188 Days Until Mizzou Baseball vs. Vandy Baseball

April 12-14 @ Vanderbilt

Tentative 2013 Mizzou Baseball Schedule

Vanderbilt's Hawkins Field

2013 Schedule Update

We've been piecing together the 2013 schedule from various bits of information picked up along the way.  At this point we know of 45 games of the expected 56 game schedule (although some of those early season weekends could turn out to be 4-game series rather than 3).

♦ In case you care, Kansas released their 2013 Baseball schedule this week.  And no, Missouri is not on the calendar.

♦ Missouri State has released their 2013 Schedule.   It shows the Tigers going to Springfield for a game on Tuesday, April 9th for a 6:30 game, and the a return trip for the Bears to Columbia on Wednesday, April 17th for a 6PM game at Taylor Stadium.

♦ Southeast Missouri State's schedule includes a Tuesday, April 30th visit to Columbia to play the Tigers.

♦ The Columbia Tribune reported MU baseball to play series at Southern Miss. Tex and Hunter mentioned on the air toward the end of the 2012 season that MU's opening series in 2013 will be in the middle of SEC country at Southern Mississippi, a pretty good Conference USA team (32-24 in 2012)

♦ SEC Schedule: The SEC released their 2013 Baseball Schedule a couple of months ago (unlike the Big 12, which has always kept such information tightly held)

♦ Mention has been made this past season that both the San Francisco series and the Memphis series are home-and-away agreements that will bring USF to CoMo for a weekend in 2013 and send Missouri to Memphis for an away weekend series in 2013.  Memphis has released their official 2013 schedule, which verifies the February 22-24date of Mizzou's series with Memphis as we previously posted on the schedule below, and San Francisco also has posted their schedule, confirming the March 8-10 series we had previously posted.

♦ Because of the length of the SEC schedule, there will only be 4 weekend non-conference series at the beginning of the season. Since MU usually plays on the road until March, we can expect only 2 home series prior to the beginning of SEC play.

♦ A follower of SimmonsField.com reminded me that Tex said the home opener will be March 1st against Northwestern.  That fills in the last question mark for the weekend series schedule.

♦ 2013 tentative schedule:

2/15-2/17 - @ Southern Mississippi
2/22-2/24 - @ Memphis
3/1/-3/3 - Northwestern
3/8-3/10 - San Francisco
3/15-3/17 South Carolina at Missouri
3/22-3/24 Missouri at Tennessee
3/29-3/31 LSU at Missouri
4/5-4/7 Missouri at Georgia
4/9 Missouri at Missouri State
4/12-4/14 Missouri at Vanderbilt
4/17 Missouri State at Missouri
4/19-4/21 Florida at Missouri
4/26-4/28 Auburn at Missouri
4/30 Southeast Missouri at Missouri
5/3-5/5 Missouri at Texas A&M
5/10-5/12 Missouri at Alabama
5/16-5/18 Kentucky at Missouri 

5/21-5/26 SEC Tournament

MU in the Majors: Post-Season Again for Ian, Max

Ian Kinsler and the Texas Rangers are headed to the playoffs

♦ The strange case of Ian Kinsler’s home vs. road batting statistics (Dallas News)

Once again, Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler threatens to finish among the bottom 10 in the AL in both road batting average and road on-base percentage.

This is no longer a trend. It’s a career-long issue.
. . .
While the Rangers haven’t figured out why Kinsler struggles on the road during the regular season, they do know how to get him out of it. Simply schedule a road playoff game.

Kinsler has played 17 road games in the postseason. He has hit safely in 16 of them, including the last 13. He is a career. 373 hitter on the road in the postseason with a .447 OBP. He ranks in the top 10 in both categories all-time among players with at least 50 road postseason at-bats.

♦ Now's the time for Rangers to wipe slate clean (mlb.com)

"Baseball is a weird game," second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "We've played 162. We'll get ready for one game and try to win it."

The Rangers led the AL West by 13 games on June 30, but couldn't hold on. They enter the Wild Card game having lost nine of 13, including three in a row to the A's this week.

"It is what it is," outfielder Josh Hamilton added. "We can't do anything about it. It's about what we do in the next game."

