Author: JLCS

Detroit Tigers 2012 Season Preview – Part 3 (General Season Outlook)

Posted on by JLCS

The following is the third and final article in a three-part series that will offer a 2012 season preview for the Detroit Tigers.

March 31st – Projected Lineup and Bench
April 2nd – Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen
April 3rd – General Season Outlook
April 5th –  Detroit Tigers’ Season Opener vs. Boston Red Sox

Projected Record

97-65, AL Central Champions. I don’t like to count my chickens before their hatched, but that’s exactly what I’m doing here. If the Tiger’s fail to win the AL Central this year, given the quality of the rest of the teams in the division, everyone will consider the season a devastating failure. Hell, anything short of a World Series appearance will be considered a failure given this payroll. Mike Illitch didn’t open up his wallet to pay for a team to win the easiest division in the MLB and bow out in the divisional series.

Projected Team MVP

Miguel Cabrera, 3B. I’m thinking out of the box and really stepping out on a limb on this one, eh? The majority of analysts are picking Miggy to win the AL MVP, so projecting him as the team MVP might seem easy. In the words of the fabled Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!” I took a really long deciding between Miggy and Verlander here, but I think the addition of Prince Fielder and the insurance he offers in the lineup put Miggy over the top in my mind.

3 Players who need to improve on their 2011 results
1. Austin Jackson
2. Max Scherzer
3. Phil Coke

3 Players who can’t be expected to recreate their 2011 results
1. Justin Verlander
2. Jhonny Peralta
3. Doug Fister

 

Detroit Tigers 2012 Season Preview – Part 2 (Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen)

Posted on by JLCS


The following is the second article in a three-part series that will offer a 2012 season preview for the Detroit Tigers.

March 31st – Projected Lineup and Bench
April 2nd – Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen
April 3rd – General Season Outlook
April 5th –  Detroit Tigers’ Season Opener vs. Boston Red Sox


Projected Starting Rotation

1. Justin Verlander, RHP – I hope people can understand what Justin Verlander did to earn AL MVP as a pitcher; He led the league in starts, wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and batting average against! The Tigers coasted to the AL Central title in 2011, and J.V. was the main reason. He’s been the Tigers’ ace for quite some time, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. Some people forget that he is only 29 years old, but I remind myself of the fact every time I doubt his ability to get to the now modernly inconceivable feat of 300 wins.

2. Doug Fister, RHP – Put him in a ghillie suit, and he could star as the beanstalk in a big screen version with Jack and the giant. All jokes aside, the California native was unstoppable in a Tiger uniform in 2011. Fister has excelled this spring as well, logging a 3-0 record with a 2.03 ERA and 11 K’s in 13 and 1/3 innings pitched. If Scherzer pitches near the ceiling of his capabilities, I could understand Leyland putting Fister third in the rotation. However, as it stands right now, I think Fister has demonstrated enough sustained success as a Tiger to maintain his spot in the #2 slot of the rotation.

3. Max Scherzer, RHP – Have they diagnosed Max Scherzer with bipolar disorder yet? No? Well, I’m going to go ahead and diagnose his pitching (and his eyes) as bipolar. I’m fairly certain Katy Perry wrote the song “Hot n Cold” after she saw Max Scherzer on the pitcher’s mound. It seems like Scherzer can never truly get into a grove from game-to-game; he’ll go out and twirl a 7+ inning gem, then follow it up with a sub-five inning debacle. If he can find a way to have consistent command of his Slider in 2012, he’s capable of being a 20-game winner. I don’t see it happening; I’m just saying that he possesses that sort of talent.

4. Rick Porcello, RHP – Calm down ladies! Now that Brandon Inge is (hopefully) off the roster, every jersey-chasing fan girl will have to resort to their second-favorite dreamboat. I’ve been a fan of Slick Rick ever since he tossed Kevin Youkilis’ fat ass to the ground at Fenway. However, if he wants to continue to maintain possession of my fandom, I expect him to approach his freshman effort from 2009. The fact of the matter is that his ERA the past two seasons has approached 5, and I expect more out of a 1st round pick.

