NCAA Baseball Bracket Selection Show

I love this time of year, college baseball playoffs in any division rocks!

 Congratulations to all of the players whose sons won their conference championships. 

Best of luck and enjoy, there is nothing like college baseball!

How much does geography go into choosing teams for a Regional?  I'm assuming they look at something like RPI to group the teams? One from the top, two from the middle, one from the bottom?

Could Houston be Houston/Rice/UT/Sam Houston State  (or Texas Southern)

RPI, SOS and at large bids (winning championships), there are 30 automatic bids to make the field.  

Host sites are largely determined by top RPI, SOS, and how much schools bid out for what they guarantee the NCAA in $$.  This helps those on the bubble to state their case.

UT would draw real big in Houston.  City with largest Alumni by far.  True for a lot of schools.  Would like to see Texas Southern stay here.  Huge accomplishment for the school.

State of Texas got 3 hosts sites, the south and the southeast programs cleaned up.

Would have loved to see UT and Texas A&M in the same regional.  For some reason, they don't like to play each other.

Ripken Fan posted:

Well the 16 Host Sites were set last night (Basically the top 16 RPI teams except #17 Houston replaced #16 Virginia). Can't wait to see where son's team lands. ESPN2 selection show at noon. Happy Memorial Day to all

Good Luck!  We'll be watching

The field of 64 was set today. Lots of expected teams out because of winners not expected.

Hurricanes missed out on the selection,  first time in 44 years. South Carolina not included as well.  

Any opinions on the CWS winner?

TPM posted:

The field of 64 was set today. Lots of expected teams out because of winners not expected.

Hurricanes missed out on the selection,  first time in 44 years. South Carolina not included as well.  

Any opinions on the CWS winner?

Oregon State. Lights out pitching. 

Nice to see Stanford hosting all the way through - first time in years.  9's last season, hoping for a good sendoff.

My odds are on LSU. They are heating up and have a very seasoned group of seniors, along with some great pitching, including the freshman that shut down Arkansas in the SEC Championship game. Looking forward to a fun run for all teams involved.

Clemson and Florida!

Go tigers, Go gators!

Stanford getting in is awesome. 

I predict the team that scores the most runs wins. At this point as the tournament goes on and the story lines are created I choose my rooting interests from game to game. Sometimes it's just based on how one player plays the game.

I was a little surprised how much impact strength of schedule had for some teams in the 32-22, ten games over .500 record range. Are there positive considerations for losing tough games to top teams? Beating ranked teams late in the season as opposed to early? 

So, the last two years have been won by teams that got super hot, lucky, and did not host a regional or super-regional.    There has to be some return to normalcy with top seeds winning this tournament.  I can't predict who is going to get hot or lucky, but I do believe in statistical normalcy.    I have not seen Oregon State play, but they sure look good on paper, and everything I've read about them is tellling me they are going to be a tough out.   I have seen Louisville play, and they are equally impressive.  Those are my two picks.

PS....It is extremely refreshing to see the NCAA selection committee has a sense of humor by picking Clemson over UVA (or anybody for that matter)  to host a regional.   Laughable.    I think they did it to see if we are paying attention.   Yes, we are paying attention.

Re: Clemson getting to host over Virginia. I read there is some consideration for being able to fill a stadium. I disagree. But it's the way it is.

I have not seen Oregon State, but obviously they are very good. Like MIKER1961 said, LSU is playing their best baseball right now. I am obviously biased, but we ran through the SEC championship in pretty impressive fashion. Arkansas is very good as is Florida. There also may be another cinderella team out there as well. I have to say I like our chances to make it pretty deep if we can continue to play at the level we have over the past three weeks. Good luck to all the teams that made it and to the posters who have sons still playing. 

TPM posted:

The field of 64 was set today. Lots of expected teams out because of winners not expected.

Hurricanes missed out on the selection,  first time in 44 years. South Carolina not included as well.  

Any opinions on the CWS winner?

After suffering through about 20 home games this season, I can say with no doubt at all that Miami had no business making the postseason.

