The All-Weekend Team

On this edition of the All-Weekend Team, I just get the feeling that I'm missing someone. Perhaps, my feeling originates from the fact that so many players posted very similar numbers. I could have added around another five or ten players to the team, but that just opens the door for another five or ten.

In spite of my inkling that somebody's been omitted, a team had to be chosen and it's my self-appointed responsibility to make these decisions. If I missed your guy, well, drop me an email and we can discuss it. Maybe you'll be the one who points out whomever it is I've left behind.

C: Aaron Johnson, Illinois - Johnson's two-run, two-out ninth inning bomb lifted the Illini to a 3-1 Friday night road victory over #1 LSU. That alone would have garnered him some love here. However, the latest Canadian catching import to Illinois also went 6 for 12 over the weekend, with five RBI and scored twice. He also pegged four of six would-be Tiger base stealers.

C: Dan Burkhart, Ohio State - Two AWT appearances in a row for the OSU backstop. This weekend the sophomore went 7 for 17 (.412) with five runs scored and 7 RBI.

1B: Mike Dufek, Michigan - The junior firstbaseman was 6 for 13 (.462) with two homers, a double, five runs scored and four RBI. If Dufek starts hitting, the middle of that Michigan lineup is going to be very tough.

2B: Derek McCallum, Minnesota - The Gophers' middle infielder had seven more hits, including a double and triple, this weekend in thirteen at-bats (.538). He scored four times and drove in four more. A double and triple were amongst his safties.

SS: Brandon Wikoff, Illinois - You expected a few Illini team members, right? Six for 12 (you can do the batting average math here) with four runs scored and a RBI. Wikoff doubled and walked.

3B: Kevin Hoef, Iowa - Yes, a Hawkeye. Hoef went 7 for 12 (.583) with a homer and two doubles. He also scored five times, drove in four runs, stole two bases, walked once and got hit by three pitches. The three HBPs? All in one game. Ouch.

3B: Dan Black, Purdue - Lost amongst the Boilers' beating at the hands of Texas State, Black went six for eleven (.545) with two walks and two homers.

OF: Ryan LaMarre, Michigan - Even the Big Ten office finally had to concede and named LaMarre co-POTW. (Illinois' Johnson won the other half of the award.) A 6 for 12 performance with three homers, a stolen base and a walk. LaMarre touched home four times and drove in eight runs.

OF: Michael Stephens, Ohio State - I believe Stephens led the RBI parade in-conference this weekend with eight. He had seven hits, including a triple and homer, in twenty-one AB's (.333). Stephens crossed home plate six times.

OF: Eli Boike, Michigan State - Boike homered twice, doubled twice, swiped two bases, drew a walk and got plunked by a pitch once. He had seven hits in thirteen at-bats (.538), scored six times and drove in two runs.

DH: Wes Freie, Iowa - I know. Dos Hawkeyes. Go figure. A two double, two homer, seven RBI weekend gives the Hawkeyes' DH the nod. Freie had seven hits (a very popular number of hits this weekend) in 13 at-bats (.538, again). He scored three times.

BN: Jerrud Sabourin, Indiana - He's here for going 8 for 12. Oh, he coaxed three free passes, scored a run and drove in two, but it's that .667 batting average that gets him on the ATW bench. Sabourin's simply one of the purest hitters in the Big Ten.

BN: Coley Crank, Michigan - Much like Sabourin, Crank gets the call for going an impressive 6 for 6 in two games. He scored three times and drove in three runs. That's making the most of your opportunity.

BN: Matt Streng, Ohio State - The sophomore 1B went 7 for 16 (.438) with three runs scored and four RBI. He collected a pair of triples and a homer along the way. If Streng homers again next Sunday, he's getting called "Sunday" Streng from here on out.

BN: Willie Argo, Illinois - A freshman hitting three homers in a game doesn't happen often. A frosh hitting three homers in a road game, probably happens even less. A first-year guy jacking three out of the yard versus the number one team in the land, LSU no less, in their house? Well, I doubt anybody's keeping that stat, but I'm thinking that happens rarely. Argo's stat line for the weekend: 3 for 7 (.429), 3 HR, BB, 4 runs and 5 RBI.

BN: Michael Arp, Ohio State - Eight for seventeen (.471) gets Arp his second straight ATW nomination. The Buckeyes' OF had a pair of doubles, scored five times and drove in three.

BN: Michael Kvasnicka, Minnesota - Another good weekend from the Gophers' outfielder. Four hits in ten at-bats including three doubles. Kvasnicka walked three times, scored six times and drove in two. Oh, and he stole one base. Home.

BN: Grant Youngblood, Penn State - Hit .500 for the weekend (4 for 8). Youngblood scored three times, had five RBI, walked twice, doubled, homered, stole a base and got hit by a pitch.

SP: Ben Reeser, Illinois - Worked 8.2 innings of six-hit, four walk, two-run baseball versus #1 LSU. Reeser K'd nine Tigers, a career high in strikeouts, en route to a Sunday triumph. The Big Ten named him Pitcher of the Week.

SP: Phil Haig, Illinois - Held the top-ranked Tigers in check for seven innings. The lefty yielded eight hits, a walk and just one earned run. Didn't get the decision, but set the tone for the Illini's weekend.

SP: Chris Fetter, Michigan - Seven IP. Six hits. A walk. Two earned runs. 11 K's (tying his career high). That's why he's on All-America lists.

SP: Tom Buske, Minnesota - Yielded just three hits, a walk and one unearned run while striking out six in a career best eight innings of work. Improved to 2-0 for the redhot Gophers.

RP: Corey Kimes, Illinois - Kimes worked one inning all weekend. He entered Friday's tilt vs. LSU in the eighth with the score tied at 1-1. All Kimes did was strikeout the three batters he faced giving the Illini a chance in the ninth. You fan the three guys LSU puts before you late in a tie game and viola! You are on the ATW.

RP: Nick Chmielewski, Illinois - Here's the sophomore's stat line at LSU: 2 appearances, 1.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 4 K's. He fanned four of the six batters he saw. He also posted his second save in the opener.

RP: David Lutz, Penn State - Two appearances totaling five innings of work. In those five frames, Lutz surrendered only two hits and one earned run. He didn't issue a free pass and struck out five. He did manage to post a win along the way.

BP: Chauncy Handran, Minnesota - Got his team headed in the right direction Friday night vs. Illinois State by giving up two earned runs on just four hits. The Minnesota starter fanned four and didn't walk a batter. Handran posted his second win of 2009.

BP: Blake Monar, Indiana - The IU freshmen improved to 2-0 on a four-hit, three walk, one earned run outing Sunday. The lefty struck out six.

BP: T.J. Macy, Penn State - What's a week without T.J. on the All-Weekend Team? Got me, it hasn't happened yet this year. This weekend, the PSU righthander only managed five innings of work. He gave up three hits, two walks and nine strikeouts to earn the win.

BP - Scott Kelley, Penn State - Earned a win by giving up five hits, two walks and one earned run over seven innings. Kelley also fanned five.