Only dropped 10 spots in the RPI after tonight’s 17-2 win

Go Budaw

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Now sitting at dead 17ing last in the SEC in both RPI (#83), and nonconference SOS (#256).
The worst part is we still have another huge hit yet yet to come with #275 UNA still on the docket.
 

Leeshouldveflanked

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This year is almost like basketball under Howland. I think the key is we have to get 14 SEC wins somehow to make a regional. If non conference scheduling is 100% up to Lemonis, hopefully he will learn from this year and schedule better in the future. You cant schedule the Northern Kentucky’s of the world and then let them beat you.
 

She Mate Me

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Before blaming it all on JSU, please note that Tulane, Northern Kentucky, Texas Tech, Alabama and Georgia all lost last night. Having played those teams 14 times, it puts many dings on our opponents record.

Again, I get your point, but evidence keeps mounting that we just haven't been good this year. A run is still possible, but I'd focus on SEC wins at this point. RPI for the season is kind of a lost cause. It can't help us, only SEC wins can.

Again, I agree with not scheduling RPI killers.
 

MSUDC11

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We play 11 of the next 14 on the road, our RPI will be just fine if we win a bunch of those games.
 

Ghostman

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In future years, replace the SWAC teams with teams from CUSA, Sun Belt, or Southland conference. There are plenty of those teams in MS, AL, LA, and TN that the Dogs will beat a very high percentage of the time and it won't hurt the RPI.
 

PirateDawg

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It is GO Time. Either we get hot and win a bunch of games or we stay home for the regionals. Of course, we could win the SEC tourney if we get in.
 

Hot Rock

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Scheduling weaker teams this late in the season is not that bad an idea, especially if your pitching has been decimated by injury.

It gives you chances to pitch a lot of guys mid-week because you aren't struggling to get a win. But the RPI hit. If you win, it doesn't hit as hard as you think.

It's the losses by our opponents that hurt as much as anything. RPI doesn't just look at what you did that night but what every opponent you have faced all year did last night.

Bottom line, you have to win games and that's SEC games. Not burning through arms in mid-week games that may be needed on the weekends to get those SEC wins seems like a good idea to me, especially late in the year.

So, Whatever must be learned, may not be by our coaches but by our fans.
 

8dog

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You just cant have 3 of 4 OOC weekends against losing records when some are as bad as Princeton. JSU is usually a great RPI a schedule. They are just bad this year.
 

patdog

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Yeah, no excuse to play both Princeton and Northern Kentucky. But Jackson St. is NEVER a good RPI game. Even when they're "good" they're still a huge RPI drag. I don't really have a problem playing 1 of the in-state SWAC schools 1 game per year on a rotating basis because I think it's a good thing to help the in-state schools. But that should be the only SWAC game we ever play. That's 10 games this year that do absolutely nothing for us on the field, in player development, or in RPI.
 

8dog

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They were 34-9 last year, 31-24 in 19 and 36-16 in 18. They are a terrific midweek game normally
 

Smoked Toag

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Yeah, no excuse to play both Princeton and Northern Kentucky. But Jackson St. is NEVER a good RPI game. Even when they're "good" they're still a huge RPI drag. I don't really have a problem playing 1 of the in-state SWAC schools 1 game per year on a rotating basis because I think it's a good thing to help the in-state schools. But that should be the only SWAC game we ever play. That's 10 games this year that do absolutely nothing for us on the field, in player development, or in RPI.
I don't see how 3-4 SWAC games per years means anything. 7% of the schedule. Midweek games in general are only a quarter of the schedule, and again, about half of those are solid opponents. Big difference is the 4 early season OOC series. I just don't see how you can always project who will be high RPI games or not. Long Beach State and Tulane are generally good programs. Princeton and Northern Kentucky are iffy, but this team also needed wins. The SEC schedule will always be solid, so our RPI will generally rise during the end of the season.

The issue is that we absolutely blew a game at Tulane, a game at Georgia and 2 games with LSU. Don't lose those and none of this matters. Of course you can say that maybe we got lucky with some other games, but I don't think it's a stretch to think this team SHOULD be at least 2 more games better at worst. 24-14 (7-8) is in solid contention.
 
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philduckworth

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I'll never understand how some of our fans defend our non-conference baseball schedule. This year's non-conference schedule was practically negligent.
 

