HI NOTES: Super Recruits & The Outlier

FIRST PITCH

Don't forget: the annual First Pitch Celebration is this Saturday evening. It's worth checking out, if only to get a first live look at the new baseball uniforms. There's also a buffet, an intro to the team by Coach Jamieson, plenty of time to mingle and talk to players, former players, their families, the coaches, and fellow fans.

Oh, and some guy named Andy Benes is the featured speaker.

Details HERE

RECRUITING

♦ Prep Baseball Report talks about some Mizzou recruits in the coverage of the recent Super 60 showcase:

Jake Ring: Ring ran a 6.64 60 at the Super 60, and has been as low as 6.60 at a previous PBR event. More importantly, his speed translates in the field...Offensively, he has a lead-off hitter approach – simple, quiet, line-drive swing. He has extremely quick hands at the plate...

Jordan Getzelman: He creates loft and carry; couple that with high-level bat speed and natural strength, and you have the makings of a true power hitter at the next level....

Ryan Howard: He particularly impressed on his backhand deep in the hole. Offensively, continued to open eyes with a balanced and aggressive plate approach, highlighted by quiet swing mechanics and advanced bat speed...

PRESEASON SEASON

♦ Most everybody has beenpicking the Tigers to finish 6th in the SEC East, ahead of Tennessee.  But not Baseball America: 2013 Southeastern Conference Preview. Freshman Alec Rash is listed as one of ten Top Newcomers in the SEC this season, but apparently he'll be playing for the last place team.

Missouri and Texas A&M join the Southeastern Conference for baseball, and the Tigers decided to make the jump with junior-college players, penciling in four in their everyday lineup and another at closer. They are hoping 6-foot-5, 228-pound Sr. RHP Eric Anderson can bounce back from a pair of arm surgeries to contribute a veteran presence; he had shoulder surgery in 2010 that sidelined him for half of 2011, then had Tommy John surgery in May 2012...

♦ College Baseball Daily also comes out with their Conference Preview: SEC East, which slots Mizzou at the usual 6th in the East, but does it with a little more accurate and up-to-date information about the team than most of the national previews. Maybe because one of their stringers happens to be a Mizzou Student, who also works in the Athletic Department.

Ace Rob Zastryzny looks to be on the cusp of first-round draft status, and Eric Anderson has recovered nicely from Tommy John surgery in May. Logan Pearson and Keaton Steele are players to watch for offensively for the Tigers, as both newcomers have high upside and will get a shot to show what they’re made of...

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE


Ole Miss Baseball 2013 Promotional #2 from Ole Miss Rebels on Vimeo.

Southern Exposure: Southern Snow & Squirrels

♦ Simmons Field is not the only SEC ballpark covered with snow:

Dudy Noble Field on a snowy day. "Still the best place to watch college baseball" -Sports illustrated #hailstate twitter.com/MSU_Baseball/s…
— MSU Baseball (@MSU_Baseball) January 17, 2013

Raise your hand if you watched a baseball game at Dudy-Noble while it was snowing. I did in 1988 (one of many).
— Miss State Baseball (@MsStateBaseball) January 17, 2013

♦LSU is the next in the series: Getting to Know SEC Baseball: LSU (mutigers.com)

♦ Great quote from Ole Miss Coach Mike Bianco:

Great quote for recruiters-“If your company mission is to climb a tree, which would you rather do: Hire a squirrel or train a horse?”
— Coach Mike Bianco (@CoachMikeBianco) January 17, 2013

Southern Exposure: Kerrick Jackson on SEC Recruting; Box Top; Horses>Cups ...

♦ Mizzou Enters the World of SEC Baseball (Prep Baseball Report)

... In terms of recruiting kids, “Based on need, our goal is to get the best players out of the state of Missouri year in and year out and as we move forward to get the best players from the Midwest,” said Jackson. “We also look at the mental toughness part, getting kids who are tough, hard nosed players. Maybe all of the players we get will not be high profile guys, may not be the No. 1 or No. 2 ranked players, we want to get players who play the game the right way and understand the failure aspect and play through that.”...

