BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[BigPoppa]

MY CCIW top four:
1. IWU
2. North Park
3. Carthage
4. North Central

[norfrank]

I hear health issues are a concern too!  Plus they have lost a starting pitcher due to eligibility and a recruit from Poway decided he no longer wanted to play baseball. Pitching is a concern for this team. At least they have a pitching coach this year after going without one last year.

They are good at the corner spots in the infield. But, up the middle is going to be a challenge. Catcher should be fine as they have seven catchers on the roster.

So much more I want to say; but, I want to be nice.

[thunder38]

I agree norfrank there's some issues building with this program that starts with health as the injuries keep piling up especially with an outfield that looked to be one of the league's best as they returned everyone including the last two conference home run leaders with Antal and Zeller.  Now there's big questions at the corner spots and second base is a toss-up.  I think they'll be just fine at shortstop as Miller is a solid defender who came in as a 3B at Poway and played a lot of short during fall ball his fresh and sophomore years.

This team is either going to rise or sink with the pitching staff.  It will certainly help for them to have a pitching coach again if for no other reason than it allows Coach Driggers to not be tied down with the pitchers and can be a better overseer.  Driggers' background is in pitching so it's not out of the question for him to work without a pitching coach.  I thought this staff was in good hands with Derek Wolloshyn two years ago but apparently that didn't work out despite the staff having their best year statistically in the Driggers era.

[norfrank]

Problems at the corners?  Pyne is one of the finest defensive 1st basemen I have seen. He is also very talented at bat. He may not hit for power but he is very good. Martin played hurt most of the year and put up pretty good numbers. It looks like corner infield spots might be their strength if the injuries to the outfield do not heal. From what I am hearing that is a big if.

Wolloshyn was a huge loss to the team last year. More than anyone is willing to admit. The staff's numbers and mental approach to the game were greatly impacted by his absence.

[thunder38]

correct the corner infield is most likely the strength currently.  i was referring to the corner outfield spots where question marks are stacking up.

[The General Public]

Xxxxxxxx is going to have to take a big step forward to ace this pitching staff.  Scouts are understandably drooling over his size as they would with any 6'7" lefty that can walk and chew gum at the same time but he needs to step up and lead this pitching staff or it might be another situation where Wheaton is going to have to score massive amounts of runs to win ball games.

GOOD LUCK!

[CCIWFAN6]

http://cciw.org/news/2011/2/16/BB_0216114825.aspx

No surprises here.  Coaches pick the defending champs to win the conference.  I am actually surprised that 2 coaches didn't simply default to the Titans coming off a national championship.

[BigPoppa]

http://cciw.org/news/2011/2/16/BB_0216114825.aspx

No surprises here.  Coaches pick the defending champs to win the conference.  I am actually surprised that 2 coaches didn't simply default to the Titans coming off a national championship.

North Park, 6th?! WOW! I have them as a solid #2 or #3 in the CCIW. Maybe I am wrong, but I think they will be pretty good. In fact, I have them in the top 5 or 6 of the entire central region.

1. IWU
2/3. NPU/Carthage
4. North Central
5. Wheaton

[Gregory Sager]

http://cciw.org/news/2011/2/16/BB_0216114825.aspx

No surprises here.  Coaches pick the defending champs to win the conference.  I am actually surprised that 2 coaches didn't simply default to the Titans coming off a national championship.

North Park, 6th?! WOW! I have them as a solid #2 or #3 in the CCIW. Maybe I am wrong, but I think they will be pretty good. In fact, I have them in the top 5 or 6 of the entire central region.

1. IWU
2/3. NPU/Carthage
4. North Central
5. Wheaton

Yeah, I'm not sure why CCIWFAN6 thinks that there are "no surprises" in the poll when you consider how low NPU was picked. Are the other seven coaches aware that North Park only lost one position-player starter, shortstop Nick Marino, from last year's team? That two of the top three starters, Pete Sparacino (8-1 overall, 6-0 CCIW) and Jake Hollinsaid (7-3 overall, 2-2 CCIW), are back, as well as three of the four relievers who saw double-digit appearances last season (Nick Soldano, Alex Silverthorne, and Joel Bonnett)?

It's as if the coaches said, "Well, the Park doesn't have Mike Giovenco anymore, so I guess that we can write them off this year."

[BigPoppa]

I am interested t see how Sparacino fares against everyone's #1 arm. Giovenco had a few losses last year in the CCIW when facing other aces. We will find out so if Sparacino is as good as advertised or was he simply the best #2 pitcher in the CCIW.

On another note, I think that Carthage's Mario Perez bounces back from a "down year" in 2010 and regains his elite status in the CCIW pitching ranks this year.

[mr_b]

North Park, 6th?! WOW! I have them as a solid #2 or #3 in the CCIW. Maybe I am wrong, but I think they will be pretty good. In fact, I have them in the top 5 or 6 of the entire central region.

