As the super regional between Michigan and Oregon State got washed out today, I've got no game action to review. As such, I've decided tonight's a good time to share some observations, suggestions and wild speculation with you.
As is usually the case around here, this material is in no particular order. A term paper or something for work gets days of organization and review. Blogging? A few hours, tops. It doesn't make me the world's greatest blogger, but it does keep my marriage on solid ground.
* We've got our first two College World Series teams. Rice and Mississippi State are headed for Omaha. No surprise the Owls return, but MSU? I'm thinking most of us didn't pick the Bulldogs in that portion of our bracket.
* While at the Big Ten Tournament, I was told that a couple of programs experienced a higher rate of broken bats this season. Sure enough, another bat bit the dust during the Big 10 tourney. The bat I saw crumble wasn't even from one of the programs complaining about the problem. Anybody have any insight as to why the bats are breaking this year?
* I believe I've mentioned this here before, but the Big Ten and Big East are hammering out the details to establish a challenge series like the Big Ten has with the ACC in basketball. The Big Ten/Big East baseball challenge should be on the docket by 2009. (I don't think they can get it into the '08 slate, but you just never know.)
Hopefully, this series will create some additional exposure for both conferences. I would expect to see the Big Ten Network pick-up coverage, but it's premature to announce anything concrete.
* In his Thursday Thoughts column, CSTV's Eric Sorenson mentions Vanderbilt's persistence in stomping on home plate. Not only did Vandy make a point of each run scored, but their firstbaseman spent all of Sunday night spiking the baseball each time an inning ended with the ball in his possession. Not satisfied to toss it or roll it back to the mound, he had to spike it like he scored a TD. Or, as Eric suggests, he's angry.
If those two ongoing theatrics weren't enough, I felt that David Price gave the Michigan dugout a stare down in Monday's game. After the All-American set down the Wolverines in the top of the ninth, it appeared to me that Price finished his jubilant cry with a brief, but direct look into Michigan's dugout.
Now, could I just be a pro-Michigan guy over analyzing this? Yep. Could it be I was just so annoyed by the other Vanderbilt antics that I was looking for more trouble? Absolutely. Could it be that I'm just an old guy that doesn't embrace all these new forms of on-field exuberance? Without question.
However, if you are the number one team in the land, at home, in a regional you are supposed to dominate, is it necessary or even appropriate to be quite so animated? Their actions just seemed over-the-top to me.
(I'll spare you the traditional "Where I come from, if you did that stuff you'd get knocked on your butt the next time you stepped in the box" speech. I'll also skip the story about walking to school uphill, both ways, in six feet of snow.)
* Surprisingly, Tennessee and Florida both have job openings. However, I wouldn't be surprised if a Big Ten or Big East coach is rumored to be on either UT's or the Gators' short list. (Or, for that matter, a Big West or WCC coach.) If a mid-major coach can get into the regionals, why not consider them?
* Wild Speculation Alert: Word has it Purdue is looking for the right piece of real estate to build a new ballpark on. Let's hope that's more than just a rumor.
* Friend and blogging ally Ian Casselberry and I were thinking of watching today's super regional in an Ann Arbor watering hole. Come to find out, only a few of them had ESPNU. When those that did were quizzed if they would have the Michigan/Oregon State game on most were tepid in their response. It was like "Well..... if somebody is really interested, we might".
Come on. This is in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor, Michigan. Home of the University of Michigan. I know the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets game was running at nearly the same time, but it's the super regionals and your school is in it. Besides, it's a nearly perfect June weekend day. How many people are going to drag themselves into a sports bar in the middle of the afternoon on a day like this? Wouldn't you encourage us to arrive to watch the program's biggest game in twenty years?
Clearly, I haven't gotten everyone aboard the college baseball bandwagon yet. The blogging continues.
* For those who follow the other nine schools in this conference, I am starting to review summer league rosters and hope to post something outlining that within the next seven to ten days. Regardless, I would encourage you to check out the Summer League Blog.
* For the record, I'm in favor of the Big Ten having the conference tournament at a neutral site. I think the advantages (like knowing a year in advance where to book a hotel, playing in better facilities, making it look like the conference cares about baseball) out number the disadvantages (the regular season winner no longer having home field advantage). That said, I was told that conference and university officials remain opposed to the idea.
As it was explained to me, it's a problem of equity. If the Big Ten baseball championship is held at a neutral site, the coaches of the other non-revenue sports are going to ask for the same thing and no one is prepared to work out the logistics for every single sport having an off-campus event.
I guess I understand the equity issue. However, I believe one thing and one thing alone can toss the equity issue out the window -- money. If the Big Ten baseball tournament was a revenue producer, this wouldn't be a discussion. However, as the tournament probably costs them more money than they make, they aren't going to give them special consideration.
