Baseball Slang - First Pitch Countdown

Go Cats!!

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College Baseball - D1 cuts versus D2 priority

It is with great regret that the B2R learned another alleged "D1" school elected to axe its college baseball program.

Southern Utah elected to eliminate its baseball program following the 2011 season.  For the kids that elected to give SUU their heart and soul for 4 years, the SUU Board of Regents responded with honoring the players with remaining eligibility with their existing scholarship for 1 year past 2012 season.

See the story in http://collegebaseball360.com/2012/01/14/southern-utah-to-eliminate-baseball-program/.

Other "D1" programs to bite the dust:

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College Baseball Recruits have a choice between supposed D1 schools cutting their baseball program after the athlete signs their National Letter of Intent or going to the premier D2 college baseball conference in America where baseball is a priority.

A hearty B2R shout-out to the MIAA Conference celebrating 100 years in 2012.  National Championship caliber college baseball in a Conference that supports baseball and its student-athletes.

Go Cats!!

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Veteran Profiles - Red-Shirt Freshmen Patrick Brady, Kyle Brady, & Grant Loeffelbein

Veteran Profile - Patrick Brady (Red-shirt Freshman)
Position - Pitcher
Bats - Right
Throws - Right
Height - 6'0"
Class at NWMSU - Freshman
Hometown (High School) - Kansas City, Missouri (Park Hill South)
Major - Chemistry
2011 stats - Red shirted
2011 summer ball stats - Milgram Mustangs (Ban Johnson - KC)
GP - 4
W/L - 2/0
Saves - 1
IP - 18.1
H - 14
ER - 8
ERA - 3.06
BB - 12
K - 14
HP - 7
WP - 3

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Veteran Profile - Kyle Brady - Red-shirt Freshman
Position - Pitcher
Bats - Right
Throws - Right
Height - 6'0"
Class at NWMSU - Freshman
Hometown (High School) - Leawood, Kansas (Blue Valley High School)
Major - Physics
2011 stats - red-shirted

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Veteran Profile - Grant Loeffelbein (Red-Shirt Freshman)
Position - IF
Bats - Right
Throws - Right
Height - 5'9"
Class at NWMSU - Freshman
Hometown (High School) - Glenwood, Iowa (Glenwood High School)
Major - Pre-Engineering
2011 stats - Red-Shirt

Go Cats!!

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Veteran Profile - #36 - Steven Garber

Veteran Profile - #36 - Steven Garber
Position - P/1B
Bats - Left
Throws - Right
Height - 6'6"
Class at NWMSU - Freshman
Hometown - Chino Hills, California (Orange High School)
Major - Undecided
2011 Stats - Redshirted
Comments - "Steven the Cool" has ice water running through his veins.  He is a cool cucumber.  Having watched Steven during fall practice, he never seemed to ride either an emotional high or low.  Mr. Consistency.  If you have Game 7 of the World Series, Bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, 2 strikes, runner at 2nd & 3rd, down 1, give me Steven Garber.  He doesn't let pressure get to him.  At 6'6", a lot of bad throws will get saved at 1B.  I'm curious to see how his bat performs in 2012.  I figure he's due for rotation time at 1B, DH, or pitching.  Only a freshman, I expect a lot of good things out of Steven Garber in the future.

Go Cats!!

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Veteran Profile - #33 - Geno DeAngelis

