Zeke & Zonk Inside the Game Podcast

Inside the Season: College Baseball Midseason Review

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0:00 | 43:18

Join hosts Keith Moreland (Zonk) and Greg Swindell (Zeke) as they discuss the biggest moments, standout teams, and key players at the midway point of the college baseball season. From rivalries and coaching stories to player performances and postseason predictions, this episode is packed with insights for baseball fans.

Main Topics & Insights

  • The passion and intensity of Texas vs. Texas A&M rivalry, highlighted by an emotional weekend series
  • UCLA's dominant team stats, including strikeout-to-walk ratio and offensive power, positioning them as the top national seed
  • Notable midseason achievements: Virginia Tech’s no-hitter, Santa Barbara’s shutout streak, and Rory McIlroy’s Masters back-to-back win
  • Midseason college baseball power rankings and regional host predictions, emphasizing the SEC and ACC dominance
  • Kansas baseball’s surprising rise under Coach Fitzgerald amidst tough weather conditions and competitive conference plays
  • Player spotlight: standout pitchers like Auburn’s Alvarez, LSU’s talent, and power hitters like Landon Hairston with impressive stats
  • The debate over wooden bats versus aluminum in college baseball and its impact on play and player development
  • Analyzing potential national champions with UCLA as the frontrunner and the importance of postseason performance
  • Fun regional matchups including Texas and Texas State, highlighting the exciting possibilities in postseason brackets

Timestamps: 

00:00 - Introduction and episode overview
 00:38 - Rivalry excitement: USC UCLA and Michigan Ohio State
 01:06 - Texas A&M vs. Texas: emotional rivalry moments
 02:02 - Describing the passion in College Station
 03:36 - Virginia Tech’s no-hitter and Santa Barbara’s shutout streak
 04:19 - Rory McIlroy’s Masters back-to-back win and golf highlights
 04:47 - Midseason team analysis: UCLA Bruins’ stats and strengths
 05:44 - UCLA’s standout strikeout-to-walk ratio and offensive power
 07:02 - UCLA’s pitching staff and staff depth
 07:46 - Midseason rankings, No. 1 seed race, and conference impacts
 13:06 - Regional seed considerations: Big 12, independent, mid-majors
 15:09 - Conference super regional hopes: SEC and ACC dominance
 16:37 - Big Ten teams in postseason picture
 18:55 - Kansas baseball’s surprising success and coaching impact
 22:09 - Key player performances and breakout prospects
 25:53 - Impressive pitchers to watch from Auburn, Florida, and others
 29:52 - Top offensive players, including Landon Hairston’s stellar stats
 30:18 - Power numbers and season milestones for standout hitters
 33:34 - Potential national champions and UCLA’s favored position
 36:07 - Bracket predictions and path to Omaha
 37:27 - Postseason outlook: teams that could surprise or falter

Resources & Links:

Stay tuned for next week’s episode as we break down the final stretch and predictions for the College Baseball Championship!

SPEAKER_00

And welcome to another episode of Zeke and Zonk Inside the Game. I'm Greg Swindell. He's Keith Moreland. We are Zeke and Zonk, and this is our podcast, Inside the Game. And episode 20. Episode 20, Zonk, and we're at the midway point of college baseball. And I think that's a big thing that we're going to be talking about today. And this, what's happening, what's not happening, who who's playing well, who isn't. And you can start us off, Zonk. What you got?

SPEAKER_01

Well, it might I'm going to start with a get out of town moment that it's for me is special. Is any time that you have two rivals play each other, it is a special scenario. USC, UCLA, when they play baseball, football, whatever, it's it's amazing. Michigan, Ohio State, that's amazing. Texas, Oklahoma, and football especially is amazing. But I don't know with the head coach at the University of Texas coming from Texas AM and Jim Slosenegro that I've ever been associated with anything. It was quite as amazing as over the weekend. It was a get out of town moment watching the reaction of the people in college station with Texas going into town this weekend. Obviously, the the third day was a long day. Everybody sat around for nearly 12 hours to figure out if they're going to play and then didn't play. But the Aggies played well over the weekend. But it's just my get out of town moment is the passion that goes into college baseball between Texas and Texas AM is something pretty special. And I know you've been involved in it. I've been involved in it. But to see it again over in college station this this past weekend was something that, you know, you just it's it's hard to describe. You cannot put a uh there's not a description to call what it is. There would be too many things in the dictionary you'd have to use to describe the whole series.

SPEAKER_00

Pandemonium?

SPEAKER_01

That's a good one. Craziness, yes. Crazy. But that's my get out of town moment. That was it it's quite a uh quite a scene.

