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My Annual What If TSSAA Changed Baseball Post-Season Post


davidlimbaugh
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That time of year again. As some of you old-timers here know, I have been trying to get TSSAA to change the post-season format of baseball for well over a decade now.  I have TBCA on board. 

 

Issue: 1 pitcher gets you to Spring Fling if you can get out of your district.  He just has to win on Monday and Friday of region and substate.

 

Problem: You make it to Spring Fling and need a lot more pitching (witness some of the scores of games over the years)

 

Compounding the Problem this Year:  New Pitch Count Rules

 

The Limbaugh-Powers Plan:

 

Take AAA for Example, Regions 1 and 2

 

Odd Year So Odd Districts Host

 

(We move regular season opening up a week)

 

Last Friday and Saturday was the region tournament

 

 

Region 1  At Dobyns Bennett

 

G1 Friday 4:00  Morristown East vs Dobyns Bennett

 

G2 Friday 6:30  Tennessee vs Jefferson County

 

G3 Saturday 10:00am  Loser G1 vs Loser G2

 

G4 Saturday 12:30pm  Winner G1 vs Winner G2 - Winner Advances to Host Substate

 

G5 Saturday  3:00PM  Winner G3 vs Loser G4 - Winner Advances and travels to Substate

 

 

Region 2  at Karns

 

G1 Friday 4:00  Farragut vs Karns

 

G2 Friday 6:30  Gibbs vs Maryville

 

G3 Saturday 10:00am  Loser G1 vs Loser G2

 

G4 Saturday 12:30pm  Winner G1 vs Winner G2 - Winner Advances to Host Substate

 

G5 Saturday  3:00PM  Winner G3 vs Loser G4 - Winner Advances and travels to Substate

 

 

This Week Best 2-of-3  Thursday and Friday - Winner to Spring Fling

 

This gives each teams' #1 more rest.  He Goes Friday, Thursday and Tuesday.  Not Monday, Friday and Tuesday.

 

This ensures the best TEAM with deep pitching makes it to Spring Fling

 

Imagine the crowds at a true Region Tournament. No more 1-and-done games and win-sell-cokes-lose-buy-gas games....

 

What do ya think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Part of the fun in High School baseball is seeing who gets hot at the end of the year.  In baseball, the best team doesn't always win, that's what makes the sport so great. 

The TSSAA used to have a solution to the riding one arm scenario, and that was requiring you to win the Region Championship, instead of it being a seeding game.  I would be in favor of this coming back, but the TSSAA would then only have 4 teams in the state assuming the sectional game stayed an elimination game as well, and they'd lose all that precious gate money. 

The current format is more like the college tournaments and I think that is why it became so popular.  The new pitching rule will be very interesting to see how each team attacks or tries to exploit.  This year the teams with the biggest stable of arms will likely get far provided they can score enough to keep the lead.

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My biggest fear this year is that a team will ride that one arm on Monday and Friday, get to Murfreesboro, and after he throws his start, we may see a lot of crooked numbers?

That's the problem with this new pitch rule. If you have 1-2 really good districts, you can escape districts and make it to state, but those two pitchers will not let you win state. The production of the game can be ruined by that. Again, the TSSAA can careless about this rule, they just have to place this rule just so the TSSAA won't be sued by the NFHS. I honestly don't believe this rule actually limit arm injuries. Guess what? arm injuries are still going to happen regardless of how many pitches/days rest you want to have. I'm curious to hear coaches opinions about this.

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I've hated the current format for years, so almost anything that doesn't have a meaningless seeding game would be an improvement.  Likewise to portions of the post season being single elimination, portions double elimination along with the Wednesday game that doesn't accomplish anything but provide rest for the #1 pitcher.

 

1. It starts with allowing the districts to determine their own post season format including automatic bids for regular season champs.  There needs to be a uniform district tournament format that everyone must follow.

 

2. Once the region participants are decided, I like the double elimination region or substate tournament.  It is an early indicator of what is needed at the state level rather than riding one arm.  Single elimination games promote arm injuries.  The pitch count/days rest only marginally help.

 

3.  Another idea is a super regional where 2 regions are combined for one big tournament and the winner goes to state.  It's an 8 team double elimination tournament just like the state tournament.  A one horse show will not be able to survive.  Best pitching staff should win and the lopsided games are at this level rather than at state.  Hey T$$AA!  More $$$!

