BB: LL: Liberty League

[Truthfinder]

So if my math is correct ...

-- Rochester clinches the regular-season title.
-- Skidmore clinches a berth in the tournament, since Clarkson, SLU and RPI all can't get to 14 wins.
-- And everything else is an absolute mess, especially with Clarkson now holding a half-game edge over SLU and RPI.

This is going to be a hell of a weekend coming up.

IF and its a big IF, RPI beats Skidmore 4-0 next weekend, and either Clarkson or St. Lawrence also sweep, Skidmore could be mathematically eliminated.  Not very likely....

So, 3 teams fighting for the last 2 spots is the most likely scenario!

No, you're wrong. Skidmore is at 14 wins. Considering Clarkson and SLU play each other, they both can't get to 14.

[trider400t]

So if my math is correct ...

-- Rochester clinches the regular-season title.
-- Skidmore clinches a berth in the tournament, since Clarkson, SLU and RPI all can't get to 14 wins.
-- And everything else is an absolute mess, especially with Clarkson now holding a half-game edge over SLU and RPI.

This is going to be a hell of a weekend coming up.

IF and its a big IF, RPI beats Skidmore 4-0 next weekend, and either Clarkson or St. Lawrence also sweep, Skidmore could be mathematically eliminated.  Not very likely....

So, 3 teams fighting for the last 2 spots is the most likely scenario!
[/quote
You might want to check your math. Skidmore and Rochester are in.

[trider400t]

I'd be worried more about RPI. They know how to win in the Liberty Tournament. Rochester has been the biggest bust in tournament play over the past three years.

[Truthfinder]

I'd be worried more about RPI. They know how to win in the Liberty Tournament. Rochester has been the biggest bust in tournament play over the past three years.

RPI has won one of the last five tournaments, right?

[nyy2344nyy]

I'd be worried more about RPI. They know how to win in the Liberty Tournament. Rochester has been the biggest bust in tournament play over the past three years.

RPI has won one of the last five tournaments, right?

2009 - Clarkson
2008 - RPI
2007 - Skidmore
2006 - St. Lawrence
2005 - Skidmore
2004 - UCAA League

[DefenseWins]

Either Rochester Clarkson or Skidmore wins the LL tourny this year, all three are clearly better and more suitable to win the tourny than RPI..... UR with its good pitching and pesky offense who has put up some runs although not many as of late, Skidmore has the best staff by far but a sketchy offense, and clarkson has a good lineup mixed with some good arms. RPI lacks the solid #2 and staff deep enough to compete and their offense has been very underachieving all year and hasnt produced. My prediction is a UR v Skidmore final, not sure who i can pick as the winner yet, maybe in a couple of days ill figure it out  .....its tourny time!!!!

[baseballislife]

Congrats to U of R for clinching the #1 seed and hosting.  Now what they have to do is go out and win the thing (they call me Captain Obvious).  By that I mean.....No one will ever respect a team until it wins championships.  That is just the way it is.  Once they get over that hump, and I believe this is the year, they will see a change in how people perceive them.  If not, they could be 35-3 going into the tourney next year and people will be expecting them to fall down until they prove them wrong.

The situation is one to be savored and embraced.  LOVE the pressure and suddenly the pressure is gone and on the opponent.  Soak it up boys.....this is why you play the game! 

Good luck Jackets!!!

[BBFan62]

I agree..............savor it; enjoy it, for who knows if you can repeat. Like other teams, Rochester has some guys who were always the "go to guys" in the big games..............let's hope they can repeat the feat at this level. It will be a wild, close tournament.........nobody is a sure bet. So, having said that, it's going to be a longgggggg two weeks! Good luck to all.

[Ron Ron]

Pretty sure the tiebreaker comes down to record vs. the number 1 seed (and if it is the same, it goes on down the line from there). Therefore if somehow Skidmore was caught by other teams, they still hold the tiebreaker by winning 3 against Rochester.  Clarkson also holds the tiebreaker over St. Law and RPI  since they were able to beat Rochester one time, making the 1/2 game difference a little less since if they finished tied with St. Law and/or RPI, they would gain the tiebreak anyway.  Skidmore is in, not sure about the seeding though.  St. Law, Clarkson, and RPI need to take care of business if they want their seasons to go on.  If I were Rochester, I would want to avoid seeing RPI or Clarkson first game (Goerold (?) or Mondo) and hope for St. Law.

