BB: Midwest Region

[BaseballFan]

Couple D3 pitchers faced off again in the Northwoods League. Peter Burg (CSS) for Rochester vs Garrett Nix (STP) for Waterloo

Burg took the win moving to 2-1 in 5 starts 6ip giving up 1 run

Nix pitched 5.2 and gave up 4 runs

[OshDude]

How top teams will fair in the midwest this year

UWW-lose some good hitters and a big time hitter. Still have Dott and enough telent for a NCAA birth
CSS-lost 4 of 5 top hitters. Still have Burg, Kummet, and probably best hitter in region Sean Claugherty. could struggle against top teams with hitting, pitching will carry them
STT-Injuries really hurt them last year, lost Lonnie Robinson and their top hitter. But they always reload and will be back in the tourney
UWO- Should be the best team in the midwest--did not lose a single player
STP-Lost Doug Coe and a lot of pitching. This may be the year they dont make it in the tourney, unless they reload.

Wont go much more into it than that right now, wll save deep analysis for february.

Teams that should be ranked UWW, CSS, UWO, maybe St thomas

Thought I'd move my VERY early Midwest ideas here.

I'd also add Ripon to any Midwest preview. I'd be surprised if the Red Hawks don't get back to Top-25 worthiness and regionals this year. Ripon should be back in a big way this year. I'd actually have RC in the Midwest's top 4 and in my Top 25.

Besides the usual MW suspects, I also like St. Olaf and Concordia-Moorhead from the MIAC. And believe it or not, Superior might be my favorite to take the No. 4 seed in the WIAC tourney.

It's very early, and I'm not positive where many recruits will land. But it's nice to think about anything baseball that doesn't have to do with the Cubs.

[cubs]

How top teams will fair in the midwest this year

UWW-lose some good hitters and a big time hitter. Still have Dott and enough telent for a NCAA birth
CSS-lost 4 of 5 top hitters. Still have Burg, Kummet, and probably best hitter in region Sean Claugherty. could struggle against top teams with hitting, pitching will carry them
STT-Injuries really hurt them last year, lost Lonnie Robinson and their top hitter. But they always reload and will be back in the tourney
UWO- Should be the best team in the midwest--did not lose a single player
STP-Lost Doug Coe and a lot of pitching. This may be the year they dont make it in the tourney, unless they reload.

Wont go much more into it than that right now, wll save deep analysis for february.

Teams that should be ranked UWW, CSS, UWO, maybe St thomas

Thought I'd move my VERY early Midwest ideas here.

I'd also add Ripon to any Midwest preview. I'd be surprised if the Red Hawks don't get back to Top-25 worthiness and regionals this year. Ripon should be back in a big way this year. I'd actually have RC in the Midwest's top 4 and in my Top 25.

Besides the usual MW suspects, I also like St. Olaf and Concordia-Moorhead from the MIAC. And believe it or not, Superior might be my favorite to take the No. 4 seed in the WIAC tourney.

It's very early, and I'm not positive where many recruits will land. But it's nice to think about anything baseball that doesn't have to do with the Cubs.

Two things.....

UWO actually lost ONE senior off of last years team.  Pitcher Curt Hendricks who threw the WIAC Tournament opener against Stevens Point will need to be replaced. 

SS Derek Leighton, who was one of three Titans to start and play in all 40 games last season, has decided not to play this season.

As far as Ripon goes..... the addition of David Soda will help, but I still think they are a little weak as far as pitching goes.  After Lloyd, there isn't a lot for PROVEN arms.

[BaseballFan]

Thanks cubs, was thinking Hendricks was a junior...They did lose him but in my opinion is replaceable. He might of started the opener against Stevens Point but did not fair well losing 10-0 and giving up almost 20 hits. Leighton will be an unfortunate loss, its tough to lose a 40 game starter and will miss his defense, not his offense so much.

oshdude glad to see you back on here, i agree with you and believe UW Superior could be the #4, they have some pretty decent guys coming back and should improve upon last years record.
I dont think Ripon is a top 4 team, I just cant respect them right now because they dont schedule any decent teams except for Stevens Point. Also they lost twice to Knox in the conference tourney and Knox was terrible. i think they will make the ncaa playoffs thanks to their very weak conference. 

Lots can happen between now and march. Some teams already have a nice look at their freshman with fall practice

[OshDude]

If you guys don't like this year's Ripon team, there's a good chance you've never liked any RC team. And there's nothing wrong with that. Take it for what it's worth to you, but I think you're wrong. Funny how one year away from regionals makes people forget how good that program is. Now if you've always been a Ripon doubter – and there are plenty of those around Wisconsin – there's nothing I can write to make you come around. And for a CSS backer to criticize the Midwest Conference, well, that's interesting.