SPEAKER_00

I know you were in the press box and you probably couldn't hear, but it was it were they mean? Were they nice? I know.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, I I I have no idea, but I I can just see the emotion. There is so much emotion uh involved in that series, and then it was amplified uh because Coach Slosh moved from Texas AM to Texas. It was that series and the games that we played in against them and put it on steroids two times. They and a greeny on top of the steroids. So it was it was it was a crazy scene to say the least. Put it this way: uh I didn't go down to do post-game interviews and anything and burnt orange. I'm too old to get involved in that mess.

SPEAKER_00

And I know you didn't put Maroon on to go down there. No, I wouldn't be neutral going down there.

SPEAKER_01

So that's my get out of town moment uh uh for for that series. Obviously, you've got to give credit to Texas AM, really swinging the bat well. That's a good offensive club.

SPEAKER_00

That's a good one. I like that get out of town moment. I got a I just got a few. I mean, one off the top of my head, Virginia Tech throwing a combined no-hitter yesterday, five different pitchers against Radford. That's pretty good. Winning throw up a no. Um, also Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara going down to UCLA and shutting out the Bruins um 4-0. First time in almost a year that they've been shut out, and first time they've lost since February 24th. They had won 27 games in a row. Uh but my big big get-out town moment has uh happened at Augusta, fourth time ever. Um back-to-back champ, Rory McElroy. Thought he wasn't gonna hang on, thought he wasn't gonna hang on there for a while, but he was able to, and um, congratulations to him and his family. And wow, what a to join that club of back-to-back winners that haven't only been four ever at Augusta.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it did it it was amazing to watch. Unfortunately, on Sunday, I got to see every I didn't think I'd get to see any of it, and I got to see every every shot of it setting, uh watching on a computer screen, uh, what's going on. Well, I've got five things at the midway point that I want to talk about, and you just brought one of them up, and that's where I want to start. You've had the opportunity to see him, I've only seen him on TV, but have you looked at the numbers of actually what uh the UCLA Bruins have done this far through the half the season? Now, that being talked about last night, they did drop their third ballgame of the year. But I'm just looking at their numbers, Zeke. I'm gonna put my glasses on here. Uh, this is a team, it obviously uh winning percentage is unbelievable. They they're hitting 311 as a team. They have 59 homers, they have a team ERA of 307. Uh, this is the one that gets me. And and it's my pet peeve now, and I've seen it all the time. Their pitching staff has 362 Ks against only 108 walks. Where you look at everybody else's statistics, nobody has got that three to one, three and a half to one strikeout to walk ratio as a team. It's just hard to find. I mean, they are closer to two to one strikeouts to walks because the base on balls is absolutely the thing that I'm seeing. Everybody is max effort because you're you're a pitcher, and that's one of the great discussions I love with you when we were broadcasting together, is everybody seems to be max effort to throw as hard as they can throw and forget that it's about throwing strikes. I mean, strikes get out. And I it's just it's so frustrating to watch, but I think that's why they're the best team in the country is not their good offensively. Again, 50, almost 60 home runs as a team in a ballpark that's not a big home run park at Jackie Robinson. Uh their good offensive team. They have maybe the best player in the country playing shortstop. Their center fielder is having a fantastic year in Will Gasparino, but it still boils down to me as their strike to walkout ratio and how they force the opponent to swing the bat to beat them.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, it's not by accident. Savage has had staffs like that for a long time at UCLA. And now you put a little more offense into the situation. When you got staff like that, you don't need a lot of offense. Um, but I saw them in Arlington earlier this year. Um they were swinging the bat really well then at the end of February. But the what impressed me was the arms. I mean, they came out, and as you said, uh not max effort, but but they're throwing ball 95, 96 miles an hour. And they get it over the plate. They always have good off-speed stuff. All the pitchers, um, I believe one of the kids on the staff is about a six or seven to one strikeout to walk ratio. So um they have starters, they have closers. Logan Redman's really helped them this year to solidify that Friday guy. Uh, I think he came from uh uh San Diego. Uh transfer. But a staff that, as you said, I mean it's it's powerful, but also um control type. And uh it shows you why they won 27 in a row and shows you why they are. I put on I put on my notes, they are the cream of the crop. I mean, they are the team, they're the number one right now. If the tournament started tomorrow, the number one overall seed. Oh, yeah. Undeservingly so. Yes. I I think they still have that taste. They were there last year, they got that taste in their mouth. They want to get back and put a little better taste uh after Omaha this year.

