The Official Tennessee @ Florida Series Thread (Fri. May 3rd Game 1 3PM EST, Game 2 after SECNET+) (Sat. May 4th 6:30PM EST SECNET+)

Few observations after Florida series:

1. If Hunter is that hitter the rest of the year…whoa baby! We go from dangerous to outright lethal. Moore, Burke, KT, Dreiling, Amick, Curley, Hunter, Cal do Cal things…would only leave us with DH spot to sure up!
2. Pitching is just flat out getting it done. Lots of people complained about pitching yet they keep rolling along and keep us in every single game. Even when the bats took a dip for a few games they were right there keeping us in every game and winning most of them! Thanks pitching staff…all the way around awesome job!
3. Backus needs a full chance…getting pulled after one bat against a pitcher for whatever reason is not a chance. Replacing him with a guy that is struggling to even make contact is mind boggling. Is Backus our 9th bat? I am not sure, but he should be given adequate at bats to see like all the others have.
4. Amick defensively is starting to be an issue. Multiple plays in multiple games, some which are very routine. I hope it is just an aberration but he supposedly had these issues at Clemson and no matter how great his bat is he will struggle to hold down that position on the next level playing this way.

Conclusion…team is locked…team is loaded…we have another true contender for Omaha and a possible national championship!
Why has the DH spot been a challenge for a few seasons?
I keep seeing guys come to the plate in the DH role who can't even work the pitch count 🤷
 
Probably Arkansas since we lost to Lipscomb. If we had either swept Florida or not dropped that midweek game we probably are the clear cut #1. Voters are going to see those 16 runs vs Florida though so who knows.

Despite the series win on road. Vols RPI fell 4 spots to #9 on the week.

A&M lost series on road to RPI #31 LSU. Who is not a particularly good team but does have a strong reputation.
Arkansas won 2 midweek games over a sub. 500 Missouri State team and lost on road at RPI #2 team
Tennessee went on road and beat RPI #20 Florida and should have swept. But lost to RPI #200 who then went 2-1 at #222 Central Ark.
Clemson stands 1-1 vs #48 Ga Tech at home with a big series next week at Wake.

In 2022, Tennessee lost 2 games at Kentucky and fell from consensus #1 for one week. They should have stayed #1 as they were miles ahead of 2-5 teams. D1 and Coaches poll kept the Vols at #1 but other polls moved Oregon State to #1. The Beavs lost 2 games at Arizona the next week to allow the Vols to be consensus #1 again- and actually lost 2 games to UCLA at home the weekend after that.

I think Texas A&M has enough "equity" built up to remain #1 IF they win this afternoon. If the Aggies are swept by a rather mediocre and fragile LSU team; then the debate is on. If Arkansas wins today to take the series, then they will return to #1 as they will have won a series at the #2 RPI team.

If A&M and Arkansas lose- a definite possibility, then I don't know. I do not think Clemson and Tennessee have played like #1 ranked teams. However, should Clemson win the rubber game against GaTech, I think they go to #1 if at least one poll and they will drop A&M and Arkansas down a spot. Another poll may do the same with Tennessee. If Arkansas, A&M and Clemson all lose today; I still can't fathom the Vols being a consensus #1 with a midweek loss to Lipscomb.

East Carolina (RPI #*) is a stalking horse as ECU has started their DH again South Florida (trailing game one, 3-1 after 1st) as the Pirates have won 14 of last 15 and 20 of last 22 with two wins over RPI #22 NC State but the other wins being rather pedestrian. Their only bad weekend was losing 2 at UTSA (#107) in late March. The Pirates have a better than average chance of going undefeated the rest of the way with only 2 games against top-100 teams (Duke and Campbell both at home)
 
Why has the DH spot been a challenge for a few seasons?
I keep seeing guys come to the plate in the DH role who can't even work the pitch count 🤷
Our best hitters are starting in the field. Except a couple positions that have a glove you really need. Hard to stack players with NIL getting involved. Someone will make a position for you.
 
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Austin Peay (173) , Jacksonville State (162) and Stetson (113) are all tied at 15-8 in the Atlantic Sun. Kennesaw State (82) is 1/2 game back

AP is playing the rubber match this afternoon at Stetson. JackState is trying to avoid the sweep at FGCU. K-State is playing DH vs NoFla after losing game1 to Ospreys.

I would NOT want to play any of those teams in regional game 1. Especially Austin Peay and their offense and Kennesaw who is well balanced. At those RPIs; only KSU would likely be a 3 seed. The Owls have lost 3 straight to @Bellarmine, UGA and North Fla. KSU did take 2 of 3 from APSU at home but Govs got their runs in all three games.. KSU took series 2-1 at Kentucky with 13-1 and 10-2 scores
 
Austin Peay (173) , Jacksonville State (162) and Stetson (113) are all tied at 15-8 in the Atlantic Sun. Kennesaw State (82) is 1/2 game back

AP is playing the rubber match this afternoon at Stetson. JackState is trying to avoid the sweep at FGCU. K-State is playing DH vs NoFla after losing game1 to Ospreys.

