Aaron

Some systems rely on elite pitching or even a lot of extra bases with less homers. Also lower average with lots of homers can be done as well. Lower averages with no dingers is not a system anyone would ever use:).

That's an elite pickup. Was injured last year but hit nearly .375 with double digit home runs two seasons ago. Should fit Shonda Stanton's system perfectly that is offensive heavy and relies on high averages and a lot of bombs.

People need to please stop with this 'Fire Mercer" stuff. He has been to three NCAA Tournaments in five seasons and was one game from making it four in five. Overall the program has been to the NCAA tourney eight times in eleven seasons and has been far and away the most successful Big Ten programs the past decade. I have no argument the pitching has been frustrating at times and it needs to be more consistent and add depth. However, this powerhouse some people in Hoosier Nation seem to think needs to be built is called out of control expectations. The Big Ten is basically the Mountain West or Atlantic 10 in basketball terms and IU is far and away the flag carrier of the league right now. Mercer is getting as good of if not better results then anyone would at a northern school. If it were this easy someone would have taken over and dominated the Big Ten and Indiana is the closest to doing that recently despite being far from it. He deserves kudos for figuring it out each season and producing a solid product. Now team needs to be better from the get go and especially on the mound going forward and if anyone watched the presser on IU's YouTube channel after today it is clear he knows that. As long as this team is going to postseason nearly every season as they are now there is little to complain about other than a few tweaks with the pitching that need to be shored up and hopefully will.

There is already a thread for the weekend here as an FYI: https://btownbanners.com/topic/14489-iu-baseball-ncaa-regional-may-31-june-3-knoxville/

I'm not buying it. The fact only two stolen bids occurred, they may want a third Big Ten team as the no. 4 RPI conference, and Dolson being on the committee are the only things in IU's favor and gives them a fighting chance. Still not optimistic though. D1 Baseball and Baseball America have them as the last or second to last team in. Looking at who they left out, D1 baseball, has IU as second to last team in. Problem is their first team out in Georgia Tech is an ACC squad with same record and a few spots higher in RPI. I would be stunned if committee puts them in over the Yellow Jackets and the last team in Florida is not getting bumped with a top-30 RPI in the SEC. Who IU needs to beat for that last spot in my mind is Charleston who is paper-tiger Mid Major with a 42 RPI and 112 SOS. It should be noted they have Coastal in as well as in last four who IU beat. However, a top 40 RPI and high strength of schedule isn't bumping them out. Baseball America has Georgia Tech in and IU as very last team in at the expense of Kansas St and Charleston. I don't know how they leave the Wildcats out with a top-45 RPI in the number three conference (D1 has them safely in) meaning that is Indiana's spot. Also Charleston is out. Basically it is IU or Charleston maybe for the last spot and that assumes no one higher in the RPI is taken who the projections have way out such as Georgia Southern. Softball was in same position and squeaked in but my gut was they would be in last four in. My gut here is first four out but hope I am wrong.

Thats baseball. Sometimes offense doesn't have it and you have to plan for that. Especially against a starter who is really really good on his best days and really really bad on his worst. Unfortunately, for the Hoosiers they go the very good version. I put that as much on Nebraska's very deep pitching and what he did, as much as the offense struggling and it won't get any easier tonight.

When a team has four quality starters that is something you have to consider and not waste your best arm in a driver's seat situation.

Not a good decision to waste Bothwell now in a game you didn't need to win. Now need 18 innings from up and down bullpen while Nebraska can go back to their Tuesday guy now. As I said I am almost always team throw your best guy, but in this scenario where you are facing elimination and your opponent isn't you hold back best arms for later as Mercer did in Sunday game in Lexington last year. Big question now is with Huskers locked into a two-seed at a Regional elsewhere, do they go back to said Tuesday guy on short rest or try to piece it together with a bullpen game. If it is the latter, IU might be able to out score them. If Nebraska goes all in with starter, Hoosiers and season are cooked.

Nebraska guy with fourth home run of tourney and second today. Their is zero explanation for a single guy getting four home runs and clearing bleachers with wind blowing in at this park. Seven homers in this tourney that are moon shots when you are lucky to generally have one or two for a whole tourney that barely clear is really suspicious.

Need to at least get to tomorrow to have chance and then its 50-50.

Two things: 1. Exactly what I feared. There was zero reason to throw Bothwell now in a game did you did not have to win. Bothwell was solid but Nebraska who is notorious for extreme patients, ran pitch count up and now could need 22 innings of the bullpen to win it. Use bullpen game now and if you win, put Bothwell in championship in great spot and if not throw him tonight in an emergency. Huskers could have gone back to their Tuesday guy in a much more desperate spot (albeit on a higher pitch count) and chose to hold him back. 90% of time, I am team throw your best guys as early as possible. However, there are exceptions to that and today is one of them when the other team and not you is facing elimination. I have been less hard on Mercer than most, but if this doesn't work out he deserves a fair amount of criticism needing to get 9 or 18 more innings without his best arms. Especially, when you have a squad who is known to not be patient and struggles with mediocre pitching as they have today. 2. The ball has to be juiced this season. There is no other explanation how a park that is nearly impossible to homer in, is suddenly having balls fly out with the wind blowing in farther than they have with wind blowing out in past. This has more to do with all the homers this tourney with wind blowing in outside of first day then the one Huskers hit today.

Michigan, Illinois, or Penn State who is in drivers seat would be championship opponent.

No it is not. Double Elimination ends after Saturday regardless of who gets through. In other words if IU didn't lose Saturday but lost Sunday and Penn State lost Saturday but won Sunday the Nittany Lions are still the champions. This changed in 2014 when they expanded from 6 to 8 teams. Its right on bracket. Double Elimination through Saturday. Single Elimination on Sunday only: https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltca750cef518bc6e4/blt0fea966cc3ed856e/2024_Baseball_Bracket_Tournament_.pdf

Yes championship is single elimination. That's why Saturday's semi gives IU and Penn St two shots to win one game while Nebraska, Ohio State. Michigan, or Illinois would need to win both.

Absolutely want Nebraska as beating them could still get you an at-large bid if you lose Sunday. Don't think beating the Buckeyes again will be enough if they fall in the Championship.