by Elias Arnett
There’s not much to look forward to in the month of February.
The days are full of dark skies and frostbite.
The cold takes over and turns four long, dreary weeks into what seems like a couple of months put together.
And somehow it’s only 28 days.
I guess there’s Valentine’s Day, but a day full of couples on social media is not what anyone’s trying to see.
However, there is one day that comes to mind when I think about the shortest month of the year. Feb. 17 — when college baseball season begins.
For those of you that are infatuated with the sport like I am, it technically never goes away.
The beautiful figure of a baseball diamond is always wedged somewhere in the back of your head. You catch yourself going through stats, lineups and schedules as if it’s your courses’ syllabi.
That’s OK, because in 17 days baseball is back and slowly seeping into everyone’s mind once again.
On that day in Surprise, Arizona, IU will be back on the diamond taking on the Gonzaga Bulldogs for its first game of the season.
Most Hoosier baseball followers know that Bart Kaufman Field will host the Big Ten tournament this year for the first time, and there’s no better scenario than the Hoosiers celebrating a conference title on their own field.
Last season the Hoosiers finished 32-24 overall and 15-9 in the Big Ten, ending their season prematurely against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament.
With the conference tournament in Bloomington this season, the Hoosiers should have a distinct advantage in the postseason.
The Hoosiers went 19-6 at home while going 10-13 on the road.
Taking care of business at home is expected, but being able to win on the road distinguishes the tournament teams from those that get sent home early with their heads drooped.
Last season’s strong suit was pitching, as the team had a combined ERA of 3.09, which was second in the Big Ten, but hitting is where they lacked production.
The Hoosiers hit for a combined .257 batting average last season, which was only 10th in the conference.
This year the roles could be reversed.
Of the seven Hoosiers that hit above .250 last year, five are back in Cream and Crimson for another season — seniors Craig Dedelow and Alex Krupa, junior Logan Sowers and sophomores Ryan Fineman and Scotty Bradley. However, Kyle Bunn, the pitching coach, will be without his three top guys from a year ago.
The three starting pitchers for the Hoosiers last season, who all had 15 starts, are no longer on the roster. Instead, Lemonis and Bunn will look to sophomore Jonathan Stiever, junior Pauly Milto and senior Luke Stephenson to handle the reigns. They accounted for just 11 of 56 starts last season.
One thing they must do this year is get off to a better start. Last season they opened the year 2-7 with trips down south and out west. The start of a season never defines a team, but an auspicious beginning could engender confidence in this team with early trips to both Arizona and Florida.
On paper, the Hoosiers could be a potent squad. The experience at the plate could be a strength for them this season. Some may worry about the lack of experience on the mound, but that shouldn’t be much of a problem. This year’s starters made less than 20 percent of the teams starts last season, but they won’t be afraid of the moment if and when called upon.
The key for this team will be getting wins on the road, especially within the conference when they travel to Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State.
After last season’s disappointment of missing the NCAA Tournament, expect IU to play a big role in the postseason this year. With the Big Ten tournament at Bart Kaufman and the Hoosiers having ranked among the top two in the Big Ten and the top 35 in the country in attendance since the stadium opened, exciting times loom in Bloomington.
http://www.idsnews.com/article/2017/01/column-baseball-is-finally-back
Go Hoosiers!
There’s not much to look forward to in the month of February.
The days are full of dark skies and frostbite.
The cold takes over and turns four long, dreary weeks into what seems like a couple of months put together.
And somehow it’s only 28 days.
I guess there’s Valentine’s Day, but a day full of couples on social media is not what anyone’s trying to see.
However, there is one day that comes to mind when I think about the shortest month of the year. Feb. 17 — when college baseball season begins.
For those of you that are infatuated with the sport like I am, it technically never goes away.
The beautiful figure of a baseball diamond is always wedged somewhere in the back of your head. You catch yourself going through stats, lineups and schedules as if it’s your courses’ syllabi.
That’s OK, because in 17 days baseball is back and slowly seeping into everyone’s mind once again.
On that day in Surprise, Arizona, IU will be back on the diamond taking on the Gonzaga Bulldogs for its first game of the season.
Most Hoosier baseball followers know that Bart Kaufman Field will host the Big Ten tournament this year for the first time, and there’s no better scenario than the Hoosiers celebrating a conference title on their own field.
Last season the Hoosiers finished 32-24 overall and 15-9 in the Big Ten, ending their season prematurely against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament.
With the conference tournament in Bloomington this season, the Hoosiers should have a distinct advantage in the postseason.
The Hoosiers went 19-6 at home while going 10-13 on the road.
Taking care of business at home is expected, but being able to win on the road distinguishes the tournament teams from those that get sent home early with their heads drooped.
Last season’s strong suit was pitching, as the team had a combined ERA of 3.09, which was second in the Big Ten, but hitting is where they lacked production.
The Hoosiers hit for a combined .257 batting average last season, which was only 10th in the conference.
This year the roles could be reversed.
Of the seven Hoosiers that hit above .250 last year, five are back in Cream and Crimson for another season — seniors Craig Dedelow and Alex Krupa, junior Logan Sowers and sophomores Ryan Fineman and Scotty Bradley. However, Kyle Bunn, the pitching coach, will be without his three top guys from a year ago.
The three starting pitchers for the Hoosiers last season, who all had 15 starts, are no longer on the roster. Instead, Lemonis and Bunn will look to sophomore Jonathan Stiever, junior Pauly Milto and senior Luke Stephenson to handle the reigns. They accounted for just 11 of 56 starts last season.
One thing they must do this year is get off to a better start. Last season they opened the year 2-7 with trips down south and out west. The start of a season never defines a team, but an auspicious beginning could engender confidence in this team with early trips to both Arizona and Florida.
On paper, the Hoosiers could be a potent squad. The experience at the plate could be a strength for them this season. Some may worry about the lack of experience on the mound, but that shouldn’t be much of a problem. This year’s starters made less than 20 percent of the teams starts last season, but they won’t be afraid of the moment if and when called upon.
The key for this team will be getting wins on the road, especially within the conference when they travel to Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State.
After last season’s disappointment of missing the NCAA Tournament, expect IU to play a big role in the postseason this year. With the Big Ten tournament at Bart Kaufman and the Hoosiers having ranked among the top two in the Big Ten and the top 35 in the country in attendance since the stadium opened, exciting times loom in Bloomington.
http://www.idsnews.com/article/2017/01/column-baseball-is-finally-back
Go Hoosiers!