SPEAKER_01

You know, and and and what what I was gonna, my next thing on my 10 points that I was looking at at a midway point, I want to continue on the base on balls. I I I used to have a study uh that that I looked at years ago when I was coaching in high school and and doing a little college coaching myself, just like you, and always looked at and thought that the ratio, I'm gonna ask you as a pitcher, uh, what do you think the ratio of ball to strike, if you throw a hundred pitches in a game, is a 60-40, 60 to strikes to 40 pitches outside the zone, is that a plus or a minus ratio in your mind?

SPEAKER_00

To me, that that's should be about average. You should strive for that. Anything better, I think I think obviously is going to be good. But um at me being a pitcher, I I would want I would want more. I would I would want a 70%, uh, seven strikes to the to three balls. But I I I think I would give it a plus, a 64%. Um that's that's not bad. And I again it all depends on the situations on the balls and strikes as well. But um, I think 64 is is a pretty solid number.

SPEAKER_01

But if you get it, remember, anytime the ball's fouled off, people don't realize it. Ball may need be outside the zone, but it's fouled off. That's a strike. So, in my opinion, I've never figured out why it it that the percentage or the ratio shouldn't be somewhere around 65, 67, that one out of every three pitches can be outside the zone. I mean, because there's times when you want to throw a ball outside the zone. I I understand that. But there's also times that you look up and you're two and oh on every hitter, it's gonna be a long afternoon for you, even if you've got exceptional stuff. I mean, Nolan and some guys could get away with it because their stuff was so good that uh they could come back in the zone and not square one up. But if I'm going to the plate, Greg, as a hitter, and I'm two and oh every time I walk up there, I'm gonna guarantee you that I'm gonna have some pretty good numbers at the end of the year offensively. Because I'm I'm I I you know I can figure out how to zone balls out the rest of the at bat and not worry about punching out.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, because you know they're gonna have to bring the ball over the plate eventually. And yeah, I mean, obviously, when you're ahead in the count as a hitter, it's in your favor. And pitchers, um sometimes they try to see early if guys are gonna go chasing or fishing, or sometimes they're just wild. Um, it's just not gonna happen for them. So, yeah. My goal, my goal was always three or four pitches and get out of there in the big leagues. College now, I'd like to throw five or six and strike you out every time. Um but um pitch pitching, you know, this um it seems like a lot these days. You look up, and it's a it's a 2-0, a 3-1. And I to me, don't it's pitch count, uh pitch calling. Um I said it the other night when Texas was playing AM. They that inning where Texas walked five. Um, there were two balls and two strikes on the first two hitters, and you went back to back breaking balls and walked both of them. Um you learn the fastball when you're you're six years old. That's the pitch you get over the plate. We talked about it all the time. You want to make them earn their way on, especially uh a team like AM. And I just bring this up just because it just happened to Texas. And um, you're throwing breaking balls when you should be forcing them to swing the bat. I understand if it works, it's it's a good thing, but didn't work for Texas that day. So pitch calling and for me is is a lot um of why counts happen, deep counts, long counts, and um you gotta start letting these guys throw. Gotta start letting them throw. I I keep bringing up uh Ruger, he had 83 pitches, Onk. 83 pitches, and they they took him out of the ballgame. And I just didn't understand that much, understand it at all. But um I told uh Bucky and BK the other day. That's why uh we're doing this, and they get paid the big bucks to make those decisions. So well pitching, pitching wins the games, and and you see you talked about UCLA, yeah. They're that 3.07 is second in the nation. Um their whip is right there. I mean, they got some of the best pitching, and it and we're calling them pitching. They're not throwers, they go out there, they know what they're doing. It's uh it's a typical UCLA staff, in my opinion. They've always had some good good arms.

SPEAKER_01

All right. Uh the next thing is, and I know you have sort of broke this thing down, is I want to look at uh talked about UCLA being, in my opinion, far and away the number one seed. If you had an opportunity, I've I wrote down some things that are sort of amazing to me uh when you're looking at the top six top 16 overall seeds. Now we're we're at the halfway point, but you you everybody knows that the conference sermons are going to happen nearly, they moved up and they're in May 20th. So we're, you know, this is tax day today. So uh, you know, we're a month away from going to conference tournaments, and there's very few teams that make a big move in a conference tournament time if you're either in or out when you get to that point, especially the top 16 national seeds. And I just went around myself and the teams that I've seen and watching and being involved in calling the games and and everything. I I'm sort of amazed how there's been a shift in dynamics a little bit. Uh uh, not a huge one, but even more because I think the Big 12 is struggling in baseball this year that, in my opinion, of the this is no order what's the period. I don't know, UCLA would be my overall number national seed at uh at number one, but just looking at the Big 12, is there a top 16 team, uh, which would be one of the national, not the eight top eight national seats, but a regional host. Is there a team in that league right now that deserves to be a national host? I I'm having a tough time finding one.

