BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[BigPoppa]

Though I would never count a kid out, transfers rarely have the impact they are expected to within the same divisions and levels of teams in NCAA. It is a whole different thing if they move from D1 to D3 or transfer from Carthage or OWO into a tiny school in a weaker conference.

Both Carthage and UWO are top notch programs and I doubt Lechnir would leave a quality bat on the pines... BUT never say never. Some kids just need a change of scenery to make it happen.

[REDMENFAN]

I understand all the questions about these 2 guys not playing much or at all at uw-oshkosh and lacrosse. I guess we'll have to wait and see how they do. I completely agree that a player might just need a change of scenery, or maybe their previous coach just had them in the doghouse, who knows. I watched several kings games this summer, I would say the pitching is at cciw level, some pitchers obviously even better, and both hit around .300 with wood bats. I hope they both do well at Carthage, we'll have to wait and see. I'm sure the transfers from illinois state and the juco in california will their chances to show what they can do right away. Any word yet on if wesleyan has any pitchers to fill in for lapinski and himes? Lapinski was a heck of a hitter too don't forget, I think he led their team in homeruns.

[BigPoppa]

I know it is cold and snowy, but baseball season has officially started.

Chapman and Cal Lutheran squared off in a three game series this weekend and Chapman took 2 of 3 winning the opener 7-3... Cal Lutheran came back to beat them 11-10 in the second game and Chapman took the third game 6-4. It's nice to have baseball back again.

Chapman does not look to have as solid of a pitching staff as they had in years past with the exception of returning All-American, Buddy Klovstad... he looked great Friday night throwing seven solid innings.

[BigPoppa]

Did any teams lose any players to grades??? I know many things change over the course of the first semester and Interim classes.

What have you guys heard?

[REDMENFAN]

Can't wait for the Carthage/Oshkosh doubleheader over spring break, should be a great two games.  It will be very interesting to see what carthage does as far as pitching, seeing they play #2 Cortland state in a double header the day before.  Although I feel these trips are important to getting your season started off right, its hard to measure exactly where you are because you are starting some guys  on the mound who may rarely pitch the rest of the season. I would say if carthage could split with both of these teams, that would show that they are for real this year.  Its always cool to see Augie and Lechnir get together for some games. They are traditionally two of the top teams in the country, and I think they should play yearly.

[BigPoppa]

Can't wait for the Carthage/Oshkosh doubleheader over spring break, should be a great two games.  It will be very interesting to see what carthage does as far as pitching, seeing they play #2 Cortland state in a double header the day before.  Although I feel these trips are important to getting your season started off right, its hard to measure exactly where you are because you are starting some guys  on the mound who may rarely pitch the rest of the season. I would say if carthage could split with both of these teams, that would show that they are for real this year.  Its always cool to see Augie and Lechnir get together for some games. They are traditionally two of the top teams in the country, and I think they should play yearly.

I like it even more if they would meet in the World Series (like in 1993, 1994, 1995). Oshkosh won all three times, but it was great for Wisconsin baseball to have two of the eight teams at the dance.

[REDMENFAN]

That would be great to see. I know carthage made it during the 2002 season, but 2003 was really the year i thought they had a chance. Carthage was ranked number 2 most of the year, and then got shafted and had to go to mississippi and play in a ten team regional.  I realize hey they still had their chance, but if there was ever a year I felt they could have beaten anybody, especially with grybash or dusty on the mound, that was the year.

[REDMENFAN]

Maybe it was an 8 team instead of 6 team, but either way i know there were two more teams than most regional tournaments had

[cubs]

I like it even more if they would meet in the World Series (like in 1993, 1994, 1995). Oshkosh won all three times, but it was great for Wisconsin baseball to have two of the eight teams at the dance.

Ahhhh.......... the good ole' days......  It sure has been awhile since they have both even been to the Series, much less play each other.  Since 1998, UWO has made two trips (1998 and 2003,)  while Carthage has been there only once in the last 8 years (2002.)

[cubs]

Carthage was ranked number 2 most of the year, and then got shafted.  I realize hey they still had their chance, but if there was ever a year I felt they could have beaten anybody, especially with grybash or dusty on the mound, that was the year.

You want to talk about getting shafted, how about in 1999 when Oshkosh had to use wood bats at Regionals, while St. Thomas and St. Scholastica were swinging aluminum.  UWO dropped two games to St. Thomas losing 3-2 and 4-3 to end their season at 34-4.  St. Thomas went on to be National Runner-Ups losing to North Carolina Wesleyan 1-0 in the championship.  UWO went on to have five players drafted, including their top 3 pitchers (Craig Glysch, Kevin Grater, and Jack Taschner-current San Francisco Giant) and their RF (Sean Parnell) and C (Casey Kopitzke.)  No one will ever tell me that team wasn't THE BEST in the Nation in 1999.  Give both teams wood bats or aluminum bats and there defintely would have been a different outcome.

[BigPoppa]

Carthage was ranked number 2 most of the year, and then got shafted.  I realize hey they still had their chance, but if there was ever a year I felt they could have beaten anybody, especially with grybash or dusty on the mound, that was the year.

You want to talk about getting shafted, how about in 1999 when Oshkosh had to use wood bats at Regionals, while St. Thomas and St. Scholastica were swinging aluminum. 

Give both teams wood bats or aluminum bats and there defintely would have been a different outcome.

The WIAC chose to use wood bats ONLY that season... it was their own doing. Don't blame the other schools for choosing aluminum. It would not have been fair to ask them to swing wood in the tourney, and UWO singed a contract saying they would only use wood. I do not dispute they were a loaded team, but they got caught with a great team in a year that they could not swing aluminum.

[REDMENFAN]

Wow, I never knew about that whole wood bat thing in 1999. Any word on how that big lefty from oshkosh is doing? I believe his name was Jordan Timm. Any Opinions on whether or not Augie and Lechnir will throw their top 2 against eachother, or throw them against Cortland State and throw whos ever arm is ready the day the two schools square off.

[cubs]

The WIAC chose to use wood bats ONLY that season... it was their own doing. Don't blame the other schools for choosing aluminum.

I'm not blaming the other schools..... I was putting the blame on the WIAC.  If the WIAC was still using wood bats today, it may be a different story, however for them to use wood bats for one year and switch back to aluminum (when the aluminum bats BESR was the same) made pretty much no sense. 

I have a feeling both UWO and UWSP were both pretty "hot" after Regionals and voiced their opinions to the conference.  I would guess that it may have had something to do with the sudden change back to aluminum.

[BigPoppa]

Wow, I never knew about that whole wood bat thing in 1999. Any word on how that big lefty from oshkosh is doing? I believe his name was Jordan Timm. Any Opinions on whether or not Augie and Lechnir will throw their top 2 against eachother, or throw them against Cortland State and throw whos ever arm is ready the day the two schools square off.

Carthage usually throws their #1/2 on day one, #3/4 on day two, etc... Whoever happens to fall on that day will get the starts.

[REDMENFAN]

I know thats what they usually do, it makes the most sense.  Just looked at their (Carthage's) schedule.Their first game is on a Saturday, and they play Cortland State Tuesday so obviously their top 2 won't be ready. They play oshkosh on wednesday then, so depending on how many innings their 1 & 2 go on that first Saturday, maybe they will be ready for the titans.