College Baseball Thoughts Heading Into The Season’s Home Stretch

By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

The “weekend” starts early this week.  With most conference tournaments starting next Tuesday and Wednesday the start of the last week of most conference regular season series will start this Thursday instead of Friday.  In fact, so many conferences are starting on Thursday this week (ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big East to name a few) the Big 12 is about the only conference that is sticking with its regular Friday, Saturday, Sunday schedule.

Peter O'Brien

The MEAC starts its tournament this Thursday.  It would be a major upset if Bethune-Cookman doesn’t win the championship.  The top-seeded Wildcats (32-18, 18-0) are one of just two teams in the six-team field with a winning record (North Carolina A&T at 25-23 overall & 15-3 in league play is the other).  BC’s Peter O’Brien leads the MEAC and is tied for fourth in the nation with 19 home runs.

What happened to Portland? Just two weeks ago the Pilots were the nation’s feel good story heading into a home series with West Coast Conference leader San Diego.  Winners of 11 straight heading into that showdown, they had a chance to make a case for at least an at-large NCAA berth and an outside chance to claim the WCC title.  All that is gone now though.  After being swept by San Diego, Portland (31-16) lost a mid-week game to Washington State and was swept again last weekend by San Francisco.  That’s seven straight losses heading into Wednesday’s (5/18) home game vs. Oregon.  Ben Roethlisberger has about as much of a chance at being named Georgia’s Man of the Year as Portland now has to get an NCAA bid.

What happened to the Big Ten? A year ago at this time there were three Big Ten teams that had a legitimate chance to receive an NCAA bid, and that’s how many bids the league ended-up with.  Ohio State, Minnesota and Indiana all went to regionals, while Illinois just missed out after the Hoosiers won the conference tournament.  There won’t be three bids for the Big Ten this year though.  All ten teams are still in contention for the six spots in the conference tournament, but only the tourney winner will be NCAA bound this year.  Minnesota (25-27, 13-8) leads the conference, while Michigan State (32-17, 10-11) has the best overall record, but sits in a four-way tie for fifth place

Retiring head coach Bob Todd (OSU photo)

heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Speaking of Ohio State…The Buckeyes have to be the biggest disappointment in the conference.  OSU returned the conference Player and Pitcher of the Year (Dan Burkhart and Alex Wimmers, respectively) from last year’s regular season championship team, but they have floundered their way to a 27-21 overall mark, including 10-11 in conference play.  And if head coach Bob Todd was hoping for a “Corky Palmer effect” by announcing his retirement it hasn’t worked.  Palmer’s Southern Mississippi squad ran a hot streak all the way to Omaha after he announced his retirement before season’s end last year, but Todd’s Buckeyes have gone 3-4 with series losses to Illinois and Iowa since he announced his impending retirement on May 5.

Tony Thompson (KU photo)

Kansas finds itself in a rough situation this weekend. As they head into this weekend’s regular season ending series with Oklahoma, most current bracket projections have the Jayhawks (31-21 DI record, #54 NCAA RPI) staying home for the NCAA Tournament.  A look at the stats shows this year’s team is not much different than last year’s team that finished 39-24 after playing at the Chapel Hill Regional.  This year’s respective team batting average and ERA of .303 and 5.15 are pretty similar to the 2009 marks of .301 and 4.46.  The biggest difference appears to be the absence of the big bat Tony Thompson provided when he won the Big 12’s first triple crown by hitting .389 with 21 home runs and 82 RBIs.  He was one of two Jayhawks to hit double-digit dingers last year, but so far no KU player has reached even 10 long balls in 2010.  Thompson fractured his left knee cap before the season started, and he hasn’t been able to fully regain his form in the 33 games he’s played since his return to the field.  Thompson is batting a respectable .325, but has just five home runs with 35 RBIs.  He also hasn’t seen as many pitches to hit this year.  After walking 21 times in 61 games and 247 at-bats as a sophomore, the junior has drawn 19 free passes in just 126 ABs this season.

Clash Of Last Year’s Champs On Tap

Ohio State was last year’s regular season Big Ten champion, while Indiana won the conference’s postseason tournament.  Chris Webb from Buckeyestatebaseball.com has provided us with an extensive preview of this weekend’s series in Columbus, OH as well as a Q & A with Indiana head coach Tracy Smith.  Next week Chris and I will record a podcast to talk about this series as well as other key Big Ten happenings.

From here through the conclusion of the season, I’ll provide insight into a Big Ten weekend series here on CollegeBaseball360. – Chris Webb

After a season in which three teams advanced to Regional play in Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio State, all eyes were on the Midwestern conference to see if the 10 schools can continue to make strides in closing the gap between a once-proud conference and the power conferences of the country.

Receiving the most off-season hype and buzz was the Ohio State Buckeyes. After advancing to the finals of the Tallahassee Regional, the Bucks were ranked as high as 14^th in the preseason polls, receiving the lofty ranking by Collegiate Baseball. With 8 everyday starters returning to the lineup and All-American Alex Wimmers anchoring the pitching staff, Ohio State appeared to be the team to return the Big Ten to Omaha.

After a 17-8 start, which has seen inconsistent play throughout, Ohio State has fallen from every ranking and hope the upcoming weekend spurns them into second-half success, playing baseball worthy of a team headed to Omaha.

Bill Davis Stadium

Once the crown jewel of Northern ballparks, Bill Davis Stadium is now in it’s 14^th season as the on-campus home for Ohio State. This weekend Bill Davis welcomes coach Tracy Smith and his Indiana Hoosiers for a key conference clash.