SPEAKER_00

Maybe Kansas. That's who they use. Um the seedings they came out the midway point. They got Kansas as a number 16. Well, this playing good baseball, got Kansas at 16, I got West Virginia at 13. So they got two Big 12 teams in here.

SPEAKER_01

I'm having a hard time with that, you know. But I just think right now that the Big 12s are going to get one national seed. Because I there's not national seed, I keep saying it, to be a host, a regional host. Because Oregon State is going to get a regional host. They're an independent. It's amazing they can find enough people to play. I mean, this is the last year they're going to be an independent because next year they're going to be in a pretty good league. Because you and I both know Gonzaga's good. You and I both know Dallas Baptist is a good program. They're going to be in that league. And Texas State, which right now I think a lot of people projecting are going to get in as an at-large just because they have a pretty good RPI, 37-38 right now. Uh they need to finish well in the second half of the season. But that's going to be a good league they're going to, but Oregon State is in, so I think they're going to get one. So that's, I think one out of the Big 12, one independent, and then the only mid-major I can see anywhere in the country right now that could be a national host is Coastal, who has played much better here over the last six weeks than they did to start the season. They're getting healthy.

SPEAKER_00

So that's the big team. They hit. They've had trouble on the mound with injuries. And according to D1, right now Haslam is an eight, has that eighth seed overall in the world. That's a national seed, yeah. National seed, yeah. So they hook them up right now with Texas AM. That would that would be fun.

SPEAKER_01

And then when you look at the Big Ten, I mean, obviously you got UCLA as a one. Is there another team in the Big Ten that maybe USC could be a regional host? I I can't see Oregon getting that done. I can't see anybody else. Now, I know Purdue's, you know, it's played pretty good ball. Nebraska's played pretty good ball. Uh, but I don't know that they have put themselves in a position to be a host at this point.

SPEAKER_00

US USC's won 30 games and they had a big winning streak, but um they don't have any like big wins. Yeah. Big uh what whatever they call them, but that that that help out um that choice. But right now they're uh they're at number 12 nationally um in in D1 baseball. So um I think they still have to play UCLA, I believe. Yeah. And yeah, this um, I mean, wouldn't it be something this year? I'm just going off the grid here, that Indiana would win in football, Michigan win in basketball, and if UCLA can can run the gamut in baseball, that'd be all Big Ten schools winning all national championships. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

There's no question that it's it's it's a heck of a conference. But now this all that being said, that we just talked about, you know, one independent, one non-power uh conference, uh and then maybe two out of the the the Big 12, maybe. Well, that means to me there's only two conferences left that you're gonna look at, and so the all the host and representative are gonna come out of the ACC or the SEC.

SPEAKER_00

And that's that's a bunch of one that's going scheduled to meet into the regional, out of the ACC and SEC. Um, obviously, obviously Georgia Tech at three. Um who else we got here?

SPEAKER_01

Florida State's gonna be a regional host, you would think. North Carolina's gonna be a regional host, you think.

SPEAKER_00

Virginia's in there, North Carolina's in there. Um yeah, they're all they're all lining up. Um so I mean, you know, SEC's they're gonna bump each other. I mean, it's it's just gonna it happens like that every year.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and it's hard. I mean, if you win 15 games in the SEC right now, you're you're you've got a great chance to be a regional host. And that just sounds crazy. They play 30 conference games, you think, well, that's 500. Well, you get through this conference 500, it's you're you're a pretty good baseball team. There's no doubt. But I I just I'm sort of amazed at how it's it's it's been it's two leagues right now that are dominating and going into regional host in the sense because I can't find anybody else out there that that is, you know, all every once in a while you find an outlier, you go, oh, they're playing great ball. They deserve to be a regional host. But I I can't see any. Uh again, I only see one out of the Big 12. I see one independent and one uh mid-major. The rest of them, uh, and two possibly out of the uh Big Ten, even though the best maybe the best team in the country is in the Big Ten in UCLA, but I think you're I think the rest of it's gonna be ACC and uh SEC.

SPEAKER_00

So just looking at the paper, look at Texas AM, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Texas. Those out of the SEC and ACC, like we said, we had Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida State. So 11 or 12 of the host sites are gonna be ACC and SEC.

