Baseball 1A & 2A Playoff Bracketology (If bracket was released today)

[tarheelg]

I think baseball and softball will end up back at 64 teams next year. My guess is that they will see how it goes with Volleyball, then make the adjustment for spring sports at the winter meetings next December. But you never truly know with the NCHSAA.

Yes, I think there are enough baseball playing schools in 1A to warrant a 64 team field....or at least 56, and only give byes to the 1-4 in East & West...I'm all for wanting it to mean something to make the playoffs but I suppose some really bad teams getting in is the lesser of an evil than a team getting left out, who obviously belongs, based on record and ranking, etc....for football, I think 48 is fine in 1A since there are so many 1A schools that do not play football, wouldn't mind seeing 4A go back to 64....some very good teams were left out last year...thought I heard something about that being a possibility but can't remember if anything came of it

 

[tarheelg]

Looking up and down PG's schedule, they do look very impressive, know those were tough extra inning losses to ER & Randleman, also a one run loss to Southern Alamance, two run loss to Asheboro....then the one that got ugly was a 10-0 loss to East Forsyth, who is a 4A power many years...looks like it was third game of the week, and maybe out of pitching, and/or saving pitching for the conference game the following Tuesday against JM...if they win three of those four close losses and have a better showing against EF, they very well may have a ranking higher than Randleman, let alone be conference champions, had they won only the two conference games and forget about the non-conference games, they would be seeded somewhere among the tier of conference champions (even if their ranking was lower than Randleman), and Randleman would be the one looking at one home game, then a flurry of road games to go ruin spoil some home team's playoff party in 2nd Rd and beyond....winning matters; Randleman and PG split in regular season, but Randleman didn't have that outlying loss to ER, so they won the conference, and i've always thought a conference regular season championship over 2 months speaks more to a program's greatness than getting hot over 3-4 days...like I may have said earlier, it feels like there is really no reason to play a conference tournament unless breaking a tie, so just have a one game playoff among the tied teams....To your point about head to head 1 out of 1, 2 out of 3, whatever, I'm reminded of what seems like every week in college basketball or college football, you'll see a team ranked low teens or twenties beat a team ranked in top ten, then the week after the one from top ten drops, the one from 20-something goes up, but almost always stays below the team they beat...and that's pure eye test, no computers involved in AP or USA Today polls...never made sense but they keep doing it...in NCAA Basketball and all high school sports, it's not the ranking they give all year or the seed they give to set up the bracket that really means anything, but who can win six games in a row

 

[smithn]

Man ya'll are doing up some replies. Very good I might add. Randleman and PG are loaded with pitching and do not make many mistakes, but capitalize on others mistakes. Very well coached.

 

[smithn]

And you are also correct on conference tournaments. They really serve no purpose for upper 2 teams but maybe help middle of pack teams.

 

[thekidd12]

Looking up and down PG's schedule, they do look very impressive, know those were tough extra inning losses to ER & Randleman, also a one run loss to Southern Alamance, two run loss to Asheboro....then the one that got ugly was a 10-0 loss to East Forsyth, who is a 4A power many years...looks like it was third game of the week, and maybe out of pitching, and/or saving pitching for the conference game the following Tuesday against JM...if they win three of those four close losses and have a better showing against EF, they very well may have a ranking higher than Randleman, let alone be conference champions, had they won only the two conference games and forget about the non-conference games, they would be seeded somewhere among the tier of conference champions (even if their ranking was lower than Randleman), and Randleman would be the one looking at one home game, then a flurry of road games to go ruin spoil some home team's playoff party in 2nd Rd and beyond....winning matters; Randleman and PG split in regular season, but Randleman didn't have that outlying loss to ER, so they won the conference, and i've always thought a conference regular season championship over 2 months speaks more to a program's greatness than getting hot over 3-4 days...like I may have said earlier, it feels like there is really no reason to play a conference tournament unless breaking a tie, so just have a one game playoff among the tied teams....To your point about head to head 1 out of 1, 2 out of 3, whatever, I'm reminded of what seems like every week in college basketball or college football, you'll see a team ranked low teens or twenties beat a team ranked in top ten, then the week after the one from top ten drops, the one from 20-something goes up, but almost always stays below the team they beat...and that's pure eye test, no computers involved in AP or USA Today polls...never made sense but they keep doing it...in NCAA Basketball and all high school sports, it's not the ranking they give all year or the seed they give to set up the bracket that really means anything, but who can win six games in a row

Have to disagree with you on the end of year thing for NCAA both basketball and football. The powers that be use strength of schedule rankings, again thought up by a computer, to help determine who is in their respective playoffs. Without those Alabama would have been sitting at home watching four other teams battle in football this past year. Also the Big Ten and Pac whatever it is now would only get about 2 teams in basketball tourney if not for some subjective KenPom something or other.

Closer to home in PAC7 not arguing that Randleman, ugh, was not worthy of conference title. Just do not understand how secret formula could have PG so much lower than them in adjusted rankings which are supposed to do away with run differentials. Fact is PG beat Randy 2 of 3 and lost the one in extras at the band box ballfield in northern Randolph.

The PG loss to ER is kinda like Duke/UNC basketball. Both know each other so well it is never really an upset. In fact ER should have won 2nd game and teams were tied at 5 in 6th of tourney game.

 

[knights4]

South Stokes is in a 6 school conference, that only has 3 schools with softball teams. They realistically finished last in their conference.

