Winners of four of it's last five games, the Baseball Owls seek their fourth weekend series victory of the young season (without a loss) at home against the Harvard Crimson (scheduled start times are 6:30pm CT on Friday, 2:00pm on Saturday, 1:00pm on Sunday). With just one week before the commencement of the all-important C-USA conference play, and with five more games remaining in the current home stand at Reckling Park, it's imperative that the team continue its winning ways, work out the remaining kinks (primarily in the bullpen and offense execution) and rebuild momentum and confidence prior to heading off to Hattiesburg, MS on Thursday.

While the first third of the season has certainly brought it's share of frustration, there have also been plenty of positives and encouraging signs, giving hope that this team will only get better as the season progresses. First off, our big 3 pitchers (Kubitza, Simms, Stephens) have been consistently outstanding, and give us a strong leg up entering any weekend series. Second, our infield defense has not only lived up to preseason expectations, but quite possibly surpassed them. Our fielding percentage is not only a lofty .976, but our trio of catchers (Perrott, Ewing, Kopycinski) have thrown out 50% of attempted basestealers (9-18). Finally, and IMO providing the most hope for continued improvement going forward, our parliament of "baby birds" (true Freshmen and returning players who had little or no previous D-1 experience) are beginning to find their wings and take flight as strong contributors to the team's success...and they are likely to only get better as they mature as players and continue to make the necessary adjustments. Leon Byrd has proved to be a spark at the top of the batting order-- he currently boasts a .410 onbase percentage and has been making much better and more solid contact at the plate the past two weeks. Since taking over 3B for the injured Shane Hoelscher, Connor Teykl has been nothing short of a hitting machine, batting over .500 over the past 9 games. Hunter Kopycinski has put together back-to-back breakout games (3 hits, HR, 5 RBIs). On the mound, Blake Fox, Kevin McCanna and Connor Mason have all had positive outings. We've also proven to be road warriors, sporting a 6-1 record after trips to Hawaii and Miami.

However, if we going to go on an extended run and seriously compete for a regional hosting site, the offense must improve it's efficiency and key ptiching arms (including Zech Lemond, Chase McDowell, Evan Rutter, Matt Ditman, Holt McNair) must find a level of consistency and throw strikes. All have shown flashes of brilliance in the early going, but all have also struggled mightily, particularly during the past two weeks. On offense, we continue to struggle with both moving runners into scoring position and getting the key clutch hit or sac fly with runners on base. IMO (and I recognize I'm beating a dead horse here), the biggest problem has been pitch selectivity and our unwillingness (save for only a couple batters) to work the count. It's one thing to be aggressive at the plate, it's quite another to be first pitch swinging on pitches out of the strikezone or against a pitcher with control issues. Though 18 games, our hitters have now struck out 51 more times than they've received bases on balls (121 Ks vs. 70 BBs); a stat that very much impacts offensive efficiency, and one in which we rank well below average nationally (especially amongst the Top 50 teams). More troubling, the disparity between strikeouts and free passes has been worsening as the season progresses; not improving as has been our historical norm (and we usually reach parity between strikeouts and free passes by early-to-mid May). In addition to the benefit of collecting more free passes, we need to make the adjustments at the plate-- and change our approach-- once a batter falls behind in the count. We're taking far too many called third strikes. We need to learn to "waste" those borderline pitches by protecting the plate with 2-strikes and fouling those pitches off. The good news is that such mid-season adjustments are possible, and have been the historical norm....but we need to start making them now.

Harvard comes down to Reckling having played just 7 games so far this season, all on the road, and are currently on a six game losing streak. They've lost their last 3 games (last weekend ) by an aggregate 31-2 margin. In fairness, however, they have played some quality teams, including Virginia (lost two relatively close games), Ohio State and Coastal Carolina. As a team they are hitting just .230/.303/.265, with 7 extrabase hits, 2-6 stolen bases and averaging just 1.9 runs per game. They do have 3 batters (one is platooning) hitting above .330 (Link, Martin, Kregel), but everyone else on the roster is batting below .250. Working to our advantage (given our predominantly right-handed pitching staff), the Crimson's everyday lineup is right-handed laden, with just two left-handed batters who are platoon players (3B Saathoff, OF O'Neill) and they're hitting .056 and .100, respectively. Harvard's pitching has been an even bigger problem, as the staff stats are not impressive: 7.17 era, BAA > .300 (giving up 76 hits in 59.0 IP), 36:30 strikeout:walk ratio. Their three weekend starters (all upperclass right-handers) each have ERAs between 5.14 and 5.59 and, collectively, they've given up more free passes (21) than they've stuck out (17). Their bullpen has fared even worse. This is the weekend for our hitters to show renewed patience. This doesn't mean losing one's aggressiveness or looking for walks; it simply means waiting for a pitch in your zone to hit, and not swinging at bad pitches.

