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D1Baseball Weekly Chat:
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Eric Simmons
1:21
If Arizona wins out do they have any chance at making the NCAA Tournament?
Kendall Rogers
1:21
Eric -- No. Even if Arizona swept its final home series, it's still just one game over .500 in the league with a 3-16 mark vs. RPI Top 50 teams. That's an awful, awful mark against that tier of teams. With Penn State/WSU accounting for six of the final seven games, I'm not seeing a legitimate pathway for the Wildcats.
josh
1:23
What happens if FSU loses the Louisville series and doesn't win a game in the ACC tourney. Do they get left out?
Kendall Rogers
1:23
Josh -- If FSU loses that series and doesn't win a game in Durham, its season is over, IMO.
Aaron Fitt
1:24
Agreed. No question about it.
Randy D
1:23
As I hear about pitchers going down every week I have to ask the question.. Are we playing too many games in college baseball? Couldn't we learn just as much about the teams in a 40 game schedule? I am seeing a lot more two mid week non league games on schedules. In a non profit sport where northern teams already have to start by traveling south does more games make sense? 75% of mid week games are just used to pad records anyway (95% in the SEC, lol). With only 12 scholarships are we doing the players a disservice? Would give ya'll some more time off too!
Aaron Fitt
1:23
I don't think the number of games has anything to do with the injuries. It's baseball — pitchers get injured. You see guys handled with kid gloves still go down with TJ, it's just the nature of pitching, an unnatural movement that puts inherent strain on the arm. That said, I have heard some coaches say they think going down to 52 games would be a good thing for the sport because it's so hard to build pitching depth with 11.7 scholarships, which makes those 5-game weeks really difficult. Going down to 52 games would basically remove the need to play five games in a week. I'd be fine with 52 games, personally, but 56 games has been a sacred cow for so long that I can't see the majority of coaches supporting that idea.
BC
1:25
What does Arkansas need to do in the final series/ conf. tournament to lock up a top 8 seed? Or have they already done that and are now just jockeying for seed placement?
Kendall Rogers
1:25
BC -- I think it's all about seed placement for the Hogs right now with such strong metrics across the board. They've put themselves in terrific shape.
Reece
1:25
Mississippi State is HOT right now since being swept at Arkansas. 3 series wins, with 1 home and away sweep, and a road series win at Texas A&M. They look to have a a complete #3 Starter in Plumlee and the relief staff looks to be dialed in. They will only play at home or at a neutral site for the rest of the season. Is their any team that can pose a real threat to beating them come NCAA tournament time?
Aaron Fitt
1:25
First off, you're absolutely right, Mississippi State is really hot and really good, and very few teams have had three straight weeks better than MSU's last three weeks this year. I still think the Bulldogs are one of the most complete teams in the country, right there with UCLA. But yes, plenty of teams could pose threats to them in the postseason -- it's baseball! And there's not much separation between any of the teams in the top five when it comes to talent, balance, experience and resumé.
Bawlmer Beav
1:26
With the pitching this weekend of Mundt and Pfennigs, and the hope that Abel will be back, I'm thinking maybe next year is when the Beavs make another deep run in Omaha. Rutschmann will be a hugh loss, of course, but . . .  Thoughts?
Kendall Rogers
1:26
Beaver -- Not so sure about that. OSU has some serious firepower to replace with Rutschman and Beau Philip more than likely gone. Philip should be a pretty solid draft pick as well. I'm going to need to see more offense from the Beavers going into next season to expect a deep Omaha run. Long way until then!
DAW
1:27
Thoughts on Southern miss? Got to think they have to win the tournament to get in at this point?
Aaron Fitt
1:27
Not necessarily -- I still think USM is right on the bubble, with a No. 41 RPI and a 19-8 C-USA record. But I'd feel better about their at-large chances if they can win the regular-season title; currently they're tied with FAU, and the Owls have the head-to-head tie-breaker.
Milo, New Orleans
1:29
LSU hasn’t been doing themselves too many favors the past few weeks. They had a nice win on Saturday against Arkansas and potentially have a path to host a regional. What does LSU have to do against Auburn and in the SEC tournament to be considered as a regional host?
Aaron Fitt
1:29
I said heading into the weekend that LSU didn't have to win that series at Arkansas to keep its hosting chances alive, it just had to avoid getting swept, and it did that. Now LSU gets Auburn at home — you'd certainly have to favor LSU in that matchup, and if they win the series they'll be 17-13 in the SEC with a 19-14 record against the top 50. That's still pretty darn good, and I think that would keep LSU squarely in the mix for a hosting spot, especially if it wins a game or two in Hoover.
Brad
1:31
What will it take for A&M to host?
Kendall Rogers
1:31
Brad -- Win the Arkansas series and a couple of games in the SEC tournament, at the least. Lose the Arkansas series and I think the Aggies need to go on a run like they did last year in Hoover to be able to host.
Eric Simmons
1:31
Is it auto bid or bust for Florida after losing 2 out of 3 to Tennessee at home this past weekend?
