Cajuns path to the NCAA tourney each year

[RaginDave]

Until something is done to correct the way the ncaa committee chooses who gets in the Cajuns secret sauce for getting into the field of 64 in baseball should be at a minimum the following requirements:

1. Somewhere around 37+ wins.

2. An RPI inside the top 50.

3. Top 4 finish in the SBC regular season.

4. Minimum of semifinals in conference tournament.

5. Close to or at .500 vs Q1 record.

6. Above .500 record vs Q1 and Q2 combined record.

[R1Letterman]

I'd like to see a set amount known in advance. That's how world cup is that's how u.s. pro sports are etc etc. Each division/conference knows what they are getting ahead of time and can plan accordingly as to how to attack the season.
Move the number up or down if needed based on prior results

[moorecajun]

I'd like to see a set amount known in advance. That's how world cup is that's how u.s. pro sports are etc etc. Each division/conference knows what they are getting ahead of time and can plan accordingly as to how to attack the season.
Move the number up or down if needed based on prior results

Please explain this some more. I'm not sure if you are referring to scheduling games or teams being selected for regionals.

[R1Letterman]

Selection

[RaginDave]

Until something is done to correct the way the ncaa committee chooses who gets in the Cajuns secret sauce for getting into the field of 64 in baseball should be at a minimum the following requirements:

1. Somewhere around 37+ wins.

2. An RPI inside the top 50.

3. Top 4 finish in the SBC regular season.

4. Minimum of semifinals in conference tournament.

5. Close to or at .500 vs Q1 record.

6. Above .500 record vs Q1 and Q2 combined record.

Just to be clear, if the Cajuns are at the minimum at each of these categories, I think they are a bubble team, that is why I said at a minimum that is what we need to achieve, granted any change in many of these and we are probably a guarantee.

For instance, if the Cajuns had an RPI of 35 and 40+ wins and a record of 10-6 vs Q1 teams, I think we are in.

Above is the minimum we need to have each year to be considered for the tournament. So for Coach Deggs, I think building a schedule that allows you to reach these is the key. This means mixing in some OOC games that can get you an RPI bump as well as mixing in some games that you assume you will win, but won't crush your RPI.

[R1Letterman]

The federation u.s. is in for world cup is called concacaf.
In 2014 had 4 bids, 2018 went down to three, then 2022 back up to four. They know in advance as their success went up or down. South America (comnebol) went from 6 down to 5 then 4 over those three tournaments as well

[cajun4life]

Just to be clear, if the Cajuns are at the minimum at each of these categories, I think they are a bubble team, that is why I said at a minimum that is what we need to achieve, granted any change in many of these and we are probably a guarantee.

For instance, if the Cajuns had an RPI of 35 and 40+ wins and a record of 10-6 vs Q1 teams, I think we are in.

Above is the minimum we need to have each year to be considered for the tournament. So for Coach Deggs, I think building a schedule that allows you to reach these is the key. This means mixing in some OOC games that can get you an RPI bump as well as mixing in some games that you assume you will win, but won't crush your RPI.

If we are 10-6 vs Q1, our typical schedule and 40+ wins we would be hosting.

[CharlieK]

Just make the conference tourney’s the first stage of the big tourney. Conference tourney finalists all get in a regional. Don’t like that better teams from “better” conferences don’t make it? Too bad, stop stacking conferences and creating this haves vs have not situation.

[RaginDave]

If we are 10-6 vs Q1, our typical schedule and 40+ wins we would be hosting.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, I was showing that the difference between not getting in and getting in is so miniscule for us. For instance we had 40 wins this year and were 7-10 vs Q1, now lets look at some Q1 losses that could have changed where we sat on Monday with the stress of not sure if we were in or not.

2 losses to Campbell by a total of 5 runs.
1 loss to Coastal by 1 run
1 loss to USM by 2 runs

Change those for losses to wins and we are 11-6 vs Q1 teams vs 7-10. The Coastal and USM games we were up in both of those late in the game.

[MountainDew]

I think the overall idea of the RPI is a good metric. But its flaws are just terrible. Look back to the infamous St. Peter's series a few years ago. We really got punished for sweeping a bad team at home. That series alone kept us out of the postseason.

We went 5-0 against Tx State this year. A couple weeks ago, that's 5 extra wins in Q1. They drop just below 50 and now we lose those 5 Q1 wins. It still makes for a nice Q1-Q2 boost, but that slide hurts the Cajuns a bit.

Playing Coastal 3 times in the tourney and beating them twice is why we're in the postseason. So the RPI jump helped us this time. It is all over the place.

These are just a couple examples that we could go on all day talking about. The RPI should be used as a tool, but not the end all be all. The committee needs to dig deeper.

[R1Letterman]

if it is such a good metric why did other sports move away from it?

[RaginDave]

if it is such a good metric why did other sports move away from it?

I think he answered that, it is flawed.

It is a good overall metric, but it is flawed....It needs to be one of the criteria, but not the only criteria.

[RaginDave]

if it is such a good metric why did other sports move away from it?

I'll give you a perfect example. There is a team with an RPI of 61, they were 59th heading into their conference tournament. Here is their resume.

Overall record 23-31
SOS #2
Non Conference RPI 36
Quad 1 record 8-22
Quad 2 record 7-5

They were never in the discussion for NCAA tournament, but just based on RPI, they were at least in the area where teams that are on the bubble are.

Their name.....Florida State.

[Million$Mullet]

I'll give you a perfect example. There is a team with an RPI of 61, they were 59th heading into their conference tournament. Here is their resume.

Overall record 23-31
SOS #2
Non Conference RPI 36
Quad 1 record 8-22
Quad 2 record 7-5

They were never in the discussion for NCAA tournament, but just based on RPI, they were at least in the area where teams that are on the bubble are.

Their name.....Florida State.

And they missed the tournament for the first time in 44 years. Crazy!

[R1Letterman]

Just make the conference tourney’s the first stage of the big tourney. Conference tourney finalists all get in a regional. Don’t like that better teams from “better” conferences don’t make it? Too bad, stop stacking conferences and creating this haves vs have not situation.

amen!