BB: OAC: Ohio Athletic Conference

[mideastfan2]

^^^^  maybe they can rally around "not letting Coach Palm's season end", and turn it around with their backs against the wall.  Would love to see them make a little run here, and end on a some what positive note.  Their play the last few weeks isn't a typical Palm ball club.

[Spence]

Whitewater's stadium makes Marietta look like a high school field.

pictures look nice, but I've never been a fan of the half turf, half grass fields.

I'm a high school coach in Texas, and I'll tell you what, I haven't seen any high school facilities down here close to as nice as Marietta's, but maybe you have.

I honestly had no intention of dissing Marietta's facility so I apologize (something someone else should try sometime), was just trying to express how nice it was at Whitewater. Maybe I should have said that the field at Whitewater is as close to a minor league facility as I have seen at a D3 school. Just add a few more seats and it would be nicer than some minor league fields I have seen. I am not thrilled with the turf either but it sure looked nice.

I haven't been there but just from pictures I think it sounds crazy. Marietta looks to have MUCH better lighting, MUCH better press and umpire facilities (you've probably never seen the umpire room), much more seating (400-500 seats would not be nearly enough for Marietta's needs), and it looks like the scoreboard is bigger and more easily viewed from the stands.

It's not a matter of being dissed -- it's not like you can credibly do that anyway -- but just a matter of reflection of reality.

[mideastfan2]

ouch...Heidelberg not looking good today.  Hendrixson, arguably their best pitcher, gave up 4 hits (including a 2-run HR), had 4 walks, and got yanked after 1.2; plus they have given up 6 stolen bases and a few wild pitches in the first 2 innings, and made 2 errors. 

Hopefully they can hit and hit and hit; they may need to score 15 to win this one and advance.

[Spence]

I like the idea of starting Hendrixson. Wonder if he's thrown too often for a FR this year or something and is wearing down.

They just don't have a lot to draw on there. He was getting it done with smoke and mirrors for a while but someone must have broken the smoke machine.

Lot of errors today too.

[EttaFan1]

Berg is now down 4 runs in the botto of the eighth.  Barring some last inning magic, they will be headed home far earlier than they wanted.  I'm sure dropping 7 of their last 8 games is not how they planned to finish their season.

[Spence]

Berg is now down 4 runs in the botto of the eighth.  Barring some last inning magic, they will be headed home far earlier than they wanted.  I'm sure dropping 7 of their last 8 games is not how they planned to finish their season.

Or Palm's career. I doubt at the end of 2010 he could have foreseen anything like the last 4 years.

[EttaFan1]

Not a good end to an otherwise decent season. 

I give a lot of credit to Coach Palm.  He took Heidelberg from a perenial cellar dwellar, to not just a contender for league titles, but a contender for regional titles on a regular basis.  He improved the OAC tremendously.  Before he took over it was mostly a one horse race for a long period of time.  He made 'Berg better, he made the OAC better, and he pushed Marietta to be better through a higher level of competition.  I wish him well and hope he enjoys being a part of his kids growing up. 

It seems like he is leaving at a time when the conference is on a significant upswing.  Coach Harrison at BW has that team moving in a good direction, ONU seems to be on the rise.  Hopefuly Coach Thibeault can continue to keep JCU at a higher level.  I would hope that Mount Union can continue to be a factor in the coming years as well.  And you still have arguably the best coach in Division III baseball  pacing in the dugout like a caged tiger down in Marietta. 

[Spence]

I don't know about pushing Marietta to be better. We finished 2nd in the nation in 2001 and 2002 and probably win the championship in 2002 if DeSalvo is healthy.

Marietta has always pushed itself to be better. Brewer has done a tremendous job of getting ahead of the curve and continuing to innovate and evolve the program while keeping the same root philosophies and culture that were long established. That doesn't change no matter who else is in the league or region.

Palm certainly raised the level of the Heidelberg program, but before him there was Otterbein battling, before that there was Wesleyan and Wooster, and before that were the Fishbaughs and Strayers and Fishers. If it's worth being good at, there's always going to be people competing to be as good as the best. If you are the best, it doesn't really matter who those people are as long as you keep making yourself better and staying a step ahead.

[mideastfan2]

B-W is laying the wood to Haverford 10-2 in the 9th...well done yellow jackets!

[motorman]

ouch...Heidelberg not looking good today.  Hendrixson, arguably their best pitcher, gave up 4 hits (including a 2-run HR), had 4 walks, and got yanked after 1.2; plus they have given up 6 stolen bases and a few wild pitches in the first 2 innings, and made 2 errors. 

Hopefully they can hit and hit and hit; they may need to score 15 to win this one and advance.

You are right, arguably. The outcome of the game was decided when the starting pitcher was chosen. He leads the team in home runs allowed, was only about 6 of 9 in save opportunities, 2 of his wins were the result of blown saves, and his era would be about twice as high as it is if it factored in all the inherited runners he has allowed to score. It was a desperate move that blew up in their faces. Would have been different if he had pitched better than everybody else last weekend, but in the BW fiasco 8 runs scored in the 4 innings he pitched.

[motorman]

Whitewater's stadium makes Marietta look like a high school field.

pictures look nice, but I've never been a fan of the half turf, half grass fields.



I'm a high school coach in Texas, and I'll tell you what, I haven't seen any high school facilities down here close to as nice as Marietta's, but maybe you have.

I honestly had no intention of dissing Marietta's facility so I apologize (something someone else should try sometime), was just trying to express how nice it was at Whitewater. Maybe I should have said that the field at Whitewater is as close to a minor league facility as I have seen at a D3 school. Just add a few more seats and it would be nicer than some minor league fields I have seen. I am not thrilled with the turf either but it sure looked nice.