5. Duane Below  Drew Smyly, LHP – Just when I was starting to come around on Jacob Turner, he went and got hurt. Turner was in the running for the final spot in the Tigers’ starting rotation, but he came down with a bit of shoulder tendinitis earlier this month and wasn’t able to recover in time. That made it a three-horse race between Andy Oliver, Drew Smyly, and Duane Below for the fifth spot in the Tigers’ rotation. Oliver’s abysmal spring performance made it easy for Jim Leyland to eliminate him from contention. If the race for the fifth starting spot is based solely on spring training performance, go ahead and give it to Smyly. Smyly has been consistent in his 4 outings, registering a 2.84 ERA with 10 K’s in 12 innings pitched. On the other hand, Below has had frequent command problems this spring, issuing 10 walks in his 15 and 2/3 innings pitched. Regardless of who the Marlboro Man goes with to start the season, I expect Jacob Turner to be the Tigers’ #5 by mid-May, at the latest.
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Projected Bullpen

Collin Balester, MRP – Playing the role of new kid on the block, the Tigers were able to obtain Balester’s services during the offseason by unloading Ryan Perry on the Washington Nationals. I don’t know much about the 6’5” 25-year old, but I’m not exactly impressed looking at his career stats. His career statistics through 2011 include a 5-16 record, with a 5.17 ERA; I can only hope Jeff Jones can get him straightened out. If spring is any indication, he’s headed down the right path – Balester is sporting a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched. Still, I don’t expect Balester to be called out of the pen in close games early in the season; Leyland will probably want proof that he’s capable of pitching in low-stress situations before he throws him into the gauntlet.

Phil Coke, MRP/LRP – Last year, Coke was the victim of being forced into the fifth starter position by a coaching staff that was dead set on having a lefty in the rotation; everyone that watches the Tigers remembers how that move worked out. It took until June for Jim, Jeff, and company to permanently move Coke back to the pen. Once they did, he settled back into his role as a middle to long reliever and lefty matchup man. In 2011, Coke’s ERA as a starter was 4.91; his ERA as a reliever was 3.41. I think it’s safe to say he’s found his niche as a Tiger.

Luis Marte, MRP – Who’s that short, fiery Dominican that’s ringing up batters left and right for the Tigers in the Grapefruit League? Wait a minute…I thought Al Alburquerque was out for another 3 months recovering from elbow surgery? Well, actually, that is the case. However, the Tigers have another short, fiery Dominican capable of striking out the side – Luis Marte. Marte briefly came up to pitch for the Tigers in 2011 in the month of September, but his 3 and 2/3 innings pitched didn’t offer much of a sample size. However, he’s been dominate in his 13 innings down in Florida throughout March, rocking a 2.08 ERA and a 16 to 3 strikeout to walk ratio.

Daniel Schlereth, MRP – I must say, I thought the bearded wonder was a pretty reliable out of the pen last year. Let’s put it this way – with Schlereth, I didn’t have that general feeling of unease I experienced when Phil Coke or Ryan Perry jogged in from left field. As a Tiger, Schlereth has been very consistent, yielding earned runs in only 14 of his 67 appearances in the navy, white, and orange. I expect that consistency to continue; Leyland should feel comfortable plugging in Schlereth in the 7th inning when Octavio Dotel needs a day off.

Octavio Dotel, Gap Pitcher/7th Inning Specialist – I can’t decide if I should make a gray hair joke or a joke about using a walker to get to the mound. However, his addition will bring another veteran presence to augment the leadership of his new 8th and 9th inning brethren. The addition of Dotel also should make Leyland much more comfortable putting Porcello and whoever is in the fifth spot in the rotation out on the mound, knowing that they really only have to go 6 innings to get to the usual suspects in the bullpen. It should also be noted that in 2011, Dotel played a vital role on the St. Louis Cardinals’ championship team.

Joaquin Benoit, Setup Man – Has everyone got the image from the playoffs of Benoit with that massive abscess on his face out of their brain? Well, by asking that rhetorical question, I reminded you of it; you’re welcome. The Tigers paid the big bucks to acquire Joaquin Benoit for the 2011 season, and his performance in April and May made Tigers fans wonder if general manager Dave Dombrowski made an expensive mistake. However, Benoit was able to right ship, logging a 1.54 ERA from June through September. I still feel very comfortable when J.V. can only go 7, because he’ll be handing the ball off to two of the best late-inning pitchers in all of baseball.

Jose Valverde, Closer – The man affectionately known as Papa Grande is the most entertaining closer in all off baseball; he also happens to be one of the most effective. Last season, Valverde went a perfect 49 for 49 in save opportunities, as he became only the third pitcher in baseball history to achieve perfection over an entire season with more than 28 saves. He was aptly given the 2011 MLB Delivery Man of the Year Award as the most outstanding relief pitcher of the regular season. Now someone just has to put in a call to get Papa Grande on the next season of Dancing with the Stars.
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Author: Joe Cook

Detroit Tigers 2012 Season Preview – Part 1 (Projected Lineup Card and Bench)

Posted on by JLCS


The following is the first article in a three-part series that will offer a 2012 season preview for the Detroit Tigers.