I would offer this objection to the conference's objection. The Big East hosts a neutral site baseball championship. So do a number of the power conferences. While the big boys of college baseball might make some cash in this process, does the Big East? If they do, is it because it's at a neutral site?
At some point, somebody in this conference needs to understand that perception is reality. If you treat baseball like a second rate sport, and the Big Ten does, then the public will react accordingly. It's a self fulfilling prophecy.
* In reviewing attendance at the Big Ten tournament, I'm convinced that I'm one of about only ten to fifteen people who actually paid to get in. Everybody else got in with credentials or freebies. It's no wonder it's a non-revenue sport.
* Nobody is happier with the way northern schools have played this year than I, but the question remains "Is this an anomaly or a trend?". I'm hoping for the latter, but it's just too soon to tell. It will be interesting to see if Michigan and Louisville, in particular, gain any recruits because of their tournament success this year.
That's all for tonight, boys and girls. I hope you enjoyed this rambling commentary. Remember tomorrow's super regional game is on ESPN. No U, this time.
Showing posts with label 2007 Big Ten Tournament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2007 Big Ten Tournament. Show all posts
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Tournament Day 5: Ohio State Wins Championship
Remember way back on Tuesday when I suggested "Anybody can win the 2007 Big Ten Conference Tournament. Anybody."? On Sunday, sixth seeded Ohio State proved that claim to be true. The Buckeyes beat Minnesota, 4-2, to win the Big Ten Conference Tournament and claim the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. They are the first sixth seed to ever win the Big Ten Tournament.
OSU won on the strength of the pitching of Cory Luebke and Jake Hale plus a two run, pinch-hit double off the bat of Michael Arp. Luebke, the conference's Pitcher of the Year, worked the first 7.2 innings giving up seven hits, a walk and both Gophers runs. Luebke yielded to Hale who went the rest of the way to earn his fourth victory of the season. It was Hale's second win of the tournament and both he and Luebke were named to the All-Tournament Team. Luebke also was named as the Most Outstanding Player in the 2007 Tournament.
Arp's big hit came in the eighth when he batted for freshman Ryan Dew. With the scored tied at 2-2, Arp came to bat with two outs and two on. Arp hit a shot down the leftfield line to score both runners and give the Bucks the 4-2 margin that would be the final score.
Jacob Howell, who was also named to the All-Tournament Team, and Justin Miller led OSU with two hits a piece. Minnesota's Matt Nohelty and Kyle Baran, both All-Tournament team members, as well, countered with two hits each for the Gophers.
Gary Perinar started and went seven innings for Minnesota, striking out eight, while giving up six hits, three walks and three earned runs.
The Gophers advanced to the championship game by posting a come from behind win versus Penn State, 4-3, in eleven innings Sunday morning. The game resumed in the seventh with PSU up 3-2. Saturday's rain forced the game to be completed early Sunday. A two-out RBI single from Nohelty tied the game in the ninth and Jeremy Chlan's 11th inning RBI double won it for the Gophers.
Nohelty's three hits and two RBI paced the Gophers attack. Bill Johnson worked the final four innings giving up just three hits and was the winning pitcher. Johnson was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Another All-Tournament selection, 2B Matt Cavagnaro had two hits and two RBI for PSU. Garrett Field and Rick Marlin also had two hits a piece for the Nittany Lions.
While conference play has concluded in the Big Ten, three baseball programs still have a big day ahead of them. Later today we learn who Ohio State will play in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and we will see if Michigan and Minnesota will make the field of 64. Obviously, I'm hopeful that both get in.
OSU won on the strength of the pitching of Cory Luebke and Jake Hale plus a two run, pinch-hit double off the bat of Michael Arp. Luebke, the conference's Pitcher of the Year, worked the first 7.2 innings giving up seven hits, a walk and both Gophers runs. Luebke yielded to Hale who went the rest of the way to earn his fourth victory of the season. It was Hale's second win of the tournament and both he and Luebke were named to the All-Tournament Team. Luebke also was named as the Most Outstanding Player in the 2007 Tournament.
Arp's big hit came in the eighth when he batted for freshman Ryan Dew. With the scored tied at 2-2, Arp came to bat with two outs and two on. Arp hit a shot down the leftfield line to score both runners and give the Bucks the 4-2 margin that would be the final score.
Jacob Howell, who was also named to the All-Tournament Team, and Justin Miller led OSU with two hits a piece. Minnesota's Matt Nohelty and Kyle Baran, both All-Tournament team members, as well, countered with two hits each for the Gophers.
Gary Perinar started and went seven innings for Minnesota, striking out eight, while giving up six hits, three walks and three earned runs.
