In the smartest move short of eliminating the post-season tournament altogether, the Big 12 went to four-team pool play last year. That allows teams to play three games each and then only the two top teams from each pool play each other for the Big 12 Championship.
No team plays less than three. No team plays more than four. Also throw in the luxury of knowing that each team gets one day off during the tournament, so that also helps in making sure no team wears its pitching staff to ribbons mere days before the start of the NCAA tournament - the tournament that really matters.
So here are the two "pools" for this week's tournament in Oklahoma City:
Pool A
1- Texas
4- Nebraska
5- Texas A&M
8- Kansas State
Pool B
2- Missouri
3- Oklahoma State
6- Baylor
7- Oklahoma
The RPI rankings provided by Boyd Nation, mostly because the NCAAsports.com site was dragging its feet getting the new rankings out on Tuesday night. So here is a quick look at each team and what they need to do this coming week at the Bricktown Ballpark:
1- Texas
Record: 42-14
RPI: 2
Team Pitching: 3.33ERA, .244 O.A.
Team Batting: .317
Team Fielding: .978
Top arms:
Adrian Alaniz - 12-2, 2.47, .208 O.A.
Joseph Krebs - 7-1, 2.81, .253 O.A.
Austin Wood - 7-1, 3.09, .248 O.A.
Randy Boone - 4-6, 2.45, .228 O.A., 12 saves
Top bats:
Chance Wheeless - .356-4-32
Bradley Suttle - .355-10-57
Kyle Russell - .348-27-68
What they're playing for:
Nothing.
There's not much reason for the Longhorns to care about this week. I think their fate is set, no matter if they go 4-0 or 0-3. They're going to be a national seed, they're going to play at home and they're probably going to make it to Omaha. Not that I'm betting on it or anything.
2- Missouri
Record: 39-14
RPI: 15
Team Pitching: 3.96ERA, .264 O.A.
Team Batting Average: .281
Team Fielding: .972
Top arms:
Aaron Crow - 8-2, 2.62, .231 O. A.
Kyle Gibson - 7-3, 4.07, .247 O.A., 7 saves
Greg Folgia - 5-3, 4.23, .251 O.A., 2 saves
Top bats:
Evan Frey - .347
Kyle Mach - .308
Jacob Priday - .301-9-48
What they're playing for:
Home.
With an RPI like that and a second place finish, the Tigers could pull a home Regional (after getting sent to Fullerton the last two years to end their seasons, the Tigers are due some favors by the committee). The young arms have to handle the post-season atmosphere and the offense needs to get hot.
3- Oklahoma State
Record: 38-16, 16-11
RPI: 46
Team Pitching: 3.83, .271 O.A.
Team Batting: .329
Team Fielding: .971
Top arms:
Justin Friend - 5-3, 2.37, .220 O.A.
Joe Kent - 4-1, 3.18, .243 O.A.
Oliver Odle - 6-4, 4.71, .317 O.A.
Top bats:
Ty Wright - .413-5-34
Tyler Mach - .408- 15-73
Corey Brown - .355-19-64
What they're playing for:
Reassurance.
Okay, this is a weird one to analyze. Despite being ranked at No. 15, OSU still isn't out of the woods for landing an at-large spot. The RPI ranking is up in non-bid land, but a 3rd place finish would seem to be enough, right? Anyway, they'd do themselves a favor with a win or two or three here. Just to make sure.
4- Nebraska
Record: 29-23, 14-13
RPI: 26
Team Pitching: 4.37, .262 O.A.
Team Batting: .288
Team Fielding: .964
Top arms:
Matt Foust - 1-4, 3.89, .244 O.A., 6 saves
Tony Watson - 5-4, 3.97, .257 O.A.
Johnny Dorn - 9-2, 5.44, .276 O.A.
Top bats:
Jeff Tezak - .345-3-34
Craig Corriston - .313-5-36
Andrew Brown - .310-9-39
What they're playing for:
Respect.
