2024 College Baseball Thread

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Beagle, Dec 20, 2019.

  1. nexus

    nexus TMB’s TSO
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    several of the ND insiders saying he’s staying and signing an extension

    sorry
     
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  2. blind dog

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    My sources are saying he's signing 30 year contract with ND with a poison pill clause he can't ever coach at FSU

    Sorry Noles find someone else
     
  3. blind dog

    blind dog wps
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    #Nebraska Cornhuskers bros need your advice again

    Looks like I'm making a 20 hour round trip drive like a fucking lunatic to watch a team I've been mad at all season play 1 game

    Anyway prices on stubhub are under $100/ticket. Should I buy now or will I be able to buy cheap on game day?

    2 years ago at NCAA basketball tourney bertwing & I bought tix for like $250/each a week in advance, better seats were available for $8 for next game day of
     
    #12603 blind dog, Jun 15, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2022
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  4. 20/20/20/20

    20/20/20/20 running thru the house with a pickle in my mouth
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    They always did. Haven’t recently.
     
  5. bertwing

    bertwing check out the nametag grandma
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    For the record I was the only one that showed up and actually used the overpriced Indy March Madness tickets and bd stuck me with the bill for one of his
     
  6. blind dog

    blind dog wps
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    that’s a god damn lie

    you sold one and gave one away to one of our star player’s family and now y’all are besties

    And I had to turn around for reasons I’m not discussing on here, some friend you are
     
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  7. bertwing

    bertwing check out the nametag grandma
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    Sorry for lashing out I just wanted you to be there
     
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  8. FadeMe

    FadeMe Well-Known Member
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    #Notre Dame Fighting Irish #Texas Longhorns #Texas AandM Aggies #Texas AandM Aggies alt #Oklahoma Sooners #Stanford Cardinal #Arkansas Razorbacks #Mississippi Rebels #Auburn Tigers

    CWS Preview: 10 Things To Watch
    POSTSEASON D1 Baseball Staff - June 16, 2022

    Our Kendall Rogers and Aaron Fitt examine some intriguing storylines, key players and themes to keep an eye on at the 2022 College World Series.
    Bracket One: Notre Dame, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma
    By Kendall Rogers

    1. The Texas Duo Of Ivan Melendez/Murphy Stehly

    Going back to fall workouts, it was evident that Murphy Stehly was capable of putting together a breakout campaign. Meanwhile, Texas hard-hitting slugger Ivan Melendez spurned overtures from the Miami Marlins last summer, and his return clearly was a huge key for the Longhorns. But who would’ve known this tandem would turn into the most dangerous in college baseball? Sure, Melendez has had a campaign that makes him the easy choice for National Player of the Year. The Hispanic Titanic is hitting .396 with 32 homers and 94 RBIs. Simply ridiculous. But what would be happening to Melendez if not for Stehly? Chances are good teams would choose to simply walk him. That’s where Stehly has evolved into the ultimate security blanket for Melendez. Stehly, if you remember from my fall report, was outstanding during fall workouts. He was hitting the ball with authority, prompting me to make a prediction that he would be a breakout hitter for the Longhorns. That hunch proved right, as he has had an insane year at the plate, hitting .375 with 23 doubles, 19 home runs and 61 RBIs. He also has an impressive 1.114 OPS. He’s an All-American slugger slugger in his own rite, and both are worth watching at the College World Series.

    2. Texas A&M In The Latter Innings

    The Aggies have put together a season thus far that yours truly certainly didn’t see coming back in February when Jim Schlossnagle’s club lost a series to Penn and had a poor showing at the Frisco College Classic. But the Aggies have been a different team since the LSU series, and two things have been a common denominator — late-inning surges and an always-evolving bullpen. The Aggies surged late to beat Louisiana in the middle game of the College Station Regional, then beat TCU in the championship game with a seven-run ninth inning. A&M proceeded to beat Louisville in both games last weekend — both because of clutch-hitting in the final few innings with Jack Moss, Dylan Rock and others leading the charge. Furthermore, what the Aggies might lack in a dominant weekend rotation they’ve made up for with a bullpen that is infinitely better than it was two months ago. Lefthander Will Johnston has evolved into a strong option out of the pen, freshman righthanded pitcher Brad Rudis is a strike-throwing machine, Chris Cortez is up to 98 mph with his fastball, lefthander Moo Menefee has turned the corner since struggling to start the season and lefty Jacob Palisch has been incredibly clutch the entire season. In essence, the Aggies are a tough team to deliver a knockout punch to.

    3. Oklahoma’s Red-Hot, Opportunistic Offense

    One thing that is incredibly cool about this side of the bracket is the impact that volunteer coaches are having on their programs. Michael Earley has turned around A&M’s offense, Troy Tulowitzki has proven to be one of the premier hitting coaches in college baseball, and at Oklahoma, Reggie Willits, who was the first base coach for the Yankees last year, has been phenomenal with the OU offense all-season long. Peyton Graham is hitting .336 with 20 homers and 70 RBIs, Blake Robertson and Jimmy Crooks have been productive, especially with runners in scoring position, and Tanner Tredaway is having a strong postseason and season as well with an average north of .360. There’s also surprising John Spikerman and exciting Kendall Pettis. Pettis has been the hero of the postseason with consistent offensive production — he won Regional MVP honors in Gainesville — along with outstanding defense (if you saw the Blacksburg Super, you know what I’m talking about). OU is one of those teams that if you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile. Be advised, opposing pitchers.