The Gophers advanced to the championship game by posting a come from behind win versus Penn State, 4-3, in eleven innings Sunday morning. The game resumed in the seventh with PSU up 3-2. Saturday's rain forced the game to be completed early Sunday. A two-out RBI single from Nohelty tied the game in the ninth and Jeremy Chlan's 11th inning RBI double won it for the Gophers.
Nohelty's three hits and two RBI paced the Gophers attack. Bill Johnson worked the final four innings giving up just three hits and was the winning pitcher. Johnson was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Another All-Tournament selection, 2B Matt Cavagnaro had two hits and two RBI for PSU. Garrett Field and Rick Marlin also had two hits a piece for the Nittany Lions.
While conference play has concluded in the Big Ten, three baseball programs still have a big day ahead of them. Later today we learn who Ohio State will play in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and we will see if Michigan and Minnesota will make the field of 64. Obviously, I'm hopeful that both get in.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Tournament Day 4: Weather Wins
Rain delayed the start of today's first game between Penn State and Minnesota. Once underway, the Nittany Lions and Golden Gophers managed to reach the seventh inning stretch before rain forced the field to be covered again. This time the rain prevailed and the remaining two and a half innings will conclude tomorrow morning beginning at 10:00am. When, and if, play resumes, Penn State is leading Minnesota, 3-2.
Saturday's scheduled second game between Ohio State and the PSU/Minnesota winner will take place Sunday at 12:05pm. That game could be the championship game, if OSU wins. If the Buckeyes fall in Sunday's 12:05pm start, there would be one more game at 3:35pm to determine the Big Ten Tournament champion.
Of course, more rain is in the forecast, so we may end up with no more baseball played at all. In which case, I presume Ohio State will be declared the champion on the basis of its 3-0 record thus far.
Saturday's scheduled second game between Ohio State and the PSU/Minnesota winner will take place Sunday at 12:05pm. That game could be the championship game, if OSU wins. If the Buckeyes fall in Sunday's 12:05pm start, there would be one more game at 3:35pm to determine the Big Ten Tournament champion.
Of course, more rain is in the forecast, so we may end up with no more baseball played at all. In which case, I presume Ohio State will be declared the champion on the basis of its 3-0 record thus far.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Tournament Day Three: PSU Bounces Michigan & Illinois; OSU Beats Minnesota
I admit that's the longest post title ever. However, it was a day worthy of a protracted headline. Our Friday began with Penn State eliminating top seeded Michigan, 6-5, in ten innings. Penn State headed into the ninth inning leading 5-2 behind good outings from Paul Hawkins (5.0 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 2 ER) and Matt O'Grodnik (2.2 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 ER) and with closer Drew O'Neil on the hill. O'Neil, PSU's first team All-Big Ten closer, had been nothing short of dominant in recent showings. (Hey, he was first team all-conference for a reason.)
With the Wolverines staring elimination in the face, they mounted a three-run ninth inning comeback that forced extra innings. In the tenth, PSU's Cory Wine cleared the right field wall for his fifth homerun of the season and put the Nittany Lions up for good. It was a tension filled game, as both teams faced elimination.
Wine, who had hit a big two run triple earlier in the game, led PSU with three RBI. Wine, Matt Cavagnaro and Garrett Field each had two hits. O'Neil, who lost the save opportunity, did pick up the win.
Nate Recknagel and Derek VanBuskirk each had three hits a piece for Michigan who must now waiting for Monday to see if their 39 win season will result in a NCAA tournament invitation. (Hopefully, I'll have more on that in a bit.)
Penn State's win moved them into the second game of the day, a contest with Illinois. The Illini led 2-1 after seven innings. In the eighth, PSU put five on the board to secure a 6-2 triumph. Freshman John Karr worked 5.1 innings allowing six hits, two walks and two earned runs. Matt O'Grodnik (4-3) posted the win pitching the last 3.2 innings giving up just one hit.
Rob Yodice's three run double was the highlight of the Nittany Lions five run eighth. Joe Blackburn had two hits, scored twice and had a RBI. Mike Deese had three hits and two RBI.
Illinois' Shawn Roof had a pair of hits and stole his fortieth base of the year. Scott Shaw tossed a very strong 7.0 innings giving up three hits, a walk and three runs only two of which were earned. Shaw also struck out six, but took the loss.
Their second win of the day kept Penn State's season alive and eliminated Illinois from the tournament. The Nittany Lions have become the Kings of Elimination. So far, they've taken Iowa, Michigan and Illinois out of this tournament.
In the last game of the day, Ohio State rallied to beat Minnesota, 10-9, in 11 innings. Jacob Howell, who went 5 for 7, drove home Chris Macke with the game winner in the 11th. Eric Fryer, Justin Miller and Cory Rupert each had two RBI a piece to lead OSU. Rory Meister was the last Buckeye hurler standing and got the win. The veteran righthander worked 2.2 innings and gave up one hit and no runs.