Smoked Toag

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I'll never understand how some of our fans defend our non-conference baseball schedule. This year's non-conference schedule was practically negligent.
Because it doesn't matter. There are bigger things to address, where you get more bang for your buck.

I'm more interested in the development of some of our sophomore pitchers, that were very highly rated recruits.

And before you say, nobody wants to intentionally tank the schedule, nor did any administrator/coach plan to do that. It's silly to suggest they did. There was likely some scheduling conflict somewhere, so we ended up with Princeton and Northern Kentucky. Case closed. It's nobody's fault, there's no boogeyman.
 

patdog

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I'm more interested in the development of some of our sophomore pitchers, that were very highly rated recruits.
Well, you certainly didn't learn anything about them last night. Or do anything for their development. They would have been challenged more practicing against our players.
 

The Peeper

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Feb 26, 2008
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4-6 on the road and 1-2 in neutral fields so far, don't hold your breath
 

onewoof

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Dammit. We lost the midseason RPI trophy again.

Next thing you know we will lose the SEC tournament. 17!!
 

8dog

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You can look at some teams histories and get a good idea. NKU hasnt sniffed .500 in years. They were 0-17 in the 2020 year. Its an obvious school not to schedule. Princeton is similar
 

mcdawg22

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They were 34-9 last year, 31-24 in 19 and 36-16 in 18. They are a terrific midweek game normally
Looks like they were 118 RPI last year. That seems reasonable for a midweek game.
 

philduckworth

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Because it doesn't matter. There are bigger things to address, where you get more bang for your buck.

I'm more interested in the development of some of our sophomore pitchers, that were very highly rated recruits.

And before you say, nobody wants to intentionally tank the schedule, nor did any administrator/coach plan to do that. It's silly to suggest they did. There was likely some scheduling conflict somewhere, so we ended up with Princeton and Northern Kentucky. Case closed. It's nobody's fault, there's no boogeyman.

You are exactly who I'm talking about.
 

8dog

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And their record is more important than their RPI bc it’s 50% of our RPI. Its only 25% of theirs. Those kinds of records are great.
 

Smoked Toag

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You are exactly who I'm talking about.
Of course I am, that's why I responded.

Your dumb statistics make more sense in basketball, where the SEC is generally pretty bad. Baseball? Fart. Could the early schedule have been better? Sure. But I already explained that you, but of course you aren't listening, because YOU are who I AM talking about. Always looking for someone to be angry at.
 

Go Budaw

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This year is almost like basketball under Howland. I think the key is we have to get 14 SEC wins somehow to make a regional. If non conference scheduling is 100% up to Lemonis, hopefully he will learn from this year and schedule better in the future. You cant schedule the Northern Kentucky’s of the world and then let them beat you.

Even if we get to 14 wins, it’s going to be 50/50 at best. That puts us at only 34-22 even if we win all the other nonconference games….probably landing us in the high 40’s / low 50’s at best. Bubble territory. 14 wins and drop the Governor’s Cup, we’re at 31-23 and probably on the outside looking in.

When you set up a nonconference schedule that, just to make the regionals, requires you to either go .500 in the toughest conference in baseball, or basically go undefeated in about 18-20 Q2, Q3, and Q4 nonconference games while still winning 13 or 14 SEC games, you’ve failed miserably in the scheduling department. That is where we are at.

In 2013, we went only 16-14 in the SEC. But we played a great nonconference schedule and did well against it. As a result, we not only hosted, but were closer to being a national seed than we were to not hosting. That is what we should aspire to do every season, but we haven’t done it since.
 
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Go Budaw

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yep, 14 won't do it with our non-conference SOS.

I’d be remiss to not mention that we aren’t the only SEC team with this problem. Arkansas’s nonconference slate is about as bad as ours is….and it might cost them a national seed if they struggle even a little bit down the stretch. Currently #3 in the nation but only 18th in RPI.

That’s ultimately where the problem lies….don’t make a schedule that essentially demands perfection in terms of on-field performance.
 

PirateDawg

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Princeton won last night moving us up 1 position! 10 points everytime they win

Now sitting at dead 17ing last in the SEC in both RPI (#83), and nonconference SOS (#256).
The worst part is we still have another huge hit yet yet to come with #275 UNA still on the docket.

I'm a Princeton fan now!
 
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