 4, 3, 2 for pitching (it is a little more important than hitting) here is what I have arrived at for an early look at the 2012 Central Region: (Note- so much can happen between now and February so this is just something to tide us over until then... it has been one day since the season ended and I am already lost).
1 IWU (9)
2/3 WashU/Coe(7)
4/5/6/7 Grinnell/Luther/Beloit/Wheaton (5)
8/9/10 North Park/UofChicago/Loras
11/12/13/14 Carthage/Webster/Buena Vista/Elmhurst
15 Monmouth
RETURNERS: (All-region team)
C:
Mike Nodzenski- Grinnell (1st)
AJ Nathan- IWU (3rd)
Stephen Williams- Chicago (3rd)
1B:
Kevin Callahan- IWU (1st)
Ross Donnan- Monmouth (3rd)
2B:
Chris Reynolds- Luther (1st)
Jonathon Erickson- IWU (3rd)
3B:
Jordan Jaenicke- Beloit (3rd)
SS:
Michael Goldfien- Grinnell (2nd)
OF:
Brandon Rogalski- WashU (1st) Regional Player of the Year
Nick Stein- Coe (1st)
Dave Wollak- Elmhurst (2nd)
Justin Zeller- Wheaton (2nd)
Jack Cinoman- Chicago (3rd)
UTL:
Trey Martin- Wheaton (1st)
Kyle Billig- WashU (2nd)
DH:
Bobby Czarnowski- IWU (3rd)
P:
Wade Morris- Coe (1st)
Alex Norman- Beloit (1st)
Kendall Paluch- Loras (2nd)
Nick Mehn- IWU (2nd)
Steve Kuligowski- North Park (2nd)
Stephan Bonser- WashU (3rd)
David Mueller- Webster (3rd)
James Stone- Buena Vista (3rd)
Augie Lindmark- Luther (3rd)
Danny Dahm- Carthage (3rd)
+k for your efforts, Big Poppa. Probably meaningless, but fun, nonetheless. ;)
To give further stress to non-IWU fans, first-team all-CCIW pitcher Joe Sweeney also returns. ;D (He got off to a slow start, so his 6-5 overall record kept him off the all-region team, but in conference play he was 4-2, with a 2.53 era - including a no-hitter.)
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 04:01:49 PM
To give further stress to non-IWU fans, first-team all-CCIW pitcher Joe Sweeney also returns. ;D
Stress? Hardly. I'm just pleased that we won't be reading the "Dennis Martel rules the world, because he had to rebuild his entire team from scratch" song-and-dance from some of your fellow greenies next season. ;)
I really like WashU next year... they could be a major player on the national scene.
Quote from: Gregory Sager on June 01, 2011, 04:20:01 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 04:01:49 PM
To give further stress to non-IWU fans, first-team all-CCIW pitcher Joe Sweeney also returns. ;D
Stress? Hardly. I'm just pleased that we won't be reading the "Dennis Martel rules the world, because he had to rebuild his entire team from scratch" song-and-dance from some of your fellow greenies next season. ;)
Well, we ARE losing Jason (kiss your hopes goodbye) Pankau. Woe is us! :o :D
In fairness, while I advocated Luke Johnson as sole-COY, co-COYs could certainly be a justifiable position.
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 05:25:31 PM
Quote from: Gregory Sager on June 01, 2011, 04:20:01 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 04:01:49 PM
To give further stress to non-IWU fans, first-team all-CCIW pitcher Joe Sweeney also returns. ;D
Stress? Hardly. I'm just pleased that we won't be reading the "Dennis Martel rules the world, because he had to rebuild his entire team from scratch" song-and-dance from some of your fellow greenies next season. ;)
Well, we ARE losing Jason (kiss your hopes goodbye) Pankau. Woe is us! :o :D
In fairness, while I advocated Luke Johnson as sole-COY, co-COYs could certainly be a justifiable position.
You certainly have the right to talk about anything you like, Chuck, but I gotta say that this topic is more worn out than the treads on a twenty-year-old Uniroyal.
Quote from: Gregory Sager on June 01, 2011, 05:31:02 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 05:25:31 PM
Quote from: Gregory Sager on June 01, 2011, 04:20:01 PM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 04:01:49 PM
To give further stress to non-IWU fans, first-team all-CCIW pitcher Joe Sweeney also returns. ;D
Stress? Hardly. I'm just pleased that we won't be reading the "Dennis Martel rules the world, because he had to rebuild his entire team from scratch" song-and-dance from some of your fellow greenies next season. ;)
Well, we ARE losing Jason (kiss your hopes goodbye) Pankau. Woe is us! :o :D
In fairness, while I advocated Luke Johnson as sole-COY, co-COYs could certainly be a justifiable position.
You certainly have the right to talk about anything you like, Chuck, but I gotta say that this topic is more worn out than the treads on a twenty-year-old Uniroyal.
Now, Gregory, wasn't that a bit snarky to someone who mostly came out on YOUR side? :o ;D
I'm not trying to be snarky. I simply think that the CCIW COY discussion has run its course. Is there really anything new to add to the debate?
Probably not. Just responding to your post. While I agree that Johnson deserved it by himself, I don't think the co-COY position was unreasonable (in fact, I hoped for it, even though I neither expected it nor advocated it).
Gotta stick up for my fellow 'weenies' - I disagreed with their advocacy of Martel, but did not think they were out of line. ;)
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 07:00:01 PM
Probably not. Just responding to your post. While I agree that Johnson deserved it by himself, I don't think the co-COY position was unreasonable (in fact, I hoped for it, even though I neither expected it nor advocated it).
Gotta stick up for my fellow 'weenies' - I disagreed with their advocacy of Martel, but did not think they were out of line. ;)
GS, again, agree to disagree. You have your opinion, and I will maintain mine. There is significant evidence for both coaches.
I don't feel that you were being snarky...Snarky would be if I asked you if you wanted to kiss the IWU National Championship rings ;)
Quote from: hasbeen on June 02, 2011, 09:19:54 AM
Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on June 01, 2011, 07:00:01 PM
Probably not. Just responding to your post. While I agree that Johnson deserved it by himself, I don't think the co-COY position was unreasonable (in fact, I hoped for it, even though I neither expected it nor advocated it).
