Posted on Nafoom

Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:56 pm

(not that there's anything wrong with that)

"Fyi regarding baseball
Rebs #4 in Baseball America poll. Arizona, Ucla, and Vanderbilt were the top three and they all have lost at least one game this weekend. Vandy is about to lose their second. Could we actually see it?"

oxpatchreb · Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:10 pm

rebelliousb wrote:(not that there's anything wrong with that)

"Fyi regarding baseball
Rebs #4 in Baseball America poll. Arizona, Ucla, and Vanderbilt were the top three and they all have lost at least one game this weekend. Vandy is about to lose their second. Could we actually see it?"

Seems that way......

Would this be a kiss of death? A bad omen? A jinx?

Or would this serve as confidence and momentum to a veteran team just ITCHING for a reason to walk into every single game this season KNOWING, not just thinking or believing, but flat out KNOWING they are going to win. No matter what the score or inning. Hmmmmmm.........

oxpatchreb · Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:47 pm

Just did a little poking around.

Seems Vandy lost to ASU (currently up 7-0 in the 2nd over Oregon State), ranked #1 in ESPN/USA Today. Vandy still won 2 of 3 this weekend. And I think UGA (AZ's loss, won 2 of 3) and Oklahoma (UCLA's loss, 1-1, cancelled 3rd game b/c of weather) are better opponents as compared to Minn.

Like I said, I'm just guessing. If UGA and OU are in the same league as Minn, maybe they stick us behind ASU in second.

Not saying it won't happen in one or the other poll, but it certainly won't be unanimous.

EDIT: SC has lost one this weekend to ECU, and Rice lost 2 to Long Beach St. Looks like 2nd is a lock.

EDIT: Except that Texas swept as well, they might be ahead of us.

oxfordrebel · Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:40 pm

Do NOT want to be #1. We need to play into it, not get it by the result of others losing. Plus some of our guys are young/new to the team. Don't need the pressure (and target) of being #1. #4 is a good place to be at this point in the season. Let #1 come up about mid-May.

But I wouldn't complain if we were #1, just don't think it would be the best thing right now. I think we've always played best over the years when we're closely matched to our opponent rather than being heavy favorites. JMO.

Heath · Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:06 pm

oxfordrebel wrote:Do NOT want to be #1. We need to play into it, not get it by the result of others losing. Plus some of our guys are young/new to the team. Don't need the pressure (and target) of being #1. #4 is a good place to be at this point in the season. Let #1 come up about mid-May.

But I wouldn't complain if we were #1, just don't think it would be the best thing right now. I think we've always played best over the years when we're closely matched to our opponent rather than being heavy favorites. JMO.

I agree. I personnally do not think that Satterwhite or Baker had a very strong performance. Not that they performed badly, I just think against Minn, they should have had stronger performances. Think about the fact that if we would have been playing Ariz. State, Vandy, or another very strong opponent, what would have happened?

So, I agree with Oxfordrebel. I think once the Sat. and Sun. pitchers get it together 100%, we will then be a strong contender for #1.

But all around, GREAT performances this weekend by the team as a whole!! I'm pumped to see what the next 3-4 months bring!

I take that back, I guess Baker did pretty well too. Just gotta get Cody to throw strikes. If all he can get across the plate is his fastball, regardless of how fast it is, he will eventually get lit-up by good hitters.

downshall · Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:34 pm

oxfordrebel wrote:Do NOT want to be #1. We need to play into it, not get it by the result of others losing. Plus some of our guys are young/new to the team. Don't need the pressure (and target) of being #1. #4 is a good place to be at this point in the season. Let #1 come up about mid-May.