BE sure to click and read the whole story HERE

LSU's Alex Box Stadium
Photo by Shoshana flickr.com

♦ Word on the Tweet from @LSUBaseballProb

Alex Box Stadium is ranked no. 70 among Top 101 Stadium Experiences in the U.S....ranked ahead of 5 MLB Stadiums on the same list #whoa

The List (prlog.org)

♦ Check out the videos and updates on Vanderbilt's annual Omaha Challenge at vucommodores.com

Vanderbilt returned to classes on Monday, January 7 and the Commodores wasted little time in getting back to business beginning the team's annual Omaha Challenge on Wednesday afternoon.

The competition opened with a creative new team event in the Bar Carry. Each of the four teams were given two weight bars (40 lbs. each) and had to transport eight teammates forty yards down the field and back before the next teammate could be toted down the field. Essentially, a human relay race. Strategy and weight definitely came in to play as Team Lupo took home the title.

Day 1   Day 2   Day 3

♦ 2013 Gators Preview - Part 1: New Identity (Gator Country)

In the past few seasons, “Sully” sent several batters up to the plate who could change a game with one swing. While this season’s club has a few who can club it, the make-up of the squad will be much different offensively.

“Every year your offensive philosophy changes to the personnel you have,” O’Sullivan said. “This year’s personality is different from last year’s because the personnel is different. For us to try to run a lot last year, that was not the strength of our team.

“This year, it could be and it should be for us to be successful.”
Of the 75 home runs hit last season, 61 were hit by players that are no longer with the team. Of the 360 RBI, 245 were hit by former players. That accounts for 81.3 percent of the homers and 68 percent of the RBI from a year ago...

♦ Kentucky's answer to the Ole Miss Red Solo Cup Races:

We see you @olemissbaseball. This is what we are working with. #HorsesStompOnCups #UKbaseball @darrenrovell twitter.com/UKBaseball/sta…

— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) January 16, 2013

♦ The new Ole Miss video promo is big on glower-power:

x

Southern Exposure: Getting To Know U's

♦ Baseball's SID Shawn Davis (or more precisely, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications - Media) has started a series of short introductions to Mizzou's 2013 SEC opponents, including weird facts, Word on the Tweet, and other miscellany.  He started with MU's first opponent: Getting to Know SEC Baseball: South Carolina (mutigers.com)

Electric Gamecock
photo by Rick Stillwell

♦ Quick Thoughts From Vickash Ramjit Entering 2013 Season (gatorzone.com)

What do you think the fans at McKethan Stadium have to look forward to this season?

“They will have a lot of young faces to see; I feel they’re going to be very surprised. I think it’s going to be a mirror of the ‘10 season, when Nolan Fontana and those guys (including Cody Dent, Brian Johnson, Austin Maddox, Hudson Randall, Steven Rodriguez and Mike Zunino) came in. These guys have been in here day and night working and are so motivated. The fans are going to be excited to see these young guys. We could have a special team this year.”

♦ Auburn/MLB Jersey redesign. Great picture, interesting concept, not sure if it's for real or just for kicks. Check it out.

♦ Solo cup races at Ole Miss Baseball this season (totalfratmove.com). OK.

♦ Pretty lame 2013 Florida Baseball Commercial. But hey, it's better than the one Missouri Baseball is running.

SxSE: Ole Miss Baseball 1893-2012

Ole Miss is historically a good but underachieving program.  Currently I would rank them as an NCAA Regional program.  They can be expected to qualify for the Regionals nearly every year, but they can also be expected to usually not make it any farther.  The Rebels' average season record for the past 10 years has been 40-24.

Mississippi began playing baseball in 1893.  They were led by 14 different coaches in their first 55 years, up through 1947

Future Yankees and Mets manager Casey Stengel was the head coach at Ole Miss for one year, in 1914, and led them to a 13-9 record. It was at Ole Miss he first picked up the nickname, "The old Perfesser".

Tom Swayze was the Rebels' coach during their "glory days" from 1951-1971.  During Swayze's tenure, the Rebels won 4 SEC Championships and made it to the College World Series twice. He compiled a 361-201-2 record during his tenure.

Jake Gibbs coached the team from 1972-1990, compiling a  485-389-8 record.  The former major leaguer led the team to the College World Series in his first year on the job, the last time they've been there.