Here are the links to Harvard's schedule/results, individual/team stats (with links to lineup and coaches view with expanded stats) and roster...

http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2013/schedule/Harvard

http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/bsb/2012...ms/harvard

http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/bsb/2012...e-template

http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/bsb/2012-13/roster

On paper, this series is a mismatch (particularly our starting pitching vs. their lineup), and we really need to get a home sweep this weekend. Let's play mistake-free baseball. Let's take care of business. Go Owls!

Here's Eric Sorenson's preseason writeup on the Crimson, who finished 2nd in the Ivy League last year, but lost their two best pitchers to graduation...

http://blogs.eastonbaseball.com/collegeb...vy-league/

Quote:- HARVARD (12-30, 8-12)
2012 iSR: 244

Starters Returning: 7
Weekend Starters: 1
Mid-Week Starters: 0
Key Relievers (15+inns.): 3

All Conference Candidates:
SS Jake McGuiggan (.352-2-21)
2B Kyle Larrow (.350)
OF Mike Martin (.338-3-14)
RHP Baron Davis (2-2, 3.14)
RHP Zack Olson (0-3, 2.61, 4svs)

NOTES:
- It was a tragic off-season for the Crimson baseball program as longtime head coach Joe Walsh died suddenly of a heart attack last summer. Walsh called Harvard his “dream job” and spent 18 years as the skipper, including 1998′s 36-12 team, which finished the season at No.. 24 in the national rankings. Walsh’s record was 569-566-3 as the Crimson coach and his 15 years of coaching his alma mater, Suffolk University.

- Bill Decker takes over as the new head coach and has a good track record in the Northeast, having spent the last 22 seasons as the head coach at Trinity College in Connecticut. Decker went 529-231 and was the program’s winningest coach, including 2008′s 45-1 team which won the D3 national title.

- On the field, not a great improvement for the Crimson last season. Sure, they didn’t finish in last place in the Ivy League like they did in 2011, but they only increased their win total by three wins last year.

- They’ll have to replace the two best arms in the pitching corps in Brent Suter and Joey Novak, who combined for 94 innings and 16 starts.

Walt gives a great review of our opponent each time. Recently, I read a great book..The Patriarch. A biography of Joseph Kennedy..the first SEC chairman, the ambassador to England during the pre-WWII years and, of course, the father of president John Kennedy, Senator and Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy.
As it turns out, Joe Kennedy played for the Harvard baseball team back in the early twentieth century.
This inspired me to do a bit of research on our baseball opponents/guests this weekend:
1858: Lawrence School..part of Harvard starts playing baseball
1862: first baseball team organized at Harvard
1866:intercollegiate baseball play starts at Harvard
1878: Frederick Thayer (Harvard class of 1878) invents the catcher's mask (!)
1912: Harvard plays the Boston Red Sox (exhibition) in the first game ever played at Fenway Park, Boston.
1916: Harvard plays then World Champion Boston Red Sox (exhibition) and wins 1-0.

Harvard's all-time record is 2,321-1,485-3. (.611). Good enough for Top Ten in Div1. ...According to their website.
They have played 137 seasons in the Ivy League.
They have won 19 Ivy League Championships.
They have 14 NCAA tournament appearances.
They have been to 4 College World Series
Presently, according to their website, there are 20 former Harvard baseball players in professional baseball.

I don't have ANY connection to Harvard at all..but found the above items very intriguing. Our guests this weekend represent a school with a long history of collegiate baseball participation.

