2017 West Regional - Tyler, TX

[Ron Boerger]

Most of the talk I've seen on Twitter is one ETBU senior who refuses to understand the way Pool C selection works.

[Jack Parkman]

Most of the talk I've seen on Twitter is one ETBU senior who refuses to understand the way Pool C selection works.

True.  Hopefully he looks back one day as one of the seniors who started a winning tradition there.

[Pat Coleman]

Most of the talk I've seen on Twitter is one ETBU senior who refuses to understand the way Pool C selection works.

And someone from the athletic training staff.

[Pat Coleman]

This will help with understanding the at-large process.

http://www.d3baseball.com/playoffs/2017/breaking-down-at-large

Pat Coleman gives a primer to any coach or AD who doesn't know this stuff (or may not have the budget to get a good trip to where regionally ranked teams play.)

I am seeing good trend of going to tourneys in February in the South as well as the Arizona tourneys to which many schools have gone this year and in the past.

Nationwide, the really big tourneys, where teams rack up games versus RR opponents, are in March when ASC conference play has begun.

Thanks -- in fairness, St. Thomas and Wheaton (Mass.) and UW-La Crosse provide the primer and I just observed and wrote about it.

[TexasBB]

Improving the SOS is the key and as Ralph pointed out most of the ASC teams start conference play in March. So that leaves February to get games in against quality opponents. UTT has had travel budget issues and to compensate hosts the Clements Fluids Classic tournament early in the year. This past year there were 4 teams. Trinity, Centenary, Mary Hardin Baylor and UTT. In the past Texas Lutheran had played in this tournament. ETBU could easily be in it.  It is always a crap shoot as to how good the teams are going to be. You schedule the games a year in advance and hope that the competition will be quality. No way you can tell that a team is going to be regionally ranked at the end of the year. That is true with any tournament.  The other problem is that a team can be mediocre in the early part of the season and lose games in such a tournament but improve dramatically by the end of the season. I think that was the case with ETBU this year. The timing of the wins and losses are not considered or weighted. So a win or loss in Feb against a regionally ranked team is weighted the same as win or loss in May. Not suggesting any fixes just pointing out the reality.

[Pat Coleman]

Yet if you are looking at the teams I cited in that piece, which ended up on lots of at-large contenders' schedules, they basically are good every year. Hard to go wrong scheduling St. Thomas, St. Scholastica, UW-La Crosse, UW-Whitewater, Concordia-Chicago, Wartburg, Southern Maine, Wheaton (Mass.), etc.

Whereas Schreiner, Southwestern, University of Dallas are at the opposite end.

If finances are the only possible consideration in scheduling, well, that's unfortunate but you still have the ability to go win the automatic bid and get in. But if you don't schedule like you want to be considered for an at-large bid, you may not get one.

[Jack Parkman]

Improving the SOS is the key and as Ralph pointed out most of the ASC teams start conference play in March. So that leaves February to get games in against quality opponents. UTT has had travel budget issues and to compensate hosts the Clements Fluids Classic tournament early in the year. This past year there were 4 teams. Trinity, Centenary, Mary Hardin Baylor and UTT. In the past Texas Lutheran had played in this tournament. ETBU could easily be in it.  It is always a crap shoot as to how good the teams are going to be. You schedule the games a year in advance and hope that the competition will be quality. No way you can tell that a team is going to be regionally ranked at the end of the year. That is true with any tournament.  The other problem is that a team can be mediocre in the early part of the season and lose games in such a tournament but improve dramatically by the end of the season. I think that was the case with ETBU this year. The timing of the wins and losses are not considered or weighted. So a win or loss in Feb against a regionally ranked team is weighted the same as win or loss in May. Not suggesting any fixes just pointing out the reality.

The SCIAC started conference games in the middle of February and they played 24, just like the ASC.  It does stink that a lot of schools cannot travel due to budgets but that is where fundraising comes in.  There is always a way to get things done if you want them bad enough.  I wish more schools would be willing to meet in Dallas or in AZ for 4-5 games early on.  Yes, some of the teams you end up playing might not end up having great years, but that is a risk you take. 

[Ralph Turner]

Improving the SOS is the key and as Ralph pointed out most of the ASC teams start conference play in March. So that leaves February to get games in against quality opponents. UTT has had travel budget issues and to compensate hosts the Clements Fluids Classic tournament early in the year. This past year there were 4 teams. Trinity, Centenary, Mary Hardin Baylor and UTT. In the past Texas Lutheran had played in this tournament. ETBU could easily be in it.  It is always a crap shoot as to how good the teams are going to be. You schedule the games a year in advance and hope that the competition will be quality. No way you can tell that a team is going to be regionally ranked at the end of the year. That is true with any tournament.  The other problem is that a team can be mediocre in the early part of the season and lose games in such a tournament but improve dramatically by the end of the season. I think that was the case with ETBU this year. The timing of the wins and losses are not considered or weighted. So a win or loss in Feb against a regionally ranked team is weighted the same as win or loss in May. Not suggesting any fixes just pointing out the reality.

Respectfully, playing round-robin Trinity, Centenary, UMHB and UTT are kinda like "eating your own".  Getting two or three of our good SCAC/ASC teams to play one game each against Rhodes, Millsaps, maybe a Webster might help.

