Baseball Rankings - 4/21

[cajunhawk]

I think it is safe to assume the sun will come up in the morning!

We don't know for sure if that will happen.check back tomorrow for confirmation.

[CajunRed]

Nice to be ranked. VERY nice to be ranked so high.

If this team's ultimate goal is Omaha.RPI is what is important.

[TuffGuy84]

Nice to be ranked. VERY nice to be ranked so high.

If this team's ultimate goal is Omaha.RPI is what is important.

The biggest problem we have down the stretch is not who we're playing, but rather the fact that we are everyone's world series. Everyone will throw every last thing they have at us just to say they knocked us off. This has been proven with both UNO and UTA, these teams will continue treating us like this is the biggest game of their season because for the most part, it is because the majority, if not all the teams down the stretch won't be playing in regionals.

[jllanclos]

The biggest problem we have down the stretch is not who we're playing, but rather the fact that we are everyone's world series. Everyone will throw every last thing they have at us just to say they knocked us off. This has been proven with both UNO and UTA, these teams will continue treating us like this is the biggest game of their season because for the most part, it is because the majority, if not all the teams down the stretch won't be playing in regionals.

That's the best part of all of this. Let's see all the regional-type arms, reginal-type atmospheres, and regional-type effort we're going to face for the rest of the season.

If that means losing a few games to get tougher, so be it.

I want to be the king of the hill. BRING IT.

[CajunRed]

The biggest problem we have down the stretch is not who we're playing, but rather the fact that we are everyone's world series. Everyone will throw every last thing they have at us just to say they knocked us off. This has been proven with both UNO and UTA, these teams will continue treating us like this is the biggest game of their season because for the most part, it is because the majority, if not all the teams down the stretch won't be playing in regionals.

Good point.

But if we're super regional or Omaha quality, we'll step up our game and pass that test. If not.well then it mattered less than we all thought.

I don't mean that as a negative. Heck.we've lost only 5 games. I just mean as far as returning to he CWS, we either meet the test you've laid out.OR.we weren't quite good enough.

Either way, it's been great to watch so far.

[CajunRage]

Nice to be ranked. VERY nice to be ranked so high.

If this team's ultimate goal is Omaha.RPI is what is important.

I see it differently. What can we do to improve our chances at hosting as a national seed? Play better competition - can't change that. Hope our opponents play well - can't control that. We can, though, go on a tear and convince every voter that we are one of the best teams in the country and make the committee convince themselves otherwise. I know Brian will come and tell me that polls don't matter. Our RPI will not improve even if we win, so why not make some noise and hopefully give cause for a change in the formula. This season is all that is important right now. But it would be nice to get the RPI formula changed for our future teams. We've seen first hand that it is nearly impossible for a mid major to finish with top 8 RPI and that is a major flaw.

[CrazyCajun]

I see it differently. What can we do to improve our chances at hosting as a national seed? Play better competition - can't change that. Hope our opponents play well - can't control that. We can, though, go on a tear and convince every voter that we are one of the best teams in the country and make the committee convince themselves otherwise. I know Brian will come and tell me that polls don't matter. Our RPI will not improve even if we win, so why not make some noise and hopefully give cause for a change in the formula. This season is all that is important right now. But it would be nice to get the RPI formula changed for our future teams. We've seen first hand that it is nearly impossible for a mid major to finish with top 8 RPI and that is a major flaw.

I'm sure they will change the system that protects the big money conferences in order to make it fair for sunbelt teams.

[CajunRage]

I'm sure they will change the system that protects the big money conferences in order to make it fair for sunbelt teams.

Maybe they will, maybe they won't. Has a unanimous number 1 team ever been snubbed of a national seed?

[cajunfan79]

Maybe they will, maybe they won't. Has a unanimous number 1 team ever been snubbed of a national seed?

When was the last time a mid major finished #1 in the polls at selection time? That's why they probably have not been snubbed before.

