BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[narch]

clearly, tom austin should have been coach of the year...he doesn't have nearly the talent that fulton does at au (2 first-teamers and 3 second teamers), yet he was somehow able to guide his team to a #18 national ranking, another conference championship and the #1 seed in the tournament [/mild sarcasm]

mu was the only team without a 1st teamer...fc led the way with 7 all-conference players, ncwc and cnu had 6, mu/au/su each had 5 and gc had 4...interesting

i hadn't even thought of garner for rpoty, but he had a very solid year

[edit] after looking at the numbers, garner's year was not as solid as i thought - 4-3 overall with a 4.76 era?...2-3 in conference with a 3.89 era...shelton should have got both awards, or geisinger should have gotten the rpoty

[Spence]

Well 12 games is not much of a sample size.

Methodist finished 6th in team batting average, 6th in team ERA in conference games. They struck out more often than anyone and were middle of the road in strikeouts on the mound (to be fair, Averett was 2nd to last in this category). They also walked more people than anyone but Shenandoah and their BA against was only one point lower than Shenandoah's (.292).

Averett, Shenandoah and NCWC had higher OBPs than the rest of the conference, with the other 4 teams hovering between .332 and .338.

Methodist was 3-0 in one-run games in the conference; 6-2 in them overall. They had a few blowout losses too (11-4, 11-0, 15-3), so their numbers are naturally not going to look that good. I wouldn't argue with Austin being the COY.

Question is does all of this add up to a Methodist team that overachieved, got lucky in a few games or just knows how to win the close ones?

I guess that's what the tournament is for.

[narch]

spence - when you put it like that, it's a miracle that the monarchs won ANY games, let alone the 23 that they did

[Falcon2720]

Methodist is a solid team.  They are well coached, play hard, and do the little things.  I bet they could care less that they do not having a first teamer.  As with every team, they want that guaranteed regional bid.

Pitching dept is what seems to win this tournament.  What makes this thing so wide open is that every team has two solid pitchers.  Who ever has the best number 3 and 4 will win.

NCWC and Ferrum pitchers seem to have the most pitching Dept to make a strong run.  Methodist does have a huge advantage being the 1 seed. 

[Spence]

spence - when you put it like that, it's a miracle that the monarchs won ANY games, let alone the 23 that they did

Well I was just talking about conference games...and if they go 0-3 in those 1 run games rather than 3-0 we're looking at a 7 seed rather than a 1. If Christopher Newport had been 2-0 in 1-run games rather than 0-2, they would have won the conference by a game. That's just how razor thin the margin for error was.

Btw, correction, Methodist is 7-3 overall in 1 run games, 7-1 against teams not named Emory, which is an amazing (and perhaps unsustainable) 11-2 in one-run games.

Even if Methodist were 5-5 in one-run games, they'd still be 21-11, but they might be 5-7 in the conference.

[narch]

NCWC and Ferrum pitchers seem to have the most pitching Dept to make a strong run.  Methodist does have a huge advantage being the 1 seed. 

here are the numbers for ncwc, fc and mu's top 5 and their top reliever

ncwc
rice, 8 starts, 4-3, 3.34, 4 cg, 62 ip, 56k, .254 baa
pearson, 8 starts, 6-1, 1.09, 3 cg, 66.1 ip, 35k, .218 baa
lucas, 6 starts, 4-0, 1.09, 33 ip, 20k, .222 baa
b. moore, 4 starts, 1-4, 6.23, 26 ip, 1 cg, 14k, .321 baa
robertson, 3 starts, 2-0, 0.00, 15.2 ip, 9k, .241 baa
batts, 12 app, 1-3, 3 sv, 5.11, 12.1, 16k, .205 baa

fc
garner, 8 starts, 4-3, 4.76, 56.2 ip, 46k, .281 baa
holm, 8 starts, 5-1, 2.88, 56.1 ip, 30k, .295 baa
cooper, 5 starts, 2-3, 2.96, 3 cg, 45.2 ip, 27k, .289 baa
c. davenport, 4 starts, 1-2, 4.09, 22 ip, 6k, .281 baa
king, 3 starts, 1-0, 2.30, 27.1 ip, 14k, .242 baa
bowles, 11 app, 2-0, 3 sv, 1.14, 23.2, 23k, .212 baa

mu
kelly, 9 starts, 2-5, 3.50, 1 cg, 54 ip, 36k, .263 baa
toth, 9 starts, 6-3, 2.92, 2 cg, 61.2 ip, 36k, .282 baa
bisplinghoff, 8 starts, 5-0, 1.94 era, 46.1 ip, 1 cg, 26 k, .230 baa
jordan, 3 starts, 2-0, 5.13, 26.1 ip, 16k, .287 baa
hill, 1 start, 1-0, 2.25, 16 ip, 13k, .271 baa
geisinger, 22 app, 3-0, 6 sv, 2.41, 33.2, 22k, .292 baa

i think the monarch staff compares favorably with both ncwc and fc's staff...i'd probably give the ncwc the edge over anyone else, primarily because they've got 3 guys at the top of the rotation who can really shut you down, but overall, i think you can throw a  blanket over these three staffs

[Spence]

Taking a look at the schedule I wonder if Shenandoah won't try to get by Greensboro with Frelin rather than Dufresne, who shut out Methodist on 2 hits with 14 Ks last weekend. Methodist was only 3-3 in the first game of a conference series. Greensboro's got a pretty decent ace and a good defensive team, but I think it might be worth the risk.

