2013 ACC Baseball Tourney Preview

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The regular season is over.  The Pack finishes a half game back of Atlantic Divsion Champs FSU.  Lotsa “what if’s” and “woulda, shoulda, coulda’s” that could be pointed to.

But here at SFN, we’re all about being optimistic and looking forward 😀

The post-season is where it’s at.  Time to make some noise.

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The 2013 ACC Baseball Tournament gets underway this Wednesday, May 22.

For those of you who haven’t followed the ACC Baseball Tournament recently, or those who have just forgotten from last year, the ACC uses pool play format.  What this means is that the teams from each pool play a round robin format, playing each team in their respective pool once, with the winners from each pool advancing to the championship game.  If a given team wins all three of their games, they’re assured of advancing.

It’s when two (or more) teams roll in at 2-1 that things get interesting.  In the event of a two way tie, the head to head result determines the tiebreaker.  If it’s a three way tie, the highest seeded team moves on.

Hence why letting FSU come into Raleigh and take our lunch money last weekend might come back to bite us, as that has slotted us behind Carolina as far as seeding in our pool.  Had we won the division and taken the number two seed, we’d be the frontrunner in the other pool.  But hey, like I said, no “what if’s” around here (eff you ‘Noles).

The pools for the tourney are:

POOL A – No. 1 North Carolina, No. 4 NC State, No. 5 Clemson, No. 8 Miami
POOL B – No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 Virginia, No. 6 Virginia Tech, No. 7 Georgia Tech

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The Competition

Pool A (Ours)

UNCLogoNorth Carolina Tar Heels

2013: 1-1 vs The Pack

48-8 (21-7 ACC, 1st Coastal, #1 overall seed, Rank #6, RPI #2)

Carolina finds itself in an unusual position entering the ACC Tourney.  That is to say, for the first time all season they’re not ranked #1.  Not even in the top 5.  That’s stupid.  As much as I hate them, they are one of the best three teams in the country.  To get by them in a one and done situation (which Saturday night likely will be for both teams) we’ll have to have our A+++ game going.

Miami-Hurricanes-8Miami Hurricanes

2013: Did not face The Pack

35-21 (14-16, 5th Coastal, #8 overall seed, Unranked, #19 RPI)

The ‘Canes are one of those ACC teams that could jump up and beat anybody.  Or sink down and lose to anybody.  Case in point, they’re the only team this year to have lost a series to Boston College.  Still, their #19 RPI isn’t by accident.  None of the top teams (UNC, UVa, FSU) managed to sweep them, and they won their series vs Clemson.

clemsonpawClemson Tigers

2013: 2-1 vs The Pack

39-17 (18-12 ACC, 3rd Atlantic, #5 overall seed, Rank #18, RPI #12)

Eff you Clemson.  I still feel dirty for having pulled for you in Tallahassee last weekend.  When we could have used your help you came up empty and looked like a deer in the headlights in the process (on Saturday at least).  For your efforts you get the 5 seed.  Hope you choke on it.  The Pack lost their series to Clemson this year at home, 2 games to 1.  Game one of that series (3/8) also happens to be when Trea Turner sustained his freak injury (on the very last play of the game no less).  Now I know Clemson isn’t really responsible for that….but they are.  Time to skin a Tigger.  No mercy.

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Pool B (The Other Side)

fsuFlorida State Seminoles

2013: 2-1 vs The Pack

44-12 (20-10 ACC, 1st Atlantic, #2 overall seed, Rank #7, RPI #5)

What more needs to be said about the ‘Noles?  Came to Raleigh and took our lunch money.  Overcame a Thursday loss to Clemson to take two straight from the toothless Tiggers and hang on (barely) to the Atlantic Division crown.  They took our hardware, IMHO.  But…and this is key…we LET them do it.  If we get a shot at them on Sunday I hope we pound their arses.  But I suspect UVa will beat us to that privilege.

8153_virginia_cavaliers-alternate-1994Virginia Cavaliers

2013: 3-0 vs The Pack

45-9 (22-8 ACC, 2nd Coastal, #3 overall seed, Rank #5, RPI #3)

I told you way back before they swept us in late March that they were good.  Most of you didn’t believe me.  Can you hear me now?  Closed the season by winning their series in Chapel Hill.  One of the best three teams in the country IMHO.  If we manage to get to Sunday, we’ll likely have to go thru the Cavs to get to the trophy.

VTLogoVirginia Tech Hokies

2013: 0-3 vs The Pack

35-19 (15-14 ACC, 3rd Coastal, #6 overall seed, Rank #21, RPI #15)

VT is one of those teams like Miami.  Jeckyl and Hyde, though maybe not to the same degree.  The best of the rest in a top heavy ACC Coastal division.  Still a very good team.  But probably not good enough to get past both FSU and UVa.

GTLogoGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets

2013: 0-3 vs The Pack

33-23 (15-15 ACC, 4th ACC Coastal, #7 overall seed, Unranked, RPI #22)

The defending ACC Champs (they won it from the in #8 seed in 2012, for those that don’t remember).  Probably not enough pitching to withstand the rigors of UVa and FSU, but one never knows.  Swept by the Pack just over a month ago in Atlanta, so probably looking for some payback should both teams reach Sunday.

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So, for those not paying close attention, all eight teams in this year’s ACC Tourney are in the top 25 of the current RPI, with #7 seed GT the lowest at #22.  That should make for  a heckuva weekend of baseball.

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Schedule (road vs home)

5/22 Wednesday

  • 11am – GT vs FSU
  • 3pm – VT vs UVa
  • 7pm – Clemson vs NCSU

5/23 Thursday

  • 11am – UVa vs GT
  • 3pm – Miami vs UNC-CH
  • 7pm – FSU vs VT

5/24 Friday

  • 11am – NCSU vs Miami
  • 3pm – GT vs VT
  • 7pm – UNC-CH vs Clemson

5/25 Saturday

  • 11am – FSU vs UVa
  • 3pm – Miami vs Clemson
  • 7pm – UNC-CH vs NCSU

5/26 – Sunday – ACC Championship

  • 1pm – Pool A Winner vs Pool B Winner

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Pack Pitching

As I surmised on the forums, it appears that we are looking at Saturday’s tilt vs Carolina as THE must win.  For those that missed my comments on the forums (shame on you, btw), even if we arrive on Saturday at 2-0 in our pool, we likely will still have to beat Carolina to advance due to tiebreakers.

At the same time, we can afford to go 1-1 in the first two vs Clemson and Miami, as long as we do beat Carolina on Saturday, again due to those pesky pool play tiebreakers.

Thus, I think this pitching schedule makes a boatload of sense.

  • Wednesday – Brad Stone vs Daniel Gossett (Clemson)
  • Friday – Logan Jernigan vs TBD (Miami)
  • Saturday – Carlos Rodon vs Hobbs Johnson (Carolina)

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TV Coverage

All tournament games are scheduled to be streamed via ESPN3 (with blackouts if covered locally by RSN)

For the Pack’s games, the following is the best info I can find at this time regarding REAL TV coverage:

  • 5/22 Wednesday, 7pm – vs Clemson – FoxSportsSouth, Comcast Mid-Atlantic, Sun Sports, FoxSportsAZ (yay!)
  • 5/24 Friday, 11am – vs Miami – FoxSportsSouth, FoxSportsFla, Comcast Mid-Atlantic, FoxSportsAZ (yay again!)
  • 5/25 Saturday, 7pm – vs Carolina – FoxSportsSouth, FoxSportsFla, Comcast Mid-Atlantic (Looks like I’ll be ESPN3’ing that one with no FSNAZ…doh!!!)
  • 5/26 Sunday, 1pm – ACC Championship Game – ESPN2

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Links/Info

2013 ACC Baseball Championship Home (TheACC.com)

Pack Set for ACC Tournament (GoPack.com)

Durham Bulls Athletic Park

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Let’s Go Pack!!!  Bring Home Some Hardware!!!!

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About Wufpacker

A 2nd generation alumnus and raised since birth to be irrationally dedicated to all things NC State. Class of '88 and '92.

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219 Responses to 2013 ACC Baseball Tourney Preview

  1. Dr. BadgerPack 05/21/2013 at 10:23 PM #

    I can add more about FSU- DJ Stewart is a dirty, dirty player…

  2. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 12:08 AM #

    I suspect you could probably add much more than that DBP. Feel free to wax philosopic, poetic, or just plain talk shit if you’d like.

    Don’t see enough of you as it is. This time of year you need to uncork and start gabbing 🙂

  3. Dr. BadgerPack 05/22/2013 at 6:35 AM #

    Hey- I don’t use cork, and if I did postseason certainly wouldn’t be the time to stop using it!

    After this afternoon I get to camp at home until Tuesday- hope to see a lot of good baseball. I also hope to NOT see extraordinary measures taken with the pitching staff to win the ACC tournament. Winning is nice, but it is not necessary. I’d much rather have things set up for the NCAAs.

  4. SaccoV 05/22/2013 at 7:08 AM #

    DBP, I couldn’t agree with you more about Stewart. His late-as-hell slide could have seriously injured Clemson’s SS, and this is after FSU already was up in the game (I believe 4-1). I hope Rodon has a chance to plunk that tub in the championship game!

    I’ll go ahead and add my review of the season up to this point. I have to take my medicine (as usual) and give full credit to Avent and the staff for managing this season so well. I’m not a fan of Avent, but to be only a half game out of the division lead against another top-5 caliber team like FSU is an outstanding job. I still think we’ll compete for the championship on Saturday, and our ultimate goal is getting to Omaha, which we still have a very good chance of doing. If we win the conference title, then I think we’re back in the discussion for hosting a super regional. All of the goals I had for the season are still in front of this team, and for that, I need to give credit where it’s due. Great job by the coach and his staff and great season by the players.