Don Kessinger, another former major leaguer, coached from 1991-2000

Mike Bianco has been coaching the Rebels since 2000.  His teams have been to the NCAA Regionals in every season except 2000 and 2011, but have not advanced from there.

Ole Miss has won 6 SEC Conference championships, in 1959, 1960, 1964, 1969, 1972, 1977, 2009.  They have been to the NCAA Tournament 17 times, and have advanced to the College World Series 4 times, 1956, 1964, 1969, 1972, but have never won the national championship.

Notable Ole Miss Ballplayers

• Stephen Head
• Zack Cozart
• Don Kessinger
• Jake Gibbs
• Jeff Calhoun
• David Dellucci
• Joe Evans
• Jeff Fassero
• Joe Gibbon
• Lance Lynn
• Gerald "Gee" Walker
• Skeeter Webb

The 2012 Ole Miss Rebels

The 2012 Rebels compiled a 37-26 record, 14-16 in the SEC.  They went to the College Station Regional, but were eliminated by TCU after going 2-2.

♦ What Dave Van Horn's Success Teaches Us About Mike Bianco's Failure (Red Cup Rebellion)

With their programs' infrastructure and support being as similar as they are, one would expect parity in Bianco and Van Horn's game day production. For the most part, there is. Remarkably so. In the ten seasons Van Horn has been in Fayetteville, he has compiled an overall record of 398-220 (.644) with a 159-139 (.534) conference mark. In that same span,** Bianco has gone 395-236 (.626) overall and 164-136 (.547) in the SEC. The pair's overall and conference winning percentages are separated by a mere 1 and 2%, respectfully. As far as postseason play goes, Van Horn has reached the NCAA tournament every year since his arrival in 2003. Bianco's squads have qualified in nine of those ten seasons. Both coaches have reached a Super Regional four times apiece.
. . .
There is, of course, the one paramount difference between the two coaches' programs; the one cardinal statistic that distinguishes and defines each man's tenure. Dave Van Horn has three College World Series appearances. Mike Bianco, as we're all painfully aware, has zero.

As I've illustrated above, both coaches are encompassed within equivalent programs that provide them with similar resources. In regular season and early stages of postseason play this has resulted in nearly identical results. In high pressure, late season situations the fates of the two teams diverge. Faced with these clutch situations, Van Horn's teams have usually played their best baseball, going 3 for 4 in Super Regionals. Bianco's teams have collapsed, going 0-4.

I realize the equation for a successful baseball team is much more complicated than the list of general factors I've explored above. The comparisons I've made are far from comprehensive or exhaustive. Luck and timing many times play as big a factor in the outcome of a game as skill and coaching prowess. A blown game-ending double play followed by two bases-loaded hit-by-pitches allowed the Razorbacks to avoid elimination in game two of the Baylor Super Regional. The Diamond Rebs have typically been on the wrong side of such breaks. The fact of the matter remains, though: for whatever reasons, Van Horn has repeatedly taken his team to Omaha and Bianco has not. Under reasonably similar circumstances, Bianco has failed where Van Horn has succeeded.

SxSE: Coach Mike Bianco's Ole Miss Rebels

♦ Recruiting footprint:  Based on recent rosters, Bianco tends to recruit from Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, California, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Texas, plus random players from TN, PA, AR, IL,and OH.

♦ Rebels’ Bianco reflects: ‘Sunday hurt a lot’ (djjournal.com, 6/15/09)

How would you assess your coaching philosophy, and has that changed through the years?

The philosophy in general is we want to score runs. Personnel changes from year to year. As a coach you try to coach to players’ talents and what they can do. There are years that we’ll hit more home runs. There are years that we’ll bunt better. This team probably hit as well with runners in scoring position and were able to put innings together better than teams that I can remember in the past. The 2006 team was very good at that. Even though we didn’t hit the home runs as we did in 2005, they were able to score more runs than the 2005 team. It just depends from year to year.

On the 2005 team, we were fortunate that we had three guys in the middle of the lineup that were older, that were having really good years. When you look at that team it was Stephen Head, Brian Pettway, Mark Wright, three guys in the middle who hit double-digit home runs and all had terrific years. Two of them were high draft picks. Then you had guys sprinkled in that hit five or six. They hit the most home runs we’ve ever hit here, but they only hit 74.

