LSU is a very good team that had a bad day. Neither A&M nor TCU are "superior". All 3 teams are or were capable of making a run. Most of the teams at the CWS and a couple who aren't here are, or were, capable of a run for that matter. A couple of teams were clear favorites coming in including LSU. Virginia was a darkhorse (up and down season but a talented team that seems to have finally put it together). Arky was the only team that I felt was truly fortuitous to be here with the way some matchups played out but they don't/didn't suck.
LSU's bad day could certainly be their doom but it isn't over yet. They have to get by a good Fullerton team, (who had a tremendously tough break with the weather) but LSU does have their most effective pitcher on the bump. Fullerton used their stud against Vandy in "part one" and lost to the weather. Against TCU, LSU only had one guy in their lineup batting under .300 and that guy (9 hole hitter) hit his 10th HR of the season against TCU. Fullerton has a quality pitching staff even beyond Eshelman. We will see if their bats can step up. Could be a fun game to watch.
If they get by them, LSU still has some capable arms and like what happened with us in the sub-regional some unsung guys may have to step up. However, the games are more spread out here versus the sub. LSU fan's hand-wringing in the post above may prove warranted but LSU is not toothless after Lange.
As for the "conference" stuff, the SEC has already proven it's strength this post-season (half the CWS participants), regardless of what happens from this point forward. Similarly the Big 12 was absolutely terrible this year regardless of what TCU does here (not unlike Rice and their conferences in the past). That debate is over for this season for everybody but the spinners.
This is about individual teams at this point and some good baseball. While, in a rivalry sense, I "hate" both TCU and LSU, I respect their teams ability. For me, TCU winning has made things more interesting. I thought LSU would beat them in a close one by pulling away late. Maybe a 4-2 or 5-2 type game. I still think LSU is a better team overall and over the long haul. But TCU got it done, the format is the format, and TCU has put a very good team on the brink. They lobbed a grenade so to speak and announced their presence.
It ain't over though. It just became more interesting for me.
LSU's bad day could certainly be their doom but it isn't over yet. They have to get by a good Fullerton team, (who had a tremendously tough break with the weather) but LSU does have their most effective pitcher on the bump. Fullerton used their stud against Vandy in "part one" and lost to the weather. Against TCU, LSU only had one guy in their lineup batting under .300 and that guy (9 hole hitter) hit his 10th HR of the season against TCU. Fullerton has a quality pitching staff even beyond Eshelman. We will see if their bats can step up. Could be a fun game to watch.
If they get by them, LSU still has some capable arms and like what happened with us in the sub-regional some unsung guys may have to step up. However, the games are more spread out here versus the sub. LSU fan's hand-wringing in the post above may prove warranted but LSU is not toothless after Lange.
As for the "conference" stuff, the SEC has already proven it's strength this post-season (half the CWS participants), regardless of what happens from this point forward. Similarly the Big 12 was absolutely terrible this year regardless of what TCU does here (not unlike Rice and their conferences in the past). That debate is over for this season for everybody but the spinners.
This is about individual teams at this point and some good baseball. While, in a rivalry sense, I "hate" both TCU and LSU, I respect their teams ability. For me, TCU winning has made things more interesting. I thought LSU would beat them in a close one by pulling away late. Maybe a 4-2 or 5-2 type game. I still think LSU is a better team overall and over the long haul. But TCU got it done, the format is the format, and TCU has put a very good team on the brink. They lobbed a grenade so to speak and announced their presence.
It ain't over though. It just became more interesting for me.
