Transmogrified Tiger

Well I hope that is the case but I got a feeling UNI is going to be very unhappy playing in the NIT. In the same way, UNI could have avoided their situation by not losing 5 of their last 7. I'd have to say UNI is more deserving than Syracuse though.

For Raisin, from the latest Forde Minutes:

Root for small ball? This isn't going to be a small ball team. Juan Pierre will slap some singles and steal some bases, but other than that this is not a small ball team. It's a baseball team. Why do people insist on trying to pretend it's one or the other. Actually I think you misunderstood my intention. I am constantly calling for a balanced team that can all styles of baseball, depending on what game situation merits it. I didn't intend to infer that the Cubs are a small ball team (if that's what you got out of it). I was strictly referring to Pierre's game. Often I find the proponents of OBP ball shun all forms of small ball, at all times, and I was making the point that with Pierre on the team, you simply can't take that stance. To reiterate/clarify my point, since I'm the one who originally brought it up, I'm not talking about Pierre never bunting or stealing or trying not to strike out ever again. His mindset has been pretty much stated that he always likes to make something happen, and since he doesn't draw a ton of walks, that means he slaps the ball around in all counts. What I'm advocating he do is be more selective in earlier counts, and try to hit the ball with more authority. Instead of flicking groundouts, singles and foul balls, some more hard hit outs, gappers, and swings and misses. The only real downside is that he'll probably find himself in a 2 strike count more, but since he originally keeps the same "contact at all costs" mindset in most all counts, there's not really a sacrifice there.

doubt Louisville will make the tournament with this crappy performance. The only way they were getting in is if they won the Big East tournament. Yeah, they weren't even on the bubble. true..I think it was Digger Phelps that said a win might get Louisville in, but everyone knows that Digger Phelps is an idiot. Seton Hall, I don't think, should be getting in after the loss to Rutgers today. 4 interesting Big East games tomorrow as well as the NIU-Toledo quarterfinal matchup at 11 am :x I'll definitely be listening to a radio during the day at school tomorrow. That's ridiculous. L'ville had the same conference record as ND did and a similar non-conference schedule, right down to their best nonconference win being over an SEC team, except ND's team (Bama) was better than L'ville's (UK pre-Morris). If a win was getting Louisville in, then a win was getting ND in too. More proof that the preseason polls are stupid. If Louisville isn't ranked third to start the year then we're not having this discussion. I don't think any sane person was considering Louisville. In basketball the season is long enough and there are enough games to remove most if not all of the preseason bias from the polls.

Offensive value and power are not mutually exclusive. His offensive value lies in his ability in getting basehits, not striking out, stealing bases and scoring runs Yes, but in his quest to not strike out, he loses power. The power is much more valuable than the ability to not strike out. By taking a "contact at all costs" approach, he limits the player he could be. he loses power, which he probably wouldn't have much anyway, and gains obp. in this case, I think the increase in OBP is worth the loss of power. its not like he'd be adam dunn if he struck out more. I can't see his OBP dropping much if at all by just trying to make more solid contact all the time. First of all, I'm not talking about just hacking away with two strikes, I'm talking about getting his pitch and driving it, not just trying to put the ball in play and run. Furthermore, with the amount of weak contact he makes in all counts because of his approach, He's not losing a bunch of singles to gain the doubles and triples. Of course he's not going to become Adam Dunn, but he'd be better, and that's better for us.

doubt Louisville will make the tournament with this crappy performance. The only way they were getting in is if they won the Big East tournament. Yeah, they weren't even on the bubble.

Offensive value and power are not mutually exclusive. His offensive value lies in his ability in getting basehits, not striking out, stealing bases and scoring runs Yes, but in his quest to not strike out, he loses power. The power is much more valuable than the ability to not strike out. By taking a "contact at all costs" approach, he limits the player he could be.

There's a big difference there. Maddux in his prime struck out a decent amount of hitters, and his hallmark was exceptional control. Pierre essentially ignores one of the most important parts of hitting, hitting for extra bases, in lieu of not striking out, which isn't nearly as important. When Pierre sacrifices power for contact, it lessens his offensive value.

Montana is a fun team to watch, they're up double digits in the Big Sky championship against Northern Arizona on Northern Arizona's home floor.

It's really fantastic that Pierre works so hard. I just wish that someone would show him that he'd be a much better player if he sacrificed some contact to hit some more gappers. Strikeouts are not the ultimate evil. Still, good article about Pierre's character.

