Do we really need 5 games against the SWAC? I believe the only games against teams that made the NCAA tournament last year are UConn (2), USM &Mississippi (1 each). I like scheduling wins in football, but I don't think it helps us in baseball, at least not to this extent.
We're not exactly stepping up with our non-conference baseball schedule.
- Thread starter patdog
- Start date
for where we are right now.
We are coming off of a Super Regional, but we are also going to have a lot of inexperiened hitters.
So, playing a really difficult schedule doesn't do us a whole lot of favors in terms of confidence for our hitters, which is a very important part of hitting. That's going to be our biggest issue early in the season, so playing some SWAC teams will hopefully allow our guys to get some at bats, hits, a lot of guys a chance to play and room to learn.
As far as the SWAC- we played four games against SWAC teams last year. And ever since Polk I was coach, we've always played around that many SWAC teams. I think what's different to me is that we are playing Valley twice on a weekend. And again, I think that's in part because of our inexperienced hitters. If we're going to play a SWAC team on the weekend, I think Valley is perfect because they have really been good to us in the past in terms of scheduling games when we needed a make up game because of a rainout and things like that.
I think our schedule will be about the same in terms of difficulty to last year, but we may end up with a higher RPI because we're playing some teams from some really good baseball conferences- Washington State (PAC-12), Kansas (Old Big 12), UConn as you mentioned was a very good team last year, Mercer is a very respectable program, and we play Southeastern Lousiana- a very good team that has been on the bubble the past couple of years- on the road during midweek play. Memphis and South Alabama are both in very good baseball conferences as well. Of course, we play USM and Ole Miss at neutral sites as well.
But much like football, being in the SEC will help us out. If we do well in SEC play, we will get in again. We have 30 games vs SEC teams not counting the Gov Cup.
Also, if you look at our schedule, it is very front loaded with games. That's good because like I said, we're going to get a good look at a lot of players and sort things out before SEC play. Not just hitters- pitchers, and also where everyone fits on the field defensively. We only have four-five non-conference games once conference play starts- two of those are in Pearl against USM and then Ole Miss. So, that gives the coaches time to work with the players during the week, rest guys that need to be rested, and it allows us to deepen our pitching staff because it allows us to use our mideek guy in the bullpen for at least half of the SEC season. Not to mention rest guys like Caleb Reed and Luis Pollorena.
Finally- as far as scheduling a killer schedule- it didn't work out very well for Georgia last year.
We are coming off of a Super Regional, but we are also going to have a lot of inexperiened hitters.
So, playing a really difficult schedule doesn't do us a whole lot of favors in terms of confidence for our hitters, which is a very important part of hitting. That's going to be our biggest issue early in the season, so playing some SWAC teams will hopefully allow our guys to get some at bats, hits, a lot of guys a chance to play and room to learn.
As far as the SWAC- we played four games against SWAC teams last year. And ever since Polk I was coach, we've always played around that many SWAC teams. I think what's different to me is that we are playing Valley twice on a weekend. And again, I think that's in part because of our inexperienced hitters. If we're going to play a SWAC team on the weekend, I think Valley is perfect because they have really been good to us in the past in terms of scheduling games when we needed a make up game because of a rainout and things like that.
I think our schedule will be about the same in terms of difficulty to last year, but we may end up with a higher RPI because we're playing some teams from some really good baseball conferences- Washington State (PAC-12), Kansas (Old Big 12), UConn as you mentioned was a very good team last year, Mercer is a very respectable program, and we play Southeastern Lousiana- a very good team that has been on the bubble the past couple of years- on the road during midweek play. Memphis and South Alabama are both in very good baseball conferences as well. Of course, we play USM and Ole Miss at neutral sites as well.
But much like football, being in the SEC will help us out. If we do well in SEC play, we will get in again. We have 30 games vs SEC teams not counting the Gov Cup.
Also, if you look at our schedule, it is very front loaded with games. That's good because like I said, we're going to get a good look at a lot of players and sort things out before SEC play. Not just hitters- pitchers, and also where everyone fits on the field defensively. We only have four-five non-conference games once conference play starts- two of those are in Pearl against USM and then Ole Miss. So, that gives the coaches time to work with the players during the week, rest guys that need to be rested, and it allows us to deepen our pitching staff because it allows us to use our mideek guy in the bullpen for at least half of the SEC season. Not to mention rest guys like Caleb Reed and Luis Pollorena.
Finally- as far as scheduling a killer schedule- it didn't work out very well for Georgia last year.
I think that weekend with a decent OOC opponent is UConn. Problem is, most people don't realize that they are a good program. We've also got a PAC-12 team to open the weekend in Wazzu and a Big 12 team coming in Kansas for a couple on the weekend. Not to mention Penn State for a couple of midweek games.
Personally, I'd love a round robin non-conference tournament with USC, Miami, Texas, and MSU at Dudy-Noble. But that would be a bad idea this year. Next year, I think it would be a cool thing.
Also, MSU/Cohen are really focusing on getting as many home games as possible- that makes scheduling people like Arizona State difficult sometimes.
Personally, I'd love a round robin non-conference tournament with USC, Miami, Texas, and MSU at Dudy-Noble. But that would be a bad idea this year. Next year, I think it would be a cool thing.
Also, MSU/Cohen are really focusing on getting as many home games as possible- that makes scheduling people like Arizona State difficult sometimes.