[CrazyCajun]

They won't change the system if we do get snubbed, in their minds the system would have worked if that happens. When it happens to money conferences they see it as snubbed, when it happens to us, the system did it's job.

[cajunfan79]

I don't agree with it but if you go off of what Brian said about recent trends we might get snubbed.

[GoneGolfin]

I see it differently. What can we do to improve our chances at hosting as a national seed? Play better competition - can't change that. Hope our opponents play well - can't control that. We can, though, go on a tear and convince every voter that we are one of the best teams in the country and make the committee convince themselves otherwise. I know Brian will come and tell me that polls don't matter.

I think some clarity to what I have said is important here. It is not nearly as simplistic as you state here.

For a more complete explanation, read this post .

I have said that the polls are not officially part of the selection process. I do think that they have some subjective value/influence. But the data in recent years (2010->2014) shows that the committee is not influenced by the polls . but is a slave to the RPI . and selects counter to the polls if that is what the RPI says to do. This does not mean . however . that the polls could not have an influence this time. But I do think it would be erroneous to expect that it will be different this time. The trend remains the same . until it does not.

Our RPI will not improve even if we win,

Patently not true. If the Cajuns win, their RPI will go up. Quite nicely if they were to win them all . which they will not. All other things being equal, of course.

Brian

[CajunRage]

When was the last time a mid major finished #1 in the polls at selection time? That's why they probably have not been snubbed before.

Precisely my point. You don't think that would cause some head scratching across the 200+ schools that aren't in the money conferences?

[Frenchie35]

If our rank was measured by our RPI, where would we be ranked right now in all the polls?

[GoneGolfin]

When was the last time a mid major finished #1 in the polls at selection time? That's why they probably have not been snubbed before.

I do not think the Cajuns miss a national seed with a #1 ranking . if anything because their RPI will probably be either Top 8 . or close enough to where the selection committee still makes them a national seed.

But lets talk about a more likely possibility . the Cajuns are ranked somewhere between #4 and #7 at selection time. There are several examples where the teams ranked in this range had RPIs just outside of the Top 8. They were not awarded national seeds. Conversely, there were recently several examples where teams were ranked outside the Top 8 . but had RPIs inside the Top 8. They were awarded national seeds. It is not difficult to see that when looking at the data, RPI yields considerable influence.

The following is data from the last four years that illustrates interesting scenarios where RPI and Poll rankings are in conflict with one another.

CB=Collegiate Baseball
BA=Baseball America

2013 .
(#7 national seed) Florida State (#8 RPI, #9 CB, #11 BA)

2012 .
(#5 national seed) Oregon (#6 RPI, #10 CB, #10 BA)
(#8 national seed) South Carolina (#11 RPI, #2 CB, #7 BA) * South Carolina finished 2nd in the SEC (#2 RPI Conference)

2011 .
(#3 national seed) North Carolina (#1 RPI, #10 CB, #13 BA)
(#7 national seed) Texas (#12 RPI, #5 CB, #5 BA) * Texas won the Big XII (#3 RPI Conference)
(#8 national seed) Rice (#11 RPI, #17 CB, #9 BA) * Rice won CUSA (#5 RPI Conference)
(#1 regional seed) Texas A&M (#10 RPI, #6 CB, #7 BA)
(#1 regional seed) Cal-State Fullerton (#13 RPI, #8 CB, #8 BA)

2010 .
(#7 national seed) Louisville (#7 RPI, #12 CB, #9 CB)
(#1 regional seed) Cal-State Fullerton (#11 RPI, #4 CB, #7 BA) * CSF won the Big West (#8 RPI Conference)
(#1 regional seed) TCU (#15 RPI, #7 CB, #6 BA) * TCU won the Mountain West (#10 RPI Conference)
(#1 regional seed) Miami (#8 RPI, #11 CB, #20 BA) * Miami finished 3rd in the ACC (#3 RPI Conference)

Note that if you win the regular season of one of the elite conferences (SEC, ACC, Big XII, Pac-12) . you will be a national seed.

Brian