2026 Baseball - General

[gtbeak]

Pear can do that

PEAR can pretend to do that, but PEAR can't really do that. To Fred's point, none of those metrics are against common opponents, so while they may make a nice graphic, they don't really do what they claim to do.

ETA: Am I reading the graphic correct? Is it really saying, "we have no idea, they are 50/50."? If so, then I take my first paragraph back....PEAR does know it's limitations.

 

[FredJacket]

Pear can do that

...or they can make it look like they can.

ETA... LOL. I wrote that before seeing @gtbeak 's comment

 

[GTRambler]

Blah blah blah blabber blabber blubber.

I don’t give a shat about RPI, national seedings, rankings, etc.

Let’s all just enjoy this Georgia Tech Train ride and watch the games.

 

[Eli]

PEAR can pretend to do that, but PEAR can't really do that. To Fred's point, none of those metrics are against common opponents, so while they may make a nice graphic, they don't really do what they claim to do.

ETA: Am I reading the graphic correct? Is it really saying, "we have no idea, they are 50/50."? If so, then I take my first paragraph back....PEAR does know it's limitations.

I guess I’m misunderstanding your first paragraph. What do you mean by “they don’t really do what they claim to do.” They are simply using every team’s metric and comparing them by a TSR (team strength rating.) If it were true we can’t really compare due to not having a common opponent then in reality we couldn’t compare Tech to more than half of college baseball, but we do anyway…

 

[Vespidie]

I have always felt like the draw/seed/regional/bracket/etc. didn't matter really in any sport as the cream will rise to the top. If you were or are sweating those things, you had a weakness that you were hoping to hide by getting favorable matchups. this looks like a team that can take on all comers and doesn't need to hide behind a "favorable" draw. Like all of my opinions, it could very well be wrong. But this team can stand on its own merits whatever seed they ultimately get.

I tend to agree with your take as well. We can hit with anyone in the country, but we'll go as far as our pitching takes us.

 

[FredJacket]

I guess I’m misunderstanding your first paragraph. What do you mean by “they don’t really do what they claim to do.” They are simply using every team’s metric and comparing them by a TSR (team strength rating.) If it were true we can’t really compare due to not having a common opponent then in reality we couldn’t compare Tech to more than half of college baseball, but we do anyway…

We can compare all we want. It's fun for many & part of being a fan. All I'm acknowledging (?) myself is it cannot be done objectively. Even though there is an entire industry of models & algorithms spitting out numbers and color coded charts sort of fooling us into thinking you CAN compare teams that have very little comparable competitve results to analyze.

Specific to UCLA & GT. They are 2 of the best teams in the country. That's good enough for me... I don't need to know which is #1. I submit nobody knows.

 

[devcon]

I figure we’ll find out the winner of UCLA vs. GT in Omaha.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

We can compare all we want. It's fun for many & part of being a fan. All I'm acknowledging (?) myself is it cannot be done objectively. Even though there is an entire industry of models & algorithms spitting out numbers and color coded charts sort of fooling us into thinking you CAN compare teams that have very little comparable competitve results to analyze.

Specific to UCLA & GT. They are 2 of the best teams in the country. That's good enough for me... I don't need to know which is #1. I submit nobody knows.

We agree that we don't need to know! Finally. (tic) The only way we'll find out is in Omaha. And then we'd only find out for that point in time, which wouldn't have transference to earlier or later.

 

[gtbeak]

I guess I’m misunderstanding your first paragraph. What do you mean by “they don’t really do what they claim to do.” They are simply using every team’s metric and comparing them by a TSR (team strength rating.) If it were true we can’t really compare due to not having a common opponent then in reality we couldn’t compare Tech to more than half of college baseball, but we do anyway…

I made a leap that isn't necessarily correct. You and Fred were typing "compare" and I was reading "rank who is better". You're correct, one can compare the two schools performance.

 

[GT33]

13 days & we're hosting a Regional. Those 3 wins are all that's important right now.

 

[FredJacket]

We agree that we don't need to know! Finally. (tic) The only way we'll find out is in Omaha. And then we'd only find out for that point in time, which wouldn't have transference to earlier or later.

The interesting part to me is... I still won't find out who the best team is ... even in Omaha. I'll learn who the champion is... there's often a difference.

 

[GT33]

The interesting part to me is... I still won't find out who the best team is ... even in Omaha. I'll learn who the champion is... there's often a difference.

That's been GT's problem. We've never either been hands down the best and just steamrollered other teams or caught lightning in a bottle when it mattered the most.