My days at LSU, we hit a lot of home runs, but so did everybody else. That was back in those years with the minus-5 and bigger barrel bats. In 1997 we hit 188 home runs, Alabama hit 150-something and Florida hit 130-something. Everybody hit more home runs back then.

Another thing, when you look at the park we play in, it’s not real conducive to home runs. We want to hit more. I’d like to hit more than we hit this year. But last year we hit the second-most that we’ve ever hit here, and nobody talked about that.
. . .

♦ A (somewhat) level-headed look at Mike Bianco, Ole Miss baseball (bleacherreport.com, 6/8/09)

Bianco’s teams are now 0-6 in home games that would send them to Omaha. Whatever approach he is taking to loosen guys up is obviously not working.

This team—with all their antics and carefree attitude—played tight yesterday, even with an early lead.

Bianco’s typical stubbornness with starting pitchers cost the Rebels yesterday as he stuck with Nathan Baker far too long.

Baker wasn’t pitching poorly, but his painfully slow delivery plus UVA’s speed on the basepaths and Kyle Henson’s “arm” was a recipe for disaster.

UVA’s starter was pulled early because he was struggling. Bianco should’ve taken the hint and pulled Baker as well.

The small ball he tried this season doesn’t work well unless the players are skilled at sacrifice bunting.

It’s tougher than looks—keeping the head of the bat up, coming back at just the right time to deaden the ball, and placing it just right—but practice makes perfect. Something needs to improve in that skill-set or the small ball just won’t work.

They say once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a trend. It’s hard to not feel that way watching another Oxford Super Regional go the way of the visitors.

Next year’s Rebels will be another top 10 quality team and will have a legitimate shot at another Super Regional. Will it finally be the year Bianco and his Rebels break through? Or will be just another disappointment for Rebel fans?

♦ A less friendly look at Mike Bianco's coaching, from a fan at RedCupRebellion.com:

Q: What do you expect to see from this baseball team, not from a record standpoint, but in style of play, etc?

astaylo1: Bianco is still the coach, So I expect us to continue to not have a clue what our style is and for it to change inning to inning. I fully expect to see us bunting after 2 walks to lead off a game and then to have Matt Snyder trying to straight steal second in the 9 th when we are down 2 runs. I expect to see us make pitchers throw 22 pitches to get a 1-2-3 inning and the next throw 6 to do the same. I expect to see pitchers get up and sit down in the bullpen no fewer than 4 times in a game. I expect us to shift our defence to play a hitter to pull and then have the catcher call a fastball on the outer half. Why do I expect these things? Because I have watched MB do them all for the last 8 years. Because, while amazing at many things, Bianca is a below average on field game day coach. I hope I am wrong and we win despite these things. Here’s to hope, and it continuing to spring eternal.

@CoachMikeBianoc on Twitter

♦ And a quick (and odd) look at Assistant Coach Cliff Godwin:

SxSE: Ole Miss

♦ Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field:

• Capacity:  Listed variably as 6,000+ to 8,500
• Reported 2011 Average Attendance:  8,156
• That average attendance is pretty amazing, considering the total population of Oxford (residents + students) is listed as around 35,000.  That means that almost one fourth of the population goes to the average ballgame.  That proportion of attendance would translate to an average attendance over 30,000 at Mizzou Baseball games.
• Named for:  Tom Swayze, former Ole Miss player and coach

♦ Why is the school known as "Ole Miss"?  According to Wikipedia (so it must be true):

The student yearbook was published for the first time in 1897. As a way to find a name for the book, a contest was held to solicit any suggestions from the student body. Elma Meek, a student at the time, submitted the winning entry of Ole Miss. This sobriquet was chosen not only for the yearbook, but also became the name by which the University is now known. Ole Miss is defined as the school's intangible spirit, which is separate from the tangible aspects of the university. Meek's source for the term is unknown. Some historians theorize she either made a simple diminutive of "Ole Mississippi" or derived it from "ol' missus", African American eye dialect for a plantation's "old mistress."

♦ Is Ole Miss inordinately pretentious?  Their school colors are officially Yale Blue and Harvard Crimson.

♦ Without a doubt, the most famous alumnus of Ole Miss has to be one Leonard "Bones" McCoy, M.D.