    4. Notre Dame Playing With House Money

    The Fighting Irish entered the season with one of the oldest teams in college baseball, and to no surprise, put together an impressive regular season. What didn’t happen for the Irish was being a Top 16 seed or hosting an NCAA regional. That struck a chord with Link Jarrett’s club, and they played like it through the first two rounds of the postseason. They used strong pitching to storm through the Statesboro Regional and used a little of everything to take two of three from Tennessee. What’s evident from Notre Dame’s showing in Knoxville, though, is that this team won’t be wowed by the bright lights of the College World Series. They’re older and will enter this tournament feeling like they’re playing with house money. If they can beat the vaunted Vols in Knoxville, who can’t they beat? They have a point. John Michael Bertrand is a true staff ace, and the offense was opportunistic late against the Volunteers. Carter Putz, David LaManna, Jack Zyska, Ryan Cole, Zack Prajzner and Jack Brannigan are all guys who have seen a lot of at bats in their careers — Zyska and Brannigan are worth watching from a power standpoint. I’ve got a funny feeling about this Irish club in Omaha.

    5. Welcome To The Great Wide Open

    I was on too many radio shows to count over the past few days, and each time the host would ask me to pick a Bracket One winner, I’ll be honest, I think I might have picked three different teams to win the bracket. That’s how close and competitive I expect the next week to be in this bracket. Texas has the glitz and glamour of Ivan Melendez, but will need Tristan Stevens to pitch in Omaha like he did the final game against ECU, Notre Dame has the veterans you want and need to win a national title, Texas A&M has the offense and bullpen, but will Nathan Dettmer and the rotation give them just enough to win a national title? We’ll find out. Then, there’s Oklahoma, which like A&M, is incredibly hot entering the CWS. The Sooners might have the most ‘balance’ of any team in this bracket. Will that matter? We’ll soon find out. Buckle up.

    Bracket Two: Stanford, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Auburn
    By Aaron Fitt

    1. Star-studded position player groups. If you like star power — and why wouldn’t you? — then you’re in for a treat in Omaha. Some of college baseball’s most talented and most accomplished players will be showcased in Bracket Two. Here are the four biggest stars, one from each team:

    • Stanford’s Brock Jones is one of college baseball’s biggest stars, a surefire first-round pick in center field with a background as a two-sport athlete, though he has given up football to focus on hardball. After a slow start, he heated up as the season progressed and enters Omaha hitting .327/.455/.665 with 20 homers and 15 steals, showcasing his dynamic power/speed tool set.

    • Auburn first baseman Sonny DiChiara became a sensation this spring after transferring from Samford, charming the Auburn faithful with his joyous nature, his delightful and infectious walk-up song, his big righthanded power and his flair for the dramatic. With a season line of .392/.560/.809 with 22 homers, DiChiara leads the nation in OBP and ranks third in OPS.

    • Timothy J. Elko. Already a folk hero for his series of clutch home runs last year while playing with a torn ACL, Elko has cemented his legacy as one of the most beloved players in Ole Miss history with another huge season yet this spring, hitting .302/.412/.656 with a school-record 22 home runs and 71 RBIs. They call him The Captain, and the 6-foot-4, 240-pound first baseman brings a larger-than-life presence to the ballpark every day.

    • Third baseman Cayden Wallace is the pick for Arkansas. Like Jones, Wallace is a slam-dunk first-round pick this summer as an eligible sophomore, and he can do just about everything on the baseball field: hit for average and power, run, defend at an elite level and throw. Like Jones, he’s a bona fide five-tool talent who is playing great baseball when it matters most.

    2. Can Alex Williams find his form? As the No. 2 national seed, the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament champion and a team loaded with Omaha experience from a year ago, Stanford looks like the favorite in this bracket. But for the Cardinal to win it all, it surely will need a rebound from ace righthander Alex Williams, who earned Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year honors after posting a 1.67 ERA in the regular season. But Williams has struggled in the postseason, allowing four runs in 4.2 innings at the Pac-12 tournament, then five runs in 4.2 innings in regionals against Texas State, then seven runs (six earned) in just 1.1 innings against UConn in super regionals. The Cardinal still found a way to win the Pac-12 tourney, and the regional, and the super, but making a deep run in Omaha without Williams on his game won’t be easy.

    3. Pick your bullpen stopper. Teams that win the College World Series always have at least one true lockdown reliever who comes up huge in Omaha. All four teams on this side of the bracket have a bona fide stud with swing-and-miss stuff at the back end, and these arms will play a crucial role in deciding which team emerges from this side:

    • Stanford lefty Quinn Mathews (9-1, 2.62, 9 SV) is an extremely valuable piece who can shorten the game at the back of the bullpen or step into a starting role as needed (nine starts). A 6-foot-4, 192-pound southpaw with tough angle and good fastball command, Mathews also has a serious weapon in his deceptive changeup.

    • Auburn righty Blake Burkhalter is much better than his 3.89 ERA suggests; his 15 saves rank second in the nation, and his 66-7 K-BB mark stands out for a guy with legitimate power stuff. Burkhalter attacks hitters with a 93-96 mph heater that has deception and life, and his changeup is another devastating pitch.

