2011 9th Region Tournament Predictions

[cooperstown]

I guess before we make any actual predictions, we should figure out exactly who is in and at what seeds.

 

33rd - #1 Boone, #2 Conner

 

34th - no earthly clue - have they played any games yet?

 

35th - Beechwood; CCH; (seeds TBD)

 

36th - NCC; Newport (seeds TBD)

 

 

The draw, as always, is going to be huge. No offense, but opening up against either Newport or the non-Dixie team from the 34th is going to be a big plus for someone.

[CCHLONGBALL]

Only the best survive.

[cooperstown]

Only the best survive.

 

Not really true when the vast majority of the best are stacked in two of the districts. But that's for another thread.

 

I think NCC will be a very tough out this year. Not making them my official pick just yet, but really like their chances.

[Sportsfan 99]

34th- Dixie Heights/Ludlow vs. St. Henry

 

So I would say Dixie Heights will be the #1 seed and St. Henry would be the #2. I only say this because the Colonels blanked St. Henry earlier this year 10-0.

[Solomon]

34th- Dixie Heights/Ludlow vs. St. Henry

 

So I would say Dixie Heights will be the #1 seed and St. Henry would be the #2. I only say this because the Colonels blanked St. Henry earlier this year 10-0.

 

I'm not so sure this is a given SF99. St Henry improved towards the end of the year and with the weather, who knows when the championship game will be played...I'm assuming Sexton won't be pitching for the Colonels with the Regional starting Monday.

[History]

Not really true when the vast majority of the best are stacked in two of the districts. But that's for another thread.

 

I think NCC will be a very tough out this year. Not making them my official pick just yet, but really like their chances.

 

I understand what you are saying Coop..., but this is true in all the sports. The 33rd and 35th generally have three worthy teams in district for baseball, but the teams know that every year at the start of the campaign. Those district reglar season games are important. I think CCHLONGBALL is right-only the best survive. You can argue it all you want, but the postseason is what the avergae fan remembers and the rest of the state looks at.

[Sportsfan 99]

I'm not so sure this is a given SF99. St Henry improved towards the end of the year and with the weather, who knows when the championship game will be played...I'm assuming Sexton won't be pitching for the Colonels with the Regional starting Monday.

 

To my understanding the next time he will throw will be the first round of regional play.

[Voice of Reason]

Is baseball the most unpredictable of the sports? I say yes. One great day by a pitcher and/or off day by your hitters and the season is over. And that type of unusual performance happens in baseball more than the other sports. This year is even more unpredictable. There are six teams that could win the region and not have it considered an upset. I don't think there is a favorite this year. IMO The draw will be a big factor as only a couple of teams have a really top notch #2 starter.

[cooperstown]

I understand what you are saying Coop..., but this is true in all the sports. The 33rd and 35th generally have three worthy teams in district for baseball, but the teams know that every year at the start of the campaign. Those district reglar season games are important. I think CCHLONGBALL is right-only the best survive. You can argue it all you want, but the postseason is what the avergae fan remembers and the rest of the state looks at.

 

Yes, "only the best survive" at the end of the regional tournament, I'll give you that. That's obvious.

 

But we'll have to agree to disagree on whether the "best" have advanced into the regional tournament. Are you telling me that Newport is one of the "best" here in 9th region? Is St. Henry? No way. No how. They are surviving only because of what are extremely unbalanced districts. Look, I'm not making an excuse for Ryle's loss. The were beaten fair and square and deserved to lose the game to Conner. But if they (or Holy Cross) were in the 34th or 36th, they'd walk into the regional tournament.

[Spartan79]

There's no question Ryle is one of the best, if notthe best team, in the ninth, but how do you get the supposed best 8 teams to go to the Regional? Do you have any suggestions?

[goallout25]

This argument can rage on and on. The best teams in the region won't always make it simply because of how the districts are drawn up. At the end of the day if you want to win the regional tournament, which is the goal of a great majority of these teams, you have to beat quality teams. For some, the opportunity to beat those teams arises earlier (for those in the 33rd and 35th) than others (those in the 34th and 36th) and may even arise twice. Do teams get an unfair advantage at times because of how the districts play out? Sure.

 

I guess when you look at it, the design of the regional tournaments isn't to have the best 8 teams (hardly possible) but to have the best two teams of each district play advance, which will then most likely lead to the best overall team winning the region. Doesn't always happen, but that is the design.

 

Personally, I'd be in favor of having the district and region be comprised of 4 teams (seeding would be imperative as the #4-#5 game would serve simply as a play-in). Then you have a 4 team double elimination tournament in the district and only take the 4 district winners and play another 4 team double elimination tournament for the regional. At least then, you would find out who has the best overall team and not the best #1 pitcher. Obviously, weather concerns make this many games difficult, but that seems like a more ideal concept than letting runner-ups advance while still allowing for everyone to have an equal shot to compete.

[Voice of Reason]

How about in the 35th you put Ludlow in and switch Beechwood out. Geographically, that is a move that makes sense.

 

In the 33rd, I am not sure there is any alternative. You have four large schools in Boone County and there isn't much you can do about it.

[cooperstown]

There's no question Ryle is one of the best, if notthe best team, in the ninth, but how do you get the supposed best 8 teams to go to the Regional? Do you have any suggestions?

 

Classify.

 

Honestly, I didn't start this thread to criticize in inequality of the districts in the 9th region or debate the merits of class seeding. Allowing one of St. Henry/Ludlow/Lloyd and Dayton/Bellevue/Newort/HHS a free pass to the region is unfortunate and I'll never be convinced otherwise. The ultimate ramifications of this inequality will be seen in regional tournament play when someone is lucky enough to draw one of these teams in the first round. Great topic for another thread IMO. I allowed myself to go down this path in response to the "only the best survive" comment, which is a bit simplistic IMO. I really just wanted to talk about the teams that are in the tournament. Ryle is not one of them, so no need for me to talk about them.

 

I really like NCC. I also like either of the teams in the 35th (CCH, Beechwood). I think their district championship game will be a war. The truth is the I always seem to want to not give Beechwood the credit they deserve, but ultimately end up writing how I should not have overlooked them. I should just save some of my past posts and re-copy them to save time. Boone is very interesting with Teegarden and Laumann on mound.

 

The draw will be HUGE.

[Spartan79]

I agree with classification but don't forsee in near future. I do think there has to be a conformity of the rules of how each district operates, at the very least in each Region.

[oldtimeballer]

When, where and who will be at the draw? I heard the first round of the regional will be played Monday at Freedom, 4 games, true?