Up Next: Wake Forest

WesternFan a dissertation could be written on why your thinking is skewed.   Against my better judgment, probably due to my frustration of last nights pitching performance, I will take you up on saying what I want in regard to how and why this WCU team should play P5 teams. There is sooo much that could be said I won't be able to say it all.  

First - you are mistaken if you think WCU didn't play to win. A D1 coach or player doesn't take the field not to win. Due to the situation or circumstances you may not be able to put out your best pitcher on the mound (explained below) but there is no doubt they are playing to win.  I have met Coach Mo and you (and I) might question a decision Coach Mo makes but WITHOUT question, Coach Mo and the players play to win. IMO you shouldn't be or call yourself a WCU fan if you believe your coach or players don't play to win.     

Second - you save your best pitching for conference play PERIOD.  If you believe otherwise, you don't truly understand Mid Major baseball and probably should only be posting questions to learn and understand rather than posting a hard fast opinion.   WCU MUST win the Conference tournament if they want to be guaranteed a regional birth.   I disagree, but the fact is the NCAA has never taken 2 teams from the Southern Conference under the present set of schools.  The last time the NCAA took 2 Southern Conference schools was in 2012 when App St and College of Charleston where part of the Conference.  To further illustrate how difficult it is for a mid major team in a weaker conference to get an at large bid some publications question whether Fairfield will get an at large bid if they fail to win their conference tournament.   Fairfield is #1 RPI and 20-0  presently but are in a weak conference.    Due to Covid scheduling and predetermined regional sites it will even be harder (IMO) for a mid major school to get an at large bid this year.     Although I think WCU is deserving and has an outside chance of an at large bid the BOTTOM LINE is WCU needs to win the conference tournament and in order to do so they must be one of the top 4 teams in the conference.   Every conference game far outweighs mid-week games so you DO NOT use your top 3 starting pitchers in midweek games.    

Third - you get better by playing the best competition possible. Granted I am not sure how it will make the WCU football team better when they play OU next fall but this baseball team is good.   My take on the Tenn series and I was at Tenn.  Most our players, especially the younger ones, were a bit overwhelmed by the fans and park and didn't play well. However, the experience without question made them better and they were better prepared  when Tenn came to the Whee.   Playing the teams you listed mid week isn't going to make WCU better or prepare them for the conference tournament.  Seeing a bad teams 4-5 pitchers (don't forget they won't use their top 3 pitchers)  has a much better chance of screwing up a good hitter than making him better. FYI, WCU has good hitters and to make them better you want them see the best pitching possible.  I also want our 4-5-6 pitchers pitching against good hitters to make them better.   We will need a 4-5-6 pitcher to come in during the conference tournament in a clutch situation and I much rather they have pitched against Tenn and WF rather than Prairie View.  

Fourth - the players/recruiting.  There is not a player on this team who would rather play Podunk U and get a win (and what if by chance they lost)  than play a good a P5 team and take a chance of getting beat, possibly even badly beat.  I know from experience kids look at a teams past and upcoming schedule to see what big name teams they will be playing when they consider signing.   If a team only plays Podunk teams then all they are going to sign are Podunk players.   

I could go on but will end with the following.  WCU could have easily beat Tenn at home and WF.  Yes, WF loss was frustrating and I am ticked too. Pitching was horrific and its my understanding the pitchers got an earful but that happens in baseball. The same WCU 4-5-6 pitchers gave #3 Tenn a good showing and you will not convince me WCU would not win 7 of 10 against WF at home if both teams used the same starting line ups they did last night.   This team has a lot of potential and you need to challenge them to make them better.    Why in the **** would anyone think playing weak opponents like you suggest be good for this team in making a regional.    PLAY THE BEST TO BE THE BEST!