You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Return toD1Baseball
D1Baseball Weekly Chat: April 7
powered byJotCast
Aaron Fitt
12:02
Hi everybody -- once again I'll be getting us started this week, and Kendall will join later and take us to the finish line. Let's dive in.
Bryan F
12:05
Any thoughts about the MAC race right now? It's looking like Miami can be really dangerous so far...
Aaron Fitt
12:05
Yeah, let's lead off with some #MACtion! Big showdown series this past weekend, and the Redhawks certainly established themselves as the team to beat in the league by taking two of three on the road from Bowling Green, which entered the weekend with a matching 10-2 record in conference. Lots of firepower in that Miami lineup, led by Evan Appelwick, the two Novaks, Ty Batusich, Anthony Zarlingo -- lots of established veteran players who are performing at a high level. Definitely feels like a dangerous club
Guest
12:08
WVU is 27-4, 15-1 on the road, has lost 1 series that including a 16 inning loss and arent ranked? Florida St. best series win is 2-1 seiers over Notre Dame, but top 10, why not same standards of win a marquee series?
Aaron Fitt
12:08
Your point about Florida State is a good one -- they have very similar resumés. And that was the case last year for Florida State too -- they racked up a gaudy record early in the year against soft competition, so it took us a long time to rank them, because we wanted to see them notch a quality series win (and FSU fans let us have it for that). What's different this year is FSU started the year in the top 10, and if you start high and keep on winning, you stay high. If WVU had started high in the rankings, it would be ranked similarly. But WVU did not start ranked because it lost so much from last year. All that said, I like WVU's talent. They'll be ranked soon enough; but right now they're still getting fat on softer competition. They lost the one series they played vs. a contender (Arizona), and it was at home.
WestCoastBestCoast
12:11
Oregon's offense seems to be clicking again but this bullpen is struggling to put games away. What's your outlook on the Ducks right now with huge weekends agianst UCLA and Oregon St coming up soon?
Aaron Fitt
12:11
Re: the bullpen struggling to put teams away -- there's a lot of that going around in college baseball. But you're right, that's something the Ducks need to get figured out. It was encouraging to see them bounce back from a three-game skid by pummeling Michigan in the first two games this weekend, and ultimately I still believe Oregon has an elite lineup. But Sunday pitching has been an issue in three of the last four weeks, so they'll need to figure that out.
WC_Drew
12:14
With Cal State Fullerton winning 12 of their last 14 over the last 3 weeks, do you think they have a realistic chance to win the Big West?
Aaron Fitt
12:14
Have noticed the Titans playing better lately, and it's nice to see them back above .500 overall at 17-15. But it still feels extremely unlikely that they are going to catch Cal Poly and Irvine and win the Big West. I still think those teams are considerably better, and they have a pretty big cushion in the standings. Feels like a two-team race (although Hawaii is tied with Fullerton in the standings and feels like a more legitimate candidate to make a run than Fullerton). Maybe I'm selling the Titans short — I do think they're trending in the right direction. But I need to see them beat better teams before I buy in.
Frogball Fan
12:17
TCU came away with a sweep this weekend, and some injured players are back in the line up.   Big weekend series with Kansas this weekend with Big Big 12 implications, how do you feel about TCUs upside potential.
Aaron Fitt
12:17
Nice sweep for the Frogs, and good to see Colton Griffin back in action, feels like that can be a nice spark for them at the top of the order. And you're right, that series vs. Kansas feels like it will have huge postseason ramifications, as these two teams jostle for regional hosting position. Feels like both of them are right there in that mix right now. I still really like TCU's roster, and I'm expecting a very strong second half. This race feels wide open, but TCU is definitely a team I think is capable of winning the Big 12.
Heel
12:20
How are you feeling about the Tar Heels headed into the second half of league play? Feels like that Saturday Duke win was huge to get to 8-7 in the league with Wake coming to town this week. Even with the offensive struggles at times, the pitching staff should make this team a tough out in June.