While Ohio State was the Big Ten regular season champion a year ago, Indiana ran through the field in the six-team Big Ten Tournament, held just minutes from Bill Davis at Columbus’ Huntington Park, the home of the AAA Columbus Clippers. In winning the postseason tournament, Indiana advanced to their second-ever NCAA Regional. While the Hoosiers went two-and-que in the Vanderbilt Regional, proof was shown that under Smith, Indiana is not far from becoming a regional power.

With two of the top contenders for the 2010 Big Ten crown squaring off, here is a look within the series.

Indiana Hooisers (14-13 overall 1-2 Big Ten)

@

Ohio State Buckeyes (17-8, 2-1)

Expected Rotation

Game 1 Friday April 9th, 6:35 PM:

LHP Matt Igel (0-3, 9.00) vs. RHP Alex Wimmers (6-0, 1.98)

Game 2 Saturday April 10th, 1:05 PM:

LHP Drew Leininger (4-1, 1.66) vs. RHP Drew Rucinski (3-1, 2.53)

Game 3 Sunday April 11th, 1:05 PM:

RHP Walker Stadley (3-2, 5.06) vs. RHP Dean Wolosiansky (2-3, 5.60)

Team Comparisons

Category…. Indiana…… Ohio State
RPI…………. 131…………… 114
SOS…………. 93……………. 212
IRS…………. 129……………. 89
Hitting…….. .329…………. .344
ERA………… 6.42………….. 4.56
Fielding…… .963………….. .956
HR………….. 41………………. 20
2B…………… 59………………. 46
3B…………… 6…………………. 9
SLG………… .522……………. .479
BB…………… 93……………….. 99
SO…………… 197………………. 112
OBP…………. .404…………….. .412
SB……………. 36-54………….. 13-23
OBA…………. .306…………….. .311
SO…………….. 174………………. 181
BB…………….. 124………………. 78
H………………. 294………………. 283
XBH………….. 90………………… 50
WHIP……….. 1.74………………. 1.63
Saves………… 4…………………… 7

About Indiana

The Hoosiers are coming off of an weekend series versus Michigan where the Wolverines took 2 of 3 on the road winning the first two games 16-10 (10) and 6-4. However the lasting thought of that series is the 26-6 shelling Indiana put on the Maize & Blue in Sunday’s getaway day.

Jerrud Sabourin (IU photo)

A midweek win over Ball State brought Indiana above .500 for the first time all season.

Leading the way offensively for Indiana is the Big Ten’s version of the Bash Bothers in Jerrud Sabourin and Alex Dickerson. Sabourin leads the Hoosiers with a .480 average (59-for-123) with six home runs and 31 RBI. Behind him in the lineup as IU’s cleanup hitter is Dickerson with a .444 average ( 52-for-11), 10 doubles, and a Big Ten leading 12 home runs in route to 39 RBI.

Five other regulars are batting north of .300 to give Indiana its lofty .329 team average. Indiana is aggressive on the bases, and though Sabourin and Dickerson provided powerful bats, the Hoosiers are balanced enough to string off runs going station to station.

On the mound Indiana once again touts an impressive pitcher who will via for Wimmers in the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year race. On the strength of a consecutive scoreless innings streak that reached more than 25 innings, south Drew Leininger is 4-1 with a conference leading 1.66 ERA with 30 strikeouts and nine walks in 43.1 innings. Chris Squires is the Hoosiers’ closer coming in with four saves, a 3.74 ERA, and 2-1 record.

About Ohio State

Ohio State returns home after winning a weekend series in the Windy City against Northwestern. Wins of 11-1 and 11-6 where sandwiched by an 8-2 loss to the Wildcats to give the Bucks it’s 2-1 weekend. In playing just their second game at home of the year, Ohio State defeated Xavier on Wednesday to improve to 17-8 on the year.

While Ohio State enters the weekend with the Big Ten’s top hitting team, and second-best pitching staff, the Buckeyes have yet to string together a series of games where both aspects are in sync. Also leading to the team’s inconsistencies is the performance in the field. A fielding mark of .956 has led to 32 unearned runs crossing the plate for the Bucks’ opposition.

As expected the pitching staff is led by Wimmers who looks to collect his second-consecutive Big Ten Pitcher of the Year award. Drew Rucinski steps into the rotation after starting the season as Ohio State’s closer, the Buckeyes #2 pitcher leads the team with four saves in a sign of his conversion.

Dan Burkhart-#15 (OSU photo)

Offensively Ohio State boasts the Big Ten’s reigning Player of the Year, in catcher Dan Burkhart, giving Ohio State one of the nation’s best battery. Burkhart (.378, 18 RBI) the 3-hole hitter, is surrounded in the lineup by centerfielder Michael Stephens (.384, 6 HR, 23), first baseman Ryan Dew (.368, 3, 23), outfielders Zach Hurley (.373, 5, 26), and Brian DeLucia (.384, 4 21) as the team’s main power source. Infielders Cory Rupert (.400), and Cory Kovanda (.390) set the table for the Buckeyes balanced lineup.

Series History

Ohio State leads the series, 154-98, winning 15 of the 27 conference meetings. Last year the two split two meetings. Ohio State won a non-conference game in Florida 2-0. Indiana won 13-3 in the Big Ten Tournament from Huntington Park. The last series victory for Indiana came in 1996.

