BB: LL: Liberty League

StarvinMarvin · April 27, 2008, 06:24:21 PM

Quite a day for U of R in their two wins against RPI. What's more impressive is that they did it on the road. Their rotation looks to be pretty formidable from a statistical standpoint and today backs that up. RPI looks to be stumbling a bit as of late and it will be interesting to see how U of R's performance impacts their confidence going into the LL tournament and how RPI rebounds. I wonder if RPI is just a little tired from the Willy P game from the other night, games like that are mentally and physically draining. U of R couldn't have caught RPI at a more vulnerable time IMO. Nonetheless, nice job this weekend U of R!

John McGraw · April 27, 2008, 08:24:36 PM

Quote from: StarvinMarvin on April 27, 2008, 06:24:21 PM
Quite a day for U of R in their two wins against RPI. What's more impressive is that they did it on the road. Their rotation looks to be pretty formidable from a statistical standpoint and today backs that up. RPI looks to be stumbling a bit as of late and it will be interesting to see how U of R's performance impacts their confidence going into the LL tournament and how RPI rebounds. I wonder if RPI is just a little tired from the Willy P game from the other night, games like that are mentally and physically draining. U of R couldn't have caught RPI at a more vulnerable time IMO. Nonetheless, nice job this weekend U of R!

With the sweep, Rochester clinched the Liberty League regular season title. There's no mathematical way that RPI can catch Rochester in the standings. UR will have only played 22 games, but I s'pose they're not making up the two that were rained out against I think SLU.

The tournament field is set, positioning for the third and four seed between St. Lawrence and Skidmore is still up for grabs. Mathematically the second seed could still go to Skidmore, but they would need to sweep RPI next weekend and I don't think that will happen. Though it could.

RPI has made the tournament once in the last three years and that year, they were not the Liberty League champions. Skidmore took the title in 2005 and 2007 and it was St. Lawrence in 2006. RPI was a Pool C in 2006.

I think their tournament hopes now rest on how they finish the regular season and how they do in the Liberty League tournament. If they do not win the conference tournament, they'll have needed to sweep Skidmore IMO and even then, depending on the national Pool C picture, that may not be enough.

I guess we'll have to see. But, congratulations to Rochester. Coach Reina has done a superb job with that team and bringing it to the number one seed in the conference tournament. That's a team that has only once been to the NCAA New York or Northeast regionals in its history. There's a good chance they'll be returning this year.

BoomerIL · April 27, 2008, 09:43:55 PM

shoeless.....shoeless.....where are you??

Rochester hasn't won anything yet, except the right to host the Liberty League Championship games, so I'm not going to brag about anything!!!

I expected you to"man-up" and come and find me, sitting with the parents down the right field side. We had a nice after-game picnic Saturday and was hoping that you would "expose" yourself, facially of coarse. But no, you didn't!! We had plenty of food of which we would have been more than willing to share.

You can pick apart our team all you want, but I have saw a very poor showing by your coah on Saturday when Pete was pitching that I thought was "bush!" You had two out, no one on base, and he is giving signs from the dugout to your batter. BUSH!! You, or others my call that gamesmenship, but it was BUSH!!!! Your routing section in rightfield showed more class than that. At least they made us laugh. Sorry, but RPI showed its true colors as an organization by that. I guess when your a glorified coach, you are capable of anything.

Yes, UR is feeling pretty good right now, and like I said they haven't won anything yet. You "shoeless," go ahead and respond, make your usual excuses, or try something new. Raise your level of integrity???

Bob Maxwell · April 27, 2008, 09:56:42 PM

But playing at home is an advantage... Boomer, will you be back out in two weeks to see the games?

BaseB13 · April 27, 2008, 11:16:13 PM

John, is Clarkson statistically eliminated? With SLU and Clarkson to play and Skid/RPI to play this weekend is there not a way SLU or Skid could drop out of the top 4? Also, Clarkson hasn't played all their games, could they try to get some games made up in hopes of sneaking in to the tournament? I know it's all based on winning percentage versus each opponent and not actually wins and losses so it makes it very confusing at times.

As for the RPI/UR series. It looks like UR was basically giving game 1 of the series to RPI by throwing their 4 versus RPI's 1. Good strategy because it allowed them to throw 1 2 3 versus 2 3 4 and it worked.

Shoeless I wouldn't go saying that RPI is going to just walk all over Skidmore. I'm sure RPI will win some games but let's remember Skidmore lost to UR by 1 run in 3 games. A split this weekend would not surprise me one bit.

So if you're Skid/SLU/Clarkson would you rather be the 3 seed or the 4 seed? Rather play UR or RPI in game one? Rather face Zongol or Mcaneaney (if those teams even threw their #1 in that game which I think it'd be crazy not to).. Should be exciting.

Boomer congrats to your team and you're right, haven't won anything yet BUT assuming UR has a strong showing in the conference tournament (finals), the 3 of 4 wins vs RPI should help make a stronger case for a Pool C if they don't get the job done. Should make your trip to attend the Conference Tournament much more convenient coming from the Cleveland area (right?).

BoomerIL · April 28, 2008, 12:02:08 AM

Bob Maxwell.....

I'm hoping to, not sure yet. I'm really hoping for better than that, if you know what I'm saying. We're just hoping that things work toward that direction. These kids are not taking anything for granted and are focused on the LL tournament.

BoomerIL · April 28, 2008, 12:04:26 AM

BaseB13....

I'm from Chicago, and I was at this weekends UR vs. RPI games. Still can't find "shoeless" though.