    • Arkansas relies upon a true freshman at the back end in righthander Brady Tygart (3-4, 3.82, 51-21 K-BB in 37.2 IP), who might have the best pure stuff of this group, with a fastball that reaches the mid-90s and a devastating power breaking ball that spins in excess of 3,100 rpm — elite even by MLB standards.

    • Brandon Johnson (11 saves and a 52-14 K-BB in 39.2 IP for Ole Miss) can overpower hitters with his mid-to-high-90s fastball — but the Rebels have a second shutdown reliever who presents a different look in righty Josh Mallitz (1.30 ERA, 41-10 K-BB), whose calling card is his ability to spin the heck out of a breaking ball.

    4. Premium defense up the middle. Defense does win championships, and in college baseball it all starts with being strong up the middle. This bracket has two teams that play elite team defense in Arkansas (.982 fielding percentage, eighth in the nation) and Auburn (.981, 10th nationally). The Hogs have the nation’s premier double-play tandem in Jaylen Battles and Robert Moore, along with rock-solid veterans behind the plate in Michael Turner and Braydon Webb, and a web gem factory at third base in Wallace.

    Auburn does not have as much big-name star power up the middle, but veteran Brody Moore has shined since taking over the shortstop job for the departed Ryan Bliss, and catcher Nate LaRue has improved dramatically as a receiver (just three passed balls) while using his bazooka arm to shut down opposing running games (throwing out 12 of 20 basestealers — 60 percent). Cole Foster can run hot and cold at second base, but he’s a quick-twitch athlete capable of making the standout play, and Kason Howell is a stalwart in center field.

    Ole Miss has serious talent up the middle. Shortstop Jacob Gonzalez is one of the leading candidates to be drafted No. 1 overall in 2023, and he’s a big league-caliber defender with a gritty playmaking double play partner in second baseman Peyton Chatagnier. Hayden Dunhurst is well known for his arm strength but has not had a great year defensively, allowing 28 stolen bases in 38 tries. Converted infielder TJ McCants blossomed defensively in center field this year, and when he suffered a hand injury in the postseason Ole Miss was able to shift another speedster to the middle garden, Justin Bench. The Rebels have the personnel to be an excellent defensive team, which is why their lackluster .971 fielding percentage is surprising.

    Stanford is a very good defensive team, fielding .975 (44th nationally). Kody Huff is a reliable field general behind the plate, and Adam Crampton (.980 fielding percentage) is a whiz at shortstop, teaming with under-appreciated second baseman Brett Barrera (.985) to form another standout double-play tandem. Jones is fun to watch in center field, and his arm is a real asset.

    5. Who has the starting pitching advantage? None of these four teams truly stand out for their starting pitching. The aforementioned Williams is the most accomplished starter on this side, but he has struggled of late, and Stanford’s next two starters (Ty Uber and Joey Dixon) both failed to get out of the first inning in super regionals. Likewise, Auburn’s game one starter Trace Bright was chased in the first inning of supers. Mason Barnett (who has power stuff but an inconsistent track record) lasted 4.1 innings against the Beavers, and sinkerballer Joseph Gonzalez went five. Arkansas has a reliable veteran anchor in Connor Noland (7-5, 3.86), who doesn’t have sexy stuff but competes hard and gives his team a chance to win, and redshirt freshman Will McEntire has come out of nowhere to settle in as the No. 2 starter down the stretch. Ole Miss found a workhorse in converted reliever Dylan DeLucia (6-2, 4.35) and has a rising star in lefty Hunter Elliott (4-3, 2.82), but neither guy is an established star yet, and the No. 3 starter spot remains a concern.

    Good luck trying to figure out which of these four teams has the edge in the rotation. Perhaps the team whose starters step up most will emerge from this bracket. Or perhaps all of these teams will just rely upon their bullpens to do the heavy lifting. It has worked so far, after all.
     
    #12608 FadeMe, Jun 16, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2022
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  9. FadeMe

    FadeMe Well-Known Member
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    Off The Top Of My Head: CWS Edition
    COLUMNS Eric Sorenson - June 16, 2022

    WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Well if you StitchHeads out there like some upheaval, some upsets and some heartbreak in your college baseball fandom, you came to the right College World Series. This year’s field of eight features just two of the top eight seeds going into the NCAA Tournament (Stanford, Texas A&M) and just two more of the top 16 seeds actually advancing to our sport’s promised land (Texas, Auburn).

    But oddly, at the same time, even though there are very few No. 1 seeds still around, this year’s field still has some heavy hitters that, if you had told us at the beginning of the year these teams would’ve made the College World Series we might have just met that with a shrug of the shoulders and moved on.

    In one way or another, each and every team here has their own reasons why they are a surprise to be still playing. Here is a quick thumbnail sketch of the eight teams that will be vying for the hearts and minds of the Omaha’an fan base.
    BRACKET ONE

    – TEXAS A&M (42-18)

    Appearances: 6

    Titles: 0

    Last In: 2017

    CWS Record: 2-12

    By The Numbers: .294 ave., 79HRs, 78-for-101SBs, 4.71 ERA, 538Ks, .967 fielding.

    Of Note: The Aggies return to their house of torment.