When others lose and you win, that IS playing into it. The fact that it is the first weekend is irrelevant. It's not like these services will have just awakened from a nap in a better mood and decided to rank us higher. We swept this weekend, and others didn't. That's what moves you up now and in late April.

oxfordrebel · Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:28 pm

downshall wrote:
oxfordrebel wrote:Do NOT want to be #1. We need to play into it, not get it by the result of others losing. Plus some of our guys are young/new to the team. Don't need the pressure (and target) of being #1. #4 is a good place to be at this point in the season. Let #1 come up about mid-May.
When others lose and you win, that IS playing into it. The fact that it is the first weekend is irrelevant. It's not like these services will have just awakened from a nap in a better mood and decided to rank us higher. We swept this weekend, and others didn't. That's what moves you up now and in late April.

This is true and you're right. If our guys are #1 they will have "played into it". But that's not exactly what I meant. #4 is a good assessment of this team. They don't have a #1 look yet. Offense sure does, but pitching still needs a little work. That said, I've never seen a baseball team come out looking this good. I think they could very easily be the best team in the country in a week or two. But I really want to see them play a ranked opponent before saying this is the best team. I want to see them face a Lance Lynn type pitcher and rough up his ERA before saying that the offense has completely arrived. I have confidence that they could do it, but the seeing is believing. Minnesota is a good early test, but the Gophers really did NOT look good...at all. By far not the worst I've ever seen, but not really good either. They'll get better though. I want to see our pitchers not have to work out of bases loaded, less than 2 outs jams like Satterwhite did yesterday and, I believe, Baker did today. Plus, I really hate to see our guys have that huge target on their back of being ranked #1.

Yes, they probably do deserve the #1 ranking from Baseball America this week by virtue of getting help from those ahead of them, but...it's hard to explain, and I suppose it's stupid for me to say but... I guess I'm just scared it will be a distraction to a program that hasn't seen #1 in a LONG, LONG time. We just don't know how a team full of younger/new to the team guys will respond to it if...no WHEN it happens this season. That's the main thing that concerns me.

I NEVER though I'd ever be concerned about being ranked #1 in the nation.

downshall · Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:20 am

oxfordrebel wrote:
downshall wrote:
oxfordrebel wrote:Do NOT want to be #1. We need to play into it, not get it by the result of others losing. Plus some of our guys are young/new to the team. Don't need the pressure (and target) of being #1. #4 is a good place to be at this point in the season. Let #1 come up about mid-May.
When others lose and you win, that IS playing into it. The fact that it is the first weekend is irrelevant. It's not like these services will have just awakened from a nap in a better mood and decided to rank us higher. We swept this weekend, and others didn't. That's what moves you up now and in late April.
This is true and you're right. If our guys are #1 they will have "played into it". But that's not exactly what I meant. #4 is a good assessment of this team. They don't have a #1 look yet. Offense sure does, but pitching still needs a little work. That said, I've never seen a baseball team come out looking this good. I think they could very easily be the best team in the country in a week or two. But I really want to see them play a ranked opponent before saying this is the best team. I want to see them face a Lance Lynn type pitcher and rough up his ERA before saying that the offense has completely arrived. I have confidence that they could do it, but the seeing is believing. Minnesota is a good early test, but the Gophers really did NOT look good...at all. By far not the worst I've ever seen, but not really good either. They'll get better though. I want to see our pitchers not have to work out of bases loaded, less than 2 outs jams like Satterwhite did yesterday and, I believe, Baker did today. Plus, I really hate to see our guys have that huge target on their back of being ranked #1.

Yes, they probably do deserve the #1 ranking from Baseball America this week by virtue of getting help from those ahead of them, but...it's hard to explain, and I suppose it's stupid for me to say but... I guess I'm just scared it will be a distraction to a program that hasn't seen #1 in a LONG, LONG time. We just don't know how a team full of younger/new to the team guys will respond to it if...no WHEN it happens this season. That's the main thing that concerns me.

I NEVER though I'd ever be concerned about being ranked #1 in the nation.

I agree with you. I wouldn't be totally surprised to see us ranked up there. You can't put a lot of stock in it because you don't know how good Minnesota is, but we've still won. You gotta like that after football and basketball (recently, anyway).