I Love This Game

There are all kinds of unique joys following college baseball. One is the polls. Let's take a peek at what the most astute minds in college baseball think of the top teams. Collegiate Baseball has Illinois ranked as the nineteenth best team in the land. Ohio State isn't far behind at number twenty-two. Pretty cool, right? Yes, but that's just one man's (or publication's) opinion. What does everyone else think?

Well, Baesball America's Top 25 includes one Big Ten team, as well. However, it's neither the Illini or Buckeyes, it's Minnesota who holds the twenty-fifth slot in their poll. Wait. It gets better.

Ohio State returns to the poll at number thirty according to the NCBWA. The writers do list the "others receiving votes" addendum which includes Illinois, Minnesota and, yes, Michigan.

How about our friends at Rivals? Where does Kendall Rogers believe the Big Ten teams rank? Not in the Top 25, unfortunately. Although, those Gophers did merit some consideration.

Finally, the ever-reliable coaches poll courtesy of USA Today. The skippers didn't include a Big Ten team in their Top 25, either. In fairness, Illinois missed by only a single vote. The Illini finished first in the "others receiving votes" category, effectively making them #26.

Ohio State (36th), Michigan (42) and Minnesota (43) did all garner love from some of the coaches, but not enough to claim inclusion in the Top 25.

What does all this mean? I have no idea. And neither do our lovable poll voters. How Minnesota can get ranked by the lads at Baseball America and get consideration from Rivals (essentialy putting them in their top 30), but trail three other Big Ten programs in the Coaches' Poll is confusing and beautiful in a way. It's beautiful because the polls don't mean much. This is baseball. There's a championship tournament. A pretty stinkin' good one, at that.

Onto another unique matter in college baseball. Today, in fact, right now, Michigan is playing Eastern Michigan. Why is it unique for two programs only miles apart to play today? Because it isn't on the schedule. Let me try that again. It isn't on the schedule for tonight.

See, the coaches took one look at the weather forecast -- temperatures in the high 60s and sunny, after several days of similar conditions -- and realized it's March. The weather may not get any better than today for weeks. So instead of playing later this month, the two schools agreed to play tonight.

Can you imagine Michigan deciding to move a football game from Saturday to Friday because the weather was going to be so much better the day before the event was scheduled? How about a week earlier? It can't happen. It's just not logistically possible.

However, this kind of revised scheduling is all a part of playing college baseball, especially here in the north. It's funny, frustrating and somehow strangely appealing. No, the sport doesn't have 100,000 fans per game. No, it doesn't generate huge profits, if it generates profits, at all. Yet, there's a charm that comes when coaches preempt schedules for a healthy dose of sunshine and common sense.

Hale Is On Stopper Watchlist

Ohio State senior Jake Hale has been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year watchlist. Hale, a righthander, is moving back to the Buckeyes bullpen this year after spending 2008 in the OSU starting rotation. He is the lone Big Ten representative on the initial watchlist.

Michigan # 30 In Writers' Poll

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has released their pre-season poll. While the University of North Carolina claimed the top spot, one Big Ten program did make the Top 35. The University of Michigan begins the year number thirty in the writers poll.

Rich Maloney's team continues to garner an unusual amount of respect from the national media this pre-season. Historically, the voters ignore northern programs (Notre Dame being the lone exception). To see Michigan still slide into the polls, albeit barely, after losing a significant portion of their team to the pros, is a refreshing change.

The only other Big Ten program that got a sniff from the voters was Ohio State. The Buckeyes fell into the "others receiving votes" bundle.

Rounding out the NCBWA Top 10 are LSU, Rice, Texas A&M, Georgia, Florida State, Arizona State, Texas, Stanford and Cal St. Fullerton.

Phegley, Fetter Get NCBWA Nod

Indiana catcher Josh Phegley and Michigan pitcher Chris Fetter have been named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's pre-season All-Americans. Phegley grabbed a first team selection and Fetter was tabbed as a member of the second team.

Putnam Gets NCBWA Nod

The University of Michigan's Zach Putnam was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association 2008 pre-season All-America Team yesterday. The Michigan junior was selected to the NCBWA first team as the utility player.

Last season, Putnam hit .330 with eight homers and fifty-nine RBI while going 8-5 with a 3.87 ERA as Michigan's Friday starter. Putnam was the only Big Ten representative on any of the three All-America teams the NCBWA chose.

Welcome To The Party, NCBWA

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has finally seen fit to rank Michigan in its Top 30. While the Wolverines sneak into the NCBWA poll at number twenty-nine, at least they are in. Finally. Even the notoriously anti-northern school, Baseball America (I can feel an email coming in as I type that) had Michigan ranked before my NCBWA brethren saw fit to.

I also see that Minnesota and Ohio State garnered votes this week. I know it must pain you folks to have to vote for northern schools, but take some solace knowing you did the right thing. I don't care what any of them do the rest of the year, but all three merit votes at this moment.

Should I mention that Penn State sits in third place in the Big Ten and handed North Carolina a loss in Chapel Hill? I'm asking for too much, aren't I? (Since I'm asking for stuff, where is my NCBWA membership card? The season is almost over. No doubt it will get permanently lost in the mail after this post.)

