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Post by circle70 on Jun 7, 2011 10:29:04 GMT -6
Saw that Wright State, the best team in the Horizon League, by far, got obliterated in the NCAA Tournament by scores of 11-0 and 13-0 by warm weather teams. Their only shutouts all year. Ouch!!
Just as I'm ready to say that teams from the North don't have a fighting chance, along comes Connecticut. They not only won their regional but had 2 of the top 19 players selected in the MLB Draft. Very nice.
Maybe there is hope for us, after all.
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Post by Big D on Jun 7, 2011 11:53:33 GMT -6
Hopefully next year we'll be back on top of the HL by ourselves. After a pretty down year in 2010, we did tie for 1st this year with WSU, which I think makes that 10 in 11 years for Coach Dee...maybe 9 in 10?
Cold weather teams definitely have their problems...playing the beginning of their schedule on the road, practice logistics, etc.
Has there ever been any talk of pushing baseball back a little so that it starts a little later in the year? Can it go into July? Wouldn't that help with the weather situation a little? I know it's way more complicated than this, but just curious if it's ever been proposed.
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Post by axaguy on Jun 7, 2011 13:53:11 GMT -6
Northern and eastern teams do certainly play at a disadvantage to the weather and climate of southern and western baseball schools. Except for a period of the late 50s and early 60s when Minnesota won 3 times and Michigan and Ohio State won once each, schools from the "upper regions" have not reached the finals very often.
Not only is the climate better for practicing and playing, the better northern guys "head south and west" to play there, as well, draining what talent we "northerner's" have. Nature of the beast but not a reason to fold up the tents....
UIUC was 2 and 2 in their regional and beat a one seed out of the tournament. Nebraska's had good baseball teams and where would you place them climate-wise. Lincoln is no oasis in the winter, for sure.
I think UIC can and should dominate the Horizon League and be very competitive with the rest of the field in the NCAAs. Maybe not a champ but regularly beat some of those folks....
The format won't change at all. As a spring game that winds up with the college world series well after most schools have broken for summer, I don't think that will change.
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