RC has never had a great schedule nor many bigtime recruits, but they do face a perennially good St. Francis team and a few others. Francis doesn't count in D-III playoff criteria, but it's still a good matchup. RC also has a ton of bats and decent pitching. It's not like the pitching cupboard is bare after Whitey LLoyd.

My first official prediction of the year: Ripon will finish in the Top 25 this year. I think RC will have to underachieve (or get hit with injuries) to not make the Top 25.

[BaseballFan]

I never said anything about their conference, i said they dont schedule any decent teams. I know they dont have a choice in their conference schedule and dont say things i never said. From a CSS standpoint they schedule good teams-last year they had on their schedule St. thomas 3 times, Oshkosh 2 times, olaf 2 times, gustavus 2 times plus they played some good teams in florida. They schedule as best they can despite their weak conference

Ripon can schedule much better teams than Lakeland college 9-27, st francis is a good naia school just dont know how they really compare to d3. Ripon could work a little harder at scheduling better teams is all im saying, plus they usully only schedule 30-32 games they have enough openings to do so.

Im not doubting that Ripon may be a good team, they  may very well be ranked at some point. For me personally they cant prove themselves to be ranked due to the schedule. But ripon gets the respect from the pollsters. If "Ripon will finish in the top 25 this year" they will need to most likely finish in the final 3 or 4 of the regional-so we will see.

I wish someone could explain to me why Ripon doesnt schedule better teams or more games.

[OshDude]

i think they will make the ncaa playoffs thanks to their very weak conference. 

What didn't you write?

[BaseballFan]

I just said they dont schedule tough opponents, referring to their non-conference schedule that is not very strong and so few games. You took it as me saying that I was bashing their conference when i never mentioned their conference, because they have no choice in that matter.

Ripon is like the Boise States, Hawaii's, BYUs; have weak conferences but play weak non conference teams but are still decent overall.  Just dont really show us how good or average they are.

[cubs]

If you guys don't like this year's Ripon team, there's a good chance you've never liked any RC team.

I liked Ripon's team back in 2006 and to a lesser extent in 2007 when they had a DEEP line-up and pitching staff.  They competed with EVERYONE that year.  But to even try and compare the 2009 to either of those teams, is a strtch at best.

It's not like the pitching cupboard is bare after Whitey LLoyd.

Name another PROVEN pitcher that Ripon has coming back this season.  Sure Beaman COULD be a stud, but anytime a kid is coming back from arm problems/surgery, I'd be a little leary of expecting much from him the next year back.  Linsmeyer and Wierschke each won four games, but each of them beat Lawrence, Carroll, and Beloit, not exactly stellar teams.  Dwyer also won four games, but again against similar teams (Marian, Carroll, and Lawrence.)  Lloyd was the only pitcher on staff that beat St. Norbert last season, arguably the best team in the MWC last season.  To me, that means they are lacking in the pitching department.

[BigPoppa]

Ripon will be a solid team this season. Like it or not (regardless of the weak conference), they are a Top 25 team nationally. They will pile up wins in league and make a run at the Midwest Regional. Someone from that conference HAS to be in the tourney so Ripon is the logical choice. They are a solid program that flies under the radar of the Carthage and WIAC programs as another quality program in the state of Wisconsin.

It would be interesting to see a conference with Carthage, Oshkosh, Whitewater, Stevens Point and Ripon. Having the top programs split among three conferences allows for so much speculation as to the level of play for each team.

[ShineTime]

I am thinking Point will be very good this year and may be better than last year even with losing Kempf, Coe, Hemstead, and several others.  They will have Garrett Nix as their #1 and Joel Delorit as their #2.  They have the best closer in the conference in Jeff Zielke.  Their offense will be stacked once again and I'm projecting their lineup to be something like this: 
1.  Eric Fritz  SS  2.  Brad Archambeau RF  3. Cody Koback CF  4. Jared Surman  LF  5. Sam Spurney DH 6. Jeremy Richter 1B 7.  Garrett Bloom C(Although they have a tough Freshman) 8. Aaron Heiden 3B 9. Chris Hoerter 2B.

Point will have a TON of depth at skill positions this year.  I could see them winning conference this year even though Whitewater and Oshkosh return virtually everyone.  Their pitching staff will actually be pretty deep.

[ballfan55]

First on an earlier post, Ripon is playing Point this year...

