MVC Standings [4/7/13]

[ShockTalk]

That's right, forgot about UNI dropping the Sport.

Next year Dallas Baptist will replace Creigthon I guess. Loyola does not have baseball.

They do have some sort of baseball program. I believe the plan is to become a D-I baseball program.

[shox1989]

They do have some sort of baseball program. I believe the plan is to become a D-I baseball program.

Regardless, they won't be in the Valley tourney this year. So all 8 current teams will be making the trip to Normal to play in that awful place.....

[1972Shocker]

They do have some sort of baseball program. I believe the plan is to become a D-I baseball program.

They don't list it as a sport on the main web site and I don't see any intramural or club baseball either on the schools website. But they do have intramural dodge ball.

If and when they do start a baseball program will they be allowed to play a Valley schedule immiediately or will they have to go through a transition period playing an independent schedule?

[Ta town]

They do have club baseball:

https://www.facebook.com/LoyolaBaseball

However I don't believe they have any immediate plans for NCAA baseball. Seems like their AD or President was asked during the press conference and they said no baseball was not required to be added to join the valley.

[1972Shocker]

Thanks @TaTown I was unable to find that perusing their websites. The Valley is probably much better off adding Dallas Baptist for baseball then we would be with Loyola trying to add baseball.

BTW, DBU is currently 25-23 (11-10 in the WAC). They were swept by Creighton in the opening series of the year.

Here is there schedule/results for this year.

http://dbupatriots.com/schedule.aspx?path=baseball

Like he Shocks kind of a mixed bag.

[ShockTalk]

Regardless, they won't be in the Valley tourney this year. So all 8 current teams will be making the trip to Normal to play in that awful place.....

Yup, simply responding to the post. Even if they had a D-I, it would make no difference for this year.

Thanks @TaTown I was unable to find that perusing their websites. The Valley is probably much better off adding Dallas Baptist for baseball then we would be with Loyola trying to add baseball.

BTW, DBU is currently 25-23 (11-10 in the WAC). They were swept by Creighton in the opening series of the year.

Here is there schedule/results for this year.

http://dbupatriots.com/schedule.aspx?path=baseball

Like he Shocks kind of a mixed bag.

With the lost of CU, the Valley needs DBU more than ever. Even if it's just to have 8 teams.

I think I picked up on the Loyola baseball from their fan board. It was the hopes of several that Loyola would now consider going D-I and the thought was it could become a reality given the new approach of their athletic department.

[shox1989]

Yup, simply responding to the post. Even if they had a D-I, it would make no difference for this year.



With the lost of CU, the Valley needs DBU more than ever. Even if it's just to have 8 teams.

I think I picked up on the Loyola baseball from their fan board. It was the hopes of several that Loyola would now consider going D-I and the thought was it could become a reality given the new approach of their athletic department.

I don't think I want Loyola to bring back baseball. It would probably be a rpi killer and it would be a long road trip. Dallas Baptist keeps the Valley at 8 baseball teams, which is probably a good number for baseball.

[ShockTalk]

I don't think I want Loyola to bring back baseball. It would probably be a rpi killer and it would be a long road trip. Dallas Baptist keeps the Valley at 8 baseball teams, which is probably a good number for baseball.

First, I don't believe Loyola would just start immediately playing in the Valley. I have no idea what kind of transitional options there are, but I'm sure there would be one. A long road trip? You sound like our "sisters of the poor" who would welcome Loyola since they have to play that long road trip to DBU.

Second, you're concerned about them being an RPI killer? Really? Just have them replace any one of the 10 non-con games we played against the likes of Air Force (261), TX PanAm (219), North Dakota (236) and so on. Your saying this all the while we play in the 15th ranked conference who has as team in 1st place that has an RPI of 130 and a SoS of 167.

[shox1989]

First, I don't believe Loyola would just start immediately playing in the Valley. I have no idea what kind of transitional options there are, but I'm sure there would be one. A long road trip? You sound like our "sisters of the poor" who would welcome Loyola since they have to play that long road trip to DBU.

Second, you're concerned about them being an RPI killer? Really? Just have them replace any one of the 10 non-con games we played against the likes of Air Force (261), TX PanAm (219), North Dakota (236) and so on. Your saying this all the while we play in the 15th ranked conference who has as team in 1st place that has an RPI of 130 and a SoS of 167.

You are using rpi numbers from this season, which is definitely a down season for the Valley. My hope is that the Valley would resemble the Valley from last season (#7 in conference rpi with 3 teams getting ncaa bids) more often than the one from this year. That isn't nearly as possible if they add a new team with a rpi of 275 or worse.

Also Chicago is another 2 hours past Normal and Peoria. That would make it the LONGEST road trip in the Valley. I am not too excited about adding a longer road trip to a team that would probably have a 275+ rpi. It is bad enough when bad teams come to Wichita to play (ie North Dakota) but it is even worse when we have to ride a bus for 12 hours to play them.

