Champ Game

[Ashockalypse]

Kennedy indicated on TV today that the committee people informed him in 06 that we were worried for nothing as they didn't have any doubt. So we didn't sneak in that year. I don't know if we are stronger this year or not but I agree we are on the edge. I guess it doesn't matter if you are a 40% or 60% chance until your name is announced its just all bs.

[SB Shock]

You are simply wrong here, Coop got lit up today too.

What I'm wrong about WSU doesn't have any depth in the pitching staff? I don't think so. The pitching staff aside from Cooper, Lowell and Kelly is the worst I can remember.

That strike zone the first 5 innings was about 6inches x 6inches. Went both ways though, ISU was just better at sitting back and waiting for that pitch right down the middle. That ump just didn't budge on that zone.

There was nothing wrong with the zone. Cooper just couldn't hit the corner consistently (neither could ISU starter).

It's to bad that WSU had to bring back Cooper back on 3 days rest. Historically WSU pitching staffs would have 4-5 starting pitchers they trusted and even when they had one got lit up, they had a middle reliever they knew could get them to the point where a closer could come in. All MIA on this team.

WSU's bullpen has gotten better the last 20 games or so.

Quality of competition.

[SB Shock]

Kennedy indicated on TV today that the committee people informed him in 06 that we were worried for nothing as they didn't have any doubt. So we didn't sneak in that year. I don't know if we are stronger this year or not but I agree we are on the edge. I guess it doesn't matter if you are a 40% or 60% chance until your name is announced its just all bs.

Weaker. The conference was better as a whole in 2006 (3 teams with RPI in mid-50's). WSU was 8-7 vs Top 50 teams.

Dynamics of the selection committee is difficult to understand, but it changes from year to year. Makes it hard to really know where you stand.

[1972Shocker]

Ouch! That was very painful to watch.

The Shocks have had a number of those this year, but today's was probably the most disappointing with what was on the line.

Credit to ILS I guess. They really took the Shocks to the woodshed, especially the bottom half of the batting order.

I have no clue what our chances are of an at-large bid to the NCAA's. Hard to be very positive about that after the drubbing we took today.

Still the guys played well enough down the stretch to at least salvage a decent season from one that seemed to be falling apart.

With 10 seniors, plus Cooper and Kelley in all likelihood, moving on, next year may prove to be Gene and Brent's biggest challenge in their year's at WSU.

[Ashockalypse]

Yeah, We are going to have to snag a few Juco players to fill gaps. Then Grimes, Hall, Bayliff, Coy, Davidson, Green, Harbutz, OBrien and the remaining pitching staff is going to have to Grow Up all at once. We will then have to have at least one or two freshman phenoms for pitchers next year. Is Springer going to be back? We should be able to recruit jucos since we will have immediate playing time available.

[DUShock]

Was it JT or Brent that should be fired?

I forget.

Lock, stock, & barrell in my opinion.

[1972Shocker]

It's possible Preston and Johnny could also be drafted and signed this summer.

I would think Johnny would be the higher draft because of his raw power potential. However, his defense is pretty raw also and needs a lot of work.

Preston is a good college hitter, but I'm not sure how he projects as a pro.

If one or both of these guys do leave then the rebuilding just gets that much tougher.

Not sure we should go the JUCO route or just absorb a rebuilding year (or two).

[shocker3]

I think we are squarely on the bubble. If the committee considers Charlie's injury then I think we are in. If they don't, it is probably about 50/50.

While each selection committee is different, I compared our 2010 stats to our 2006 stats. Overall they are very comparable. That year we sweated it out and the committee told Gene we were easily in.

...........................2006...2010
RPI .......................56......56
LAST 10................7-3......8-2
conf finish..............3rd......1st.(tied)
conf rank...............12th.....14th
overall rec..........44-20......41-19
div. 1 rec............43-20......38-19
Conf tourney rec...1-2.........3-1 (lost in championship game)
rec. against top 50..8-7.......3-5
rec against 200+...18-1.......9-1


The two teams seem very similar.

They have the same rpi, they both have one bad loss, similar records, the 2006 team finished 3rd in the 12th ranked conference, this years team finished 1st (tied) in the 14th best conference. The 2006 team played a lot more top 50 teams but they also played a lot more sub 200 teams (hence the equal rpi).