For long stretches of this season, the Rangers looked like the best team in all of baseball. Way back in April, they had a deep rotation and 100-mph relievers lined up. Back then, Hamilton looked like the guy who might win a Triple Crown.

Stuff started to happen. Relievers began to get hurt, and then starters. They signed Roy Oswalt and traded for Ryan Dempster. Hamilton went into a two-month slump. Young stopped hitting for a time. Kinsler had a terrible time hitting on the road.

Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers have battled
their way into the playoffs

♦ Tigers' Max Scherzer won't start Wednesday after twisting ankle during celebration (Detroit Free Press)

Manager Jim Leyland explained to reporters this afternoon why Max Scherzer won’t start Wednesday night’s season finale:

“During the on-field celebration last night, Max Scherzer suffered a slightly twisted (right) ankle and will not pitch tomorrow night.”

Leyland then took questions.

Is this day-to-day?

“I think so. This is a slightly twisted ankle. It doesn’t appear to be serious-serious. But it is obviously serious enough that he won’t pitch tomorrow.”

♦ Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer back, ready for playoffs (Detroit News)

Despite the shoulder and ankle problems which bothered him recently, Max Scherzer not only felt good enough to start the Tigers' final game of the regular season on Wednesday night, but didn't allow a run.

The Tigers beat the Royals 1-0 to end up 88-74 for the season, winning the American League Central by three games over the White Sox.

"I had the option of throwing a simulated game," Scherzer said, "but you just can't simulate game speed that way. I wanted to come out and pitch, and I thought I threw the ball really well.

"My arm fatigued at 75 pitches, because I hadn't started in a while, but this set me up pretty well for the playoffs."

Aaron Crow and the Royals will be watching
the post-season on TV just like the rest of us

♦ Royals set franchise mark for total strikeouts (mlb.com)

When Royals reliever Jeremy Jeffress fanned Cleveland's Brent Lillibridge in the eighth inning of Sunday's game, he gave the pitching staff quite the distinction.

It was the 1,154th strikeout of the season by the Royals' staff, a new club record. The 2009 Royals held the previous mark with 1,153 K's.

"Cool," said reliever Aaron Crow, who's contributed 65 punchouts to the club's season total.

The Royals' bullpen has been a main contributor to the record. The relief corps has been on a strikeout kick all season, and their collective total of 526 led all American League bullpens entering play on Monday.

SxSE: Auburn Tigers Baseball, 1933-2012

Auburn was once a solid NCAA Regional team, expected to reach the Regionals most years, and occasionally made it farther. But now they would have to be considered a Conference Tournament team at best.  Auburn's average W-L record over the past 10 seasons has been 32-26.

The Auburn Tigers began playing baseball in 1933.

Auburn had 11 different head coaches in the 30 years from from 1933 through 1962, resulting in very little success.

Paul Nix was hired in 1963 and took the Tigers to their first NCAA Regional that season, as well as three more times in his 22 years through 1984. He took Auburn to the College World Series twice, in 1967 and 1976.

Hal Baird coached from 1985 through 2000, taking the Tigers to 9 NCAA Regionals and 2 College World Series (1994 and 1997).

From 2001 to 2004, Steve Renfroe coached the Tigers, reaching the Regionals three times.

Tom Slater took over from 2005 to 2008, reaching the Regionals just once.

John Pawlowski, the current coach, has not had much more success, reaching the Regionals in only one of his four seasons at the helm (2010).

In the 13 yeas from 1993 through 2005, the Auburn Tigers were in the NCAA Regionals 11 times, hosted 3 times, and made the College World Series twice.

In the 7 seasons from 2006 through 2012, Auburn was in only one Regional, which they hosted in 2010.

Notable Auburn Ballplayers

• Bo Jackson
• Terry Leach
• Joe Beckwith
• Gregg Olson
• Frank Thomas
• Tim Hudson
• Mark Bellhorn

2012 Auburn Baseball

The 2012 Auburn Tigers posted a 31-28 overall record, 12-17 in the SEC.  They played in the SEC Tournament but did not make it to the NCAA Regionals.

