2026 Baseball - General

[DecaturJacket]

Just like the committee did their thing last year sending us to Oxford. I don't trust the committee.

Hmm. Yet our "ranking" would've had us hosting. I think this goes to my point ...

 

[gtrower]

I mean I bet they don't drop below 5 or 6 - nor do I necessarily think they should. Remember guys, midweek games don't mean anything (partially saying that in jest, but they really don't mean all that much this early).

Early season baseball polls are meaningless anyway though. I would ignore until 2-3 weeks into conference schedules.

Assuming they take 2 of 3 this weekend, that still is a losing week at 2-3. Midweek games don’t mean as much sure, but I don’t think it’s outlandish for a hypothetical 15-1 GT with a conference sweep on the resume who looks like a juggernaut to hop a 12-4 LSU team who looks lackluster. They’re 3-3 over their last 6 against some weak competition and have been outscored 29-30 over that span.

Also, the “midweek doesn’t matter” philosophy (which I tend to agree with) generally assumes 1 midweek game.

 

[DecaturJacket]

Assuming they take 2 of 3 this weekend, that still is a losing week at 2-3. Midweek games don’t mean as much sure, but I don’t think it’s outlandish for a hypothetical 15-1 GT with a conference sweep on the resume who looks like a juggernaut to hop a 12-4 LSU team who looks lackluster. They’re 3-3 over their last 6 against some weak competition and have been outscored 29-30 over that span.

Also, the “midweek doesn’t matter” philosophy (which I tend to agree with) generally assumes 1 midweek game.

The Monday loss wasn't a midweek. It was a continuation of their weekend (split Dartmouth and Northeastern 2 and 2) series that got pushed. They lost 1 midweek this week and 1 last.

I'm not saying that they won't drop - just that it's not egregious to have them towards the top of the rankings.

But also, I'll continue to drive home the point that it's wasted energy to care about baseball polls this early.

 

[gtrower]

In football sure, but college baseball polls are literally meaningless. Especially prior to conference play.

Meaningless for tourney seed projection maybe. But not meaningless for brand. And these days brand is everything.

Having GT #1 in baseball polls would be a great story and help the brand. Especially with Ramsey in his first year. What a narrative for recruiting.

 

[gtrower]

The Monday loss wasn't a midweek. It was a continuation of their weekend (split) series that got pushed. They lost 1 midweek this week and 1 last.

I'm not saying that they won't drop - just that it's not egregious to have them towards the top of the rankings.

But also, I'll continue to drive home the point that it's wasted energy to care about baseball polls this early.

Polls came out Monday morning. For the purposes of the next poll it was a midweek.

If heels are dug in on this debate going 1-1 while being outscored by Northeastern on the weekend isn’t great either.

 

[DecaturJacket]

Meaningless for tourney seed projection maybe. But not meaningless for brand. And these days brand is everything.

Having GT #1 in baseball polls would be a great story and help the brand. Especially with Ramsey in his first year. What a narrative for recruiting.

Meh. Being #1 during the season isn't gonna do much more than being #2-5 already has imo. We sold out a game vs Northwestern. As far as recruiting I don't think it would make a difference. We already recruit at the top level.

I don't want it to seem like I don't want to be ranked as high as possible. Just saying it isn't worth concerning ourselves with. Lol.

Polls came out Monday morning. For the purposes of the next poll it was a midweek.

If heels are dug in on this debate going 1-1 while being outscored by Northeastern on the weekend isn’t great either.

Fair. Again, not saying it's a given that LSU is better than us (I don't think it's a given that they're not either). Again, just that it's not worth worrying about.

 

[gtbeak]

My POV on this is that baseball rankings are meaningless at every point in the season. Every team in consideration for a spot in any informed ranking is going to make the NCAA tournament already, regardless of where thy land in the rankings, and seeding is done almost exclusively based on RPI, KPI, and the eye test as reported by the regional committees.

 

[GT33]

The rankings are not meaningless. Top ranked teams get coverage and media attention. Being ranked high at the beginning of the season prevents dropping off the radar if you have a bad week or two, especially if it’s due to the injury bug. All of this matters. You build a reputation and that feeds on itself. It’s why the “don’t worry about LSU” conversations are happening. They’ve been a fixture at the top of the rankings, so they get a pass when they stub their toes a few times.

 

[DecaturJacket]

The rankings are not meaningless. Top ranked teams get coverage and media attention. Being ranked high at the beginning of the season prevents dropping off the radar if you have a bad week or two, especially if it’s due to the injury bug. All of this matters. You build a reputation and that feeds on itself. It’s why the “don’t worry about LSU” conversations are happening. They’ve been a fixture at the top of the rankings, so they get a pass when they stub their toes a few times.

Again, this sounds like you're talking football. I just don't find any of this to be anywhere near as true for baseball.

To be fair, I thought a lot of us are programmed to look at all rankings similarly to football, but they just don't react the same way.

 

[gtbeak]

The rankings are not meaningless. Top ranked teams get coverage and media attention. Being ranked high at the beginning of the season prevents dropping off the radar if you have a bad week or two, especially if it’s due to the injury bug. All of this matters. You build a reputation and that feeds on itself. It’s why the “don’t worry about LSU” conversations are happening. They’ve been a fixture at the top of the rankings, so they get a pass when they stub their toes a few times.

