Baseball's Coming Back

[Hilltopper]

23 hours ago, Spin said:

Some MAC baseball sources:

 

https://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-baseball

https://d1baseball.com/conference/mid-american-conference/

https://www.baseball-reference.com/schools/?key_school=bf479b5c

https://d1baseball.com/

http://baseballnews.com/

 

 

Some trivia fodder: Keith Dambrot attended Firestone High School, playing baseball and point guard in basketball for the school teams. In college at the University of Akron, he played third base on the Akron Zips baseball team (of which he was captain and MVP) for the school, establishing what at the time was a school record for career hit by pitch, with 28. He graduated in 1982 with a degree in Management. In 1984 he earned an MBA from the University of Akron.

I think he also holds the record for intentionally hit by basketballs too. It was an amazing performance.

[Dr Z]

On 9/28/2020 at 10:33 AM, Spin said:

Oakland’s Chris Bassett finished the season a very respectable 5-2 1.78 with 55 K’s and a 1.159 WHIP. He has quickly become Oakland’s ace.

Pittsburgh’s JT Brubaker finished 1-2 4.94 with 48 K’s and a 1.37 WHIP.  Very respectable. The future looks bright for our Zips in MLB.

 

Saw this today.

 

[Zipmeister]

I have a feeling the Zips may pick up a win today; although it may just be gas.

[Zipmeister]

2 hours ago, Zipmeister said:

I have a feeling the Zips may pick up a win today; although it may just be gas.

 

Apparently it was just gas.

Close, but no cigar.

[Blue & Gold]

Ouch.  Jason Hickert is a RHP.  Attack that recovery, Jason! 🙏💪

 

[Spin]

12 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

Ouch.  Jason Hickert is a RHP.  Attack that recovery, Jason! 🙏💪

 

 

Awesome!!! Get well soon.

[Zipmeister]

BOOM

7-4 Zips

[Blue & Gold]

14 hours ago, Zipmeister said:

BOOM

7-4 Zips

[Spin]

Four conference wins thus far, and an overall record >25%. 9-16 at home. 

 

Better than I expected.

 

If work (and Mother Nature) cooperates I'll finally get out to the ballpark Friday. 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Spin

[Zipmeister]

19 hours ago, Spin said:

Four conference wins thus far, and an overall record >25%. 9-16 at home. 

 

Better than I expected.

 

If work (and Mother Nature) cooperates I'll finally get out to the ballpark Friday. 

 

If nobody else is there, go to Kent State because that's where the Zips are playing (or getting rained out) this weekend.

[Zipmeister]

OK, so the Flashes aren't playing up to their normal standard this season; still I was surprised by the split Saturday and it feels good.

[Zipmeister]

BOOM

Beat a D1 team with a winning record.

Look out college world series; here we come.

[Spin]

Great day for baseball, I would say perfect weather for a day game. The Zips split the double header with Ohio. This team impresses me, I’m excited for the future.

 

The stands were closed due to Rona, but there was still a very nice crowd. The leveling of the field created a mound all the way around the outfield, and it was a popular place to watch from. Of course the hill along the third base line was also popular. 
 

I stood between the ballpark and the soccer stadium most of the double header. Good place to watch the game, and the bullpen action. I might bring a folding chair next year even if the stands are open.
 

Players were going back and forth from the dugout to the soccer restrooms. Several said hi to the fans, or nodded. Jackson Hickert came through and was very friendly and upbeat, said rehab is going well. I hope he has a great season next year. I get a good vibe from these kids.

 

It was a good atmosphere. The announcer could have engaged the fans better. Not quite like a minor league announcer, but maybe throw out more info. That was a problem with the previous program. 

 

Glad I made it out, hope to see some more games next season (if it’s not still snowing in late April and my work isn’t off the chain again). 

[ZippyRulz]

I saw on Twitter Heydinger had a complete game. From the photo it looks like he can unleash a filthy curveball.

 

Edited May 16, 2021 by ZippyRulz

[Spin]

3 hours ago, ZippyRulz said:

I saw on Twitter Heydinger had a complete game. From the photo it looks like he can unleash a filthy curveball.

 

His stuff was nasty today. 1 run on 4 hits.

 

It was a fun double header for fans of pitching. 8 runs total. They were moving along, it took just over 4 hours for the two games.

 

I'm starting to like the 7 inning games in double headers. I bet the pitching coaches and managers love it.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Spin

[Zipmeister]

It was an odd day in MAC baseball. Ten conference teams in 5 interconference doubleheaders - all five of which were split. 