Historically in his career you are correct, however, he is making the decision fairly difficult with his performance this spring. Judging players based on spring performances is really silly. It's not a lot of playing time, and the competition that playing time comes against varies wildly. Pagan's on the 40-man, so it's not like a decision must be made on him right away either.

Different steroid testing? Not that any of those players have anything to hide, but the supplements or whatever that they have been taking that are perfectly fine by MLB standards may not be okay with the Olympic level testing the WBC uses.

I was never really a fan of Griffey and today just clinches it. yeah, who needs a pair of doubles? Two well struck balls right at defenders for the US. I could do w/o the triple he gave up by misreading the ball. ...and the inside the park HR that was the result of his loafing. I was kidding, but I didn't see the triple, and I find it hard to blame him for the HR, although he's partially at fault.

I was never really a fan of Griffey and today just clinches it. yeah, who needs a pair of doubles? Two well struck balls right at defenders for the US.

Varitek cuts down Koskie on a generous call. Inning over.

GRAND SLAM! 8-6

Wells walks, Varitek to the plate.

Chipper up the middle for a single. Lee holds at 2nd.

DLee deposits an RBI single to right. 8-2.

RBI double for Jr.

Could have been? I still think they could win this tourny and make the final four. Izzo is a genius. I don't think there's any reason to think they can suddenly turn it around and win it all or even go to the FF. They certainly have a ton of talent, but the fact is, they haven't played that well this season. They're incosnsistent, and they haven't shown the ability to beat even mediocre teams on the road. They're 5-5 in their last ten. Now, I understand the Big Televen is a very tough conference, but MSU has been very unimpressive every time I've seen them play. It's surprising, too because Izzo is so good. This year is the anti-Izzo team. MSU has surprised people with tourney runs because they always play defense, rebound fantastically, and on offense run so many sets that it's hard to prepare for in the NCAA's. This year the defense and rebounding just aren't there, PF was a question mark then they all got hurt, and they have zero bench scoring. That said, when all 3 of Davis, Ager, and Brown play well, they still D and rebound well enough that they are very tough to beat, and their offense is still tough to prepare for on a short timeframe. They'll need a good draw to do anything in the NCAA's, because I don't think they have it in them to knock off a top team, especially if they face a higher seed that has a quasi home court advantage. Trannon not playing really hurt their rebounding this year. Trannon played, he broke his jaw a couple games back and is supposed to be back for the tournament. Surprisingly, he hasn't rebounded very well this year, worse than Gray and much worse than Davis, but his ability to guard almost anyone hurt the defense in his absence.

Holliday rolled his ankle. Whoever's booing needs to get real.

Could have been? I still think they could win this tourny and make the final four. Izzo is a genius. I don't think there's any reason to think they can suddenly turn it around and win it all or even go to the FF. They certainly have a ton of talent, but the fact is, they haven't played that well this season. They're incosnsistent, and they haven't shown the ability to beat even mediocre teams on the road. They're 5-5 in their last ten. Now, I understand the Big Televen is a very tough conference, but MSU has been very unimpressive every time I've seen them play. It's surprising, too because Izzo is so good. This year is the anti-Izzo team. MSU has surprised people with tourney runs because they always play defense, rebound fantastically, and on offense run so many sets that it's hard to prepare for in the NCAA's. This year the defense and rebounding just aren't there, PF was a question mark then they all got hurt, and they have zero bench scoring. That said, when all 3 of Davis, Ager, and Brown play well, they still D and rebound well enough that they are very tough to beat, and their offense is still tough to prepare for on a short timeframe. They'll need a good draw to do anything in the NCAA's, because I don't think they have it in them to knock off a top team, especially if they face a higher seed that has a quasi home court advantage.

Winner.

it obviously has something to do with MSU laying a big fat egg in conference play, despite the contributions of "The Big Three". what a joke. Am I taking crazy pills here? Can you say with a straight face that those two outperformed Davis? Wisconsin disappointed in the Big 10 too, let's get Horner in there instead of Tucker. For real. If he wasn't a huge pansy he would be the best rebounder in the Big Ten, or the best scoring big man in the conference.... In a league void of elite big men. You would think if he was as tough as everyone gives him credit for being he would have been able to get his team with two other great players into the top half of his conference. Yet 3 big men make the first team over him? This team success stuff is ridiculous. By this logic the top 3 teams in the conference are the only ones able to get players on the all-conference team. By this logic Tucker doesn't belong on the first team. Also, you're caricaturizing MSU's season to a hilarious degree.