2019 college world series
RIP baseball. It was fun!
Memories that will last a lifetime.
— Michigan Baseball (@umichbaseball) June 27, 2019
We are so proud of #Team153! pic.twitter.com/faayUvnYz8
Franz time. Alba Berlin's season is over, and now FranzWatch begins.
Last thing I was told by someone close to Franz Wagner is that he's still undecided. He's supposed to sit down with his family. A decision should be made "very soon."
— Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn) June 24, 2019
Franz would obviously be a big deal, especially as he's started to become a real contributor to Alba:
Here's Franz Wagner, not your typical 17-year-old, scoring 14 points on 100% shooting in Game 2 of the BBL finals against an Euroleague team in Bayern Munich. He also hit a couple of clutch shots in the 4th quarter. Not afraid of the moment. pic.twitter.com/fGGTwpT11R
— NBADraftProspects (@draftprosnba) June 21, 2019
As a reminder, this is a league where a 24-year-old Derrick Walton can't get on the court. Wagner is reportedly up to 6'9" and headed for the first round of the draft. He would be a gamechanger for Juwan Howard's first team.
[After THE JUMP: keeping various baseball persons]
/the final countdown
you know you can embed things, right?
Oh fine
Yeahhhhh buddy.
I shall put on my Detroit Bad Boys gear posthaste.
THE ESSENTIALS
| WHAT | Michigan (50-21) vs #2 Vanderbilt (52-12) |
|---|---|
| WHERE | Fuegobox Field Omaha, Nebraska |
| WHEN | 7 PM Eastern |
| LINE | Michigan +180 |
| TV | ESPN |
ABOUT LAST NIGHT
Erik Bakich decided to go off-script, starting freshman Isaiah Paige and relying on a boatload of pitchers who hadn't seen the field in the College World series. Paige managed to scrape by in four scoreless innings, but the walls caved in a bit when he left.
It probably wouldn't have mattered. Bakich made some decisions that seem bizarre at first glance—he intentionally walked the bases loaded—but make a modicum of sense if you're already down 1-0 and believe that you aren't going to score 3 runs against Rocker. And Michigan did indeed scuffle to just one run despite a couple of Vandy errors. Bakich's high variance strategy paid off until Jack Weisenberger threw wild pitches at consecutive batters.
The good news is that Michigan didn't waste Criswell going up against this guy…
Rocker is 10-1 in his past 11 starts, and he is 4-0 in the NCAA tournament, with a 0.96 ERA, 44 strikeouts and five walks in 28 innings.
…and has him available tonight. Meanwhile Rocker did exit in the seventh and Michigan put 40 pitches on closer Tyler Brown.
[After THE JUMP: Vandy's third starter is also okay]
Vanderbilt is the Greatest Team Ever Assembled.™ There is no comparison. No. 1 from the start of the year, huge Vegas favorites, the 4th overall pick who hits a homer in every ten at bats, another guy who'll got top five next year, and the greatest pitching staff ever assembled on one college team. What does Michigan have? Some lulu legacy with a wire arm they got because Steve Kerr went to Michigan in the early 1960s? Nobody on this Michigan roster can get these guys. Henry is about to get trucked.
And you can't have one without the other!
ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE! ESS-EEE-SEE!
Think of all the logo changes Michigan State’s had, and now they have a good one.
I think dodgeball is an evil tool of oppression and I think people should get used to that early.
95