Baseball News?

[valpotx]

Not a good sign, as our bats are silent, losing 5-1 after 7 at the moment...

Edit: This is just a sad game, now losing 7-1 to YSU in the 8th...

[valpotx]

Some signs of life getting to 7-3 after 8.  I can't see us winning the tournament if we lose this first game, unlike in softball.  You only have so much starting pitching depth in baseball, whereas you can keep throwing the same pitcher in softball.

[valpotx]

We lost 7-3, to a team we very much should beat each time out.  Unfortunate, but hopefully it gets our guys to take quality swings throughout the rest of the tournament.  YSU very much took advantage of the wind whipping out to the fences.

[valpotx]

Thought that this was a cool website to track Valpo players after college, as well as historical stats from many decades ago:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/schools/index.cgi?key_school=9ee3e6d0

I knew about BaseballReference.com, but didn't know that it tracked via schools.  I was looking at a bunch of guys I grew up playing against in DFW into HS to see what level they got to or are still at, and decided to look at people I played with at VU.  It's cool to see guys you played against now in MLB .  My favorite is the kid I used to babysit who lived in my neighborhood, and ended up going to my HS (4 years younger), James Russell of the Cubs.

The weirdest revelation is seeing that Troy Garrett ended up pitching in the Independent leagues for 2 seasons, as he only played C during his 1 season at Valpo (transferred from Ball State for his last season).

[historyman]

Tanner Vavra is playing for Cedar Rapids in the low class A Midwest League.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=2B&sid=t492&t=p_pbp&pid=643584


The Kernels from Cedar Rapids play at Kane County, June 7, 8 & 9 and June 19, 20, 21 & 22. 

[valpotx]

Right, and Kyle Gaedele is playing in AA for the San Antonio Missions (San Diego Padres), currently on the 7-day DL.  I meant to get out and watch them play the Frisco Roughriders (Dallas area), but didn't get a chance to do so.  They play them fairly often, so I may still get out there, as it would be cool to see the Texas Rangers AA prospects (Frisco).  Kyle is playing at the highest level for a former Valpo player since Jamie Sykes played AA in 2001.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=543191

I know that Tanner had a stint on the 7-day DL earlier this season, as well.  He was hitting around .340 at that time, and has seen his average dip to .250+.

[valpopal]

[tweet]475419671026348032[/tweet]

[valpotx]

Drafted in the 37th round to keep our string going of players drafted!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Man, I could've sworn he was drafted last year...but I can't find any evidence.  Hard to believe after he had an even better season last year. 

Karch, make us proud and make that paper!

[valpotx]

Yes sir, 3 Texas teams in the CWS, including my MBA alma mater/previous 1 season coaching stint!  Good luck to TCU, Texas, and Texas Tech!

Who knew that when they said, 'the South will rise again,' that they were speaking about NCAA football and baseball?

[valpotx]

Karch signed yesterday:

http://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/12/5804660/karch-kowalczyk-dodgers-contract-mlb-draft-2014-37th-round

[sliman]

Looks like the NCAAA graduate transfer rule claims another of our stars:  http://www.richmondspiders.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=26800&ATCLID=209534241

[IndyValpo]

This from the announcement, I had to chuckle a little. Not sure how you can call someone a "team-first" guy at the same time he is transferring teams.

Coach Woodson on Morman ...
"Michael had two unfortunate injuries – ACL tear and back fracture - during his career at Valparaiso University but was completely healthy this spring as evidenced by his stellar season in the Horizon League. We expect him to match that success here at Richmond.  Michael adds not only experience and toughness to our line-up but he can flat-out hit and brings speed to the base paths. He is a high-character and 'team-first' guy which makes him a great teammate for our returning players and a tremendous asset to the University of Richmond and our baseball program."

[valporun]

I went looking at the milb.com site to find out where our recent drafted players are, and Karch has been promoted from the Arizona Dodgers of the AZL to the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League. He goes from late nights in the Arizona heat to Utah with games in Utah, Colorado, and Montana. Best of luck to Karch.

Tanner Vavra is still in Cedar Rapids playing for the Kernels, and Kyle Gaedele is serving a stint on the DL with the San Antonio Missions.

Good luck to all three of these guys in their hopeful journeys to the Majors!

[vu72]

Hope this isn't old news but Valpo is getting a pitcher, from Minnesota, who spent a couple of years in CC ball.  The article says he has raised his fastball to 92-93 range and that he has been told he will be a weekend starter.  When was the last time we had a pitcher throwing 92-93?  Valpotx??

http://www.woodburybulletin.com/content/fritze-heads-big-stage

[setshot]

Another righty from Minnesota,Fritze appears to be a good prospect. However,if we really wanted an extreme righty from Minnesota we should have recruited Congresswomen Bachman. She throws a great blooper.

