BB: SCIAC: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Jack Parkman]

So Occidental is 24-1 over there last 25 games... I know the SCIAC is down this year, but has anyone seen them that can give me some more insight? Obviously, DeRaad is legit; but what about the rest of their offense? Will they hit when they face teams with good pitching? Freshman Will Martel is 8-0 with a 1.69 ERA, but he has only 21 strikeouts in 64 innings. Is it a bunch of off-speed stuff or does he just pitch to contact? Their fielding stats are below average... but they keep on winning. Someone give me the scoop to how they 26-5!

I have been pretty open in regards to Oxy and my thought that they really aren't as strong as it might seem, but they have done everything they have needed to do.  Oxy has a huge series this weekend with Cal Lu and looking back on their season, this will be the best team they have played so far.  Oxy's non-conference scheduling is pretty weak, and all at home.

I have also said that I will give credit to Oxy for winning the way they have.  The following are games they won very late, and if these were losses, we wouldn't even be talking about them.

2/13 Willamette- scored 2 in the 9th for a walk-off win, win 8-7
3/4 @Claremont- scored 3 in the top of the 9th to win 6-4
3/5 Claremont- 2 run walk-off bomb in the 11th, win 9-7
3/13 @Whittier- 5 runs in the top of the 9th, win 10-7
3/19 Rutgers-Newark- Walk off win 3-2
3/26 @Redlands- 1 in the 9th after 2 out and nobody on, hit by pitch then a triple.  7-6 win
4/1 Pomona Pitzer- 2 in the 9th for a 7-6 walk-off win
4/16 Puget Sound- 2 in the 9th for a 2-1 walk-off win

Oxy has done a great job this year not giving up.  As I said before, this will be their biggest test of the year and Cal Lu will be more than ready.

[Sluggerdad]

I am inclined to agree with Sir Ralph.  I think there are a lot of pretty good teams beating up on one another; with the next level down teams taking a bite or two along the way when they get their ace on the hill or get hot at the plate.

My thought is that the team that emerges is so battle worn just to survive the West Region, that they may get to Appleton with tired arms.

... or a core of 16-18 players who have had really tough games with lots of late inning tension such that they are ready for the challenge.

Purple,

from your observation, are the SCIAC contenders developing the #3, #4 and #5 starters and the #2 and #3 set-up men?

I think that was the difference in Trinity. They had developed a deep bullpen in the regular season that help with SCAC tourney, West Region and Nationals.  I think that is one of the strengths that we see in the WIAC, the NJAC, Cortland and New England teams... bullpen depth.

I think that's a function of all the snow outs and rain outs and the concentrated schedules that result.  They have to use more guys.   So more guys are ready come tournament time. 

[108 Stitches]

Ralph,

I would agree with you regarding the West. At the beginning of the season there were not the traditional West powers making noise, so the thought was the "West was down"  however over time other teams have stepped up, including a surprising to some folks, Whitworth due to their losses last year. Centenary and TLU are two strong teams to be feared, Occidental as we have been talking about, as well as consistently competitive teams from UTT and CLU are in the top 25.

I also agree with you regarding Trinity as I watched them for four years go to the West Regional and be one of the top teams there, but with just a tad too little pitching to get them through to Appleton. Clearly in 2013 they were probably the second best team in the country, they just happened to be in the Regional with the best. I expect to see the same in the West regional. TLU or Centenary could knock off Trinity in the SCAC conference, who knows what is going to happen in the SCIAC and NWest, but it is possible to see three at large teams come out of the West depending on what happens in their tournaments, and I certainly did not see that possibility at the beginning of the season.

It is going to be an interesting couple of weeks.

SCAC_Baseball - Welcome - Nice to have someone else to "talk to"

[Jack Parkman]

but it is possible to see three at large teams come out of the West depending on what happens in their tournaments, and I certainly did not see that possibility at the beginning of the season.

I think the NWC and SCAC are 1-bid conferences UNLESS Whitworth or Trinity fails to win their tournaments.  I would say Cal Lu and Oxy are rooting for those 2 to win their tournaments, then play each other in the SCIAC tourney final and both (maybe) get in.  Of course, a lot can change in the SCIAC with 7 games left for Cal Lu and Oxy (3 against each other) before the tournament.  I also see the ASC as a 1-bid league if the favorite (I have no idea who that is at this point) fails to win the ASC tourney.

