A potential National Seed scenario that concerns me ...

[GoneGolfin]

I don't (can't) disagree with a thing you said.

Besides the RPI redundancy, it's a lot easier to keep your conference near or on the podium if they're given quadruple the opportunity every single year. The process is not (easily) allowing the potential showcasing of new programs on the rise. I still believe too much redundancy exists in the reward side of the RPI.

Personally, I wish all postseason tournaments limited participation to a set number from each conference and made conference realignment arguments/strategy take on a whole new twist.

I do appreciate your answer, Brian

I agree with everything you have stated ... except artificial limits on conference participation in the NCAA Tournament. I would prefer to address the glut of NCAA Tournament qualifiers from the elite conferences by fixing the root cause ... revamp the RPI and selection process. I do not want an arbitrary band-aid. As far as conference tournaments are concerned, I would like to see the Sun Belt adopt the softball tournament format for baseball. Or ... go to six teams and only provide the #1 and #2 seeds a single bye. But in either case, the #1 and #2 seeds are not playing until the semi-final round and are playing less damaging (RPI) competition.

Brian

[castsdan]

I would love to see it happen, but I just don't. I think we will have to go on the road to get to Omaha. They will blame it on the SOS (maybe even our small facility) and fill in the teams they want. If we were #5 or 6 that would be a different story but if we finish even at #8, then I don't think they give it to us. I hope I'm wrong.

Hopefully we get paired with a 7-8 seed that we can handle up on

Facility size is not really a factor anymore. Finish with a top 10 RPI and win at least 4 of the last 6, there's a great chance we get a national seed. Win conference tournament and those chances go up. 2010 Coastal Carolina was a national seed. They had a gaudy record and won conference tournament. Problem is they drew South Carolina in the super regionals.

[J-Town Cajun]

What is the Cajuns non conference RPI? I would think it's pretty good?

[GoneGolfin]

2010 Coastal Carolina was a national seed. They had a gaudy record and won conference tournament. Problem is they drew South Carolina in the super regionals.

Coastal Carolina also had a #2 RPI ranking in 2010 at selection time ... in addition to their 51-7 record ... and a #3 Non-Conference RPI.

Brian

[GoneGolfin]

What is the Cajuns non conference RPI? I would think it's pretty good?

Last week it was #11. But it may take a dip with Alabama getting swept this past weekend and Southern Miss dropping 2/3 to Tulane.

Edit: It actually moved up to #9 (despite Alabama and USM) … on the fuel of taking two from SLU.

Brian

[castsdan]

Coastal Carolina also had a #2 RPI ranking in 2010 at selection time ... in addition to their 51-7 record ... and a #3 Non-Conference RPI.

Brian

RPI formula also changed since then. Back then it was easier for mid-major schools to have a higher RPI. RPI is not the end all be all for seeding teams.

[GoneGolfin]

RPI formula also changed since then. Back then it was easier for mid-major schools to have a higher RPI. RPI is not the end all be all for seeding teams.

Of course the formula has changed. But that is irrelevant. What has remained consistent since 2010 is the increased value the selection committee places on RPI rankings when determining national seeds ... when compared to years prior to 2010. Coastal Carolina was a national seed because of that #2 RPI ranking.

And while this is irrelevant to the above point ... it was not easier for "mid-major" schools to have a higher RPI (before the formula change) than the present (after formula change). The opposite is true.

Brian

[CajunDreDog]

So what teams do we need to win the most, and in what order?
What teams do we need to lose the most, and what order?

[CajunEXPRESS]

Last night I caught a little of this show SiriusXM This Week in College Baseball. They were interviewing a former member of the selection committee. He said to him the selection process is one of science, RPI. and art, eyeball and smell test.

He greatly discounted mid week games because in regional play you will be facing the best players of both teams like conference and week end games. Mid week games you have a lot of testing and allowing people some playing time. I suppose that is the smell and eyeball test because the numbers are the numbers.

Other things he said was generally true. Prime players getting hurt late not held against teams, and stars coming back late is a plus for team. He regarded how you compete in your conference important. Finally picking the last few at large teams always leaves concerns that they might have made a mistake.

By his logic the win against LSU is no more important than the loss to UNO, both mid week games.

[jllanclos]

Last night I caught a little of this show SiriusXM This Week in College Baseball. They were interviewing a former member of the selection committee. He said to him the selection process is one of science, RPI. and art, eyeball and smell test.

He greatly discounted mid week games because in regional play you will be facing the best players of both teams like conference and week end games. Mid week games you have a lot of testing and allowing people some playing time. I suppose that is the smell and eyeball test because the numbers are the numbers.

Other things he said was generally true. Prime players getting hurt late not held against teams, and stars coming back late is a plus for team. He regarded how you compete in your conference important. Finally picking the last few at large teams always leaves concerns that they might have made a mistake.

By his logic the win against LSU is no more important than the loss to UNO, both mid week games.

You can't use RPI as the backbone of your selection decisions and, at the same time, discount midweek games. They're baked into the formula. That's an inconsistent statement.