BB: Midwest Region

[BaseballFan]

Fan or anyone else, I'd be curious to see your Top 25s. I've tried it. It's a difficult process to even find your 25 let alone make an order. I would think voters are still forming a Top 30-40 at this time.

I imagine finding a consensus before the northern teams play, like a preseason poll, would be especially difficult. From that poll until now is probably like a carving session – pollster's sleeper teams have gone into comas, underachieving traditional powers are finding their way down the poll and the voters are warming to the new, hot teams.

The ORV has gone from a season-high 45 teams in the preseason to a season-low 26 teams in the Week 6 Poll. It was at 37 teams two weeks ago, when northern teams were wrapping up spring games. The whole scenario makes sense to me. And now the field is starting to narrow.

I think in about two weeks we should start to see a more consistent Top 25, with teams making logical moves up and down based on the prior week's play. It takes awhile for two people to agree on something. Now try to get 25 people from around the country to agree. Not only that, I doubt any two people vote the same way. It's probably valid to vote Stevens Point, Ithaca, Marietta and ECSU in your Top 25, if you think those are the teams that will be there in the end. All definitely could be. But it's obvious that there are voters who see a Concordia-Ill and reward it with a lot of votes.

There's decent separation after the Top 20 with this poll. That's pretty good.

Im just giving my opinion on things, and giving some facts at the same time. I like to think Im shining a little light on the subject. I will give my top 25 at some point just need enought time to look into most teams the reason why its not so easy. The reason why I think polls work is that they usually have enough pollsters so its balanced. Therefore, not one pollster can sway the entire poll. Im just baffled at polls in all sports actually.

[Ralph Turner]

Fan or anyone else, I'd be curious to see your Top 25s. I've tried it. It's a difficult process to even find your 25 let alone make an order. I would think voters are still forming a Top 30-40 at this time.

I imagine finding a consensus before the northern teams play, like a preseason poll, would be especially difficult. From that poll until now is probably like a carving session – pollster's sleeper teams have gone into comas, underachieving traditional powers are finding their way down the poll and the voters are warming to the new, hot teams.

The ORV has gone from a season-high 45 teams in the preseason to a season-low 26 teams in the Week 6 Poll. It was at 37 teams two weeks ago, when northern teams were wrapping up spring games. The whole scenario makes sense to me. And now the field is starting to narrow.

I think in about two weeks we should start to see a more consistent Top 25, with teams making logical moves up and down based on the prior week's play. It takes awhile for two people to agree on something. Now try to get 25 people from around the country to agree. Not only that, I doubt any two people vote the same way. It's probably valid to vote Stevens Point, Ithaca, Marietta and ECSU in your Top 25, if you think those are the teams that will be there in the end. All definitely could be. But it's obvious that there are voters who see a Concordia-Ill and reward it with a lot of votes.

There's decent separation after the Top 20 with this poll. That's pretty good.

Im just giving my opinion on things, and giving some facts at the same time. I like to think Im shining a little light on the subject. I will give my top 25 at some point just need enought time to look into most teams the reason why its not so easy. The reason why I think polls work is that they usually have enough pollsters so its balanced. Therefore, not one pollster can sway the entire poll. Im just baffled at polls in all sports actually.

Giving your opinion on things? 

The top 25 voters have been asked to give their opinion each week for 6 weeks now.

Don't have enough facts?  The pollsters have looked at the previous years and the really good teams that have been perennial powers.  They have looked at the teams that have gotten some good starts.  The teams from the West and the South are going thru tough conference games now.  The pollsters have to give a Top 25 now.

The teams from the northern climes that will be the "Top 25 cream" will push out those remaining 2-4 teams from those regions who don't deserve to be in the Top 25.

Let's look at the best conferences in the South and West Regions.


South Region

Salisbury -- Capital AC   Powerhouse program. Probably earns an AQ as a Pool B.

Emory -- Defending finalist. Pool B.

NCWC and CNU -- Both in the USA South.  One may not knock out the other in conference play or the tourney.

Piedmont -- has a three-game series versus Emory this weekend.  Probably must win 1 of 3 even to remain in the Top 25.  contending in Pool B.  They are a real longshot to get a Pool B bid.

Gut feeling...NCWC or CNU is knocked out. One South Region team won't hang around the Top 25.

West Region

Chapman -- 'nuff said.  Pool B bid.

UT-Tyler -- (ASC-East) and U Ozarks -- (ASC-East).  Both teams have tough series versus Mississippi College and Louisiana College remaining.
UMHB  -- ASC West.  Probably has the ASC-West won.  The ASC tourney is best 2 of three inter-divisional crossover on the first weekend, then double elimination for the remaining four team.