Aaron Fitt
12:20
I agree that UNC has the pitching to be a very tough out, but I'm a little less sanguine about their outlook if the Matthew Matthijs injury turns out to be a major one (I know the freshmen Lynch & McDuffie had already kinda become the GUYS in that pen, but I still regarded Mattijs as a very important piece for the stretch run). Also still waiting for Jason DeCaro to really find his groove. And I think they're light on lefthanded pitching. So even though I remain high on that staff, there are some things I'm concerned about there, and obviously they aren't blowing people out so there is a thin margin for error. Still think the offense will improve as Kepley and Stevenson and Gallaher heat up -- surely that has to happen at some point, right? But right now, that offense is pretty uninspiring. Good to see Tyson Bass hitting the ball hard and taking good ABs, however.
PIGS
12:23
I know we pounded Missouri pretty pretty hard this weekend, but doesn't Texas deserve to be #1.  They have better series wins and I for one don't want the #1 Albatross hanging around our collective necks.
Aaron Fitt
12:23
We debated Texas vs. Arkansas for the top spot quite a bit, and our staff was split pretty evenly -- but also, all of us saw a case for the other team as well. UT has those two super-loud series wins at home (2/3 vs LSU, sweeping Georgia), but Arkansas also has two quality series wins against ranked teams on the ROAD (at Ole Miss, sweeping Vandy), and doing that on the road is also pretty loud. I think their resumés are actually very close, and we already had the Hogs ranked higher so it made sense to me just to slide them up a spot. But if we had gone with Texas based on the LSU and Georgia series wins, I would have had no issue with that either.
Matt M
12:25
That projected Corvallis regional you guys have… the committee wouldnt have the gall to actually do that… would they?
Aaron Fitt
12:25
Why not? Texas and A&M, Florida/Florida State, Clemson/South Carolina -- all these rivals have been paired together (ad nauseum, in some cases). Why should the Ducks and Beavers be immune, just because they used to be in the same league? That would be extremely juicy, and the committee does always like having a spicy regional in the West to fill the late TV window. I think it makes a ton of sense, unless the Ducks manage to get their RPI in better shape so both teams can host a regional.
Tyler M
12:28
Should LSU fans temper expectations until we see more than 5 pitchers throw consistently well over the course of a weekend?
Kendall Rogers
12:28
Tyler -- I wouldn't say temper expectations, but there's no doubt the weekend was a step forward. Chase Shores looked much better, Anthony Eyanson was electric and Kade Anderson was well, Kade Anderson. We will see if they look like that again this weekend, but I was definitely very encouraged. Oklahoma's offense isn't explosive, but it's also not chopped liver either.
Trent
12:28
LSU loses 2 out of 3 @ Texas (who is now #2) a few weeks ago and dropped from #2 to #8. Tennessee loses 2 out of 3 @ home in very bad fashion in Saturday's double header to a 1-9 unranked A&M and only drops to #5.
Obviously rankings don't quite mean much right now, but why only drop them to #5? Just seems like LSU's loss looks a whole better than Tennessee's loss.
Aaron Fitt
12:28
Just a regular reminder that the rankings don't happen in a vacuum -- it matters what other teams around you do in a week. Everybody behind LSU won their weekends after that Texas series loss, so there was no place to slide them in and cushion their fall, without knocking down somebody else who had a good week. This time, Georgia and FSU lost series as top 5 teams, so it was easier to find a spot to slide in Tennessee without punishing somebody else who wasn't deserving of a punishment in the rankings. Hey everybody loves talking #pollmechanics! You're welcome.
Jacob Stewart
12:30
Is Western Kentucky anywhere close to the top 25?
Aaron Fitt
12:30
Yes, WKU is definitely in the mix! The Hilltoppers beat up on a VERY soft schedule until this week -- we were looking for evidence that they are capable of beating a regional-caliber club, and now we have it. Still not quite enough meat on the bone for a Top 25 slot, but we are very much taking them seriously, and a series win at Liberty might very well get them in.
Timothy (WV)
12:31
Okay, I will Not ask about WVU still Not being Ranked, but I honestly want to know if there is a path for WVU to Host a Regional this season.. Since the Non-Con schedule is weak, can winning those Last 2 series at Kansas State and Home against Kansas, along with an outright Big 12 regular season championship get WVU a hosting spot!?
Kendall Rogers
12:31
There is 100% a pathway for WVU to be ranked. First off, the Mountaineers are right in the thick of the Big 12 regular season title race with an RPI of 31. Obviously, those series with Kansas State and Kansas could determine a lot down the stretch, but as of right now? WVU absolutely should be in the discussion.
