Thoughts From The Weekend

This is going to be an abbreviated version of TFTW. You are going to have to wait for Tuesday, at the earliest, to gander at my All-Weekend Team. I just don't have it ready and while several selections were obvious, plenty of others were not. Big Ten bats, in particular, were dormant this past weekend. The other reason for a shortened version is that I'm stinking tired. Perhaps, the time change has done me in? You don't care, but these two items are conspiring against a full edition of TFTW. However, I'll plug away. (If I should happen to fall asleep, just leave me be.)

Crawling Before You Walk
Isn't it time that ESPN adds college baseball scores to its crawl? We are already sitting through NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, Men's hoops, Women's hoops (WNBA and NCAA), Arena Football, college football, tennis, golf (PGA, LPGA & Seniors), IRL, Champ Car and MLS results. Would adding college hardball finals really be that difficult?

College baseball has fewer participants than NCAA football or basketball, thus a review of nightly scores would go by rather quickly. College baseball season is also short -- February to June. It begins as college hoops season is winding down, so it could just fill in the space that the men's and women's basketball results normally occupy.

Providing season long college baseball scores would also seem like a logical extension of ESPN's College World Series coverage. In fact, I would think that the Worldwide Leaders In Sports Cross-Promotion would embrace the opportunity to saturate fans with college baseball product months in advance of their coverage. This additional promotion would come at a minimal cost, as well. (That should keep the bean counters happy.)

College baseball fans get the scores they are looking for. ESPN gets to promote the you-know-what out of their CWS broadcast for months at a relatively low cost and look like the sports leader they claim to be. It seems like a win-win to me. Anybody else with me on this?

Tournament Hosts
While watching the Big Ten basketball tournament, I was reminded of a conversation I was in during the conference's baseball version last May. It was suggested to me that the Big Ten move the conference baseball tournament to a neutral site. I countered that it would take away some of the perks of winning a conference championship. However, my point was countered with some pretty rational thought. (I hate when that happens.)

A neutral site would allow the schools, their fans and the media to know well in advance where the tournament was going to be held. This past season, we didn't know if everyone was heading to Ann Arbor or Evanston until the final weekend of the season. It's kind of hard to book hotels and make travel arrangements when you don't know where you are going.

Second, there are facilities issues. A number of Big Ten programs do not have the facilities necessary to host the Big Ten tournament effectively. Some lack lighting. Others don't have an appropriate pressbox. Some have concession issues. The Big Ten needs to treat its baseball tournament like it's important. Or, at very least, they need to pretend its important. Play the tourney in a stadium with all the appropriate amenities. Give all the parties involved a first-class experience both on and off the field.

As for what stadiums to use, pick any of the number of high quality minor league ballparks that dot the Big Ten landscape. Move the site from year-to-year or find a central location (Indianapolis was the one suggested to me) that is willing to accommodate the event and run with it.

As someone who debates attending the Big Ten baseball tournament and has to schedule time off from work to do so, these arguments for a neutral site make a whole bunch of sense to me. I'm sure the winners of the regular season conference championship might not concur, but if the premise is good enough for the basketball tournament, it should work for baseball as well.

Last Inning
* Scott Gaffney continues to impress on the mound. Having not started since Little League, Penn State's senior shortstop has been giving Robbie Wine quality starts in 2007.

* I wonder if Michigan would be in the Top 25 this week, if they had managed to hold on to ninth inning lead Friday night? A win over San Diego would have given the Wolverines two wins in three games out west. Perhaps, that might have been enough to sway a voter or two. Regardess, Michigan gets another shot at national credibility this coming weekend with three games at #23 East Carolina. (Of course, winning tournament games gains you more respect than anything else.)

* Has Ohio State's Jake Hale moved into the closer's role? The Buckeyes' number three starter has already picked up three saves in 2007.

* Gametracker continues to improve each season, but it can still be darn frustrating to follow. I love the running scores of other games.

* In addition to the Indiana at Florida State game Saturday, I saw part of Sunday's tilt between Florida and Texas A & M. Wow, did the Aggies look good. Of course, A & M is nearly as hot as the 'Noles are.