♦ Alabama, Auburn baseball endure droughts during SEC golden age (al.com, 5/22/12)

From 1988 to 1999 . . . Auburn got to the CWS twice and was fifth in the SEC for NCAA postseason wins. In the subsequent 12 years without ... reaching Omaha, Alabama tied for eighth in the SEC for NCAA Tournament wins and Auburn ranked 11th.
. . .
Consider this: In 2010, LSU spent $7.4 million on baseball and produced $9.2 million in revenue. Alabama and Auburn baseball combined for $4.5 million on costs and $762,726 in revenue in 2010.
. . .
Unlike football and basketball, baseball relies on partial scholarships because the NCAA maximum is 11.7 per team. The more a coach can stretch out that athletic aid by using other resources, the better off he is.

Most SEC teams other than Auburn and Alabama benefit from state-funded academic scholarships. Many are paid for by a lottery, which Alabama and Mississippi don't have. States with lottery money can offer in-state players who qualify for academic aid a better financial deal than Alabama and Auburn and save the 11.7 for out-of-state players.

"It's a huge advantage," Auburn coach John Pawlowski said. "When your scholarship dollars can be stretched and you have other resources to use, it makes an unbelievable difference."

Many SEC schools, including Mississippi State, also use out-of-state waivers, former Alabama coach Jim Wells said. These schools allow out-of-state students who meet academic criteria to be charged the cheaper in-state rate.

Pawlowski declined to say if Auburn waives out-of-state tuition.

2013 Mizzou Recruits

Our unofficial list of Mizzou's verbal commitments for Fall 2013 (with links to recruit write-ups on SimmonsField.com).

♦ Cole Barrett, RHP/SS (Hagerstown HS, IN)

♦ Jordan Getzelman, OF (Prairie Ridge HS, IL)

♦ Ryan Howard, SS/RHP (Francis Howell Central HS, StL)

♦ Jake Ring, CF/LHP (Grant HS, Fox Lake, IL)

♦ Jack Klages, C (Vianney HS, StL)

If you have information about additional Mizzou recruits, drop me a line at simmonsfield@hotmail.com

For more links and news on MU Recruiting and Recruits, click HERE

Jack Klages

Recruiting Pipeline: Missouri Preps

♦ Trends in Missouri High School Baseball - Part 1, Tony Perkins from Francis Howell (Prep Baseball Report)

I think Missouri is getting recruited nationally. The success of Midwest guys has greatly improved with people like Buerhle, Scherzer, Detwiler, and Layne all pitching in the big leagues this year. I think kids are seeing that Missouri kids can make it and do a better job of taking care of their bodies and keeping themselves in shape. The training and coaching aspect is probably better than it was 20 years ago.

More at Prep Baseball Report

College Baseball: Another One Bites the Dust?

♦ Towson athletic department recommends cutting baseball and men's soccer (Baltimore Sun)

Despite receiving its biggest single payday in the history of the athletic program last week, Towson University might not be able to avoid the financial reality that has impacted many larger schools in recent years.

Three days after taking home a check for $510,000 from its nationally televised football game at LSU on Saturday, Towson announced Tuesday that it was recommending cutting the school’s baseball and men’s soccer as part of the athletic program’s reorganization.
. . .
According to the recommendation forwarded by Waddell to to the school’s president, these changes would save about $800,000 – about the same amount the Tigers recently received for football road trips to LSU and Kent State.

♦ Towson University Athletics Task Force Report (Towson.edu)

After a great deal of discussion and examination by Mr. Waddell and his senior leadership team, the report recommends the reinstatement of the men’s tennis program, the discontinuation of the university’s NCAA Division I sponsorship of the men’s soccer and baseball programs, and the roster expansions for select women’s teams. No other teams were recommended for discontinuation or reinstatement.

SxSE: Coach John Pawlowski's Auburn Tigers

♦ Recruiting footprint:  Based on recent rosters, Pawlowski tends to recruit from Alabama, Georgia, California and Texas.

♦ Time running out for Tigers baseball coach (Auburn Plainsman)

Looking at the numbers, the Tiger’s record doesn’t add up.

The Tigers boasted the highest batting average (.304) as well as the highest on base percentage (.386) in the SEC. Runners were getting on.