Dan Lyons had three hits and three RBI for the Gophers. Mike Mee, who clearly appears ailing, also had three hits. Nate Hanson had two hits and three RBI.
I have to come clean and admit I bailed on this game early. I had some things to take care of back at the house, so with the Gophers up 9-5, it looked like a good time to sneak out early. Obviously, I made another poor decision.
As for your Saturday schedule, Minnesota, the second seed, will play in tomorrow's 3:35pm elimination game against Penn State, the third seed. Sixth seeded Ohio State moves onto the championship game tomorrow night at 7:05pm. The Buckeyes will await the winner of Minnesota/Penn State. Should OSU win that affair, they would be conference tournament champions. A Buckeye loss Saturday night forces a Sunday re-match for the Big Ten's post-season crown and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
In what is already a far too long a post, I'm going to pile on. Here are some random things I've chosen to share with you.
* In a story shared on-the-air by the voice of PSU baseball, Justin Weyman, Nittany Lions 2B Matt Cavagnaro didn't much care for a bat, so he hung it from a noose in the hallway behind the dugout.
* It was not a good day for closers.
* Pitchers for tomorrow's game will be decided by coin toss. Maybe the winner of the hot dog eating contest can pitch the next inning? Seriously, this tournament does become an endurance contest for your pitching staff. I wonder if all the remaining games will be like tonight's Minnesota/Ohio State game -- high scoring and, thus, slowly played? Of course if it's slow enough, next year's recruiting class might be eligible before the game concludes.
* I can't seem to recall if the playing surface at Ray Fisher Stadium is going to be changed during this renovation. I've seen a number of bad hops this season including a few more today. If it's not part of the renovation, maybe it should be.
* CSTV is going to broadcast the would-be championship game tomorrow at 7:05pm.
* Anybody else starting to get concerned about the chances of Minnesota and/or Michigan landing an at-large bid? I must admit that I haven't reviewed all of the other conference tournament action, but the more upsets around the country, the more difficult it becomes for Big Ten programs to grab an at-large bid.
It's not that the Gophers and Wolverines aren't deserving, but their conference tournament losses combined with some upsets beyond the Big Ten provide the NCAA tournament committee with ample opportunity to justify overlooking both programs. Yes, yes, I know -- all the projections have both schools in The Dance. Well, projections had Dewey over Truman, Custer over the Native Americans and thunderstorms today.
* Kudos to the Michigan administration for getting the conference tournament t-shirts on sale Wednesday. I called you out when they weren't ready last year, so I applaud your timely efforts this season.
* Thanks to Tom, The Baseball Zealot, for saying nice things about this weblog and me, for that matter. If you follow Illini baseball, I would encourage you to check out Tom's site.
* I also have to thank Brian at MGoBlog for referring his readers here. First, CSTV's Eric Sorenson. Now, MGoBlog. I may just have to retire. There is no where to go but down from here.
I welcome all the MGoBlog readers aboard. If you can get past the decline in quality from Brian's blog to here, you'll be fine.
With the Wolverines staring elimination in the face, they mounted a three-run ninth inning comeback that forced extra innings. In the tenth, PSU's Cory Wine cleared the right field wall for his fifth homerun of the season and put the Nittany Lions up for good. It was a tension filled game, as both teams faced elimination.
Wine, who had hit a big two run triple earlier in the game, led PSU with three RBI. Wine, Matt Cavagnaro and Garrett Field each had two hits. O'Neil, who lost the save opportunity, did pick up the win.
Nate Recknagel and Derek VanBuskirk each had three hits a piece for Michigan who must now waiting for Monday to see if their 39 win season will result in a NCAA tournament invitation. (Hopefully, I'll have more on that in a bit.)
Penn State's win moved them into the second game of the day, a contest with Illinois. The Illini led 2-1 after seven innings. In the eighth, PSU put five on the board to secure a 6-2 triumph. Freshman John Karr worked 5.1 innings allowing six hits, two walks and two earned runs. Matt O'Grodnik (4-3) posted the win pitching the last 3.2 innings giving up just one hit.
Rob Yodice's three run double was the highlight of the Nittany Lions five run eighth. Joe Blackburn had two hits, scored twice and had a RBI. Mike Deese had three hits and two RBI.
Illinois' Shawn Roof had a pair of hits and stole his fortieth base of the year. Scott Shaw tossed a very strong 7.0 innings giving up three hits, a walk and three runs only two of which were earned. Shaw also struck out six, but took the loss.
Their second win of the day kept Penn State's season alive and eliminated Illinois from the tournament. The Nittany Lions have become the Kings of Elimination. So far, they've taken Iowa, Michigan and Illinois out of this tournament.
