Sounds like the SEC Tournament of last year, although the article doesn't indicate whether there will be a bracket crossover ala the SECT (an idea that would suit the CWS).

I really preferred the old ACC format, which could be extended to a 10-team tourney. If I recall correctly, the teams were split into two groups that each played a round-robin. The two winners, selected by W-L and tiebreakers, played a single championship game. It may not have been the ideal way to determine the best team in the conference, but it DID produce a tournament champion and kept the teams rested for the big prize -- the College World Series.

The SECT takes a lot out of a team. How have recent SEC Tournament Champions fared in the CWS?

2012 Mississippi State -- eliminated in the regionals, won 1 game
2011 Florida -- finished 2nd to South Carolina
2010 LSU -- eliminated in the regionals
2009 LSU -- national champs
2008 LSU -- CWS, won 1 game
2007 Vandy -- eliminated in the regionals

... sorry that it took me 4 weeks to read your reply. Wasn't expecting as much action in the Baseball Forum.

3 of the 6 teams you cited made it to the CWS. That would be great for most conferences. But for the SEC, the BEST conference in the country and one that usually sends 2+ teams to the CWS, it would seem that the top SEC team would make the College World Series 5 out of 6 times.

Some of our more successful CWS teams have fallen short in the SECT and gotten a bit of a breather going into NCAA play. I don't see a change taking place, but if the SECT is to be reworked more than just adding 2 teams I would vote for an easier schedule.

Not quite as much excitement in the SECT, but the payoff comes with more teams making the College World Series.