March 31st – Projected Lineup and Bench
April 2nd – Projected Starting Rotation and Bullpen
April 3rd – General Season Outlook
April 5th –  Detroit Tigers’ Season Opener vs. Boston Red Sox

Projected Lineup Card

1. Austin Jackson, CF – When Dave Dombrowski traded Curtis Granderson to the Yankees for Action Jackson, he knew he was making a commitment to keep him in the leadoff spot, barring a cataclysmic collapse. It is vital that he get on base and offer functional base-stealing services this year, so it’d be nice to see a reduced strikeout count this season. Having Jackson in centerfield is a no-brainer.

2. Brennan Boesch, LF – I think this is the start of the most dangerous two-hole through five-hole in all of major league baseball (although Curtis, Robinson, Mark, and Alex might have something to say about that). Boesch was having a great 2011 season, until a nagging thumb injury and ensuing surgery sidelined him for the Tigers playoff push. If his performance in Spring Training is any indication, the thumb is fully healed. He’s tied for the team lead at 6 HRs, with 15 RBIs to boot. Putting Boesch in left isn’t a matter of choice; rather, it is by default. I think he looks comfortable out there, and I think Dirks has a stronger arm and comparable footspeed.

3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B – Do I really have to explain to anybody why Fat Cabby is batting third in this lineup? I didn’t think so. As far as positioning, we’ve already heard inadvertent Marlboro spokesman Jim Leyland commit to Miggy being his man at the hot corner.

4. Prince Fielder, 1B – This was generally accepted as the second-best offseason acquisition in all of baseball. I would argue that Fielder’s impact on the Tigers may will be more significant than the impact Pujols has with the Angels. Without going into too much detail, I think Pujols puts up better numbers, but Fielder’s presence augments the Tigers lineup down the board in a greater way. Fielder was acquired as our first baseman, so we have to embrace that positioning and Miggy being pushed over to third.

5. Delmon Young, DH – Before the Tigers acquired Young to become part of their playoff push, he was stuck in Minnesota having the worst season of his career; the change in scenery seemed to ignite his game. In 84 games with the Twins, he was batting .266, with 4 HRs and 32 RBIs. In his 40 games with the Tigers, he logged a .274 BA, with 8 HRs and 32 RBIs. He becomes a pitching nightmare if he can find a way to even come close to recreating his 2010 performance. The designated hitter spot makes sense for Young, especially if you’ve seen him play in the outfield.

6. Alex Avila, C – The breakout young gun from the 2011, Avila is coming off a season where he was voted into the starting lineup for the American League team at the MLB All-Star game. Although he has struggled at the dish a bit this spring, he seems to have improved at thwarting base-stealers from behind the plate. With this pitching staff, Avila’s ability to keep runners at first might should allow the Tigers to challenge other teams for the league lead in team ERA. Oh, and for the record – Alex Avila IS Jack Parkman.

7. Jhonny Peralta, SS – Jhonny doesn’t have the best range at short…okay, that’s an understatement; he makes Derek Jeter look like Troy Tulowitzki. However, fans saw last year that he is more than capable of making up for it with his ability at the plate. I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t big me that Peralta is about the only shortstop in baseball that lacks the footspeed to steal bases on a regular basis; he and J.J. Hardy of Baltimore were the only qualifying starting shortstops that failed to log a single stolen base in the 2011 season. However, he was second in RBIs among AL shortstops, so I’m willing to take the good with the bad.

8. Ryan Raburn, 2B – Ask anybody I know and they’ll tell you that I’ve never been a huge fan of Raburn, and the first half of the 2011 season did nothing to change my mind. However, I really want to lead anybody that is willing to follow me onto this guy’s bandwagon now. Raburn hit .213 prior to the All-Star break in 2011, but he hit .341 after the break and has been one of the top hitters in all of baseball in Grapefruit League play this spring. I worry that he had 10 errors in only 55 starts at second base last season, but if he can get comfortable at the position instead of having to constantly adapt as a utility man, perhaps he can bring the error count down.

9. Andy Dirks, RF – Dirks has spent the last two seasons in the Dominican Winter League and has come out a winner both times. He won a title with the Toros del Este in 2010-11 and had the game-winning hit in the championship with the Leones del Escogido in 2011-2012. His passion and love for the game of baseball is unparalleled on this iteration of the Tigers roster (Considering I expect Brandon Inge to finally ride off into the sunset – good riddance). If his spring performance is any indication it looks like his time in the Dominican Republic has paid off. He’s batting average is at .422, and his on-base percentage is a whopping .481. I think it makes sense to put Dirks out in right with his arm strength.
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Projected Bench

Gerald Laird, C – I laugh every time I’m at Comerica and Laird comes to the plate, because the scoreboard animation reads, “Be Scared of Laird!” As an opposing pitcher, am I really supposed to be afraid of a lifetime .241 hitter, whose career homerun total was surpassed by Curtis Granderson’s single-season output in 2011? Who are we kidding, though? Laird’s on the squad to give Avila days off and lay one down to advance runners. I guess we can say he has a serviceable arm as well.