Gotta stick up for my fellow 'weenies' - I disagreed with their advocacy of Martel, but did not think they were out of line. ;)
GS, again, agree to disagree. You have your opinion, and I will maintain mine. There is significant evidence for both coaches.
I don't feel that you were being snarky...Snarky would be if I asked you if you wanted to kiss the IWU National Championship rings ;)
Agreed, just as it would be snarky if I responded by telling you just exactly what you could kiss in return. ;)
Quote from: BigPoppa on June 01, 2011, 03:31:51 PM
Looking at what is coming back for each team and using a "complex" formula of 3, 2, 1 for all-regional teams for hitters and 4, 3, 2 for pitching (it is a little more important than hitting) here is what I have arrived at for an early look at the 2012 Central Region: (Note- so much can happen between now and February so this is just something to tide us over until then... it has been one day since the season ended and I am already lost).
1 IWU (9)
2/3 WashU/Coe(7)
4/5/6/7 Grinnell/Luther/Beloit/Wheaton (5)
8/9/10 North Park/UofChicago/Loras
11/12/13/14 Carthage/Webster/Buena Vista/Elmhurst
15 Monmouth
RETURNERS: (All-region team)
C:
Mike Nodzenski- Grinnell (1st)
AJ Nathan- IWU (3rd)
Stephen Williams- Chicago (3rd)
1B:
Kevin Callahan- IWU (1st)
Ross Donnan- Monmouth (3rd)
2B:
Chris Reynolds- Luther (1st)
Jonathon Erickson- IWU (3rd)
3B:
Jordan Jaenicke- Beloit (3rd)
SS:
Michael Goldfien- Grinnell (2nd)
OF:
Brandon Rogalski- WashU (1st) Regional Player of the Year
Nick Stein- Coe (1st)
Dave Wollak- Elmhurst (2nd)
Justin Zeller- Wheaton (2nd)
Jack Cinoman- Chicago (3rd)
UTL:
Trey Martin- Wheaton (1st)
Kyle Billig- WashU (2nd)
DH:
Bobby Czarnowski- IWU (3rd)
P:
Wade Morris- Coe (1st)
Alex Norman- Beloit (1st)
Kendall Paluch- Loras (2nd)
Nick Mehn- IWU (2nd)
Steve Kuligowski- North Park (2nd)
Stephan Bonser- WashU (3rd)
David Mueller- Webster (3rd)
James Stone- Buena Vista (3rd)
Augie Lindmark- Luther (3rd)
Danny Dahm- Carthage (3rd)
Am I way off on my early predictions? What does everyone else think will be the top ten teams in the Central Region?
Personally, I am a lot less optimistic for the Titans this year, BP, than your formula would indicate. If there was a major weekness of IWU last year, it was their inability to get quality pitching after Pankau left the mound. Their BA against, excluding Jason, was .311 as a team. That is not incredibly impressive. I think they can win between 25-29 games because I believe this team will be able to score runs, in terms of being a serious regional contender, I do not see it unless some of their arms take a giant leap forward.
My early look at ranking the Central Region's top teams for 2012. I went out on a limb a bit this year, but I really like North Park and WashU. Thoughts? How'd I do?
1. North Park- The Vikes return 24 wins on the mound and all of their saves from a very solid 2011 squad. They have constantly hung around the top-tier of CCIW teams since Luke Johnson's arrival and I see this as they year it finally comes together for North Park. They tied for the regular season CCIW title last year and return a boatload of talented and versatile players.
2. Washington University (WashU)- return Central Region Player of the Year, Brandon Rogalski, second team all region UTL Kyle Billig, and third team all region P Stephan Bonser. A full season of recruiting and off-season programs under coach Steve Duncan is only going to solidify what I think is a team that is on the verge of a national breakthrough.
3. Carthage- The Redmen return most of their pitching staff from a team that was very young on the mound last year. They also return all-region P Danny Dahm as well as 1B Joey Aiello, in addition a very productive gang of outfielders that battled for time last year and will finally get their shot after some graduations.
4. Buena Vista- I know many people are very high on BV this year, but I am not certain they can replace all that they lost to graduation. They lost their #1 pitcher, catcher, shortstop and closer. Those are four positions that are leaned on heavily as the games wear on. I'll be surprised if they find replacements as talented as the four they lost. Third team All- region P James Stone returns to anchor their pitching staff.
5. Webster- returns entire starting pitching staff. This bodes well for a team that has pounded the SLIAC opponents for the past few seasons and should put them back in position to do some damage in the NCAA post-season. They are traditionally hamstrung by the weak SoS that the SLIAC provides so how they fare in non-league games vs St. Norbert, Hendrix, Wheaton, Ripon, and WashU may determine their fate if they stumble in the SLIAC tourney. It may be left to all-region arm David Mueller to try to knock off a few regional big dogs in the process to bolster their SoS.
6. Illinois Wesleyan- They really need to find some pitching to match their potent offense this year. They return four all–region players in Kevin Callahan, Bobby Czarnowski, AJ Nathan and Jonathon Erickson as well as All-region P Nick Mehn. Still, they have very little depth on the mound to back the run-scoring offense they will trot out on a daily basis. That is a recipe for disaster at tourney time.
7. Coe- P Wade Morris (1st team all-regional) and OF Nick Stein (1st team all-region) anchor a team that could be the surprise of the region. If they can find production from other players and pitchers, they could be a team to contend with this season.
On the outside looking in at the top-tier: North Central, Augustana, Luther, St. Norbert, Ripon. I think all five of these teams are close but need to be much more consistent than they have been in the past if they want to jump from the middle-tier of the region to the top-tier.
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 04, 2012, 02:18:11 PM
My early look at ranking the Central Region's top teams for 2012. I went out on a limb a bit this year, but I really like North Park and WashU. Thoughts? How'd I do?
1. North Park- The Vikes return 24 wins on the mound and all of their saves from a very solid 2011 squad. They have constantly hung around the top-tier of CCIW teams since Luke Johnson's arrival and I see this as they year it finally comes together for North Park. They tied for the regular season CCIW title last year and return a boatload of talented and versatile players.