(03-14-2013 01:31 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  Walt gives a great review of our opponent each time. Recently, I read a great book..The Patriarch. A biography of Joseph Kennedy..the first SEC chairman, the ambassador to England during the pre-WWII years and, of course, the father of president John Kennedy, Senator and Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy.
As it turns out, Joe Kennedy played for the Harvard baseball team back in the early twentieth century.
This inspired me to do a bit of research on our baseball opponents/guests this weekend:
1858: Lawrence School..part of Harvard starts playing baseball
1862: first baseball team organized at Harvard
1866:intercollegiate baseball play starts at Harvard
1878: Frederick Thayer (Harvard class of 1878) invents the cather's mask (!)
1912: Harvard plays the Boston Red Sox (exhibition) in the first game ever played at Fenway Park, Boston.
1916: Harvard plays then World Champion Boston Red Sox (exhibition) and wins 1-0.

Harvard's all-time record is 2,321-1,485-3. (.611). Good enough for Top Ten in Div1. ...According to their website.
They have played 137 seasons in the Ivy League.
They have won 19 Ivy League Championships.
They have 14 NCAA tournament appearances.
They have been to 4 College World Series
Presently, according to their website, there are 20 former Harvard baseball players in professional baseball.

I don't have ANY connection to Harvard at all..but found the above items very intriguing. Our guests this weekend represent a school with a long history of collegiate baseball participation.

There's no way there are presently 20 former Harvard players in professional baseball...maybe 20 ever. I guess if they're including more than MLB/MILB in professional baseball it's possible...I think there's only one in MLB right now (Frank Herrmann).

(03-14-2013 02:07 PM)07owl Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 01:31 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  Walt gives a great review of our opponent each time. Recently, I read a great book..The Patriarch. A biography of Joseph Kennedy..the first SEC chairman, the ambassador to England during the pre-WWII years and, of course, the father of president John Kennedy, Senator and Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy.
As it turns out, Joe Kennedy played for the Harvard baseball team back in the early twentieth century.
This inspired me to do a bit of research on our baseball opponents/guests this weekend:
1858: Lawrence School..part of Harvard starts playing baseball
1862: first baseball team organized at Harvard
1866:intercollegiate baseball play starts at Harvard
1878: Frederick Thayer (Harvard class of 1878) invents the cather's mask (!)
1912: Harvard plays the Boston Red Sox (exhibition) in the first game ever played at Fenway Park, Boston.
1916: Harvard plays then World Champion Boston Red Sox (exhibition) and wins 1-0.

Harvard's all-time record is 2,321-1,485-3. (.611). Good enough for Top Ten in Div1. ...According to their website.
They have played 137 seasons in the Ivy League.
They have won 19 Ivy League Championships.
They have 14 NCAA tournament appearances.
They have been to 4 College World Series
Presently, according to their website, there are 20 former Harvard baseball players in professional baseball.

I don't have ANY connection to Harvard at all..but found the above items very intriguing. Our guests this weekend represent a school with a long history of collegiate baseball participation.

There's no way there are presently 20 former Harvard players in professional baseball...maybe 20 ever. I guess if they're including more than MLB/MILB in professional baseball it's possible...I think there's only one in MLB right now (Frank Herrmann).

I don't have any way of confirming that 20 player count. As I said, it's from their website. I assume they mean all sorts of pro ball.
But, gee, how can you doubt it?? C'mon!! It's Harvard!!

(03-14-2013 02:21 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 02:07 PM)07owl Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 01:31 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  Walt gives a great review of our opponent each time. Recently, I read a great book..The Patriarch. A biography of Joseph Kennedy..the first SEC chairman, the ambassador to England during the pre-WWII years and, of course, the father of president John Kennedy, Senator and Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy.
As it turns out, Joe Kennedy played for the Harvard baseball team back in the early twentieth century.
This inspired me to do a bit of research on our baseball opponents/guests this weekend:
1858: Lawrence School..part of Harvard starts playing baseball
1862: first baseball team organized at Harvard
1866:intercollegiate baseball play starts at Harvard
1878: Frederick Thayer (Harvard class of 1878) invents the cather's mask (!)
1912: Harvard plays the Boston Red Sox (exhibition) in the first game ever played at Fenway Park, Boston.
1916: Harvard plays then World Champion Boston Red Sox (exhibition) and wins 1-0.