    What a helluva season for the Aggies as they have gelled as a team (and a coaching staff) since a rough start. The Aggies have gone 26-7 since April 5th and, more impressively, they have also gone 8-1 in one-run games since then, including the last six. Conversely, the Aggies also have the worst CWS record of any program who has made at least four trips to Omaha.

    The Burning Question:

    Can the Aggies hang around for more than an 0-and-2 with a trip to the Drover?

    With their incredible turnaround this season, nobody is putting a long, deep stay in Omaha past the Aggies.

    – OKLAHOMA (42-22)


    Appearances: 10

    Titles: 1

    Last In: 2010

    CWS Record: 15-16

    By The Numbers: .298 ave., 70HRs, 142-for-181 SBs, 5.41 ERA, 585Ks. .971 fielding.

    Of Note: Don’t worry, no South Carolina here this time.

    The last time the Sooners made it to Omaha they had a chance to eliminate the Gamecocks, but they ended up dropping a 12 inning white-knuckler, 3-2. This time, they’ll have the best double-threat in the field of eight with Peyton Graham coming into the Series with 20 home runs and 34 stolen bases. Though only two of their pitchers have an ERA below 4.00, those two are outstanding arms in starter Jake Bennett (9-3, 3.53) and Michael Trevin (4-1, 2.94, 10svs).

    The Burning Question:

    Will the baseball team live up to the sizable achievement of their women’s softball team? I mean, there never has been a season where a school has won both national titles in the same year. No pressure boys.

    [​IMG]
    The Sooners have played balls-out baseball since late March, including winning the Big 12 Tournament, as shown here.
    – TEXAS (47-20)

    Appearances: 38

    Titles: 6

    Last In: 2021

    CWS Record: 88-63

    By The Numbers: .318 ve., 128HRs, 53-for-69SBs, 4.18 ERA, 590Ks, .986 fielding

    Of Note: Looking to make amends again

    In this space last year we talked about how the Longhorns went 0-2 in their previous appearance. But they made a good run last year, pushing eventual national champion Mississippi State to a seventh game in their bracket play. David Pierce has possibly the best offensive team that UT has had in the modern era, hitting .318 as a team, led by the Player of the Year candidate in Ivan Melendez, who is hitting .396-32-94.

    The Burning Question:

    Will the Longhorn players, fans, team administrators and alumni be affected by the “horns down” hand signs from opposing teams? (yes, that was sarcasm).

    [​IMG]
    Ivan Melendez, the Hispanic Titanic, is a threat to go yard every time he swings the freakin’ bat.
    – NOTRE DAME (40-15)

    Appearances: 2

    Titles: 0

    Last In: 2002

    CWS Record: 3-4

    By The Numbers: .294, 75HRs, 78-for-96SBs, 3.95 ERA, 591Ks, .980 fielding

    Of Note: Playing with a chip on their shoulders.

    As has been noted, no team has been treated worse by the NCAA selection Committee than the Irish the last two tournaments. They should’ve been a top eight national seed in 2021 but instead had to play at Mississippi State in the Supers. Then this year they were given a two-seed, despite a 16-11 mark in ACC play. But they sent major shockwaves of redemption by eliminating the uneliminatable Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville in the Supers.

    The Burning Question:

    Hey, they slayed the Giant (Tennessee), so why can’t they just go out and beat everyone here in Omaha too?

    BRACKET TWO

    – STANFORD (39-17)

    Appearances: 17

    Titles: 2

    Last In: 2021

    CWS Record: 41-31

    By The Numbers: .311 ave., 117HRs, 48-for-66SBs, 4.00 ERA ,f574Ks, .975 fielding

    Of Note: Back to back selfies.

    Head coach Dave Esquer is really hitting his stride, taking the Cardinal to their second straight visit to the promised land. And after each of the last two Super Regionals, he has insisted taking a “selfie” with his team. And there is some motivation here in Omaha for the Trees because if you remember they lost a 10-inning game to Vanderbilt which essentially kept them out of the championship series last year in Omaha. Coming into this week the Cardinal is the hottest team – pure numbers-wise – having gone 22-2 since early May.

    The Burning Question:

    How many famous SU alums will show up?

    We’re looking your direction Tiger Woods, Reese Witherspoon, John Elway and… wait for it… Charles Schwab… at Charles Schwab Field.

    [​IMG]
    Head coach Dave Esquer (far left) takes a selfie with his team after winning the Regional final over Texas State.
    – ARKANSAS (43-19)

    Appearances: 10

    Titles: 0

    Last In: 2019

    CWS Record: 15-20

    Numbers: .274 ave., 100HRs, 47-for-57SBs, 4.07 ERA, 632Ks, .982 fielding

    Of Note: This should be a team REALLY on a mission.

    Think about the snakebitten nature of this program, which has gradually gotten worse the last few years. In 2018 they famously let a title-clinching foul pop fall. In 2019 they returned to Omaha but went 0-and-2. Last year they didn’t even make the round of eight after losing to NC State in the Supers. This year, the Hogs might be the most talented team, but just couldn’t seem to put it all together – until the postseason. If they keep it rolling, they’ll win that hard-to-hem-up national title.

    The Burning Question:

    What is the over/under on the number of times that the Razorbacks call the Hogs this week? If they are playing up to their massive potential, there’ll be a ton of hog calls considering they could win the national title.