You need teams like DeSales, which annually comes to San Antonio.
Concordia-Chicago came to Concordia Texas on Concordia Chicago's spring trip to play Mid-Season CTX,  and I believe those 2 wins were THE DIFFERENCE for CTX.
UT-Tyler has gotten Castleton State to come to East Texas.

I realize the travel budget is consumed by 2 nights ion the road in Pineville LA or 3 nights on the road to Alpine, TX. Outside the South and West Regions, that is not a concern.

If you cannot go to Arizona where good West Region teams play in February or someplace in the southeast to get an Emory, a B-SC, or a LaGrange, then you need to figure out how you get quality teams to come to Texas to play several games and against several opponents, to increase the chance you play a regionally ranked team.

[Ralph Turner]

Yet if you are looking at the teams I cited in that piece, which ended up on lots of at-large contenders' schedules, they basically are good every year. Hard to go wrong scheduling St. Thomas, St. Scholastica, UW-La Crosse, UW-Whitewater, Concordia-Chicago, Wartburg, Southern Maine, Wheaton (Mass.), etc.

Whereas Schreiner, Southwestern, University of Dallas are at the opposite end.

If finances are the only possible consideration in scheduling, well, that's unfortunate but you still have the ability to go win the automatic bid and get in. But if you don't schedule like you want to be considered for an at-large bid, you may not get one.

One other thought.

St Thomas is Pool C because they were upset by Macalester in the MIAC.
UW-La Crosse would win most conferences. They just could not get past UW-Whitewater. (Think ASC and frustration playing UMHB!)
Southern Maine is Pool C because of a strong UMass-Boston program.
Rowan is Pool C because the NJAC is a very good baseball conference.
Wheaton Mass is Pool C because of  very good Babson team.

If ETBU had eliminated UTT two weekends ago, and won the whole thing, then ETBU would be Pool A and UT-Tyler Pool C and CTX would have been regionally ranked behind UT-Tyler when the committee looked at the board.

In my opinion, the West Region (with its 36 teams) is the most balanced in the country. I believe that we have 15 West Region programs in the Top 100 of the 360 programs in D-3 and all but 3-5 programs are in the Top 150. WE haven't set ourselves apart from the rest of the pack the way that the other non-West Region Pool C teams do.

[Jim Dixon]

In my opinion, the West Region (with its 36 teams) is the most balanced in the country. I believe that we have 15 West Region programs in the Top 100 of the 360 programs in D-3 and all but 3-5 programs are in the Top 150. WE haven't set ourselves apart from the rest of the pack the way that the other non-West Region Pool C teams do.

That is because Austin does not count after playing a schedule that did not qualify them for the post season. Well there were other reason they did not qualify for the post season.

[Jack Parkman]

If any of you are going to be in Tyler don't hesitate to reach out and let me know.  I'll be there for the Thursday and Friday games for sure and possibly Saturday.

[D O.C.]

This could hurt Linfield, at least for the first game

That's the true odds. Perhaps that can be off-set by the fact the coach is retiring after the final game.

[108 Stitches]

I have learned over the years to never take Linfield for granted. While they travel well and are very, very well coached, there will be a ton of Centenary fans rooting them on because they are only 2 hours from home. If they can get up on Centenary early they have a decent shot. This is Centenary's first trip to a Regional so they may be a bit intimidated by the whole event and even though Linfield has not been to a Regional in a few years their coaches should have their team in the right frame of mind. Mental strength is so overlooked on the big stage, and every Linfield team I have seen is extremely mentally tough.

I like the fact that UTT had to battle through their conference final so they should rock solid mentally. Should be a really well matched regional, I am jealous that I can't be there. I believe UTT will win it but I don't think any of these teams have dominant pitching so it could get really interesting. I am personally routing for Centenary since they are carrying the SCAC banner. 

[Ralph Turner]

In my opinion, the West Region (with its 36 teams) is the most balanced in the country. I believe that we have 15 West Region programs in the Top 100 of the 360 programs in D-3 and all but 3-5 programs are in the Top 150. WE haven't set ourselves apart from the rest of the pack the way that the other non-West Region Pool C teams do.

That is because Austin does not count after playing a schedule that did not qualify them for the post season. Well there were other reason they did not qualify for the post season.

When Jim said "Austin", I thought of the 'Roos. I appreciate his tongue-in-cheek.  ;-)
Congrats to the Tornadoes!

[Jim Dixon]

In my opinion, the West Region (with its 36 teams) is the most balanced in the country. I believe that we have 15 West Region programs in the Top 100 of the 360 programs in D-3 and all but 3-5 programs are in the Top 150. WE haven't set ourselves apart from the rest of the pack the way that the other non-West Region Pool C teams do.

That is because Austin does not count after playing a schedule that did not qualify them for the post season. Well there were other reason they did not qualify for the post season.

When Jim said "Austin", I thought of the 'Roos. I appreciate his tongue-in-cheek.  ;-)
Congrats to the Tornadoes!

I was thinking of Austin College.  It would have been interesting if they made the tournament, what the NCAA would do without enough D-III teams played.  This was the only team without a waiver and a non qualifying schedule