Don Kelly, Utility – A true utility guy, Kelly has played in at least 1 game at all nine positions in his career. Hell, the Tigers even threw him out to toe the rubber in 2011; he closed the season as the Tigers ERA leader, logging a 0.00 ERA with one-third of an inning pitched. I laugh reminiscing about that one out, as it came on a hanging breaking ball that Met’s temporary DH Scott Hairston got under and lifted out to Austin Jackson at the warning track in left center. That’s neither here nor there, though, as Kelly is really a coach’s ballplayer; he’s good for some clutch hits and you can put him where you need him on the field late in the game as a defensive substitute.

Ramon Santiago, 2B/SS – If Jim Leyland plays Ramon at second more often than he plays Raburn there, I wouldn’t be surprised or unhappy. I would prefer Raburn starting there, but Ramon has paid his dues as a Tiger and is very reliable at the plate and in the field. If I had to guess, I’d say Santiago is the least polarizing Tiger on the entire roster – I don’t know anybody that hates him, and I don’t know anybody that loves him. He’s just there; he does his job as a backup, hitting at a .263 clip since the start of 2009 and minimizing mistakes in the field.


Danny Worth, 2B/SS/3B – Fellow PAW author Dan Stone wrote a fantastic article on Danny Worth earlier this week; I’d like to echo his sentiments. For that last positional spot on the bench, let’s compare Worth and Brandon Inge. Worth has demonstrated his ability to play 3 positions on the infield; Inge can definitely play third base, and he threw his token hat in the ring to try and play second – a hopefully futile attempt to keep his roster spot. Advantage: Worth. This spring, Worth is hitting .286 in 35 at-bats; he hit .270 in 37 at-bats in 2011. This spring, Inge is hitting .180 in 50 at-bats; he hit .197 in 269 at-bats in 2011. Advantage: Worth. In terms of age, Danny Worth is 26; Brandon Inge is 34. Advantage: Worth. You can see where this is headed, right? I have to end on a pun – putting Worth on the 25-man roster will prove Worthwhile. Boom.
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Author: Joe Cook

What should we take away from Tiger’s win at Bay Hill?

Posted on by JLCS

Regardless of World Ranking, Tiger is currently the best golfer in the world – Tiger’s convincing win at Bay Hill catapulted him to #6 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Why don’t we take a look at whose ahead of him, eh?

  • #5, Steve Stricker – Mr. Consistency in the golf world, Stricker always seems to be in the top-30 on the leader-board on Saturdays and Sundays. Wait a minute, though…how many majors has he won? That’s right, a whopping ZERO.
    Comparison: Tiger >>> Stricker.
  • #4, Martin Kaymer – Hailing from Dusseldorf, this determined German came onto the golf scene strong in 2010, winning the PGA Championship and finishing top-10 in the U.S. and British Opens. However, since his big win at Whistling Straits, Kaymer has failed to get into the win column in a PGA Tour sanctioned event.
    Comparison: Tiger >> Kaymer.
  • #3, Lee Westwood – I’m just gonna get this off my chest right away – I HATE LEE WESTWOOD. However, I’ll do my best to ignore my biases and render a fair judgment of this doucher; he can sure play some golf. He’s in the same boat as Stricker, having never won a major championship. However, he’s come tantalizingly close to winning all four. Westwood is playing some good golf this year, and he’s had success at Augusta before. If you tell me that Tiger doesn’t win The Masters this year, I’ll put my money here.
    Comparison: Tiger ≥ Westwood.
  • #2, Rory McIlroy – I envy him, but it has nothing to do with his golf skills. I think maybe it has something more to do with Caroline Wozniacki being his current flame. I mean, come on, really??
    This guy:   is with
    this girl: 
    Either he’s got a lot of confidence in himself, or he’s packin’.  For the sake of speculation, I’ll assume it’s more the former. On a serious note, this kid has the chance to be a new generation’s Tiger by dominating golf for years to come, and he believes he can do it; I’m not sold yet. 
    Comparison    : Tiger > McIlroy.
  •  #1, Luke Donald – Is anyone really impressed with this guy? Whenever I watch him play, I find myself wondering how the World Golf Rankings operate, considering they have this man ranked as the best golfer in the world. You show me Luke Donald, and I’ll show you the least intimidating top-20 golfer on tour.
    Comparison: Tiger >> Donald.