John McGraw · April 28, 2008, 12:42:01 AM

Quote from: BaseB13 on April 27, 2008, 11:16:13 PM
John, is Clarkson statistically eliminated? With SLU and Clarkson to play and Skid/RPI to play this weekend is there not a way SLU or Skid could drop out of the top 4? Also, Clarkson hasn't played all their games, could they try to get some games made up in hopes of sneaking in to the tournament? I know it's all based on winning percentage versus each opponent and not actually wins and losses so it makes it very confusing at times.

As for the RPI/UR series. It looks like UR was basically giving game 1 of the series to RPI by throwing their 4 versus RPI's 1. Good strategy because it allowed them to throw 1 2 3 versus 2 3 4 and it worked.

Shoeless I wouldn't go saying that RPI is going to just walk all over Skidmore. I'm sure RPI will win some games but let's remember Skidmore lost to UR by 1 run in 3 games. A split this weekend would not surprise me one bit.

So if you're Skid/SLU/Clarkson would you rather be the 3 seed or the 4 seed? Rather play UR or RPI in game one? Rather face Zongol or Mcaneaney (if those teams even threw their #1 in that game which I think it'd be crazy not to).. Should be exciting.

Boomer congrats to your team and you're right, haven't won anything yet BUT assuming UR has a strong showing in the conference tournament (finals), the 3 of 4 wins vs RPI should help make a stronger case for a Pool C if they don't get the job done. Should make your trip to attend the Conference Tournament much more convenient coming from the Cleveland area (right?).

Yeah, I guess Clarkson is still in it, but they'll need to win their fair share of games to get past Skidmore/SLU.

shoeless · April 28, 2008, 05:39:57 AM

Rochester out hit RPI. Defensively despite some blunders by our 3B and RF (which didn't even show up as errors). RPI was better defensively. I still think we can take them in a tight game cause they had numerous errors as well. 3b, ss, popups to 2b were missed. If we tighten up our defensive we could have battled batter in game 1 on Sunday.

Congrats to Rochester, and we look forward to a good showing against SKIDMORE. WAKE UP BATS. I agree with some of you now about the week schedule, we finalized faced some tough pitching and we struggled.

StarvinMarvin · April 28, 2008, 05:57:26 AM

Boomer...I'm just wondering what's "bush" about RPI's coach giving signs to his hitter from the dugout? Anytime I've ever seen RPI play they have always done that. The third base coach doesn't give signs which is a little out of the norm but I don't see what's wrong with that. I'm not sure why some coaches give signs with no one on base as is the case here but again not sure why you have an issue with that.

AlleyCat · April 28, 2008, 08:38:22 AM

Congratulations Uof R. Does anyone know why one of RPI's top pitchers Ken Carroll did not throw. That 4th game probably would have been a better game with either he or Dreimiller on the bump? Looking at things regionally and nationally, I still think that the Liberty League should get 2 teams as long as either U of R or RPI wins the Tourney in 2 weeks.

nyy2344nyy · April 28, 2008, 10:31:13 AM

Quote from: AlleyCat on April 28, 2008, 08:38:22 AM
Congratulations Uof R. Does anyone know why one of RPI's top pitchers Ken Carroll did not throw. That 4th game probably would have been a better game with either he or Dreimiller on the bump? Looking at things regionally and nationally, I still think that the Liberty League should get 2 teams as long as either U of R or RPI wins the Tourney in 2 weeks.

Carroll was injured on Saturday (knee?) and did not play at all on Sunday

nyy2344nyy · April 28, 2008, 10:43:03 AM

Quote from: StarvinMarvin on April 28, 2008, 05:57:26 AM
Boomer...I'm just wondering what's "bush" about RPI's coach giving signs to his hitter from the dugout? Anytime I've ever seen RPI play they have always done that. The third base coach doesn't give signs which is a little out of the norm but I don't see what's wrong with that. I'm not sure why some coaches give signs with no one on base as is the case here but again not sure why you have an issue with that.

I believe the "bush" comment refers to a coach deliberately trying to control the flow of the game from the dugout and distract the opposing pitcher, to the point of yelling at his hitters to step out on every pitch, pausing for more than a few seconds, and then to go through an elaborate set of signs, distracting his own hitters IMO,when he did not do this in any of the 3 other games, creating a circus atmosphere. Anyone that was in attendance, could see that it was a ploy, and I heard several comments from RPI parents who did not agree with the coaching methods during this game.

nyy2344nyy · April 28, 2008, 10:48:45 AM

Quote from: shoeless on April 28, 2008, 05:39:57 AM
Rochester out hit RPI. Defensively despite some blunders by our 3B and RF (which didn't even show up as errors). RPI was better defensively. I still think we can take them in a tight game cause they had numerous errors as well. 3b, ss, popups to 2b were missed. If we tighten up our defensive we could have battled batter in game 1 on Sunday.

Congrats to Rochester, and we look forward to a good showing against SKIDMORE. WAKE UP BATS. I agree with some of you now about the week schedule, we finalized faced some tough pitching and we struggled.

2 games were 2-0, I certainly would call those tight games???

nyy2344nyy · April 28, 2008, 10:54:09 AM

Quote from: BoomerIL on April 28, 2008, 12:02:08 AM
Bob Maxwell.....

I'm hoping to, not sure yet. I'm really hoping for better than that, if you know what I'm saying. We're just hoping that things work toward that direction. These kids are not taking anything for granted and are focused on the LL tournament.

Boomer - CONGRATS!! Keep rooting for your kids - we all do the same, if we have kids playing, if we are alumni of a school or baseball program, or if we are just fans of our local team!