2. Washington University (WashU)- return Central Region Player of the Year, Brandon Rogalski, second team all region UTL Kyle Billig, and third team all region P Stephan Bonser. A full season of recruiting and off-season programs under coach Steve Duncan is only going to solidify what I think is a team that is on the verge of a national breakthrough.
3. Carthage- The Redmen return most of their pitching staff from a team that was very young on the mound last year. They also return all-region P Danny Dahm as well as 1B Joey Aiello, in addition a very productive gang of outfielders that battled for time last year and will finally get their shot after some graduations.
4. Buena Vista- I know many people are very high on BV this year, but I am not certain they can replace all that they lost to graduation. They lost their #1 pitcher, catcher, shortstop and closer. Those are four positions that are leaned on heavily as the games wear on. I'll be surprised if they find replacements as talented as the four they lost. Third team All- region P James Stone returns to anchor their pitching staff.
5. Webster- returns entire starting pitching staff. This bodes well for a team that has pounded the SLIAC opponents for the past few seasons and should put them back in position to do some damage in the NCAA post-season. They are traditionally hamstrung by the weak SoS that the SLIAC provides so how they fare in non-league games vs St. Norbert, Hendrix, Wheaton, Ripon, and WashU may determine their fate if they stumble in the SLIAC tourney. It may be left to all-region arm David Mueller to try to knock off a few regional big dogs in the process to bolster their SoS.
6. Illinois Wesleyan- They really need to find some pitching to match their potent offense this year. They return four all–region players in Kevin Callahan, Bobby Czarnowski, AJ Nathan and Jonathon Erickson as well as All-region P Nick Mehn. Still, they have very little depth on the mound to back the run-scoring offense they will trot out on a daily basis. That is a recipe for disaster at tourney time.
7. Coe- P Wade Morris (1st team all-regional) and OF Nick Stein (1st team all-region) anchor a team that could be the surprise of the region. If they can find production from other players and pitchers, they could be a team to contend with this season.
On the outside looking in at the top-tier: North Central, Augustana, Luther, St. Norbert, Ripon. I think all five of these teams are close but need to be much more consistent than they have been in the past if they want to jump from the middle-tier of the region to the top-tier.
BigPoppa,
Nice analysis. WashU will be a threat; I'll know better when we face them at the UAA tourney in Florida. Unfortunately for our guys, they'll be our first game of the year while we will be their 12th. Seems like we're in for a bruising.
The only other team I can comment on is IWU, and really, only 4 of the players. I've had the enjoyment of watching AJ Nathan since he was 8 years old and playing alongside Anthony Kopp and also Kevin Sullivan. All 3, especially AJ, will be a force this year. IWU also picked up a strong (literally and figuratively) player in Josh Levy, a transfer from Heartland. Levy played against Nathan, Kopp, and Sullivan in high school and played with my son on a top travel team, the Norwood Blues. My son also played at Highland Park with the 3 amigos. Levy has a cannon for an arm and can easily top 90, except nobody in the entire stadium would be safe, because he just cannot control it. However, he did not pitch, but played catcher and the outfield. Levy is a real class act; a great guy. He also makes a great DH as he can flat out hit. I am going to enjoy checking in on Wesleyan and watching these 4 guys.
I'm a little surprised that you have NPU all the way up at #1, BP. Yeah, the Vikes return everyone from a strong staff except for Pete Sparacino. However, the Park lost almost all of last season's starting lineup to graduation. The only returning position players who had more than two dozen ABs last year are Brad Medina and Eric Sousanes (although Ryan Javech, who was the team's best hitter in 2010, is back this year after missing almost all of the 2011 campaign to injury). I know that Luke Johnson is confident that NPU's talent level in terms of position players is going to be right up there again this season, but you just don't snap your fingers and replace the kind of veteran experience that Zach Deutscher, Mike Domenick, Andy Athans, Wade Yunker, Trevor Popp, Angel Carrasco, and Mike Sommerfield brought to last season's team.
Quote from: Gregory Sager on January 05, 2012, 01:48:09 AM
I'm a little surprised that you have NPU all the way up at #1, BP. Yeah, the Vikes return everyone from a strong staff except for Pete Sparacino. However, the Park lost almost all of last season's starting lineup to graduation. The only returning position players who had more than two dozen ABs last year are Brad Medina and Eric Sousanes (although Ryan Javech, who was the team's best hitter in 2010, is back this year after missing almost all of the 2011 campaign to injury). I know that Luke Johnson is confident that NPU's talent level in terms of position players is going to be right up there again this season, but you just don't snap your fingers and replace the kind of veteran experience that Zach Deutscher, Mike Domenick, Andy Athans, Wade Yunker, Trevor Popp, Angel Carrasco, and Mike Sommerfield brought to last season's team.
I know the bats will be hard to replace, but the CCIW is traditionally claimed by teams with the top pitching. NPU has a lot of theirs back as does Carthage. As I said, I may have gone out on a limb in tabbing NPU my pre-season favorite, but it gets boring to tab Carthage or IWU as tops every season. I firmly believe that NPU will be a major player in the region in 2012.
