Big 10 2008 Baseball Preview

[coastalbuck]

Where do you work?

Here, and since we're talking baseball, a good talk with the coach.

 

[CleveBucks]

Most of the elite players Ohio produces (few that there are) don't end up playing ball in Ohio. It's either MLB or somewhere down south. GT's coach has deep Ohio ties and usually manages to snag one of the top players in the state every year. They got Dietrich last year. He's a flat out stud.

 

[Nutriaitch]

Most of the elite players Ohio produces (few that there are) don't end up playing ball in Ohio. It's either MLB or somewhere down south. GT's coach has deep Ohio ties and usually manages to snag one of the top players in the state every year. They got Dietrich last year. He's a flat out stud.

That's got to make things even tougher then. How well does OSU bring in talent from warmer areas?

Also, any clue how good Indiana or Michigan St. will be this year? We open with Indiana in a couple of weeks and play Mich St. in early March. Which of the two would y'all suggest I get tickets to see?

 

[coastalbuck]

Most of the elite players Ohio produces (few that there are) don't end up playing ball in Ohio. It's either MLB or somewhere down south. GT's coach has deep Ohio ties and usually manages to snag one of the top players in the state every year. They got Dietrich last year. He's a flat out stud.

Wake's coach was at Kent, hell of a guy too. We even managed a couple of kids from home this year.

Steve Davis (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville), Brad Goldberg (Beachwood, Ohio/Beachwood)

 

[rhgbosu]

Also, any clue how good Indiana or Michigan St. will be this year? We open with Indiana in a couple of weeks and play Mich St. in early March. Which of the two would y'all suggest I get tickets to see?

On paper, both teams should be better than last year, but i'm afraid that still doesnt mean that either can compete with LSU.

I guess i'd check out the MSU series. They should be the better of the two teams.

 

[Nutriaitch]

On paper, both teams should be better than last year, but i'm afraid that still doesnt mean that either can compete with LSU.

It's interesting to see someone from the outsides opinion. We are in year 2 of a SERIOUS rebuilding effort. While some may still view LSU as the Juggernaut they were throughout the 90s, unfortunately, that just ain't true no more. I'm hoping they'll qualify for regional play this year, but we may still be a year away from that.

 

[rhgbosu]

I know LSU baseball is in a bit of a rebuilding mode, but they should win all 5 vs MSU and Indiana. IMHO, LSU at its absolute worst is still much, much better than those two B10 cellar dwellers. It would take catastrophic collapse for LSU to lose even one of those games.

IMO, there are probably 3 teams in the B10 that could potentialy win a series vs LSU...and thats being generous. Its probably more like two. The B10 is getting better, but its still light years away losing its mid major status.



I think Stetson could steal a game from ya. The Hatters are always tough.

Best of luck this year.

 

[Nutriaitch]

I think Stetson could steal a game from ya. The Hatters are always tough.

They SMOKED us in back to back games last year (at their place).

I didn't know the Big Ten was that weak in baseball. While we should be better this year, we finished 9th in the SEC last year. I would have thought there'd be a good bit more than 2-3 teams that could take us.

 

[LitlBuck]

I didn't know the Big Ten was that weak in baseball. While we should be better this year, we finished 9th in the SEC last year. I would have thought there'd be a good bit more than 2-3 teams that could take us.

I think you have to remember that most of the guys who play Big 10 baseball probably play outside maybe 8 months out of the year if lucky while down South you get him probably played baseball, or at least practice, outside for at least 10 months. Also, it is my belief that almost any player who lives up here who has major-league ambitions will go down south to play college ball.

We have a very nice stadium here at Ohio State but it really hasn't done much for us in terms of recruiting big-time players like the kid Dietrich who was mentioned above.

 

[JCOSU86]

I know LSU baseball is in a bit of a rebuilding mode, but they should win all 5 vs MSU and Indiana. IMHO, LSU at its absolute worst is still much, much better than those two B10 cellar dwellers. It would take catastrophic collapse for LSU to lose even one of those games.

IMO, there are probably 3 teams in the B10 that could potentialy win a series vs LSU...and thats being generous. Its probably more like two. The B10 is getting better, but its still light years away losing its mid major status.



I think Stetson could steal a game from ya. The Hatters are always tough.

Best of luck this year.

I have to agree with rhg, here. Big 10 baseball is pretty much on level with the MAC in football.

 

[Nutriaitch]

I think you have to remember that most of the guys who play Big 10 baseball probably play outside maybe 8 months out of the year if lucky while down South you get him probably played baseball, or at least practice, outside for at least 10 months.

That makes a lot of sense. As a kid, I played recreational winter league ball straight through December, and a couple of times the Winter league All Stars would finish up until late January, early February. I'm guessing that doesn't happen much in the snow and ice.

 

[Nutriaitch]

Well, we get it started tomorrow night against Indiana. I'm working this weekend, so I won't be able to go and give any in depth analysis of IU for y'all, but I'll dig into and see what I can find.