At this point, Trinity and Whitworth seem like a lock for a Pool C, unless they both go 0-5 the rest of the way, which I do not see happening.

[Purple Heys]

I am inclined to agree with Sir Ralph.  I think there are a lot of pretty good teams beating up on one another; with the next level down teams taking a bite or two along the way when they get their ace on the hill or get hot at the plate.

My thought is that the team that emerges is so battle worn just to survive the West Region, that they may get to Appleton with tired arms.

... or a core of 16-18 players who have had really tough games with lots of late inning tension such that they are ready for the challenge.

Purple,

from your observation, are the SCIAC contenders developing the #3, #4 and #5 starters and the #2 and #3 set-up men?

I think that was the difference in Trinity. They had developed a deep bullpen in the regular season that help with SCAC tourney, West Region and Nationals.  I think that is one of the strengths that we see in the WIAC, the NJAC, Cortland and New England teams... bullpen depth.

I am not sure any SCIAC team is truly 5 deep in starters.  I would say that both Cal Lu and Oxy appear have developed #2, #3 setups and a defined closer in the bullpen.  I don't have a good read on Chapman.  I think Redlands' relatively small roster may have gassed some of their pitching.

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks Purple.

[Jack Parkman]

Nice job by Oxy taking 2/3 from Cal Lu.  This sets up the round-robin portion of the SCIAC schedule (4 games) and the SCIAC tournament teams are set with Oxy, Cal Lu, Chapman and Redlands.  There could be some shuffling after the round-robin but the 5 seed can't catch up.

[Purple Heys]

Entering the SCIAC Round Robin
1. Occidental
2. Cal Lutheran
3. Chapman. (Owns TB over Redlands)
4. Redlands
5. Whittier
6. Pomona-Pitzer (Owns TB over La Verne)
7. La Verne
8. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
9. Cal Tech

[108 Stitches]

Hi my name is Jack.

[Jack Parkman]

Hi my name is Jack.

Pretty much...

Oxy did everything they needed to do this year and they finally won a series against a good team.  It sure looks like they will be the #1 seed for the SCIAC Tournament unless something wild happens over the next week.  Even with Oxy winning the regular season title, I think the tournament is anyone's game and the auto-bid is up in the air.  The real question for Oxy is whether or not they have done enough for a Pool C bid in case they don't get the auto.  PLU winning the NWC tournament really hurts a lot of teams throughout the country hoping for an at-large.

[108 Stitches]

I would agree with you. It will be interesting to see what the Regional rankings look like when they come out. As PLU showed, the most important thing is to get hot at the right time. I don't really like this whole round robin thing they do in the SCIAC as teams like CalTech should not be playing in it and are pretty much meaningless for a team like Oxy, actually it hurts them as their SOS drops and many times teams play down to their competition. 

[Ralph Turner]

Hi my name is Jack.

Jack, you post your opinions and assessments. We cannot ask for anything more.

[Jack Parkman]

Hi my name is Jack.

Jack, you post your opinions and assessments. We cannot ask for anything more.

Thanks, Ralph.  I try (often fail) to stay fair but I am a fan and that's what fans do sometimes.

[108 Stitches]

Hey Ralph we are just having some fun with this one. I am right up there with Jack thinking that Oxy was going nowhere earlier in the season based on their weak schedule, but you have to hand it to them for having a breakout season, nice to see a "new face" making some noise in the west. Jack and I are going to have a beer and some wings one of these days. (crow wings that is)

[Purple Heys]

I would agree with you. It will be interesting to see what the Regional rankings look like when they come out. As PLU showed, the most important thing is to get hot at the right time. I don't really like this whole round robin thing they do in the SCIAC as teams like CalTech should not be playing in it and are pretty much meaningless for a team like Oxy, actually it hurts them as their SOS drops and many times teams play down to their competition.

You probably know this but the Round Robin is still regular season...Cal Lu still has a shot at first place.  Had Whittier not blown their own legs off on Friday, they would be entering the RR with a mathematical chance at #4...though not a very likely chance.

The RR fills in the full 28 Game schedule in SCIAC regular season since Cal Tech made it a 9 team league...previous was 4x7 for 28 games when it was an 8 team league.

I sorta like the implications of the 3 game series that sets the tiebreakers then the shuffle of the deck a bit to end the season.  It adds a bit of playoff flavor to the final 4 games; and can give the lower 5 teams something to say about the final regular season outcome.