I would NOT want to play any of those teams in regional game 1. Especially Austin Peay and their offense and Kennesaw who is well balanced. At those RPIs; only KSU would likely be a 3 seed. The Owls have lost 3 straight to @Bellarmine, UGA and North Fla. KSU did take 2 of 3 from APSU at home but Govs got their runs in all three games.. KSU took series 2-1 at Kentucky with 13-1 and 10-2 scores
Those ASUN have taken some games from SEC competition this year. They have some quality teams at the top. Wouldn’t be shocked to see one of them make some noise in a regional.
 
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Why has the DH spot been a challenge for a few seasons?
I keep seeing guys come to the plate in the DH role who can't even work the pitch count 🤷
It’s really hard to be a DH. Not playing all game and then having to get ready for an AB after sitting around for 30-45 minutes is a hard thing to. Most MLB teams can’t even find a quality DH because so many guys don’t like just hitting and not being able to get into the flow of the game
 
@fryeguy93

How many teams do you see the Acc getting in and where is the cutoff there?
The 10th place SEC and the 9th and 10th place ACC team are dependent on what happens in the mid majors, Big10 and Pac10. They need to hope the season winners win their conference tourneys. or there will be no slot to get in.

I see 9 SEC and 8 ACC right now. I think Fla is "off the bubble" right now and LSU is back on as the 10th team.
 
@fryeguy93

How many teams do you see the Acc getting in and where is the cutoff there?
IMO as of today:

I would say they get 8, possibly up to 10 in:

Clemson (regional host)
Duke (regional host)
FSU (regional host)
UNC (regional host)
NC State (possible regional host)
Virgina (regional host)
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

Louisville (First 4 in - bubble team)
Georgia Tech (bubble team)

The SEC currently would have 9, possibly up to 11:

Alabama
Arkansas (regional host)
Georgia
Kentucky (regional host)
Mississippi St (regional host)
South Carolina (possible regional host)
Tennessee (regional host)
Texas A&M (regional host)
Vanderbilt

Florida (First 4 in - bubble team)
LSU (First 4 out - bubble team)

There is still a lot that can happen over the last few weeks. Florida, Louisville, and LSU could all drop some games and get left out. Wake still has Clemson and NC State left on the schedule. If they drop those series they would be at 14-16 and I would think they would be considered a bubble team at that point. Any team from those conferences that gets to 14 wins will be considered for selection, even 13 as long as you have the quality wins. As far as national seeds are concerned, it’s even crazier right now. Essentially anyone that is currently in line to be a national seed could still end up becoming the #1 overall seed. There are 5 teams in play for the top spot in the SEC and realistically it’s a 2 horse race for the ACC between Clemson and UNC. You are looking at possibly 12 regional hosts from the SEC/ACC combined. 10 is more likely imo. Several teams could play themselves on/off the bubble. It’s pretty wide open this year.
 
IMO as of today:

I would say they get 8, possibly up to 10 in:

Clemson (regional host)
Duke (regional host)
FSU (regional host)
UNC (regional host)
NC State (possible regional host)
Virgina (regional host)
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

Louisville (First 4 in - bubble team)
Georgia Tech (bubble team)

The SEC currently would have 9, possibly up to 11:

Alabama
Arkansas (regional host)
Georgia
Kentucky (regional host)
Mississippi St (regional host)
South Carolina (possible regional host)
Tennessee (regional host)
Texas A&M (regional host)
Vanderbilt

Florida (First 4 in - bubble team)
LSU (First 4 out - bubble team)

There is still a lot that can happen over the last few weeks. Florida, Louisville, and LSU could all drop some games and get left out. Wake still has Clemson and NC State left on the schedule. If they drop those series they would be at 14-16 and I would think they would be considered a bubble team at that point. Any team from those conferences that gets to 14 wins will be considered for selection, even 13 as long as you have the quality wins. As far as national seeds are concerned, it’s even crazier right now. Essentially anyone that is currently in line to be a national seed could still end up becoming the #1 overall seed. There are 5 teams in play for the top spot in the SEC and realistically it’s a 2 horse race for the ACC between Clemson and UNC. You are looking at possibly 12 regional hosts from the SEC/ACC combined. 10 is more likely imo. Several teams could play themselves on/off the bubble. It’s pretty wide open this year.
I think UGA gets the host before Miss State. MSU has 2 more SEC wins but UGA RPI is far higher with better wins.

I "assume" UGA will do better over their last 6 (@SC and FL) than MS (@Ar and MZ)
 

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