Hope this year is different.

 

[4shotB]

The interesting part to me is... I still won't find out who the best team is ... even in Omaha. I'll learn who the champion is... there's often a difference.

Your post sent me into a rabbit hole looking at some statistics. Here is some food for thought for you....

In the last 25 years, the #1 national seed has won the CWS twice. The #2 seed (national) has won it 3 times. A team that was unranked nationally has won it almost 50% of the time (12 total).

A regional #3 (unranked nationally) has won it twice. And a regional #4 (unranked) won it once.

Could one make the case that it was the people doing the seeding that were wrong? Said another way, I would prefer to be the champions at the end of the day than the so-called "best team". Like the basketball tournamnet, peaking at the right time is indeed critical.

 

[GT33]

How great is it that we're waking up on a Sunday morning in late May and there's a ton of people still following along? This time of year we've typically had Fred, Nuke, Decatur telling us few that still cared what might happen next year or recapping some stats from the current year. There's other baseball fans out there, GT baseball has just been an afterthought. These are great times indeed.

 

[4shotB]

How great is it that we're waking up on a Sunday morning in late May and there's a ton of people still following along? This time of year we've typically had Fred, Nuke, Decatur telling us few that still cared what might happen next year or recapping some stats from the current year. There's other baseball fans out there, GT baseball has just been an afterthought. These are great times indeed.

You can thank the new coach for some/most of this. The last coach, as good as he was, had settled into the Chan Gailey style of play. It was a version of ground hog day on the diamond. It felt like the season was scripted before it began. CPJ and Gailey both won at about the same clip overall but with paul there was much more variance which brought some interest to the table. That plus being recently retired is what has caught my attention.

I have said this before, but you guys (the 5 or 6 regulars here) who stayed the course over that maddening stretch are worthy of much respect? admiration? concern?

 

[FredJacket]

How great is it that we're waking up on a Sunday morning in late May and there's a ton of people still following along? This time of year we've typically had Fred, Nuke, Decatur telling us few that still cared what might happen next year or recapping some stats from the current year. There's other baseball fans out there, GT baseball has just been an afterthought. These are great times indeed.

You can thank the new coach for some/most of this. The last coach, as good as he was, had settled into the Chan Gailey style of play. It was a version of ground hog day on the diamond. It felt like the season was scripted before it began. CPJ and Gailey both won at about the same clip overall but with paul there was much more variance which brought some interest to the table. That plus being recently retired is what has caught my attention.

I have said this before, but you guys (the 5 or 6 regulars here) who stayed the course over that maddening stretch are worthy of much respect? admiration? concern?

Man.... I hope we win the regional. Lol.

 

[4shotB]

The interesting part to me is... I still won't find out who the best team is ... even in Omaha. I'll learn who the champion is... there's often a difference.

@FredJacket , your post has really got me into some serious thinking. I think the question of "best" vs "champion" is being played out at the PGA golf tournament this weekend. I don't know if you follow golf, but this is one of the 4 major tournaments. Winning one of these can define a person's entire career. There are 31 guys who start today with a realistic chance of winning (within 6 shots). Some of them are akin to the blueblood schools in college baseball and their names are known to the general public for the most part (Scottie, Rory, etc.) Then there are guys unknown even to us golf fans (the leader Smalley). Most talking heads, (when forecasting the winner) are picking the 4 to 6 names who have been in the position of contending in these things on a regular basis. That experience simply can't be replicated. All of these guys have the talent to be there but there is something to be said about the mental aspect of expecting to win vs hoping to win. The relative unknown who might win today will not be "better" than Scheffler, Rahm, McIlroy, etc. But he will be the PGA champion.

Not sure if your post above about winning the regional was TIC or not, but from my perspective my curiosity about the program doesn't hinge on that outcome. Some people in the FB forum ding Key bc he has not beat Uga in 4 tries. My take is that I can see he is moving the program in that direction where we won't be surprised when we beat them. Given how good the bb team is this year, not getting out of a regional I am sure would be such a massive letdown given the team we have but I think a coach will get my support as long as there is an overall sense that the program is moving forward. I lost that feeling a very long ago with C(fire)DH. And with the many basketball coaches we have had over the last few decades.