    [​IMG]
    The Razorbacks might actually have the most talented team in the field of eight.
    – AUBURN (42-20)

    Appearances: 5

    Titles: 0

    Last In: 2019

    CWS Record: 3-10

    Numbers: .287 ave., 73HRs, 48-for-61SBs, 4.42 ERA, 624Ks, .981 fielding.

    Of Note: They proved there is more than one way to win a game.

    Have you seen how the Tigers have played the last two weekends? In the Regionals they outscored their three opponents 51-to-18, which includes putting up 32 runs against Florida State and UCLA, who were both in the top 20 of team ERA going in. Then this past weekend they only scored 14 runs against Oregon State, but they also held the Beavers to 12 runs with some lock-down pitching.

    The Burning Question:

    Will they bring that live eagle with them and have him do a pregame flight from high up in the grandstand down to field level? And secondly will they allow that bird of prey to attack any drones that fly over the stadium?

    – OLE MISS (37-22)

    Appearances: 5

    Titles: 0

    Last In: 2014

    CWS Record: 5-10

    Numbers: .279 ave., 99HRs, 32-for-50SBs, 4.44 ERA, 618Ks, .971 fielding.

    Of Note: watch the ‘pen.

    Though they were ranked high in the preseason, Ole Miss struggled for much of the season but has been pistol-hot in the NCAAs, going 5-0, by a combined 46-11. Against a really talented Southern Miss offense, the Rebels mound corps gave up just seven hits in 18 innings. Impressive. On top of that the Rebel bullpen has yet to give up a run in their last 17.1 innings of work.

    The Burning Question:

    Hey, the Rebels have been impressive as hell of late, so the only *real* question is does the athletic program still use that confusing Bear dressed up in an Ole Miss uniform as their mascot?

    [​IMG]
    Ole Miss hopes for more celebrations like this in Omaha.
    SOME MORE “BY THE NUMBERS” NUMBERS

    – 351

    The number of days it’s been since we saw Mississippi State win the national title.

    – 72.

    The number of years that the CWS has been held in Omaha.

    – 11

    The number of years that the CWS will be held in TD Ameritrade Park.

    – 4

    The number of consecutive years that the CWS has been won by a top eight national seed

    (2017: No. 3 Florida, 2018: No. 3 Oregon State, 2019: No. 2 Vanderbilt, 2021: No. __ Mississippi State)

    – 5

    The number of consecutive years prior to that in which the CWS had been won by a first-time champion

    (2013: UCLA, 2014: Vandy, 2015: Virginia, 2016: Coastal, 2017: Florida)

    – 23

    The number of years it’s been since the No. 1 overall seed last won the National Title. (Miami in 1999)

    – 30

    The number of years it’s been since the College World Series was played without a team from the SEC (1992).

    – 21

    The number of years it’s been since a player hit an inside-the-park home run (Chris Burke of Tennessee, 2001).

    – 66

    The number of years it’s been since a player hit for the cycle in a CWS game (Jerry Kindall of Minnesota, 1956).

    – 62

    The number of years it’s been since a player threw a no-hitter in the CWS (Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State, 1960).

    – 21

    The number of years it’s been since a team went unbeaten throughout the NCAA Tournament (Miami in 2001).

    THE FIVE WORST TEAMS TO MAKE THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES IN THE MODERN ERA

    These are the teams that might be considered the weakest of any teams since the switch to the 64-team field in 1999 to make it to Omaha. Again, I don’t consider this a slap at their accomplishments, rather I consider this is a huge compliment to their resolve.

    – SAN JOSE STATE, 2000

    Record Before CWS: 41-22, 20-10 WAC

    RPI Before Regionals: 81

    ISR Before Regionals: 29

    The Spartans never had an RPI within the Top 80 the entire season, until it came time for the post-season. They were co-champions of the WAC with Rice. But the Owls owned the Spartans, winning five of six matchups, getting outscored 50-20 in those games. And San Jose would’ve had to face the Owls on the road in the Supers if not for Houston beating the Owls 5-4 in a winner-take-all finale in the Regionals.

    https://sjsunews.com/article/college-world-series-20-years-later

    In Omaha: 0-2.

    Clemson posted 10 runs in the second and third innings with the help of five Spartan errors to beat the San Jose 10-2. Louisiana ended SJSU’s season two days later with a 6-3 win. A couple years later, I met then-head coach Sam Piraro and he told me, “If I had to do it all over again, I would’ve been much more business-like. There was so much media and hoopla when we got there I think our guys just lost their focus.”

    – SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE, 2003

    Record Before CWS: 40-24, 19-11 MVC

    RPI Before Regionals: 60

    ISR Before Regionals: 62

    The Bears won the regular season title in the Missouri Valley, but got beat in the MVC Tournament and figured their season was done. Some players started to leave campus to go home. But luckily for the Bears, former SMS head coach Bill Rowe was on the selection committee and stuck up for his program. The Bears also lucked out that fellow three-seed Ohio State won its Regional at Auburn and provided for an easier Super Regional opponent.

    https://www.news-leader.com/in-dept...03-start-college-world-series-run/3041549001/

    In Omaha: 0-2

    The Bears put up a pretty good fight in both its games, losing 4-2 to Rice (who went on to win the national title) and 7-5 to Miami. In that opening game vs. the Owls, 6’9 ace Jeff Niemman mowed the Bears down with 10 Ks and had a scoreless one-hitter going into the ninth inning before a pair of solo home runs cut the lead in half.