The switch to Sean Foley has finally paid off – Anyone else think that it’s ironic that Tiger’s first win on tour since that fateful day in November came on the release week of the book on his own downfall? The name of the book is “The Big Miss,” by former swing coach Hank Haney. I think “The Big Miss” is what Haney is feeling now that Woods demonstrated he is going to be successful in resuscitating his golf career. Tiger’s ball-striking consistency has improved under Foley’s tutelage; it just took him a while to get his putter working. Now he’s put it all together, and the golf world is taking notice. That offers a wonderful segue into the fact that….

Tiger is still intimidating on Sundays – Let’s not kid ourselves; Tiger’s play during the weekend at Bay Hill wasn’t exactly awe-inspiring. He shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday and 2-under 70 on Sunday, carding 5 bogeys in comparison to the whopping 1 bogey he had between Thursday and Friday. I think the more important observation to take away from the weekend is that golfers on tour are still very much intimidated when Tiger heads into Day 4 atop the leaderboard. What big names were in contention going into Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational? How’d they score? Let’s take a look: Graeme McDowell (+2, 74), Ian Poulter (+2, 74), Bubba Watson (E, 72) and Ernie Els (+3, 75). That’s right, ladies and gentleman, the big name players all crumbled under the pressure that emanates from Eldrick’s aura. Tiger is back to stay, and the new odds-on favorite to win at Augusta in April. The rest of the players on tour better grow some cojones if they want to go head-to-head with him in a Sunday duel.

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Author: Joe Cook

1-3-1 Sweet 16 Special (March 22nd)

Posted on by JLCS


THE 1-3-1 SWEET 16 SPECIAL (4 Thoughts About the Tournament So Far)

South Region

Kentucky is peaking at the right time. This team is scary good. This team is so good, it’s almost unfair. Does that make them unbeatable? Not by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, I think that Marquis Teague’s constantly improving play at the point guard position makes this team a NEAR impossible out in the tournament. Not to mention the constantly improving maintenance of the unibrow on the face of Anthony Davis.

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West Region

Draymond Green is the unequivocal MVP of the tournament so far. By now, everyone has heard the “Draymond does everything for this team…including mopping the floor” joke. I would like to toss aside my loathing of such trite wit to examine what he’s done in two tournament games. In the Spartans’ victories over LIU Brooklyn and Saint Louis in the second and third rounds, Green averaged 20 points, 12.5 boards and 8 dimes per game. Without Draymond, the Spartans would’ve struggled mightily to get past Rick Majerus’ Billikens. Even Anthony Davis and the very hungry caterpillar above his eyes have to be impressed with his play thus far.

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Midwest Region

Bill Self is lucky to have such talented players. If not for the sheer fact that they are significantly more talented than the Purdue team they almost loss to, this Kansas squad would be back in Lawrence watching the rest of the tournament on the tube. Bill Self has proven time and time again that he’s not a reliable tournament coach – see Bucknell in 2005, Bradley in 2006, Northern Iowa in 2010. Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson might’ve gotten him out of the jam in the Round of 32, but he might actually have to…gasp…out-coach Mark Gottfried and Roy Williams in order to secure his Jayhawks a spot in New Orleans. Speaking of Thomas Robinson, I’ve been wondering how he’d match up with the masked unibrower – a fellow Naismith POY candidate – if they square off in the Championship.

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East Region

The Wisconsin/Syracuse matchup will be about as interesting as watching paint dry for fans that don’t appreciate slow-paced, methodical, defensive basketball. The first game to tip-off in the Sweet 16, this has all the makings of a 55-54 barnburner. Phones will be ringing off the hook, with snails and turtles calling in complaining to the committee that the pace of this game is too slow. In all honesty, I don’t give a rat’s ass if you enjoy this game or not, because I know I will. Two great coaches, two well-developed systems of offense and defense, and two teams hungry for their school’s first Elite 8 berth in a long time. Some food for thought to leave you with: I wonder what Bo Ryan would look like if I photoshopped Anthony Davis’ eyebrow (singular) onto his face?