[OshDude]

Interesting no one noted this:
On Thursday, April 19, D3baseball.com released its regional rankings

New York Region In-Region Record Overall Record
1. Cortland State 22-3-1 27-7-1
2. Skidmore 17-6 22-8
3. Plattsburgh State 18-7 28-8
4. Rochester 25-7 26-9
5. St. John Fisher 20-10 21-10
6. Staten Island 24-9 26-9

That has Skidmore ahead of Rochester.  If things stay similar to this, can Skidmore gain an at-large bid? (course the loss to Union doesn't help Skidmore. Unacceptable. Maybe Rochester makes up ground with the 2.5 games they will be playing against Clarkson. Real excited to see how the league shakes up)

That ranking makes no sense to me!!  Sure, Skidmore takes three from Rochester, but to be ahead of Rochester in the poll??  If it were RPI that had UR's record and Skidmore took three from RPI, RPI would still be ahead of Skidmore in the poll.  Everyone knows there is no love for Rochester.  You saw that in last weeks poll dropping UR completely out of the top 25.  Those type of conference losses happen all across the country with other teams, but because those"elite" teams that make it to the regionals each year, or almost each year, get the benefit of the doubt.  There is too much emphasis put on past performance.  And how can the pollster voters know what teams are like from coast-to-coast if they don't watch every game??  Word-of-mouth recommendations from fellow voters??  Really??  

In lieu of some high tech algorithm, I think that Skidmore taking 3 from UR is a pretty darn good reason to rate them ahead of them.  UR really can't complain at all.  Didn't you also drop 2 to Fisher and are ranked ahead of them?  This ranking is a gift.  I don't think that most people in NY have a dislike for Rochester, but you are putting many of us on a fast track in that direction.  

I'd like to give an opinion on the national rankings.  This is just an opinion and I don't really know nothing from nothing.  Keep in mind that this is D3 BASEBALL.  The peope who vote can't possibly see everyone play.  And YES, you DO have to develop a good reputation before you find yourself consistently in the top 25.  I can tell you from some experience that you shouldn't expect to be in the top 25 unless you've at least MADE regionals for a couple of years running, no matter how good you THINK you are.  If someone in Wisconsin has a vote and has to choose between UR or Skidmore vs RPI or Ithaca or Cortland, guess who gets the vote.

The bottom line if you think a certain team is very talented and they can't seem to beat anybody after mid April, they ain't that good!!!  If UR can come out and win their league tourney and make it to regionals, that's great.  Do it again next year and then you'll have that reputation to expect a good ranking.  Until then, just beat people on the field and park the conspiracy theories.  

A Wisconsin voter gave Rochester one of its two votes last week, BTW.

[OshDude]

Union gets a split despite scoring one run all day, and Rochester and Clarkson will likely have to play 2-1/2 games tomorrow.

Does this mean SLU-RPI game 2 was weather-affected as well? Remember, that's day 2 of that series, so if they don't finish their set that's a HUGE PROBLEM for the Saints.

According to information given following the suspension of yesterdays rain delayed second game between Rochester and Clarkson, the game will be finished today.  They are scrapping the 7 inning game and playing the 9 inning game.  So, it will be 1-1/2 games today.  Should UR win both, it appears that they would host the Liberty League tournament.  If they don't win both today, then they would need help from other teams in order for them to still host the tournament.  

According to yesterdays story on UR's web site, 2-1/2 games are to be played today between Rochester and Clarkson.  This is wrong information according to a parent who was at the games yesterday.  According to the umpires, NCAA rules prohibit 3 games being played in a day.  So, the second game from yesterday will be finished, and a nine inning game will be the second game for today.  I guess until it is made official from an umpire or coach, we have to wait and see if this is the case.

The parent that was at the games yesterday said that when the rains came, the game was stopped, no one came out to cover the mound or field.  The rains lasted approximately 45 minutes according to the parent.  The rains became a little drizzle, and the umpires and coaches stood on the field in the drizzle for another 40 minutes or so and decided to suspend the game, according to the parents information.  The field could have been worked to get it ready again for play, but no effort was made to do so.  If the mound and field were covered immediately, the game could have been finished, according to the parent thar was there.

So now what happens?  How are the final league standings affected by both Rochester and Clarkson having one less conference game played??

Nearly an entire Midwest Region conference, the UMAC (St. Scholastica, etc.), just played three games in one day. I don't think the NCAA prohibits tripleheaders.

[airball55]

I think there should be a NO FATHER rule on here.  Do you guys read what you write???  Savor it, boys, win one for the gipper.  Get a grip!!!  I don't want to read the Rochester newspapers if U of R doesn't win the conference tourny and not get a bid.  Suicide rates on the rise, story at 11.

BTW, congrats to U of R, regardless of the mushy crap on here, for a good season and winning the conference regular season title.  Still plenty to do in the 3 and 4 spots next weekend.  Will all u U of R guys be on the road scouting??

[Truthfinder]

Should there also be a Yo Momma rule in here too?

[baseballislife]

Jeez Airball, sorry if I was a little too sappy for you.  While I do not have a son playing for U of R (yet), I'm pretty sure most of the people that frequent this forum are parents or current/former players.

The point I was trying convey was that respect is earned.  As an objective outsider, some of the UR posts have appeared to me to be a little oversensitive.  I'm sure the players are well aware of what they need to do to take the next step.  I just meant they should enjoy the chase.

[AlleyCat]

What would the tie breaker be if St Lawrence and RPI both end up 13-11 in the league. They have played all the teams ahead of them equally?

Would it come down to RPI losing one game to Vassar, if Vassar ends up ahead of Union. If thats the case even that series will have playoff implications.