Edited May 16, 2021 by Zipmeister
.

[Blue & Gold]

We took 3-of-4 from the Kittens this weekend.

[Zipmeister]

1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

We took 3-of-4 from the Kittens this weekend.

 

Simply amazing.

[zippy5]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPZ115ynKN8/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[Zipmeister]

On 5/15/2021 at 8:12 PM, ZippyRulz said:

I saw on Twitter Heydinger had a complete game. From the photo it looks like he can unleash a filthy curveball.

 

 

If you can tell that he has a filthy curveball from a single photograph you have amazing eyesight.

 

As teams start to qualify for the NCAA tourney it has become apparent that the Zips are only approximately 250 tragic bus accidents away from qualifying in the first year of their return to competition.  GO ZIPS.

 

[Spin]

The Zips closed out an interesting season with a 9-6 win at Kent State. Like the cherry on top of the sundae lol.

 

They finished 15-36, winning 29% of their games. Which is roughly like winning 3 football games. "He went there". That includes two wins against Kent, going 3-1 against the Bobkitties and splitting a 4 game series with EMU. 

 

Coach Sabo gets an A- from me on building the team. Maybe a strong A. The former coach who went rogue and took several key players with him didn't help a whole lot. Let's just say I doubt we'll be playing Oakland U in the near future...

 

I'm looking forward to see how, with a full season of data and observation, Spuds continues to build the team. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Spin

[Zipmeister]

8 hours ago, Spin said:

The Zips closed out an interesting season with a 9-6 win at Kent State. Like the cherry on top of the sundae lol.

 

They finished 15-36, winning 29% of their games. Which is roughly like winning 3 football games. "He went there". That includes two wins against Kent, going 3-1 against the Bobkitties and splitting a 4 game series with EMU. 

 

Coach Sabo gets an A- from me on building the team. Maybe a strong A. The former coach who went rogue and took several key players with him didn't help a whole lot. Let's just say I doubt we'll be playing Oakland U in the near future...

 

I'm looking forward to see how, with a full season of data and observation, Spuds continues to build the team. 

 

You would give an A- or strong A to the guy who coached the Zips to 6 wins (and a few embarasing losses) over non D1 teams; whose team ended the year ranked (by D1 baseball) at 286 out of the 293 D1 teams that played a game during the season!!!

For that to make sense you are going to have to invent a brand new grading scale where A- is the worst possible score.

Fortunately, NCAA rules prevented the Zips from scheduling any women's softball teams.

Regarding future Akron opponents; Oakland (ranked 264), Northern Kentucky (253) and Purdue Fort Wayne (271) are exacttly the type of OOC team Akron should be scheduling (D1, relatively close by, and not very good) rather than teams from lower divisions.

[Spin]

I give him/them some leeway for being basically a first year team. Compare that to the 100+ year old football program that has given us 1-17 the past two years, and most fans give Tom Arth a pass and hope like hell he stays. We lost talent and a good coach (when he’s not dipping in the funds) to Oakland. So, yeah, I look at Sabo on the context of what’s happened here the last 6 years to the program.

 

Yeah we do need to play more regional D1 schools in non-con, those prospects should improve as the team does. Without moving to the sunbelt or out west for a month, you’re pretty limited in who you can play (after you clear the snow off the field).

 

Thats the context I look at the program with. If you want instant wins and MAC tournament runs, you’re going to be disappointed for awhile. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Spin

[Zipmeister]

3 hours ago, Spin said:

I give him/them some leeway for being basically a first year team. Compare that to the 100+ year old football program that has given us 1-17 the past two years, and most fans give Tom Arth a pass and hope like hell he stays. We lost talent and a good coach (when he’s not dipping in the funds) to Oakland. So, yeah, I look at Sabo on the context of what’s happened here the last 6 years to the program.

 

Yeah we do need to play more regional D1 schools in non-con, those prospects should improve as the team does. Without moving to the sunbelt or out west for a month, you’re pretty limited in who you can play (after you clear the snow off the field).

 

Thats the context I look at the program with. If you want instant wins and MAC tournament runs, you’re going to be disappointed for awhile. 

 

Giving any coach an A- or strong A for building the team that performed at a D- level is highly suspect.

[Spin]

6 hours ago, Zipmeister said:

 

Giving any coach an A- or strong A for building the team that performed at a D- level is highly suspect.

 

Well lets fire the coach every year for not being able to recruit underclassmen, bring in a couple upperclassmen transfers, and win the CWS the first year.

 

Ted? Stepien?? Is that you???