Weekend Prep

It's time to get ready for another weekend of conference play. Here are some links to get you prepared. As always, I encourage you to head out to the ballpark near you.

Illinois at Michigan
Illini midweek: W, 11-9 vs. Bradley
Wolverines midweek: Ppd. vs. Akron; L, 10-3 vs. Central Michigan

The Illini perspective on the trip to Ann Arbor.
Michigan offers up their weekly release.
The bloggers take aim at the big weekend, as well. The Illinois Baseball Report talks with Varsity Blue and VB asks Tom at the IBR some questions, too.
Eric Sorenson gives some love to the Illini in his Thursday Thoughts.

Indiana at Iowa
Hoosiers midweek: L, 15-1 @ Louisville; W, 9-5 vs. Valapairso
Hawkeyes midweek: L, 5-4 vs. Kansas; L, 9-3 vs. Kansas

The Hoosiers' weekend notes.
Iowa's SID previews the homestand against IU.
The Saturday and Sunday games of this series are slated for coverage by the Big Ten Network.
The blogging preview comes courtesy of Behind The Plate.
Baseball America's Aaron Fitt was asked some questions about IU hurlers Eric Arnett and Matt Bashore.

Michigan State at (28) Ohio State
Spartans midweek: L, 5-4 @ Western Michigan
Buckeyes midweek: W, 12-0 vs. Morehead State

A Spartans look at trip south.
The Buckeyes take on the three-game set.

Northwestern at Minnesota
Wildcats midweek: W, 16-0 vs. Elmhurst; W, 6-5 vs. Northern Illinois
Gophers midweek: W, 7-3 @ Missouri; L, 20-5 @ Missouri

The weekend series from a Wildcats' perspective.
Nothing from the Gophers SID as of yet.

Purdue at Penn State
Boilers midweek: L, 17-8 vs. Ball State; L, 12-11 vs. Illinois State
Nittany Lions midweek: Ppd. vs. Pitt; W, 12-11 vs. Bucknell

Views from a West Lafayette angle.
Alas, nothing from PSU as of yet.

Other Links:
Guessing the field of 64 is in full bloom. First, the College Baseball Blog offers up their regional predictions. So, too, does SE Baseball and Rivals. Boyd Nation's tournament watch has two Big Ten teams in.

If I'm reading Mr. Nation's RPI Needs Report correctly, it would appear that if you are a fan of anyone other than Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State or Illinois, you program is out of the running for an at-large tournament berth. If this is accurate, and I have no reason to doubt that it is, the only way for the other six teams to make the NCAA Tournament is to win the Big Ten Conference Tournament.

For the second straight week, I've been asked to participate in the College Baseball Blog's weekend wrap-up chat this Sunday night. The CBB gang will be taking your questions about the entire college baseball landscape from 9pm - 11pm EST.