HI NOTES: MLB and NCAA; Tigers and Bears (and Horns)

Andreas Plackis
mutigers.com photo

MLB & NCAA

♦ NCAA, MLB in talks for partnership to help college baseball (cbssports.com)

The NCAA and Major League Baseball are in active discussions to develop a broad partnership that could result in a boom to the game at the collegiate level, according to a report obtained by CBSSports.com.

The partnership is aimed at expanding the importance of college baseball and is expected to result a significant investment by MLB that could include funding scholarships across the sport. The NCAA Board of Directors was briefed on the matter last week at their annual meeting.
. . .
Other talks have centered on adjusting the timing of the College World Series and the MLB draft to line up better and the possibility that college switches to wood bats throughout the sport.

♦ And a discussion about the proposals at Rivals.com:

MLB has had a free ride long enough. When we talked about this last year I took alot of grief for mentioning college programs as another MLB farm system. It's the same way with football and basketball. The NCAA looks at it as a profit center that hasn't been tapped and I'm sure they're looking at it in all sports they can profit from. They (MLB & NCAA) don't do much "out of the kindness of their heart", this won't be any different. It can't help take college baseball to another level and it needs it. And sure they will screw things up somewhat, but that can't be helped when these large self interests start to change things. Something crazy like wood bats may make an appearance sooner than later.

TIGERS

♦ Mizzou ROARS Rookie of the Year:  Rob Zastryzny (Mizzou Network Video)

♦ Missouri baseball player prepares to move on to medical school (Columbia Missourian)

When he was 14, Plackis asked his mother if he could begin formal baseball training. Wiederholt, who was retired and had been a single mother, wanted to make sure it would be a sound financial commitment.

She had Plackis take a psychological test called the Athletic Desire Index to make sure that he was mentally committed and qualified enough to excel in the sport.

"He scored, like, off the charts on this test, in emotional toughness and commitment and mental toughness," Wiederholt said. "(The psychologist) said, 'These are very unusual scores for a 14 year old.'"
. . .
As he was learning to handle the stress of his competing commitments, Plackis turned to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. During his freshman year, former Missouri pitcher Kyle Gibson took him under his wing and helped him adjust to the life of a student-athlete.

As a senior, Plackis has become a leader in the organization, taking on the role of a mentor. Every week, he meets with Case Munson and Jake Ivory, two freshmen on the baseball team, and they go through a spiritual book they received from a speaker earlier in the year.

BEARS

♦ Soft-spoken Medrano gets it done for MSU (Springfield News-Leader)

After flying under the radar most of the season, Medrano suddenly sits atop all Bears hitters with a .324 average. He’s 12-for-24 with 7 RBIs over the last five games, lending further optimism to a team chasing NCAA dreams.

“He’s not real flashy,” said coach Keith Guttin,”but he gets his hits and always has. He’s doing it again.”
. . .
Perhaps overlooked in all his offensive accomplishments is Medrano’s glove. He has only two errors and a .990 fielding percentage in 202 chances.

The Bears, a solid No. 36 in the Ratings Percentage Index, take a four-game winning streak to Missouri. The teams played an 11-inning game two weeks ago at Hammons Field, won by the Tigers 4-3.

Jake Powers (2-1) is scheduled to start for MSU against Brett Graves (4-5). Missouri won two of three in a weekend series from No. 22 Texas and is sixth in the Big 12.

LONGHORNS

Random photo inserted here
for no particular reason

♦ MU fans who witnessed the pre-emptive removal of this past Sunday's scheduled Texas [pitcher will find this interesting: Longhorn Pitcher Dismissed From Team (Austin American Statesman)

Ricky Jacquez, a freshman pitcher for the Longhorns, has been dismissed from the team for his second violation of an undisclosed team policy.

The ruling was made by coach Augie Garrido and the UT athletics department, according to a team spokesman.

Jacquez, 2-1 with a 5.79 ERA, missed his scheduled start at Missouri Sunday, leaving the mound after warming up before the bottom of the first inning.

He also missed a series against Kansas April 20-22 for a violation of team policy.