Big Poppa's preseason all-Central Region team:
C: AJ Nathan- IWU
Mike Nodzenski- Grinnell
1B:Kevin Callahan- IWU
Joey Aiello- Carthage
2B: Chris Reynolds- Luther
Jonathon Erickson- IWU
3B:Ryan Javech- North Park
Jordan Jaenicke- Beloit
SS: Michael Goldfien- Grinnell
Eric Sousanes- North Park
OF:
1st Brandon Rogalski- WashU
Nick Stein- Coe
Chris D'Angelo- Carthage
2nd Dave Wollak- Elmhurst
Justin Zeller- Wheaton
Jack Cinoman- Chicago
UTL:Kyle Billig- WashU
Trey Martin- Wheaton
DH: Bobby Czarnowski- IWU
P:
1st Wade Morris- Coe
Steve Kuligowski- North Park
Stephan Bonser- WashU
Danny Dahm- Carthage
Alex Norman- Beloit
2nd Nick Mehn- IWU
David Mueller- Webster
James Stone- Buena Vista
Augie Lindmark- Luther
Eric Rohe- Carthage
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 05, 2012, 02:26:48 PM
Big Poppa's preseason all-Central Region team:
SS: Michael Goldfien- Grinnell
Eric Sousanes- North Park
So you already knew that Luke Johnson is moving Sousanes from 2B to SS? Your spies are everywhere, BP. ;)
Quote from: Gregory Sager on January 05, 2012, 06:06:11 PM
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 05, 2012, 02:26:48 PM
Big Poppa's preseason all-Central Region team:
SS: Michael Goldfien- Grinnell
Eric Sousanes- North Park
So you already knew that Luke Johnson is moving Sousanes from 2B to SS? Your spies are everywhere, BP. ;)
I generally know much more than I let on ;D
Big Poppa's Preseason Top 25: I know I have some teams that are in that others do not like and I left out some that others are very high on. Time will tell, but I feel pretty confident in my Top 25 at this point.
1 Marietta
2 Chapman
3 UW-Whitewater
4 UW-Stevens Point
5 Heidelberg
6 Linfield
7 Kean
8 Wheaton (Mass.)
9 Christopher Newport
10 Cortland State
11 Redlands
12 Texas-Tyler
13 Birmingham-Southern
14 Eastern Connecticut
15 North Park
16 Salisbury
17 Washington University
18 Western New England
19 Carthage
20 Concordia (Ill.)
21 Johns Hopkins
22 St. Scholastica
23 St. Thomas
24 Buena Vista
25 Webster
Just missed: Aurora, Thomas More, Coe, Shenandoah, Trinity (TX)
I thought for sure someone would have jumped on my ranking of either North Park or WashU by now... or my exclusion of Coe and IWU.
Don't know too much about some your teams. Trinity will not have the offensive firepower they had last year, but are deeper 1-9, and their pitching may end up being quite good. They have some freshmen who may make some big contributions, so by the end of the season they could be dangerous once they mature.
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 12, 2012, 01:07:47 PM
I thought for sure someone would have jumped on my ranking of either North Park or WashU by now... or my exclusion of Coe and IWU.
I have stated my pessimism for the Titans this year so in that regard it doesnt surprise me. My only issue with North Park is the lack of top end starter. They have some good starters, but I do not see a pitcher on that staff that has the ability to dominate and miss bats on a consistent basis. IMO, that is the difference between a top 15 team and a team that might be more in that 20-35.
Looking at Central Region teams over the last few years, guys like Kulavic, Aronson, Lapinski, and Pankau from IWU or Livek, Husing, Krepline, and to some extent Ruffie and Perez for Carthage have made them into elite teams at their respective times. It is another reason why Augie has struggled to get over the top of being a very good team to an elite team.
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 12, 2012, 01:07:47 PM
I thought for sure someone would have jumped on my ranking of either North Park or WashU by now... or my exclusion of Coe and IWU.
I would have disagreed with the Coe ranking. I didn't because it's hard to back a team if you are unsure about their catching situation (which I am). That being said, Coe should be better than Buena Vista.
I see BV and Coe as pretty similar in terms of level of play. BV is down from last year while Coe is up... should make for a great IIAC race.
Quote from: CCIWFAN6 on January 12, 2012, 02:48:40 PM
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 12, 2012, 01:07:47 PM
I thought for sure someone would have jumped on my ranking of either North Park or WashU by now... or my exclusion of Coe and IWU.
I have stated my pessimism for the Titans this year so in that regard it doesnt surprise me. My only issue with North Park is the lack of top end starter. They have some good starters, but I do not see a pitcher on that staff that has the ability to dominate and miss bats on a consistent basis. IMO, that is the difference between a top 15 team and a team that might be more in that 20-35.
I can definitely see Steve Kuligowski being that guy for NPU this season. And, of course, I say this while still maintaining that BP has the Park too high. ;)
I would have taken Coe over BV as well. Coe swept BV last season at Coe. That being said BV showed up in the regional unlike the Kohawks. This year they will play in Storm Lake, a tuff place to win.
I would love to hear about projected top newcomers around the region. It has been pretty quiet this off season.
I had a chance to talk to some of the IWU coaches over the weekend. They are extremely excited/optimistic about the young pitching staff and were pleased with what they saw in fall workouts. They really felt that they saw some a significant added interest in the recruiting over the last two season following the National Championship (as most would expect) and as a result have the deepest set of arms they have ever had. I would imagine there would be some growing pains early, but my outlook on this team could be improving slightly after hearing their comments.
So they announced the 2012 regional sites and the Central region goes to Rhodes??? Unless they changed the regional alignments, Rhodes isn't even in-region (I believe they are near Memphis). They hosted the South regional last year. I'm wondering if no one from our region applied to host because this seems like a really inconvenient location for the majority of the central region teams...thoughts?
Quote from: augie_superfan on March 01, 2012, 12:12:06 PM
So they announced the 2012 regional sites and the Central region goes to Rhodes??? Unless they changed the regional alignments, Rhodes isn't even in-region (I believe they are near Memphis). They hosted the South regional last year. I'm wondering if no one from our region applied to host because this seems like a really inconvenient location for the majority of the central region teams...thoughts?
I am guessing it means they plan to ship some Central Region teams to other regions... Whitewater or Marietta. It gives them some added flexibility and can help them easily add teams from the South or even Mideast to the Central regional without having to fly them.
BigPoppa,
The site is USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn. (Rhodes College, host)
I know the SCAC does their conference tournament there and the facilities are nice. It does seem a bit of a stretch from a distance standpoint, but most of the Central teams could get there in a one day bus trip. Certainly something farther north would have been preferable, but it must be because the combination who put in a bid, (if anyone) facilities with lights, and infrastructure.
Quote from: 108 Stitches on March 01, 2012, 05:46:21 PM
BigPoppa,
The site is USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn. (Rhodes College, host)
I know the SCAC does their conference tournament there and the facilities are nice. It does seem a bit of a stretch from a distance standpoint, but most of the Central teams could get there in a one day bus trip. Certainly something farther north would have been preferable, but it must be because the combination who put in a bid, (if anyone) facilities with lights, and infrastructure.
