Omaha primer – Bracket 1

Good stuff, Matt. We definitely got the tougher draw. Nobody is playing better than Vandy and UNC right now.

Getting out of the loser’s bracket won’t be easy so Jungmann and the Texas defense has to be on its game on Saturday against Florida. I’m sure we’ll find a way to manufacture 4-5 runs.

Florida will probably want revenge for losing to us in 2005 but I don’t think they get it.

Thanks for the preview, Matt.
 
Our slugging percentage looks like our basketball team’s free throw shooting.
 
Can you tell us about what implications the size/orientation of the park has for us, if any? No more Rosenblatt wind tunnels carrying out routine fly balls for home runs, for starters, I guess.
 
Found the measurements:
 
LF - 335, LCF - 375, C - 408, RC - 375, RF - 335
 
The Disch goes LF- 340, C-400, RF-325

Pitching rules at the CWS, and that’s what we’ve got. I like our chances, even in this tough draw.

Scip, IIRC, the dimensions are similar to Rosenblatt but the air patterns are not. Between that and the new bats, it’s going to be harder to hit homers in the new park.

With what appears to be more foul ground, advantage, teams with pitching and defense. Relatively speaking, of course.

No more 21-14s, that’s for sure.

The brackets make no sense. I dont think they should be holding strictly to the PRE-regional placement. I think they should re-seed everyone after the super-regional is complete.

something like:

1. UF vs new #7 seed = aTm
2. UNC vs new #6 seed = Texas

1. UV vs last seed [new #8] = Cal (no problem here)
2. USC vs new #5 seed = Vandy

I dont think it is right putting both un-seeded teams in the #1 bracket

I always thought that Disch-Falk field should have the same grass and infield layout at whatever is used at Texas Ballpark - Omaha (TD Ameritrade Park). If they are using grass in Omaha (Kentucky blue grass), then Disch-Falk should use grass. If they have a continuous dirt infield in Omaha, then they should use a dirt path infield in Austin. I remember several times over the years how Texas infielders had problems playing balls off the edge of the grass-dirt.

“… + a reliance on talented freshman = 2 & ‘Que.”

I absolutely love Knebel and Weiss, but this made me cringe. I can’t wait to see Jungmann have a career game against the Gators.

Soldierhorn, they used to re-seed before the CWS. I think they stopped when they went to the championship series format.

ESPN’s Sports Science did a thing on the new ballpark this past week. Basically, the orientation of the new stadium will affect things because of the wind but it won’t have as big of an effect as the new bats.

I’m worried that our lack of hitting and defense when TJ is on the mound will do us in. This is no bracket to fight through the loser’s bracket in.

nordberg… yeah, I realize that but this year’s bracket doesnt make sense putting both non-seeded teams in the #1 bracket. That needs to be fixed

dick -
 
My understanding is that it’s a 90 degree change in orientation. Instead of winds blowing out, they now run left to right.
 
I went and looked up the Creighton Blue Jays power numbers. They had 38 home runs this year. So maybe it’s not the power dampener we imagine it is.

Or they can actually hit the ball.

DOES NOT COMPUTE/HOW COULD BUNT SAIL OVER WALL/REASSESS

The difference between Creighton (or any other team in NCAA D1) and Texas is that when they have based loaded with no outs they generally can deliver at least one run.

That is no guarantee with Texas, especially in the new Rosenblatt with floodwaters drowning the field up to the batters’ knees and locusts clogging the lights. Maybe our bunts can catch a river current and float downstream over the right field wall?

“Bad news for the Horns is that the SEC (15-9) and ACC (21-11) have dominated national postseason play. All schools not named Texas or A&M in the Big 12 went 2-8. So, uhhhhh….yeah.”

I’m no Huckleberry, but when you take out the two best teams from the Big 12 - who coincidentally made it to the world series-odds are the record of the rest of the contestants won’t be great.

Also, our ability to advance should be independent of the abilities of the rest of the conference. This isn’t a beauty contest like the BCS where strength of conference schedule counts. I like our chances our pitching staff has to be as deep and strong as any in the country.

Having almost the same OBP as SLG is pathetic. Professionally, the only players you’ll see approach a line like that are 110 pound middle-infielders.

As someone who doesn’t follow college baseball at all I am amazed that Vandy never made it to the CWS before now. They recruit very well and the kids they sign have a reputation for being very tough to convince to forgo college. Hard to believe that Pedro Alvarez and David Price never reached Omaha.

Scipio-
I’ll have to look up the numbers for 2005, but I’m certainly not expecting any miraculous power surge next week. This team has been consistent in all the parks they’ve played. I don’t expect much different.

Hopefully they’ll mix in some doubles to add to their pressure offense. I’ll get into it further on Friday.

roach -
If you take UNC & UVA out, the ACC is still 10-10.
If you take UF, South Carolina & Vandy out, the SEC is still 10-8.

The point was that the strength of the conference in the postseason could be used as an indicator for potential success in Omaha. Texas and A&M are hoping otherwise.

Matt -
  
I wasn’t thinking along the lines of a power surge for us. More of a power dampener on others that we might benefit from.

“They hit balls far, and often.” - Garrido about UF

They are the Jenna Jameson of college baseball teams.

If we start Walla, Montalbano, and Payton, our outfield will have hit a combined 0 home runs this year. Not our middle infield, our outfield. Zero. Put Walsh in left and the total skyrockets all the way up to two.

Scipio, FTW.

“If we start Walla, Montalbano, and Payton, our outfield will have hit a combined 0 home runs this year. Not our middle infield, our outfield. Zero.”

No worries, we’re just the St. Louis Cardinals of the late 80’s with Willie Mcgee, Vince Coleman and I don’t remember the other scrub they had….problem is I don’t think any of our outfielders have 75+ stolen bases and hit .320 like those guys…I used to wreck shop with them on RBI Baseball.

Sports Science compared the shortening of the Wall height (2-4ft) against the batts and wind. Wall height paled in comparison as with head winds instead of tail winds, a ball hit to left would fall 15ft shorter. However the new bats will have even more of an affect, shortening it another 20ft. Augie Ball, holla!

What’s the elevation diff between the ’Blatt and the new Starbucks Mocha Latte Grande Field? Little hilly versus on the river, no? And the Rotorized Reorienification… what else? Cheese-filled crusts, prolly.

Since I have to get up at 6 AM to watch this I’m expecting a no hitter and bitchy texts from vasherized.

The difference between Creighton (or any other team in NCAA D1) and Texas is that when they have based loaded with no outs they generally can deliver at least one run.

Hey, they ran the balk play the next time they got a runner to third. What’s the problem?

Rumor going around that there’s been some shenanigans with using juiced bats in the SEC. So allegedly, the NCAA will “certify” each and every bat used in the CWS by affixing a sticker of some sort. Good news perhaps?

And baseball becomes like NASCAR. Gotta inspect the equipment before and after.

I just read this bit from AG on the new park, “My understanding is that the south winds that blew out at Rosenblatt blow in here (at the new park). It plays big, that’s what I’ve been told.”

That’s good news, Matt. My wife says I play big but I’m not sure what that means.