Softball

[SuperHoops]

Missy would be first on my list and there is no question coaching in the Pac 12 for 5-10 years is tremendous experience. But I can also tell you having family that went to Oregon and still live in Eugene and Portland that Oregon is an amazingly nice place to live with a climate far more conducive to living and enjoying life for many. Missy might choose after a decade in Eugene that is where she prefers to live.

Also expectations in Eugene will be far less than they are in Norman, OK. Moreover given the opportunity will OU pay a needed premium to get Missy back to Norman as I don't necessarily see Missy making the transition with its risk without getting a $200K+ raise.

Lombardi's contract is through 2023 and with product endorsement fees, bonuses, etc. she likely is making close to $400K and due more in 2024 with a new contract. Perhaps a raise to $500K-$600K. Would OU be willing to offer $750K for a new head coach without at least a WCWS championship om her bio?

Joe Castiglione will be gone as he is 74 so what is the financial position of the new AD? What is the financial position for all athletic programs with all of the TV revenue changes forthcoming in the near future? Will all athletic programs begin taking a step back in what they can/will pay for all expenses? Will coaches salaries continue to escalate or begin to wither? Beats me!

I know I see the contracts for all minor sport coaches stabilizing and maybe even dwindling going forward. If so those sports could find coaches taking a more cautious position of keeping the stable job they have and not venturing into more risky circumstances for a few more bucks.

Joe is only 63 years old.

 

[scrybe]

Yes I have seen the signee list for the 2021 fall class that has the #1, #3, #5T, #5T/7, #11, #14 and #22 players nationally and cannot understand Extra Inning only ranking the Sooner class as #2 nationally Behind Auburn who has 9 signees when with the inclusion of Hannah Coor to the OU class they have 5 players ranked higher than the highest ranked Auburn player. And it is those higher ranked players that develop into difference makers come time for the post season.

https://soonersports.com/news/2020/11/10/softball-inks-seven-for-2021.aspx

https://247sports.com/college/oklah...gs,OU has five players rated higher than that.

Well, then, another question for you: Have your ever heard the term "SEC bias?"

 

[SoonerSpock]

Well, then, another question for you: Have your ever heard the term "SEC bias?"

As I stated to gwydion in an earlier post on this thread.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwydion View Post
Don't forget #7 LSU wth their 19 losses on the year.

Easy to explain. In the committee's eyes it is SEC, SEC, SEC with 12 teams in the 16 regionals with South Carolina the only SEC team not making the tourney. Only 17 other representatives from the other 4 Power 5 conferences (ACC 5, Big 12 5, Pac 12 5 and B1G 2).

The SEC is definitely playing the best softball in the country with several more quality teams than the other conferences. But since 2000 the Pac 12 has won 12 nattys, Big 12 4, SEC 3, ACC 1 and the B!G 1. In the last 10 years it is the Pac 12 3, Big 12 3, SEC 3 and ACC 1. The SEC has not won a natty since 2015.

But give me a break USA Today Coaches poll # 9 Arizona seeded 11th, #12 ASU seeded #15 and #6 Washington #16 and #10 Oregon unseeded. ESPN had Washington #6, Arizona State #8, Arizona #12 and Oregon #11. Perhaps in 2021 the real bias is not for the SEC as much as it was against the Pac 12 as the rankings of the Big 12, ACC and Big are really off base whatsoever in my eyes. But it beats me.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women's_College_World_Series

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/softball/d1/usa-today/nfca-coaches

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/rankings/_/pollId/2/sportId/15530000

 

[SoonerSpock]

With OU and UCLA the two predominant favorites to win the WCWS I did a statistical comparison with their national ranking among Power 5 Conference Schools. I omitted the Group of 5 and below schools because none are really considered a serious contender for the natty.

Statistic----------OU----------UCLA

BA-------------#1 .419------#3 .329
HRs------------#1 130------#11 66
HR/G----------#1 2.77------#8 1.47
OBP-----------#1 .505------#3 .421
SLG%---------#1 .799------#4 .578
Scoring-------#1 11.19------#6 6.51
ERA-----------#6 1.73------#2 1.17
SO/walks-----#8 3.70------#1 6.05
Shutouts------#1 21--------#2 18
Fielding%----#1T .986------#7 .978

Not that they truly mean anything but the numbers indicate a very interesting 3 game series for the WCWS should it occur. Obviously the difference is OU is a much stronger offensive team than is UCLA while the bruins are definitely stronger in the circle. And the normal adage is good pitching normally beat good hitting. However in this instance the OU hitting is so much better than the Uclan's hitting that the Sooners may truly have the advantage.