Edited by ksgovols
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I've hated the current format for years, so almost anything that doesn't have a meaningless seeding game would be an improvement.  Likewise to portions of the post season being single elimination, portions double elimination along with the Wednesday game that doesn't accomplish anything but provide rest for the #1 pitcher.

 

1. It starts with allowing the districts to determine their own post season format including automatic bids for regular season champs.  There needs to be a uniform district tournament format that everyone must follow.

 

2. Once the region participants are decided, I like the double elimination region or substate tournament.  It is an early indicator of what is needed at the state level rather than riding one arm.  Single elimination games promote arm injuries.  The pitch count/days rest only marginally help.

 

3.  Another idea is a super regional where 2 regions are combined for one big tournament and the winner goes to state.  It's an 8 team double elimination tournament just like the state tournament.  A one horse show will not be able to survive.  Best pitching staff should win and the lopsided games are at this level rather than at state.  Hey T$$AA!  More $$$!

 

The 8-team super regional will be shot down because A and AA teams will have too much travel according to some and rain at one location will have a bigger impact others will say....    We could go NO district tournaments like Alabama and other places, finish 1st or 2nd in your district or you season is over.  But district tournaments are fun and if your SS and #1 were out for basketball or injured half the season it is fun to be playing with a clean slate.....

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It's all about $$$.  The TSSAA implemented the pitch count rules because the NFHS told all of their memembers to do so.  Any new playoff format must guarantee the TSSAA they will make much more money than they do with the current format.  JMO, but both the section championship finals and state championship finals should be a best 2 of 3 series.  I have always said that it takes 6 pitchers (3 starters and 3 that can throw strikes) to win a state championship and most coaching staffs only have 2 or 3 and are not willing to risk a loss trying to develop a pitcher during the regular season.  

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Lol at travel!  Harpeth has 3 AA schools closer to them than anybody in their district and the DII schools really make use of the Bristol-Memphis highway.  ;)

 

I think we have to show T$$AA what a money maker a different format would be and get some coaches to think just a little outside of the 'we've always done it like this' box.  It is all about developing a pitching staff rather than riding one kids arm.

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Lol at travel!  Harpeth has 3 AA schools closer to them than anybody in their district and the DII schools really make use of the Bristol-Memphis highway.  ;)

 

I think we have to show T$$AA what a money maker a different format would be and get some coaches to think just a little outside of the 'we've always done it like this' box.  It is all about developing a pitching staff rather than riding one kids arm.

 

Coaches are not the problem.  TBCA is on board.  Have been for several years now.  They don't like system in Division 1...

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I like the Georgia system. Simple and straight forward.

 

Start our regular season 1 week earlier (if Kentucky and Georgia can do this, so can Tennessee)

 

16 districts send the top 2 teams to the post-season. No district tournaments.

 

5 rounds, best 2 out of 3

 

April 28 (DH), April 29 if necessary - Regional Semi-finals

May  5(DH), May 6 if necessary - Regional Finals

May 12(DH), May 13 if necessary - Sectional Semi-finals

May 19(DH), May 20 if necessary - East Sectional / West Sectional Finals

May 25,26,27 if necessary - State Finals in M'boro

 

One week b/t rounds gives pitchers time to recover, but 3 games in 2 days prevents teams with only 1 pitcher from advancing to the state (like they can now).  

 

Championship series of A, AA, and AAA on a neutral site, all games at MTSU, played on the same day, would be great in my opinion. 

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I like the Georgia system. Simple and straight forward.

 

Start our regular season 1 week earlier (if Kentucky and Georgia can do this, so can Tennessee)

 

16 districts send the top 2 teams to the post-season. No district tournaments.

 

5 rounds, best 2 out of 3

 

April 28 (DH), April 29 if necessary - Regional Semi-finals

May  5(DH), May 6 if necessary - Regional Finals

May 12(DH), May 13 if necessary - Sectional Semi-finals

May 19(DH), May 20 if necessary - East Sectional / West Sectional Finals

May 25,26,27 if necessary - State Finals in M'boro

 

One week b/t rounds gives pitchers time to recover, but 3 games in 2 days prevents teams with only 1 pitcher from advancing to the state (like they can now).  

 

Championship series of A, AA, and AAA on a neutral site, all games at MTSU, played on the same day, would be great in my opinion. 

Alabama too.....

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