RPI Watch

[ssckelley]

Yes Big 10 is definitely playing catch up when it comes to baseball. For decades, conference wasn't really even trying. They are now, but some ingrained habits don't change overnight. In the past decade, conference has had Indiana and Michigan make the CWS, and Michigan nearly win it. So there is progress. But much left to be done.

Northern schools have been lobbying for a later start date to the season and for CWS to be in July instead of June. That has gone nowhere as the southern schools have zero interest in helping out the northern schools. And I get the suggestions to break off and make a separate league for just the northern schools. It makes sense on some level, but all it will do is grow the talent disparity even to a greater level than what already exists. The top-level talent at the high school level is going to want to compete at the highest level. It's not much of a recruiting pitch to say "we'll compete at not the highest level."

Yes, and this is what I'm suggesting (I take it a step further). Northern schools rarely can compete with southern schools, it isn't a level playing field. When you are starting games in mid February and playing until the end of May it is not ideal for baseball in the north. Playing games up north in March and April are typically miserable, people rarely show up to the games. But there is interest in baseball up north, have the games played in decent weather and fans will show up. In the last series against Indiana there were over 2000 fans on the Friday night game alone, play these games in May and June should generate more interest. Once finals are over they can schedule games every day if they want too.

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

"pissed" doesn't come close. 45 wins. 2nd in the B1G conference, 2nd in the B1G tourney (with the championship game being R only loss....so much for double elimination tournament). I don't think anyone saw us not getting in.

Proud of the team though.

On another note, the B1G really needs to do better with scheduling their tourney games. Having teams play 3 games in 2 days, the Rutgers game starting at Midnight and finishing, with the mercy rule, at 3:30am is just craziness.

Missing that first day took away any wiggle room the tournament had. If you're on the losers bracket, you're still possibly looking at three games in two days. The late night games were a necessity to get the tournament in.

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

It looks like Iowa may be heading to Texas Tech I'd think for a return series. I could be wrong. When they do that I'd highly suggest making the 2.5 hour trip to Abilene for a Tuesday game against Abilene Christian. Not the best opponent, but a true road game and a hell of a lot better than Western Illinois.

 

[MrsScrew]

Missing that first day took away any wiggle room the tournament had. If you're on the losers bracket, you're still possibly looking at three games in two days. The late night games were a necessity to get the tournament in.

oh, I know why it happened....but you have to leave some wiggle room. Men's LAX tourney had the final 4 on Saturday and the final on Sunday. Rutgers had a 3 hour lightening delay there too (yes, baseball and LAX with lightening delays on the same day). The games could have been moved to Sunday if needed. They built in a buffer.

 

[herkyihawks]

Missing that first day took away any wiggle room the tournament had. If you're on the losers bracket, you're still possibly looking at three games in two days. The late night games were a necessity to get the tournament in.

If they are gonna do it in Omaha. They should have two separate tournaments. One can be played at UNO's new baseball facility and the other can either be played at Charles Schwab field or Werner Park if the Storm Chasers are out of town the same weekend. Then they can have the winners of the two brackets play the championship at any of the fields. All 3 fields are good enough to host the tournament. The 4 games in one day doesn't work real well with some games lasting over 4 hours plus the 45 minutes between games. I almost wonder if the tournament would be better being hosted by the Indianapolis Indians. There would be more teams that would have fans be closer.

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

If they are gonna do it in Omaha. They should have two separate tournaments. One can be played at UNO's new baseball facility and the other can either be played at Charles Schwab field or Werner Park if the Storm Chasers are out of town the same weekend. Then they can have the winners of the two brackets play the championship at any of the fields. All 3 fields are good enough to host the tournament. The 4 games in one day doesn't work real well with some games lasting over 4 hours plus the 45 minutes between games. I almost wonder if the tournament would be better being hosted by the Indianapolis Indians. There would be more teams that would have fans be closer.

If they are gonna do it in Omaha. They should have two separate tournaments. One can be played at UNO's new baseball facility and the other can either be played at Charles Schwab field or Werner Park if the Storm Chasers are out of town the same weekend. Then they can have the winners of the two brackets play the championship at any of the fields. All 3 fields are good enough to host the tournament. The 4 games in one day doesn't work real well with some games lasting over 4 hours plus the 45 minutes between games. I almost wonder if the tournament would be better being hosted by the Indianapolis Indians. There would be more teams that would have fans be closer.

You'd have no fans if it's anywhere but Omaha. Nebraska and Iowa alone outnumber the other fan bases when it's been held in other locations.