Key Matchup

Ohio State starters versus Indiana 3-4-5 hitters. Michael Early (.321-4-14) joins Sabourin and Dickerson as the conference’s most potent middle of the order. Most important is the fact that Sabourin and Dickerson are left-handed hitters which pose a threat to Ohio State’s all right-handed rotation. Obviously if these three are clicking things are in Indiana’s favor. If the Bucks can keep the trio to a .300 average or lower, the Bucks are well on their way to a weekend series victory.

Special Feature: Q&A with Indiana’s Coach Tracy Smith

CW: By now you’re probably tired of talking about it, but last year’s team lost a lot of talent. When a coach has such a removal of talent due to early-entrees leaving via the draft, does the program feel like it’s starting over in a way? Are losses like that “projected” and planned around in recruiting to keep the cupboard as full as possible?

Tracy Smith (IU photo)

TS: Some were projected. We planned to lose the five top 10-round guys, but the ones we did not plan for were the two that signed in the 30-something rounds. We didn’t see that coming until the very end of the season and those are the ones that have impacted this year the most because both those kids were to be in our top 3 in the rotation.

Now, add the injury to Monar the first weekend, we have been without our projected top 3 starters all year. Pretty tough on us, but we have found a way to win some games anyway.

CW: Perhaps an effect of some of the departures is having your son, Casey, early-enroll and in essence play Division I baseball during his senior year of high school.

Where there times before the process when you had to approach the situation different as a parent and coach? And now is the joy of coaching your son one of the biggest thrills of your coaching tenure?

TS: We knew we were going to be thin when O’Gara and Dunning signed late, but it wasn’t until we saw it with our own eyes in the fall did we realize just how thin we were.

Casey was being recruited by a couple of other schools, and once he decided IU was where he wanted to go I started to get this idea of bringing him early. He is a pretty smart kid, and has been around my programs all his life, so I think he saw the opportunity this year which led to his decision.

Coaching your kid is a joy and a challenge at the same time. Given the fact that he decided on the mid-year matriculation into IU so late, we elected not to put him in the dorms. Yes, he is living at home this semester, and this is the challenge I am referring to. If he screws up he not only gets it at school, but he gets it at home and that has made for some interesting dinner conversations.

I have jokingly said that if we are speaking with each other by the end of the year that will be a major accomplishment. All kidding aside, I am thrilled to be coaching my own kid. Far too often in this business we (coaches) invest a significant amount of time developing other people’s kids so it is nice to give your own some of that time.

CW: Speaking of the pitching staff, are you able to update the status of Monar?

TS: He is working his way back slowly. We hope we can get him back at some point, but I am not counting on it.

CW: In stepping in for Monar as the #1 pitcher, Leininger appears to be having an “Arnett-type” year where an outstanding season seemingly comes from nowhere.

What did you see from Drew before this season that an outbreak like this wasn’t out of the question? What so far this season has impressed you the most with his performances?

TS: I would be lying to you if I said I thought he was going to be having this type of season, but we always thought he could have success at this level. He has made some changes to his delivery that have really helped him.

You take that and add that to his already tough mindset and smooth delivery, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. His consistency has been very impressive to me. He locates his pitches well and has consistently hit spots.

CW: Looking at the bats, you’re middle of he line-up is anchored by Sabourin and Dickerson. As the two had very solid 2009 campaigns, as a coach was there a lot of instruction needed for the duo to continue to excel?

Or was it a matter of letting good players be good players and only a matter of time before they picked up where they left off in 2009?

TS: Honestly, I have always believed coaches give themselves too much credit when it comes to players performing well. At IU, we try to instill an attitude of ownership in our kids. If you do well, take the credit. If you do poorly, don’t start pointing fingers.

So with these two, we pretty much give them an environment to develop their already extraordinary talents. Sure, as a coach you make some changes or suggestions that you think will help them, but for the most part if you have a player (or players) like these guys that already have a pretty good understanding of theirs swings, you just set up your bucket of balls behind the L-screen and feed them strikes during BP, the rest pretty much takes care of itself.

CW: Who are some of the players outside of those two that have really played well and filled in for the collective holes left by Josh Phegley, Evan Crawford, Kip Schultz and company?

TS: Freshman Micah Johnson has performed very well. He has provided the power we lost with Schultz and the speed we lost with Crawford. He is a very good player. Mike Earley is starting to give us more consistent at-bats, and from a senior that is what you expect. He also brings a toughness that you would love to see in all your players.

With Phegley, you had a catcher that understood the game. Coming into the year, we had 3 catchers that all bring a little something different to the table. The time we started playing more consistent baseball coincided with the time Dylan Swift took over behind the plate. He may not have the offensive numbers of some of the other guys, but he does a great job of handling our very immature staff during games.

CW: You have been as vocal as any coach in regards to the NCAA’s Universal Start Date and when it should be. Now that we’re in year two, what are your thoughts on the process after having it in a 13-week, and 14-week format?

TS: First, I am impressed that you knew I was vocal about this. I don’t mind the 14-week format, but the additional week was put on the “wrong” end of the season. By adding the additional week on the front end of the season, the NCAA has spoken loud and clear with regard to what it thinks about the schools playing baseball in the north – they don’t really care.

There is no other sport (outside of softball) that has the competitive disadvantages present like college baseball. The advantages and disadvantages, depending on what part of the country you are from, have a HUGE impact on your opportunity for post season play.