    – SOUTHERN MISS, 2009

    Record Before CWS: 40-24, 12-12 CUSA

    RPI Before Regionals: 59

    ISR Before Regionals: 54

    Like Southwest Missouri and San Jose above, the Eagles didn’t look like they were going to get an NCAA bid due to a slightly high RPI, but unlike those other two, the Eagles didn’t have a regular season title to cling to. Even retiring head coach Corky Palmer admitted that he had many more talented teams that his ’09 outfit. Many scoffed when the Eagles were extended an at-large bid, especially since they were just .500 in conference play.

    In Omaha: 0-2

    At one point in the season USM lost three games to Cal State Fullerton by a combined 37-11. This was not that same Eagles team. After stunning Georgia Tech and Florida in the previous two rounds of the NCAAs, USM gave Texas fits in game one in Omaha. But three walks and a hit batsman in the bottom of the 9th led to UT pulling off a heartbreaking 7-6 win. Game two saw North Carolina jump out to an 8-0 lead in the first few innings before the Heels cruised to an 11-4 win. This is a pretty cool tribute to that 2009 team here…

    – STONY BROOK, 2012

    Record Before CWS: 52-13, 21-3 AmEast

    RPI Before Regionals: 93

    ISR Before Regionals: 98

    I know, I know, this is getting close to blasphemy. I mean, saying that the much-loved Stony Brook Seawolves were one of the weakest teams to ever grace the College World Series field is not going to get me a bunch of brownie points with StitchHeads across the country. But as great as their post-season run was – including winning the Regional at Miami and stunning LSU in the Supers – it is still kind of true.

    https://www.ncaa.com/video/baseball/2012-06-10/baseball-stonybrook-lsu-gamethree

    In Omaha: 0-2

    Not that I completely agree with RPIs and ISRs mind you, coach Matt Senk’s team did have seven or eight players that were picked in the MLB draft, so you can’t sneeze at the amount of talent the Seawolves had. But once they got to Omaha – and make no mistake they were the darlings of the field of eight that year – their good fortune had run out. UCLA crushed them 9-1 and Florida State eliminated them 12-2. LSU coach Paul Mainieri stated after the Super Regionals defeat that he “could see Stony Brook winning the national title.” If only SBU could’ve bottled that magic from Baton Rouge and kept it riding through to Omaha.

    – KENT STATE, 2012

    Record Before CWS: 46-18, 24-3 MAC

    RPI Before Regionals: 78

    ISR Before Regionals: 80

    I feel that this Flashes team gets overshadowed a bit when we talk about College World Series Cinderellas. I mean, it’s hard not to when you consider Stony Brook made it to the promised land at the same time. But Kent went a pedestrian 11-12 start to the season and dropped off everyone’s radar. They did regroup and dominated the MAC with a 24-3 mark. But again, that’s the MAC. To further their cause, they entered Omaha having won 22 of 23 games, including beating Kentucky twice in the Regionals (one was that infamous 21-inning marathon) and beating No. 5 Oregon two of three in the Supers.

    In Omaha: 1-2

    The Flashes looked like Flashes in the pan as they got routed 8-1 by Arkansas in their opening game. But to their extensive credit, in the Monday elimination game, they took down No. 1-ranked Florida 5-4 to register one of the biggest upsets in CWS history, if you ask me.

    https://www.ncaa.com/video/baseball/2012-06-18/mcwskentstateflorida0618

    The Flashes ride came to an end the next day as defending national champion South Carolina Gamecocks gave them the boot with a 4-1 win. Still, what a wild freakin’ run they went on.

    THE WORST COLLEGE WORLD SERIES TEAMS PRIOR TO FIELD OF 64 ERA

    This list is much easier in one way because there is a ton to choose from here, no doubt. Here is why; prior to 1975 the “Regionals” did not exist, instead the country was split up into eight “Districts” which were a collection of states that would produce one team for the College World Series. This is what the Districts looked like…

    [​IMG]
    So in other words, as you see above, there was no way Florida, Florida State and Miami could all make it to Omaha in the same year. Hell, neither could LSU, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, North Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Ole Miss, Auburn and Virginia. There is just one team from each of these eight geographic areas. Freakin’ crazy, right? I mean, how big of a red carpet to Omaha did the winner of the Arizona-Arizona State series get? Well that’s how it was. So it easily led to a ton of undeserving teams, especially those up in the North and Northeast. With that as a backdrop, here are the five worst teams to make the CWS prior to 1999 in chronological order.

    – BRADLEY, 1950

    Record Before CWS: 17-14-1

    The Braves hold the indignity of having the worst-ever record of any team to make the Field of Eight in Omaha. Hell, go ahead and include Kalamazoo and Wichita as well. This team was just plain ordinary. The Braves started the season at a paltry 4-7-1 mark (though to their credit, they did beat Florida State, Clemson and Arkansas during the regular season). They won two of three against Oklahoma A&M to win the Missouri Valley Conference playoffs and then swept a doubleheader over Nebraska in the District 4 playoffs. Yes, that means the Big Red came THISCLOSE to making it to the CWS in 1950. Instead, Husker fans had to wait till 2001 to get to Omaha while this Braves team disgraced itself of getting there with a record barely over .500.

