CWS Wednesday Open Thread
Three games today, all on ESPN.
Picking up from the 5th inning, Louisville is up 4-1 over Auburn in an elimination game for the other half of the bracket.
3pm Vandy vs Mississippi State in the other half winners bracket.
7pm Texas Tech vs Florida State in an elimination game in our half of the bracket to find out who plays Michigan Friday and would have to beat the Wolverines twice to advance to the championship series.
Rooting for a grinding, extra inning affair between TTU and FSU, with all hands on deck from a pitching perspective to come out victorious today.
Wouldn't mind some extras and/or weather pushing that game to tomorrow either.
Root for some concussion inducing slides.
I like the competitive spirit - but lets not root for injuries. Especially head injuries...
Out of all the teams left, who is the best opponent? Vandy? In other words, how would we want to see this play out?
Not concerned about that yet... just hope we get another shot at hammering FSU.
Worry about the rest later.
Not a bad team in the tourney - all have been top 20 teams all year, except FSU (most similar to us). Vandy has been top 3 all year, along with UCLA. MSU (NTMSU) has been a college baseball juggernaut for dozens of years.
Michigan has two games to win one just to get to the final. Against TTU or FSU, that seems reasonable. Vandy and MSU will be a UCLA-like task - doable, but will take some herculean effort and good luck.
All of the teams are good, but if we wanted to be picky I would root for the winner of Louisville vs Auburn to pull off a 2 game upset over Vandy or Miss. State. That would give us a slightly less powerful opponent who will have played a ton of innings in a potential championship series.
At this point, why NOT Michigan? They controlled that UCLA series in all but about 2 innings of game 2. FSU/Texas Tech will have to win one against Kaufman or Henry. I'll take the odds there.
If we can win that first game Friday, it means we can start Henry in game 1 of the finals on a week of rest and then decide what to do with Kaufman depending on that game. He would have to pitch on 3 days rest to go in Game 2, so that might be the time to use Criswell and have Kaufman ready to go in game 3 on 4 days rest.
If we have to play Friday and Saturday, it will stretch us out more for the finals and I think our odds go down considerably. Assuming Henry pitches Saturday, we'll probably have to start Criswell on Monday, bring Kaufman back on Tuesday on 3 days rest, and then use Henry on Wednesday, also on 3 days rest.
It is very possible that due to the importance of these games, Bakich will decide to use his guys on much shorter rest than usual, but I hope he doesn't have to make that call.
Obviously I'm not looking past the game on Friday, but if we can finish off FSU/TT in one game, I think our odds in the Finals goes up a bunch regardless of who we face.
I keep waiting for our carriage to turn back into a pumpkin, but our fortune hasn't worn off yet. Michigan's playing as well as anybody
We are but our depth is a concern. Our bullpen doesn't match up super well and if we get pushed to a third game to get to the championship series and our 4th pitcher isn't close to the same level as Kaufmann, Criswell, Henry
excellent information. I'm completely ignorant of the CWS. Thank you for filling me in!
Starting pitching is our strength...so whoever we match up best with from our pitchers' perspective. I don't know the answer.
Vandy has a pitcher who threw a no hitter last week. I would not want to face them.
#VandyBoys
Yada yada...all teams are good...yada yada...Vandy. It's definitely Vandy. The talent Corbin has been able to assemble at Vandy over the last decade is incredible.
The loser of the Vanderbilt-Mississippi State game at 2:00 today is really going to get the "sharp end of the stick". That loser will have to play the winner of Louisville-Auburn tomorrow/Thursday (probably Louisville, who is leading late), and if they win that game, then has to play today's opponent on Friday, win that game, and play same opponent Saturday to go to Finals. 4 games in 4 days. Giving that pitching staff one day rest before the final three games series starting Monday - 7 games over 8 days.
If we can get to the Finals - and we need to worry about that first - I want the other side of the bracket to have to go to the Saturday game, and hopefully get one of those two teams that had to play 4 days straight between today and Saturday to get to the Finals.