I don’t have enough time to give all the reasons, but clearly by adding the week to front of the college baseball season, the rich just got richer!

CW: There was a vote to go back to a 13-week schedule if the 14th week was not added on the back end. Why was that the approach being taken? Doesn’t a 13-week schedule hinder northern programs as much as southern in a compacted schedule?

Or was it just a matter of, we’re not having a 14th week at the front end until Hell freezes over?

TS: We, northern schools, have been dealing with schedule compaction as long as we have been coaching. We were used to it. But, when you add the week on the front end you have eliminated any chance for northern schools to schedule more home games.

More home games usually means a better chance to win. I have always said the term “home field advantage” was created for a reason. By adding the week on the front end, it ensures more road games for the northern schools, thus adding the potential for more RPI points to already inflated RPI numbers of southern conferences.

Many would argue that I am just complaining, and that the baseball is better in the south. Well, that may be true (I don’t agree), but I would like to see how some of these schools would perform early in the season if they were practicing on gym floors with little, or in most cases, no practice time on baseball fields.

I think if guys in the south experienced what the coaches in the north face year in and year out, then maybe they would be more sympathetic to our cause. I doubt it though, because they are at such a competitive advantage right now, why would they want to level the playing field. You got me going, didn’t you?

CW: Now that you are going… Discuss the current state of the Big Ten. It was mentioned last year following the Big Ten Tournament where four teams have had hopes of a Regional selection, with Illinois ultimately falling short, that it is ever-improving.

While on paper the Big Ten appears down from a year ago, what does it say that a program like Michigan State is on the rise as well as your continuing of building the Indiana program?

With OSU, Michigan, and Minnesota as established programs, do you feel the Big Ten is on the verge on taking the next step and perhaps narrowing the gap on the power conferences, and what has led to the revival?

TS: Well, I think the gap is closing. You have a lot of schools investing in their baseball programs, thus increasing expectations on winning.

However, what gets little discussion, and is probably this biggest reason the conference struggles to compete on a national level consistently is the fact that other conferences can over-sign. Teams in the Big Ten that recruit a significant number of high level talent have to lay back and wait to see how the draft plays out on how many guys they are going to lose.

Look what happened to Michigan last year. They win the Big Ten the year before, and fail to qualify for the tournament the next year. Is it because Coach Maloney was a great coach one year and bad one the next? No! He lost a ton of underclassmen and was not able to use their money until the players actually SIGNED a contract in the summer.

Who are you going to find that late to replace that kind of talent? You are not. We are experiencing a little bit of that ourselves this year.

Now, I do believe the Big Ten recognized this as a huge disadvantage for our league and instituted a rule change this year that allows schools to over sign up to one scholarship spread over two players.

It does help, but when other schools are over signing by 6-8 scholarships, the playing field is not even close to being even. The part that drives me nuts is nobody talks about this issue. Everyone wants to talk about weather, and huge stadiums, etc., as being the things the hold our conference back, but it’s not. The issue of over-signing is the real problem.

My friends who coach at southern schools laugh when I tell them that we can’t over-sign kids until our underclassmen physically sign a contact. They are like, “how in the heck do you guys recruit?” I have my response down to a science now, I put my hands behind my back and say, “like this.”

That said, I am not saying I agree with over-signing to the level most southern do it, because it can create some ugly scenarios where kids are “run off.” Again, too many reasons and not enough time to respond. But what I would like to see is some consistency with regard to the issue of over-signing.

I like the limits our conference has put on over-signing. Now, if we could get the rest of the country to buy into the Big Ten Conference’s rules, wouldn’t if be great? However, I say again, why would they? They are at too much of a competitive advantage under the current system to want to change.

As someone who is trying win every game I play, I guess I understand their position. But if the NCAA wants to do what is “right,” it will address the issue of over-signing, and adopt legislation that truly benefits our student-athletes all the while creating a more competitive environment for all of college baseball, not just some of it.

Alright, I am off my soap box.

Three Wins In Florida Get Coach To Milestone

Bob Todd

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ohio State head coach Bob Todd picked up the 1,000th win of his career, a 20-9 victory over Richmond Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville, Fla.

The ABCA Hall of Famer became just the 41st head coach in college baseball history to achieve the feat.

“I have been in coaching for a long time and had some very talented players and assistant coaches,” Todd said. “To win 1,000 is a great honor for me.”

­­12 Buckeyes had an RBI in the game including all nine starters. Matt Streng finished 2-for-5 with five runs scored and Chris Griffin finished 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI off the bench. Ryan Dew also had three hits and two runs scored for Ohio State.

For the third game in a row, the Buckeyes took a lead in the first two innings. This time, Ohio State used three walks, two hit batters and a two-out RBI single by Dan Burkhart to take a 4-0 lead after the top of the second. The Spiders took advantage of four Ohio State errors in the bottom half of the frame to cut the lead in half at 4-2 after two innings.

The Buckeyes then responded by posting a nine-run third capped off by a three-run long ball by Brian DeLucia. All nine Buckeyes scored a run in the inning which included a single, double, DeLucia’s home run, four walks, an error and a hit batter.

After the Spiders scored two in the bottom of the fourth, Ohio State answered right back with a pair to make it 15-4 in the top of the fifth when Matt Streng delivered an RBI double and Chris Griffin came through with a pinch-hit RBI single.

The Spiders scored another pair in the sixth but again the Buckeyes answered back in the seventh as the first three batters reached base and scored in the inning. Richmond scored two more in the bottom half of the inning, making it an 18-8 contest.

