In 2013, the top seeds in the NCAA baseball tourney were all in the top 16 RPI, with nobody more than four off from its RPI ranking if one considers 9-16 down the list inversely with who was paired up to 1-8. The committee appeared to try to out think itself last year with the following seeds and their respective RPIs:
1. Oregon St - 14
2. Florida - 7
3. Virginia - 1
4. Indiana - 9
5. Fla St -10
6. ULaLa - 6
7. TCU - 8
8. LSU - 11
Rice - 13
Cal Poly - 16
Ole Miss - 4
Louisville - 18
Vanderbilt - 2
So Carolina - 15
Miami - 17
Oklahoma St - 19
The three teams left out of the protected seeds with higher RPIs were UT (3), UH (5) and TT (12). Ironically (or maybe not), all three won as 2 seeds. One of the seeds who were outside the RPI 16 lost their regionals, but Louisville did advance to the CWS.
The above suggests that if DBU ends up 3rd in the RPI as predicted by Nolan, it shouldn't be a shock if they don't host. If they get bumped by projected 17 UCSB, that would give the West four regionals (UCLA, USC and ASU).
The state of FL will get at least three hosts (Miami, Fla and Fla St), but the above also might leave projected 9 FAU out in the cold. That would leave an opening to move up projected 18 Nebraska/21 Ohio State/24 Illinois from the Big Ten.
LSU, A&M and TCU are in for LA/TX/OK.
Along with the Big Ten rep, add Louisville and Missouri St (to throw gas on the DBU fire) for the mid-US. Bradley will likely get bumped, but it won't be by projected 19 Bama or 20 Radford? Radford would have to find another stadium. Anyhow, move that opening for one more in the South.
That leaves the rest of the South. 15 Ga Tech and 16 No Carolina. Who else? Bama 19, Radford 20, Auburn 22, Maryland 29 or Vandy 31. Hard to believe that Vandy won't be a 1 seed.
So my predictions are:
West - UCLA, USC, UCSB and ASU
Florida - FSU, UF and Miami
LA/TX/OK - LSU, A&M and TCU
Midwest - Louisville, Mo St and Big Ten Champ
South/East - Ga Tech, No Carolina and one of Radford/Maryland/SEC. Go with Maryland in an upset. Radford is in the middle of nowhere. But don't count out Vandy.
1. Oregon St - 14
2. Florida - 7
3. Virginia - 1
4. Indiana - 9
5. Fla St -10
6. ULaLa - 6
7. TCU - 8
8. LSU - 11
Rice - 13
Cal Poly - 16
Ole Miss - 4
Louisville - 18
Vanderbilt - 2
So Carolina - 15
Miami - 17
Oklahoma St - 19
The three teams left out of the protected seeds with higher RPIs were UT (3), UH (5) and TT (12). Ironically (or maybe not), all three won as 2 seeds. One of the seeds who were outside the RPI 16 lost their regionals, but Louisville did advance to the CWS.
The above suggests that if DBU ends up 3rd in the RPI as predicted by Nolan, it shouldn't be a shock if they don't host. If they get bumped by projected 17 UCSB, that would give the West four regionals (UCLA, USC and ASU).
The state of FL will get at least three hosts (Miami, Fla and Fla St), but the above also might leave projected 9 FAU out in the cold. That would leave an opening to move up projected 18 Nebraska/21 Ohio State/24 Illinois from the Big Ten.
LSU, A&M and TCU are in for LA/TX/OK.
Along with the Big Ten rep, add Louisville and Missouri St (to throw gas on the DBU fire) for the mid-US. Bradley will likely get bumped, but it won't be by projected 19 Bama or 20 Radford? Radford would have to find another stadium. Anyhow, move that opening for one more in the South.
That leaves the rest of the South. 15 Ga Tech and 16 No Carolina. Who else? Bama 19, Radford 20, Auburn 22, Maryland 29 or Vandy 31. Hard to believe that Vandy won't be a 1 seed.
So my predictions are:
West - UCLA, USC, UCSB and ASU
Florida - FSU, UF and Miami
LA/TX/OK - LSU, A&M and TCU
Midwest - Louisville, Mo St and Big Ten Champ
South/East - Ga Tech, No Carolina and one of Radford/Maryland/SEC. Go with Maryland in an upset. Radford is in the middle of nowhere. But don't count out Vandy.