And that 1-19 South Stokes team beat the #9 seed and advances to the second round.

 

[Thunder_struck8712]

A 9 seed that was like 30 something in the power rankings. Still no justification for South to be there. The system is wack still.

 

[SouthPigsty]

And that 1-19 South Stokes team beat the #9 seed and advances to the second round.

GO SOUTH!!!!!!!!

 

[Eagles/Trojans13]

PG's loss to East Forsyth...PG threw their #2 and #3 vs them. There was no saving pitching from what I observed, but I may be wrong. East threw their #3 and a guy off of Tommy John. In 7 innings, East Forsyth only threw 67 pitches

 

[thekidd12]

PG's loss to East Forsyth...PG threw their #2 and #3 vs them. There was no saving pitching from what I observed, but I may be wrong. East threw their #3 and a guy off of Tommy John. In 7 innings, East Forsyth only threw 67 pitches

From Maxpreps, I wasn't there, looks like PG did start #2 against EF. Their #3 could be either of other two that they threw. No they did not save any pitching.

It says they only gave up 5 earned of the 10 scored but only made 2 errors. Hate Maxpreps stats.

 

[Eagles/Trojans13]

I think it was good for them to schedule EF...maybe showed them some things to help for their playoff run. Glad to see them advancing to the 2nd round!

 

[thekidd12]

I think it was good for them to schedule EF...maybe showed them some things to help for their playoff run. Glad to see them advancing to the 2nd round!

Me too. Coached quite a few of them over the years. And EF always has a good solid team and well coached. Mine played his last game probably ever last night. Sad day.

 

[tarheelg]

Definitely possible to give up 5 unearned runs on only 2 errors when you think about wild pitches, passed balls, maybe a balk, or maybe one error occurred with two outs in the inning, allowed 2 runs to score, then the next batter could drive in another run or two (or more)

 

[thekidd12]

Definitely possible to give up 5 unearned runs on only 2 errors when you think about wild pitches, passed balls, maybe a balk, or maybe one error occurred with two outs in the inning, allowed 2 runs to score, then the next batter could drive in another run or two (or more)

Yeah I KNOW it is possible, especially the two out part. Just not all that usual. And I know the gentleman that keeps their book very well. Still don't like Maxpreps.

 

[tarheelg]

Either way, I do not believe the number of earned runs (or any individual stat) has anything to do with their rankings

 

[thekidd12]

Either way, I do not believe the number of earned runs (or any individual stat) has anything to do with their rankings

Me either.

But it is possible they include in "super secret sauce" formula!

Ok even I don't believe that but no one knows exactly what goes into it.

 

[thekidd12]

A little closer look at results so far in 2A:

According to the adjusted Maxpreps rankings of May 7th used by NCHSAA:

10 of top 11 are among the 16 remaining teams. #8 team lost in first round.

Others are 14, 17, 30, 31, 38 and 62!

This would seem to validate system somewhat however...

Of the 48 games played so far only 12 have been won by visiting teams. In high school sports being at home is HUGE, especially if other team had a long bus ride.

So does the system work or is it more just home field advantage being the main factor?

 

[ColeridgeNC]

I still like dropping to 32 and play best of 3 the whole way. Seed all conf. champs based on maxpreps, then fill in based on maxpreps with conf. tourn. champs getting autobids.

 

[thekidd12]

I still like dropping to 32 and play best of 3 the whole way. Seed all conf. champs based on maxpreps, then fill in based on maxpreps with conf. tourn. champs getting autobids.

That's where we disagree which is fine because they ain't listening to either of us.

I just feel conference finish is much more important than any Maxpreps rankings...

Don't care for strength of schedule or any other part of their "formula".

Dropping to 32 is fine but I would rather they take top finishers from conferences instead of using mysterious subjective rankings. Beat the teams in your conference and you are fine.

 

[MHS-88]

Maxpreps needs to be booted out of the entire seeding process, period.

 

[BlackCat93]

Here’s my problem....we had #2 seeded 2A Franklin scheduled all year to come to Robbinsville the last game of the season and they bailed because they couldn’t throw their ace and had a good chance of losing. Why should we be punished for it?? We didn’t get our SOS boost with that game which should have bumped us up to at least a 4 seed and another home game! 22-1 and going on the road in the 3rd round smh! S Stanley has 5 losses....5. I don’t care who they are to...there’s no way our kids should have been penalized because of geographics!

 

[thekidd12]

Maxpreps needs to be booted out of the entire seeding process, period.

Can I get an AMEN???

 

[thekidd12]

Here’s my problem....we had #2 seeded 2A Franklin scheduled all year to come to Robbinsville the last game of the season and they bailed because they couldn’t throw their ace and had a good chance of losing. Why should we be punished for it?? We didn’t get our SOS boost with that game which should have bumped us up to at least a 4 seed and another home game! 22-1 and going on the road in the 3rd round smh! S Stanley has 5 losses....5. I don’t care who they are to...there’s no way our kids should have been penalized because of geographics!

Sorry your team fell prey to the Maxpreps formula.

Take it away and go by conference finish as well as records y'all eating home cooking for a while.

And not picking a fight but Maxpreps is reason South Stanly has better seed and you are understandably upset by that. However you mention a game that was cancelled that would have helped your team with Maxpreps ranking.

See the paradox there?