Aggie Hopeful
12:32
Not saying we're back, but boy was that a gust of fresh air on Saturday.  Will 13 SEC wins cut it this year to make the playoffs, or will the selection committee be more harsh with the bigger conferences this year?  What is your gut feeling for minimum wins for the at-large SEC teams?
Kendall Rogers
12:32
If A&M gets to 13 league wins, it will definitely make the field, IMO, because the Aggies would have had to beat some mammoth RPI teams to get to that point. Your RPI would probably be closer to 20 than it would be 50 at that stage of the game. Saturday's performances were mighty impressive, namely with Sorrell raking and Bear Harrison coming into his own. But let's see the Aggies put together two-straight solid weeks, and then we can have a discussion about turning the corner. A step forward? Sure. that's it for now.
Bob
12:33
The Coastal pitching staff continues to be lights out - 3.26 era and 2.37era in SBC play.  How far can they carry the team?  How concerning is the lack of consistent offense?
Aaron Fitt
12:33
It's pretty shocking how well the Chanticleers have pitched -- I did not see that coming. I liked some of their arms, certainly, but they didn't have THIS kind of a track record, not even close. We figured they could count on Eikhoff, and everybody knows what kind of talent Flukey has, but it's neat to see Flukey putting it together. And obviously getting Jacob Morrison healthy again has been huge -- he's also very talented, and has pitched incredibly well. It doesn't feel like a vintage Coastal lineup, certainly, but it does feel like the best pitching staff they've had in years, and I think the lineup is good enough for them to keep on winning. I like them as a regional host, and if they host then you have to feel pretty good about their chances to make a postseason run.
PowerMajor
12:35
What is the most amount of host sites that you think the west coast can get?
Kendall Rogers
12:35
Right now, the teams that would be in the mix, and SHOULD be in the mix include Oregon State, UC  Irvine, Cal Poly and UCLA. All four of those teams have a very conceivable path to hosting. I'd throw Arizona and potentially Arizona State into that mix, too. The Wildcats are in a very good spot RPI wise right now.
L1c4
12:36
Do you think louisville could host if it wins 2/3 series against clemson, wake, and fsu?
Kendall Rogers
12:36
If Louisville does that, it will 100% host. Just saying. Right now, the RPI is around 30, but that will take care of itself as the season progresses.
Tim
12:37
Seeing a lot of West Coast kids commiting/playing on SEC schools, has this always been the case and I am now noticing? Or is NIL grabbing the best of the West and bringing them out to the SEC for $, better atmospheres, better facilities, etc...
Kendall Rogers
12:37
Tim -- It's definitely more prominent than it once was. I do think realignment will help the West Coast schools keep some of those kids at home, but the fact of the matter is outside of Oregon State, the atmospheres and facilities in conferences like the SEC, ACC and Big 12 are better. That is going to lead to more and more kids from out that direction heading East to play college baseball.
Scott
12:37
Thoughts on the Southland Conference still potentially being a 2 bid league? 5-6 teams are really battling it out for the top seeds and the regional to super regional conference tournament style format should benefit the team or teams coming out of the Southland.
Aaron Fitt
12:37
Really does feel like the Southland is still on track for multiple bids. UTRGV and McNeese still have top 30 RPIs, and that league has three other teams inside the top 85, which gives hope that those good RPIs for the Vaqueros and Cowboys might be sustainable. And certainly if somebody else wins the auto bid, I like the chances for one of those teams to get an at-large. Three bids is probably a pipe dream, but right now even that is not totally outside the realm of possibility. If I'm betting today, I'm betting on two bids when the dust settles.
Jake
12:40
LSU's Pitching staff and just their overall outlook as a team right now. (0 ER over the weekend is insane btw)
Aaron Fitt
12:40
Kendall touched on this above, but I'll go a step further: I am really in on this LSU team. I love the length and variety in their lineup, and obviously you have to be excited about the sheer talent in their rotation, but also in the bullpen. I know there have been occasional bumps along the way with that pitching staff, but I think those are expected growing pains with young arms, and jeez they're still sitting there at 30-3!
King
12:43
Arkansas plays all of the top SEC teams, whereas Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, and LSU do not all play each other. Do you think Arkansas can win the SEC given the gauntlet ahead of it?
Load More Messages
Connecting…