McCoy was attending the University of Mississippi during the mid-2240s when he met the joined Trill Emony Dax, who was visiting Earth to judge a gymnastics competition. While Jadzia did not go into detail regarding the exact nature of their relationship, much may be inferred from her statement that "he had the hands of a surgeon".

♦ The Ole Miss School Cheer:  Hotty Toddy, an understated and dignified cheer

Are you ready?

Hell yeah! Damn Right!

Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty

Who the hell are we, Hey!

Flim Flam, Bim Bam

OLE MISS BY DAMN!

♦ The rivalry betweeen Ole Miss and Mississippi State is considered by many to be the greatest rivalry between two SEC Baseball teams.

When it comes to passionate fan bases these two schools have it covered, great attendance numbers and game day atmospheres are a staple for baseball games when your in Oxford or Starkville. Just make sure you have the right colors on when visiting those two towns as they do not have a liking for the other. This is one of the most heated rivalries in the country with the first meeting taking place in 1893 against then Mississippi A&M ( now Mississippi St) since then they have put a twist a unique twist on this rivalry, every year the two play a 3 game series which counts toward their SEC records while also playing one non conference game. The non conference game starting in 1980 had the two teams play for the Mayor’s trophy, the game was held in Jackson MS. In 2007 they changed the name of the trophy to the Governor’s cup and the game is now held in Pearl MS at the Braves double A facility. Ole Miss holds the edge in the Mayor’s trophy with 14 wins to Miss St. 13, while Miss St. hold the edge in Governor’s cup game with 3 wins to Ole Miss 2. These two teams can’t even agree on the record of the all time series, Miss St states they have an all time lead of (239-195-5) while Ole Miss states it is only (231-196-5). (recruitingcycle.com)

♦ Ole Miss Tradition

The Rebels are chained to their past. The on-campus speed limit is 18 mph, because that was quarterback Archie Manning's uniform number with Ole Miss. Manning was the second player picked in the 1971 NFL draft, and sons Peyton and Eli are current NFL quarterbacks. (St. Louis Post Dispatch)

♦ The Ole Miss Mascot

For decades, the official Ole Miss mascot was Colonel Reb, a "southern gentleman" who reminded many people of a "southern plantation owner", and was thus offensive to some.  In 2010 the administration held a new mascot selection vote.

After a lengthy process of collecting suggestions (including Star Wars' Admiral Ackbar - see VIDEO), the mascot choices were narrowed to three choices:  the Rebel Land Shark, the Rebel Black Bear and Hotty Toddy.  Full descriptions and graphic representations HERE.

They of course chose the most original and "rebellious" option:  a bear

♦ To a get a feeling for the ballpark atmosphere at Ole Miss, check out Ole Miss Baseball: This Is How Revolutions Die, On Terraced Outfield Boxes (thebastardsonsofvirgilcaine.blogspot.com)

As with all Ole Miss athletic events...and perhaps life in general, the key is to attract the casual follower into a sport is to create something that is more cocktail than competition. That finally took hold during these formative years. It was the debters, ramblers and second sons of the Grove empire exiled to fight out their own space in the wilderness. Right Field at Swayze was the Australia to the Grove's Great Britain-- a rough penal colony imitation of the establishment.

Once the dingos were fought off, the Indian attacks died down and some basic supply lines were established, the pioneer women arrive. Without the pretensions and pearls of settled society, frontier women are little more rough and tumble-- and lot more practical. Gone are the cocktail dresses and heels of football weekends. Mom and Dad probably aren't in town, and Sorority initiation is long over. Baseball was all flip-flops, short shorts and the occasional bikini top. . .

♦ Students pack right field to support diamond Rebs (thedmonline.com)

When at home, students set up tents a la The Grove and bring coolers, grills and even couches to watch the Rebels play — a unique spectacle that brings students out rain or shine.

Senior marketing major Bo Rainey said he loves supporting Ole Miss from right field.

“It’s really fun,” Rainey said. “Not enough kids come out here, and more need to. It’s awesome.”

Because of the number of students that choose to sit in the spot, Ole Miss added space in right field prior to the 2007 season to accommodate a greater number of students.

