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I'm just wondering about the Bearcats' chance at a dream in Omaha. Since this is the first year I've truly followed college baseball, I'm not familar with all the teams and the strong conferences and selection process. The Bearcats finished 1 game out of the Big East conference and lost in the Big East Championship game today. It would be really amazing to see them in the CWS since I have gotten to know the team so well.
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Unlike most other team sports, in which teams usually have an equivalent number of players on the field at any given time, in baseball the hitting team is at a numerical disadvantage, with a maximum of 5 players and 2 base coaches on the field at any time, compared to the fielding team's 9 players. For this reason, leaving the dugout to join a fight is generally considered acceptable in that it results in numerical equivalence on the field, and a fairer fight. -
Given that they were ranked #95 in the RPI going into the Big East tournament, I wouldn't plan on the Bearcats getting a spot in the NCAA tournament.
The tournament selection process is somewhat similar to the basketball process, although the tournament itself is very different.
The 64 teams that make the tournament are placed into 16 four-team regionals usually held at the home field of the top seeded team in each regional. Each regional is a double elimination tournament. The 16 teams that win the regionals go on to play a best-of-three "super regional" series. The eight winners of these super regionals go on to Omaha. In addition, eight teams are given national seeds and are guaranteed to host regionals and super regionals as long as they keep advancing in the tournament.
Overall, the best conferences are the ACC, Big XII, Pac 10, SEC, Conference USA, and the Big West. -
Their only shot to make regionals was to win the conference tourney.Comment
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I'm very familar with the Big East Conference. While it's major college baseball the conference is notches below the best. While Louisville made it to the CWS last year, you wouldn't normally expect a Big East school to make it. There are pro prospects in the conference. But not like some of the better conferences.
I was shocked to see SJ's roll over and die in two straight. I did watch them cough up a fur ball in the last week of the season, blowing a seven run lead in the 9th to Villanova. I guess it was a harbinger of things to come. Villanova took them out in game one of conference play as the last/8th seed. Then SHU took SJ's right out of the tournament in game two.Comment
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I was at the Villanova/SJs game at the big east tourney and I was shocked how bad SJs looked. Big East baseball is a few notches below the best in the country but I am spoiled with Big 12 baseball. I was hoping for better baseball but it was fun while it lasted.Originally posted by TG Coach View PostComment
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Louisville had a great season last year. There was a lot of talent. Rutgers was also very good last year. Before that, Notre Dame was a strong team with Smardzjia (the stud wide receiver) and Manship leading the pitching staff.Originally posted by TheJourneyman View PostComment
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Its a matter of time. You don't become a power conference overnight. They have programs going in the right direction at least so maybe in a few years if they can keep recruiting they will be thought of more.Originally posted by TG Coach View PostComment
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The Bearcats will NOT be in the CWS...nothign against them but Louisville is a whole lot better team then them and well Cincy is just does not have the depth in the line up as Louisville does and like someone said they would have to win the Big East which is not going to happen...... i mean im from cincy to and would like to see them one day get there but i dont see it in the near future
GO PENS-----2008 Stanley Cup Champs!!!!!!! Hoping!!!!!!!!Comment
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It's not a new conference. The Big East was founded in 1979. The problem many of them have is geographic location. It's not condusive to drawing the top talent on a regular basis. The two top rated high school pitchers in New Jersey aren't headed for Rutgers or Seton Hall. They're headed for North Carolina. The top two players in Conecticut aren't headed for UConn. They're headed for Vanderbilt. This will never change. It's also why Boston College will always be a bottom feeder in ACC baseball.Originally posted by TheJourneyman View PostLast edited by TG Coach; 05-31-2008, 10:22 AM.Comment
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They do have a lot of problems but they are headed in the right direction IMO. They may never be the SEC or PAC10 but they can make themselves into a respectable conference. There is enough talent to win with at the college levels if recruiting is done right. Look at places like UC Irvine and Coastal Carolina. They compete with some of the top schools in the country and can compete but it didn't happen overnight. Will it continue? That remains to be seen.Originally posted by TG Coach View PostComment
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Look at places like UC Irvine and Coastal Carolina. They compete with some of the top schools in the country and can compete but it didn't happen overnight.
They had climate in their favor. I know with UCI the issue was financial commitment to athletics which finally happened. Even the Louisville coach left for South Florida. I'm not anti-Big East. There's a stadium within biking distance of our house. I'm just being real.Comment
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Other schools compete with not so great climate. All I am saying is it is possible if done right and a few of the schools are going in the right direction. I actually can't stand the conference and most of the teams but would love to see them slowly getting better as it just makes college baseball better.Originally posted by TG Coach View PostComment
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