BB: CCIW: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[BigPoppa]

So, what is the next baseball topic?

I was hoping to get a scouting report on the other CCIW teams. Are there others out the with info on NPU, Wheaton, North Central, Augie, or Millikin??

[augie_superfan]

Here is a little preview of the Augie team:

First off, Augie lost 4 position players who saw significant time and also lose 3 of their top 4 starting pitchers.  These 3 combined for 27 of Augie's 44 starts.  Also, Augie's All-Region catcher will not be playing this year.  This leaves a major hole because the backup catcher transferred schools so Augie is looking for a catcher now.

Here is what they return at each position:

GP/GS, AVG, HR, RBI, SLG


C - who knows...maybe a current player will change positions or maybe they can still get a JUCO transfer after Augie's 2nd trimester ends.

1B -   40/38; .310; 5; 28; .486   or
         a Sr. who sat out last season w/ arm injury

2B -   23/13; .373; 0; 9; .451

3B -   44/43; .327; 9; 43; .566   (also plays 1B & DH)

SS -   I have no clue....4 year starter lost to graduation

OF -   42/41; .365; 7; 42; .585  (All-Region 1st Team)

OF -   39/35; .385; 1; 21; .500

OF -   30/22; .418; 3; 20; .659


APP / GS, W-L, IP, ERA, SO, BB

SP -    9/8, 5-2, 54.1, 3.31, 40, 16

SP -    16/5, 3-1, 54.1, 2.65, 38, 10

From here on out I don't know who else will start but here are the other pitchers

P -   16/1, 6-1, 37.2, 2.87, 31, 6

P -   11/1, 1-0, 17.0, 5.29, 10, 8

P -   7/2, 1-1, 15.0, 7.20, 14, 6

Also have a pitcher returning from arm surgery who started 6 games in 2004


I haven't heard too much about what the recruiting class was like but I hear there is a nice freshman OF that will most likely get some time on varsity this season.  Augie's OF seems to be very solid.  Catcher is the biggest problem as it may require an infielder to move behind the plate.  I'm just not quite sure who will be playing the SS & 2B positions at this point but things are always changing.

Also, it helps that Augie runs a full-fledged JV program as there should be players from last year's team that are ready to contribute heavily on varsity this year.  I think Augie is definitely a top 3 team in the CCIW team but I have no clue what Carthage and IWU will be like so its hard for me to decide where to put them.       


I'll post the official season preview once it is posted online by the SID

[BigPoppa]

I was just looking at a few southern trip schedules and Carthage has a brutal opeing to their season.

March 11th- Kings College-PA (DH)
          12th- Anderson-IN (DH)
          14th- Cortland State-NY(#2 in poll)
          15th- UW- Oshkosh (DH- preseason #35 in nation)
          16th- Concordia-WI (DH)
          17th- Wheaton-MA (#25 in preseason poll)

4 of their first 10 games will be against nationally ranked teams.. that is a tough beginning if they stumble out of the gate. This could me a huge test for the Red Men early in the season.

From the Carthage Preview:
“We could have a lot of new guys on the field in 2006,” admits coach Schmidt, “and that’s a little scary for me.  The talent is there, but the question will be whether or not we can get them ready to play at our level this year.  All of the newcomers are going to have great futures here, but the future has to be now for us.  How we do in 2006 may be determined by how quickly the new guys learn to play at the level that we’re accustomed to.  That said, we do have a lot of pitching experience.  Adding a senior transfer in Jon Olson only adds to the an experience level that already includes Scott Evosevich.  After that, the question will be whether not juniors like Jeff Livek, Brian Long, Zach Smigiel and Ryan Roufus can become productive pitchers for us.  If a few from that group step up, and if Jacob Husing continues to develop, then pitching should be our strength in 2006.”

[BigPoppa]

Here is a little preview of the Augie team:

First off, Augie lost 4 position players who saw significant time and also lose 3 of their top 4 starting pitchers.  These 3 combined for 27 of Augie's 44 starts.  Also, Augie's All-Region catcher will not be playing this year.  This leaves a major hole because the backup catcher transferred schools so Augie is looking for a catcher now.

Here is what they return at each position:
SS -   I have no clue....4 year starter lost to graduation

I haven't heard too much about what the recruiting class was like but I hear there is a nice freshman OF that will most likely get some time on varsity this season.  Augie's OF seems to be very solid.  Catcher is the biggest problem as it may require an infielder to move behind the plate.  I'm just not quite sure who will be playing the SS & 2B positions at this point but things are always changing.