A number of CCIW teams have hosted regionals (and I can't envision them not putting in a bid). I think it must be simple geography, and they're planning to split up the Central.
Big Poppa and I might both appreciate Carthage and IWU in different regionals! 8-) Let 'em knock each other out of the tourney in Appleton instead of earlier! ;D
Well if the NCAA doesn't mind flying people around then that's fine with me but I just envision this setup creating more flights. It's all well and good that they split up up the Central by sending a few teams each way but not all those regionals will have spots to accept any teams. Look at the Midwest regional last year, 3 Minnesota teams, 2 WIAC teams and Aurora. Guess they could slide 1 team over there to make it into a 7-team regional. Same with Marietta regional, could slide 1 over there. I think the Chicagoland area would be a flight but maybe they figure they can get 2-3 teams to split a charter from chicago to memphis (millington).
Will be interesting but I guess you might see some matchups with some Texas school, maybe a Birmingham-Southern or Emory. Add in the SLIAC school, 1 CCIW school and maybe an HCAC school and you have a regional.
Quote from: augie_superfan on March 01, 2012, 08:42:59 PM
Well if the NCAA doesn't mind flying people around then that's fine with me but I just envision this setup creating more flights. It's all well and good that they split up up the Central by sending a few teams each way but not all those regionals will have spots to accept any teams. Look at the Midwest regional last year, 3 Minnesota teams, 2 WIAC teams and Aurora. Guess they could slide 1 team over there to make it into a 7-team regional. Same with Marietta regional, could slide 1 over there. I think the Chicagoland area would be a flight but maybe they figure they can get 2-3 teams to split a charter from chicago to memphis (millington).
Will be interesting but I guess you might see some matchups with some Texas school, maybe a Birmingham-Southern or Emory. Add in the SLIAC school, 1 CCIW school and maybe an HCAC school and you have a regional.
The field increases from 55 to 56 teams for 2012, according to a release on Feb. 27. We could have two seven-team regionals this year, but I doubt it.
With the South not needing a flight in any scenario I can think of, that leaves the West and Central/Midwest as potential flight areas. Not many are
necessary in the Midwest/Central, but the committee got creative last season. Could happen again. Could happen anywhere theoretically. And keep in mind that, if in, some eastern Texas teams could bus to Millington, creating more options.
Depending on the field, this year's regionals should be very difficult to predict.
Difficult?! I'd say closer to impossible:)
BigPoppa's Week #2 Poll:
*Note: I did not have a chance to turn my poll in this week, but here is how I would have voted
1. Marietta 2-0
2. Stevens Point 2-0
3. Whitewater 0-0
4. Christopher Newport 9-2
5. Texas- Tyler 12-3
6. Heidelberg 0-1
7. Kean 6-2
8. Linfield 7-3
9. Wheaton (Mass) 0-0
10. Trinity (Texas) 14-2
11. Eastern Connecticut 4-0
12. Concordia-Chicago 2-0
13. Salisbury 7-2
14. St. Thomas 2-0
15. North Park 4-2
16. Carthage 0-0
17. Piedmont 9-2
18. Concordia-Texas (14-4)
19. Western New England 2-1
20. Johns Hopkins 1-1-1
21. Cortland State 2-3
22. Washington University
23. Aurora 4-1
24. Shenandoah 7-4
25. Adrian 6-1
Dropped out: Chapman, Redlands, Birmingham Southern, St. Scholastica, Buena Vista, Webster
BigPoppa's Week #3 Poll:
1 Marietta 4-1 (My pre-season rank- 1)
2 UW-Stevens Point 2-0 (4)
3 Christopher Newport 13-3 (9)
4 Trinity (Texas) 17-3 (Unranked)
5 Texas-Tyler 13-4 (12)
6 Kean 8-2 (7)
7 Eastern Connecticut 4-1 (14)
8 Concordia (Ill.) 7-1 (20)
9 Piedmont 13-4 (Unranked)
10 North Park 6-2 (15)
11 Linfield 9-4 (6)
12 Wheaton (Mass.) 1-1 (8)
13 UW-Whitewater 2-2 (2)
14 Concordia-Austin 16-4 (Unranked)
15 Salisbury 11-3 (16)
16 Carthage 0-0 (19)
17 Rowan 9-0 (Unranked)
18 St. Thomas 4-2 (23)
19 Cortland State 7-4 (10)
20 Heidelberg 4-4 (5)
21 Western New England 2-1 (18)
22 Washington U. 8-3 (17)
23 Shenandoah 11-5 (Unranked)
24 Illinois Wesleyan 4-0 (Unranked)
25 Adrian 6-1 ((unranked)
Dropped Out: Johns Hopkins (2-2-2), Aurora (7-3)
On the radar: Keystone (5-1), Thomas More (5-1), Misericordia (9-1), Huntington (15-4), Bridgewater (14-4), Dubuque (7-0)
Teams ranked in my pre-season poll that are now out: (2) Chapman 7-9, (11) Redlands 8-9, (13) Birmingham-Southern 10-5,(21) Johns Hopkins 2-2-2, (24) Buena Vista 4-6, (25) Webster 5-4
I may be a bit off on my rankings, so feel free to debate, but I try to be as transparent as I can be in the process.
BP, how would you rank the quality of opponents that NPU has played so far? Several of these names I am not too familiar with, and the other games, the wins seem to be less than a telling indication of what to expect.
Quote from: CCIWFAN6 on March 13, 2012, 12:13:48 PM
BP, how would you rank the quality of opponents that NPU has played so far? Several of these names I am not too familiar with, and the other games, the wins seem to be less than a telling indication of what to expect.
Bates is a good program that made some waves nationally last year. Splitting with them is not a bad thing.
Berry (GA) is a program transitioning from an NAIA Scholarship program to NCAA D3. Not a bad showing for NPU early in the season.
St. Olaf is usually a contender in the Midwest Region... a great sweep for the Vikes:)
Mitchell... not a strong program but NPU did what it needed to do
Dubuque... see Mitchell
Salem is middle of the road...
