BB: SUNYAC

[BaseB13]

I'll say this for the ECAC's.  Ideally it would be great if you took the SUNYAC Runner up, the LL Runner Up, the 2nd place E8 team, and the fourth best team, and put them in a double elimintation tournament to determine an at large for NY.  That would be pretty cool.  However, the LL has their own conference tournament that weekend which can't be switched because they have 6 conference weekends.  On top of that many teams choose to simply not participate. 

The fact that ECAC's is now double elimintation does legitimize it a bit more.  However, I am still of the opinion that this year, regardless of who wins it, none of the teams really deserve an at large.  I do think some years it does give each team a chance to shine up their record and prove themselves in an elimintation tournament.  I don't really understand what Oswego is doing in it because regardless of how they do, they have zero chance of participating in NCAA's.  Atleast the other 4 teams could make a potential case for themselves.  I believe this is why an LL team such as Skidmore (20 - 17), who would actually have been a better fit to participate than Oswego (14 - 11), doesn't bother with ECAC's because even if they did win it, they'd have no chance of getting a bid.  And seriously, how does a team only play 25 games?  The weather wasn't that bad this year.  I don't get that at all.

I think the big problem with an at large bid is that no one really stands out amongst the rest of the teams.  Take RPI, UR, SJFC, RIT, Brockport, and Oneonta and they all have some key losses.  UR take 3 of 4 from RPI but loses 2 to SJFC.  SJFC takes 2 from UR but loses 4 to RIT.  RIT takes 4 from SJFC but loses 2 to UR. Oneonta took 2 from SJFC but lost 2 to RIT and failed to make the SUNYAC final.  Could go on and on I suppose.  I wouldn't mind seeing an E8 run the table in ECAC's and getting a Pool B bid over Ithaca but we all know that won't happen.  Frankly I don't see where IC has really separated themselves from these teams either and it'd be great to see them get snubbed so that they'd consider ECAC's next yr.     

[pudge27]

I agree with a lot of that.   Almost anyone that doesn't get a bid can't say too much about it including IC.  I think they're 12-10 outside of the E8 this year.  RPI getting to 30 wins should let them skate in, but they better at least show up for the LL tourney.  I know that the focus is more on in-region games, but don't overlook the "eyeball test".

[AlleyCat]

I think  that Oswego getting into the ECAC over Skidmore is a joke. Is the ECAC a Western part of the state tourney or what? I think the way the LL takes teams for the tourney is off anyway considering Skidmore played all of its league games and won more than Clarkson. How does that work?

In region records for LL teams Rochester 26-11 and RPI 26-9.  Both good records in region. Also RPI has some good out of regions wins. Ripon, Augustana, Rhode Island College, Mount Union

If Ithaca was in the ECAC then it would be a legit tourney and Ithaca could actually win their way into the NCAA's instead of receiving the free pass it gets each year. Don't get me wrong, they're usually pretty good, but play with nothing on the line as the other teams that have to do well in their leagues.

[John McGraw]

I think  that Oswego getting into the ECAC over Skidmore is a joke. Is the ECAC a Western part of the state tourney or what? I think the way the LL takes teams for the tourney is off anyway considering Skidmore played all of its league games and won more than Clarkson. How does that work?

If the ECAC tournament field is created like in other sports, you have to declare for the tournament and it's not just a simple list of what teams deserve to be in it. Usually that ends up being the case that everyone in it wasn't going to be playing anywhere else that weekend. I can't speak for Skidmore, but I'd guess they didn't declare for the ECAC tournament because they figured they'd be in the Liberty tournament. And right until the final weekend, it looked like they'd make the conference tournament.

As for Skidmore and Clarkson, Clarkson won the tiebreaker based on its 2-2 record against top-seeded Rochester. Skidmore went 0-4 against Rochester.

Though in regards to the records, I'm not sure why they were tied in the first place since Skidmore went 12-12 and Clarkson was 9-11.

[scuba16]

Bob,
Congrats on Rob, I just saw it on d3baseball.com's front page.

[BoomerIL]

Bob.....

Congratulations to Rob on a well deserved award!!!   

[BaseB13]

The LL has a goofy way of determing places.  Because there are 24 games scheduled, the standings go by winning percentage versus an opponent.  For example,  Clarkson only played two games against Union and 2 games against Vassar going 2 - 0 vs Vassar and 1 - 1 vs Union.  However, Clarkson was credited with a weighted winning percentage of 4 - 0 and 2 - 2 respectively.  Therefore their 9 - 11 comes out as a .500 winning percentage.  Yes compeltely goofy but the reasoning is that teams will not be able to make up all their games.  UR was credited with a weighted 1.000 winning percentage of four wins because they went 2 - 0 versus St Lawrence.  The problem with this is if you're a team, for example UR, their incentive to make up the other 2 games against SLU is non existent because why risk hurting your winning percentage when you'll get credited with 4 wins.  (not saying this happened in this case just using it as an example).  In essence your won/loss record in the LL does not count.  It's your winning percentage versus each opponent.  If you only get one game in versus a team, and you win, you get credited with 4 wins in your winning percentage.  This is why Clarkson got in over Skidmore.  Had Clarkson had to play their remaining 4 games they would have had to go 3 - 1 to qualify (Not guaranteed considering they lost one to Union, although quite possible to pull off).

