PGF DRAW is going on Now, post here

[jonriv]

PGF should seed teams in their brackets based on how teams finished in qualifiers

1st place teams would be seeded higher then 2 place etc.....

make winning a qualifier more meaningful than an invite

[Trophy Hunter]

I think Triple Crowns seedings are rediculous. They only way you get ranked is if you play in their tournaments. So now teams that aren't necessarily good but have played in tournaments get ranked higher than teams that have killed to said teams. If you read TCS ranking methodology you would find this isn't true.

Does anyone really want to be told you have to play in many PGF tournaments throughout the year just so you can be seeded? No.

As far as NCAA, of course it would be easier to seed them, they have a national governing body that can tabulate everything, how do you propose ASA or PGF do this? TCS used some innovative methods in Colorado, but there were too many teams. With the smaller fields at Nationals you can get a more accurate read, so do away with the meaningless practice games and make pool play count.

Just a few questions.

Re: pool play, we keep hearing the coaches don't want it count, but never an explanation of Why? As others said earlier, this is a championship tournament, not a showcase - every game should matter. If at this point in the season you still need practice games maybe you don't belong there.

[jonriv]

I think Triple Crowns seedings are rediculous. They only way you get ranked is if you play in their tournaments. So now teams that aren't necessarily good but have played in tournaments get ranked higher than teams that have killed to said teams. If you read TCS ranking methodology you would find this isn't true.

Does anyone really want to be told you have to play in many PGF tournaments throughout the year just so you can be seeded? No.

As far as NCAA, of course it would be easier to seed them, they have a national governing body that can tabulate everything, how do you propose ASA or PGF do this? TCS used some innovative methods in Colorado, but there were too many teams. With the smaller fields at Nationals you can get a more accurate read, so do away with the meaningless practice games and make pool play count.

Just a few questions.

Re: pool play, we keep hearing the coaches don't want it count, but never an explanation of Why? As others said earlier, this is a championship tournament, not a showcase - every game should matter. If at this point in the season you still need practice games maybe you don't belong there.

What about something like maxpreps- for all of its warts, could they not set it up for TB play. Set up a points criteria for wins based on affiliation(PGF, ASA, NSA etc......) and tournament placings. Some form of CPI could be set up based on results vs strength of competition- I would think the infrastructure is there. I understand it requires self reporting and all of those issues, but seems better than what we have now(nothing)

[2kocbb]

Bracky makes sense. Let him schedule it.. Showcase time is over. If you are not in the lineup at this point, you are on the wrong team.

College coaches will still have the pool play schedule to attend.

We have our first bracket game with a team in our pool. Our top pitchers won't pitch, will theirs? will we bat our best? will they? Thats great for all the kids who know coaches will attend.

I can give a rats a** about the old guard and the status quo. 100% blind draw is just the easy way out.

My alzheimers is kicking in but 12U ASA nats in Normal, Il years back(if you can ever get to Mugsy's pub in Bloomington, IL, do it!) we had pool play that counted, rules regarding playing a same region team in the first round, and it shuts everyone up and made a great championship. Right Comets16??

The Kings won the Stanley Cup as an 8th seed.

Still no 16U brackets online. Draw was this morning

The way they did it in Normal IL was definitely cool, with all the tables & ping pong balls.

[PDad]

If the brackets for 16s play the same as for 18s, losing the first game means you'd have to win 3 games Thursday, and then 7 games Friday, ...

16s was not like 18s last year - 3 on Thur, 4 on Fri and 3-4 on Sat.

16u loser brackets this year are 4 on Thur and 5-6 on Fri. Championship game is the only one on Saturday.

I think the "TV production" issue is doing the background stories on the teams and players in the championship game beforehand.

Anyone else notice the 16u brackets don't crossover this year due to the brackets being played at different sites and finishing Friday night? 4 out of Bracky's top 5 SoCal teams are in Bracket A and only 1 can make it to the 'ship due to no crossover. Team Mizuno has an easy road, in comparison, to the final. Unbelievable...

PGF could fix this very easily by swtching the locations of the semifinal games. The 2 winners bracket teams have time to travel to the other site.

