BB: MIAC: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[MIACLUV]

Yes, Verdugo must be the best coach in the MIAC, I remember a few years ago i was at the MN state high school convention and the only relevant thing he discussed was how hot his own wife is.

[MIACLUV]

Poppa that was the quickest retraction ever!

[BigPoppa]

Poppa that was the quickest retraction ever!

I thought about it and, though correct, did not want it out there.

[Jim Dixon]

It is official

Chris Olean can say goodbye to the interim tag and say hello to a new title as full-time head coach for St. Thomas (Minn.) baseball.

Story link: http://www.tommiesports.com/bsbl/news/Announce_1-12.html

[biggio34]

UST is expected to name its interim head coach Chris Olean as the permanent head coach this week .

This whole process makes me think it is simply a public relations effort to get Olean in front of the community. There is no way that he is not awarded that job considering they start workouts in 2-3 weeks. I never saw this as a truly open job, but a hurdle the university felt it had to clear.

If this is truly an open interview for the position, then Hamline's Jason Verdugo will get the position. He might be the best coach in the MIAC, but is handcuffed at Hamline by the resources (below average facilities, no field, etc...)he has to work with. Putting him in a gold mine like St. Thomas would be trouble for the rest of the nation's baseball programs.

Poppa, what is your basis for Verdugo possibly being the best coach in the MIAC?  I find that to be an interesting take.  I'd personally have a hard time arguing with the success of St. Thomas and St. Olaf. I think the Olean hire is a good move for the Tommies... he knows the program, he's experienced the success, and he has learned from a great coach over the years.  Makes sense to me not to stir the pot when you have a strong tradition of winning.

Also, are Hameline's facilities really a limiting factor in their success?  They play on a professional baseball field and I believe they have a pretty nice (maybe a bit old) fieldhouse as well.

[Bullis_Chris]

Ditto;  Poppa you tend to be spot on typically, but I feel you might be a bit off on this one and i'm going to try and explain the reasoning as best as possible.

Disclaimer: This is not intended to come off as an insult to Verdugo or any other program in the MIAC.

I've got another coach in mind that has very similar credentials (eerily similar if you look at the past 6 years).  And although he seems to be a great coach I never hear his name as the best coach in the MIAC.  Just to put these things into perspective here is what it looks like.  Both have a .500 MIAC record over the past 6 years, both are "handcuffed" by the resources (below average facility, no field, etc.) both have taken their team to 2-3 MIAC playoffs, and both share a co-coach of the MIAC award.  Kinda weird to hear one guy is "best coach of the MIAC" label and the other isn't?

Keep in mind that it doesn't matter how many school records you set, when you are beating up on the lower tier schools every March in the Metrodome and not setting the bar up to play the Wisco schools and Scholastica your program isn't going to go St. Olaf, UST levels.  Same goes for the spring break trips (although I do understand much of that is timing but I've played Oshkosh 3 times in a 4 day span down in Florida so I know maximizing the competition is possible).

A few things to keep in mind.  If we are just going off of established credentials McDonald should have deserved the "best coach in the MIAC" comment but knowing Olean I have no doubt he'll get to that level.  As much as I respect Dennis, people have to realize that he had great people behind his success and considering what Olean did last year (no practice facility, late interm coach notice) that should have takin the "public relations" and "handed to him" b.s. out the door.  I definately believe he was the best man for the job, no questions asked.

If anything i'd be kinda disappointed if i'm a Hamline guy or future recruit.  You bust your ass all year to find out two weeks before the season starts that according to that UST article "he'd like a (different) challenge."

[BigPoppa]

Ditto;  Poppa you tend to be spot on typically, but I feel you might be a bit off on this one and i'm going to try and explain the reasoning as best as possible.

Disclaimer: This is not intended to come off as an insult to Verdugo or any other program in the MIAC.

I've got another coach in mind that has very similar credentials (eerily similar if you look at the past 6 years).  And although he seems to be a great coach I never hear his name as the best coach in the MIAC.  Just to put these things into perspective here is what it looks like.  Both have a .500 MIAC record over the past 6 years, both are "handcuffed" by the resources (below average facility, no field, etc.) both have taken their team to 2-3 MIAC playoffs, and both share a co-coach of the MIAC award.  Kinda weird to hear one guy is "best coach of the MIAC" label and the other isn't?

Keep in mind that it doesn't matter how many school records you set, when you are beating up on the lower tier schools every March in the Metrodome and not setting the bar up to play the Wisco schools and Scholastica your program isn't going to go St. Olaf, UST levels.  Same goes for the spring break trips (although I do understand much of that is timing but I've played Oshkosh 3 times in a 4 day span down in Florida so I know maximizing the competition is possible).

A few things to keep in mind.  If we are just going off of established credentials McDonald should have deserved the "best coach in the MIAC" comment but knowing Olean I have no doubt he'll get to that level.  As much as I respect Dennis, people have to realize that he had great people behind his success and considering what Olean did last year (no practice facility, late interm coach notice) that should have takin the "public relations" and "handed to him" b.s. out the door.  I definately believe he was the best man for the job, no questions asked.