As for the ECAC's, Skidmore, and every LL team does not put in a desire to play in the ECAC's for one main reason.  (this is an assumption).  If an LL team does not qualify for their conference tournament, especially when 24 games are factored in to this, then 99% of the time even if the LL team did run the table in ECAC's, they still have zero chance of earning a Pool C bid.  (Simple logic would say over 50% of their schedule wasnt strong enough to be in the top 4of the LL, then their record will definitely not be strong enough to get a Pool C bid).  However, SUNYAC teams that have a strong overall record and faired well, but did not win their conference tournament, may still have a slight chance of making it.  E8 teams can use the ECAC's as a conference tournament.  This is why you see SUNYAC and E8 teams participating most of the time, in hopes of hanging on to that last glimmer of hope to attain a bid.  Why Oswego bothered to participate is beyond me.  They could only get 25 games in all year and now they decided to show up for ECAC's? 

[AlleyCat]

I still don't get the logic of why SUNYAC's deserve 2 chances of getting into the NCAA's while the LL only gets one because of when their tournament is. If it is going to be the E8's tournament then Ithaca should have to go instead of playing 2 out of region games that cannot hurt them. Someone has to make them put it on the line and stop getting a free pass into the NCAA. Like I said before, Ithaca is a good team but they never put it one the line. Someone earlier stated they went 12-10 out of the league this year. That's not good no matter who they played.  It seems like the only ECAC that can help your chances of getting into the NCAA is upstates. That should not be the case, unless all of the best teams can play in it.

Good explanation for the LL teams outside of the tourney, thanks!

For Pool C what is the magic number of wins for getting a look?

[Bob Maxwell]

Boomer and Scuba,

Thanks...  It is a nice recognition from the conference coaches, and we are very happy for him to have received it. 

Bob

[BaseB13]

Alley, the SUNYAC's participating in ECAC's does not necessarily mean they are getting a second chance at an NCAA berth.  It does give them more games to participate in.  This could hurt OR  help their potential Pool C aspirations.  The LL, with the biggest conference schedule chooses to put their emphasis on conference play because of how much is at stake with the automatic bid.  After the LL tournament and ECAC's teams from the LL have just as good a shot as any of the ECAC teams to get in to the tournament.  The ECAC participants do not get an extra look because they played in ECAC's.  Their in region record can be hurt or helped. 

I do wish RIT had been able to split with Ithaca this year.  If RIT had done that, and won ECAC's then RIT would have to receive a Pool B bid over IC.  Those 4 losses to IC is what would make it difficult for RIT to get the Pool B bid even if they do win ECACs.

Bob congratulations also!

[Big Louie]

first off Oswego doesnt go on a spring trip so that's 10 games in the bag right off the bat, the reason they probably go to ECAC's is to simply participate in a tourney with something at stake.  There not going to NCAA's and I'm sure they know that, but it doesn't mean that can't go out and win the ECAC.

I wouldn't say there is a magic number of wins needed for an at-large...but look for something around a .675% in-region win pct. or strong owp/oowp
26 or 27 wins are not going to matter if you have 14-15 loses with it

Alley, Baseb13 response sums it up....it's not definately helping the SUNYAC teams.....everyone is allowed to play 40 gms not counting a conference tournament.  They Liberty chooses to play a 24 gm conference schedule, whereas the SUNYAC goes with a 14 gm.  Look at the ECAC's as picking up an extra few games on the schedule that teams didnt get in because of weather

[John McGraw]

Today...

Cortland 14 Hamilton 0
Cortland 12 Hamilton 4

Four Cortland pitchers combine to toss a seven-inning one-hitter in the opener: Chris Bilyk, Nicolas Blanco, Nick DeVito and Justin Mattes. DeVito gave up the only hit.

Cortland will not play again until one week for now in the Auburn, N.Y. regional.

[Bob Maxwell]

Thanks BBall13...

[sunyacguru]

anyone think that these all sunyac teams were chosen badly?
I do agree with alot of the players but there are some instances that just puzzle me.

mike chiapparelli with 28 at bats no extra base hits no rbis makes a UT over say welch who had prolly the best numbers in the conference. Leads to my second point, i dont know how welch didnt make first team. His numbers are better than Zaccardo, and i think every infielder on that list.

I know it wouldnt make other teams happy but i thought the two cortland kids deserved first team pitching, ratliff and tone. They were amazing all season.

I dont remeber seeing adam dimino in many sunyac box scores. Or his brother in that case. How can you give it to kids with 25-30 at bats over kids with 50+ with higher averages and better numbers i just dont get it.

Im going to to imagine that it is all because of coaches not liking certain players or certain teams cause these sunyac teams are not the 2 best possible teams judging by sunyac only performance.

The way these kids are chosen to these teams needs to change because its not fair to some of them who bust it everyday and then a kid who plays half the games gets it over them with worse numbers.


On a good note, yes i have some of them, congrats to maxwell he had one heck of a season, as well as tone who was lights out all year and filak from oneonta, kid is gonna be tuff throughout his career. Goodluck to all the seniors!

[Bob Maxwell]

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY UPDATE ON the condition of coach Paino?  I thought that the live stats just locked up... but now I find out that coach Paino was hit in the head with a line drive in the top of the ninth.

Any one from Oswego have any information that they could update us with.

My prayers go out to him that he is OK...