2017 ACC Baseball

[FredJacket]

The ACC is suppose to be strong again this year. As a Tech guy, you want the rest of the conference to win out of conference games...so, it's pretty easy to know who to root for this weekend. We want the ACC to be 42-0 on Monday. Pump up those RPI's which will make Tech's victories in conference that much more valuable for the post-season. GOAL: Host a regional!!!

http://www.theacc.com/news/2017-acc-baseball-broadcast-schedule-announced-02-14-2017
The ACC has published its broadcast schedule. I get confused about the "ACC Network Extra"... I'm pretty sure I can see those broadcasts; but sometimes (in basketball), I've attempted to watch on my computer/phone and it alerts me it's "blacked out" in my area. Not sure what triggers that; but I'm hopeful I'll be able to see most of these games that way. Although, this weekend I'll be on the road and have listen through the WREK stream (and that's cool).

 

[RoosterJacket]

The ACC is suppose to be strong again this year. As a Tech guy, you want the rest of the conference to win out of conference games...so, it's pretty easy to know who to root for this weekend. We want the ACC to be 42-0 on Monday. Pump up those RPI's which will make Tech's victories in conference that much more valuable for the post-season. GOAL: Host a regional!!!

http://www.theacc.com/news/2017-acc-baseball-broadcast-schedule-announced-02-14-2017
The ACC has published its broadcast schedule. I get confused about the "ACC Network Extra"... I'm pretty sure I can see those broadcasts; but sometimes (in basketball), I've attempted to watch on my computer/phone and it alerts me it's "blacked out" in my area. Not sure what triggers that; but I'm hopeful I'll be able to see most of these games that way. Although, this weekend I'll be on the road and have listen through the WREK stream (and that's cool).

From what it looks like, most every game would be available to watch on the WatchESPN app. That would be great--but like you mentioned, hopefully none will have a "blackout".

 

[FredJacket]

After opening weekend...
ACC 26-18

5 Teams unbeaten: LOU, UVA, VT, UNC, GA TECH

Not sure much can be drawn from any of the results. For you gloom & doomers, Tech has all of those unbeaten teams on its schedule. ...and combined records of 3 ACC teams we don't face: 4-5

 

[GTNavyNuke]

After opening weekend...
ACC 26-18

5 Teams unbeaten: LOU, UVA, VT, UNC, GA TECH

Not sure much can be drawn from any of the results. For you gloom & doomers, Tech has all of those unbeaten teams on its schedule. ...and combined records of 3 ACC teams we don't face: 4-5

OK, for us gloom & doomers (aka non-alternative fact types (double negative intended)), the ACC was 287-102 last year (took me a while to find it at http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/change_sport_year_div).

Two things.
1) That is a .738 record (=287/389). This year we are at .591. So a difference but not massive depending on how one wants to spin the number.
2) We are only ~11% through the non-conference games ..... (=44/389) ....... so there is time for recovery. But it's better to get off fast than slow. The RPI calculations don't care whether the losses are at the beginning or end of the season. But the people who do the selection do care.

One thing D1 was talking about is how well northern teams played this year. They speculated it has to do with the warmer weather that the north has seen in the last month than was typical in the past. Much better to be able to practice live outside.

As @Squints and you have pointed out, we have more than enough strength in our schedule to get a high rpi. Just need to win the games.

 

[FredJacket]

@GTNavyNuke I certainly don't consider you a gloom & doomer. But maybe you don't consider yourself one either... after all the multiple negatives, I got confused.

My "gloom & doom" comment was not aimed at the ACC & its record thus far. It was Tech-centric aimed at anyone now MORE concerned about our ACC schedule because of results of weekend #1. It looks just a tad bit more difficult with the Coastal's good showing & fact we don't play BC... the lone winless team in Atlantic.

We still want ACC teams to do well...better than this 1st weekend.

Help me out on the Marshall @ VT game today. Who do we pull for? We already have a home win over Marshall & play VT in Blacksburg later this year.

 

[65Jacket]

I'm sure our players are glad they don't have to play BC on their parking lot/baseball field. What a travesty of a facility.

 

[FredJacket]

Congratulations to Mike Martin on career win #1900 on Sunday. I'm not a guy who actively roots for success of anything in Tallahassee; but a few random thoughts I have on Coach Martin:
1) He's generally a funny guy. I like funny a lot more than not funny.
2) He averages about 7min 48sec making his way from the dugout to the mound (one way)...brutal.
3) If FSU gets to Omaha, I think I would pull for him win it all... if Tech cannot, of course.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...-fsu-baseball-mike-martin-0221-story,amp.html

 

[THWG]

Congratulations to Mike Martin on career win #1900 on Sunday. I'm not a guy who actively roots for success of anything in Tallahassee; but a few random thoughts I have on Coach Martin:
1) He's generally a funny guy. I like funny a lot more than not funny.
2) He averages about 7min 48sec making his way from the dugout to the mound (one way)...brutal.
3) If FSU gets to Omaha, I think I would pull for him win it all... if Tech cannot, of course.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...-fsu-baseball-mike-martin-0221-story,amp.html

I always pull for FSU baseball, when they aren't playing Tech of course, just because I like Mike Martin so much.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

@GTNavyNuke I certainly don't consider you a gloom & doomer. But maybe you don't consider yourself one either... after all the multiple negatives, I got confused.
.......
Help me out on the Marshall @ VT game today. Who do we pull for? We already have a home win over Marshall & play VT in Blacksburg later this year.

