According to this schedule, they are down in Alabama where the temps are more May-like, not late February.

Anyway guys, enjoy AL, KY, MS, etc. Neither baseball nor football was designed to be played in the Midwest in late February.

I do note an abbreviated non-conference season this year. Saving $ ???? Also probably better to avoid a lot of extra travel until the pandemic is in the read view mirror.

https://emueagles.com/sports/baseball/schedule

(02-27-2021 07:31 AM)emu steve Wrote:  According to this schedule, they are down in Alabama where the temps are more May-like, not late February.

Anyway guys, enjoy AL, KY, MS, etc. Neither baseball nor football was designed to be played in the Midwest in late February.

I do note an abbreviated non-conference season this year. Saving $ ???? Also probably better to avoid a lot of extra travel until the pandemic is in the read view mirror.

https://emueagles.com/sports/baseball/schedule

Spot on Steve.

This looks like a retro schedule to the Oestrike era where doubleheaders were the norm. It will require a bunch more pitching arms but I favor that to subjecting a young promising kid to throw 9 innings in 40 degree weather.

Travel costs are indeed prohibitive, that was the determining reason for dropping women's softball. I still see the best solution as either playing a half season in the fall and resuming in April or extending the season beyond the May deadline we now have. The reason I attended EMU was to play baseball and I love the program but attending games in Michigan spring weather is often untenable.

I really want to see improvement this year.

Me too. But I don’t have a ton of faith in the MSU coaching staff.

Solid win yesterday, nice way to start the year. I think the staff as actually recruited pretty well, although it doesn't seem like many of the young guys played yesterday which isn't that surprising. I have hope things are going in the right direction.

(02-28-2021 07:31 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  Solid win yesterday, nice way to start the year. I think the staff as actually recruited pretty well, although it doesn't seem like many of the young guys played yesterday which isn't that surprising. I have hope things are going in the right direction.

Good to see this. Looking forward to going to a game.

Wish we still had softball.

(02-28-2021 10:02 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(02-28-2021 07:31 AM)Sellers dweller Wrote:  Solid win yesterday, nice way to start the year. I think the staff as actually recruited pretty well, although it doesn't seem like many of the young guys played yesterday which isn't that surprising. I have hope things are going in the right direction.

Good to see this. Looking forward to going to a game.

Wish we still had softball.

Since I don't live in MI, refresh my memory:

What is the field where softball was played? Is it Varsity Field?

Bonus question: What's the status of the Cornell Apts?

Dear steve,
Not completely sure, but I believe Cornell Apartments are gone. A new married housing project was built just East of Rynearson Stadium about twenty years ago. Don't know if it has a name.

EMU wins again. 4-3 over Bama State.

(02-28-2021 04:41 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  EMU wins again. 4-3 over Bama State.

For those who like 'small sample sizes' and are looking for good vibes for hope...

Last year Alabama State was 14 - 4 including sweeping series vs. Oakland (3 games) and Toledo (4 games).

https://bamastatesports.com/sports/baseb...le/2020-21

(02-28-2021 06:58 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(02-28-2021 04:41 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  EMU wins again. 4-3 over Bama State.

For those who like 'small sample sizes' and are looking for good vibes for hope...

Last year Alabama State was 14 - 4 including sweeping series vs. Oakland (3 games) and Toledo (4 games).

https://bamastatesports.com/sports/baseb...le/2020-21

Some of the younger guys with big games today. Freshmen Mark Kattula DH'd and went 3-4 with two doubles, including the game winning RBI double in the 8th.

Sophomore (so I guess freshmen since last year didn't count) Cameron Wagoner came in and tossed four scoreless innings, striking out five with no walks.

Wagoner is a former mid-round draft choice of the Rangers and was rated as the top MAC recruit for 2019.

JUCO transfer Zach Fruit, who might be the closer has had some draft buzz as well.

Game 1 starter Davis Feldman came back from Tommy John last season only for it to be canceled due to the pandemic. He was solid in game one, his first game since he sadly lost his Dad to COVID over the winter.

Alabama State was picked to win their division and had eight preseason all-league guys. Solid sweep.

Also true freshman RHP Nick Chittum was noted as being the top MAC recruit this year by Baseball America. He likely would have been drafted if the draft was more than five rounds last year.

(02-28-2021 08:44 PM)vannzee Wrote:  Also true freshman RHP Nick Chittum was noted as being the top MAC recruit this year by Baseball America. He likely would have been drafted if the draft was more than five rounds last year.

The past two years have had some impressive guys. The sophomores (who I assume all have four years of eligibility left) had Wagoner ranked the #4 player in the state according to Prep Baseball Report, Tyler Helgeson (#8), and Luke Russo (#12).

This year the freshmen have Nick Chittum (#4) and Mark Kattula (#10).

The impressive thing about it is that you look at the top 15ish players in the state of Michigan lately and you see a lot of Big Ten schools (not surprising) but also SEC and ACC schools. So it's nice to see EMU mixed in with some of those schools. The top recruit for 2021 is Luke Hugo, an OF ranked #25 in the state. That might seem low compared to the past two classes, but 2021 is loaded in Michigan. Consider, the #17 and #18 players are both going to Tennessee and #19 Michigan. When you look through the top 15 you see Duke, LSU, Vandy, Stanford, Auburn, TCU, Notre Dame, Pitt, Michigan, Ohio State, MSU...there wasn't this type of baseball talent in Michigan until the past few years.

Over Easter weekend, EMU hosts MIA for 6 games (yes, that's a lot).

Miami's ace pitcher, Sam Bachman, is a possible high first round draft pick in July.

A team which is 2 - 0 deserves a Game Day bump? Yes, I think so.

<bump>

Davis Feldman with another gem.

Pitched 5 excellent innings.

The Roof is on fire. Keep it up boys.

(03-05-2021 04:09 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  The Roof is on fire. Keep it up boys.

And don't call the fire department...

(03-05-2021 04:04 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Davis Feldman with another gem.

Pitched 5 excellent innings.

https://emueagles.com/sports/baseball/ro...dman/13472

Feldman has missed time because of injury. Healthy. See post above about his Tommy John and death of his father.