Grading the Missouri Valley Conference

[vbird53]

Rivals.com gives their evaluation of the Valley's 2008 baseball season...

Grading the Missouri Valley Conference

After reaching the Super Regional round in 2007, the Shockers had high expectations entering the 2008 season. They didn't disappoint. Wichita State won the Missouri Valley regular season and tournament titles. The Shockers also won a Regional and forced nationally seeded Florida State to a three-game Super Regional.

[vbird53]

Kendall graded the Missouri State bears with an A, not bad considering they did not make the postseason.

The Rest...
Creighton -B
UNI -B
SIU -C
Bradly -D
Ind. St. -D
Ill. St. -F
Evansville -F

[SB Shock]

Kendall graded the Missouri State bears with an A, not bad considering they did not make the postseason.

The Rest...
Creighton -B
UNI -B
SIU -C
Bradly -D
Ind. St. -D
Ill. St. -F
Evansville -F

What can you say, it's kendal. It doesn't have to make sense. I don't know how you give CU a B, they took a step back.

[KC Shox]

I got no problem with his rankings. MSU deserved an A, they did well this year and boy can they hit. I'm certain had they made a regional they would have caused someone some problems. Wasn't this past season supposed to be a rebuilding effort for them? If it was, they did pretty damn well.

[SB Shock]

I got no problem with his rankings. MSU deserved an A, they did well this year and boy can they hit.

1. They finished 2nd in the 12th ranked conference. Hardly anything to brag about or be proud.

2. They played a SOS of 113 (WSU was 45), WSU hitting numbers was equal if not better. Funny thing about perceptions. But maybe your saying that WSU could really, really hit.

3. 3-8 vs Top 50 competition (WSU, Dallas-Baptist, ORU were their wins).

I'm certain had they made a regional they would have caused someone some problems.

What in their body of work would lead you to believe that? I don't see anything there, besides after losing as a 3 seed they would probably pummel the 4 seed. Their pitching staff only gave up almost 11 runs per game in the MVC. Hardly a recipe for success in the NCAA.

Wasn't this past season supposed to be a rebuilding effort for them?

I suppose that after being the pre-season favorite in 2007 and finishing last you grab on to any little success that you can. That's not how I would give grades out.

Had SWMO made the NCAA tournament, sure give them a A. Otherwise, they were a team that played a weak schedule (and couldn't win the games they needed) and finished 2nd in a mediocre conference.

[ShockerFever]

SB nailed the point about their pitching.

MSU had decent hitting, but I don't think it would be able to make up for their awful pitching after Clubb. Any marginal team in regionals would have mopped the floor with them. The scores of their games would probably be like moderate scoring football games.. 17-13, 21-14, 21-17, something to that effect.

[notquiteBWing]

i think they (MSU) got an A because they competed better than expected. and overall, took a step forward from last year at least.

but i'm not sure if that was the same reasoning Kendall was thinking.

[William]

I think I see why you don't get Kendall, he is not evaluating the teams performance alone, he is comparing their performance to their expectations at the beginning of the year, A team that was expected to lose every game but ended up winning 6 would get an A under this microscope.

[SHOCKvalue]

That must have been a tough write-up for KR, what with the xBox live marathons, dungeons & dragons matches with his friends from the Alltel commercials, and the occasional (or not) porn site visit, he's a very busy, in-demand man.

[shockandawe08]

:shock:

[shox1989]

It will be interesting to see the 2009 results. Our early season expectations ought to be low but I bet we exceed them.