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Author: Joe Cook

1-3-1 Sports Field of 68 – March 11th (Final)

Posted on by JLCS


PROJECTED SEEDING


The 1 Seeds

Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, Michigan State

The 2 Seeds

Ohio State, Kansas, Missouri, Duke

The 3 Seeds

Marquette, Baylor, Michigan, Georgetown

The 4 Seeds

Louisville, Florida State, Indiana, Wisconsin

The 5 Seeds

Vanderbilt, Wichita State, Murray State, Florida

The 6 Seeds

Temple, New Mexico, Memphis, UNLV

The 7 Seeds

Creighton, Notre Dame, San Diego State, St. Mary’s

The 8 Seeds

Gonzaga, Cincinnati, Kansas State, Iowa State

The 9 Seeds

Alabama, Connecticut, Saint Louis, Purdue

The 10 Seeds

Virginia, Southern Miss, Harvard, West Virginia

The 11 Seeds

California, VCU, Xavier, Texas

The 12 Seeds

Colorado State, Long Beach State, BYU, NC State, South Florida, Seton Hall

The 13 Seeds

Colorado, Ohio, St. Bonaventure, Belmont

The 14 Seeds

South Dakota State, Davidson, Montana, New Mexico State

The 15 Seeds

Loyola (MD), Lehigh, Detroit, LIU Brooklyn

The 16 Seeds

UNC-Asheville, Lamar, Norfolk State, Vermont, Miss. Valley State, Western Kentucky

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BUBBLE ACTION


Last Four In
BYU, NC State, South Florida, Seton Hall

Last Four Out
Drexel, Mississippi State, Washington, Miami (FL)

Next Four Out
Iona, Arizona, Northwestern, Oregon

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CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (10), Big Ten (6), Big 12 (6), ACC (5), SEC (4), MWC (4), A-10 (4), WCC (3), Pac-12 (2), MVC (2), C-USA (2), Colonial (2)

America East – Vermont

ACC – North Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Virginia, NC State

Atlantic Sun – Belmont

Atlantic 10 – Temple, Saint Louis, Xavier, St. Bonaventure

Big East – Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Connecticut, West Virginia, Seton Hall, South Florida

Big Sky – Montana

Big South – UNC-Asheville

Big Ten – Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue

Big 12 – Kansas, Missouri, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Texas

Big West – Long Beach State

Colonial – VCU

Conference USA – Memphis, Southern Miss

Horizon – Detroit

Ivy – Harvard

MAAC – Loyola (MD)

MAC – Ohio

MEAC – Norfolk State

MVC – Wichita State, Creighton

MWC – UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State

Northeast – LIU Brooklyn

Ohio Valley – Murray State

Pac-12 – Colorado, California

Patriot – Lehigh

SEC – Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama

Southern – Davidson

Southland – Lamar

Summit – South Dakota State

Sun Belt – Western Kentucky

SWAC – Miss. Valley State

WAC – New Mexico State

WCC – Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, BYU

1-3-1 Sports Field of 68 – March 8th

Posted on by JLCS


PROJECTED SEEDING


The 1 Seeds

Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, Kansas

The 2 Seeds

Duke, Missouri, Ohio State, Michigan State

The 3 Seeds

Marquette, Michigan, Baylor, Georgetown

The 4 Seeds

Indiana, Wisconsin, Wichita State, Temple

The 5 Seeds

Louisville, UNLV, Florida State, Florida

The 6 Seeds

Murray State, Creighton, San Diego State, Vanderbilt

The 7 Seeds

St. Mary’s, Gonzaga, Notre Dame, New Mexico

The 8 Seeds

Memphis, Iowa State, Kansas State, Purdue

The 9 Seeds

Saint Louis, Alabama, Southern Miss, Virginia

The 10 Seeds

Cincinnati, California, Harvard, Connecticut

The 11 Seeds

BYU, West Virginia, Colorado State, Washington

The 12 Seeds

Mississippi State, South Florida, VCU, Long Beach State

The 13 Seeds

Texas, Northwestern, Drexel, Seton Hall, Belmont, Nevada

The 14 Seeds

South Dakota State, Davidson, Akron, Montana

The 15 Seeds

Loyola (MD), Lehigh, Detroit, LIU Brooklyn

The 16 Seeds

Texas-Arlington, UNC-Asheville, Stony Brook, Miss. Valley State, Western Kentucky, Savannah State

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BUBBLE ACTION


Last Four In
Texas, Northwestern, Drexel, Seton Hall

Last Four Out
Xavier, Oregon, NC State, Miami (FL)

Next Four Out
Iona,  Tennessee, Arizona, St. Joseph’s

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CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (10), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (6), SEC (5), ACC (4), MWC (4), WCC (3), Pac-12 (2), A-10 (2), MVC (2), C-USA (2), Colonial (2)

America East – Stony Brook

ACC – Duke, North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia

Atlantic Sun – Belmont

Atlantic 10 – Temple, Saint Louis

Big East – Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Connecticut, West Virginia, Seton Hall, South Florida

Big Sky – Montana

Big South – UNC-Asheville

Big Ten – Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue, Northwestern

Big 12 – Kansas, Missouri, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Texas