Gut feeling -- UOzarks is the long shot among the three, but the ASC tourney is tough.  Only one ASC team might survive to remain in the Top 25, and there is a very strong chance that the ASC Pool A bid is not in the Top 25 now.

Pomona-Pitzer -- SCIAC leader.  Probably stays in the poll.

Out of the 10 teams from the South and West, I can easily see this playing out with 2-4 South and West Region teams falling out of the Top 25 as we get deeper into the conference play.   

[BaseballFan]

Fan or anyone else, I'd be curious to see your Top 25s. I've tried it. It's a difficult process to even find your 25 let alone make an order. I would think voters are still forming a Top 30-40 at this time.

I imagine finding a consensus before the northern teams play, like a preseason poll, would be especially difficult. From that poll until now is probably like a carving session – pollster's sleeper teams have gone into comas, underachieving traditional powers are finding their way down the poll and the voters are warming to the new, hot teams.

The ORV has gone from a season-high 45 teams in the preseason to a season-low 26 teams in the Week 6 Poll. It was at 37 teams two weeks ago, when northern teams were wrapping up spring games. The whole scenario makes sense to me. And now the field is starting to narrow.

I think in about two weeks we should start to see a more consistent Top 25, with teams making logical moves up and down based on the prior week's play. It takes awhile for two people to agree on something. Now try to get 25 people from around the country to agree. Not only that, I doubt any two people vote the same way. It's probably valid to vote Stevens Point, Ithaca, Marietta and ECSU in your Top 25, if you think those are the teams that will be there in the end. All definitely could be. But it's obvious that there are voters who see a Concordia-Ill and reward it with a lot of votes.

There's decent separation after the Top 20 with this poll. That's pretty good.

Im just giving my opinion on things, and giving some facts at the same time. I like to think Im shining a little light on the subject. I will give my top 25 at some point just need enought time to look into most teams the reason why its not so easy. The reason why I think polls work is that they usually have enough pollsters so its balanced. Therefore, not one pollster can sway the entire poll. Im just baffled at polls in all sports actually.

Giving your opinion on things? 

The top 25 voters have been asked to give their opinion each week for 6 weeks now.

Don't have enough facts?  The pollsters have looked at the previous years and the really good teams that have been perennial powers.  They have looked at the teams that have gotten some good starts.  The teams from the West and the South are going thru tough conference games now.  The pollsters have to give a Top 25 now.

The teams from the northern climes that will be the "Top 25 cream" will push out those remaining 2-4 teams from those regions who don't deserve to be in the Top 25.

Let's look at the best conferences in the South and West Regions.


South Region

Salisbury -- Capital AC   Powerhouse program. Probably earns an AQ as a Pool B.

Emory -- Defending finalist. Pool B.

NCWC and CNU -- Both in the USA South.  One may not knock out the other in conference play or the tourney.

Piedmont -- has a three-game series versus Emory this weekend.  Probably must win 1 of 3 even to remain in the Top 25.  contending in Pool B.  They are a real longshot to get a Pool B bid.

Gut feeling...NCWC or CNU is knocked out. One South Region team won't hang around the Top 25.

West Region

Chapman -- 'nuff said.  Pool B bid.

UT-Tyler -- (ASC-East) and U Ozarks -- (ASC-East).  Both teams have tough series versus Mississippi College and Louisiana College remaining.
UMHB  -- ASC West.  Probably has the ASC-West won.  The ASC tourney is best 2 of three inter-divisional crossover on the first weekend, then double elimination for the remaining four team.

Gut feeling -- UOzarks is the long shot among the three, but the ASC tourney is tough.  Only one ASC team might survive to remain in the Top 25, and there is a very strong chance that the ASC Pool A bid is not in the Top 25 now.

Pomona-Pitzer -- SCIAC leader.  Probably stays in the poll.

Out of the 10 teams from the South and West, I can easily see this playing out with 2-4 South and West Region teams falling out of the Top 25 as we get deeper into the conference play.   

Sounds great dont get the first bit because thats the problem the past means nothing and if it does why is CSS and UWW not up higher JUST MY OPINION!

