After two weeks, Kentucky Baseball RPI #8

RPI continues to be important, but there is a movement now – finally – to move away from it in baseball, as they have done in basketball. Of course, Kentucky was screwed by the RPI for several years. I can remember just two or three years ago Kentucky making a good run in the SEC Tournament and without question having one of the top 20 teams in the country, possibly even top 10, and watching a podcast that said Kentucky had zero chance of making the NCAA Tournament because of their RPI.

So Kentucky finally wised up and did like Duke did several years ago in basketball – employed someone to "game" the system and their scheduling. There are all kind of tweaks to it, but little things like scheduling a top 100 – 150 team to play on the road was 100 times better than playing a 250 – 350 team anywhere, regardless of results.

Kentucky spent most of last year ranked either #1 or #2 in the RPI, and finish the season at #4. We appear to have done a good job gaming the system again this year so far, and with our 6-1 record, have a stellar #8 RPI. Assuming even moderate success in the SEC, if we can enter in the top 15 – 20 in RPI, we should be sitting pretty with RPI again this year.