Principia and Monmouth are bad programs... NPU should roll through them.
Bethel: A surprisingly good team from the MIAC. Better than adverstized and coached by former Big Leaguer Brian Rabbe in his first season. Beating Bethel is a good challenge if the Vikings can pull it off.
I see them at 10-2 as of the weekend.
Wasn't Mitchell in a regional last year?
Quote from: D3Vike11 on March 13, 2012, 12:56:38 PM
Wasn't Mitchell in a regional last year?
True, but they are struggling this year. Currently 1-4 and getting beat soundly in some of them.
D3Vike11's Central Region Rankings as of 3/13/12
1.) Illinois Wesleyan 4-1
2.) Carthage 0-0
3.) Wash U 10-3
4.) North Park 7-2
5.) Coe 5-3
6.) Augustana 7-2
(Since I am new, I know I don't carry a lot of weight. I do have a realistic view of the teams and would love to see your responses)
Quote from: D3Vike11 on March 13, 2012, 02:52:50 PM
D3Vike11's Central Region Rankings as of 3/13/12
1.) Illinois Wesleyan 4-1
2.) Carthage 0-0
3.) Wash U 10-3
4.) North Park 7-2
5.) Coe 5-3
6.) Augustana 7-2
(Since I am new, I know I don't carry a lot of weight. I do have a realistic view of the teams and would love to see your responses)
Hard to dispute anything at this point with so few games played... give it another two weeks it will start to shake out a bit, but I do not mind your rankings. Valid arguments for all at each spot.
BigPoppa,
Hard to disagree with many of your votes on this weeks poll, but I think you've got Dubuque way too high at the moment. I'm all for giving credit where it's due... but they haven't beaten anyone of note and have traditionally been a struggling program. If they get to 12-0 or better then I'd start giving them some votes, but at the moment I'd like to see more out of them. (It's also shocking to see Chapman struggling so bad, but that's not a topic for this board)
Quote from: warrior35 on March 13, 2012, 04:08:12 PM
BigPoppa,
Hard to disagree with many of your votes on this weeks poll, but I think you've got Dubuque way too high at the moment. I'm all for giving credit where it's due... but they haven't beaten anyone of note and have traditionally been a struggling program. If they get to 12-0 or better then I'd start giving them some votes, but at the moment I'd like to see more out of them. (It's also shocking to see Chapman struggling so bad, but that's not a topic for this board)
I have Dubuque on my radar, not in my rankings. After their last few days, they will quickly disappear from the radar unless they get on track ASAP. In the next week or so I will publish a Central Region rankings that will slowly start to take shape as the last of the programs hit the field this weekend.
Dubuque plays at Coe next weekend. That should tell us a lot.
My bad BigPoppa,
I mistook "On Your Radar" for receiving votes to be in your top 25 and therefore being a de facto top 30+. Need to slow down and read.
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 04, 2012, 02:18:11 PM
My early look at ranking the Central Region's top teams for 2012. I went out on a limb a bit this year, but I really like North Park and WashU. Thoughts? How'd I do?
1. North Park- The Vikes return 24 wins on the mound and all of their saves from a very solid 2011 squad. They have constantly hung around the top-tier of CCIW teams since Luke Johnson's arrival and I see this as they year it finally comes together for North Park. They tied for the regular season CCIW title last year and return a boatload of talented and versatile players.
2. Washington University (WashU)- return Central Region Player of the Year, Brandon Rogalski, second team all region UTL Kyle Billig, and third team all region P Stephan Bonser. A full season of recruiting and off-season programs under coach Steve Duncan is only going to solidify what I think is a team that is on the verge of a national breakthrough.
3. Carthage- The Redmen return most of their pitching staff from a team that was very young on the mound last year. They also return all-region P Danny Dahm as well as 1B Joey Aiello, in addition a very productive gang of outfielders that battled for time last year and will finally get their shot after some graduations.
4. Buena Vista- I know many people are very high on BV this year, but I am not certain they can replace all that they lost to graduation. They lost their #1 pitcher, catcher, shortstop and closer. Those are four positions that are leaned on heavily as the games wear on. I'll be surprised if they find replacements as talented as the four they lost. Third team All- region P James Stone returns to anchor their pitching staff.
5. Webster- returns entire starting pitching staff. This bodes well for a team that has pounded the SLIAC opponents for the past few seasons and should put them back in position to do some damage in the NCAA post-season. They are traditionally hamstrung by the weak SoS that the SLIAC provides so how they fare in non-league games vs St. Norbert, Hendrix, Wheaton, Ripon, and WashU may determine their fate if they stumble in the SLIAC tourney. It may be left to all-region arm David Mueller to try to knock off a few regional big dogs in the process to bolster their SoS.
6. Illinois Wesleyan- They really need to find some pitching to match their potent offense this year. They return four all–region players in Kevin Callahan, Bobby Czarnowski, AJ Nathan and Jonathon Erickson as well as All-region P Nick Mehn. Still, they have very little depth on the mound to back the run-scoring offense they will trot out on a daily basis. That is a recipe for disaster at tourney time.
7. Coe- P Wade Morris (1st team all-regional) and OF Nick Stein (1st team all-region) anchor a team that could be the surprise of the region. If they can find production from other players and pitchers, they could be a team to contend with this season.
On the outside looking in at the top-tier: North Central, Augustana, Luther, St. Norbert, Ripon. I think all five of these teams are close but need to be much more consistent than they have been in the past if they want to jump from the middle-tier of the region to the top-tier.
I am starting to look back at what I predicted in the region and trying to figure it all out. I still really like North Park, WashU, and CArthage as the top three, but BV and Webster are off to slow starts. IWU is off to solid start at 5-1 as is Augustana at 7-2 (seems like they always start out hot and struggle to maintain it). Coe is off to a 5-3 start (not as good as I expected them to be at this point) but the big surprise for me so far is Dubuque at 11-4.
The next week will help clear it all up a bit more as the last of the teams to play (Carthage) takes the field in AZ.