The Cornhuskers fell pretty hard at times in this tumultuous season. A pitching staff that is still long on potential leaves NU fans hope for a post-season run here. The RPI shows that they've played a good schedule. Now it's just a matter of going out and getting focused. The won-loss mark ain't exactly sexy, but NU won six of its last seven Big 12 series and should play with more confidence in OKC.
5- Texas A&M
Record: 41-15, 13-13
RPI: 10
Team Pitching: 4.02, .251 O.A.
Team Batting: .317
Team Fielding: .961
Top arms:
Kyle Nicholson - 11-1, 1.96, .214 O.A.
David Newmann - 9-1, 3.29, .210 O.A.
Scott Migl - 6-3, 3.61, .272 O.A.
Top bats:
Blake Stouffer - .391-8-70, 18-of-26SBs
Parker Dalton - .379-5-35, 17-of-18SBs
Luke Anders - .374-10-40
What they're playing for:
Redemption.
This team shouldn't have nose-dived all the way down to 5th place. They should be playing for a national seeding this week, but a 5th-place finish won't curry much favor from the committee. But let's think for a minute... what if they win this Big 12 tourney? They'd have an argument. A&M could be playing for anywhere between a national Top 8 spot or a No. 2 seed at a road regional.
6- Baylor
Record: 31-24, 12-15
RPI: 32
Team pitching: 4.57, .292 O.A.
Team Batting: .291
Team Fielding: .964
Top arms:
Wade Mackey - 4-2, 2.45, .278 O.A.
Nick Cassavechia - 6-1, 2.09, .224 O.A., 8 saves
Jeff Mandel - 6-7, 4.77, .285 O.A.
Top bats:
Raynor Campbell - .345-4-27
Ben Booker - .317-2-31, 10-of-13SBs
Beamer Weems - .311-8-52
What they're playing for:
Future.
This is a young team. And the roller-coaster ride they were on this year showed that they played like it all season long. A nice late charge in the sweep of Kansas State shows that they've got some momentum going into Bricktown. A win or two and the Bears will find the RPI in good comfort range.
7- Oklahoma
Record: 32-23, 11-16
RPI: 25
Team Pitching: 4.69, .260
Team Batting: .301
Team Fielding: .967
Top arms:
Heath Taylor - 8-3, 3.89, .236 O.A.
Stephen Porlier - 7-5, 4.08, .231 O.A.
Nich Conaway - 3-3, 4.50, .201 O.A.
Top bats:
Joe Dunigan - .358-11-52, 16-of-18SBs
Jackson Williams - .335-4-43
Aaron Reza - .321-3-38, 16-of-19SBs
What they're playing for:
Re-focusing.
A late-season swoon, built in part from injuries and inter-squad turmoil, saw their stock fall quickly in the latter stages of the season. The Sooners had a 16-2 run going early on that included wins over UC Riverside (3), Creighton (2), San Diego and Wichita State. But they ended on a 7-12 stretch since Tax Day and saw their RPI fall along the way.
8- Kansas State
Record: 33-22, 10-16
RPI: 36
Team Pitching: 4.44, .267 O.A.
Team Batting: .289
Team Fielding: .970
Top arms:
Brad Hutt - 8-4, 3.34, .267 O.A.
Chase Bayuk - 5-5, 4.75, .246 O.A.
Daniel Edwards - 3-0, 1.30, .150 O.A., 11 saves.
Top bats:
Byron Wiley - .379-7-44, 14-of-15SBs
Derek Bunker - .293-2-25
Tyler Link - .301
What they're playing for:
Their lives.
Okay, that's a little drastic, but up until a week ago, the Cats were merely playing for post-season seeding in the NCAAs. But after last weekend's sweep at the hands of Baylor, K-State is now in dire straights with an 8-digit drop in RPI and an 8th place finish in the Big 12. But let's big picture this thing - when was the last time Kansas State was mentioned as a bubble team for the post-season? Kudos to the progress Coach Hill's program is making.