Big West – Long Beach State

Colonial – VCU, Drexel

Conference USA – Memphis, Southern Miss

Horizon – Detroit

Ivy – Harvard

MAAC – Loyola (MD)

MAC – Akron

MEAC – Savannah State

MVC – Wichita State, Creighton

MWC – UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State

Northeast – LIU Brooklyn

Ohio Valley – Murray State

Pac-12 – California, Washington

Patriot – Lehigh

SEC – Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi State

Southern – Davidson

Southland – Texas-Arlington

Summit – South Dakota State

Sun Belt – Western Kentucky

SWAC – Miss. Valley State

WAC – Nevada

WCC – Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, BYU
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THE BRACKET:

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1-3-1 Sports Field of 68 – March 5th

Posted on by JLCS


PROJECTED SEEDING


The 1 Seeds

Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina, Kansas

The 2 Seeds

Duke, Missouri, Ohio State, Michigan State

The 3 Seeds

Marquette, Georgetown, Baylor, Michigan

The 4 Seeds

Indiana, Wisconsin, Louisville, Wichita State

The 5 Seeds

Temple, UNLV, Florida State, Florida

The 6 Seeds

Murray State, Creighton, Gonzaga, San Diego State

The 7 Seeds

Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Memphis, New Mexico

The 8 Seeds

St. Mary’s, Iowa State, Kansas State, Purdue

The 9 Seeds

Saint Louis, Alabama, Southern Miss, Virginia

The 10 Seeds

California, Harvard, Cincinnati, BYU

The 11 Seeds

Connecticut, West Virginia, Washington, Seton Hall

The 12 Seeds

Mississippi State, Colorado State, South Florida, Texas, Northwestern, VCU

The 13 Seeds

Long Beach State, Drexel, Oral Roberts, Belmont

The 14 Seeds

Nevada, Davidson, Akron, Denver

The 15 Seeds

Montana, Valparaiso, Bucknell, Loyola (MD)

The 16 Seeds

LIU Brooklyn, Texas-Arlington, UNC-Asheville, Stony Brook, Miss.Valley State, Savannah State

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BUBBLE ACTION


Last Four In
South Florida, Texas, Northwestern, VCU

Last Four Out
Xavier, Oregon, NC State, Miami (FL)

Next Four Out
Iona, Arizona, Tennessee, St. Joseph’s

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CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (10), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (6), SEC (5), ACC (4), MWC (4), WCC (3), Pac-12 (2), A-10 (2), MVC (2), C-USA (2), Colonial (2)

America East – Stony Brook

ACC – Duke, North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia

Atlantic Sun – Belmont

Atlantic 10 – Temple, Saint Louis

Big East – Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Connecticut, West Virginia, Seton Hall, South Florida

Big Sky – Montana

Big South – UNC-Asheville

Big Ten – Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue, Northwestern

Big 12 – Kansas, Missouri, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Texas

Big West – Long Beach State

Colonial – Drexel, VCU

Conference USA – Memphis, Southern Miss

Horizon – Valparaiso

Ivy – Harvard

MAAC – Loyola (MD)

MAC – Akron

MEAC – Savannah State

MVC – Wichita State, Creighton

MWC – UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State

Northeast – LIU Brooklyn

Ohio Valley – Murray State

Pac-12 – California, Washington

Patriot – Bucknell

SEC – Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi State

Southern – Davidson

Southland – Texas-Arlington

Summit – Oral Roberts

Sun Belt – Denver

SWAC – Miss. Valley State

WAC – Nevada

WCC – Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, BYU

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THE BRACKET:
 

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1-3-1 Sports Field of 68 – March 1st

Posted on by JLCS


PROJECTED SEEDING


The 1 Seeds

Syracuse, Kentucky, Duke, Kansas

The 2 Seeds

North Carolina, Michigan State, Missouri, Ohio State

The 3 Seeds

Baylor, Georgetown, Marquette, Michigan

The 4 Seeds

Indiana, Wisconsin, Louisville,  Florida

The 5 Seeds

Wichita State, UNLV, Florida State, Temple

The 6 Seeds

Vanderbilt, Murray State, Notre Dame, Creighton

The 7 Seeds

Gonzaga, San Diego State, St. Mary’s, New Mexico

The 8 Seeds

Kansas State, Virginia, Iowa State, Memphis

The 9 Seeds

Purdue, Southern Miss, Saint Louis, California

The 10 Seeds

Alabama, Connecticut, Harvard, Seton Hall

The 11 Seeds

BYU, Washington, West Virginia, Cincinnati

The 12 Seeds

Mississippi State, Texas, Long Beach State, Arizona, South Florida

The 13 Seeds

Colorado State, Northwestern, Iona, Oral Roberts, Middle Tennessee

The 14 Seeds

Drexel, Belmont, Nevada, Davidson

The 15 Seeds

Akron, Montana, Bucknell, Valparaiso

The 16 Seeds

Texas-Arlington, LIU Brooklyn, UNC-Asheville, Stony Brook, Miss.Valley State, Savannah State