[Safebyahare]

With all due respect to those who oppose the blind draw.
Travel/club ball is not a seasonal sport and has a variable venues for games, showcases ect.
With that said, it is difficult at best to grade a team on a win, loss basis.
To rank a team at this National event would skew the playing field on a subjective basis.
This IS the event.....You are here,,,,,now play to win. No matter what the draw. If your team is ALL of that it should not be an issue.
It IS a positive thing, to have pool play NOT count in this event!! Why?,,,
It allows a team to SHOWCASE it's talent to the scouts, and other teams, It allows a deep team to reward all it's players for making it, While keeping the integrity of the team in place. To allow all it's players to participate. This IS a WIN, WIN deal!

[ontheblack]

With all due respect to those who oppose the blind draw.
Travel/club ball is not a seasonal sport and has a variable venues for games, showcases ect.
With that said, it is difficult at best to grade a team on a win, loss basis.
To rank a team at this National event would skew the playing field on a subjective basis.
This IS the event.....You are here,,,,,now play to win. No matter what the draw. If your team is ALL of that it should not be an issue.
It IS a positive thing, to have pool play NOT count in this event!! Why?,,,
It allows a team to SHOWCASE it's talent to the scouts, and other teams, It allows a deep team to reward all it's players for making it, While keeping the integrity of the team in place. To allow all it's players to participate. This IS a WIN, WIN deal!

What the rabbit said...

@Charlie, WRT "If you are not in the lineup at this point, you are on the wrong team", how many are rostered on your team?

[Trophy Hunter]

If the brackets for 16s play the same as for 18s, losing the first game means you'd have to win 3 games Thursday, and then 7 games Friday, ...

16s was not like 18s last year - 3 on Thur, 4 on Fri and 3-4 on Sat.

16u loser brackets this year are 4 on Thur and 5-6 on Fri. Championship game is the only one on Saturday.

I think the "TV production" issue is doing the background stories on the teams and players in the championship game beforehand.

Anyone else notice the 16u brackets don't crossover this year due to the brackets being played at different sites and finishing Friday night? 4 out of Bracky's top 5 SoCal teams are in Bracket A and only 1 can make it to the 'ship due to no crossover. Team Mizuno has an easy road, in comparison, to the final. Unbelievable...

PGF could fix this fairly easily by having teams crossover when they drop to losers bracket and adjusting some field locations on Friday.

I looked at this same thing after reading your post. The 14u combines at Harvard Park on Friday, which enables them to crossover brackets, and leaves all the fields at FV available, where the 16s could combine and crossover. It's an easy fix, but instead they leave the 16s at different parks, and alter the tournament format. Crazy, IMO.

Even crazier when you consider 16u is very popular with college coaches, who would have to decide between one or the other (or drive back and forth throughout the day, rather than walk across the park)

[jonriv]

With all due respect to those who oppose the blind draw.
Travel/club ball is not a seasonal sport and has a variable venues for games, showcases ect.
With that said, it is difficult at best to grade a team on a win, loss basis.
To rank a team at this National event would skew the playing field on a subjective basis.
This IS the event.....You are here,,,,,now play to win. No matter what the draw. If your team is ALL of that it should not be an issue.
It IS a positive thing, to have pool play NOT count in this event!! Why?,,,
It allows a team to SHOWCASE it's talent to the scouts, and other teams, It allows a deep team to reward all it's players for making it, While keeping the integrity of the team in place. To allow all it's players to participate. This IS a WIN, WIN deal!

What the rabbit said...

@Charlie, WRT "If you are not in the lineup at this point, you are on the wrong team", how many are rostered on your team?

What is the average size roster for teams at this event?

[Trophy Hunter]

With all due respect to those who oppose the blind draw.
Travel/club ball is not a seasonal sport and has a variable venues for games, showcases ect.
With that said, it is difficult at best to grade a team on a win, loss basis.
To rank a team at this National event would skew the playing field on a subjective basis.
This IS the event.....You are here,,,,,now play to win. No matter what the draw. If your team is ALL of that it should not be an issue.
It IS a positive thing, to have pool play NOT count in this event!! Why?,,,
It allows a team to SHOWCASE it's talent to the scouts, and other teams, It allows a deep team to reward all it's players for making it, While keeping the integrity of the team in place. To allow all it's players to participate. This IS a WIN, WIN deal!

Boy it sure is!!!! Having another showcase at the national championship tournament is a great idea!!!! And don't forget those participation trophies!!!!

The bold part you got right. "Play to win" Whatever happened to earning your playing time? By this point in the season shouldn't every kid have a role on the team that allows them to contribute to the teams success? Does everybody want to play these meaningless games just so the coaches who carry too many players can make them feel good?