Not only did the NCBWA relent, the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll conceded today and they included Michigan, as well. (Does ESPN really deserve to be associated with the coaches' poll? They don't even show up until tournament time. And don't even mention ESPNU. When it's in more than ten households, let me know. Yes, I'm hammering everyone tonight.) The writers and the coaches voted for Michigan? I say we make tomorrow a holiday.

Don't fret too much poll voters. Look on the positive side. If Big Ten programs can start competing with the traditional superpowers of college baseball, it will just bring more fans, more television ratings, more exposure and more money to the sport. Isn't that what we all want?

Midweek Meanderings

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Thoughts From The Weekend went on hiatus this week. As my early week ramblings have been set aside, I'll try and focus on volume this Wednesday night.

* The Big Ten named Indiana's Andrew Means and Purdue's Matt Bischoff as Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

* Iowa shortstop Jason White was tabbed as the Best Defensive Player of the Pepsi Johnny Quick Classic.

* AM 920 WMNI radio in Columbus has signed on to broadcast Ohio State baseball for the next two seasons.

* Justin Weyman, the voice of Penn State baseball, began hosting Coach Robbie Wine's weekly radio show Tuesday night.

* Wednesday scores:

Illinois 4 UMass 0 (box)
The Illini's Aaron Martin tosses eight innings of shutout baseball. Lars Davis goes 4 for 5, Ryan Hastings gets three hits in four at bats and Ryan Snowden drives in two.

Ohio State 16 Yale 10 (box)
The Buckeyes win streak runs to 10. All-Big Ten 2B Jason Zoeller goes yard and drives in four OSU runs. Fellow all-conference performer Matt Angle has three hits and steals two bases in this offense dominated affair. J.B. Shuck has a ten game hitting streak.

Penn State's opener in their new ballpark was postponed due to poor weather.

* The lone Tuesday contest:

Northwestern 4 UMass 2 (box)
Freshman Joe Muraski's first collegiate start was a complete game victory. The first year lefty allowed six hits and two walks in nine innings. CF Caleb Fields had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run. RF Max Mann had two hits and two RBI.

* For those interested in summer leagues, I have found this new website courtesy of a link provided by The Baseball Zealot.

* I'm still about a week away from looking at OPS numbers for 2007. However, Purdue's Jordan Comadena is probably the leader heading into the last weekend of non-conference action. The Boilermakers' outfielder has an OPS of 1.413. That's real good in any league.

* For those still waiting for the All-Weekend Team, I think you'll have to wait one more day. Yes, it will almost be the next weekend, but I do have to sleep in between work and other responsibilities. Unless, of course, you want to start subsidizing my lame blog, then I can type all day long.

* I mentioned that this is the last weekend of non-c0nference play. Amongst the weekend series, Michigan hosts Oakland University. Veteran readers (reader?) of BTH will know that OU was kind enough to accept my tuition several years ago, thus I root for the Golden Grizzlies. (Although, if you think about it, I paid them. Maybe they should be rooting for me?) Anyway, these match-ups with Big Ten baseball programs do pose a bit of a dilemma for me.

* For those unaware, OU head coach Dylan Putnam is the brother of Michigan sophomore sensation Zach Putnam. Dylan spent his college career pitching for Michigan State.

* Finally, a heartfelt farewell Todd Lamb, Assistant Athletics Communications Director for The Ohio State University. Todd, a friend of BTH, has landed a job with the Texas Rangers. In addition to being the baseball SID for the Buckeyes, Todd is a past president of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. His support of college baseball, especially those programs in the north, will be missed. On a personal note, I'll miss his insights on the inner workings of college baseball. Thanks, Todd and good luck in The Show.

The NCBWA And Me

You might be wondering what's with the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association logo in the sidebar? Well, last year I submitted my application to join the NCBWA. While I've yet to receive instructions on the club's secret handshake, my decoder ring or even my membership card, I have been assured that I am in. (The guy who cashes the checks say so and that's good enough for me.)

Now, what does this mean? Well, it means I get to vote on stuff. Not in the weekly poll, but other things of varying degrees of importance -- the Dick Howser Trophy (Player of the Year), Regional Players of the Year and All-America Teams. So, if you need to find a voter to unload swag on, submit tons of PR to or need to buy a vote, look no further. I'm your man. (Of course, I'm kidding. I was a fan of Dick Howser's and I consider the chance to vote on an award bearing his name to be an honor. I intend to take all my voting responsibilities seriously.)

I'm sure this new found association with the NCBWA will lead to fame, fortune and, perhaps, if I play my cards just right, the media buffet at the Big Ten Tournament. That or I'll just get to vote. Either way, it looked like an interesting opportunity, one that might even help the blog grow, so I signed on the dotted line.

NCBWA: Michigan # 29

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 35 Poll has Michigan (5-2) ranked twenty-ninth in the nation. Ohio State (2-3) and Minnesota (1-5) were the only other Big Ten schools receiving votes in this week's survey. Texas maintained the top spot overall with the writers. Click here to get a look at the complete poll.