Team batting average of .231 ? Not a single starter batting over .281 ? Here's an amazing stat - the 2016 team had 200 more base hits.  200 more. Granted the 2016 team had a few more games - but dropping 200 hits from one year to the next?

Not to mention the coaching staff's fascination with sacrifice bunts. You could say - well, they can't hit so play small ball...  The problem is that they are such a bad bunting team that a typical sequence involved 2 failed bunt attempts before the hitter could swing away.  Handicapping guys who can't hit well by putting them behind in the count constantly isn't a recipe for success.  I can't understand how a team that bunted so often could be so bad at it.

As a guy I follow tweeted out during the last game... "did I just witness a bunt attempt with the count 2-2 with 2 outs down 7"

Yes. Yes he did.

Ugh. Just ranting.

Not saying that they'll win it but Florida State was a preseason top five team in danger of not making the tournament a few weeks ago. They have seemed to find their rhythm and are a dangerous team. 

Now that their stud LHP Seth Romero is back on the team I think Houston is a strong favorite to win the whole....

... oh, wait.

My 8 for Omaha.  Oregon State, Long Beach State, Arizona, Mississippi State, Florida, Missouri State, Louisville, N. Carolina. 

The Arkansas and TCU is Regionals are wide open, JMO.  Nobody knows about Missouri State but they are good, have been good and they are my sleeper pick to get to Omaha. 

Clemson over UVA is just inexplicable.  As for filling a stadium, UVA has no difficulty with that and in fact has a multi-year track record of sellouts, at least for when they are playing.

I wouldn't want to be TCU.  I suspect UVA will be fired up to take that regional in an "upset."

It's an interesting year for UVA in that it's maybe not their best year for pitching, plus they have some questions as to arm health.  But the bats are unbelievable.  They came out flat in their game vs. Duke and that was inexcusable and clearly cost them.  Clemson bore the brunt of their wrath.  I expect to see that fired-up team hit the field this weekend.

TCU's been to four of the last seven CWS's so I suspect they'll be equally fired up to get back after losing to Coastal last year. 

If nothing else, that regional should be a dogfight and must-see TV. 

Pulling for Long Beach State to go deep this year

Catch1721 posted:

My 8 for Omaha.  Oregon State, Long Beach State, Arizona, Mississippi State, Florida, Missouri State, Louisville, N. Carolina. 

The Arkansas and TCU is Regionals are wide open, JMO.  Nobody knows about Missouri State but they are good, have been good and they are my sleeper pick to get to Omaha. 

I was not impressed with Missouri State.  They haven't beaten a single top 50 RPI team.  While it was a mid week game, Arkansas beat the snot out of them earlier in the season.  I am more worried about Oklahoma State in that regional.  I agree with you on the TCU regional.  DBU is hot at the right time, UVA is always good and TCU is without their best player. 

I am tired of the regional matchups. It seems that certain teams have a more difficult road than others just about every year.  Why should Texas A&M have to go through TCU two years in a row?  As an Arkansas fan, we pretty much knew exactly who was going to be in our regional before it was announced.  ORU, OSU, and Missouri St are always going to be in our region if we host and they don't.  2nd time in 3 years we have been matched up with the same group for Regionals or Super.  Seed the top 16, then the next 16 and so on.  Eliminate the geography aspect.     

d-mac posted:

I am tired of the regional matchups. It seems that certain teams have a more difficult road than others just about every year.  Why should Texas A&M have to go through TCU two years in a row?  As an Arkansas fan, we pretty much knew exactly who was going to be in our regional before it was announced.  ORU, OSU, and Missouri St are always going to be in our region if we host and they don't.  2nd time in 3 years we have been matched up with the same group for Regionals or Super.  Seed the top 16, then the next 16 and so on.  Eliminate the geography aspect.     

Agreed on refining the seeding process. 

Another in agreement on the seeding.....doesn't seem right to put teams together geographically when that's likely the teams they played the most during the season.  Kentucky/Louisville regionals matching up for the Supers just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.  Why not match up a west coach with an east coach.....or a midwest with a south....to split up teams who may know an awful lot about each other and also to give fans in different parts of the country to see some different teams once in awhile.  School's over, so it's not like an extra day of travel would be a major issue

I'm biased and happy we are in and hosting. Good luck to all that have sons in the tournament. 