This years team certainly did better in the regular season conference standings and much better in the conference tournament, but it is a slightly weaker conference (14th vs. 12th).

If we had the same selection committee as 2006 I would say we are in, but each committee is different so who knows.



:wsu_posters:

[xazshox]

Rebuilding

How can WSU go the juco route for next season to rebuild? They have 9 Sr's on scholarship who are graduating and are bringilng in 9 players to replace them. One of the 9 is a juco, Schebler, from Iowa although he will be a soph here. The other 8 incoming players are all frosh.

[shocker3]

I tried to go back and do a comparison to the 2001 team, the last Shocker team to NOT make the tourney. That year we really expected to make it and I think most fans were a little surprised when it didn't happen. As I recall it appeared that WSU might have been the last team out. So we barely missed it.

..........................2001....2010
RPI .......................61......56
LAST 10 games......6-4......8-2
conf finish.............2nd......1st.(tied)
overall rec..........42-24.....41-19
div. 1 rec............39-23......38-19
Conf tourney rec...0-2.........3-1 (lost in championship game)


The 2001 team had a 61 rpi, finished 2nd in the Valley regular season and then went 0-2 and barbeque in the Valley tourney at home. They also lost a game to a non-division 1 school.

Since they were one of the first teams left out, then I would like our chances this year IF we had the same selection committee.

Again each committee is different, but it gives us some perspective of our chances.

[ShockerFever]

What a miserable day. The fact that we couldn't get Illinois State to put a zero on the board until the 6th was the icing on the cake. We definitely had enough offense to win this one. If you would've told me before the game that we were gonna get 8 runs, I would have liked my chances with Cooper on the mound. But it appears 3 days rest wasn't enough for him and he looked bad. The bullpen is beyond miserable and couldn't be hidden today. Baez is one of the worst fielders/baseball IQ'ers I've ever seen. Some of his decisions were things little leaguers wouldn't make. It was absolutely disgusting to watch run after run given away like that.

I would put our NCAA at-large chances at about 10%. Our RPI is borderline. We have a serious lack of quality wins and the Valley was very weak. Not to mention we got drubbed on tv for then committee to see in the championship game on our home field. Sure you can look at the "what ifs" and "potential" all you want to, but in reality, it's "what have you done for me already" that counts and for WSU this year, it wasn't enough. If we had 41 D-1 wins, I would have liked our chances a bit more. 38 is just begging for someone in the committee to bring up 2001.

Thanks to the seniors for choosing WSU. Good luck in your lives past college.

And that is that for WSU athletics for this school year..
:(

[xazshox]

More on Baez

I went back & check the stats of the 2008 team that I consider better than the 2010 version, The team fielding percentage then was 0.967 compared to this years team at 0.961 so there is not much to differentiate them there. Baez made 11 errors this season compared to Josh Workman's 11 errors then. Rusty Coleman made 18 errors compared to Tyler Grimes 14 errors this season. The 2008 team had several players get drafted - Gilaspie, & Coleman both went very high in the draft. Workman and Dirks were both drafted, too. I'm not sure any of WSU's seniors are going to get drafted this year. They are all pretty good college level players though.

[SB Shock]

Re: More on Baez

Baez made 11 errors this season compared to Josh Workman's 11 errors then.

Workman is not the standard, Kevin Hooper is the standard.

[xazshox]

Standard

My point was to provide some perspective to the situation, not apply the standard to one of the best all-time 2nd baseman in WSU history. Baez made 3 errors in the title game and at least one mental error when he was late getting to 1st base to cover on a bunt. But, overall, he did not make a huge number of errors for the entire season.

[SB Shock]

Re: Standard

My point was to provide some perspective to the situation, not apply the standard to one of the best all-time 2nd baseman in WSU history. Baez made 3 errors in the title game and at least one mental error when he was late getting to 1st base to cover on a bunt. But, overall, he did not make a huge number of errors for the entire season.

Everybody knew Baez was a liability at 2nd and in the biggest game of the year he proved it.

Frankly Baez shouldn't have been put in the position he was put in and that is on Gene. I will give Baez this, it looked like he worked his butt off trying to learn a new position and I'm sad him and the other Senior couldn't get to post season play to finish off their career at WSU.