♦ The Top 10 College Baseball Stadiums (recruitingcycle.com)

2. Swayze Field – Ole Miss: Hotty Toddy is the term used in Oxford and it is used often at Swayze Field. One of the best gameday atmospheres in all of college baseball provides many traditions that make it a unique place to take in a game. A capacity of 8,500 helped Ole Miss rank second in the country in attendance last year. With a left and right field terrace lined with students, Ole Miss gives fans the close- to- the- action feel they are looking for. Between each inning after warmups the Ole Miss RF throws a ball into the stands, and the students write a message on it and throw it back to him the next inning. Beer showers after walk off home runs and of course a good heckling of the opposing outfielders create a rowdy home field advantage. The amenities are first class and give fans a great place to watch a game. If you are a baseball fan and get the opportunity take a trip to Oxford, make sure to catch a game at Swayze field.

♦ Oxford-University Stadium (collegebaseballtoday.com)

When God created college baseball, he made programs both big and small. He made stadiums both big and small. All are special in their own way. All are blessed. And then God made Ole Miss’ stadium.

This has to be THE perfect college baseball environment. Located in a college town, shrouded in trees and enough room to hold 10,000 people. It’s also perfectly tucked inside a hillside, making for a perfect pitch for the fans to get good sight lines. And there is plenty of shade to be found on hot days, even if you just have to duck into the trees for a few minutes.

♦ A look at the atmosphere of an Ole Miss Baseball game (youtube.com):

SxSE: Oxford, Mississippi

The University of Mississippi is almost never called that.  They insist on being referred to as Ole Miss.  The home of the Rebels is located in what has to be one of the two most high-falutin' named towns in the SEC:  Oxford.

♦ Oxford is the 4th closest SEC town to Columbia, 477 miles away (352 air miles).  Ole Miss is in the SEC West Division.

♦ Fun facts about Oxford, MS:

• Oxford is even smaller than it's Mississippi rival college town of Starkville.  Oxford's 2010 population is listed as 18,916.  The student population runs greater than 16,000.
  
  
• The town was built on land  "ceded " by the Chickasaw in an 1832 treaty.  The founders named it Oxford in hopes of establishing a center of learning.
  
  
• In 1861 the entire student body of Ole Miss left school to join the Confederate Army

Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Distinguished future Ole Miss alum

♦ There are 2 Chik-fil-a locations in Oxford

♦ Oxpatch (GCS Prank is Here)

Every character needs a stage. For GCSPrank, that stage was a tiny village, wrapped in its myth of literary and historical pedigree. Dropped amidst the emptiness of northern Mississippi, Oxford was irreverently and accurately called Oxpatch, a moniker that framed its attitude and size quite well.
. . .
From oddness to odd comfort to odd distaste, Oxford mutated in my mind. A blanket in the dark, an aquarium during the day; playground in the summer and prison in the winter. I was unimpressed at first sight and unsentimental at the last. Oxford holds its own place in my mind, a curiosity that no longer inspires the need for examination, collecting dust on a mental shelf tucked deep.

♦ Mississippi was the jumping off place for many well known writers, including William Faulker, John Grisham, Willie Morris, Larry Hannah and Larry Brown.  Oxford hosts the annual Oxford Conference for the Book in March, which attracts leading authors from around the world.

♦ The people of Oxford seem to make an inordinately big deal about the fact that they call their town square "The Square".  Which is pretty much what every town calls their square.  It is the center of commercial activity in the town.

♦ Some places to visit before you leave the Ol' 'Oxpatch' (thedmonline.com)

Shots on Faulkner’s Grave.

Pretty self-explanatory.

The rule is go to Faulkner’s grave and pour a shot in a shot glass and toast to good ol’ Faulkner and leave. I don’t know where exactly it originated from but it’s a fun thing to do on a Friday or Saturday.

But warning - now that this article is out, have a DD. I am sure the cops will be looking out for this.

♦ Residents of Oxford and fans of Ole Miss have been accused of having an elitist attitude, comparing themselves to other SEC towns and schools. A few quotes gleaned from the interwebs:

"Ole Miss; Harvard of the South"

"Ole Miss; Where we redshirt Miss Americas"

"Culture versus Agriculture"

"We drive BMW's / You drive tractors"

"We wear polo's / You wear camo"