Harvard's all-time record is 2,321-1,485-3. (.611). Good enough for Top Ten in Div1. ...According to their website.
They have played 137 seasons in the Ivy League.
They have won 19 Ivy League Championships.
They have 14 NCAA tournament appearances.
They have been to 4 College World Series
Presently, according to their website, there are 20 former Harvard baseball players in professional baseball.

I don't have ANY connection to Harvard at all..but found the above items very intriguing. Our guests this weekend represent a school with a long history of collegiate baseball participation.

There's no way there are presently 20 former Harvard players in professional baseball...maybe 20 ever. I guess if they're including more than MLB/MILB in professional baseball it's possible...I think there's only one in MLB right now (Frank Herrmann).

I don't have any way of confirming that 20 player count. As I said, it's from their website. I assume they mean all sorts of pro ball.
But, gee, how can you doubt it?? C'mon!! It's Harvard!!

One of the few teams that will understand the pi cheer...

The 20 might include front office moneyball types and owners. I could believe that number. No way there are 20 on playing rosters even if you include independent leagues.

Separately, pitcher Baron Davis was HS teammate of Ratterree and both Rathjens at Houston Memorial.

17 guys all time from Harvard in MLB, only 1 currently-a guy named Herrmann who pitches for the Indians.

(03-14-2013 04:29 PM)owlsfan Wrote:  17 guys all time from Harvard in MLB, only 1 currently-a guy named Herrmann who pitches for the Indians.

Last time I checked, players in A, AA, AAA etc were all considered professional players too. I could see Hahvahd having 20 players across all those levels. See http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/...key_school for a listing of likely professional baseball players from Harvard.

And if they need to add in some foreign leagues (Cuba? Puerto Rico?, Any in Europe?), they probably could pick up one or two there as well. Strictly a guess, but the way it is worded suggests any paid league to me, not just MLB. Sort of like all of us talking about Rice's pro players and Rice's players on MLB rosters and differentiating between the designations. In other words, was Roger Clemens any less of a professional baseball player when he played for Sugarland than when he played for the Disastros or some other MLB team (given the state of the the Disastros, some might suggest he was MORE professional playing for the Skeeters, but I digress).

Good read on a father/son combo both Harvard grads and MiLB'ers.

http://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Boys-Adven...1602391041

Here are the official game notes for the weekend series from Harvard...

http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/bsb/2012...03143k00oz

...and here are the Rice game notes...

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-basebl/...13aad.html

Interesting that only Austin Kubitza is named in rotation of probable starters for the series. Jordan Stephens mid-week work coming into play I guess?

(03-14-2013 08:42 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  Interesting that only Austin Kubitza is named in rotation of probable starters for the series. Jordan Stephens mid-week work coming into play I guess?

Yeah, I noticed that, but...given the next week will be spent reading ourselves for the commencement of CUSA play and the USM series, I'd be very suprised if Stephens isn't starting on Saturday, with Simms pitching 3 - 5 innings on Sunday (that is, unless The OG plans on putting him back in the closer role).

(03-14-2013 08:34 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Here are the official game notes for the weekend series from Harvard...

http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/bsb/2012...03143k00oz

...and here are the Rice game notes...

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-basebl/...13aad.html

And here are the unofficial game notes from Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEWVwgDnuzE

(03-14-2013 08:42 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  Interesting that only Austin Kubitza is named in rotation of probable starters for the series. Jordan Stephens mid-week work coming into play I guess?

I think that's consistent with past game notes this year. I think it has more to do with not giving away any info that you don't have to - moreso than actually signaling anything.

(03-15-2013 10:16 AM)CoatzaOwl Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:42 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  Interesting that only Austin Kubitza is named in rotation of probable starters for the series. Jordan Stephens mid-week work coming into play I guess?

I think that's consistent with past game notes this year. I think it has more to do with not giving away any info that you don't have to - moreso than actually signaling anything.

Could be. Or it could signal some changes in the Sat. - Sun. starters....

