Men 2023 NCAA Baseball Field of 64 Selection Show (5/29/23 @Noon on ESPN2)

[FfldCntyFan]

Does this mean we're hosting Central in the super regionals?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

#10 team in the country draws the #2 overall seed. Makes sense in Corruptland.

Do you truly believe that we are one of the ten best teams in the country?

 

[huskymedic]

Does this mean we're hosting Central in the super regionals?

Can you imagine how that would make heads explode

 

[Rdkid]

The Indiana State region is a joke.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[JeannoCT]

I just read on ESPN that UConn - Texas Tech will be on ESPNU at noon on Friday. Glad I'll be able to see it.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[NE Football]

Great year for Boston College to be the host which might have placed us in a very winnable regional as the #2 seed. Of course we would have had to play a very tough #3 in NU.

Apparently, all 3 schools had bad OOC midweek games for their RPI’s. Unless they change the RPI formula it’s going to be tough to overcome that to get to host in the future for any of the 3 schools. I’m really excited to see how all 3 teams do this weekend.

 

[DGB]

Great year for Boston College to be the host which might have placed us in a very winnable regional as the #2 seed. Of course we would have had to play a very tough #3 in NU.

Apparently, all 3 schools had bad OOC midweek games for their RPI’s. Unless they change the RPI formula it’s going to be tough to overcome that to get to host in the future for any of the 3 schools. I’m really excited to see how all 3 teams do this weekend.

Ehh...I don't think it was the midweek games that killed UConn this year. That's a weird narrative that has taken hold. UMass was the only really bad game that was actually played, and that was more than offset by great RPI games against BC (2) and Northeastern.

What hurt UConn's RPI was 1) the Big East (in particular five games against Nova and Butler); and 2) no out of conference SEC, ACC, or Big 12 weekend series. Even getting a decent Pac school (not Cal) on the West Coast trip would have been huge.

The RPI is essentially 25% your record, 50% the record of you opponents, and 25% the record of the opponents of your opponents. So not only does playing a true southern power conference team help with the 50% part (as they will typically have a good record), but you also get a boost in the "opponents of your opponents" 25% part of the equation because you bring in that whole power conference. UConn played seven out of conference series this year...one of them really needed to be a good southern school from one of the three big conferences. Take out that weird first west coast trip to Cal and just stay in the southeast for a series against any of Florida, Miami, Bama, LSU, Auburn, etc., and you are probably looking at a hosting resume. UConn was already in Florida for OSU and then came back from Cal to Florida for FAU...it would have actually been easier for travel.

Water under the bridge though...let's go get Tech!

 

[MarkyMark]

Ehh...I don't think it was the midweek games that killed UConn this year. That's a weird narrative that has taken hold. UMass was the only really bad game that was actually played, and that was more than offset by great RPI games against BC (2) and Northeastern.

What hurt UConn's RPI was 1) the Big East (in particular five games against Nova and Butler); and 2) no out of conference SEC, ACC, or Big 12 weekend series. Even getting a decent Pac school (not Cal) on the West Coast trip would have been huge.

The RPI is essentially 25% your record, 50% the record of you opponents, and 25% the record of the opponents of your opponents. So not only does playing a true southern power conference team help with the 50% part (as they will typically have a good record), but you also get a boost in the "opponents of your opponents" 25% part of the equation because you bring in that whole power conference. UConn played seven out of conference series this year...one of them really needed to be a good southern school from one of the three big conferences. Take out that weird first west coast trip to Cal and just stay in the southeast for a series against any of Florida, Miami, Bama, LSU, Auburn, etc., and you are probably looking at a hosting resume. UConn was already in Florida for OSU and then came back from Cal to Florida for FAU...it would have actually been easier for travel.

Water under the bridge though...let's go get Tech!

The midweek games would have hurt more had they not canceled the following games:
Brown (281)
LIU (283)
Yale (238)

URI (194) (They essentially moved the URI game from URI to Dunkin in place of Yale so this is a wash). They played URI once as planned. In addition to UMass they also played Hartford (300) who was the worst team I saw all year. That goes away starting next year.