Yeah, I'm not sure why CCIWFAN6 thinks that there are "no surprises" in the poll when you consider how low NPU was picked. Are the other seven coaches aware that North Park only lost one position-player starter, shortstop Nick Marino, from last year's team? That two of the top three starters, Pete Sparacino (8-1 overall, 6-0 CCIW) and Jake Hollinsaid (7-3 overall, 2-2 CCIW), are back, as well as three of the four relievers who saw double-digit appearances last season (Nick Soldano, Alex Silverthorne, and Joel Bonnett)?

It's as if the coaches said, "Well, the Park doesn't have Mike Giovenco anymore, so I guess that we can write them off this year."

Jake Hollinsaid graduated in the spring.  He came in as a junior transfer and played two years for the Vikings.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park, 6th?! WOW! I have them as a solid #2 or #3 in the CCIW. Maybe I am wrong, but I think they will be pretty good. In fact, I have them in the top 5 or 6 of the entire central region.

Yeah, I'm not sure why CCIWFAN6 thinks that there are "no surprises" in the poll when you consider how low NPU was picked. Are the other seven coaches aware that North Park only lost one position-player starter, shortstop Nick Marino, from last year's team? That two of the top three starters, Pete Sparacino (8-1 overall, 6-0 CCIW) and Jake Hollinsaid (7-3 overall, 2-2 CCIW), are back, as well as three of the four relievers who saw double-digit appearances last season (Nick Soldano, Alex Silverthorne, and Joel Bonnett)?

It's as if the coaches said, "Well, the Park doesn't have Mike Giovenco anymore, so I guess that we can write them off this year."

Jake Hollinsaid graduated in the spring.  He came in as a junior transfer and played two years for the Vikings.

Hmm, I was under the impression, based upon my interview with Luke Johnson at halftime of one of the NPU men's basketball broadcasts we did this winter, that Hollinsaid was going to be back for another season.

[BigPoppa]

North Park, 6th?! WOW! I have them as a solid #2 or #3 in the CCIW. Maybe I am wrong, but I think they will be pretty good. In fact, I have them in the top 5 or 6 of the entire central region.

Yeah, I'm not sure why CCIWFAN6 thinks that there are "no surprises" in the poll when you consider how low NPU was picked. Are the other seven coaches aware that North Park only lost one position-player starter, shortstop Nick Marino, from last year's team? That two of the top three starters, Pete Sparacino (8-1 overall, 6-0 CCIW) and Jake Hollinsaid (7-3 overall, 2-2 CCIW), are back, as well as three of the four relievers who saw double-digit appearances last season (Nick Soldano, Alex Silverthorne, and Joel Bonnett)?

It's as if the coaches said, "Well, the Park doesn't have Mike Giovenco anymore, so I guess that we can write them off this year."

Jake Hollinsaid graduated in the spring.  He came in as a junior transfer and played two years for the Vikings.

Hmm, I was under the impression, based upon my interview with Luke Johnson at halftime of one of the NPU men's basketball broadcasts we did this winter, that Hollinsaid was going to be back for another season.

From what I understand, Hollinsaid is back. There is a reason I have NPU so high on my BIG BOARD this year.

[CCIWFAN6]

http://cciw.org/news/2011/2/16/BB_0216114825.aspx

No surprises here.  Coaches pick the defending champs to win the conference.  I am actually surprised that 2 coaches didn't simply default to the Titans coming off a national championship.

North Park, 6th?! WOW! I have them as a solid #2 or #3 in the CCIW. Maybe I am wrong, but I think they will be pretty good. In fact, I have them in the top 5 or 6 of the entire central region.

1. IWU
2/3. NPU/Carthage
4. North Central
5. Wheaton

Yeah, I'm not sure why CCIWFAN6 thinks that there are "no surprises" in the poll when you consider how low NPU was picked. Are the other seven coaches aware that North Park only lost one position-player starter, shortstop Nick Marino, from last year's team? That two of the top three starters, Pete Sparacino (8-1 overall, 6-0 CCIW) and Jake Hollinsaid (7-3 overall, 2-2 CCIW), are back, as well as three of the four relievers who saw double-digit appearances last season (Nick Soldano, Alex Silverthorne, and Joel Bonnett)?

It's as if the coaches said, "Well, the Park doesn't have Mike Giovenco anymore, so I guess that we can write them off this year."

My comment of "no surprises" was in reference to IWU being picked as the favorite after coming off of a National Championship.  I would agree that North Park is likely to finish well ahead of where the coaches have picked them.

[Viking Blue]

Keep an eye on North Park's Luis Diaz (transfer junior OF from Oakton).  In talking to a few different sources, he may be a diamond in the rough finding for the Vikings.

As far as the polls go, I've never understood why anyone would give pre-season polls much of anything more than a glance.  Not a game has yet been played...