Here we go. 19-4 record in 20 non-conference games was an excellent start even with the bad taste of the road loss to ISU as conference play approaches.
Tough week for Iowa's RPI. Iowa was sitting at #49 at first pitch in Normal. Has dropped 7 spots since. To put it somewhat in perspective, LSU's loss to 16-4 Iowa is currently considered a . . . wait for it . . . Q2 loss for the Bayou Bengals. Ugh.
Iowa currently sits at #56 in RPI. Indiana (18-7/3-0) is currently #26 RPI and leads the B1G. Rutgers (13-11/0-0) is currently #31 RPI and 2nd in B1G RPI ratings. Illinois (11-10/1-2) is currently #32 an 3rd in B1G RPI ratings. Iowa at #56 checks in 4th in B1G RPI ratings. Pre-season B1G favorite Maryland (15-9/0-0) is currently #84 RPI and 8th in B1G RPI.
On the RPI "ladder," Iowa is 55 RPI points behind #55 TCU and 6 RPI points ahead of #57 Kent State. Iowa is 121 RPI points behind #50 Texas A&M. That ISU loss really flipping hurt the metrics.
An Iowa win today would result in a gain of 57 RPI points. An Iowa loss would result in the loss of 99 RPI points. Simple math illustrates the difficulty Iowa faces in making headway in the "RPI game." If Iowa wins the series two games to one against the pre-season B1G favorites, Iowa will gain a negligible amount of RPI points (around 10-15).
The other factor really hurting the Hawkeyes right now is the performance of its prior opponents. Simply not getting much help at all. Would be really helpful if South Dakota State could sweep North Dakota State today (+55.2 for Iowa) and Western Michigan to knock off Miami (OH) (+25.2 for Iowa).
As posted by @Alum-Ni earlier this week, d1 Baseball's chat discussed teams not wanting to be in the 50s and 60s when it comes to RPI. Shouldn't have to remind anyone that, in 2022, 2nd place Rutgers (44-15/17-7) who played in B1G tournament championship game (went 3-1 in B1G tournament and lost to Michigan in final) and ended #43 in RPI was left out of the Regionals last year.
Setting metrics aside, the goal is simple: Iowa has to win the games on the schedule. 24 B1G games left (8 series). Iowa was 17-7 in B1G play last year. This year's team is better. The schedule isn't as difficult. I firmly believe that 18-6 or 19-5 is not an unrealistic or unfair goal. If they can play at that level, (1) they should be in the running for B1G regular season champs; (2) get a favorable seed in the B1G tournament and (3) have a record of 37-10 or 38-9 with 6 other mid-week games on the schedule. Win 5 of those 6 games and they finish the regular season at 42-11 or 43-10. Have a good showing in Omaha and Iowa should be in the discussion for a Regional bid.
Important to start off strong in conference play . . .
It's Brody Brecht v. Jason Savacool in an hour. Savacool will be one of the better pitchers Iowa will face this year. Will need the bats to step up big . . . much bigger than in Normal.
Notably, Heller is not going with Simpson, Morgan or Voelker to start Saturday's game. It will be Keaton Anthony. That's an interesting development. My take? Heller's confidence in Morgan avoiding the "blow up" inning is waning and he doesn't want to risk potentially "giving away" a conference game because a starter can't throw strikes consistently. Simpson's outing against Western Michigan was poor; he seems to be better coming out of the pen. And Voelker's last couple of outings have been a bit shaky.
Will be turning on the streaming broadcast in about 30 minutes but I'm betting that Heller will be saying one of the keys to winning will be Brecht doing deep into the game and needing to get into the 6th. That and really smart, disciplined at-bats.
Hawks rebounded nicely after the Sam Houston State loss. Need to see the same today (fingers crossed). Will be in the stands on Saturday and Sunday to watch live. Cheers.
Tough week for Iowa's RPI. Iowa was sitting at #49 at first pitch in Normal. Has dropped 7 spots since. To put it somewhat in perspective, LSU's loss to 16-4 Iowa is currently considered a . . . wait for it . . . Q2 loss for the Bayou Bengals. Ugh.
Iowa currently sits at #56 in RPI. Indiana (18-7/3-0) is currently #26 RPI and leads the B1G. Rutgers (13-11/0-0) is currently #31 RPI and 2nd in B1G RPI ratings. Illinois (11-10/1-2) is currently #32 an 3rd in B1G RPI ratings. Iowa at #56 checks in 4th in B1G RPI ratings. Pre-season B1G favorite Maryland (15-9/0-0) is currently #84 RPI and 8th in B1G RPI.
On the RPI "ladder," Iowa is 55 RPI points behind #55 TCU and 6 RPI points ahead of #57 Kent State. Iowa is 121 RPI points behind #50 Texas A&M. That ISU loss really flipping hurt the metrics.
An Iowa win today would result in a gain of 57 RPI points. An Iowa loss would result in the loss of 99 RPI points. Simple math illustrates the difficulty Iowa faces in making headway in the "RPI game." If Iowa wins the series two games to one against the pre-season B1G favorites, Iowa will gain a negligible amount of RPI points (around 10-15).
The other factor really hurting the Hawkeyes right now is the performance of its prior opponents. Simply not getting much help at all. Would be really helpful if South Dakota State could sweep North Dakota State today (+55.2 for Iowa) and Western Michigan to knock off Miami (OH) (+25.2 for Iowa).
As posted by @Alum-Ni earlier this week, d1 Baseball's chat discussed teams not wanting to be in the 50s and 60s when it comes to RPI. Shouldn't have to remind anyone that, in 2022, 2nd place Rutgers (44-15/17-7) who played in B1G tournament championship game (went 3-1 in B1G tournament and lost to Michigan in final) and ended #43 in RPI was left out of the Regionals last year.
Setting metrics aside, the goal is simple: Iowa has to win the games on the schedule. 24 B1G games left (8 series). Iowa was 17-7 in B1G play last year. This year's team is better. The schedule isn't as difficult. I firmly believe that 18-6 or 19-5 is not an unrealistic or unfair goal. If they can play at that level, (1) they should be in the running for B1G regular season champs; (2) get a favorable seed in the B1G tournament and (3) have a record of 37-10 or 38-9 with 6 other mid-week games on the schedule. Win 5 of those 6 games and they finish the regular season at 42-11 or 43-10. Have a good showing in Omaha and Iowa should be in the discussion for a Regional bid.
Important to start off strong in conference play . . .
It's Brody Brecht v. Jason Savacool in an hour. Savacool will be one of the better pitchers Iowa will face this year. Will need the bats to step up big . . . much bigger than in Normal.
Notably, Heller is not going with Simpson, Morgan or Voelker to start Saturday's game. It will be Keaton Anthony. That's an interesting development. My take? Heller's confidence in Morgan avoiding the "blow up" inning is waning and he doesn't want to risk potentially "giving away" a conference game because a starter can't throw strikes consistently. Simpson's outing against Western Michigan was poor; he seems to be better coming out of the pen. And Voelker's last couple of outings have been a bit shaky.
Will be turning on the streaming broadcast in about 30 minutes but I'm betting that Heller will be saying one of the keys to winning will be Brecht doing deep into the game and needing to get into the 6th. That and really smart, disciplined at-bats.
Hawks rebounded nicely after the Sam Houston State loss. Need to see the same today (fingers crossed). Will be in the stands on Saturday and Sunday to watch live. Cheers.