In my opinion, I would say NPU, WashU, Carthage, IWU, Coe, and Augie would round out my top 6 currently. But, I don't expect Augie to stay there. Illinois College is out to an impressive start to keep our eyes on, and Central seems to be on or way off... see if they can get a little more consistent they could be IIAC contenders.
D3Vike11's Top 5 in Central Region (as of Mar 20):
1.) Illinois Wesleyan (7-2)
They continue to play well despite a loss to Rose-Hulman. They're hitting as a team at .355 and with Sweeney carrying them on the mound. They aren't my consensus #1 pick, but being the defending CCIW champs keeps them on top.
2.) North Park (10-2)
The Vikings continue to win, beating a good Bethel team to take their current win streak to 9 in a row. The scariest thing could be that they are pitching with a team ERA of 2.89, an area that has never been the strength of the Vikings.
3.) Carthage (2-1)
The Red Man started off strong with an easy win, but took a step back with the loss to Luther. Coach Schmidt believes that this team's strength will be its defense, and although its early, they have already committed 5 errors in 3 games.
4.) Washington U (12-6)
The Bears had their 12 game winning streak broken with 3 straight losses, 2 of which were against weaker opponents. I only see this as a speed bump for Wash U, and expect them to continue to climb the ladder in the Central Region.
5.) Augustana (11-2)
Every year the Augustana Vikings start off hot, and this year is no different. They lead the CCIW in team ERA at 2.82 and are hitting at a high .357. The question remains whether they can compete or not within the tough CCIW.
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 04, 2012, 02:18:11 PM
My early look at ranking the Central Region's top teams for 2012. I went out on a limb a bit this year, but I really like North Park and WashU. Thoughts? How'd I do?
1. North Park- The Vikes return 24 wins on the mound and all of their saves from a very solid 2011 squad. They have constantly hung around the top-tier of CCIW teams since Luke Johnson's arrival and I see this as they year it finally comes together for North Park. They tied for the regular season CCIW title last year and return a boatload of talented and versatile players.
2. Washington University (WashU)- return Central Region Player of the Year, Brandon Rogalski, second team all region UTL Kyle Billig, and third team all region P Stephan Bonser. A full season of recruiting and off-season programs under coach Steve Duncan is only going to solidify what I think is a team that is on the verge of a national breakthrough.
3. Carthage- The Redmen return most of their pitching staff from a team that was very young on the mound last year. They also return all-region P Danny Dahm as well as 1B Joey Aiello, in addition a very productive gang of outfielders that battled for time last year and will finally get their shot after some graduations.
4. Buena Vista- I know many people are very high on BV this year, but I am not certain they can replace all that they lost to graduation. They lost their #1 pitcher, catcher, shortstop and closer. Those are four positions that are leaned on heavily as the games wear on. I'll be surprised if they find replacements as talented as the four they lost. Third team All- region P James Stone returns to anchor their pitching staff.
5. Webster- returns entire starting pitching staff. This bodes well for a team that has pounded the SLIAC opponents for the past few seasons and should put them back in position to do some damage in the NCAA post-season. They are traditionally hamstrung by the weak SoS that the SLIAC provides so how they fare in non-league games vs St. Norbert, Hendrix, Wheaton, Ripon, and WashU may determine their fate if they stumble in the SLIAC tourney. It may be left to all-region arm David Mueller to try to knock off a few regional big dogs in the process to bolster their SoS.
6. Illinois Wesleyan- They really need to find some pitching to match their potent offense this year. They return four all–region players in Kevin Callahan, Bobby Czarnowski, AJ Nathan and Jonathon Erickson as well as All-region P Nick Mehn. Still, they have very little depth on the mound to back the run-scoring offense they will trot out on a daily basis. That is a recipe for disaster at tourney time.
7. Coe- P Wade Morris (1st team all-regional) and OF Nick Stein (1st team all-region) anchor a team that could be the surprise of the region. If they can find production from other players and pitchers, they could be a team to contend with this season.
On the outside looking in at the top-tier: North Central, Augustana, Luther, St. Norbert, Ripon. I think all five of these teams are close but need to be much more consistent than they have been in the past if they want to jump from the middle-tier of the region to the top-tier.
I think I hit the top two dead on considering they have generally been "also rans" in the region for a while. I have no idea what happened to Carthage. I think they are still a threat if they even qualify for the CCIW tourney. BV is also a mystery to me. I did not see them winning the region but I also did not see them falling this fast. Webster is Webster... They go about their business and win SLIAC games.
Quote from: BigPoppa on April 08, 2012, 06:11:26 PM
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 04, 2012, 02:18:11 PM
My early look at ranking the Central Region's top teams for 2012. I went out on a limb a bit this year, but I really like North Park and WashU. Thoughts? How'd I do?
1. North Park- The Vikes return 24 wins on the mound and all of their saves from a very solid 2011 squad. They have constantly hung around the top-tier of CCIW teams since Luke Johnson's arrival and I see this as they year it finally comes together for North Park. They tied for the regular season CCIW title last year and return a boatload of talented and versatile players.
2. Washington University (WashU)- return Central Region Player of the Year, Brandon Rogalski, second team all region UTL Kyle Billig, and third team all region P Stephan Bonser. A full season of recruiting and off-season programs under coach Steve Duncan is only going to solidify what I think is a team that is on the verge of a national breakthrough.
3. Carthage- The Redmen return most of their pitching staff from a team that was very young on the mound last year. They also return all-region P Danny Dahm as well as 1B Joey Aiello, in addition a very productive gang of outfielders that battled for time last year and will finally get their shot after some graduations.
4. Buena Vista- I know many people are very high on BV this year, but I am not certain they can replace all that they lost to graduation. They lost their #1 pitcher, catcher, shortstop and closer. Those are four positions that are leaned on heavily as the games wear on. I'll be surprised if they find replacements as talented as the four they lost. Third team All- region P James Stone returns to anchor their pitching staff.
5. Webster- returns entire starting pitching staff. This bodes well for a team that has pounded the SLIAC opponents for the past few seasons and should put them back in position to do some damage in the NCAA post-season. They are traditionally hamstrung by the weak SoS that the SLIAC provides so how they fare in non-league games vs St. Norbert, Hendrix, Wheaton, Ripon, and WashU may determine their fate if they stumble in the SLIAC tourney. It may be left to all-region arm David Mueller to try to knock off a few regional big dogs in the process to bolster their SoS.