Veteran Profile - #33 - Geno DeAngelis
Position - IF - either 3B or 1B
Bats - Right
Throws - Right
Height - 5'11"
Class at NWMSU - Senior
Hometown - Los Alamitos, California
Transfer from Golden West Community College
Major - Physical Education
2011 Stats -
BA - .295
GP/GS - 50/50
AB - 156
R - 19
H - 46
2B - 3
RBI - 16
SLG% - .314
BB - 9
HBP - 11
K - 16
OB%  - .369
SB/Att - 6/7
FLD% - .973
Comments - 1 of 3 returning starters that started all 50 games in 2011.  3rd on the team in Batting Average in 2011.  Also, 3rd most ABs and H, too.  4th in OB%.  Geno was Mr. Versatility in 2011 playing both 3B and 1B.  He had a really good year and came back from a wicked shoulder injury that robbed him of the 2010 season.  Geno was one of the original group of Californians to make the trek east to Northwest Missouri State.  About the time Geno was at Golden West CC, the State of California was going through some severe economic issues in its State Budget.  Northwest was lucky enough to put together a persuasive package to get Geno, and the Cali kids, to trek east to Missouri.  California's loss is the Bearcats gain.  Geno is a great kid.  In my opinion, he has a tremendous baseball IQ and knack with the subtleties of the game.  When you see Geno take swings in the cage, the ball sounds different coming off the bat.  He just plain knocks the compound hell out of the ball.  With a spring season, summer ball, and fall practice under his belt, I expect Geno's offensive numbers to improve upon from 2010.  I expect the power numbers to go up since Geno has had the chance to get his timing back.  Defensively, Geno had a knack for back-handed stabs at knee-high short-hops.  I think Geno will be a tremendous defensive 1B in 2012, too.  In my opinion, 1B will come down to Steven Garber or Geno...and there may be a rotation for a while.  For what its worth, if anybody can beat out Geno, then they better hit like Prince Fielder and play defense like Doug Mientkiewicz, and do it in 45 degrees with blustery winds.  Despite being an Anaheim Angels of California fan, Geno is my kind of ball player and person.

Go Cats!!

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BP with DLoe

Recently, the B2R had a chance to sit down with Coach Darin Loe to talk Bearcat Baseball and the 2012 season.  Here are his responses:

B2R - With time to reflect, your thoughts how fall practice went?

DL - I thought we had an outstanding fall and accomplished what we set out to do.  Due to a tremendous recruiting class and strong returners fighting for playing time, the competition at positions was tremendous.  That alone made us better as a team and forced our players to deal with some of the adversity that occurs once we start a spring season.  We are still needing to make a number of decisions on travel squad, pitching rotation, and starting line-up, but that is due to two or even three quality guys at every position that could be the starter.  That is what is going to make us better when the spring gets here.

B2R - Name 3 unsuspected surprises coming from fall ball.

DL - On the pitching side, Jace Anderson really impressed me.  I knew he had quality stuff, but he led our pitching staff this fall and will be a key contributor in the spring.  Also, Sean Brady has fought his way through various injuries early in his career and is finally healthy for his final season.  One of those success stories who had done all the right things and worked his way into time on the mound.  Sean ended second behind Jace Anderson statistically after the fall season.

B2R - Name 3 areas of concern from fall ball.

DL - I'm a coach, Bob.  I'm worry about everything.  Second, I'd like to see guys get healthy and be at 100% by February 17th.  Last, the transformation of this team from a bunch of guys battling for positions to a cohesive unit that puts winning ahead of all other factors.  I believe that will take care of itself due to the great character of the players in our program.

B2R - How's the outfield looking for the Spring 2012 season?  A lot of guys in the mix?

DL - We will play the best and possibly a rotation of hottest guys.  In Left Field we can go with Kretzer or Tyler Durant.  In Center Field we can go to Singleton or Abernathy.  Jon Pomatto may have the best tools that I have ever had at Northwest with the ability to throw out runners at any base.  We will play as many outfielders as we need to make us successful.  We also have a number of infielders we can put in the outfield if we need to get their bat in the lineup.

B2R - How is the depth at Catcher heading into this Spring?  Anybody able to spell Lando this season and contribute like the 2009 rotation of Lando/Kreed Kurtz as catcher/DH?

DL - The addition of quality catching has really pushed Lando and he thrived with the pressure.  He is a leader behind the plate and a guy that we will really look to in his senior year.  Right on his heels are Travis Green who works hard every day on his catching and hitting skills and Luke Lawyer who has tremendous skills as a redshirted freshman.  I would like to give Lando a break when needed, and the addition of Green and Lawyer will allow us to do so when the situation dictates.

B2R - How's the weekend rotation picture heading into February?

DL - We still have a lot of questions and health is yet to be determined.  Chase Anderson and Josh Parrish did a great job for us last year and we cannot overlook what they did in a full MIAA season.  Jace Anderson is a guy we need to get a lot of innings.  We do have an unknown pitcher who will join us at semester:  Marcus Garrett from Santa Ana CC in California, a 6'3" RHP who was a first team All Conference performer in one of the premier JC conferences in California.  Time will tell where he will fit into the mix.