[Shocker85]

The tiebreaker has nothing to do with determining the regular season champion. The tiebreaker is used only for determining seeding in the MVC tournament. Since there are no byes, seeding is perhaps of limited value in baseball.

IMO, clinching the #1 seed could be somewhat helpful this season. The drop-off after 1-2-3 WSU, MoSt, and IllSt. is more significant than in most seasons. Getting MSU in the other bracket due to their statistically superior starting pitching could be beneficial. IllSt will be a real wildcard. They have been pretty hot (won 19 of last 22 games) and have home field advantage (albiet probably insignificant - < 400 fans vs. sCUm last weekend). Getting in the 1-8-4-5 bracket might be a little better for this team that seems to be feeling its way most of the time.

The baseball tournament in recent seasons seems to be about some team riding a wave of luck FTW, so top seed can be fool's gold.

[ShockTalk]

You are using rpi numbers from this season, which is definitely a down season for the Valley. My hope is that the Valley would resemble the Valley from last season (#7 in conference rpi with 3 teams getting ncaa bids) more often than the one from this year. That isn't nearly as possible if they add a new team with a rpi of 275 or worse.

Also Chicago is another 2 hours past Normal and Peoria. That would make it the LONGEST road trip in the Valley. I am not too excited about adding a longer road trip to a team that would probably have a 275+ rpi. It is bad enough when bad teams come to Wichita to play (ie North Dakota) but it is even worse when we have to ride a bus for 12 hours to play them.

I'm not promoting Loyola baseball, I'm just passing info along.

Frankly, it really doesn't matter what you, I, or WSU thinks if Loyola adds baseball in the Valley. I'm sure the 6 Ill and IN schools would welcome them.

As far as that extra bus ride, you're probably tasting what the Ill and IN schools tasted. Those schools are also probably noticing DBU is basically a .500 team this year with an RPI in the 150s (not saying they won't be better in the future).

[ShockTalk]

IMO, clinching the #1 seed could be somewhat helpful this season. The drop-off after 1-2-3 WSU, MoSt, and IllSt. is more significant than in most seasons. Getting MSU in the other bracket due to their statistically superior starting pitching could be beneficial. IllSt will be a real wildcard. They have been pretty hot (won 19 of last 22 games) and have home field advantage (albiet probably insignificant - < 400 fans vs. sCUm last weekend). Getting in the 1-8-4-5 bracket might be a little better for this team that seems to be feeling its way most of the time.

The baseball tournament in recent seasons seems to be about some team riding a wave of luck FTW, so top seed can be fool's gold.

What's posters' opinion of a different type of bracket? Say, only the top 6 get in with a bye to the #1 and #2 seeds. Or an 8 team bracket like what the softballers have this year (but still a double elimination)? I've always thought there should be more of a benefit to finishing the regular season at #1 or #2.

[1972Shocker]

What's posters' opinion of a different type of bracket? Say, only the top 6 get in with a bye to the #1 and #2 seeds. Or an 8 team bracket like what the softballers have this year (but still a double elimination)? I've always thought there should be more of a benefit to finishing the regular season at #1 or #2.

I'd have to give the format some thought but I generally agree that winning or finishing at the top of the regular season standings should carry more benefits than it does, especially for sports that don't really make any signficant additional money just from having more teams participating.

[shox1989]

What's posters' opinion of a different type of bracket? Say, only the top 6 get in with a bye to the #1 and #2 seeds. Or an 8 team bracket like what the softballers have this year (but still a double elimination)? I've always thought there should be more of a benefit to finishing the regular season at #1 or #2.

I agree. I think it stinks that the #1 and #2 seeds don't get that much of an advantage in the tournament. (The only real advantage that the #1 seed has is that they can't face the #2 or #3 seeds until the championship game).

[1972Shocker]

IMO, clinching the #1 seed could be somewhat helpful this season. The drop-off after 1-2-3 WSU, MoSt, and IllSt. is more significant than in most seasons. Getting MSU in the other bracket due to their statistically superior starting pitching could be beneficial. IllSt will be a real wildcard. They have been pretty hot (won 19 of last 22 games) and have home field advantage (albiet probably insignificant - < 400 fans vs. sCUm last weekend). Getting in the 1-8-4-5 bracket might be a little better for this team that seems to be feeling its way most of the time.

The baseball tournament in recent seasons seems to be about some team riding a wave of luck FTW, so top seed can be fool's gold.

Gene was saying in his radio show tonight that he was telling the team that winning the league and getting the #1 seed could be very big if the standings stayed pretty much as they are now at the bottom. He said if the were the #2 or #3 seed they probably would be facing pitchers in the 1st round that they have never beaten before. (At least I believe that is what he said).