I think the outcome might be relatively simple OU has to beat Rachel Garcia the best pitcher in the country one of the 2 times they will likely face her. Preferably in game 1 of the 3 game series. Your thoughts?


https://stats.ncaa.org/rankings?sport_code=WSB&division=1

 

[scrybe]

With OU and UCLA the two predominant favorites to win the WCWS I did a statistical comparison with their national ranking among Power 5 Conference Schools. I omitted the Group of 5 and below schools because none are really considered a serious contender for the natty.

Statistic----------OU----------UCLA

BA-------------#1 .419------#3 .329
HRs------------#1 130------#11 66
HR/G----------#1 2.77------#8 1.47
OBP-----------#1 .505------#3 .421
SLG%---------#1 .799------#4 .578
Scoring-------#1 11.19------#6 6.51
ERA-----------#6 1.73------#2 1.17
SO/walks-----#8 3.70------#1 6.05
Shutouts------#1 21--------#2 18
Fielding%----#1T .986------#7 .978

Not that they truly mean anything but the numbers indicate a very interesting 3 game series for the WCWS should it occur. Obviously the difference is OU is a much stronger offensive team than is UCLA while the bruins are definitely stronger in the circle. And the normal adage is good pitching normally beat good hitting. However in this instance the OU hitting is so much better than the Uclan's hitting that the Sooners may truly have the advantage.

I think the outcome might be relatively simple OU has to beat Rachel Garcia the best pitcher in the country one of the 2 times they will likely face her. Preferably in game 1 of the 3 game series. Your thoughts?


https://stats.ncaa.org/rankings?sport_code=WSB&division=1

In total agreement, Spock. Of course, Pac partisans would say OU's advantage in hitting would not be as great if the Sooners were regularly batting against Pac pitchers. That may by true, but I'm not sure that UCLA would have as significant an advantage in pitching stats if the Bruins played some of the teams (OSU, Texas, Wichita State, etc.) that Oklahoma plays against.

If both teams reach the WCWS finals, I think I would have to give the slightest advantage to the Sooners. That's because I have my doubts that any pitcher – even Garcia – could shut down Oklahoma's offense over the course of a 2-3 game series.

 

[SoonerSpock]

In total agreement, Spock. Of course, Pac partisans would say OU's advantage in hitting would not be as great if the Sooners were regularly batting against Pac pitchers. That may by true, but I'm not sure that UCLA would have as significant an advantage in pitching stats if the Bruins played some of the teams (OSU, Texas, Wichita State, etc.) that Oklahoma plays against.

If both teams reach the WCWS finals, I think I would have to give the slightest advantage to the Sooners. That's because I have my doubts that any pitcher – even Garcia – could shut down Oklahoma's offense over the course of a 2-3 game series.

I too think OU's hitting number would not be as great if we played in the Pac12 instead of the Big12. But I think they would still be significantly higher than any other team in the country. This could easily be the best hitting team of all time.

Garcia and Faraimo I think would be every bit as effective in the Big12. When the Bruins played Arizona in Tucson (#7 in BA, #7 in scoring & #4 in HRs among Power 5 schools) the wildcats scored 0, 2, 2 & 5 runs and in the 5 runs allowed game neither Garcia or Faraimo was the starter although Garcia threw 2 inning in relief with 0 earned runs allowed although the bruin defense did allow 2 unearned runs.

Against ASU (#10 in BA, #5 in scoring and #2 in HRs) the sun devils scored 0,0, 1 and 1) runs in their 4 games. Between the 2 in 8 games the Uclans allowed a total 11 runs or 1.375 runs/game.

For comparison OSU was #23 in BA, #8 in scoring and #5 in HRs. Arizona was a better scoring team, higher BA and more HRs. Ditto ASU. The whorns did slightly out score #2 and have a better BA #2 but both Arizona and ASU hit more dingers than the whorns #7.