 

[FredJacket]

@FredJacket , your post has really got me into some serious thinking. I think the question of "best" vs "champion" is being played out at the PGA golf tournament this weekend. I don't know if you follow golf, but this is one of the 4 major tournaments. Winning one of these can define a person's entire career. There are 31 guys who start today with a realistic chance of winning (within 6 shots). Some of them are akin to the blueblood schools in college baseball and their names are known to the general public for the most part (Scottie, Rory, etc.) Then there are guys unknown even to us golf fans (the leader Smalley). Most talking heads, (when forecasting the winner) are picking the 4 to 6 names who have been in the position of contending in these things on a regular basis. That experience simply can't be replicated. All of these guys have the talent to be there but there is something to be said about the mental aspect of expecting to win vs hoping to win. The relative unknown who might win today will not be "better" than Scheffler, Rahm, McIlroy, etc. But he will be the PGA champion.

Not sure if your post above about winning the regional was TIC or not, but from my perspective my curiosity about the program doesn't hinge on that outcome. Some people in the FB forum ding Key bc he has not beat Uga in 4 tries. My take is that I can see he is moving the program in that direction where we won't be surprised when we beat them. Given how good the bb team is this year, not getting out of a regional I am sure would be such a massive letdown given the team we have but I think a coach will get my support as long as there is an overall sense that the program is moving forward. I lost that feeling a very long ago with C(fire)DH. And with the many basketball coaches we have had over the last few decades.

Good stuff. I love golf. Was at Quail Hollow last week... for all 4 rounds. Watched Reitan win over a "better" than him field on a tough course. I like your golf analogy.

My fandom for "my" teams tends to be most concerned about process (over results). The correct process will usually turn into positive results. The best teams have the best sustained & consistent processes.

I consider Ga Tech baseball (without a way to prove it) to be a frustrating outlier over the last 20 years. I have been generally quite happy with the process... winning 60-70% of the games has been great. The lack of postseason success flies in the face of what otherwise was good. Without spending too many words on it... it has been frustrating & hard to take. But has never kept me from enjoying the "successes" of the process & allowed me to be optimistic nearly every new season. Nothing different this year. The process is even better & results too. We'll have to see what happens over next how many ever weekends we're playing. Go Jackets!

 

[orientalnc]

Good stuff. I love golf. Was at Quail Hollow last week... for all 4 rounds. Watched Reitan win over a "better" than him field on a tough course. I like your golf analogy.

My fandom for "my" teams tends to be most concerned about process (over results). The correct process will usually turn into positive results. The best teams have the best sustained & consistent processes.

I consider Ga Tech baseball (without a way to prove it) to be a frustrating outlier over the last 20 years. I have been generally quite happy with the process... winning 60-70% of the games has been great. The lack of postseason success flies in the face of what otherwise was good. Without spending too many words on it... it has been frustrating & hard to take. But has never kept me from enjoying the "successes" of the process & allowed me to be optimistic nearly every new season. Nothing different this year. The process is even better & results too. We'll have to see what happens over next how many ever weekends we're playing. Go Jackets!

I was a casual fan in the past, but I am glued to the fortunes of this this team. This has been a fun Spring.

 

[Eli]

Good stuff. I love golf. Was at Quail Hollow last week... for all 4 rounds. Watched Reitan win over a "better" than him field on a tough course. I like your golf analogy.

My fandom for "my" teams tends to be most concerned about process (over results). The correct process will usually turn into positive results. The best teams have the best sustained & consistent processes.

I consider Ga Tech baseball (without a way to prove it) to be a frustrating outlier over the last 20 years. I have been generally quite happy with the process... winning 60-70% of the games has been great. The lack of postseason success flies in the face of what otherwise was good. Without spending too many words on it... it has been frustrating & hard to take. But has never kept me from enjoying the "successes" of the process & allowed me to be optimistic nearly every new season. Nothing different this year. The process is even better & results too. We'll have to see what happens over next how many ever weekends we're playing. Go Jackets!

Maybe I look at postseason differently than the majority, but if you aren’t winning the national championship then winning a Super Regional is irrelevant. FSU for example has the most trips to Omaha and have never won a national championship. Of all our teams to not win a regional I would say 3 of them were good enough to win it all In Omaha. I see fans of other ACC teams bragging they have more super regional appearances than Tech, but they have less ACC championships and the same amount of natties. Finishing in the top 8 in Omaha and then failing to advance to the title game to me is like a team bragging they made it to the Elite 8 in basketball, but have yet to really do anything meaningful. Is it disappointing to not enjoy extra baseball in June? Yes, but were all those teams legit title contenders? No. This year is different I fully expected a national championship starting in the fall and I will be disappointed without one..