In the last game of the day, Ohio State rallied to beat Minnesota, 10-9, in 11 innings. Jacob Howell, who went 5 for 7, drove home Chris Macke with the game winner in the 11th. Eric Fryer, Justin Miller and Cory Rupert each had two RBI a piece to lead OSU. Rory Meister was the last Buckeye hurler standing and got the win. The veteran righthander worked 2.2 innings and gave up one hit and no runs.
Dan Lyons had three hits and three RBI for the Gophers. Mike Mee, who clearly appears ailing, also had three hits. Nate Hanson had two hits and three RBI.
I have to come clean and admit I bailed on this game early. I had some things to take care of back at the house, so with the Gophers up 9-5, it looked like a good time to sneak out early. Obviously, I made another poor decision.
As for your Saturday schedule, Minnesota, the second seed, will play in tomorrow's 3:35pm elimination game against Penn State, the third seed. Sixth seeded Ohio State moves onto the championship game tomorrow night at 7:05pm. The Buckeyes will await the winner of Minnesota/Penn State. Should OSU win that affair, they would be conference tournament champions. A Buckeye loss Saturday night forces a Sunday re-match for the Big Ten's post-season crown and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
In what is already a far too long a post, I'm going to pile on. Here are some random things I've chosen to share with you.
* In a story shared on-the-air by the voice of PSU baseball, Justin Weyman, Nittany Lions 2B Matt Cavagnaro didn't much care for a bat, so he hung it from a noose in the hallway behind the dugout.
* It was not a good day for closers.
* Pitchers for tomorrow's game will be decided by coin toss. Maybe the winner of the hot dog eating contest can pitch the next inning? Seriously, this tournament does become an endurance contest for your pitching staff. I wonder if all the remaining games will be like tonight's Minnesota/Ohio State game -- high scoring and, thus, slowly played? Of course if it's slow enough, next year's recruiting class might be eligible before the game concludes.
* I can't seem to recall if the playing surface at Ray Fisher Stadium is going to be changed during this renovation. I've seen a number of bad hops this season including a few more today. If it's not part of the renovation, maybe it should be.
* CSTV is going to broadcast the would-be championship game tomorrow at 7:05pm.
* Anybody else starting to get concerned about the chances of Minnesota and/or Michigan landing an at-large bid? I must admit that I haven't reviewed all of the other conference tournament action, but the more upsets around the country, the more difficult it becomes for Big Ten programs to grab an at-large bid.
It's not that the Gophers and Wolverines aren't deserving, but their conference tournament losses combined with some upsets beyond the Big Ten provide the NCAA tournament committee with ample opportunity to justify overlooking both programs. Yes, yes, I know -- all the projections have both schools in The Dance. Well, projections had Dewey over Truman, Custer over the Native Americans and thunderstorms today.
* Kudos to the Michigan administration for getting the conference tournament t-shirts on sale Wednesday. I called you out when they weren't ready last year, so I applaud your timely efforts this season.
* Thanks to Tom, The Baseball Zealot, for saying nice things about this weblog and me, for that matter. If you follow Illini baseball, I would encourage you to check out Tom's site.
* I also have to thank Brian at MGoBlog for referring his readers here. First, CSTV's Eric Sorenson. Now, MGoBlog. I may just have to retire. There is no where to go but down from here.
I welcome all the MGoBlog readers aboard. If you can get past the decline in quality from Brian's blog to here, you'll be fine.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Tournament Day Two: OSU Upsets Michigan; Penn State, Minnesota Win
Sixth seed Ohio State stunned rival, and top seed, Michigan, 4-2, on the second day of the Big Ten Tournament. Once again, the story for the Buckeyes was their starting pitching. OSU's Jake Hale pitched a complete game scattering eleven hits and three walks. In spite of a somewhat elevated hit total, I never felt like Hale was in much trouble. He was usually ahead of the hitters and only had a few rough spots, including a nail-biting ninth.
Jacob Howell and Tony Kennedy had two hits a piece to lead the Buckeyes. Doug Pickens had three, Kevin Cislo and Brad Roblin had two hits each in pacing Michigan's attack.
The win allowed OSU to stay in the winner's bracket and advance to play Minnesota in Friday's 7:05pm start.
The Gophers made their first appearance of the tournament and promptly banged out sixteen hits and ten runs to beat Illinois, 10-3. Dan Lyons and Kevin Carlson led the hit parade with three each. Brian Jost had four RBI while Kyle Baran had two hits, three runs scored and three RBI.
Tom Buske picked up the win. Buske allowed seven hits and a walk in 6.2 innings pitched. Bill Johnson worked the last 2.1 innings allowing just one hit.
Brandon Wikoff and Mike Rohde's two hits a piece were the leaders for the Illini. If I have my tournament bracket filled out correctly, Illinois gets to wait to play until 3:35pm tomorrow. The Illini will play the winner of the Penn State and Michigan game, another elimination game.
