BulldogBear
05-19-2014, 11:04 AM
In the thread about who to pitch Tuesday I mentioned how it was interesting the way the ACC did their tournament last year, but it was only 8 schools and that may be too few for a 14 school league. Now, they've gone 14 schools as well and their tourney to 10 and it's pretty convoluted, including the sucky play-in games and lasts 6 days. So, 8 is too few with 14 schools as almost half conference is left out. Six days is what we're trying to avoid. So, thinking outside the box and expanding on the ACC 2013 model, here goes my proposal with this year's SEC standing as an example.
If we used the 8 team model the ACC used last year (and I have division winners as auto 1 seeds) it would look like this:
First Pool: #1 Florida, #4 South Carolina, #5 Mississippi State, #8 Alabama
Second Pool: #2 Ole Miss, #3 LSU, #6 Vanderbilt, #7 Arkansas
What the ACC did was have each pool play a 3 game, 3 day round robin with some kind of appropriate statistical tiebreaker if needed to split 2-3 schools with a 2-1 record. The two "division" winners then played game for all the marbles. For 6 teams it meant 3 games like a weekend series and for the other 2, it meant 4 games. Four days, no more than four starts. Maybe 8 is too few but here's my idea to go to 12 but still only go max 4 days and max 4 starts:
FOUR "divisions of 3 schools each to play a 2 game round robin:
A- #1 Florida, #8 Alabama, #9 Kentucky
B- #4 South Carolina, #5 Mississippi State, #12 Georgia
C- #2 Ole Miss, #7 Arkansas, #10 Texas A&M
D- #3 LSU, #6 Vanderbilt, #11 Tennessee
Day 1 (Tue or Wed):
Ala-Ky
MSU-UGa
Arky-TxA&M
Vandy-Tennessee
Day 2 (Wed or Thu):
Fla-Ky
SC-UGa
UMiss-TxA&M
LSU-Tennessee
Day 3 (Thu or Fri):
Fla-Ala
SC-MSU
UMiss-Arky
LSU-Vandy
...at this point each "division" will have a winner and the other 8 schools can go home with only having to have played 2 games. If a "division" splits at 1-1 each break the tie as follows:
1) point differential (reward offense)
2, 3, and 4) lowest ERA (reward pitching) or fewest errors (reward defense) or most hits (reward hitting). Not sure which should be 2, 3, or 4
5) Finally if you must, use reg season record (reward accomplishment and success)
Day 4 (Fri or Sat):
A(#1 bracket) vs. B(#4 bracket)
C(#2 bracket) vs. D(#3 bracket)
Championship game between 2 remaining
8 teams play no more than 2
2 teams play no more than 3
2 teams play 4
No 6 game bullpen murdering, team exhausting run
If we used the 8 team model the ACC used last year (and I have division winners as auto 1 seeds) it would look like this:
First Pool: #1 Florida, #4 South Carolina, #5 Mississippi State, #8 Alabama
Second Pool: #2 Ole Miss, #3 LSU, #6 Vanderbilt, #7 Arkansas
What the ACC did was have each pool play a 3 game, 3 day round robin with some kind of appropriate statistical tiebreaker if needed to split 2-3 schools with a 2-1 record. The two "division" winners then played game for all the marbles. For 6 teams it meant 3 games like a weekend series and for the other 2, it meant 4 games. Four days, no more than four starts. Maybe 8 is too few but here's my idea to go to 12 but still only go max 4 days and max 4 starts:
FOUR "divisions of 3 schools each to play a 2 game round robin:
A- #1 Florida, #8 Alabama, #9 Kentucky
B- #4 South Carolina, #5 Mississippi State, #12 Georgia
C- #2 Ole Miss, #7 Arkansas, #10 Texas A&M
D- #3 LSU, #6 Vanderbilt, #11 Tennessee
Day 1 (Tue or Wed):
Ala-Ky
MSU-UGa
Arky-TxA&M
Vandy-Tennessee
Day 2 (Wed or Thu):
Fla-Ky
SC-UGa
UMiss-TxA&M
LSU-Tennessee
Day 3 (Thu or Fri):
Fla-Ala
SC-MSU
UMiss-Arky
LSU-Vandy
...at this point each "division" will have a winner and the other 8 schools can go home with only having to have played 2 games. If a "division" splits at 1-1 each break the tie as follows:
1) point differential (reward offense)
2, 3, and 4) lowest ERA (reward pitching) or fewest errors (reward defense) or most hits (reward hitting). Not sure which should be 2, 3, or 4
5) Finally if you must, use reg season record (reward accomplishment and success)
Day 4 (Fri or Sat):
A(#1 bracket) vs. B(#4 bracket)
C(#2 bracket) vs. D(#3 bracket)
Championship game between 2 remaining
8 teams play no more than 2
2 teams play no more than 3
2 teams play 4
No 6 game bullpen murdering, team exhausting run