RPI of teams left (Regular Season):
1. Vanderbilt
4. Mississippi State
9. Louisville
11. Texas Tech
19. Auburn
39. Michigan
50. Florida State
**Eliminated: 6. Arkansas
Here's to Tie ballgames, Extra innings and exhausted bullpens....HURRAY!
Wow.... way to block the bag at 2nd on that pickoff.... well done.
Louisville 5-2, middle 8.
Why are teams wearing America-themed uniforms?
Louisville has r/w/b colors and stars on their numbers and logo. Auburn has military camo on their hats. One of the other teams that just walked in (Vandy?) had stars and stripes too. ??
It's Juneteenth, which marks the emancipation of slaves. That's my only guess. It's a holiday in many states, though I hadn't seen sportsball change unis for it.
Considering the two teams in question are from Kentucky and Alabama, that would be quite the progress. My cynical side says there's a different reason.
Until any proof shows otherwise you have to assume the military is paying the schools for such propaganda like they do with football teams and the broadcasters.
It takes many varied and continuous efforts to con people into joining, supporting or accepting the muscle wing of the American Corporate Mafia in it's rape of everyone, to everyones detriment and lessening of freedom, rights and justice outside, of the 1%, with trickle down to the top 20% and torrents of piss & far worse upon the rest of the heads alive.
Would you prefer another country-themed?
Ukraine.
Suck it, Vlad.
I say we try to avoid Vandy because of this a-hole:
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/2019/06/18/vanderbilt-whistler-college-world-series-ejected-mississippi-state/1490618001/90618001/
If we face Mississippi State, will there be 15,000 jackasses ringing their cowbells?
I was waiting for someone to bring up this maunfactured controversy.
Bottom of 8. Auburn has ducks on the pond with two outs. Trailing by three runs, 5-2.
Louisville gets a K leaving them loaded. Onto the 9th.
Louisville's pitcher looks like a young Colonel Sanders.
On brand.
ESS EEE SEE.
Half the CWS field and the first two out.
L'ville 5, Auburn 3.
Kumar isn't getting the start he'd like..... 2 on with only 1 down...
1-0 Vandy on a solo shot
Tough for Auburn. Up 3 in the bottom of the 9th in game 1, then you blow it and you're out next game
JJ Bleday! Anchor Down!
And now Vandy up big. 6-0, top of the 5th
Vandy is intimidating.
Texas Tech, FSU, Vandy, Mississippi State, Louisville. We are the underdogs from the Midwest against the usual "redneck elite".
Fuck them all - bring any of them on! This is our year!
As a Vanderbilt grad, I’d rather not be lumped in with those other schools. We play school here. But right there with you on the other schools, and of course Go Blue!
There is a scenario in play where the 8 CWS teams are eliminated in alphabetical order. Hear me out:
Arkansas was the first team eliminated Monday. Auburn followed today. Florida State would be eliminated with a loss tonight, Louisville would be eliminated with a loss tomorrow.
If Texas Tech beats us and Mississippi State beats Vanderbilt Friday, then Texas Tech beats us again to knock us out and Vanderbilt knocks off Mississippi State State on Saturday, and Vanderbilt beats Texas Tech in the final, it would be a full chronological alphabetical elimination.
I am now horrified that my realization of this possibility will make it happen, so now I’m rooting even harder for Florida State tonight (Plus I’d rather play them than Texas Tech).
Apparently, Texas Tech vs Florida State will air on ESPN at 7:50 EDT according to NCAA CWS site.
Here comes FSU-Texas Tech. Let's go Noles.
Who's everyone rooting for between FSU/TTU? FSU seems to have the worse offense so I think I'd rather take my chances with them.
Tech's also seen Kauffmann a bunch and I'm guessing he's the starter on Friday.
Clearly we would rather face FSU than TTU. Your point about Kauffman is spot on. We also have familiarity with their pitchers, but their offensive firepower negates our advantage of having the better starting pitcher(s) for sure.
Random comment... Since FSU and TTU have both been home teams twice in this tournament already, Michigan is guaranteed to be the home team Friday and Saturday (in the unfortunate event we lose Friday).
TX Tech hitting and pitching looks better than FSU head to head.
17 innings, boys.
Use your entire rotations.