Iowa became the first team eliminated from the tournament when Penn State prevailed in today's first game, 5-3. PSU's Craig Clark won his sixth game of the year by going seven full innings and yielding nine hits, three walks and two earned runs. Drew O'Neil came out of the bullpen to pitch the final two stanzas. O'Neil didn't allow a run or hit and fanned two of the six batters he faced.
Matt Cavagnaro led PSU with three hits. Cory Wine led them in RBI with two, both coming on a triple. Kyle Riffel and Ben Geelan both had two hit games to lead Iowa. Travis Sweet hit a laser out of the yard, it was his eighth homer of the season.
Just to recap Friday's schedule, Penn State and Michigan will play an elimination game at 12:05pm. That game's winner will play Illinois at 3:35pm. The second game will also be an elimination game. The final game of the day will see Minnesota and Ohio State play at 7:05pm.
The winner of tomorrow's second game (Illinois vs. Michigan/Penn State winner) will go on to face the loser of Minnesota/Ohio State in Saturday's 3:35pm game. Got all that? What you have right now is Minnesota and Ohio State in the winner's bracket, thus in the driver's seat. Everyone else is fighting for survival.
Thursday was the second spectacular weather day in a row. Tomorrow begins a trend in the opposite direction. Per usual, I've seen varying reports on just how much precipitation we can expect and when it's most likely to fall. At minimum, we run the risk of getting soggy tomorrow. Keep the rain gear handy, folks.
Jacob Howell and Tony Kennedy had two hits a piece to lead the Buckeyes. Doug Pickens had three, Kevin Cislo and Brad Roblin had two hits each in pacing Michigan's attack.
The win allowed OSU to stay in the winner's bracket and advance to play Minnesota in Friday's 7:05pm start.
The Gophers made their first appearance of the tournament and promptly banged out sixteen hits and ten runs to beat Illinois, 10-3. Dan Lyons and Kevin Carlson led the hit parade with three each. Brian Jost had four RBI while Kyle Baran had two hits, three runs scored and three RBI.
Tom Buske picked up the win. Buske allowed seven hits and a walk in 6.2 innings pitched. Bill Johnson worked the last 2.1 innings allowing just one hit.
Brandon Wikoff and Mike Rohde's two hits a piece were the leaders for the Illini. If I have my tournament bracket filled out correctly, Illinois gets to wait to play until 3:35pm tomorrow. The Illini will play the winner of the Penn State and Michigan game, another elimination game.
Iowa became the first team eliminated from the tournament when Penn State prevailed in today's first game, 5-3. PSU's Craig Clark won his sixth game of the year by going seven full innings and yielding nine hits, three walks and two earned runs. Drew O'Neil came out of the bullpen to pitch the final two stanzas. O'Neil didn't allow a run or hit and fanned two of the six batters he faced.
Matt Cavagnaro led PSU with three hits. Cory Wine led them in RBI with two, both coming on a triple. Kyle Riffel and Ben Geelan both had two hit games to lead Iowa. Travis Sweet hit a laser out of the yard, it was his eighth homer of the season.
Just to recap Friday's schedule, Penn State and Michigan will play an elimination game at 12:05pm. That game's winner will play Illinois at 3:35pm. The second game will also be an elimination game. The final game of the day will see Minnesota and Ohio State play at 7:05pm.
The winner of tomorrow's second game (Illinois vs. Michigan/Penn State winner) will go on to face the loser of Minnesota/Ohio State in Saturday's 3:35pm game. Got all that? What you have right now is Minnesota and Ohio State in the winner's bracket, thus in the driver's seat. Everyone else is fighting for survival.
Thursday was the second spectacular weather day in a row. Tomorrow begins a trend in the opposite direction. Per usual, I've seen varying reports on just how much precipitation we can expect and when it's most likely to fall. At minimum, we run the risk of getting soggy tomorrow. Keep the rain gear handy, folks.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Tournament Day One: Blowouts Are The Norm
The Big Ten Tournament opened with Tanner Roark leading the University of Illinois to a 12-3 win over the University of Iowa. Roark tossed a complete game nine hitter. The Illini righthander was aided by five doubleplays. Everytime the Hawkeyes appear to be mounting a comeback, a doubleplay ended their hopes.
Mike Rohde drove in three to lead Illinois. Daniel Webb, Shawn Roof and Nick Stockwell had two RBI a piece. All-Conference OF Travis Sweet led the counter attack with three hits and two RBI for Iowa.
Game two saw Ohio State score three in the first, two in the second and one each in the third and fourth and cruise to a 10-3 over Penn State. Cory Luebke, the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, looked a like a Pitcher of the Year. The OSU lefty gave up three hits, three walks and no runs over seven innings. The Buckeyes seventeen hit attack was led by Jacob Howell, Matt Angle and Tony Kennedy with three hits a piece. J.B. Shuck had three RBI.
