Official Nebraska Cardiac Beaver Slayers Offseason Baseball Thread

[HCFord1]

Yes it is and you hit the nail on the head. Our RPI and SOS seems to benefit from playing a little tougher non-con. However I do remember Erstad one year played a VERY tough non-con and we started the season something like 2-8. After that he seemed to tone it down just a touch. I don’t remember what year it was but I do remember him talking about backing off such a tough schedule just a bit.

The thing is if you play a brutal schedule and go 4-8, it helps so much more than playing an easy one and going 9-3. The easy schedule gives us such a tiny margin of error that it just doesn't seem worth it.

Now, I think the approach this past year was perfect. We played tough teams in the non-conference schedule but not 3 top 10 teams.

 

[SlumpBuster]

However I do remember Erstad one year played a VERY tough non-con and we started the season something like 2-8. After that he seemed to tone it down just a touch. I don’t remember what year it was but I do remember him talking about backing off such a tough schedule just a bit.

We also had an RPI of like 23 that year and would have been a 2 seed somewhere except we were disqualified because we were 1 game under .500 (we lost to eventual CWS team Indiana in the B1G championship with Schwarber.) I think we even ended up ranked in a few polls despite not going to the postseason. That was a good team.

But that was an extreme. We played one of the toughest schedules the nation that year. I think you have to schedule tough but not that tough.

 

[SlumpBuster]

That's a tough non con. We probably need it though playing in the B1G.

I wonder how much of this is true in the new Big ten with some better teams but there's probably still some need for some difficult scheduling.

 

[Ironwardog]

I wonder how much of this is true in the new Big ten with some better teams but they're probably some need for some difficult scheduling still.

The four pac 12 schools that came in all had a better name for baseball than the rest of the Big 10 combined IMO especially since UCLA has actually won a title this century (2015 I think w/o looking it up?) Only way we wouldn’t have to continue to schedule a tough non-con is if we moved to the SEC like some people have rumored we are talking to them because of the whole AAU situation (that discussion is better left on one of the other threads).

 

[SlumpBuster]

The four pac 12 schools that came in all had a better name for baseball than the rest of the Big 10 combined IMO especially since UCLA has actually won a title this century (2015 I think w/o looking it up?) Only way we wouldn’t have to continue to schedule a tough non-con is if we moved to the SEC like some people have rumored we are talking to them because of the whole AAU situation (that discussion is better left on one of the other threads).

I think if you look at the RPI of those teams of the past 10 years Nebraska has a better RPI average than both USC and Washington. Maryland and Indiana both have a better average RPI than all 4 incoming teams. In fact the B1G schedule last year really didn't hurt us at all last year for RPI.

But what this is basically doing is doubling the number of teams that are competitive. So instead of having 5-6 teams with Quad 1 or 2 RPI we will have 9 or 10.

Still not the SEC or ACC of course. Those two conferences are in their own world and that's not changing anytime soon.


BUT, this change is making the B1G SOLIDLY #3 or 4 in the country. We will battle it out with the B12 for #3 for the foreseeable future.

Considering before we joined the B1G they were ranked easily in the double digits as a conference, this is huge.

My question is who will affect who? Will the 4 new teams help us move forward as a conference and challenge the other teams to do more or will they gravitate to us?

One thing that is very interesting is those 4 teams will be in the top 5 in baseball budgets day 1 of joining the conference. Will others increase their budget as a response?

 

[PonyBoy]

 

[clifscales]

Anyone have a subscription to paste this article

 

[HCFord1]

Anyone have a subscription to paste this article

Well I certainly can't argue after seeing that clip

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Well I certainly can't argue after seeing that clip

"Hit it where they ain't" is for cameramen too!

 

[Husker Dad]

Here’s some more schedule updates

Our home conference games are
Washington, Rutgers, Michigan, northwestern, Minnesota

Road games are
UCLA,usc, Purdue, Maryland, Cockeye

 

[Husker Dad]

5 games in 3 days to open the season in Scottsdale!!

Tennessee and vandy on Feb 14

Gcu and Austin peay Feb 15

New Mexico Feb 16

Stay in Arizona for a Monday game at gcu

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Tennessee and vandy on Feb 14

 

[SlumpBuster]

Here’s some more schedule updates

Our home conference games are
Washington, Rutgers, Michigan, northwestern, Minnesota

Road games are
UCLA,usc, Purdue, Maryland, Cockeye

Home schedule a lot easier than the road schedule.

 

[Kaladin]

 

[PonyBoy]

5 games in 3 days to open the season in Scottsdale!!

Tennessee and vandy on Feb 14

Gcu and Austin peay Feb 15

New Mexico Feb 16

Stay in Arizona for a Monday game at gcu

So no opening 2 weekends in LA?

It was suppose to be USC/UCLA opening weekend, 2 midweek games against a mid-major Cali team and the last weekend against UCLA/USC. They were to stay in LA for 11 days; from Thursday thru the following Sunday.

5 games in 3 days to open the season is as dumb as it gets. 6 in 4 days is even dumber. The post-season doesn't even stretch a team like this. Dafuq!

 

[Husker Dad]

So no opening 2 weekends in LA?

It was suppose to be USC/UCLA opening weekend, 2 midweek games against a mid-major Cali team and the last weekend against UCLA/USC. They were to stay in LA for 11 days; from Thursday thru the following Sunday.

5 games in 3 days to open the season is as dumb as it gets. 6 in 4 days is even dumber. The post-season doesn't even stretch a team like this. Dafuq!

They make that trip over spring break. 3 vs ucla, Tuesday, Wednesday against Pepperdine and then 3 vs usc

 

[Husker Dad]

We open conference play against washington march 7,8 and 9 in Lincoln followed by a Tuesday, Wednesday again Wichita state

 

[Kaladin]

 

[PonyBoy]

Incredible progress by Breezy.

Started 2024 in rookie ball and has graduated 3 levels to AAA this season...

 

[PonyBoy]

2026. Heck of a frame to fill out and easy action with that arm.

His dad TJ was a stud at Pickle Smoochers.