Quality of B1G baseball

[hddude55]

I recall a fair amount of concern expressed that moving from the Big XII with its traditional Southern baseball powers, especially Texas, to the frozen tundra of the B1G meant a big drop in quality. Was B1G baseball grossly underrated?

 

[Truehuskerfan]

The quality of baseball in the conference has improved a lot in the 5 years since we knew we were moving to the B1G. The conference is probably going to get 5 teams to regionals this year. 5 years ago, that would have been unthinkable.

 

[k9_r]

I recall a fair amount of concern expressed that moving from the Big XII with its traditional Southern baseball powers, especially Texas, to the frozen tundra of the B1G meant a big drop in quality. Was B1G baseball grossly underrated?

The B1G is having a helluva year. Can they sustain it? I don't see how that would happen. The Big Ten has baseball on low priority and that does not equate to sustainability.

Time will tell but this has the look of a 100 year flood. Here today, gone tomorrow for another 100 years.

No, it wasn't underrated, grossly or otherwise. It was what it was - mid major conference with low baseball priorities. Much needs to be done to change that. Current good year or not.

Half a dozen coaches need to be swapped out for actual good coaches. Several facility upgrades are still needed but that likely will happen b/c we are awash in BTN money and it will get spent. Fans need to buy tickets and show up. Baseball needs to show up on BTN and not in equal doses with lacrosse and hockey. Priorities.

You don't get to join the biggies without prioritizing a path to the biggies. The Big Ten doesn't do that and this great year is in jeopardy of fading back. We'll wait, we'll see.

 

[Mike Matya]

The quality of baseball in the conference has improved a lot in the 5 years since we knew we were moving to the B1G. The conference is probably going to get 5 teams to regionals this year. 5 years ago, that would have been unthinkable.

 

[Mike Matya]

 

[Truehuskerfan]

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Wow-I hadn't really been following the Big 12 that closely, but I didn't realize it was that bad for them this year. Never thought I'd see a year when the B1G was better than the Big 12.

 

[k9_r]

Wow-I hadn't really been following the Big 12 that closely, but I didn't realize it was that bad for them this year. Never thought I'd see a year when the B1G was better than the Big 12.

Every B1G bid past the 2nd one has to come from somewhere. B12 is the big loser. Pac12 & Big West will be down too.

 

[DodgerHawki]

The B1G is having a helluva year. Can they sustain it? I don't see how that would happen. The Big Ten has baseball on low priority and that does not equate to sustainability.

Time will tell but this has the look of a 100 year flood. Here today, gone tomorrow for another 100 years.

No, it wasn't underrated, grossly or otherwise. It was what it was - mid major conference with low baseball priorities. Much needs to be done to change that. Current good year or not.

Half a dozen coaches need to be swapped out for actual good coaches. Several facility upgrades are still needed but that likely will happen b/c we are awash in BTN money and it will get spent. Fans need to buy tickets and show up. Baseball needs to show up on BTN and not in equal doses with lacrosse and hockey. Priorities.

You don't get to join the biggies without prioritizing a path to the biggies. The Big Ten doesn't do that and this great year is in jeopardy of fading back. We'll wait, we'll see.

There is definitely a change in B1G baseball, much of that owing to Nebraska and Maryland joining the league and the commitment that those schools have had toward baseball. Combine that with Indiana raising the prominence of the conference by making it to Omaha and the influx of the BTN money and there is a chance to sustained improvement. With that said, this year is probably a bit of an outlier. I don't know that the league will have 6+ teams with legitimate shots at NCAA berths in May every year, but more of the league schools are making an effort to be good.

The conference will always be at a disadvantage in terms of the amount of talent in its footprint compared with the SEC, Texas and the West. But years like this one at least make the conference more of a realistic choice for top-tier talent in the Midwest.

