BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

[forheavendial4999]

I like the lower-scoring, less homerun derbyish style. More emphasis on pitching and defense and situational hitting, etc. I like that good pitching is rewarded now. Used to be you couldn't pitch inside unless you could get it by someone.

I imagine it's easier for pro scouts to assess college players now too.

Guys like Coakley (as much pure power as I've ever seen in D-III) will still get theirs. The home run hasn't been taken out of the game. Case hit 3 HRs out of Don Schaly Stadium, which I would say is the 1st or 2nd toughest HR park in the region (the only one I might wonder about is Ohio Northern because it always seems like the wind blows in there, at least when I've been).

The fact that you can actually pitch now IMO means that when considering All-American candidates it's important to consider their level of competition within the division. It's a lot easier to hit and hit for power against the #250 schedule than a top 25 schedule now.

[ADL70]

Case hit 3 HRs out of Don Schaly Stadium,

CWRU hit 4 in game one.  Three by Ossala and another by Pakan (his fourth).  Ossala had only hit one other this year, back on March 11 in Fla.  Curiously 18 of his 40 hits this year came in six three-hit games (2 six-hit DH)

I wonder if anyone has tracked the effect of temperature on the distance a batted ball travels.  This was a cold spring in much of the country.

CWRU got six votes this week, curiously Marietta went from nine to eight.

[jos s]

Case will have to continue to gain respect on the diamond, since it is clear it cannot amongst poll voters. not sure how marietta can go up after 2 tough losses at home to a team with the highest SOS in the region....yet Case cannot break into the top 25 after those wins.   

[EttaFan1]

OK.  Time to nominate the players you feel are deserving of the player of the year and pitcher of the year as well as 1st team All Conference.  The list does not have to be complete, but based on the games you have seen and the teams you have seen, who do you feel is deserving of such accolades?

Here is my list:

All conference honors:

JCU:  Dorring (P), O'Brien (P), Heringshaw (3b), Spagna (1b), Sabitino (2b)
Ott:  Wes Meadows (Util), Ellis (p), Kettering (SS)
BW: Toughey (OF), Zimmerman (2b)
Mount Union: Morino (3b), Carlino (p) Knott (1b)
Marietta: Toth (c), Grilliot (of), Byers (p), Geers (OF), Finlan (p), Hopper (OF)
Wilmington: H. Justus (Util)

While I have not seen John Carroll and Mount Union in person this year, those names stick out to me from the results I've noticed.  Honestly, I couldn't tell you anything about the kids from Northern or Heidelberg.  Capital, Muskingum, and Wilmington were pretty bad looking baseball teams when I saw them.  Justus stood out as being a decent ball player playing on a rather poor team.

Pitcher of the Year (If I got to vote): O'Brien from JCU.  His numbers are just sparkling. 
Player of the year (If I got to vote): Toth from Marietta.  I think when you look at the total game, both offensively and defensively, you would be hard pressed to find one better.  He is fielding .994 (one error all year), He is hitting .431 with a .608 SLG.  Opponents are 9-17 trying to steal against him—teams don't try to run on him. 

At the end of the day, I think the coaches will vote O'Brien and Meadows who does it all:  Pitches, Catches, Drives the bus...

So who do you see as being worthy of all conference consideration and player and pitcher of the year?

[forheavendial4999]

Case will have to continue to gain respect on the diamond, since it is clear it cannot amongst poll voters. not sure how marietta can go up after 2 tough losses at home to a team with the highest SOS in the region....yet Case cannot break into the top 25 after those wins.

The polls don't matter. Case will get their respect in the regional selections and seedings.

[Kenworth]

My favorite current Marietta player Alex Toth has only struck out 6 times in 130 at bats.  Few runners try to steal on him, rarely misses a game behind the plate and has worked his way to the OAC  leading batting average as well as an outstanding defensive catcher( 5 errors as a Soph, none as a Junior, and 1 as a Senior) helping his team win back to back World Series Championships.  He has my vote if I had a say in the matter.

[forheavendial4999]

My favorite current Marietta player Alex Toth has only struck out 6 times in 130 at bats. 

Not really relevant, but interesting factoid about Toth: he has not struck out swinging this season.

[badgerwarhawk]

Hey have you guys heard that Larry Kehres retired? 
Vince is the new head dude. 

[Dr. Acula]

Hey have you guys heard that Larry Kehres retired? 
Vince is the new head dude.

Who??  Haha.

[badgerwarhawk]

Oops, wrong forum.  DOH!!!!!!!

[EttaFan1]

The OAC tournament starts today.  I am fortunate enough to be able to play hookie and watch the games.  Here is what I'm interested in seeing today.

Carlino vs. O'Brien

I'm always excited to see Marietta play, but I have to be honest, I'm just as interested to see this pitching matchup between these two guys this year.  I didn't get to see either in the regular season as Marietta traveled to both University Heights and Alliance, so this intrigues me more than a little. 