[valpotx]

We've had several guys throw low-90's going back to when I first got on campus.  I believe that the most recent was Karch Kowalczyk?  Elliot Gibbs was someone who threw that hard during my playing days, and I believe Justin Craker could crank it up this high as well.  The main thing that we hope Fritze has is control with this speed, though

[justducky]

Another righty from Minnesota,Fritze appears to be a good prospect. However,if we really wanted an extreme righty from Minnesota we should have recruited Congresswomen Bachman. She throws a great blooper.

Having seen some of her play I would judge that her lobbing a slow string of nonbreaking grapefruit to a predominately lefthand hitting lineup is not a formula for success at any level or form of competition. On the plus side her control and delivery are far better than one time hot prospect Sarah Palin.

[VULB#62]

Tex, I must apologize.           It's taken me this long to find the baseball facilities tour on YouTube that Mark Johnson did.  Quite nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYAvx9k6Vkg

Valpo has come a long way in that regard compared to the previous millennium -- but probably a teeny bit under the B1G level.  One thing I noticed is that there is no provision for weight training in the BB club house. But, although the new weight room is "branded the "football weight room"  I remember that all sports can benefit from it.  Yet, as always, the biggest problem is locker space  ----- somewhere.

I know that there is also a YouTube on the distance from campus to Em Bauer Field (BTW Em was my Co-Head FB coach), but you get the feeling that if the complex could be uprooted and drooped into the middle of the campus like the 30 year plan shows, it would be an even better enticement for recruits.

Right now, with Brown Field in turf (especially MSO, WSO practices and games), the whole East Campus footprint now belongs to baseball.  Does anyone think that if the university at least installs a turf infield out there, that things would improve for the early spring?

BTW, Mark did a super job.  Really nice kid, but hey, we always recruit character, don't we.

[Pgmado]

The freshman I am most excited about seeing this year is Luke VanLanen. Then again, I may be a little biased. He is my girlfriend's nephew.

[VULB#62]

The freshman I am most excited about seeing this year is Luke VanLanen. Then again, I may be a little biased. He is my girlfriend's nephew.

Speaking of that, I went back through the Baseball news archives on the Valpo Athletic site to July 24th 2013 when the coaching change was made looking for the recruiting class for next season.  With the exception of 4 signees on 11/24, zilch, nada, nuthin. And after that we lost Morman to Richmond. I'm sure that coach Schmack and the staff have been recruiting long and hard, but is there more to the recruiting class for next year or what?  Given that a baseball team would carry 25-30 players, I'd think that an incoming class (including xfers) would be in the 6-8 range.  Thoughts?

[vu72]

There are plans to install additional seating at Em.

[VULB#62]

There are plans to install additional seating at Em.

Temporary or permanent and how many seats?  Doesn't add much to the complex if they can't play any games till mid May.

[vu72]

There are plans to install additional seating at Em.

Temporary or permanent and how many seats?  Doesn't add much to the complex if they can't play any games till mid May.

President Heckler has mentioned it.  I presume it would be permanent seating.  Probably to get the place up to standards to host a conference title tournament.  Softball had to bring in lights to host so presume these improvements are aimed at the same goal.

[valpotx]

Never noticed Mark Johnson's tour, thanks for posting.  The clubhouse looks about the same as 10 years ago, except that the JV locker room was turned into a review room, they added a long table for meetings in the main team area, painted inspirational words on the walls/Valpo decals, added the championship posters, and have a jersey hanging on the wall.  Does anyone know why #23 is on the wall?  I don't see anyone having worn that number since 2004-2005 in Jay Clites.  It's also cool that they added flat-screen TVs to the HC office and main team room!  We had a large TV in the main area before, but it is good to see that they are keeping the amenities updated with the times! 

In the 'hitting shed,' they apparently took down 1-2 cages to make room for bullpen sessions (I forget if there were 3 or 4 tunnels before).  We used to throw bullpens in the cages in bad weather, which could be distracting having that net around you while you throw every time.  They also took out the 3-4 weightlifting machines we had in that area.

Also, we have several new names on the roster, so maybe we just haven't announced the full class until they enroll?  There is even a transfer from Fresno State, which is a solid program, but it doesn't say if he played there or not. 

http://www.valpoathletics.com/baseball/roster/#.U-BzknnQOUk