If anything i'd be kinda disappointed if i'm a Hamline guy or future recruit.  You bust your ass all year to find out two weeks before the season starts that according to that UST article "he'd like a (different) challenge."

I can't disagree.

[MIACLUV]

I agree with Bullis completely. If your a Hamline player and your literally weeks from getting rolling and my head coach is off looking for a new challenge I'm a little pissed. You've sold these recruits the challenge of winning the MIAC and getting to the NCAA tournament. Guess what, you haven't met that challenge, so lets try it elsewhere. Hamline's a great school and they face as many challenges as the rest of the MIAC. Yes St. Thomas has plenty of money and the means to do things others can't, but you've commited to this years team. Coaches move that's part of the job, but to do it under these terms, I think shows a lack of commitment to the guys on your campus now. I believe that will be reflected in their play this year.

[tommiegun]

As someone who was recruited by Verdugo but chose to become the worst pitcher on one of the best staffs in St. Thomas history, I couldn't imagine anyone other than Buzz Hannahan and Olean were considered for the St. Thomas job.  In my opinion, Olean, no offense to Denning, is the primary reason that the Tommies have been so dominant for the past decade.  He took guys who were already really good pitchers and refined them into awesome ones and guys who could just flat out chuck (i.e. Lonnie Robinson) and turned them into crafty Maddux's with D3 rockets.  The guy knows the game, especially the one between the ears, and especially especially the one between the ears on the mound, which is where championships are won.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

I agre with bullis, too...especialy if we are thinking the same coach.....did he used to be an assistant ay UST?

[biggio34]

Is anyone in the know enough to give us a MIAC preview?

[MIACLUV]

I'll give a try at prediciting the 4 teams that will be there in the end come tourney time.

1) UST - Still the best pitching staff in the league with depth, offensively there is a few question marks, but the word out practice is that there are a couple freshman ready to jump in. Not as dominant in the leasgue as the last couple years, but still more than enough to take the crown.

2) St. Johns - Zimmerman gives them a legitimate #1 to match up with anybodys #1 in the league. The 1-2 punch of Zimmerman & Kramer puts them on the doorstep with an offense that will be led by Marsinik & Butorac should be enough to give them a run at a regional bid

3) St. Olaf - Hughes will make life miserable for most of the offenses in the league, followed up by a very experieced staff (Dzurak,Olson, Agneberg, Schmiesing) behind him gives Olaf a chance to possible sneak into the #2 spot . Offense will be the question with the loss of the Jones boys. Look for a deep staff and a young lineup.

4) Conc-Moor - Losing alot of senior leadership from 2010, but returns a nice core of seniors with experience from last years team. A competitive early season schedule with the likes of Whitewater (3) Rockford (2) Jamestown & NDSU will have this team ready to face the MIAC season.

In all this is a crap shoot, I believe the top 3 are pretty set, but that 4th spot is way up in the air. Augsburg has a lot to fill offensively and Hamline will have a decent record based on their schedule, but I don't see them getting done during the conference season.

[biggio34]

I'll give a try at prediciting the 4 teams that will be there in the end come tourney time.

1) UST - Still the best pitching staff in the league with depth, offensively there is a few question marks, but the word out practice is that there are a couple freshman ready to jump in. Not as dominant in the leasgue as the last couple years, but still more than enough to take the crown.

2) St. Johns - Zimmerman gives them a legitimate #1 to match up with anybodys #1 in the league. The 1-2 punch of Zimmerman & Kramer puts them on the doorstep with an offense that will be led by Marsinik & Butorac should be enough to give them a run at a regional bid

3) St. Olaf - Hughes will make life miserable for most of the offenses in the league, followed up by a very experieced staff (Dzurak,Olson, Agneberg, Schmiesing) behind him gives Olaf a chance to possible sneak into the #2 spot . Offense will be the question with the loss of the Jones boys. Look for a deep staff and a young lineup.

4) Conc-Moor - Losing alot of senior leadership from 2010, but returns a nice core of seniors with experience from last years team. A competitive early season schedule with the likes of Whitewater (3) Rockford (2) Jamestown & NDSU will have this team ready to face the MIAC season.

In all this is a crap shoot, I believe the top 3 are pretty set, but that 4th spot is way up in the air. Augsburg has a lot to fill offensively and Hamline will have a decent record based on their schedule, but I don't see them getting done during the conference season.

Thanks for the post LUV.  Any idea which of the 35 freshman have made an impression at STU?

[MIACLUV]

A less than stellar performance from the Tommies. Hard to listen to, but St. Scholastica was obvioulsy the more prepared team. The big question still is, if Edwards is good to relieve why is he not good to start. And worst yet, when the game is still within reach he's the second out of the bullpen. It's early and we'll get a much better read on the Florida trip.

[biggio34]

A less than stellar performance from the Tommies. Hard to listen to, but St. Scholastica was obvioulsy the more prepared team. The big question still is, if Edwards is good to relieve why is he not good to start. And worst yet, when the game is still within reach he's the second out of the bullpen. It's early and we'll get a much better read on the Florida trip.

I was also shocked to see that Edwards did not start the game.  And why not Gapinski, why not Licht.  Based on the innings from last year, those are the guys I would have expected to see pitch.  Interesting stuff.