I haven't been there but just from pictures I think it sounds crazy. Marietta looks to have MUCH better lighting, MUCH better press and umpire facilities (you've probably never seen the umpire room), much more seating (400-500 seats would not be nearly enough for Marietta's needs), and it looks like the scoreboard is bigger and more easily viewed from the stands.

It's not a matter of being dissed -- it's not like you can credibly do that anyway -- but just a matter of reflection of reality.

This is really funny. It would be more than enough for the 10 people who came to Heidelberg to watch the might Pios play.

Another case of you going off in your blue goggles without a clue to what is really there because you know everything about everything.

[motorman]

Now, a couple final thoughts on the Heidelberg season.

Contrary to what some of you might believe, these last 2 weeks are not indicative of an over ranked, over hyped team. What has happened is a very admirable group of young men poured their hearts and souls into turning around a season that could have gone straight down the toilet from a disastrous start in Florida to become a top 10 team. That effort finally wore them down to where they were a shadow of the team they were for most of the season.

I am so glad I never have to read another post from Spence.

I don't apologize for one moment defending the Berg baseball team's efforts from an overzealous wannabe who spent his time in college wishing he was on the field instead of up in the pressbox talking about the guys out there playing. That wannabe was trying to diminish the Heidelberg accomplishments in any way he could to build up his own alma mater's image. This team rebounded from a mediocre season in 2013 with few changes to challenge Marietta for the league championship up to the final weekend. I am so proud of the way they all battled throughout the season, I only wish it could have ended on a better note for all of them.

I wish Coach Palm all the success possible in building the sports programs and facilities at Heidelberg into something that brings students onto campus, not ones that students come to in spite of. I hope he enjoys watching his kids play as much as I have enjoyed mine.

[Spence]

Whitewater's stadium makes Marietta look like a high school field.

pictures look nice, but I've never been a fan of the half turf, half grass fields.



I'm a high school coach in Texas, and I'll tell you what, I haven't seen any high school facilities down here close to as nice as Marietta's, but maybe you have.

I honestly had no intention of dissing Marietta's facility so I apologize (something someone else should try sometime), was just trying to express how nice it was at Whitewater. Maybe I should have said that the field at Whitewater is as close to a minor league facility as I have seen at a D3 school. Just add a few more seats and it would be nicer than some minor league fields I have seen. I am not thrilled with the turf either but it sure looked nice.

I haven't been there but just from pictures I think it sounds crazy. Marietta looks to have MUCH better lighting, MUCH better press and umpire facilities (you've probably never seen the umpire room), much more seating (400-500 seats would not be nearly enough for Marietta's needs), and it looks like the scoreboard is bigger and more easily viewed from the stands.

It's not a matter of being dissed -- it's not like you can credibly do that anyway -- but just a matter of reflection of reality.

This is really funny. It would be more than enough for the 10 people who came to Heidelberg to watch the might Pios play.

Another case of you going off in your blue goggles without a clue to what is really there because you know everything about everything.

OK well that was a complete non-sequitur.

Marietta had 1500 for the John Carroll regular season doubleheader and 600+ for a couple of OAC tournament games. Regional turnout would have been better if they had been allowed to play later in the afternoon. Pretty stupid to have the 1 seed play while everyone is working.

[Spence]

Now, a couple final thoughts on the Heidelberg season.

Contrary to what some of you might believe, these last 2 weeks are not indicative of an over ranked, over hyped team.

No, that's exactly what it is. Regression to the mean, not to mention having to finally play some tough games away from home. Not surprisingly, it wasn't in the cards. 0-6 in May. Wow.

What has happened is a very admirable group of young men poured their hearts and souls into turning around a season that could have gone straight down the toilet from a disastrous start in Florida to become a top 10 team.

Disastrous start in Florida? Weren't you like 8-2 down there? Or do you mean the first day when you got beat twice by a better team?

That effort finally wore them down to where they were a shadow of the team they were for most of the season.

I am so glad I never have to read another post from Spence.

I don't apologize for one moment defending the Berg baseball team's efforts from an overzealous wannabe who spent his time in college wishing he was on the field instead of up in the pressbox talking about the guys out there playing.

And I don't apologize for telling it like it is. Reality is you all should have never been the 2 seed but everyone was fooled by your W column when you hardly had to leave home to play anyone good in the conference, and always drew other team's down the line pitching out of conference because no one respected you enough to save their ace against you.

I never thought I was good enough to play at Marietta. Maybe I could have been the ace for Heidelberg though, doesn't seem to take much for that. Wouldn't trade my Marietta experience for anything though. It serves me still today; still my best experience as far as learning from a great leader what an excellence-driven program is about and how it's led; it was my first real leadership experience in a job setting, and it set me on a path to do some really cool stuff.

That wannabe was trying to diminish the Heidelberg accomplishments in any way he could to build up his own alma mater's image.

LOL I dunno if you happened to look up at all when you were in Marietta, but there are six flags up there that say no one has to "build up" anything about the program.

This team rebounded from a mediocre season in 2013 with few changes to challenge Marietta for the league championship up to the final weekend. I am so proud of the way they all battled throughout the season, I only wish it could have ended on a better note for all of them.

I can definitely appreciate this sentiment. That's one thing we always expect from Palm's teams; that they'll give great effort and energy. Sometimes a little too much energy haha, but definitely reflective of him.

[Dr. Acula]

I am sad to see Palm go.  He's good for the conference in that he elevated a bad program to, at its peak, a top 5 program.  Not a lot of people can say that.  The other important impact he has had at Berg?  Hiring Mike Hallett to coach the football team and getting the on campus stadium project done.  Those are catalysts to improve the entire athletic dept.  Congrats to Palm on a great run as a coach and good luck to Matt Palm the AD and dad.