NCAA Baseball Top 25 Rankings Chat (5/10/21)

Image credit: Stanford OF Brock Jones (Photo courtesy of Stanford)

Teddy Cahill: Welcome to this week’s college baseball chat. Plenty of action around the country with a lot of implication on conference title races and the NCAA Tournament. Let’s get to your questions.

Keegan (Nebraska):

 If the top of the Big Ten continues to trade blows over the next couple of weeks, is it more likely to result in multiple Big Ten teams breaking into the rankings or for the conference to finish without a ranked team? And does it bode well for the conference’s postseason outlook?

Teddy Cahill: The Big Ten champ is almost always in our final Top 25 of the regular season, so my guess is at least one of IU, Nebraska and Michigan is ranked on Memorial Day. As for additional teams, nothing happens in a vacuum, not even a conference playing conference-only games. So we’d weigh the second- or third-place team against the other T25 contenders at the time. As for the postseason, I don’t think it much matters. Those top three teams – IU, Nebraska and Michigan – have clear separation from the rest of the conference right now. As long as they maintain that, they’re all getting in and it’s up to Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State and Rutgers to join them to get in the mix for the NCAA Tournament.

Trace (Virginia):

 How much of a factor will strength of schedule play in LSU’s chances of making the 64? They’ve played four of the top five teams in the country and were really only blown out by two of them. Will they have to win out to get consideration, or are they creeping closer to the bubble already?

Teddy Cahill: LSU’s tournament chances rest almost entirely on its ability to get close to .500 in SEC play. It’s RPI and strength of schedule give it a bit of leeway that, say Kentucky, doesn’t have, but if the Tigers are only 12-18 in conference play, they won’t be enough. LSU needs at least to go 4-2 against Alabama and A&M and woud likely still need a win or two in Hoover. It is moving in the right direction, though

Wildcat Nation (Tuscon):

 Seems to be a good crop of catchers in the 2021 class and 2022. Who are the top stand outs and do you think we see Daniel Susack in Tuscon for a third year? crossing fingers..

Teddy Cahill: Henry Davis is separating from the pack this year. He’s putting together an outstanding season. Kevin Parada and Daniel Susac, who both will be draft eligible sophomores in 2022, are emerging as the top catchers next year. With Susac doing what he’s doing, a third year of college may not be in the cards.

dopt (N Texas):

 How do you like Baylor chances of getting into a regional this year? playing solid baseball the last 2 months. Do you see them as likely 2/3 seed?

Teddy Cahill: Yes, Baylor is looking good to get in the tournament. Had the Bears as a No. 3 seed last week in the Field of 64 projection, I’ll probably have them in the same spot this week. With a strong finish the next couple weeks they could maybe get to the 2 line. But even if they just finish .500 in Big 12 play, they look solidly in the field.