(03-15-2013 10:26 AM)grol Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:16 AM)CoatzaOwl Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:42 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  Interesting that only Austin Kubitza is named in rotation of probable starters for the series. Jordan Stephens mid-week work coming into play I guess?

I think that's consistent with past game notes this year. I think it has more to do with not giving away any info that you don't have to - moreso than actually signaling anything.

Could be. Or it could signal some changes in the Sat. - Sun. starters....

Very much doubt it, given conference play starts next weekend, and everything you do this week should be aimed at setting yourself up for the USM series. I think the only question mark will be Sunday, and whether The OG elects to have Simms start or assume the primary closer role going forward...and part of that, I suspect, depends on how Lemond responds this weekend.

(03-15-2013 10:30 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:26 AM)grol Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:16 AM)CoatzaOwl Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:42 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  Interesting that only Austin Kubitza is named in rotation of probable starters for the series. Jordan Stephens mid-week work coming into play I guess?

I think that's consistent with past game notes this year. I think it has more to do with not giving away any info that you don't have to - moreso than actually signaling anything.

Could be. Or it could signal some changes in the Sat. - Sun. starters....

Very much doubt it, given conference play starts next weekend, and everything you do this week should be aimed at setting yourself up for the USM series. I think the only question mark will be Sunday, and whether The OG elects to have Simms start or assume the primary closer role going forward...and part of that, I suspect, depends on how Lemond responds this weekend.

Don't think it would be appropriate to start Simms Sunday after his workload Tuesday. My guess is that Stephens and McCanna make the starts this weekend. Against USM, the Sunday starter could change.

(03-15-2013 10:34 AM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:30 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:26 AM)grol Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:16 AM)CoatzaOwl Wrote:  

(03-14-2013 08:42 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  Interesting that only Austin Kubitza is named in rotation of probable starters for the series. Jordan Stephens mid-week work coming into play I guess?

I think that's consistent with past game notes this year. I think it has more to do with not giving away any info that you don't have to - moreso than actually signaling anything.

Could be. Or it could signal some changes in the Sat. - Sun. starters....

Very much doubt it, given conference play starts next weekend, and everything you do this week should be aimed at setting yourself up for the USM series. I think the only question mark will be Sunday, and whether The OG elects to have Simms start or assume the primary closer role going forward...and part of that, I suspect, depends on how Lemond responds this weekend.

Don't think it would be appropriate to start Simms Sunday after his workload Tuesday. My guess is that Stephens and McCanna make the starts this weekend. Against USM, the Sunday starter could change.

I agree in theory; however, if The OG's plan is to emplant Big John as our Sunday starter for USM and beyond, I suspect he'll start and get 3 - 5 innings of work in this Sunday against Harvard. You don't want to give him almost two weeks off and risk him getting rusty (which would be the case if he doesn't pitch until NEXT Sunday), and you don't want to pitch him on Tuesday night in relief if he's going to start on Sunday.

(03-15-2013 10:53 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:34 AM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:30 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:26 AM)grol Wrote:  

(03-15-2013 10:16 AM)CoatzaOwl Wrote:  I think that's consistent with past game notes this year. I think it has more to do with not giving away any info that you don't have to - moreso than actually signaling anything.

Could be. Or it could signal some changes in the Sat. - Sun. starters....

Very much doubt it, given conference play starts next weekend, and everything you do this week should be aimed at setting yourself up for the USM series. I think the only question mark will be Sunday, and whether The OG elects to have Simms start or assume the primary closer role going forward...and part of that, I suspect, depends on how Lemond responds this weekend.

Don't think it would be appropriate to start Simms Sunday after his workload Tuesday. My guess is that Stephens and McCanna make the starts this weekend. Against USM, the Sunday starter could change.

I agree in theory; however, if The OG's plan is to emplant Big John as our Sunday starter for USM and beyond, I suspect he'll start and get 3 - 5 innings of work in this Sunday against Harvard. You don't want to give him almost two weeks off and risk him getting rusty (which would be the case if he doesn't pitch until NEXT Sunday), and you don't want to pitch him on Tuesday night in relief if he's going to start on Sunday.

I don't see any issue with him throwing a couple innings Tuesday and then starting Sunday. But, we can agree to disagree on that.