Don't take me seriously. I realized a while ago that I have an engineering mentality and it's not going to change at my age.

I want VT to win. So that when we beat them, they'll have a higher rpi.

 

[FredJacket]

Hot on the heels of Coach Martin, Brian O'Conner gets win #600. Among ACC coaches (all-time), only Coach Martin got to 600 quicker. Pretty impressive.

UVA is 4-0... but it's taken some pretty incredible comebacks late in games.

http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/022117aaa.html

 

[MWBATL]

By the way, lest we lament the ACC's slow start too much, let me just point out the mighty SEC went 3-4 today, with Jacksonville beating #2 Florida, New Orleans beating LSU, Mercer besting UGa, and mighty Morehead State topping Mississippi State.

All of which simply means that it isn't as easy to blow through early season "gimmes" in baseball. GT should feel good.....so far

 

[FredJacket]

Last night (Tues, 2/21), the ACC was 5-1. FSU with the only loss; and Duke recorded win #1 on the season.

 

[FredJacket]

Curious when (what point in season) the RPI's begin to be calculated/published?

 

[FredJacket]

ACC 3-0 tonight. Some mid-week dominance!!
8-1 in Tues/Wed games.
BC, Pitt, ND, NCST, & Mia(postponed) did not participate.

 

[gtrower]

Curious when (what point in season) the RPI's begin to be calculated/published?

http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2017/rpi

Pretty meaningless until several weeks in. For instance everybody who swept an opponent opening weekend was near the bottom of the RPI because their opponent had a .000 win percentage (half the formula). But Tech was top 5 because we played a round robin so our opponents were 3-6. Basically it's better to lose at the beginning of the season to boost your early RPI.

 

[FredJacket]

http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2017/rpi

Pretty meaningless until several weeks in. For instance everybody who swept an opponent opening weekend was near the bottom of the RPI because their opponent had a .000 win percentage (half the formula). But Tech was top 5 because we played a round robin so our opponents were 3-6. Basically it's better to lose at the beginning of the season to boost your early RPI.

Thank you. Yeah... I assumed it was so meaningless at this point that it was not even calculated, yet. VT at #2. Good one!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

.........Basically it's better to lose at the beginning of the season to boost your early RPI.

I agree it's close to worthless. What I do like is that all teams start off the year equal. No carryover from last year so it has to be earned this year.

Are these numbers recalculated every week for every game of the season? So at the end of week 2, the week 1 games would be recalculated based on where the teams were at the end of week 2? If so, it doesn't matter when you lose....... it always sucks.

We win the next three and our rpi will probably still drop.......

 

[FredJacket]

Miami has a big series in Gainesville this weekend. Need Coach Morris to put together something "good" for the ACC.

Sorry... I got to thinking/wondering. I'm allowed (as a fan...not a player or coach) to get ahead of myself. Our schedule is very easy (relatively) leading up to our ACC opener at Miami. Last year, we were unbeaten (12-0) when ACC play began. We played a series in Tallahassee and were swept by FSU....even when managing to score 9 runs & establishing a big lead in one of the games. It's likely we'll enter the Miami series with a similar record... having not been too tested (I'm thinking high leverage pitching/defense situations, specifically).

What do you think about this formula? Should we try (assuming we have some control) to have a more challenging opponent/series in the "pre-conference" portion of our schedule? I don't know. I like the idea of building confidence; but entering such a key Coastal series untested bothers me too.

 

[MWBATL]

What do you think about this formula? Should we try (assuming we have some control) to have a more challenging opponent/series in the "pre-conference" portion of our schedule? I don't know. I like the idea of building confidence; but entering such a key Coastal series untested bothers me too.

I asked CDH about this very issue in Lunch Bunch last year and he replied that he felt it was too important for a young team with young pitchers to learn how they fit together and learn their roles. Apparently he felt the same way entering this season. Personally, I would rather us take on tougher challenges and take a few losses in "preseason" to help us fare better in the ACC when that light goes on. Plus I think it is better for us to play teams like UCLA for the RPI and national prominence one gets.

 

[MWBATL]

UF nips Miami 1-0, but Wake Forest saves our reputation with a 15-5 drubbing of USC.

Virginia Tech finally loses a game to drop to 5-1 as they lost the 2nd game of a DH vs Nevada. Rest of the league goes 11-0 besides those game, with Notre Dame (off to a putrid start) still to play later tonight.

And, by the way, Wright State, which took Clemson 2 of 3 last weekend, turns out to be a solid team which was NCAA Tourney team last year and a solid out against anyone. They are trailing USC (east) 4-3 in the 8th tonight.