The problem does not come from moving them around the base paths either. The Tigers racked up a whopping 113 stolen bases and led the SEC in sac bunts and flies. Runners were getting over.

The offense capitalized on this production by bringing in 351 runs, ranked third in the SEC. Runners were getting in.

The defense’s numbers were the polar opposite. A SEC third-worst era of 3.92 was put up from the pitching staff. Accompanied with the SEC’s worst field percentage, Auburn struggled to hold opponents from crossing the plate.

Put that group of stats together, the Tigers only had a win percentage more than .500 when they scored seven runs or more, and allowed four runs or less.

Those who attended practice every day are the only ones who know the truth, but it seems as if fundamentals were not a priority for this baseball team.

Read more: The Auburn Plainsman - Time running out for Tigers baseball coach

♦ John Pawlowski Named Head Baseball Coach At Auburn (auburntigers.com, June 20, 2008)

Pawlowski posted a 338-192-1 record during his tenure at College of Charleston, including a 180-67 record from 2004-07, the most wins in school and Southern Conference history for a four-year span.

Under his direction, Pawloswki led the Cougars to three-consecutive NCAA Regional appearances from 2004-06, while winning Southern Conference regular season titles in 2004 and 2005. His 2004 squad set a then-school record with 47 wins and bettered that mark in 2005 with 48 victories. The 2004 conference title and NCAA appearance were both firsts in the program's history.
. . .
"Our goals are going to be more than just winning championships; winning the SEC championship and going to Omaha (site of the College World Series), which Auburn has been to four times. Our goals are going to be to recruit quality student-athletes, both on and off the field.

"Our teams are going to be blue-collared and hard-nosed. We are going to have tough kids that play hard until the final out. They are going to go to class and they are going to get an Auburn education, which is going to go far and beyond the playing field."

"One of the things that I like about playing in this conference is that when you suit up to play on a conference weekend, it's like suiting up to play the New York Yankees. You better bring your `A' game every weekend, you better be ready to play, you better be blue collar and you be ready to do the things you need to do to win. It is great competition. The SEC is in my mind the toughest conference in the country, and I have been around to several different conferences. There is not a weekend where you can't bring your `A' game."

♦ Was John Pawlowski the Right Choice? (auppl.blogspot.com, 5/10/2009)

The Recruiter/Developer It bears repeating, but this fact should never be overlooked by Auburn fans:

While an assistant at Clemson, Pawlowski's staff led the country in earned run average in 1996 with a staff that featured the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks in the MLB draft that year in Kris Benson and Billy Koch. In his five years at Clemson, the Tigers had 15 pitchers drafted, while the recruiting classes ranked in the top 10 nationally each year.

1996 would be CJP’s third year at Clemson. His third as recruiting coordinator and pitching coach. With players he was able to recruit, or was able to finally mold and coach to his skill level. 1996 is the first year I would start judging the talent that CJP was able to bring in. 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000. That’s the years you should look at and just see the talent that CJP was able to bring to Clemson. From 1996 to 2000; Clemson had 20 players drafted. 13 of whom were pitchers. He’s also responsible for one of the best drafted duos to be drafted:

Kris Benson and Billy Koch from Clemson University were selected first and fourth overall in the 1996 draft, marking the first time since 1978 and only the second time in history that two players from the same school were drafted in the top four selections. Benson - Baseball America's College Player of the Year and a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team - was chosen by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who made just their second number one pick ever, and Koch was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays.

It didn’t stop at Clemson either. In his 8 years at the College of Charleston, Pawlowski had 22 players drafted (13 Pitchers). Previously, CofC only had 3 players EVER drafted. 3 Players EVER to 22 over an 8 year era. It should also be noted that it wasn’t until 2003 (again, that would be CJP’s 3rd year at his school) that these players began to be drafted.
. . .

♦ 2009 Auburn Season Preview (collegebaseballdaily.com)

“I think we are going to have to be a team that will create and manufacture runs. We will not be able to just sit there and hit the ball out of the ballpark. As much as we would like that to be our style and our plan, this league is so tough and we are going to have to get guys on and move them over. The biggest thing offensively is we are going to have to understand what the role is. I tell guys all the time, our offense is based on leaving your ego at the bat rack, going to the plate and doing whatever you can to move guys up, move guys over and get guys in and we are going to have to be a very unselfish offensive club,” Pawlowski said.