    – CONNECTICUT, 1957

    Record Before CWS: 13-8

    I’m not even sure how these Huskies ever even got close enough to get a sniff at the post-season. To begin with. they finished in third place (yes, 3rd) in the Yankee Conference with a 5-5 record. Vermont won the conference with a 5-1 record and UMass was second with a 6-4 mark. The Huskies also went 2-4 against the bottom three teams in the conference; Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. There was no Yankee Conference tournament so I have no idea how this team got a post-season bid. In Omaha, UConn went 1-2, beating Florida State and losing to Texas and Iowa State.

    – NORTHERN COLORADO, 1958

    Record Before CWS: 20-8

    To begin with, these guys should NOT have even been in Omaha. In the District 7 Playoffs, the Bears lost two of three games to BYU. That normally would’ve meant the Cougars would be wildly celebrating with tea and cake because they were going to the CWS. But the top brass at BYU do not allow for sports or activities on Sunday and the NCAA was requiring the schedule to stay as is. So BYU stayed home and UNC went to Omaha. (Wait, couldn’t they have just put BYU in a bracket that did not play on Sundays? Really?) Once there, the Bears did actually win a game, downing Lafayette 10-5, but then they got routed 11-2 by Missouri and 12-1 by USC.

    – DUKE, 1961

    Record Before CWS: 15-9

    If this were in modern times, message boards and chat rooms would be buzzing about how weak the ACC was. The Blue Devils went 11-3 in ACC play and 5-9 in non-conference play. They began the season with four straight losses at Florida State (then an independent) by a combined 30-13. The Devils would play well enough in ACC play to merit an appearance in the District 3 playoffs where they got revenge on the Seminoles, eliminating them with a 7-2 win. The Dookies then beat a highly-overrated West Virginia team 7-3 to get the trip to Omaha. Once there, Duke went 1-2 at the CWS, getting their lone win over… wait for it, wait for it… yes, Northern Colorado.

    – OKLAHOMA STATE, 1967

    Record Before CWS: 15-8

    The Cowboys have had a ton of really good teams over the years, especially considering the fact that they’ve been to The O 20 different times. But this 1967 team was spectacularly ordinary compared to their numerous fellow compatriots from Stillwater. The big thing was they went 12-3 in Big 8 play, in what turned out to be a very placid year for the conference. Outside of that, the Pokes went just 3-7, including a terrible 0-2 showing in Omaha where they lost to Arizona State and Rider while scoring just three runs in 18 innings of play. Worry not Cowboy fans, Gary Ward would come onto the scene in due time and they would be well-deserved regulars.

    THE TRANSFER TRACKER.

    Have you seen the D1baseball Transfer Tracker lately? I don’t know how Kendall keeps up with it. As of the filing of this column there are literally thousands players who have entered the transfer portal for college baseball already. Check it out here…

    I don’t know how this is going to shake out but as an example of how bad things are now in college baseball in this era of willy-nilly, my-feelings-are-hurt-so-I’m-gonna-transfer world, check out how many players are listed in the transfer portal for Gardner-Webb. I counted 36 Bulldogs players in the transfer portal. How the hell does THIS happen?

    Among some of the marquee players that have hit the transfer portal already, UCLA has marquee righty Thatcher Hurd in the portal. Hurd was certainly on his way to a Freshman All American season posting 2-1, 1.06 numbers with 48 Ks in 34 innings before an injury felled him in late March.

    Another marquee name in the portal is Creighton pitcher Dylan Tebrake, who was the Big East Pitcher of the Year in 2022. He already made his intentions known that he is heading to LSU next season, at least according to TigerDroppings.com.

    Two talents who should be drafted high this coming July are Baylor OF Jared McKenzie and UC Santa Barbara SS Jordan Sprinkle. Neither had a *great* spring – McKenzie hit .288-11-43 and Sprinkle went .285-3-35 with 26 SBs – but if both don’t like their draft status could be a huge pickup for wherever they transfer to.

    Another big defection is going to be Old Dominion outfielder Carter Trice, who made first team Freshman All American and second team regular All American in 2021, leading the Monarchs with .357-17-54 numbers. He dipped to .288 this season and looks intent on hitting the bricks to new horizons.

    Another mid-major talent on the move will be Northeastern’s Max Viera, who hit .356-6-34 for the Huskies as a freshman in 2021, making Freshman All American. He struggled to a .208 average this season before moving on this off-season.

    One program that saw bad defections was Minnesota, who saw two of their weekend starters hit the transfer portal in Sam Ireland and J.P. Massey, who combined fro 25 starts on the mound this season. Both had ERAs north of 5.00 but have potential for much better numbers. Poor John Anderson.

    EIGHT FOR OMAHA.

    If the season ended today, here are the eight teams i predicted back in February that would make it to the College World Series…

    – Texas A&M

    – Oklahoma

    – Texas

    – Notre Dame

    – Stanford

    – Arkansas

    – Auburn

    – Ole Miss

    TODAY IN THE PROMISED LAND

    This Friday’s expected high temperature in Omaha is supposed to be 92º and mostly sunny. There is one day until the first pitch of the College World Series. FYI, it will be a high of 102º on Sunday while I’m out and about taking pictures in the deadly sunlight.
     