Kendall Rogers
1:31
Starting to look like it, Eric, unless it sweeps Tennessee on the road.
Jake
1:31
Thoughts on Oklahoma State what do they need to do the rest of the way to make sure they can stay at home through super regionals and does it seem like they are a team that is getting hot at the right time.
Aaron Fitt
1:31
Yeah, the Cowboys are hot at the right time — it's a Josh Holliday team playing its best down the stretch, what else is new? His teams always seem to peak this time of year. I think if Oklahoma State wins this last series against Baylor to finish 14-10 in the Big 12, they've got a real chance to sneak into the top eight, especially with two or three more wins in the conference tournament. An emerging top-eight darkhorse, for sure.
WCC
1:32
Will the WCC only have Representative? any chance of another team getting a bid...or is it Tournament Champion only
Kendall Rogers
1:32
WCC will only be a one-bid league unless BYU gets upset in the conference tournament. Even with that, if BYU drops into the 40s from an RPI standpoint, it's definitely not a given.
Corbin believer
1:34
With E. Fisher throwing 95-96 with command and a freeze 'em in their shoes 82 slider for an out pitch it appears Vandy Boys now have premier closers from both sides to go along with their solid starting pitching.  I think Corbs has done it again and has this team ready for the postseason.  What do you think is their achilles heel at this point?  Please don't rank them #1 before the postseason begins!
Aaron Fitt
1:34
It really has all come together on the mound for Vandy — that was our one lingering question mark about the Commodores in the first half, but I really like how that pitching staff has shaped up, and I think Corbs and Brownie have done a great job figuring out which roles all of those talented pieces fit best in. I'm still not in LOVE with the rotation, but I think it's certainly good enough to win it all, particularly given the strength of the lineup and the power arms in the bullpen.
Devin
1:34
Thoughts on the Asa Lacy suspension and does it affect the Arkansas series?
Kendall Rogers
1:34
I think a four-game suspension is a little harsh. It looked like Lacy barked at the umpire, but it was nothing overboard and drawn out, IMO. Terrible timing for the Aggies, and I thought it was a situation of the umpire jumping the gun a little.
Moose
1:35
After a 1-2 weekend and RPI falling to 31, is UConn drifting towards the bubble?
Kendall Rogers
1:35
Moose - if UConn loses that Tulane series this coming weekend, it will definitely need to do some work in the American tourney to get in. That'd put Jim Penders' club at 11-13 in the league. Work would need to be done, IMO.
Duncan
1:36
Is Tennessee in with one more conference win, totaling 13?  If not, should the RPI be scrapped completely since conference record is then the only thing that matters?  The Vols could be left out with a top 15 RPI.  I don't think that has ever happened before.  You guys keep referencing UK from last year, but they had an RPI of 31 and did not stack up using other metrics to the 2019 Vols.
Aaron Fitt
1:36
Right, I think one more SEC win for Tennessee will get them in. 13-17 in the SEC should be good enough with a top 10-15 RPI; it is indeed different than UK's case last year and UNC's case from a few years ago, because the RPI is just better.
Steven Poltrax
1:37
Thoughts on TCU’s at large chances?
Kendall Rogers
1:37
Poltrax -- Better than they were two weeks ago. TCU would need to win the Texas Tech series and play well in OKC to get in. Lose the Tech series this weekend and the Frogs will likely need to win the whole thing or at least get to Sunday to have a shot.
John
1:38
If LSU gets Jaden Hill and Cole Henry back for Hoover and they're healthy, how big is that for the TIgers in the postseason?
Kendall Rogers
1:38
John -- Even though I loved Jaden Hill in the fall, he hasn't done enough this spring to sit there and say for sure that would be a huge addition. I do think having Cole Henry changes the dynamic up quite a bit for LSU. Henry is really, really good and he would provide a much needed shot in the arm for that team.
Barry P in MS
1:40
Aaron and Kendall, while I do not take exception to your top 8 rankings this week, if State goes 4-0 again this week and is not a top 3 national seed come Selection Monday, I will take exception.  Can you see a scenario in which this is not the case?
Aaron Fitt
1:40
Well, if UCLA, Vanderbilt and Arkansas keep on winning, I don't see how a 4-0 week against La Tech and South Carolina really changes anything for MSU to allow those guys to jump one of the top three. That head-to-head sweep for Arkansas still keeps the Hogs ahead of the Bulldogs in the pecking order, and Arkansas and Vandy are also ahead of MSU in the standings. And UCLA's resumé is simply impeccable, as I outlined earlier. These are four teams with amazing resumés... somebody's got to be fourth. It's not a knock on that team, but Mississippi State's seeding does not exist in a vacuum. I feel like MSU has built a resumé that would be worthy of a No. 1 national seed in some years, but this year there are three teams that I'd still put ahead of them. Now, if one of those other teams falters, that could change.
Bo
1:41
With 5 teams within 2.5 games in the Big ten who do you see coming out on top with one weekend left?
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