Against Washington it was 7,0, 2 and 1. That is 18 runs is 15 games or a 1.20 era against teams ranked #5, #9 and #12 by the coaches in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/softball/d1/usa-today/nfca-coaches

https://stats.ncaa.org/rankings?sport_code=WSB&division=1

https://stats.ncaa.org/rankings?sport_code=WSB&division=1

https://stats.ncaa.org/rankings?sport_code=WSB&division=1

 

[scrybe]

There's a reason Arizona's Hillenbrand stadium is known as a launching pad, even though the Wildcats' bats were pretty anemic at Hillenbrand against those UCLA pitchers.

And I'm not saying that Garcia and Faraimo would not be dominant pitchers in the Big 12. Of course they would. I just have my doubts that Garcia's numbers would be quite as gaudy as they currently are if the Bruins had played OU, OSU and Texas three times each. And my comment about the good hitting teams that OU played wasn't only in reference to the Big 12. I also mentioned Wichita State, but I could have also mentioned Missouri and Arizona State.

In any case, I believe an OU-UCLA match-up in the WCWS finals would be epic – and one that is winnable for Oklahoma.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Cannot dispute what you say regarding OU getting the win. One of the big differences between the Big 12 and the Pac 12 is each team plays every conference opponent 4 times to the Big 12's 3 time with only 3 games designated as conference games. That means UCLA played 16 games against Washington, ASU, Arizona, Oregon. OU on the other hand played Texas, OSU 6 times in the regular season. That makes for a significant difference in SOS.

 

[scrybe]

Cannot dispute what you say regarding OU getting the win. One of the big differences between the Big 12 and the Pac 12 is each team plays every conference opponent 4 times to the Big 12's 3 time with only 3 games designated as conference games. That means UCLA played 16 games against Washington, ASU, Arizona, Oregon. OU on the other hand played Texas, OSU 6 times in the regular season. That makes for a significant difference in SOS.

Gotcha on the SOS. But if UCLA beats Oklahoma in what for now is just a hypothetical WCWS match-up, it won't be due to any difference in the Bruins' or Sooners' SOS.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Gotcha on the SOS. But if UCLA beats Oklahoma in what for now is just a hypothetical WCWS match-up, it won't be due to any difference in the Bruins' or Sooners' SOS.

As I stated earlier I too am going with the Sooners despite the necessity for the Sooners to beat Garcia at least once and if that is the case also beat Faraimo. The Sooners can do such by beating both their pitchers or Garcia twice which will not be easy even for a team that hits like the Sooners.

 

[skyvue]

Great hardfought win today. Wichita State's a tough team; I'm hoping we get to avoid them tomorrow, but I don't think they will beat us twice in a row if we do face them.

 

[mikeareese]

OU has hit 3 HR's this inning and now lead 19-7. Still at bat. 1 on first. No outs. I believe 6th inning. Now 2 on base. 2 straight walks.

 

[tooney]

Been listening since the second inning.....missed the fifth.

Is May still pitching?

 

[mikeareese]

Bases loaded. Single by Mendes. Jennings to the plate. OU has hitters. This is a HR lineup. Jennings walked. 20-7. Riley Boone Grand Slam 24-7 no outs. 4HR's this inning. This is the top of the 7th.

 

[mikeareese]

May is getting stronger. Retired last 7 batters after giving the HR.

 

[tooney]

24-7 now.

Pinch hit Grand Slam by Rylie Boone!!

 

[tooney]

May is getting stronger. Retired last 7 batters after giving the HR.

She's pitched out of a couple of jams......but I like her game!!!

 

[skyvue]

The Sooners took care of business in impressive fashion against Washington the past two days. May and Saile were both terrific, and the Sooner bats effectively knocked Plain out of the Player of the Year race. It's down to Alo and Garcia now.

 

[bob the nailer]

Lots of talk at the game yesterday that the voting has already taken place, I don't know if thats true or not. Would be a shame after the way she dominated yesterday if All doesn't win it

 

[SoonerSpock]

Lots of talk at the game yesterday that the voting has already taken place, I don't know if thats true or not. Would be a shame after the way she dominated yesterday if All doesn't win it

Voting precedent on POY type awards, think Heisman, indicates that many voters vote early before all games have been finalized. Frequently the results are tainted because of their early voting.