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BUBBLE ACTION


Last Four In
Arizona, South Florida, Colorado State, Northwestern

Last Four Out
Miami (FL), Xavier, Oregon, VCU

Next Four Out
NC State, UCF, St. Joseph’s, Dayton

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CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (10), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (6), SEC (5), ACC (4), MWC (4), Pac-12 (3), WCC (3), A-10 (2), MVC (2), C-USA (2)

America East – Stony Brook

ACC – Duke, North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia

Atlantic Sun – Belmont

Atlantic 10 – Temple, Saint Louis

Big East – Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Connecticut, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Cincinnati, South Florida

Big Sky – Montana

Big South – UNC-Asheville

Big Ten – Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern

Big 12 – Missouri, Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Texas

Big West – Long Beach State

Colonial – Drexel

Conference USA – Memphis, Southern Miss

Horizon – Valparaiso

Ivy – Harvard

MAAC – Iona

MAC – Akron

MEAC – Savannah State

MVC – Wichita State, Creighton

MWC – UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State

Northeast – LIU Brooklyn

Ohio Valley – Murray State

Pac-12 – California, Washington, Arizona

Patriot – Bucknell

SEC – Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi State

Southern – Davidson

Southland – Texas-Arlington

Summit – Oral Roberts

Sun Belt – Middle Tennessee

SWAC – Miss. Valley State

WAC – Nevada

WCC – St. Mary’s, Gonzaga, BYU

1-3-1 Sports Field of 68 – February 27th

Posted on by JLCS


PROJECTED SEEDING


The 1 Seeds

Syracuse, Kentucky, Duke, Michigan State

The 2 Seeds

Kansas, North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio State

The 3 Seeds

Marquette, Baylor, Georgetown, Michigan

The 4 Seeds

Louisville, Wisconsin, Florida, UNLV

The 5 Seeds

Indiana, Wichita State, Florida State, Temple

The 6 Seeds

Creighton, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Murray State

The 7 Seeds

St. Mary’s, Virginia, Gonzaga, San Diego State

The 8 Seeds

New Mexico, Iowa State, California, Kansas State

The 9 Seeds

Memphis, Southern Miss, Saint Louis, Purdue

The 10 Seeds

Connecticut, Alabama, Harvard, BYU

The 11 Seeds

Seton Hall, Washington, West Virginia, Mississippi State

The 12 Seeds

Texas, Arizona, Long Beach State, Cincinnati, Miami (FL)

The 13 Seeds

Northwestern, Xavier, Iona, Oral Roberts, Middle Tennessee

The 14 Seeds

Drexel, Belmont, Nevada, Davidson

The 15 Seeds

Akron, Weber State, Bucknell, Valparaiso

The 16 Seeds

Texas-Arlington, LIU Brooklyn, UNC-Asheville, Stony Brook, Miss.Valley State, Savannah State

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BUBBLE ACTION


Last Four In
Cincinnati, Miami (FL), Northwestern, Xavier

Last Four Out
Colorado State, South Florida, Oregon, VCU

Next Four Out
UCF, St. Joseph’s, Dayton, NC State

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CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (9), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (6), ACC (5), SEC (5), Pac-12 (3), MWC (3), WCC (3), A-10 (3), MVC (2), C-USA (2)

America East – Stony Brook

ACC – Duke, North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia, Miami (FL)

Atlantic Sun – Belmont

Atlantic 10 – Temple, Saint Louis, Xavier

Big East – Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Connecticut, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Cincinnati

Big Sky – Weber State

Big South – UNC-Asheville

Big Ten – Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern

Big 12 – Missouri, Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Texas

Big West – Long Beach State

Colonial – Drexel

Conference USA – Memphis, Southern Miss

Horizon – Valparaiso

Ivy – Harvard

MAAC – Iona

MAC – Akron

MEAC – Savannah State

MVC – Wichita State, Creighton

MWC – UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico

Northeast – LIU Brooklyn

Ohio Valley – Murray State

Pac-12 – California, Washington, Arizona

Patriot – Bucknell

SEC – Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Mississippi State

Southern – Davidson

Southland – Texas-Arlington

Summit – Oral Roberts

Sun Belt – Middle Tennessee

SWAC – Miss. Valley State

WAC – Nevada

WCC – St. Mary’s, Gonzaga, BYU

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(Click to Enlarge)
THE BRACKET:

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