 

[sklarbodds]

There is definitely a change in B1G baseball, much of that owing to Nebraska and Maryland joining the league and the commitment that those schools have had toward baseball. Combine that with Indiana raising the prominence of the conference by making it to Omaha and the influx of the BTN money and there is a chance to sustained improvement. With that said, this year is probably a bit of an outlier. I don't know that the league will have 6+ teams with legitimate shots at NCAA berths in May every year, but more of the league schools are making an effort to be good.

The conference will always be at a disadvantage in terms of the amount of talent in its footprint compared with the SEC, Texas and the West. But years like this one at least make the conference more of a realistic choice for top-tier talent in the Midwest.

Very well thought out and reasoned post.

 

[k9_r]

There is definitely a change in B1G baseball, much of that owing to Nebraska and Maryland joining the league and the commitment that those schools have had toward baseball. Combine that with Indiana raising the prominence of the conference by making it to Omaha and the influx of the BTN money and there is a chance to sustained improvement. With that said, this year is probably a bit of an outlier. I don't know that the league will have 6+ teams with legitimate shots at NCAA berths in May every year, but more of the league schools are making an effort to be good.

The conference will always be at a disadvantage in terms of the amount of talent in its footprint compared with the SEC, Texas and the West. But years like this one at least make the conference more of a realistic choice for top-tier talent in the Midwest.

Here's an unhappy metric. Nebraska is 10th nationally in attendance (4,056); just one other B1G team is in the top 50 - Indiana, 30th (2,232). Bottom is Troy, 53rd (1,206). Need 1200 to get on the list.

B12 has five teams in and they're all ranked above Indiana. Oklahoma bounces in and out of the 1,200 minimum but they're having a down year and currently out.

Attendance is one of the necessary priority indicators and the B1G shows poorly in it.

 

[StormHawk42]

Hopefully BTN capitalizes on this solid year for the conference and do a better job promoting their brand next year. It's been basically non-existent this year.

 

[k9_r]

Hopefully BTN capitalizes on this solid year for the conference and do a better job promoting their brand next year. It's been basically non-existent this year.

Me too. I would love to see BTN promoting baseball in a big way. That would be a sure fire way to know priorities are shifting in Big Ten headquarters. We can be pretty sure Big Ten bosses have a large voice in BTN content.

Right now, BTN is about football, basketball and a little bit of everything else. Baseball is one of the littles.

A full season of SEC Network looks like baseball is right there with basketball and maybe ahead of basketball.

 

[coolonetoo]

Me too. I would love to see BTN promoting baseball in a big way. That would be a sure fire way to know priorities are shifting in Big Ten headquarters. We can be pretty sure Big Ten bosses have a large voice in BTN content.

Right now, BTN is about football, basketball and a little bit of everything else. Baseball is one of the littles.

A full season of SEC Network looks like baseball is right there with basketball and maybe ahead of basketball.

I suspect if other conference schools have a run like Indiana had the last few years, attendance numbers will follow. The question is about sustainability, though. If Indiana doesn't make a regional for two years, will the fans keep filling the stands? Maybe Illinois will jump into the top 50 next year because this season has generated fan interest but can that continue for several years?

At this point I think it's fair to say only Nebraska has established lasting support from both the administration and the fan base.

 

[okayplayer76]

I suspect if other conference schools have a run like Indiana had the last few years, attendance numbers will follow. The question is about sustainability, though. If Indiana doesn't make a regional for two years, will the fans keep filling the stands? Maybe Illinois will jump into the top 50 next year because this season has generated fan interest but can that continue for several years?

At this point I think it's fair to say only Nebraska has established lasting support from both the administration and the fan base.

Have to hand it to Nebby fans for continuing to support all their sports, even one of the historically bad basketball programs in the country. I have to ask is it just a social thing like Creighton ball? Iowa has a great fan base (me being one them) but you just don't see the attendance like Nebraska. I know one of Nebraska's big advantages is that over 1/2 the state's population is within 45 minutes of Lincoln.