The Buckeyes tacked on a run in each of the final two frames to close out the scoring. It was the first time since March 13 of last season against Pittsburgh that Ohio State scored 20-plus runs in a game.

The Buckeyes (3-0) will be back in action in the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge Friday against South Florida in St. Petersburg, Fla. First pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m.

Notes

– After head coach Bob Todd had some difficulty with a bump in the home dugout last night, the sniper attacked team manager Blair Everhart in the visiting dugout before this morning’s contest.

– After wearing the home white uniforms Saturday night, the Buckeyes were back to the red jerseys with white pants Sunday.

– The game was the 11th overall meeting between the Buckeyes and Spiders and first since 2004.

– The Buckeyes’ streak of 21.2 innings without giving up an earned run to start the season ended in the bottom of the 4th.

– Ryan Cypret’s diving stop ranging deep to his left kept a two-run sixth for the Spiders from becoming an even bigger inning as there was a runner on third with two down at the time.

– For the second consecutive game, the Buckeyes forced their opponent to use a starting position as a relief pitcher.

– The last time an Ohio State team scored 40 in the first three games of the season was 1996.

Ohio State Looks To Continue 2009 Success

2009 Regular Season Champion:  Ohio State

2009 Tournament Champion:  Indiana beat Minnesota 13-2 in the title game.

For the second time in three years three Big Ten teams made it to the NCAA Tournament in 2009.  Indiana’s bid was just the second in program history, Ohio State for its 19th overall and sixth trip in the last nine years while Minnesota made it for a Big Ten record 29th time.

2010 Big Ten Baseball Preview

Illinois

2009 Record:  (34-20, 16-8)

Mascot:  Fighting Illini

Head Coach:  Dan Hartleb

Location:  Champaign, IL

Willie Argo (Illinois photo)

Vitals:  .316 BA, 42 HR, .394 OBP, .970 Fld%…5.32 ERA, 2 CG, 11 SV, 297 K, 201 BB, .298 opp BA

Thunder Sticks:  Illinois returns seven of its top nine hitters from a 2009 team that came-up just short of an NCAA Regional bid.  Senior catcher Aaron Johnson (.333, 10 HR, 52 RBIs) and sophomore OF Willie Argo (.355, 12 HR, 47 RBIs, 1.072 OPS) provide the biggest pop among the returnees who combined for 34 of the team’s 42 home runs last year.  Junior Pete Cappetta’s .382 average also ranked sixth among Big 10 batters in ’09

Big Splash:  Argo homered in his first three collegiate at-bats in a March 7 loss at LSU last year.  The Illini shocked the eventual national champions by winning the other two series games in Baton Rouge.

Solid Arms:  Sophomores Bryan Roberts (5-4, 6.72 ERA) and Will Strack (6-1, 3.84 ERA) are Illinois’ top returning starters from a year ago.  Strack made 9 starts and picked-up a pair of saves as well with six relief outings.  Three other pitchers who combined for six saves and six wins return as well.

South Carolina Swing:  While Illinois doesn’t play the likes of LSU this year they start their spring trip on March 5 in Greenville, SC vs. 2009 Super Regional team East Carolina.  The Illini also plays two games vs. Big South Conference preseason favorite Coastal Carolina in Conway, SC

Indiana

2009 Record:  (32-27, 16-7)

Mascot:  Hoosiers

Head Coach:  Tracy Smith

Location:  Bloomington, IN

Vitals:  .321 BA, 62 HR, .402 OBP, .960 Fld%…5.15 ERA, 7 CG, 10 SV, 439 K, 216 BB, .284 opp. BA

Arnett-less:  The Hoosiers lose staff ace Eric Arnett (12-2, 2.50 ERA) who tied the IU record for wins and set a new program mark with 109 Ks, which ranked second in the Big 10.  He was named co-Big 10 Pitcher of the Year with Ohio State’s Alex Wimmers.  Arnett, who also pitched six of the staff’s seven complete games last year,  is the first Indiana pitcher to earn conference pitcher of the year honors and to be named All-American.  He was a first round pick by Milwaukee in last year’s MLB Draft.

Hoosier Holes:  Arnett is among eight Hoosier players who signed professional contracts after their 2009 Big Ten

Alex Dickerson (IU photo)

Tournament Championship seson.  Leading hitter Kipp Schutz (.392) and slugging catcher Josh Phegley (.344, 17 HR, 66 RBIs) are the top offensive losses.

Young Slugger:  Freshman All-American outfielder Alex Dickerson (.370, 14 HR, 57 RBIs, 1.044 OPS) heads a list of four returning starters who hit .314 or better last season.

On The Mound:  Senior reliever Chris Squires (2-2, 3.93 ERA, 8 SV) and weekend starter Blake Monar (5-3, 4.64 ERA) are the top returning IU pitchers.  Freshman Casey Smith and redshirt sophomore Matt Ernest are two newcomers to the Hoosier staff in 2010.  Smith is head coach Tracy Smith’s son, while Ernest has played wide receiver for the IU football team for the last two seasons.  He had seven catches for 69 yards and a TD in 2009.

Iowa

2009 Record:  (16-36, 4-19)

Mascot:  Hawkeyes

Head Coach:  Jack Dahm

Location:  Iowa City, IA

Vitals:  .293 BA, 40 HR, .380 OBP, .951 Fld%…6.25 ERA, 0 CG, 7 SV, 330 K, 230 BB, .312 opp. BA

Line-Up Losses: The Hawkeyes return six of their top nine batters from a year ago, but they lose both Justin Toole (.346, 15 SB) and Wes Freie (.289, 9 HR, 44 RBIs).