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  10. Charles DeMar

    Charles DeMar Smug Outlaw
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    $4.50 per shot seems like a crime, i bet MSU paid their rent for a year after the last CWS

     
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  11. DUCKMOUTH

    DUCKMOUTH People don’t you know, don’t you know
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    Great idea for them. And yes, MS State fans went crazy trying to win that
     
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  12. wes tegg

    wes tegg I'm a Guy's guy, guys.
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    So typical. A&M will certainly win it this year. Everyone else will probably just drink like grownups.

    Edit: I see blind dog got his daily10 jello shots for breakfast.
     
  13. CF3234

    CF3234 Fan of: Bandwagons
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    Someone explain this to me.

    Who is drinking all of these jello shots that are getting bought?
     
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  14. dump

    dump TMB’s premier expert on women’s CBB
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    Texas has 11 to our 2
     
  15. wes tegg

    wes tegg I'm a Guy's guy, guys.
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    It's kind of self explanatory...
     
  16. CF3234

    CF3234 Fan of: Bandwagons
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    Who drinks all of these jello shots?
     
  17. wes tegg

    wes tegg I'm a Guy's guy, guys.
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    Which is why your bunch of incels are about to make a point to buy a shitload of jello shots at a pizza place.
     
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  18. Hogview

    Hogview Fan of the Green board, Razorbacks
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  19. dump

    dump TMB’s premier expert on women’s CBB
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    We drink only Texas related products thank you very much
     
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  20. DUCKMOUTH

    DUCKMOUTH People don’t you know, don’t you know
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    If I was betting man they would be my pick
     
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  21. Charles DeMar

    Charles DeMar Smug Outlaw
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    I could've seen my crew of like 10 friends doing our best to try to win that in early 2000s. I've been to Omaha twice, the last time being when Rice won it all in 2003, and i pretty much blacked out every day we were there, we spent a lot of time at a spot called Barry O's Tavern and I'm happy to see that they're still open today

    https://www.barryostavern.com/
     
  22. CF3234

    CF3234 Fan of: Bandwagons
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    And I just realized that this is for people who actually go to the place, not an online thing. I feel really dumb right now.
     
  23. bertwing

    bertwing check out the nametag grandma
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    Aggies can’t drink worth a shit. This isn’t Dr Pepper. Never bet on them for shit

    it’ll be either Arkansas or Texas
     
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  24. wes tegg

    wes tegg I'm a Guy's guy, guys.
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    They're jello shots. They're for people who can't drink worth a shit.
     
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  25. bertwing

    bertwing check out the nametag grandma
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    If it’s not semen, they don’t want to compete.
     
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  26. wes tegg

    wes tegg I'm a Guy's guy, guys.
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    Fair point.
     
  27. devine

    devine hi, i am user devine
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    Hearing the hogs are looking great in batting practice

    if you’re a betting man they are prob worth putting a few bucks on
     
  28. bertwing

    bertwing check out the nametag grandma
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    Please credit your sources appropriately
     
  29. devine

    devine hi, i am user devine
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    My bad

    According to a source close to the hogs program, the hogs are looking great in batting practice
     
  30. sc_chant

    sc_chant Be A Dog
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    I remember us taking over that place in 2016. The night we beat Arizona in game 2 was wild
     
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  31. All_Luck

    All_Luck OK. Cool Husk em!
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    Anyone here? Crushing Busch Lattes next to the stadium
     
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  32. Corky Bucek

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    Eathan Edwards what time are we flying out private on Saturday to make it to our game?
     
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  33. blind dog

    blind dog wps
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    arriving tomorrow hopefully before midnight but mostly likely around 2am

    woo pig, FU nerds
     
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  34. tigr2ndbase

    tigr2ndbase Well-Known Member
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    Good luck everyone. There’s nothing like the CWS. Enjoy Omaha. It’s an awesome city.
     
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  35. Line 4 Guy

    Line 4 Guy Well-Known Member
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  36. nexus

    nexus TMB’s TSO
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    If it isn’t ND I hope it’s someone who’s never been a member of the Big12
     
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  37. Arrec Bardwin

    Arrec Bardwin La Araña Discoteca
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    Also has an all time great nickname
     
  38. blind dog

    blind dog wps
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    [​IMG]
     
  39. Arrec Bardwin

    Arrec Bardwin La Araña Discoteca
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    Hispanic Titanic>>>>Flyin Hawaiian as a nickname
     
  40. Arrec Bardwin

    Arrec Bardwin La Araña Discoteca
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    It’s something we’ve really lost in sports recently, great nicknames are amazing.
     
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  41. wes tegg

    wes tegg I'm a Guy's guy, guys.
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    [​IMG]

    No clearer sign that we're going 2 and out.
     
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  42. Rebelution

    Rebelution I'm not superstitious but I am a little stitious.
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    Hell it probably wouldn’t be a lot more expensive (joking…sort of). Obviously I have heard airline tickets have gotten out of control but I just haven’t had a reason to price one lately. I checked on tickets from Jackson to Omaha, which would have cost probably no more than 400 bucks before all this, and they were all 1500-1800 bucks.
     
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  43. nexus

    nexus TMB’s TSO
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  44. Corky Bucek

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    Best option for me would be Southwest and it’s $1300-1400 plus another $1000 for a hotel.
     
  45. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
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    Need that W today so we're not playing the same time as the F1 race Sunday :pray:
     
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  46. blind dog

    blind dog wps
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  47. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
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    That was a foul ball