[Bronko7]

When Ralph is talking about all the Pool B bids, is he meaning Pool A's and C's? Don't those conferences have AQ's? I know that Chapman is a B pooler, but the others should be A and C's

[Bronko7]

All of this poll stuff is going to work itself out soon enough. Teams like UWW and CSS have some big in region games this weekend if they can get them in. I don't now what kind of shape the field is in at Whitewater for the Oshkosh series, but a source tells me that there is still snow on the field at St. Olaf, so that CSS vs Olaf series my be delayed.

[BaseballFan]

When Ralph is talking about all the Pool B bids, is he meaning Pool A's and C's? Don't those conferences have AQ's? I know that Chapman is a B pooler, but the others should be A and C's

Im not sure how those work out like Emory and Salisbury but believe they have been pool Bs in the past. It doesnt really make sense if they have an AQ and get a pool B. I thought pool Bs were independents. Somone can probably explain it.

Everything will work its self out but just gives us something to talk about during slow times

[Bronko7]

When Ralph is talking about all the Pool B bids, is he meaning Pool A's and C's? Don't those conferences have AQ's? I know that Chapman is a B pooler, but the others should be A and C's

Im not sure how those work out like Emory and Salisbury but believe they have been pool Bs in the past. It doesnt really make sense if they have an AQ and get a pool B. I thought pool Bs were independents. Somone can probably explain it.

Everything will work its self out but just gives us something to talk about during slow times

Your right, its better than talking about the fact that it is April and we are still worried about getting snowed out. That global warming thing needs to kick into high gear.

[Ralph Turner]

When Ralph is talking about all the Pool B bids, is he meaning Pool A's and C's? Don't those conferences have AQ's? I know that Chapman is a B pooler, but the others should be A and C's

Greetings,

I throw in the Pool B stuff to remind the voters as to the way that these teams will get into the tourney.

The Capital AC is still a Pool B conference.

The UAA does not have 7 members playing baseball.  Emory is Pool B.

CSS is a Pool B team and will be trying to get an at-large bid.

The flipside of Baseballfan's comment is that the season will see the northern teams make the Top 25 as they play more games, especially good conference games.

[BaseballFan]

Ralph,

Hope you dont think im bashing the entire poll I think its good/great, just question some things about how some votes go which is my job as a fan. If people dont raise questions, how do things ever become better!---how our country was founded and created!

So if you are a poll voter and think im saying that you suck and dont know what your talking about thats not true. Obviously you know a lot and do a good job! Im sure the pollsters know how the entire system works from the bids to how teams are doing. But I also know my fair share of things too. So ill leave things at that.

[Ralph Turner]

I didn't take that as bashing.  I just gave my opinion on what might be affecting the voters this early in the season.

As I said, I think that the northern teams will appear late.  I think that this poll will show a rolling pattern as southern and western teams flash onto the scene.  Either they stick with good seasons, or they drop off, and are replaced by northern teams, especially northern teams that have track records.

I really like the table that I saw on the 2007 Championship site.  I imagine that Ripon will start attracting some attention by the end of April if they are headed back to the playoffs.

There are some good teams that know how to win.

[BaseballFan]

I like that link cuz it showed who are the pool B and C teams that won last year. Seams like these 5 teams have been consistent the last few years and might be getting the B bids again this year

Chapman University (Calif.) Independent 35-5 10th
College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) Upper Midwest Athletic Conference 36-6 4th
Emory University (Ga.) University Athletic Association 35-7 9th
Ithaca College (N.Y.) Empire Eight Conference 24-13 31st
Salisbury University (Md.) Capital Athletic Conference 32-8 13th

[Bronko7]

Does anyone know if there is going to be any games played in Minnesota outside of the Twins? The MIAC page is a red blotch with reschedules.

[BaseballFan]

Does anyone know if there is going to be any games played in Minnesota outside of the Twins? The MIAC page is a red blotch with reschedules.

Who knows maybe they will have to head to Iowa or somewhere else outside of the state to play

[d3ballguy]

Does anyone know if there is going to be any games played in Minnesota outside of the Twins? The MIAC page is a red blotch with reschedules.

I am on Bethel's team and our field is finally starting to look decent, I just got back from shoveling off snow and breaking up ice out on our warning track, but that is really the only part of the field that doesn't look good right now.  The sun and higher temps here are helping to dry out the field pretty quickly.  Their is a very high probability that we will get games in tomorrow against St. Johns.  Not sure about other fields in the MIAC, but I would assume that they should be ready by next week for sure.  St. Thomas and Macalaster were scheduled to play today and they both have turf infields so I would assume that they played today, but am not positive.

[Gustie13]

D3BallGuy, do you know what Rickey Saintey is up to? He and I competed against each other and struck up a friendly rivalry.