  5. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 12:26 PM #

    GT up on FSU thus far, 2-0 going to the 6th.

    Personally, watching this is making me homesick. Some of you may already know this, but despite me being a native Baltimoron, the rest of my family hails from Durham. I was at the DBAP on grand opening night back in ’95 incidentally, but haven’t been in the place since the expansion a few years later.

    Still have my big gigantic collectable/commemorative ticket packed away somewhere I think.

  6. wolfbuff 05/22/2013 at 1:12 PM #

    I’m not sure about the decision to start Brad Stone tonight. We can’t afford to get in an 0-1 hole and use up a bunch of pitchers in the process. Not sure who I’d start in his place, but Stone’s previous start against FSU lasted 2/3 of an inning. I do like saving Rodon for the Carolina game since he pitches best in big games. And, unless we go 0-2 to that point, it will be a big game. Who will start Sunday if we make to then?

  7. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 1:14 PM #

    GT rightfielder needs to make that play. 2B had no shot at making the throw going back like that.

    DBP’s favorite ‘Nole scores from 3rd on a very shallow sac fly and FSU takes the lead 3-2.

    Glad to see the FSU ballgirls made the trip. Is there rain in the forecast by chance?

  8. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 1:18 PM #

    Wolfbluff, a Sunday decision would depend on who’s left (as you mentioned, hopefully we don’t go thru a lot of arms) and who we’re facing.

  9. Dr. BadgerPack 05/22/2013 at 1:18 PM #

    AJ Murray (GT) hit a freaking missile… 3-3, top 9.

  10. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 1:18 PM #

    Solo shot by GT’s Murray ties it at 3 in the top 9th.

  11. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 1:19 PM #

    Ha! Back to backers

    Take that ‘Noles.

  12. Gowolves 05/22/2013 at 1:21 PM #

    ^Wufpacker.. I was there that night. I got two given to me by a client and I took a friend. They were box seats right behind first base dugout. Actually sat next to one of the architects of the firm that designed the place. He had a lot of neat stories about the place. As you probably know the same one who designed Camden Yards. Still have the oversized tickets as well.

  13. Dr. BadgerPack 05/22/2013 at 1:24 PM #

    Rodon Saturday has as much to do with the NCAA tourney as it does UNC. Stone against Clemson makes sense with the lefties, and he had a nice outing against them earlier- 4.1 innings, 6 hits, 1 run.

    If we win, we win but again there is no need to try to do anything extraordinary here. We’re a 1 seed, regional host. Going all out to secure a national seed (which isn’t a given even if we go 4-0) isn’t worth it if the pitching staff is in such disarray that the regional is lost.

  14. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 1:27 PM #

    Very cool Gowolves. Sounds like I was probably about ten rows behind you. I don’t usually like to be that far up a baseline, and prefer slightly on 3rd base side, but like you the tix were gifted from a client at the time.

  15. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 1:29 PM #

    I can’t help but want to win the conference tourney, but I know you’re right. Omaha is the bigger goal/prize.

    DBP, always the voice of reason.

    Dammit. 😀

  16. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 1:30 PM #

    ‘Noles go down to GT in game one 4-3.

    Now I gotta be productive for a while so I can justify watching baseball for the rest of the week/weekend.

  17. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 5:37 PM #

    Hokies all over the Cavs 10-1 going to the 8th.

    Wow.

  18. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 6:05 PM #

    VT gets the yips a bit in the bottom of the 9th, but a 9 run lead goes a long way. Cavs go down hard in game two. Hokies top ’em 10-1.

    Hope this rash of upsets doesn’t hold for the nightcap.

  19. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 7:36 PM #

    Mr. Stone looks keyed in thus far. Kid will be a bulldog for us before all is said and done.

  20. Dr. BadgerPack 05/22/2013 at 7:41 PM #

    Sometimes I think Turner should step in without a bat until a strike is thrown…

  21. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 7:50 PM #

    Heh, he does like to jump on ’em early huh?

    Stone needs to quit overthrowing that fastball and only use it to set up the offspeed breaking stuff, which looks phenomenal tonight. They can’t touch him if he mixes speeds/locations.

  22. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 7:54 PM #

    Hell yeah. Way to stroke it Mr. Clyde 🙂

  23. Dr. BadgerPack 05/22/2013 at 7:54 PM #

    Crash: He hit the freaking bull….

  24. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 7:54 PM #

    Honestly can’t believe that one got out.

  25. Wufpacker 05/22/2013 at 8:03 PM #

    Hey, credit to Senay for not airmailing that one to left field, huh?

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