BB: UMAC: Upper Midwest Athletic Conference

[BaseballFan]

Team                          RPI    Win %   OWP   OOWP   SOS
77 St. Scholastica        0.592   0.862   0.542   0.489   0.524
334 Bethany Lutheran   0.510   0.750   0.423   0.505   0.45

(RPI is .75*SOS+.25*Win%)

I don't think this is fair at all but I'd say...
1) CSS is in regardless of the UMAC tourney
2) BLC will have a slim to none shot even if they go undefeated in the tourney

This is because...
1) Playing a team doesn't increase OWP, apparently, so the potential games against CSS don't change the SOSs. BLC will still be held back by that ugly SOS, which they can't really control. They've played some pretty good teams outside of their conference. But overall SOS seems to be way too important.
2) CSS has already beaten BLC 3 times, giving CSS the head-to-head advantage regardless of the playoffs.
3) BLC currently owns a 1-3 record against regionally ranked teams (could be 2-4 if St. Olaf sneaks in over Edgewood next week)

Completely unfair. Ithaca's in better shape than BLC because they got their butt kicked in California instead of NY or PA. BLC is in a bad position because they've beaten who's in their conference.

Agreed, Bethany is a regional worthy team and it sucks that their conference games are hindering their potential to get in.  Nice breakdown Johnny, thanks!

Just remember that CSS and BLC play the same teams in the conference  so if BLC wants to increase that SOS they need to keep scheduling better teams. They made a good effort this year but the teams outside of the UMAC did not have great records. The best record was St. Olaf who was 22-16 which is not going to help them out a ton. It really hurt them that Oshkosh had a losing record and no one in the MIAC was not imressive besides Thomas who they didnt play. Where CSS had 3 games against Thomas and one against Central College which helps them out a lot

[Ralph Turner]

... Where CSS had 3 games against Thomas and one against Central College which helps them out a lot.

Please remember that the OWP/OOWP considers unique opponents.

Whether you play a team 6 times or just a single game, that team is only counted once in the OWP calculations


ERRATA:  See Pat Coleman's post below!

Thanks, Pat

[Pat Coleman]

Ralph, this isn't true. The handbook is written poorly.

[Just Bill]

Ralph, this isn't true. The handbook is written poorly.

Thank goodness. I was going to say if that's how it is that makes no logical sense.  How could I play the #1 team in the country 10 times and the #300 team once, while you do the opposite and we end up with the same SOS?  That wouldn't make any sense at all.

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph, this isn't true. The handbook is written poorly.

Thank you.

How can you trust anything that these people write?     

Do they need to hire a technical writer to write the Handbook?   

[BaseballFan]

Ralph, this isn't true. The handbook is written poorly.

Thank goodness. I was going to say if that's how it is that makes no logical sense.  How could I play the #1 team in the country 10 times and the #300 team once, while you do the opposite and we end up with the same SOS?  That wouldn't make any sense at all.

Exactly, if that was the case CSS might as well load their schedule with Martin Luther and Crown and play Thomas once.


So that is why playing St. Thomas 3x makes such a big difference.

They probably do need a technical writer for it because they probably dont expect people to read it

[biggio34]

UMAC Tourney Page is up on the CSS site at: http://www.csssaints.com/sports/2010/5/7/BB_0507104231.aspx?id=238

Any predictions?

Also, whoever put that tournament program front page together deserves alot of credit.  That image is definately in the running for the lamest sweetest thing I have ever seen.

[MIACLUV]

Don't even get me started on the graphic on that page. YIKES! but I will give Team Hallahan the edge in getting their first UMAC tourney crown. I see both Bethany and St. Scholastica winning both opening games easily. But I give the edge in game 2 to the guy that shut that team down already once for 8 ip. Although I do recall that the Saints ended up coming back to win three games in a day last year so who knows, but the way Bethany has been scoring runs and St. Scholastica not as of late you have to score runs at this time of the year. Advantage Vikings

[OshDude]

I'm the newest fan of the CSS graphics department. I appreciate the commitment sincerely. So, when is the Claugherty 2K10 video game due out?

Gonna go on a limb with CSS over BLC, but CSS loses one game.

[biggio34]

So, when is the Claugherty 2K10 video game due out?

Right after he gets back from fishing in Cabo with Mauer.

[BaseballFan]

I see they are charging admission  this year for the tournament.

I think CSS will take it this year, yet again. Bethany Lutheran might get one from them along the way, but they lack depth compared to CSS

[biggio34]

Looks like the weather may play a factor on Thursday.  The forecast calls for a high in the low 40's and rain.  Cold temps and wind seem to be an equalizer in games so it will be interesting to see how things shake out in the first two games on Thursday.  Maybe an upset or two???

The weather the rest of the weekend looks nice though so I don't think the tournament is in jeopardy of getting washed completely.

[BaseballFan]

The tourney is already pushed back to Friday

http://www.csssaints.com/news/2010/5/11/BB_0511104331.aspx

[AO]

Coach Kemp of CSS was on am1500 with Reusse and Soucheray yesterday.  (click to download the podcast)

For some reason he said some members of the UMAC don't have a baseball team, but he did note that the competition was improving in the league.

[biggio34]

Coach Kemp of CSS was on am1500 with Reusse and Soucheray yesterday.  (click to download the podcast)

For some reason he said some members of the UMAC don't have a baseball team, but he did note that the competition was improving in the league.

If you check out the colleges that are officially members of the UMAC, several of them do not have baseball teams that compete in the UMAC.  Some schools have only a sport or two that compete in the UMAC.  The entire list can be found at www.umacathletics.com under the "members" link.