Who's On First: Southern Gents

It may surprise some fans to learn that less than half the players on the 2012 Fall Roster are from the state of Missouri.  Over the next few weeks we're going to take a look at that roster and hopefully get to know some new names and faces and reacquaint ourselves with the returning Tigers.

Beginning with the six Tigers who were recruited from the heart of Dixie and SEC country.

Mike McGraw, right

♦ Junior INF Michael McGraw, Newnan, Georgia (by way of Bossier Parrish Commuity College in Bossier City, LA)

• Mike McGraw played in 22 games for Mizzou in 2012, his first season as a Tiger.  His season was cut short by a hand injury, just as he was starting to get his offense going.
• McGraw's summer ball plans were also cut short due to continued aggravation to the earlier injury.  The summer layoff seems to have done the trick, since McGraw has been participating in Fall practices
• 2012 stats: .306 BA (22-for-72), 8 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBI
• There was talk toward the end of the 2012 season about moving McGraw to third base.  He has also been seen taking some innings at shortstop in early practice games. 

Kendal Keeton

♦ Junior INF Kendal Keeton, Columbia, Tennessee (by way of Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN)

• 6'0", 190 lb, R/R; played second base in JuCo
• 2012 Stats: .373 BA (93-for-249), 64 R, 29 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 11/15 SB
• 20 Questions with Kendal Keeton (ws.edu):  Q: What do you feel like is the most exciting part of your sport?  A: Stealing bases

Andrew Hohn

♦ Junior LHP Andrew Hohn, North Little Rock, Arkansas (by way of Arkansas-Little Rock University)

• 5'10", 160 lb, L/L
• 2012 Stats: 1-3, 7.48 ERA, 1 Save, 27.2 IP, 38 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 19 BB, 13 SO, 3 HR
• 2011 Stats: 2-1, .411, 2 Saves, 35 IP, 31 H, 22 R, 16 ER, 20 BB, 23 SO, 2 HR
• Summer 2012 Stats; Brazos City Bombers: 1-1, 1.01 ERA, 17.2 IP, 13 G, 21 SO, 9 BB, 13 H

Dylan Kelly

♦ Junior C Dylan Kelly, Roswell, Georgia (by way of Middle Georgia community College in Cochran, GA)

• 6'0", 200 lb, L/R
• 2012 JuCo Stats: .283 (54-for-191), 27 R, 14 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, .387 SLG, .347 OBP, 14 BB, 7 HBP, 20 SO, 0/2 SB
• 2011 JuCo Stats: .429 (54-for-126), 33 RBI, 22 R, 12 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR

Logan Pearson

♦ Sophomore OF Logan Pearson, Bentonville, Arkansas (by way of Crowder Junior College in Neosho, MO)

• 5'11", 185 lb, L/R
• 2012 Stats: .313 BA, 217 AB,47 R, 41 RBI, 68 H, 19 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 34 BB, 2 HBP, 2 SF, .408 OBP, 14/18 SB
• 2011 Stats: .459 BA, 61 G, 62B, 6 3B, 7 HR, 36 R, 36 RBI
• Q&A with Logan Pearson (The High School Show) 
• Pearson played summer ball with the Sedalia Bombers of the MINK League, along with current Missouri Tigers John Miles, Brandon Platts, Brett Thomas, and former Tiger Brian Carr

Josh Lester

♦ Freshman INF Josh Lester, Columbus, Georgia

• 2012 Regular Season Stats:  .314 (32-of-102), 2 HR, 6 2B, 26 RBI
• 6'2", 190 lb, R/R
• Josh Lester was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 30th round in June.
• Lester was part of the 2006 Little World Series champion team from Columbus, GA
• 2012 Indians 30th round pick: SS Josh Lester (Indians Prospect Insider)
• "Josh Lester is a big middle infielder from Georgia . . . He has grown four inches over the course of high school, which means that if he keeps growing his future might be at third base. He is committed to the University of Missouri. He dealt with injuries this year which hurt his draft stock, but before the injuries he had added 15-20 pounds to his frame in the hope of adding more power."