[Ed: These games are at home, and while tonight's promises to be chilly the weekend day games should be beautiful spring weather in the 60s. If you're around, I suggest going.]

It's been a long time since Michigan has faced off with Purdue in Ann Arbor. With the Boilermakers being the team rotated off the schedule the last two years, they haven't been to Ray Fisher since the 2007 season. The two teams have faced off three times since that series, twice in Ann Arbor for the 2008 Big Ten Tournament, Michigan winning both games, and once as a side game in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge of 2009, Michigan winning 4-3 in 10 innings.

This year's matchup is a bit less intense than the Big Ten Tournament, but it's not without it's own importance as Purdue can be dangerous if their starting pitching (as mentioned in yesterday's Q&A) can get in a groove against our aggressive hitters.

Match ups, concerns and more after the jump…

Key Matchup

If there is one thing I'm worried about this weekend, it's seeing Purdue starting pitchers make it to the 7th inning or deeper. Nothing against Michigan batters, but the team has a very aggressive attitude at the plate. That could play into the hands of Purdue's strong starting pitching. Bischoff seems like he's been the ace of the Boilermakers for years now, and he's about as talented as they come. He's struck out 35 in as many innings. The other pitcher that can cause problems is the Sunday starter Matt Morgan. He's also a strikeout pitcher with 38 Ks in 39 innings pitched. More on him in the history section.

Pitchers with good strikeout numbers have given Michigan fits over the last season and a half. We were lucky to overcome it against Indiana with a big inning to get us back into the Friday game. While I'm feeling good about our chances of potentially doing the same against Purdue's weak defense, you can't count on that.

We Have History

While Michigan hasn't played the Boilermakers much, several players have accumulated stats against them over the course of the last 3 seasons. A look, in order of appearance:

Solid results from the guys with multiple at bats. Most of that success came in the 2009 contest early in the season. That game was started by Matt Morgan who went 5 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits, 3 walks, and striking out 4. The first time through the lineup, all the guys returning (Toth, LaMarre, Dufek, Urban, and Crank) struggled, going 0/5 with 2 K. The second and third time went much better with 3/5 with 3 walks. Only Crank didn't reach base at least once.

Other pitchers in that game included Joe Hasse, one of Purdue's primary relievers. This season he's 0-1 in 9 appearances, totaling 13 innings, 11 hits, 7 runs (3 earned), with 4 BB, and 10 K. In 2009 he struck out Urban and gave up a pinch RBI single to Berset.

Less important parts of the Purdue bullpen this season include Drew Wurdack and Kevin Cahill. They are both sitting with ERAs in the 7.50-8.25 range. Wurdack has lost a shot at starting this season, making 8 appearances (4 starts) for 21.1 innings, 38 hits, 22 runs (18 earned), 19 Ks, and 8 walks. Wurdack's appearance in 2009 saw a walk to Toth, a strikeout of LaMarre, an intentional walk to Dufek, and a fly out of Nick Urban.

Kevin Cahill is 1-2 over 7 appearances, logging 7.2 innings, 6 hits, 7 runs, 8 walks, and 8 strikeouts. In 2009, he induced a Berset fly out, struck out Toth, and had LaMarre ground out to short stop before giving up back-to-back singles by Dufek and Urban.

Burgoon has been nothing short of filthy against Purdue in his career. Both relief appearances were 4+ innings and both were scoreless wins. Katzman's start was obviously a short one, but it was also in the 2008 Big Ten Tournament when Purdue was very good. Not sure if we play those numbers and go with Miller or if Maloney gambles that he'll make a decent start.

Other Things of Concern

Bulleted list style:

• LaMarre is listed as the probable left fielder again. He had a solid line drive against Central Michigan, so here's hoping he's good to go at the plate.
• John Lorenz is listed as the probable third baseman. I wouldn't be surprised to see Kittle as one of the first players off the bench in a pinch.
• Oaks needs to rebound after a bad start against Indiana. His numbers have been on a downward trend the last three weeks. We need him to turn it around.
• Can Brosnahan stay lucky? He's obviously got talent, but he's put himself into a couple of holes and has been somewhat predictable in his pitches. The first 5 innings Saturday, if it was 1-2, it was a change up on the outside corner. He's managed to escape, but how long can he continue to put himself in hard places?

Weather

Update with the weather: it's going to be cold tonight. I'm not expecting offensive explosions, but temperatures in the 30s won't help. Games two and three look to be good.

Predictions

I think Michigan sweeps. As many concerns as I have about Michigan, Purdue has been BAD this season, and I don't think we see them cure their bullpen or fielding problems out of nowhere this week. Michigan needs the 3 wins to help keep pace with MSU, and hopefully create space between themselves and the winner of the marquee series in the Big Ten this weekend, a Indiana-Ohio State match up going on in Columbus.