With respect (I mean that, I do respect you as a poster), I disagree. Media coverage is based on fan support almost exclusively, with a little bit of star player sprinkled in (Drew Burress for us this season). And fan support is mostly based on a school being in the south but away from other professional teams (major league and minor league), with of course the need to have had some historical success in the post-season. "The radar" used by the committee making post-season selections is not aware that rankings even exist, so being on or off of that radar is independent of rankings.

 

[DecaturJacket]

The rankings are not meaningless. Top ranked teams get coverage and media attention. Being ranked high at the beginning of the season prevents dropping off the radar if you have a bad week or two, especially if it’s due to the injury bug. All of this matters. You build a reputation and that feeds on itself. It’s why the “don’t worry about LSU” conversations are happening. They’ve been a fixture at the top of the rankings, so they get a pass when they stub their toes a few times.

Again, this sounds like you're talking football. I just don't find any of this to be anywhere near as true for baseball.

To be fair, I thought a lot of us are programmed to look at all rankings similarly to football, but they just don't react the same way.

Once the season gets to conference play, the baseball polls move A LOT.

For example, over a 5 week stretch last season (starting in late March when conference play was underway for a few weeks) here's Tennessee in one of the polls:

• 1
• 5
• 4
• 6
• 12

In that same stretch, here's Arkansas:

• 2
• 1
• 2
• 5
• 11

And ugag:

• 3
• 7
• 5
• 10
• 9

Clemson:

• 6
• 4
• 3
• 2
• 3

Baseball polls aren't stagnant like football. They move with the wind. You lose some conference games, you're gonna drop. Again, there's reasons they don't put a lot of stock in early season and especially midweek games. Agree or disagree with them, the real movement comes once you get into conference games.

 

[L41k18]

LSU is still 11-3. 2 of the losses are midweeks. They lost their pitching from last season, so they're definitely light on the arms and you're gonna see that the most in midweek games. You don't typically see teams get all that penalized for early midweek losses unless they start piling up - SEC or otherwise. I will say that their offense started the season looking like everybody expected it would, but has really cooled down the past 2 weeks.

They're probably overrated by a little, but I don't think it's egregious and I do still think they'll be a top team in the SEC again.

The problem for LSU has been their bats.

 

[DecaturJacket]

Baseball Announces New Premium Seating at Mac Nease Baseball Park

Fans can now purchase luxury seating behind home plate and down the 1st base line

ramblinwreck.com

This seems a little silly ...

$150 / game

$50 / game

The first base ones are whatever, but I especially hate the "strike zone" ones. It already can get crowded down there between innings. Now it's gonna be even tighter. Also, those chairs look super uncomfortable. No armrests even???

 

[Mandingo Finkelstein]

Baseball Announces New Premium Seating at Mac Nease Baseball Park

Fans can now purchase luxury seating behind home plate and down the 1st base line

ramblinwreck.com

This seems a little silly ...

$150 / game
View attachment 21053

$50 / game
View attachment 21054

The first base ones are whatever, but I especially hate the "strike zone" ones. It already can get crowded down there between innings. Now it's gonna be even tighter. Also, those chairs look super uncomfortable. No armrests even???

I read the article but still not sure. I assume the first base table and 4 chairs is $150 for all of it and not per chair. Correct?

ETA: Also, those 1B side chairs, I wonder if they swivel? I mean one of the chairs is pointing towards RF and will be very awkward to watch the game if stationary. "watch the game" meaning 95% of a game takes place between the pitcher and catcher

 

[DecaturJacket]

I read the article but still not sure. I assume the first base table and 4 chairs is $150 for all of it and not per chair. Correct?

I was wondering that too. I can't imagine those being $150/person. $37.50 per seems more reasonable (but also more than I would pay for that view ...).

 

[PearidgeRambler]

What kind of food are they serving in Champions Hall? Worth the extra $100?

 

[DecaturJacket]

What kind of food are they serving in Champions Hall? Worth the extra $100?

Based on the video below, it looks like hotdogs, hamburgers, salad, chicken fingers, popcorn, and chips. It'd take a lot of that stuff to make it worth $100 per person imo.

Older stuff seems to say that it only includes non-alcoholic drinks, but that video and the newer stuff seem to point to alcohol being included? If that's the case MAYBE I could see it worth it for a big game in a weekend series? Even then, that seems like a stretch.

 

[PearidgeRambler]

Based on the video below, it looks like hotdogs, hamburgers, salad, chicken fingers, popcorn, and chips. It'd take a lot of that stuff to make it worth $100 per person imo.

Older stuff seems to say that it only includes non-alcoholic drinks, but that video and the newer stuff seem to point to alcohol being included? If that's the case MAYBE I could see it worth it for a big game in a weekend series? Even then, that seems like a stretch.

Appreciate the video. That's about the food choices I expected. Alcohol would definitely add value but got a feeling that's an extra cost. At least the Team is elite!

 

[Mandingo Finkelstein]

Well, give it a chance. Not that we have much say in it anyway.

If it attracts any new fans or any fans at all and Tech makes a little more money at it, then awesome. If it goes mostly unoccupied, then try something else.

Can't hurt to try I suppose.

 

[DecaturJacket]

Well, give it a chance. Not that we have much say in it anyway.

If it attracts any new fans or any fans at all and Tech makes a little more money at it, then awesome. If it goes mostly unoccupied, then try something else.

Can't hurt to try I suppose.

Just seems like a half-ars attempt thought of at the last minute.

Hopefully next go round of actual improvements we see some outfield seating added. Miss the days of the frats having homemade platforms with couches and speakers out there.