If you have no catcher and no shortstop, it is going to be along season. Those are the two positions you anchor your defense around. They better swing it well if they plan to compete.

[augie_superfan]

Big Poppa....they could very well have all of that figured out and I just don't know it.  A senior and a freshman split some time at 2B last year so both of them should be capable of playing up the middle....maybe there is a freshman middle infielder or one of the guys from the JV team.

At this point, I wouldn't say it'll be a long year...the most important thing in my mind is to find a catcher who will atleast make the pitchers comfortable.

[cokeaholic]

Yeah i see North Park having another long year.  a new coach and losing a few senior starters cant be a good sign.  they lost their only all-conference player and their best starting pitcher from last year, so things aren't looking to good for them once again

[bataviapete]

I don't think Augie has the C thing figured out.  I know of a high school senior they wanted to graduate early to play catcher this spring. 

As for North Park, I'm not sure losing those two players off a 1 win team is that big of a deal, I can't imagine it can get any worse.

[Sweetness]

North Park should just find after conference to play in because they are terrible.
If they keep this 1-34 record up, one day they are going to be on ESPN NEWS for worst baseball team ever.

[BigPoppa]

North Park should just find after conference to play in because they are terrible.
If they keep this 1-34 record up, one day they are going to be on ESPN NEWS for worst baseball team ever.

I think that is a little harsh. NP is in a funk right now, but they will surprise a few teams this year and wind a few games. NP used to be a solid program when Bosko was running the show(early 90's). In fact, they were in the conference tourney a few time when I played in the CCIW. When he left, they struggled to find another quality coach and I think they have found that guy in Luke Johnson.

[irish21]

...That said, we do have a lot of pitching experience.  Adding a senior transfer in Jon Olson only adds to the an experience level that already includes Scott Evosevich.  After that, the question will be whether not juniors like Jeff Livek, Brian Long, Zach Smigiel and Ryan Roufus can become productive pitchers for us.  If a few from that group step up, and if Jacob Husing continues to develop, then pitching should be our strength in 2006.”

Is it just cynical me or does anyone else think it's strange that there is no mention of Heinig - you know, the kid that is 16-0 in his first two seasons at Carthage.

Carthage does not play Oshkosh or any other WI state school because Dr. Campbell will not allow it. He doesn't feel they compete on a level playing field when it comes to enrollment. It's a lot easier to get an athlete into a school that charges $10,000 for tuition as opposed to one that is closing in on $30,000 annually. Augie Schmidt has never been shy about playing the best team's in the DIII nation. We opened with Marietta for 3 years in a row down in Florida when they were the Mt. Union of DIII baseball.

[BigPoppa]

Augie has a way of getting under a players skin and making him play better than he has been by doing little things like that(Leaving a 16-0 pitcher off the preview). I can remember him telling Mark Beyer that he was not going to be his starting 1B anymore because he was not consistent enough... all Beyer did was lead the nation in HRs, CCIW POY and finish as a 1st team all-american. Augie has a way of saying things without saying anything at all.

[irish21]

Poppa...don't I know that!!

III would drive the kids absolutely nuts but they would run through a brick wall for him once the game started. I kept score on the spring trip in 2002 because Pistol was with the basketball team at the Final Four. I sat in the dugout and laughed my ass off at some of the stuff III came up with. And my son was the target of many of those Augieisms!

I think there is more to the story with Heinig. It's not a motivational thing.

[irish21]

My bad...IV not III

[BigPoppa]

I can also remember Augie telling Jack Richarz(D3 Baseball's all-time walks leader) that he did not think he had a good enough eye to bat leadoff... telling Shannon Blansette that he was happy to see him turn into a slap hitter(he promptly blasted 3 HRs in a DH @ Millikin and refused to shake Augie's hand each time as he rounded third)... and Augie getting so angry at his team @ NCC that he asked the ump to throw him out so he did not have to watch the game anymore(We promptly responded by pounding NCC in the 6th to rally back and win the game)... lots of stories about Schmidtty.

Most of my coaching saying come right from Augie... "Can't polish a turd, It's still a piece of crap when you're done with it..."

Does he still complain about his hamstrings?

[BigPoppa]

Poppa...don't I know that!!

III would drive the kids absolutely nuts but they would run through a brick wall for him once the game started.

I'd still run through a wall for him...