Illinois Baseball Report

With temperatures at single digits, it’s hard to think of baseball but college baseball is less than two weeks away.  Thank goodness the Illini have found warmer places to play… places such as Clearwater, Florida where the Big East/Big Ten Challenge will take place. The Fighting Illini website has posted its yearly Pitchers and Catchers [...]

Filed under: Analysis on February 9th, 2011 | Leave a Comment! »

… When I did hear The motley fool thus moral on the time, My lungs began to crow like chanticleer, … William Shakespeare, As You Like It, act 2   If you think Caravelle Resort sounds like a nice place to visit, it probably is.  This resort area is the sponsor of this week’s tournament.  [...]

Filed under: Game Previews on March 11th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

A few last minute notes before the Illini start the Keith LeClair Classic tomorrow: According to fightingillini.com, Illinois is going with the same starters from last weekend…. Will Strack, Brian de la Torriente, and Kevin Johnson.  Strack will have a tough job going against an East Carolina team that is ranked #21 right now.  Their [...]

Filed under: Game Previews on March 4th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

This weekend, Illinois baseball will take part in the Keith LeClair Classic (named in honor of a baseball coach with ties to both East Carolina and Western Carolina) at the campus of East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Two of Illinois’ opponents in the Classic, Western Carolina and East Carolina, have had their most [...]

Filed under: Game Previews on March 3rd, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

Ok, this time, it’s for real.  No chance of a winter weather advisory down in Clearwater, Florida so Play Ball! The Illinois baseball team are probably on their way right now to Florida in order to participate in the Big Ten/BIG EAST Challenge (I once asked someone in the know why the “Big East” was [...]

Filed under: Game Previews on February 26th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

formerlyanonymous who covers Michigan baseball for mgoblog.com, did a fair assessment of the 2010 Big Ten Baseball teams.  While of course, I would like to see Illinois higher in his preview (he puts him in the second tier after Ohio State, Michigan and Minnesota), it’s pretty consistent with what I’ve seen elsewhere.  And he has [...]

Filed under: Analysis on February 18th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

Fightingillini.com came out with their Illinois Baseball Pitchers Preview for 2010 today.  Nothing too earth-shattering about it nor should it have been.  The outlook with the pitching staff was relatively predictable.  Sophomores Will Strack and Bryan Roberts, who both looked real good last year and virtually unhittable at some points, will be the Friday and [...]

Filed under: Analysis on February 17th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

It’s Monday, February 15, five days before the scheduled opening day at Illinois Field.  Right now in Urbana, it’s 23 degrees and there are light flurries falling on the already packed snow.  I’m not holding my breath for a game on Saturday but I’d love to see Mother Nature prove me wrong.   Meanwhile to get [...]

Filed under: Awards on February 15th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

Jeff Huth of the News Gazette reported a couple days ago that four walk-ons have made the UI team after trying out for the team in the fall.  They include one pitcher, one outfielder, and two catchers.  Interestingly, three of them are downstaters.  There’s a nice write-up on Tanner Libby a Galesburg native, in his [...]

Filed under: Uncategorized on January 8th, 2010 | Leave a Comment! »

Last weekend it was Florida… this coming weekend, our boys are going to Texas for the Al Ogletree Classic.  More specifically, they’ll be visiting Edinburg Stadium.  That’s the home of the University of Texas Pan American Broncs who are currently 0-4 this season.  Don’t make fun though.  UTPA was the home field of Al Ogletree [...]

Filed under: Game Previews on February 26th, 2009 | 2 Comments »