Both guys have been very good throughout the season.  Their numbers are first team all OAC worthy. 

Carlino:  8-1, 59 IP, 5 CG's.  ERA 2.59.  6.86 K's/9,  WHIP:  1.237
O'Brien:  4-1, 40.2 IP, 1 CG.  ERA 1.33.  6.64K's/9 WHIP: 1.008
Just in case JCU starts Dorring in game 1, the matchup is still very intriguing!
Dorring:  5-0, 53.1 IP, 0 CG.  ERA 1.86.  8.61 K's/G WHIP 1.18

Neither of JCU's starters appear to be "go the distance" type guys.  So it may come down to the Streak's bullpen.

Side note All the more reason to do away with the 7 inning game.  How many of Carlino's starts have been in the seven inning game this season?  Same with some of the other "ace" pitchers in the league.  Post season games are all nine inning games.  I'm so glad the OAC is going to two nine's next season!

Is Otterbein a paper tiger?

A few weeks ago, Otterbein came to Marietta and had their heads handed to them in a big way.  They lost game 1 5-1 and game 2 10-1.  Otterbein faced Marietta's #3 and #4 starters in the series.  Wes Meadows was 1-6 on the day (although the "1" was a home run in the late innings of the nightcap).  In 16 innings the Cardinals combined for 6 total hits (4 in game 1, 2 in game 2).  Marietta will most likely throw Jason Byers (2.75 ERA, 75.1 IP, 5.97 K's/9 WHIP 1.13) today.  Otterbein's starter is anyone's guess (they have three guys who have started 8, 1 who has started 9. the innings pitch is fairly equal between all four, too).  Last weekend against BW, they started Meadows in game one and Ellis in game two. 

Can Marietta find a Shortstop who can be consistent on Defense?
Shortstop has been an adventure this year.  The two young men who have played a majority of the innings this season have a combined fielding pct of .880 (26 total errors).  Errors have been costly this season. 

How badly will the weather wreck havoc on the tournament schedule.

Today is a beautiful day for baseball.  Tomorrow and Saturday? Not so much.  Plenty of rain in the forecast for the next two days will have the schedule in chaos at some point.  Tarp on, Tarp off may be a regular occurance over the next few days.  Fortunately (I guess) this has been a very dry spring in SE Ohio.  So the field can probably take a fair amount of water without being a total disaster.  (Unlike a couple of years ago when they had to bring in special equipment to dry it out for the OAC tournament then the regional. 

This may be the best top to bottom OAC tournament in a few years.  JCU and Marietta have deep pitching staff's and in the end I look for it to come down to those two teams.  Marietta is basically playing for their seed in the Regional.  The rest of the field must win to get in as they don't have the pool C resume necessary to grab one of the 14 spots.

[Dr. Acula]

The fan in me says Mount can make some noise.  Carlino gives you a chance against any of the other 3 teams.  And if he beats JCU and they play Etta next Clarke lost to them earlier this year, but pitched very well for a long stretch against them.  He gave up 1 unearned run on 4 hits over the first 6 innings.  I'd take that again in a heartbeat.  It was just that 7th he got into some trouble.  But Clarke has been pitching well lately so I'd at least feel like they had a shot.  Plus I saw that Mathis was 3-4 with a 3B against Behrend Tues. so I have my fingers crossed that he's seeing the ball well right now.

The objective part of me thinks that this is just a middle of the road team with one great arm right now.  They lost to Behrend, who is pretty good, but AGAIN they just cannot win non-conference games because without their top 2 guys going lots of innings they just don't have consistent pitching right now.  And the odds of their lineup scoring a lot (especially against good pitching) is very low.

Nothing would make me happier than for that last paraghraph to be 100% wrong!  The softball girls went in as the 3 seed and won it last weekend.  Maybe the baseball team can do the same!  A little LK retiring magic perhaps? 

[Dr. Acula]

Looks like a rain delay at Schaly.  1-1 in the bottom of the 5th.  Byers and Collier both looking good so far.  Byers has done a good job combating Ott's couple of good scoring chances with timely strikeouts (including a little seen K, throw to first for the out and back to home to nail a guy trying to score from 3rd on the play).

[Dr. Acula]

Things are about to get very interesting on the River.  Ott defeated Etta 7-1 in game 1 of the tournament.  Cydrus came in to pitch when play resumed and has obviously been very good. Byers did not return either.  Brockmeier relieved him.  The big blow was a bases clearing double to center by Kettering to break the 1-1 tie.

Start time for Mount/JCU is listed as 5pm on the Etta website, but I'd have to think it'll be pushed back a little since the first game just ended.
   

[EttaFan1]

Kudos to the cardinals. They got off the bus ready to play and took it to Marietta.

Byers was throwing as well as I've seen all year before the delay. Just too long to sit and wait.

Marietta has to be better at the plate tomorrow.