Key Returns:  All-Big Ten outfielder Ryan Durant (.370) is back to lead the offense.  He’s joined by Mike McQuillan (.363), team stolen base leader Kurtis Muller (19) and Sean Flanagan (.310), who played in 27 games and started just 18, but still managed 6 home runs.  Flanagan had a .696 slg % in Big Ten games.

Young Arms:  No Iowa pitcher made more than nine starts last year, but the three who each started nine games all return.  Sophomores Phil Schreiber (2-2, 4.57 ERA), Jarred Hippen (3-4, 4.87 ERA) and Nick Brown (2-4, 6.35 ERA) combined to win seven of Iowa’s 13 wins in 2009.

Big 12 Bound:  Iowa plays eight straight games vs. a pair of Big 12 teams that made the NCAA Tournament in early March.  The Hawkeyes start a four-game series at Kansas on March 5, and then head to Austin, TX to start another four-game set vs. 2009 College World Series runner-up Texas.  Each series includes a day two doubleheader.  They host another Big 12 team, Nebraska, on April 27.

Michigan

2009 Record:  (30-25, 9-15)

Mascot:  Wolverines

Head Coach:  Rich Maloney

Location:  Ann Arbor, MI

Vitals:  .294 BA, 55 HR, .387 OBP, .968 Fld%…4.82 ERA, 3 CG, 12 SV, 421 K, 205 BB, .293 BB

Out Of The Blue:  Michigan has been one of the most successful teams from the north over the last seven years, but

Ryan LaMarre (Daily Michigan photo)

2009 broke that recent trend.  After winning three straight Big Ten titles from 2006-2008 Michigan didn’t even qualify for the league’s postseason tournament last year.

Dominant Duo:  Preseason All-American OF Ryan LaMarre (.344, 12 HR, 62 RBIs) and 2009 All-Big Ten first baseman Mike Dufek (.304, 17 HR, 59 RBIs, 19 doubles) head the list of seven returning Wolverines who started at least 30 games last year.  Dufek was also 1-1 on the mound with a 2.70 ERA and three saves.

Plethora Of Pitching:  The Wolverines return 11 of their 14 pitchers who saw action last year, although staff ace Chris Fetter (7-3, 3.26 ERA) is the top loss.  Fetter had all three of the pitching staff’s complete games last year, and he struckout 103 in 94 IP.  Senior LHP Eric Katzman (7-4, 3.53 ERA) returns to lead the rotation, while Matt Miller (3.70 ERA, 3 SV) and Tyler Burgoon (4-2, 4.84 ERA, 4 SV) join Dufek in the bullpen.

Carolina Challenge:  Michigan plays a 3-game series at North Carolina, which has made four straight College World Series Appearances, March 5-7.  The Wolverines also play two games vs. Coastal Carolina in Myrtle Beach March 13 & 14.

Michigan State

2009 Record:  (23-31, 13-11)

Mascot:  Spartans

Head Coach:  Jake Boss, Jr.

Location:  East Lansing, MI

Vitals:  .284 BA, 30 HR, .366 OBP, .966 Fld%…5.19 ERA, 2 CG, 7 SV, 302 K, 244 BB, .294 opp. BA

Who’s The Boss:  Second year Michigan State head coach Jake Boss, Jr.’s dad, Jake Boss, Sr., is the Spartans’ volunteer assistant coach.  The elder boss has 29 years of head coaching experience was inducted into the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994.  He has also served as a Major League scout for the Toronto Blue Jays and L.A. Dodgers.

Sparty’s Charges:  The Spartans return the bulk of their starting position players, although they do lose their top overall hitter Eric Roof (.345, 6 HR, 41 RBIs), who led the team in nearly every offensive category.  Outfielder Eli Boike (.310, 36 RBIs, 12 SB), who led MSU with 8 home runs heads the list of returnees.  Jeff Holm (16), Jonathon Roof (11) and Brandon Eckerle (13) combined with Boike to help the Spartans steal 71 bases last year.

Two For One:  Two of three weekend starters, Soph. Tony Bucciferro (5-2, 3.55 ERA) and Jr.  A.J. Achter (3-6, 3.76 ERA), return to spearhead the pitching staff.  They do lose Nolan Moody (6-5, 4.53 ERA), who led the staff with his six wins and tossed the team’s only two complete games.

Minnesota

2009 Record:  (40-19, 17-6)

Mascot:  Golden Gophers

Head Coach:  John Anderson

Location:  Minneapolis, MN

Vitals:  .314 BA, 55 HR, .391 OBP, .971 Fld%…4.85 ERA, 1 CG, 18 SV, 392 K, 192 BB, .285 opp. BA

Slow And Steady:  Minnesota didn’t make a big early splash like Illinois, but the Gophers had just a pair of two-game losing streaks and one three-game skid during the regular season en-route to 40 wins in 2009.  Minnesota has won at least 40 games and gone to an NCAA Regional in two of the last three seasons.

Minnesota Milestone:  Head coach John Anderson got his 1,000th career win last May with a 7-6 win at Penn State.  Anderson is the 20th head coach to win 1,000 games with the same team and the first Big Ten coach to

Scott Matyas

accomplish the feat.