Had they played these three games as scheduled would they be at 22 in the RPI? No. What's the total impact? I have no clue but it could very well be the difference between getting a 2 instead of a 3 today. When you're canceling games like this for RPI purposes the schedule was too soft (with the benefit of hindsight) and the RPI system is broken but that's another issue.

They have transitioned scheduling to a volume approach emphasizing wins as opposed to having a brutal OOC schedule (see 2019). But I like the hybrid schedule proposed here and previously by others. I do believe they are playing Vanderbilt in LA but not sure if that's a one-off or a series. I know these road trips are scheduled in advance so knowing whether teams will be good when the series is actually played is tough. They should, however, have a sense with a team like Cal which really hasn't been good since 2019, and Cal-Poly hasn't been in the tourney since I believe the early 2010s that these will pose risk to OOC SOS.

As you said focus on Tech now. But interesting topic.

 

[hardcorehusky]

The midweek games would have hurt more had they not canceled the following games:
Brown (281)
LIU (283)
Yale (238)

URI (194) (They essentially moved the URI game from URI to Dunkin in place of Yale so this is a wash). They played URI once as planned. In addition to UMass they also played Hartford (300) who was the worst team I saw all year. That goes away starting next year.

Had they played these three games as scheduled would they be at 22 in the RPI? No. What's the total impact? I have no clue but it could very well be the difference between getting a 2 instead of a 3 today. When you're canceling games like this for RPI purposes the schedule was too soft (with the benefit of hindsight) and the RPI system is broken but that's another issue.

They have transitioned scheduling to a volume approach emphasizing wins as opposed to having a brutal OOC schedule (see 2019). But I like the hybrid schedule proposed here and previously by others. I do believe they are playing Vanderbilt in LA but not sure if that's a one-off or a series. I know these road trips are scheduled in advance so knowing whether teams will be good when the series is actually played is tough. They should, however, have a sense with a team like Cal which really hasn't been good since 2019, and Cal-Poly hasn't been in the tourney since I believe the early 2010s that these will pose risk to OOC SOS.

As you said focus on Tech now. But interesting topic.

Just have to ask, you had us as a 3 seed for the last few days. Your thoughts on our seeding?

 

[MarkyMark]

Just have to ask, you had us as a 3 seed for the last few days. Your thoughts on our seeding?

They got a 2. It's a soft 2 (playing the #2 overall seed) but it's a 2 and the program should be very proud of that. The program is respected and that's a great thing. I was too pessimistic and paranoid (if I was a BC fan then.....). The committee (although admitting it has flaws) basically stayed true to RPI. Do I love going to Gainesville? No. I watched a lot of college baseball this year and Florida had the most talent of any team I've seen. The only weakness I saw with Florida is the bottom third of their order is weak. But they are loaded. Caglianone is a special player. But realistically to have any chance of getting out of this region they need to beat Tech first. Assuming that happens then variance is in Uconn's favor and it really works against Florida in a short format like this. Baseball is much easier to pull off upsets in one-off games than football, for example. If anyone remembers Uconn went down there in 2016 and played Florida well (lost a close game I believe). Stating the obvious but Uconn will NOT be intimidated this weekend. Pitching needs to hold up. Looking forward to Friday.

 

[UConNick]

That 2016 regional was hype… we were very good but had to win the AAC tourney or else were probably on the wrong side of the bubble, and we did it.

Then, took a chance starting our number 2 in freshman year Cate against Georgia Tech in round one. We got out to a big lead (7-0, I think) and Cate shut them down for several innings. When he came out, however, the Jackets started chipping away, and we won by one run by inducing a pop-out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th.

Felt about as good as you could possibly feel going into the next game against Florida, who was also the top overall seed in the country, because we’d saved Kay for that game and hadn’t paid for it. Instead, both he and fellow first round pick (I think top-5 pick, too) AJ Puk were both largely ineffective, but we hung with them. I remember Melley blasting a 98mph fastball over their freaking scoreboard in right field to get us on the board in the top of the first. Pete Alonso (know who this guy is? Lol) hit a homer off us. It was 5-5 going into the 8th, as I recall Dane Dunning had come out of the Gator pen and silenced us. Unfortunately, Jonathan India hit a go-ahead shot for UF in the bottom of the inning, and we weren’t able to tie it up. Lost to GA Tech the next day.

