Eight Observations From Omaha
Baseball’s Crown Jewel, Back In Full
It has become our yearly practice to begin this journey with the best news of all, college baseball is “back home in Omaha” with the long-awaited championship moment on the horizon. Things will be noticeably different this go round. Not only has the ballpark been renamed, the yard formerly known as TD Ameritrade Park now newly christened Charles Schwab Field. The format has been adjusted slightly to eliminate off days and create a weekend focused championship series. Fans will be back in full force, particularly when you consider the strength of the programs in this year’s field. The usual surrounding activities have been reinstated. All CWS events are expected to be at full capacity for the first time since 2019. Here’s to the annual return of the “greatest show on dirt.”
It’s So Tough To Get Here
This always seems the main sentiment echoed by coaches and players as they step off the team bus onto this hallowed baseball ground. Consider that neither the reigning national champions nor the tournament’s top seed were able to navigate the difficult waters of the regular season coupled with the first two post-season rounds. It is worth noting, the top seed in the tournament has been turned away without winning the title for over two solid decades. Miami was the last to accomplish this, just prior to the turn of the century. It’s tough enough to get here, just as difficult to come out on top. This much is sure, Omaha will be crowning a different champion—for the tenth straight season.
Another Powerful Field
All eight programs arrived in Omaha by way of “Power” conferences. The Southeastern Conference leads the way as usual, with four clubs, all from its Western Division. Texas A&M, which won the aforementioned power-packed division is joined by Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss. The Big 12 is represented by rivals Texas and Oklahoma. Both the ACC and Pac 12 have a single team carrying the conference flag this season, with national brands Notre Dame and Stanford representing the two leagues. A strong, powerful field to say the least. Every school possessing “Power Five” designation. Keep in mind, the College World Series has been won by a “Power Five” program eleven of out of the past twelve seasons. We now know that number will climb to twelve of the past thirteen.
Tournament Features New Condensed Format
This year’s edition of the College World Series takes what was once a full two week celebration of college baseball and shortens it to right around ten days. The adjusted format begins a day earlier than usual and features a pair of games (2PM & 7PM ET) each day from the openers on Friday through the following Wednesday. Only one “off day” is assured during the tournament, with the lone Thursday on the calendar serving as a place holder for the “if necessary” games. Thursday would have either one or a pair of games should the teams emerging from the elimination side of each bracket force them. The most noticeable change relates to the national championship series, which now runs Saturday-Sunday/Monday as opposed to the Monday-Tuesday/Wednesday scheduling the tournament most recently enjoyed. As for its impact upon the participants, deeper rosters with more pitching options would seem to be in order. With the historic “rest days” once spread out across the schedule removed, clubs will be in search of even more mound depth than in recent memory. It is also worth noting, falling into the elimination side of the bracket now means playing a number of day games in succession to battle back through. If you’ve ever spent time in the Midwest during late June, this added challenge is self explanatory. This point may be further exaggerated by the daytime temperatures expected for the ‘22 tournament. It will be interesting to see how the new format plays, particularly the nature of any unexpected adjustments it may require.
To Win A Title, Teams Must Do What They’ve Already Done
Two weekends ago these eight baseball teams survived a four team double-elimination tournament known as NCAA Regionals in order to reach the Super Regional round. They then won those best of three series to arrive here in Omaha. If you’re playing in the College World Series, you’ve already done exactly what will be needed in order to claim the national title. All that separates these eight remaining schools from championship glory is a four team double-elimination bracket followed by one more successful three game series. That is this tournament in its simplest form. One must remember, however, that every other team here, every opponent in the other dugout from here on out has also already accomplished this exact same feat. The time frame is now a little more condensed. The moment is now a little more intense. The level of competition is even tougher than before. The margin for error is much smaller. The stakes are now a great deal higher. The spotlight is noticeably brighter. Yet in the end, baseball is baseball.
Champions Generally Find A Way To Do Something New When It Counts Most
Look no further than the Super Regionals this past weekend as a reminder that at this stage in the season you must simply find a way. Texas had not come from behind in its final AB’s all year, though the Longhorns were required to do so in order to remain alive in Greenville, NC. Ole Miss had not secured a shutout at any point in ‘22, yet back to back shutouts were required for the tournament’s “final at large club” to survive and advance against in-state foe Southern Miss on the road. Notre Dame is not a team that has necessarily lived by the home run ball this year, certainly not in its run through the Statesboro Regional. However, the Irish used the long ball effectively the following weekend, bouncing the tournament’s top seed by turning the tables with a handful of timely bombs of their own at Tennessee’s Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Let these examples serve as a simply reminder that it takes a well-rounded approach to hoist the national championship trophy. The ball club able to show its versatility, yea even dig down deep and find new ways to win crucial games, often becomes the team standing atop the heap when the dust settles.
It Just Means FOUR, SEC Makes Its Presence Known Once Again
How strong is the SEC? The reigning champions, as well as, the unquestioned top seed in the national tournament each of the last two seasons come from the conference with the “it just means more” mantra. Three different SEC teams are referenced there, of course (Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Tennessee). None of those schools are here. The SEC school with the most national titles (LSU)…not here. Arguably two most consistent power programs across the past decade in the league (Vanderbilt and Florida)…not here. The most recent team to win back to back titles in the sport (South Carolina)…also not here. Yet those present still account for half the field in Omaha. Look at the pristine first-class facilities around the league, the legendary coaches and the storied history; it is easy to see why the SEC has been the standard bearer in College Baseball for some time. While the ‘22 CWS may not provide another in-conference final as it did a year ago (Mississippi State-Vanderbilt); with three of the four schools on one side of the bracket all hailing from the SEC West, it is a safe assumption that at least one Southeastern Conference program will be in the mix as we come down the home stretch in Omaha.
Notes On The Field
The eight teams having punched their tickets to Omaha this season feature these additional elements of interest: Four national seeds transferred to this year’s CWS: #2 Stanford / #5 Texas A&M / #9 Texas / # 14 Auburn …Two clubs are unbeaten in tournament action thus far. Ole Miss and Texas A&M are as yet unblemished, boasting 5-0 starts… Despite the fact that all eight schools have made multiple CWS appearances, five of the eight participating programs are still in search of their first baseball National Championship. Only Texas (6), Stanford (2) and Oklahoma (2) have won National Titles… There will be no return champion. Reigning champ Mississippi State did not qualify for its conference tournament, much less the NCAA field. This leaves South Carolina’s run in tact, the Gamecocks will remain the most recent team to win back to back CWS crowns. Interestingly, South Carolina closed down historic Rosenblatt Stadium and then opened the new downtown ballpark with those titles in 2010 & 2011… The most recent championship among the teams in this year’s field belongs to the Texas Longhorns. The Horns last claimed the crown in 2005.