Iron Men:  Senior Michael Kvasnicka (.341, 10 HR, 65 RBIs) leads trio of returning Minnesota players who started all 59 games last year.  Redshirt Soph. Nick O’Shea (.287, 11 HR, 44 RBIs) started every game last year as well, while A.J. Petterson (.353) started all but one game.  The Golden Gophers do lose Derek McCallum (.409, 18 HR, 86 RBIs), who also started every game last year and then was taken by the Minnesota Twins in the fourth round of last year’s MLB Draft.

Golden Arm:   Closer Scott Matyas (0-1, 2.22 ERA, 15 SV) is back to lead the pitching staff.  The junior finished second in the Big Ten with his 15 saves last year to Ohio State’s Jake Hale.  He struckout 45 of the 104 batters he faced in 28 1/3 innings last year.  Matyas was drafted by the Yankees last year in the 29th round, but he opted to return for his jurnio season (he redshirted in 2007). Fellow junior Seth Rosin (7-1, 4.21 ERA) is the lone returning weekend starter.

Northwestern

2009 Record:  (14-35-1, 5-17)

Mascot:  Wildcats

Head Coach:  Paul Stevens

Location:  Evanston, IL

Vitals:  .264 BA, 35 HR, .333 OBP, .964 Fld%…6.39 ERA, 6 CG, 4 SV, 274 K, 182 BB, .318 opp. BA

Big League Digs:  The Wildcats will play a doubleheader vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee’s Miller Park on April 28.  The twin bill will be played after the Milwaukee Brewers play the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 12:10 pm game.

Wildcat Workhorses:  Northwestern returns it entire weekend pitching rotation from 2009.  Senior LHP Joe Muraski (3-5, 5.31 ERA) led the staff with 65 Ks in 81 1/3 IP, while posting a team-best .276 opponent batting average, junior LHP Eric Jokisch (4-7, 5.48 ERA) pitched five of the staff’s six complete games en-route to a team-leading 88 2/3 IP and sophomore RHP Eric Morton (2-7, 5.65 ERA) was the only other Wildcat to pitch more than 57 innings in ’09.    Relievers Michael Jahns (1-1, 3.56 ERA) and Francis Brooke (2-2, 3.68 ERA) are back as well.

Long Ball Loss:  The Wildcats return most of their line-up from 2009, but they lose home run and RBI leader Tony Vercelli (.258, 11 HR, 40 RBIs).  Paul Snieder (.244, 6 HR, 25 RBIs) is the team’s top returning home run hitter, Kenneth Avila (.293) hit for the best average last year, while Chris Lashmet (.296, 5 HR, 30 RBIs) returns as well.

No Home Cookin’:  For the second straight year Northwestern will play just 15 home games.

Ohio State

2009 Record:  (42-19, 18-6)

Mascot:  Buckeyes

Head Coach:  Bob Todd

Location:  Columbus, OH

Vitals:  .328 BA, 66 HR, .400 BA, .963 Fld%…6.39 ERA, 5 CG, 21 SV, 462 K, 265 BB, .300 opp. BA

Dan Burkhart (left) & Alex Wimmers

Dynamic Duo:  Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Dan Burkhart (.354, 10 HR, 62 RBIs) and co-Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Alex Wimmers (9-2, 3.27 ERA) return to spearhead the Buckeyes in 2010.  The juniors were not only high school teammates at Cincinnati’s Archbishop Moeller high school, but also teammates back to their Little League days.  Burkhart started 57 of OSU’s 61 games last year, while serving as the battery mate for Wimmers’ May 2, 2009 no-hitter in a 6-0 win over arch-rival Michigan.

Buckeyes Back:  Including Burkhart OSU returns 8 of its top 10 hitters from last year’s NCAA Regional team.  Among them are outfielder Michael Stephens (.346, 14 HR, 63 RBIs), team batting leader Ryan Dew (.388), Zach Hurley (.346, 14 SB), Cory Kovanda (.341), and Matt Streng (.308, 8 HR).  Starting pitchers Eric Best (7-4, 5.95 ERA) and and Dean Wolosiansky (11-2, 6.04 ERA) are back as well.

There’s A Hole In The Pen:  The biggest hole to fill for the Buckeyes in 2010 will be the one left by closer Jake Hale (0-1, 1.31 ERA, 18 SV).  The All-American led the Big Ten and ranked second in the nation last year with his 18 saves.

Bad Aftertaste:  Despite the thrill of a trip to the Tallahassee NCAA Regional last year, Ohio State ended the season on a sour note with a 37-4 loss to host Florida State.  The Seminoles set NCAA Tournament records for runs, hits (38), total bases (66), and doubles (15) against a team that was playing its fourth game in three days.  33 of the FSU runs were earned.  Without those runs the OSU staff ERA would drop nearly half a run to 5.93.

Big East Challenge, Part II:  In addition to its games vs. Notre Dame, USF and Cincinnati at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge Ohio State has five more match-ups with Big East teams during the regular season.  The Buckeyes play UConn on March 14 in Knoxville, TN,  USF again in Winter Haven on March 24, two games vs. Louisville in Columbus May 4 & 5, and then welcome Pittsburgh to town for a May 18 contest.