Now as to the lineup for Point.  Hemi is back this year, he sat last year with an injury and working his way back.  They may be adding a transfer at mid year as well.  Aaron Heiden didn't even go our for the team so don't look for him, instead a good chance that Kakwitch, a freshman from West Depere will play.  They have a lot of options at C, including a D2 transfer as well as Bloom. 

[BaseballFan]

First on an earlier post, Ripon is playing Point this year...

Now as to the lineup for Point.  Hemi is back this year, he sat last year with an injury and working his way back.  They may be adding a transfer at mid year as well.  Aaron Heiden didn't even go our for the team so don't look for him, instead a good chance that Kakwitch, a freshman from West Depere will play.  They have a lot of options at C, including a D2 transfer as well as Bloom. 

Yes the Ripon is playing Point this year like they have the last couple years

[OshDude]

First on an earlier post, Ripon is playing Point this year...

Now as to the lineup for Point.  Hemi is back this year, he sat last year with an injury and working his way back.  They may be adding a transfer at mid year as well.  Aaron Heiden didn't even go our for the team so don't look for him, instead a good chance that Kakwitch, a freshman from West Depere will play.  They have a lot of options at C, including a D2 transfer as well as Bloom. 

Welcome aboard. Is Koback going to pitch or just play OF? The UW-SP release suggests he may throw as well.  And how has Hemi looked?

Fritz, Arch, Koback, Surman and Spurney ... Pointer fans will like that.

[OshDude]

WIAC "Big 3" state recruits (or just students). Add more if you have them. Let me know if I have the right name but wrong person or if someone isn't playing ball.

Stevens Point
OF/P Cody Koback, 1st Team All-State
P/OF Jon Schoch, 2nd Team All-State
P Eric Van Beck, 2nd Team All-State
IF Brent Kakwitch, 3rd Team All-State
C/OF Ryan Iverson, 1st Team All-Big Rivers
OF Anthony Englebert, 1st Team All-FVA
Mike Blizel, state Legion Player of the Year
P Ben Reigel, 1st Team All-Bay, led Fox River Valley Legion in strikeouts
1B Ethan Bestul
IF Ryan Mielke, Wisconsin State Journal HM All-Area
P/1B Max Mittelstaedt, 1st Team All-FVA
OF Ben Marvin
C/OF Jeremy Richter, All-District JUCO (MATC) transfer
P Chris Hoerter, JUCO (IWCC) transfer

Oshkosh
SS Ben Sebesta, 2nd Team All State, MVP of WBCA All-Star Tournament
IF Justin Jirschele, 2nd Team All-State
IF Clay Comerford, 2nd Team All-State
P Paul Buchkowski, HM All-State
OF Mike Huber, HM All-State
C Bryan Clark, HM All-State (2007)
C Travis Derocha, FRCC Co-Player of the Year
SS Drew Eichstaedt, 2nd Team All-FVA
2B Ryan King, 1st Team All-FVA
P Luke Westphal, WBCA All-Star
UTIL Matt Lindholm, 2nd Team All-District
1B Jeff Lindholm, HM All-District
IF Kyle Kalkopf, 1st Team All-Woodland North
P Luke Huebner (scroll down), 1st Team All-Middle Border
1B Andrew Koopman, HM All-District
SS Tyler Seubert, HM All-District
P/OF Josh Braunschweig
IF Adam Nebel, 2nd Team All-District
C Tyler Schrage, 2nd Team All-District

Whitewater
OF Jared Andreoli, 2nd Team All-State
UTIL Tyler DeBoer, 2nd Team All-State
C Fred Gromalak, 1st Team All-Classic 8, 2nd Team All-District
OF Charlie Schiraj, 2nd Team All-Classic 8
SS Jaron Bertelsen, 2nd Team All-Rock Valley
OF Matt Beyer, 1st Team All-Big 8
SS/P Aaron Laskowski, Rock Valley Player of the Year
IF Brandon Spahn, HM All-District

Can anyone confirm?
OF Cole Brocker (Oshkosh?), 2nd Team All-State (didn't he sign with Winona? He's in the UWO directory)
3B Dan Amundson (Oshkosh?), 2nd Team All-Big 8
SS Justin Scanlon (Whitewater?), 1st Team All-Badger South (thought he was playing for MATC?)
P Mike Jacobs (Oshkosh?), HM All-District
OF Kyle Wagner (Oshkosh?), 1st Team All-Southwest Wisconsin
P Brent Mueller (Oshkosh?), 2nd Team All-District
P Kevin Johnson (Oshkosh?), HM All-District
C Steve Pratt (Oshkosh?), HM All-District
P Eric Phillips (Whitewater?), HM All-District