Holy Crap! A Baseball Thread! Wishes Were Granted!

[MelroseHawkins]

Thanks Rob. It will be nice to follow the team and get to know the in and outs of the program better and to follow them better. Heller has been doing a terrific job while at Iowa and building a competitive team on an annual basis.

 

[DDThompson]

Be careful what you wish for.

There’s a reason that baseball and women’s basketball have been put at the top and in bigger bolder headlines.

And I’m just going out on a limb that it is to prove a point —

the ROI on HN staff’s time isn’t worth it. Even football recruiting gets multiple-fold clicks than these combined.

I’m combining them because there’s a baseball thread under women’s basketball.

 

[DDThompson]

I watched the ballgames against OK ST on YouTube and the color commentator said OK ST was looking forward to the series against the Hawks because Iowa took the series last season in Iowa City.

And he was wondering how mentally tough Iowa would be in the second half of the double-header and in Saturday’s game after dropping back-to-back games in walk-off fashion (game before was at Hawaii)

Asked.

Answered.
Tough enough to take the series on their field too.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Be careful what you wish for.

There’s a reason that baseball and women’s basketball have been put at the top and in bigger bolder headlines.

And I’m just going out on a limb that it is to prove a point —

the ROI on HN staff’s time isn’t worth it. Even football recruiting gets multiple-fold clicks than these combined.

I’m combining them because there’s a baseball thread under women’s basketball.

What is ROI? I'm kind of confused, but that isn't surprising.

 

[DDThompson]

What is ROI? I'm kind of confused, but that isn't surprising.

Return on “interest” ... how much interest will there be to justify the work they’ll do.

ROI is return on investment.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Return on “interest” ... how much interest will there be to justify the work they’ll do.

ROI is return on investment.

Yea, I don't envision Rob getting deep into the weeds with baseball such as following recruiting or stories, per se. I think it is just a repository for us peons to discuss baseball instead of cluttering up the football and basketball threads. I think he's just providing it for us which is still good.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I watched the ballgames against OK ST on YouTube and the color commentator said OK ST was looking forward to the series against the Hawks because Iowa took the series last season in Iowa City.

And he was wondering how mentally tough Iowa would be in the second half of the double-header and in Saturday’s game after dropping back-to-back games in walk-off fashion (game before was at Hawaii)

Asked.

Answered.
Tough enough to take the series on their field too.

Didn't Heller have the best recruiting class in The BIG either last year or 2 yrs ago? I think it kind of coincided with the field upgrades.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I watched the ballgames against OK ST on YouTube and the color commentator said OK ST was looking forward to the series against the Hawks because Iowa took the series last season in Iowa City.

And he was wondering how mentally tough Iowa would be in the second half of the double-header and in Saturday’s game after dropping back-to-back games in walk-off fashion (game before was at Hawaii)

Asked.

Answered.
Tough enough to take the series on their field too.

Yea, the past few years, Iowa has been able to "hold their own" with some of these coastal and SEC teams. They are at least a formidable out for other "mild season" teams.

 

[RobHowe]

The system placed the new forums at the top of the list.

My guess is these forums will generate similar traffic to what we see on the wrestling and B1G boards.

 

[Robowe]

 

[EstronHawkKing]

on KCJJ Radio this morning some caller said that it's now baseball season. I was like "yeah, right, it's like 8 degrees outside with about two feet of snow still on the ground.

 

[DDThompson]

Didn't Heller have the best recruiting class in The BIG either last year or 2 yrs ago? I think it kind of coincided with the field upgrades.

2-3 years ago I think. This last one wasn’t as highly touted but it looks like he’s trying getting more high schoolers that will be in program for 3-4 years and not as many 1-2 year transfers from juco. recruiting in college baseball is the wild west.

The field upgrades helped (stands still suck duck).
And Iowa has gone cutting edge tech/analytics/physical stuff. Plus Heller has good assistants and has engrained his mentality into the program.

They just don’t ever quit.
27 outs. Every game.

 

[EstronHawkKing]

Where is Iowa ranked to finish in the BIG for 2019?

 

[DDThompson]

Yea, the past few years, Iowa has been able to "hold their own" with some of these coastal and SEC teams. They are at least a formidable out for other "mild season" teams.

Yep. OKST commentators mentioned that there is some good ball played in the Midwest but weather makes it difficult for top players not to move south or west.

And then one kept whining that Iowa didn’t have many hard-hit balls (while Iowa out-hit in a game like 14-6 .... dude, that ain’t no accident)

 

[EstronHawkKing]

Oh come on, it's only 8 degrees outside, wear long john's

 

[MelroseHawkins]

2-3 years ago I think. This last one wasn’t as highly touted but it looks like he’s trying getting more high schoolers that will be in program for 3-4 years and not as many 1-2 year transfers from juco. recruiting in college baseball is the wild west.

The field upgrades helped (stands still suck duck).
And Iowa has gone cutting edge tech/analytics/physical stuff. Plus Heller has good assistants and has engrained his mentality into the program.

They just don’t ever quit.
27 outs. Every game.

I think in baseball you aren't going to have consecutive top recruiting classes. It is most likely more cylical

2-3 years ago I think. This last one wasn’t as highly touted but it looks like he’s trying getting more high schoolers that will be in program for 3-4 years and not as many 1-2 year transfers from juco. recruiting in college baseball is the wild west.

The field upgrades helped (stands still suck duck).
And Iowa has gone cutting edge tech/analytics/physical stuff. Plus Heller has good assistants and has engrained his mentality into the program.

They just don’t ever quit.
27 outs. Every game.

Yea, I think in baseball a team is not going to have top recruiting consecutive years. I think its pretty cyclical in baseball, depending on the needs for your team. Football teams get several players each year so that can add to some consistency when measuring recruiting. Baseball and basketball are a bit different on that front.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Yep. OKST commentators mentioned that there is some good ball played in the Midwest but weather makes it difficult for top players not to move south or west.

And then one kept whining that Iowa didn’t have many hard-hit balls (while Iowa out-hit in a game like 14-6 .... dude, that ain’t no accident)

Iowa had the number #1 player in HR's 2-3 yrs ago. They've been a long ball hitting team over that span as well. As far as line drives and gappers, they've done that well in previous years. It's early in the season and a small sample for those commentators.

 

[DDThompson]

Iowa had the number #1 player in HR's 2-3 yrs ago. They've been a long ball hitting team over that span as well. As far as line drives and gappers, they've done that well in previous years. It's early in the season and a small sample for those commentators.

Yep. Jake Adams went Babe Ruth 2 seasons ago.
Cropley and Whelan last season.

Heller has said a handful of times that this team has the chance to be “a really good team.”

Sounds like it’s up to pitching staff. Young and prone to walks so far.

 

[Fryowa]

Yep. Jake Adams went Babe Ruth 2 seasons ago.
Cropley and Whelan last season.

This will be the make or break year for Adams; usually if guys don't make Double A in the first 3 years they normally end up going indy league (position players anyway). He's a long ways down the stat board so hopefully he's gotten his hitting in the bag over the winter.

 

[ssckelley]

This will be the make or break year for Adams; usually if guys don't make Double A in the first 3 years they normally end up going indy league (position players anyway). He's a long ways down the stat board so hopefully he's gotten his hitting in the bag over the winter.

Yeah he struggled in High A last year but the Carolina League is typically a pitcher friendly league. But hitting for a .675 OPS isn't a good sign for a MLB prospect. Honestly he didn't really dominate the Midwest League either (.846 OPS), which is comparable to college baseball just with wooden bats. Maybe he was battling with an injury or something. Like you said this is probably a make or break year for Jake.