BB: LL: Liberty League

AlleyCat · May 07, 2009, 09:47:09 AM

If you're going to play 3 the first day you should be sending someone home, not having a team that just won a game have to come back and play 30 minutes after winning. Not fair to the winners. I'm glad both the SUNYAC and LL went to this schedule that everyone else has. If weather plays a part then the regular season actually meant something. Why is that a bad thing? I think these tournaments in NY hurt more teams than benefit. Without the tourney the last 2 years the LL would have gotten 2 teams. Just like this year, without a tourney both Rochester and RPI should and in my estimation would get bids. With the tourney the winner goes and who knows if anyone else. The SUNYAC could have gotten 2 teams a couple of years also if the tournament wasn't held.

I think RPI has a chance at a Pool C because of their 29-8 in region record but I'm not sure about Rochester even though they deserve one.

BaseB13 · May 07, 2009, 10:45:01 AM

The reason it does not good to not send anyone home on Friday is because you still have two teams that are 1 - 1. Then it simply goes to the higher seed. By having a team be 2 - 0 after day 1, if the weekend rained out, they could still declare someone a winner without simply going by seed. Not saying I agree with it but I believe that's the reasoning. Having the LL tournament, or any tournament for that matter makes complete sense. That's how the national champion is determined. Tournament play. Without the tournament many of the teams have nothing to play for throughout half the season. Makes things much more exciting as well. If a team can't get the job done in a short tournament like the LL I don't see much justification for them to be in an 8 team regional or world series.

AlleyCat · May 07, 2009, 11:05:43 AM

I don't think that getting a team to 2-0 is the most important thing. I think if the tournament doesn't go to completion then the highest remaining seed should go. The regular season has to mean something if the whole tournament cannot be played. So if #3 seed is 2-0 and the #1 seed is 2-1 and the rest of the tournament is rained out and the #1 never played #3 then why does the #3 team that went 14-10 during the year deserve to go over the #1 seed that went 22-2 during the regular season. The # 3 seed didn't win the tourney, they just got to 2-0. 2-0 doesn't mean you have won the tournament, does it?

After day one you'll have two 1-0 teams and everyone will be able to get some rest after a tough game 1. If game 3 were the losers then after day 1 you would have 3 teams with a win and one team going home. Why penalize the winning team that plays the second game on day 1.

BaseB13 · May 07, 2009, 10:49:27 PM

I don't necessarily disagree Alley.. Just explaining the reasoning. I guess having a lower seed at 2 - 0 moving on then shows the first couple games of the tournament actually mattered.. I suppose it wouldn't be as big of an issue if the tournament wasn't on the last possible weekend but the 4 game per opponent conference schedule seems to make that necessary. Lets hope none of this is an issue this weekend!

John McGraw · May 08, 2009, 12:18:26 AM

Quote from: BaseB13 on May 07, 2009, 10:49:27 PM
I don't necessarily disagree Alley.. Just explaining the reasoning. I guess having a lower seed at 2 - 0 moving on then shows the first couple games of the tournament actually mattered.. I suppose it wouldn't be as big of an issue if the tournament wasn't on the last possible weekend but the 4 game per opponent conference schedule seems to make that necessary. Lets hope none of this is an issue this weekend!

It might be. Rain is in the forecast for the next two days. If I remember correctly, this is a curfew for Sunday games as well - ask Clarkson about that one.

John McGraw · May 08, 2009, 04:04:58 PM

Clarkson 6 Rochester 0

"Good night Gracie."

John McGraw · May 08, 2009, 04:11:53 PM

Skidmore 6 RPI 1, Top 2

RPI allows six unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning on three errors.

There's live stats and video from RPIathletics.com

RSSmith · May 08, 2009, 06:11:17 PM

Middle of the 8th, RPI 7-Skidmore 8.

John McGraw · May 08, 2009, 06:34:32 PM

8-7 Skidmore
FINAL

RPI vs. Rochester in the Losers Bracket
Skidmore vs. Clarkson in the Winners Bracket

I'm sure we thought that RPI and Rochester would play in the tournament at some point but I doubt anyone but Clarkson and Skidmore would have thought the game would be the first losers' bracket elimination game.