My shot in the dark to win it is NC Wesleyan. Veterans, good pitching depth, and one of the best offenses in the tournament. If Methodist gets upset on Day 1 (which I think has a good chance to happen if they face Dufresne), I go with NC Wesleyan. If Methodist wins on day 1, then I think they have a really good chance to win it. But they're still going to have to come up with something special on the final day either with someone like Greisinger getting a start or by scoring more than they typically do.

[ash]

After checking the stats of the catchers who received all-conference awards, I can only wonder how they came up with the order they did.  Granted, I have not actually seen any of the catchers play this year but just basing this on stats alone it seems as if Batts might not of been the one I would have chosen for first team. 

Taylor Kennedy's season stats were a .381 avg and .607 sba%.  His in conference avg was .282 though.  He also has won a first team selection the past two years but was awarded Honorable mention this year.

Nick Baker from Ferrum hit .309 with a .711 sba%.  In conference he hit .342 and was selected to second team.

Justin Batts from NCWC hit .287 with a .870 sba%.  He hit .286 in conference and was selected to first team all conference.


Am I missing something as to why Justin Batts earned first team?  Based on stats alone it appears Baker or Kennedy would be more fit for the first team all conference selection.  I have not studied the stats or anything and I know there are other categories than those I listed that help with the selection, but with a fast glance at the stats I am unsure how they did in fact come up with the selections.

[Falcon2720]

Any team that loses their first game will have a tough time winning the tournament.  I am not a fan of coaches saving their ace pitcher for another game.  That tactic always seems to come back and haunt ya.

BTW,

I believe Batts hit 6 homeruns this year and lead all the catcher in RBI's.

[NCWC]

quote author=narch link=topic=4569.msg706911#msg706911 date=1176342528]

NCWC and Ferrum pitchers seem to have the most pitching Dept to make a strong run.  Methodist does have a huge advantage being the 1 seed. 

here are the numbers for ncwc, fc and mu's top 5 and their top reliever

ncwc
rice, 8 starts, 4-3, 3.34, 4 cg, 62 ip, 56k, .254 baa
pearson, 8 starts, 6-1, 1.09, 3 cg, 66.1 ip, 35k, .218 baa
lucas, 6 starts, 4-0, 1.09, 33 ip, 20k, .222 baa
b. moore, 4 starts, 1-4, 6.23, 26 ip, 1 cg, 14k, .321 baa
robertson, 3 starts, 2-0, 0.00, 15.2 ip, 9k, .241 baa
batts, 12 app, 1-3, 3 sv, 5.11, 12.1, 16k, .205 baa

fc
garner, 8 starts, 4-3, 4.76, 56.2 ip, 46k, .281 baa
holm, 8 starts, 5-1, 2.88, 56.1 ip, 30k, .295 baa
cooper, 5 starts, 2-3, 2.96, 3 cg, 45.2 ip, 27k, .289 baa
c. davenport, 4 starts, 1-2, 4.09, 22 ip, 6k, .281 baa
king, 3 starts, 1-0, 2.30, 27.1 ip, 14k, .242 baa
bowles, 11 app, 2-0, 3 sv, 1.14, 23.2, 23k, .212 baa

mu
kelly, 9 starts, 2-5, 3.50, 1 cg, 54 ip, 36k, .263 baa
toth, 9 starts, 6-3, 2.92, 2 cg, 61.2 ip, 36k, .282 baa
bisplinghoff, 8 starts, 5-0, 1.94 era, 46.1 ip, 1 cg, 26 k, .230 baa
jordan, 3 starts, 2-0, 5.13, 26.1 ip, 16k, .287 baa
hill, 1 start, 1-0, 2.25, 16 ip, 13k, .271 baa
geisinger, 22 app, 3-0, 6 sv, 2.41, 33.2, 22k, .292 baa

i think the monarch staff compares favorably with both ncwc and fc's staff...i'd probably give the ncwc the edge over anyone else, primarily because they've got 3 guys at the top of the rotation who can really shut you down, but overall, i think you can throw a  blanket over these three staffs




[/quote]


Nice stats narch...impressed

[NCWC]

Am I missing something as to why Justin Batts earned first team?  Based on stats alone it appears Baker or Kennedy would be more fit for the first team all conference selection.  I have not studied the stats or anything and I know there are other categories than those I listed that help with the selection, but with a fast glance at the stats I am unsure how they did in fact come up with the selections


I was suprised also...everytime i threw something with run on it last year he would have trouble with it...last summer and fall he improved alot...ted williams are other catcher was hon. mention last year and he is a solid mind back behind the plate.  Batts has serious pop at the plate, still a little long in his swing, note his so's,  I would figure if he wasnt first team as a catcher he should have been first team as a utility player.

[Spence]

Well Shenandoah threw Dufresne but he left after 4 with an injury and allowed 2 runs both earned.

Daniel Eadie gave up 5 runs in 2 innings of relief and the score is Greensboro 7, Methodist 4 in the 8th.

I don't know if it'll continue to be updated all day, but right now I'm getting live stats from the following link.

http://www.cnusports.com/baseball/livestats/xlive.htm

[NCWC]

live stats

[NCWC]

http://athletics.cnu.edu/Sports/Misc/07usasbasetourn.htm

[Spence]

http://www.cnusports.com/baseball/livestats/xlive.htm

direct link to live stats.