6. Illinois Wesleyan- They really need to find some pitching to match their potent offense this year. They return four all–region players in Kevin Callahan, Bobby Czarnowski, AJ Nathan and Jonathon Erickson as well as All-region P Nick Mehn. Still, they have very little depth on the mound to back the run-scoring offense they will trot out on a daily basis. That is a recipe for disaster at tourney time.
7. Coe- P Wade Morris (1st team all-regional) and OF Nick Stein (1st team all-region) anchor a team that could be the surprise of the region. If they can find production from other players and pitchers, they could be a team to contend with this season.
On the outside looking in at the top-tier: North Central, Augustana, Luther, St. Norbert, Ripon. I think all five of these teams are close but need to be much more consistent than they have been in the past if they want to jump from the middle-tier of the region to the top-tier.
I think I hit the top two dead on considering they have generally been "also rans" in the region for a while. I have no idea what happened to Carthage. I think they are still a threat if they even qualify for the CCIW tourney. BV is also a mystery to me. I did not see them winning the region but I also did not see them falling this fast. Webster is Webster... They go about their business and win SLIAC games.
Would like to see an updated ranking BigPoppa!
Quote from: BigPoppa on January 04, 2012, 02:18:11 PM
My early look at ranking the Central Region's top teams for 2012. I went out on a limb a bit this year, but I really like North Park and WashU. Thoughts? How'd I do?
1. North Park- The Vikes return 24 wins on the mound and all of their saves from a very solid 2011 squad. They have constantly hung around the top-tier of CCIW teams since Luke Johnson's arrival and I see this as they year it finally comes together for North Park. They tied for the regular season CCIW title last year and return a boatload of talented and versatile players.
2. Washington University (WashU)- return Central Region Player of the Year, Brandon Rogalski, second team all region UTL Kyle Billig, and third team all region P Stephan Bonser. A full season of recruiting and off-season programs under coach Steve Duncan is only going to solidify what I think is a team that is on the verge of a national breakthrough.
3. Carthage- The Redmen return most of their pitching staff from a team that was very young on the mound last year. They also return all-region P Danny Dahm as well as 1B Joey Aiello, in addition a very productive gang of outfielders that battled for time last year and will finally get their shot after some graduations.
4. Buena Vista- I know many people are very high on BV this year, but I am not certain they can replace all that they lost to graduation. They lost their #1 pitcher, catcher, shortstop and closer. Those are four positions that are leaned on heavily as the games wear on. I'll be surprised if they find replacements as talented as the four they lost. Third team All- region P James Stone returns to anchor their pitching staff.
5. Webster- returns entire starting pitching staff. This bodes well for a team that has pounded the SLIAC opponents for the past few seasons and should put them back in position to do some damage in the NCAA post-season. They are traditionally hamstrung by the weak SoS that the SLIAC provides so how they fare in non-league games vs St. Norbert, Hendrix, Wheaton, Ripon, and WashU may determine their fate if they stumble in the SLIAC tourney. It may be left to all-region arm David Mueller to try to knock off a few regional big dogs in the process to bolster their SoS.
6. Illinois Wesleyan- They really need to find some pitching to match their potent offense this year. They return four all–region players in Kevin Callahan, Bobby Czarnowski, AJ Nathan and Jonathon Erickson as well as All-region P Nick Mehn. Still, they have very little depth on the mound to back the run-scoring offense they will trot out on a daily basis. That is a recipe for disaster at tourney time.
7. Coe- P Wade Morris (1st team all-regional) and OF Nick Stein (1st team all-region) anchor a team that could be the surprise of the region. If they can find production from other players and pitchers, they could be a team to contend with this season.
On the outside looking in at the top-tier: North Central, Augustana, Luther, St. Norbert, Ripon. I think all five of these teams are close but need to be much more consistent than they have been in the past if they want to jump from the middle-tier of the region to the top-tier.
My updated look at the Central Region Rankings:
1. Central (IIAC)- I cannot believe I have them at #1. More a product of others not getting it done at this point.
2. Wash U (UAA)- A pretty solid Pool B candidate. On the bubble in Pool C...
3. IWU (CCIW)- Starting to play well and a solid SoS will help them out.
4. North Park (CCIW)- Really starting to slide a bit after a torrid start. Need to get rolling or face being below the line in Pool C if they stumble in post-season tourney.
5. Chicago (UAA)- A solid Pool B candidate with a nice SoS to help their case. Doubt they would be a Pool C candidate , but we will know more once the rankings are published.
6. Webster- SLIAC pool A lock (again). Only threat they will face in SLIAC tourney is Spalding.
7. PICK ANYONE YOU WANT HERE... I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN THIS SPOT GETTING A BID REGARDLESS OF THEIR REGIONAL RANKING. GOTTA WIN A POOL-A BID FROM THIS POINT SOUTH...
Webster went 3-0 in its weekend series with Spalding winning 7-0, 3-2, 4-2. This is Spaldings last year I believe that they are ineligible for the SLIAC tournament.
Quote from: Yatzee on April 23, 2012, 02:39:46 PM
Webster went 3-0 in its weekend series with Spalding winning 7-0, 3-2, 4-2. This is Spaldings last year I believe that they are ineligible for the SLIAC tournament.
I thought they were elegible this year, but if what you are saying is true, then Webster has just about locked up a Pool A in the SLIAC. I cannot see them losing twice in that event.
I believe they were supposed to be because it was their 3rd year but from what I heard, they still had some players on scholarship from the previous association they were with before.
Quote from: Yatzee on April 23, 2012, 03:38:43 PM
I believe they were supposed to be because it was their 3rd year but from what I heard, they still had some players on scholarship from the previous association they were with before.
The Handbook lists Spalding as ineligible for the 2012 NCAA tournament.
Spalding is ineligible this year. They should not have players still receiving scholarships, however. They may have players who started at Spalding on scholarship but IIRC all of their scholarships should be rolled off after the second year as a provisional member.
Oh okay. My mistake.