Brian Ernst and Matt Cavagnaro each had two hits for Penn State.
Iowa and Penn State will meet at 12:05 pm tomorrow in the first elimination game of the tournament. The second game of the day will see Illinois take on Minnesota at 3:35 pm. The finale is scheduled for 7:05 pm and is match-up of Ohio State versus Michigan.
The weather tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny. A near record high is on tap. Although, the scoreboard at The Fish indicated it hit 100 degrees today. That's going to be hard to top.
Mike Rohde drove in three to lead Illinois. Daniel Webb, Shawn Roof and Nick Stockwell had two RBI a piece. All-Conference OF Travis Sweet led the counter attack with three hits and two RBI for Iowa.
Game two saw Ohio State score three in the first, two in the second and one each in the third and fourth and cruise to a 10-3 over Penn State. Cory Luebke, the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, looked a like a Pitcher of the Year. The OSU lefty gave up three hits, three walks and no runs over seven innings. The Buckeyes seventeen hit attack was led by Jacob Howell, Matt Angle and Tony Kennedy with three hits a piece. J.B. Shuck had three RBI.
Brian Ernst and Matt Cavagnaro each had two hits for Penn State.
Iowa and Penn State will meet at 12:05 pm tomorrow in the first elimination game of the tournament. The second game of the day will see Illinois take on Minnesota at 3:35 pm. The finale is scheduled for 7:05 pm and is match-up of Ohio State versus Michigan.
The weather tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny. A near record high is on tap. Although, the scoreboard at The Fish indicated it hit 100 degrees today. That's going to be hard to top.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
The Long And Winding Tournament Preview
Anybody can win the 2007 Big Ten Conference Tournament. Anybody.
Conversely, all six teams are perfectly capable of going two and barbecue. (Is anybody having a bbq, by the way? Of course, I'm invited, right?)
This is the most wide open conference tournament in years. I think there are two primary reasons for this. 1) The teams in the Big Ten are just plain better baseball teams in 2007. Look at the number of Big Ten programs that beat some of college baseball's big boys this year (Ex: Penn State over UNC, Michigan over Mississippi State, Minnesota over Arkansas). If Big Ten programs can go on the road and beat the sunshine boys, they can all beat each other.
2) Each school's pitching can be erratic. If you've got good starters, your bullpen is probably a question mark. If you've got a tremendous bullpen, your starters get squirrely from time-to-time. In some instances, especially late in the year, entire pitching staffs have gone belly up.
As the pitching as been so difficult to get a handle on, it's hard to guess which team has an edge heading into the tournament. The bottom line will probably be that whomever pitches best this week wins. An insightful thought, I know. But, how much did you pay for this insight? Sometimes you do get what you pay for.
Having said all this, let me provide an array of short concepts that will provide, well, will provide me with an outlet to share these ideas. You can decide if they make an ounce of sense.
The Favorite: Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, Michigan has to be the pre-tournament favorite. They've now won the last three championships the conference plays for : '06 regular season, '06 tournament & '07 regular season. They are at home. (Yes, they've been better on the road this year. I still think the players and coaches would rather have this tournament in Ann Arbor.) They have the highest RPI of anyone in the Big Ten. They have the most dynamic offense in a conference with a number of teams that can swing the bat.
The Hot Team: Penn State. The Nittany Lions have won nine of their last twelve conference games. Three weeks ago, Penn State won the series versus Purdue. Then, PSU won three in Ann Arbor two weeks ago and took three more from a revived Ohio State squad this past weekend. Drew O'Neil is plain nasty out of the 'pen and the Lions don't lose leads very often. An under-appreciated starting rotation keeps PSU in nearly every game.
The Pitching Staff To Watch Out For: Ohio State. Coach Bob Todd inserted Jake Hale into the rotation two weeks ago and the Buckeyes first three starters are now Cory Luebke, Hale and J.B. Shuck. All good. All have pitched in the conference tournament before. Are three starters enough to win it all? Maybe.
Nobody Loves Us: Iowa. If one program is going to throw around the "Us Against The World" speech, it's the Hawkeyes. They just can't get no respect. An unimpressive RPI. A fourth place finish. It seems like Iowa is in the shadows. Although, these Hawks can swing the bats with anyone in the Big Ten. Jason White, Travis Sweet and Dusty Napoleon all finished the year with an OPS above 1.000. That's real good, boys and girls. Their pitching has been just good enough, but losing closer Mike Schurz does hurt their chances in this format.
If You Don't Get To Them Early: In my mind there are three clubs with exceptional bullpens. Minnesota has the double-headed monster of Josh Oslin and Kyle Carr. Penn State's Matt Ogrodnik and O'Neil (there seems like there should be a nickname for a bullpen led by two guys with last names starting with o) aren't far behind. Illinois counters with Omar Kadir and Jake "I got us in the stinkin' tournament" Toohey. I would normally include Iowa, but losing Schurz drops the Hawkeyes bullpen some.
