What is going on with Michigan Baseball?

Submitted by amir_6 on
This was supposed to be the year they were going to contend for a Big Ten Championship. Everything seemed to look good as they were ranked as high as #15 this year. But they have dropped games to teams they should have easily beat. They have now lost 5 in a row, what do you expect from the rest of the season? Do you expect them to take a big step forward next year? Discuss.
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Baseball/Softball

Wolvie3758

May 19th, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^

Thats the problem....This team finds more ways to lose than any other I remember..They constantky strand runners and their so called big hitters are strike out kings and automatic outs..Ive lost interest in the baseball program this year..total dissapointment

Joined: 12/12/2010

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Alton

May 19th, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^

According to the numbers, Michigan's batting average leads the league (.310 in conference), and they have scored 18 more runs in conference play than the second-place team (143 runs to 125 for Nebraska).  It doesn't seem like Michigan's troubles are related to a power outage.

The pitching, though, is extremely disappointing compared to what we were seeing earlier in the season.   Michigan's team ERA of 4.58 is a run and a half worse than they were last season, and they lead the conference in walks issued.  From what I have seen, it seems like their starters aren't taking the team deep enough into games, often getting pulled in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings, leaving the games to a bullpen that really doesn't have a shutdown closer or a top long reliever.

How did this happen?  Who knows.  But I agree that ever since the big 11-inning win at home over Michigan State, this has been a very disappointing end to the regular season. 

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michclub19

May 19th, 2016 at 11:11 AM ^

Baseball is a funny game.  Probably one of the flukiest sports because of the nature of the game.  Well hit balls can go for outs yet a duck snort can fall in for a hit.  I haven't watched many games this year but there's a reason the best teams still only have winning percentage of .750 (less than that in MLB)

Yes, it would have been nice to have a National Power in the B1G, but it's not like this team has been terrible.  Still totally capable of putting together a strong weekend in the conference tournament and returning to the NCAAs.  (Did anyone look at Purdue's record btw?  How is any D-1 team THAT BAD??)

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Lampuki22

May 19th, 2016 at 11:23 AM ^

do you realize that they are focused on league play and often pitch off on a weekday game against the likes of Oakland U, who will be throwing their best trying to capitalize?  I wouldn't put too much emphasis on the out of conference bad losses.  And like someone said it is a very streaky and fluky game.  Good teams lose sometimes.  Bad teams get hot. 

Joined: 09/16/2009

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This is Michigan

May 19th, 2016 at 1:33 PM ^

Unless a team has a 4th starter, mid-week games are typically staff days regardless of who a team is playing.  Friday and Saturday starters may throw an inning or two in replacement of their bullpen session for that week. Maybe Oakland has a different philosophy but I doubt they throw their best at great length just because they are playing Michigan.

 

Edit: Oakland started a guy that threw 13 innings all year. None of thier normal starters pitched. Michigan started Nutof.

Joined: 08/02/2010

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Wolverine Devotee

May 19th, 2016 at 11:32 AM ^

Something is wrong. If you look at their Twitter, they had a team bonding exercise yesterday where they went bowling and go carting.

I said a few weeks ago I don't think they're ready to take the next step and win the conference or play as a favorite. It takes time to do that.

All i know is it has to be disheartening to have a 20% full stadium and have the field across the way be sold out every single game. I'm sure the pressure to try to keep up with Softball is there. When they won the B1G Tournament last year I heard a player yell during the dogpile "we can do it it too, softball!"



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Alton

May 19th, 2016 at 11:49 AM ^

The baseball stadium is facing exactly the wrong way--the batters are facing southwest, instead of the direction they should be facing:  somewhere between east and north.  They built the softball stadium correctly, but for some reason the baseball team has been facing the wrong way for 90 years.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/lost-in-the-sun-the-physics-of-ballpark-or…

Obviously this has nothing to do with the thread topic, but it has bothered me for decades.

But WD is certainly right that the crowd situation could be a little bit demoralizing; the baseball team has just about the smallest average attendance in the conference, while the softball team has the largest average by far.  That must make a difference.  Combine that with the administration's preference for having baseball & softball play at the same time (for the convenience of the staff), and you get a lot of unfortunate comparisons.

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Alton

May 19th, 2016 at 3:18 PM ^

How so? 

A summary of my post:  Jpnets54, you are right that it's unusual that the fields face each other.  It bothers me, too.  That's not the problem with Michigan baseball, but it certainly is a problem that Michigan baseball seems to have zero homefield advantage lately.

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