What a walk down memory lane that was, and I apologize if I misidentified anything, I did this all off of memory and resisted looking anything up. But holy wow, was that Gator team loaded. Four MLBers including the second-best power hitter in NYC. And we pushed them literally to the brink.

Looking more than forward to hopefully giving them (and the Red Raiders) all they can handle again.

 

[MarkyMark]

Pete Alonso (know who this guy is? Lol) hit a homer off us. It was 5-5 going into the 8th, as I recall Dane Dunning had come out of the Gator pen and silenced us. Unfortunately, Jonathan India hit a go-ahead shot for UF in the bottom of the inning, and we weren’t able to tie it up. Lost to GA Tech the next day.

UConNick very impressed you remembered Alonso. Would have never occurred to me until you mentioned it. Wow. Even in the rear view mirror they were loaded.

 

[dbmill]

So UConn, Boston College, and Northeastern all got at large bids to the Tournament. Have to wonder when the last time 3 teams from New England got at large bids to the NCAA Tournament. And it wasn't as if any of these teams were on the bubble.

 

[huskymedic]

-> Expand the tournament. But not the number of teams.

Expand the regional format.

Add a third weekend of regionals so that it would go regional-regional-super regional. And each round would include two teams playing two-of-three.

I like the idea of two teams squaring off, with pitching staffs and bullpens at full strength.

That’s what makes the super regionals great.
But the beauty of this idea is it expands the hosts, and that gives northern teams a shot.

Take this year’s bracket. If the NCAA tourney was three rounds, the No. 2 seeds would all host the first weekend.

That would include Maryland, Boston College, Iowa and Connecticut.

Baseball in the north has made great strides. More schools have made a financial commitment. But come June, it’s hard to see a reward.

Give those northern schools a chance to host one round, and watch the sport explode in those regions and conferences. <-

 

[Hookknows]

Interested Read….

 

[powerplay]

I understand the road to Omaha is always a tough one. I hope I'm not the only one who thinks that not only UConn but the entire Northeast kinda got screwed with the lack of a host site. And we got screwed by being paired with the #2 overall seed. Having said that, I found this article an interesting read.

NCAA Baseball Selection Process Causing Controversy

When the bracket came out on Monday it likely didn’t shock many following the college baseball season closely that Kansas State was left out. That’s not to say they deserved to be left out, they didn’t, but the writing was on the wall for the Wildcats. The reliance on the RPI for college...

www.heartlandcollegesports.com

 

[powerplay]

So UConn, Boston College, and Northeastern all got at large bids to the Tournament. Have to wonder when the last time 3 teams from New England got at large bids to the NCAA Tournament. And it wasn't as if any of these teams were on the bubble.

Don't forget Maine! BC/UC/NE/ME that's a decent Regional right there.

 

[CtBaseball]

Don't forget Maine! BC/UC/NE/ME that's a decent Regional right there.

Maine didn't get an at-large. It is common for northeastern teams to get auto bids, like Maine did; it is NOT common for three northeastern teams to get at-large bids. Very rare, and very cool. Agree that BC/UC/NE/ME would be a strong regional though!

 

[powerplay]

Maine didn't get an at-large. It is common for northeastern teams to get auto bids, like Maine did; it is NOT common for three northeastern teams to get at-large bids. Very rare, and very cool. Agree that BC/UC/NE/ME would be a strong regional though!

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[dbmill]

Maine didn't get an at-large. It is common for northeastern teams to get auto bids, like Maine did; it is NOT common for three northeastern teams to get at-large bids. Very rare, and very cool. Agree that BC/UC/NE/ME would be a strong regional though!

Thanks for clarifying.

CCSU also got an auto bid.

 

[MarkyMark]

For those of you interested in what Las Vegas is thinking here are the odds to win Gainesville Regional (respect for Uconn here that's a big gap with Uconn/Tech). Last year Uconn was ~+500 to win the regional with Maryland/Wake. Couldn't find game odds for tomorrow's Uconn game although a portion of other games are posted.

Florida -175
Uconn +250
TT +500
A&M +8000