B2R - How's the infield looking?

DL - Eric Swain is the one guy who proved that he needed to be on the field every day.  A transfer from Iowa Central CC, Eric led our team in hitting and won the job at Shortstop.  He can play any of the infield positions so if a better shortstop emerges (Thornton, Mapes, or Haug) we have the ability to move him around.  Eric McGlauflin has really taken huge steps in his play at 3B and at the plate and we expect good things from him.  Our returning leading hitter Cam Bedard can find himself at 2B with quality players making a push right behind him.  First base will come down to returning starter Geno DeAngelis or Garber.  Another guy that has great power potential at the plate is JJ Bacarri who we will need to get in the lineup somehow.

We have quality players at every position:  3B McGlauflin/Paterson/Bacarri, SS/2B - Swain/Mapes/Thornton/Bedard/Haug, 1B - DeAngelis/Garber, C - Eckhardt/Green/Lawyer.

B2R - Who are some of the new guys looking at serious playing time in 2012?

DL - Swain, Durant, Pomatto, Abernathy, Jace Anderson...more are possible.

B2R - Thank you for time, Coach.

DL - Thanks Bob.

Go Cats!!

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Veteran Profile - #29 - Chase Anderson

Veteran Profile - #29 - Chase Anderson
Position - Pitcher
Bats - Right
Throws - Left
Height - 6'3"
Class at NWMSU - Junior
Hometown - Des Moines, Iowa
High School - Hoover
Major at NWMSU - Mathmatics Education
2011 Statistics -
ERA - 4.90
W/L - 3/5
APP - 14
GS - 11
CG - 3
IP - 60.2
H - 72
ER - 33
BB - 18
K - 29
2B - 14
3B - 5
HR - 4
HBP - 1

COMMENTS - Chase is a great kid.  A competitor.  Leader.  Chase's competitive drive has taken him from missing the travel squad early in the 2010 season to pitching the 1st game of the MIAA post-season tournament.  He was your 2011 NWMSU Pitcher of the Year and he is only a junior.  If Chris Green is healthy, Chase is your Saturday Game 1 starter.  If Chris can't go, then Chase is your Friday starter.  Chase will need to step-up in 2012 and try to pitch into the 8th inning until the bullpen can prove it can handle the 8th and 9th without Jayson Huett.  If anybody can do it, its Chase.  He's got a little wise @$$ in him, too.  He's a perfect mix of (1) hate-to-lose drive, (2) wise @$$, (3) talent, and (4) confidence that I feel you need in a weekend starter in the MIAA.  You can tell he gets along well with his teammates but he'll call out drama when needed.  I've seen his Dad attend a ton of games and you can tell where he gets his work ethic and zeal for life.  I am looking for great things from Chaser on the diamond and in life.

Go Cats!!

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Veteran Profile - #28 - Carson Smith

Veteran Profile - #28 - Carson Smith
Position - P/IF
Bats - Right
Throws - Right
Height - 6'1"
Class at NWMSU - Freshman
Hometown - Kimballton, Iowa (Elk Horn Kimballton High School)
2011 - None (Redshirt)
Comments - There are no 2011 stats for Carson.  I suppose its due to a redshirt as Carson is in his 2nd year with Northwest and listed as a Freshman eligibility wise.  If off-season work-outs are an indication of future success, look for big things out of Carson in 2012.  The times I saw him in fall practice he was leaner and meaner than last spring.  He hit work-outs hard during the fall and even worked out during the scrimmages he did not pitch.  One particular practice I remember, Carson was going to work abs between scrimmages and hit up a couple of guys to see if they wanted to go along.  The others said no.  If the kid has got the work ethic to go above and beyond what others do than he's the kind of kid I want playing for Northwest.  I think pitching is wide-open heading into spring practice so count me as one that hopes Carson gets a shot and can take advantage of it.  Bearcat Nation, write down #28 Carson Smith as a kid to root for and follow in 2012.

Go Cats!!

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