AlleyCat · May 08, 2009, 08:28:16 PM

From the looks of the boxscore RPI forgot to show up. 6 unearned runs in the 1st, ouch. For people on the bubble, they better hope the RPI can come back in the tourney. RPI is looking good for the Pool C in NY but were probably looking for the Pool A bid. Rochester needs to to sweep to get in now.

d3baseballnut · May 08, 2009, 11:25:45 PM

Quote from: AlleyCat on May 08, 2009, 08:28:16 PM
From the looks of the boxscore RPI forgot to show up. 6 unearned runs in the 1st, ouch. For people on the bubble, they better hope the RPI can come back in the tourney. RPI is looking good for the Pool C in NY but were probably looking for the Pool A bid. Rochester needs to to sweep to get in now.

RPI is in....they were always in....never a doubt....

BaseB13 · May 09, 2009, 12:08:43 AM

Quote from: John McGraw on May 08, 2009, 06:34:32 PM

I'm sure we thought that RPI and Rochester would play in the tournament at some point but I doubt anyone but Clarkson and Skidmore would have thought the game would be the first losers' bracket elimination game.

I am not surprised one bit as I alluded to this earlier. Rochester and Clarkson was a coin flip the whole time. UR has never fared well in the tournament and they split with Clarskon during the year. RPI had lost to Reilly a week ago and he's beaten them in past LL match ups. This was maybe a slightly bigger surprise than the Clarkson victory but not really. Maybe some of the innings caught up to Mondo because it doesn't look like he threw well regardless of some of the errors. Still a long way to go. Obviously Clarkson and Skidmore have a leg up right now. If any team can come back from a round 1 loss it's RPI. They have the deepest pitching and hitting but it will be an uphill battle considering the weather could shorten this tournament up. Winning early counts big when the rain gets involved. Congrats to the low seeds for making this tournament interesting. If RPI doesn't win the LL tournament I don't see how Rochester has a shot even if they win 2 games.

John McGraw · May 09, 2009, 12:26:50 PM

RPI 8 Rochester 6
FINAL - Rochester is eliminated. That should end their Pool C chances.

BoomerIL · May 09, 2009, 09:49:27 PM

John.....

You know John, for some reason I really feel that you like seeing Rochester lose/fail??? Being the Rochester "homer" that I am, you have really expressed your opinions to the negative reagarding their play. Not many positive words coming from you, only patronizing vocabulary. I'm really sorry that they beat you beloved Cortland this year, NOT, but UR did deserve top win that game, and many others. As I have always said about the outcome of a game, win or lose, "that's baseball!"

Sure Rochester gave away some games this season, but that doesn't make them a poor team, or a losing team, or inconsitent team, it just shows that they are a baseball team. How did Cortland play this year,and do they deserve their ranking??? I have nothing against them or their coach, who I hear is a gentlemen, but what really bothers me is the fact that so many people, you John, who think they can and may well do, is by sway the opinion of others in a selection process for post season play.

I might be off base here, but I'm not the only one that questions your motivations. What's in it for you, a vote? Do you get to vote for the teams for post season, or am I giving you to much credit? You did announce Cortland games for awhile didn't you? Is it something you have the UR coach. You just seem to involved in the failings, or future of Rochester baseball. You have been very opinionated about Rochester, but very silent about Cortlands play this year. What is it John, please explain, because I'm upset our kids didn't do better in the Liberty League, but for you t make comments like " good night Gracie" and "that should end their Pool C chances" is un-called for!! Who the hell do you think you are John? How about trying to be silent? What do you really know about Rochester, their players, and coaches. Do you know anything about their character, who they really are?? They don't need your "bush" comments. One thing I do know is that they are all better than you and would never comment about your failures!!!

airball55 · May 09, 2009, 10:12:03 PM

I like John Mcgraw's takes and really don't get a negative tone from it boomer man. First time poster here but frequent reader. He just really tells the truth. Feel bad for Coach Reina, quality guy but boy his teams just don't post at all in the LL tournament. Hard not to root for Clarkson a bit here, who throughout the early mid part of this decade continuously knocked on the door and just couldn't finish off the tourny. And how about Skidmore... the epitome of "scrappy". Not real talented, no real power arms but just play solid ball and make you beat them. I am pulling for UR for an atlarge but don't see it going two and out and with the strength of the New England region. And as for Cortland, here is for them getting knocked out, saw them play and got sick of watching the HC whine all game long. Man if things don't go his way it is always the men in blue. They still have the best team though and if they make it would like to see the region well represented.