Penn State

2009 Record:  (25-26, 8-16)

Mascot:  Nittany Lions

Head Coach:  Robbie Wine

Location:  State College, PA

Vitals:  .294 BA, 29 HR, .371 OBP, .964 Fld%…5.78 ERA, 1 CG, 10 SV, 339 K, 219 BB, .300 opp. BA

Staying & Going:  Penn State returns its top two hitters, but loses two of its top run producers from last year’s team.  sophomore Jordan Sternaka led the Nittany Lions in batting average (.365), home runs (6), RBIs (42), slg% (.536), and triples (3) as a true freshman.  He also tied fellow returnee Blake Lynd (.356) for the team lead with 39 runs scored.  PSU does lose coach’s son Cory Wine (.307, 5 HR, 41 RBIs) and Mike Deese (.301, 5 HR, 40 RBIs).

PSU Pitching:  The pitching staff loses its top three starters from 2009, but three top relievers return.  Sophomore Ryan Ignas (5-1, 5.31 ERA, 5 SV) led the staff in wins and saves last year, Sr. LHP David Lutz (4-2, 3.38 ERA, 3 SV) had the staff’s best ERA and Jr. Jesse Alfreno’s (1-0, 4.44 ERA, SV) 20 appearances were the team’s third-most behind Lutz (26) and Ignas (22).  Alfreno is also a cornerback on the Penn State football team.

Texas Two Step:  Penn State plays five straight games against 2009 NCAA Tournament teams in March with two games vs. Texas A&M in College Station, TX followed by a 3-game set vs. Texas State in San Marcos.

Purdue

2009 Record:  (25-26, 11-12)

Mascot:  Boilermakers

Head Coach:  Doug Schreiber

Location:  West Lafayette, IN

Vitals:  .316 BA, 40 RBIs, .405 OBP, .954 Fld%…5.96 ERA, 4 CG, 10 SV, 341 K, 199 BB, .301 opp. BA

Big Boiler Losses:  Purdue loses three vital cogs from last year’s team.  Brandon Haveman (.422, 20 doubles), John Cummins (.400) and slugger Dan Black (.310, 15 HR, 51 RBIs) are all gone.  Black’s 62 walks were second in the nation in 2009.

Top Returners:  Sophomore infielder Eric Charles (.371, 45 Runs) is the Boilermakers top returning hitter.  He’s joined in the line-up by David Blount (.322) and Drew Madia (.290, 6 HR, 32 RBIs), whose home run and RBI totals were both second to Black last year.

Plenty Of Pitching:  All three weekend starters, seniors Matt Bischoff (4-5, 5.54 ERA) & Matt Jansen (4-6, 6.62 ERA) and junior Matt Morgan (6-5, 4.75 ERA), are back for the Boilermakers this year.  Bischoff has received All-Big Ten recognition in each of his first three seasons.  Saves leader Kevin Cahill (3-2, 6.40 ERA, 6 SV) is back in the bullpen along with Drew Wurdack (4-1, 5.45 ERA, 2 SV)

Home Grown:  23 players on Purdue’s official web site roster are from the state of Indiana.

2010 Big Ten Conference Predictions

Player of the Year:  Ryan LaMarre – Michigan

Pitcher of the Year:  Alex Wimmers – Ohio State

Conference Champion:  Ohio State – The Buckeyes should win a close race with Minnesota on its heels.

Ohio State’s Alex Wimmers No-Hits Michigan

Alex Wimmer & Dan Burkhart celebrate after Wimmers' no-hitter

Michigan for the first time since 2002.

As a freshman reliever in 2008, Wimmers had pitched just 2/3 of an inning in the Michigan series while his team was bludgeoned  by Wolverine batters.  However, he would do his own bludgeoning with 14 strikeouts and four walks in the crucial victory.  Three of the walks were erased by an old friend.  Wimmers’ battery mate, Dan Burkhart, threw out all three Wolverines who attempted a stolen base.  Burkhart and Wimmers had been teammates both in high school and back to their Little League days.

Michigan’s starting pitcher that day, Chris Fetter, was no slouch himself.  Fetter was a second team All-American in 2008, and he was named first team All-Big Ten in 2009.

Wimmers’ no-hitter came in the 250th all-time meeting between Ohio State and Michigan since the teams first played in 1895.  Wolverine head coach Rich Maloney made sure to find Wimmers after the series finale to congratulate him

Wimmers

Wimmers spoke with Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires right after his no-hitter.  Click the play button to listen to the exclusive podcast interview.

Wimmers finished the season with a 9-2 record, 3.27 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 104 2/3 IP.  He was named Co-Big 10 Pitcher of the Year (along with Indiana’s Eric Arnett) and was named to four All-American Teams.

Burkhart was named Big Ten Player of the Year and was a semi-finalist for the Johnny Bench Award.

Todd was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Ohio State finished the season with a 42-19 overall record, a Big Ten regular season championship and an NCAA Regional berth.  Michigan missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004.

The tide had turned.

Other Top Moments Of 2009

13.  Kansas Sweeps #1 Texas

14.  Bryce Brentz Has An April To Remember

15.  Clemson’s Kyle Parker Does Double Duty

16.  #1 Arkansas Beats #1 Arizona State

17.  Rhode Island Beats Miami And Oklahoma State

18.  Kansas State’s A.J. Morris beats Arizona State’s Mike Leake

19.  North Carolina’s Mike Fox Wins His 1,000th Game

20.  Illinois Shocks #1 LSU In Baton Rouge

21.  Alabama’s Kent Matthes Launches Longballs

22.  Freshman Levi Michael Starts In North Carolina’s Season Opener

23.  LSU Opens The New Alex Box Stadium

24.  Oregon Brings Back Baseball