Comeback Kids: Illinois. The Illini needed two wins to get to the little dance (that's the conference tournament). They fall behind Friday, 4-0, after two innings yet win the game. Needing only one win, they get crushed in both games Saturday. Down 7-0 to Michigan State on Sunday, with their entire season on the line, Illinois makes another comeback to win 8-7 and gets in the tournament. Can this continue? Can the Illini faithful take it, if it does? Do the Illinois kids have anything left in the tank?
History Should Teach Us Something: Last year, I liked Minnesota. I opined at the time that history told me to watch out for John Anderson's team. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, right? Well, recent history, including dropping six of their last twelve (NU and IU took four of six) makes me ponder where the Gophers are right now. Yet, I refuse to ignore history. If Minnesota can beat Arkansas, Mississippi and Pepperdine, they can take out the other five teams in Ann Arbor.
The Official View: Here is the link to the Big Ten's preview of the tournament. (Apparently, non-conference games don't mean much in Chicago.)
Is That Rain?: The weather forecast is typical for May. Wednesday is supposed to be warm (pushing 90, perhaps) and sunny. Trouble may arise come Thursday. I've seen thundershowers called for and I've seen another forecast predicting a second straight sunny, high eighty degree day. Amazingly, both forecasts are courtesy of The Weather Channel -- one online the other on tv. I guess they've got their bases covered regardless of what happens.
Overall, we've got nice on Wednesday, a toss-up on Thursday, water from the sky on Friday and rain with some noise on Saturday. Did I mention the temperatures are going to drop each successive day, as well?
I'll tell you the same thing I said last year, pack everything -- sunscreen and shorts to umbrellas and jackets.
All-Conference Picks: Another official announcement from the home office in Chicago. The Big Ten has names it's Players of the Year and their All-Conference Teams. Congratulations to Cory Luebke and Lars Davis on being named Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively. (FYI: I can never decide if I want to name an All-BTH team or not. I'm leaning towards an All-Freshman Team, but even that's not definite. If you have an opinion or would like to nominate a freshman -- or two -- drop me an email.)
Let's look at some numbers. The PRPI indicates Boyd's World Pseudo-RPI as of the time I write this. I'm assuming you realize the first two sets of numbers are each school's record in the Big Ten followed by their overall record. You knew that, right? All that is followed by their record against the rest of the tournament field.
Michigan (21-7, 39-14; PRPI - 40)
vs. Minnesota 0-0 (4 games canceled)vs. Penn State 1-3
vs. Iowa 3-1
vs. Illinois 2-2
vs. Ohio State 4-0
Minnesota (18-9, 38-14; PRPI - 54)
vs. Michigan 0-0vs. Penn State 2-1 (1 canceled)
vs. Iowa 3-1
vs. Illinois 3-1vs. Ohio State 2-2
Penn State (20-10, 28-24; PRPI - 71)
vs. Michigan 3-1
vs. Minnesota 1-2 (1 canceled)vs. Iowa 1-2
vs. Illinois DNPvs. Ohio State 3-1
Iowa (17-13, 31-21; PRPI - 93)
vs. Michigan 1-3vs. Minnesota 1-3
vs. Penn State 2-1vs. Illinois 3-1
vs. Ohio State 1-3Illinois (16-14, 30-25; PRPI - 140)
vs. Michigan 2-2vs. Minnesota 1-3
vs. Penn State DNPvs. Iowa 1-3
vs. Ohio State 1-1 (2 cancellations)Ohio State (15-15, 33-22; PRPI - 89)
vs. Michigan 0-4vs. Minnesota 2-2
vs. Penn State 1-3vs. Iowa 3-1
vs. Illinois 1-1 (2 cancellations)I did a couple of additional stats, beyond the standard batting average and ERA you can find at the Big Ten's official site, just out of curiosity. I'm not sure it means a thing, but here is how the tournament field stacked up in OPS and WHIP ratio. Their overall conference ranking appears in the parentheses.
OPS
Michigan 908 (1)
Iowa 884 (2)
Illinois 848 (3)
Minnesota 840 (4)
Ohio State 798 (6)
Penn State 745 (9)
Walks + Hits/Innings Pitched
Michigan 1.449 (1)
Minnesota 1.461 (2)
Penn State 1.467 (3)
Ohio State 1.503 (4)
Illinois 1.712 (8)
Iowa 1.760 (9)
I thank you wading through this unorganized preview of the Big Ten Tournament. I'll try blogging each evening after the tournament concludes for the day, so stop by each day for a recap. Keep in mind, though, it could be late before the post goes up.
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