Go Tigers! #ClemsonFamily

Shoveit4Ks posted:

I'm biased and happy we are in and hosting. Good luck to all that have sons in the tournament. 

Go Tigers! #ClemsonFamily

Me too! #clemsonfamily #letsdothis

NCAA does championship seedings geographically.

As long as the NCAA pays for transportation, room and board, its not going to change.

 Footnote: playing regional opponents benefits most teams that play each other often, due to familiarity. Supers spread it out a bit further. Look at the Clemson regionals, if Oregon wins, that regional winner has to fly across the country to play a team they may nevet have played.

justbaseball posted:

Nice to see Stanford hosting all the way through - first time in years.  9's last season, hoping for a good sendoff.

Can't wait! I'll be there!

I suspect the regional matchups have more to do with the desire to sell tickets!

Midlo Dad posted:

I suspect the regional matchups have more to do with the desire to sell tickets!

You are right. Athletic departments put in bids for payouts to the NCAA, more than likely quite a few regional sites put in more significant bids than others.

That sometimes will make a difference when you have 2 teams vying for that position and their stats match up. 

So if teams travel outside of their geographical area, chances are the pot won't be as big as expected, bids will remain lower, and that's lost revenue to the NCAA.

Yes, it's about $$$$.

TPM posted:

Midlo Dad posted:

I suspect the regional matchups have more to do with the desire to sell tickets!

You are right. Athletic departments put in bids for payouts to the NCAA, more than likely quite a few regional sites put in more significant bids than others.

That sometimes will make a difference when you have 2 teams vying for that position and their stats match up. 

So if teams travel outside of their geographical area, chances are the pot won't be as big as expected, bids will remain lower, and that's lost revenue to the NCAA.

Yes, it's about $$$$.

 

I agree, but can't figure out why UT was sent to California and not one of the three Texas regionals.  Big draw, lotsa longhorns everywhere.  Hard to avoid them.  Everybody either knows one or has one.

Here's mine...

...and my beautiful wife, just in case she is checking my browser history.

What she is doing is actually dangerous.  They can spin their head around and catch you in the face with the tip of their horn.

Yell at her for that!!!!

I am assuming their overall record wasnt as good as others?

Go44Dad,

Yes, UT making the field and then being sent to CA caught my attention with lots of TX teams hosting regionals.  Congrats to UT for making the tourney in Coach Pierce's first year.  You are right, lots of Longhorns everywhere.  I work with a bunch of them (remotely) and they are crazy for Longhorn baseball.  Good luck!

TPM posted:

Yell at her for that!!!!

I am assuming their overall record wasnt as good as others?

They were marginal at best.  Same tier as Baylor, Texas A&M.

My rooting interests are pulling for Texas teams.  Most exciting would be for University of Houston or Sam Houston State to make the CWS field.  They are the most local, and (broad) target schools for son.

Go44dad posted:

TPM posted:

Midlo Dad posted:

I suspect the regional matchups have more to do with the desire to sell tickets!

You are right. Athletic departments put in bids for payouts to the NCAA, more than likely quite a few regional sites put in more significant bids than others.

That sometimes will make a difference when you have 2 teams vying for that position and their stats match up. 

So if teams travel outside of their geographical area, chances are the pot won't be as big as expected, bids will remain lower, and that's lost revenue to the NCAA.

Yes, it's about $$$$.

 

I agree, but can't figure out why UT was sent to California and not one of the three Texas regionals.  Big draw, lotsa longhorns everywhere.  Hard to avoid them.  Everybody either knows one or has one.

Here's mine...

...and my beautiful wife, just in case she is checking my browser history.

What she is doing is actually dangerous.  They can spin their head around and catch you in the face with the tip of their horn.

 

 

Hook'em horns! 

Yale and Holy Cross coming to the Pacific Northwest. It's rare to see NE schools coming here. Anyone in the NW making the trip to Corvallis?