SPEAKER_01

All right. I I that's that I that's always an interesting conversation here at the halfway point. You know, things can obviously change in the second half, but that that's that to me is is is amazing. Now, Dan Fitzgerald. My next next point is you knew that this guy came from such a great background that he was going to find a way to turn a program around because it's difficult in Lawrence, Kansas to find a way to get the baseball is so uh it's so cold, it's so miserable in February and March there. That uh, and you know, they're getting a ballpark. Well, they have a two-game lead in the big in the Big 12 in the Department of Baseball, and and and just as I said, a regional host. I I gotta tip my cap to him. I I I that's amazing. I knew he was it was good. He came from a good program, had a great background, but boy, he's done an outstanding job. I mean, they're they're a legitimate uh uh good baseball team to sit and watch. I got to I've seen them twice two or three times uh on TV. Uh they they're pretty balanced, they got good pitching, they got some power, and they they can run a little bit. So uh that's one of my big surprises is uh uh tip of the cap to them. They're playing as good a ball as as we've seen. And how many times have we sat here and talked over the years and you think about Kansas baseball? Do you mention them in the postseason?

SPEAKER_00

Well song, they've it's it's kind of like the last few years. They've been they've been creeping up behind you to to go boo. You know, they um the coach Vinci, he's he's a good guy, and I think he's he's level-headed. He he has the kids buying into to his his way. And and yeah, it's it's it's like they snuck up on you a few years ago and now they're there to stay. They're a really good baseball team. We saw we've seen them in the Big Twelve tournament the last couple years, just haven't made that next step. But if they can keep playing and get that host, I mean that's that's the Biggest thing I think for a Kansas team if they can stay there or even higher. Right now they're they're up at number 16, but um I think they they have the capability to run through that Big 12 with their pitching and hitting. They got some power and power arms also to get to that point to hosting a regional, and that would be huge for Kansas.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it did. Now we've seen them find over the years uh find a way to slip in, maybe get in and and get into the postseason, be one of the 64 that goes forward, but uh to be talking about them as a host. And and again, I mean we're basically at the halfway point. Now there's a lot of baseball to be played, but uh they've got a two-game lead in the Big 12, and I don't see anybody other maybe than West Virginia. TCU has had their struggles as of late. Uh I mean, obviously the Arizona schools uh uh have been okay, uh, but we haven't seen anybody else step up in that thing. I mean, uh Texas Tech has been struggling. Baylor is just above 500 in the Big 12, and I would hope Mitch Thompson and his club can find a way to get in. But uh it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting to watch this second half of the season, see what's what goes on. And that ballpark right outside of Allen Fieldhouse is is is a unique little little ballpark. It's a good hitter's park. And uh what to see a postseason when it's warm in that ballpark would be fun to watch.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and that in the the the student section is is getting into it. They're there every game and getting rowdy. So um it'd be great to see um for Cook's Fitz in the Jayhawks. All right. I think I think Oklahoma State um could make some. I mean, I know they haven't played well so far, but Josh Holiday always gets them going later in the season, and they're they're right now, they're on the first four out at the midway point, but they're they're playing better baseball and never count the Cowboys out in the Big 12 either.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, they they won a big ball game last night. They beat Oklahoma in uh Bedlam, which is in at midweek. So, I mean, that's a that's a good power five win. Now I'm gonna ask you one that you may not have an answer to this one, uh, but you watch, you've called, uh, you've seen just like I have. Uh who is who is one of the guys that you've seen that people may not know a whole lot about that you could think of off the top of your head that uh on the mound, uh, because that's where I'm gonna look on the mound that you uh have been impressed when you uh have seen him, either on TV or in person or whatever. Just is there somebody out there that you went, this guy's really throwing the ball well?

SPEAKER_00

I have to go through my notes. I'll go through my I'll just look at some teams here. Um I mean LSU, I don't know what's happening there, but they they got the arm, they got all kind of talent, they just haven't been able to win. Um I think the the was it Alvarez kid at Auburn. I you he's on my he's on my list.

SPEAKER_01

He's been the most impressive guy that I've seen.

SPEAKER_00

Pretty good stuff right there. I think there's uh a kid in Florida, not not um Liam Peterson, but but their other starter, number one guy in Florida is throwing the ball well. Um I guess I mean Texas will see Faye this weekend from Alabama. He uh no hitter already this year. So um and then you got the lefties at Mississippi State, you got the lefty at USC, Mason Edwards. I mean, you've got a lot of a lot of talented, talented pitching out there.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I I was just gonna uh I wanted the folks to realize that it might not see the Auburn Tigers. Uh Alvarez has had eight starts, Zeke. He's six and one, he's pitched 44 innings, he's allowed 30 hits, he's got 60 strikeouts and 44 innings. He's got a 1.04 whip, a runner per inning and an ERA of 1.24, and playing in a good offensive conference. Because these ballparks, this is the second year uh that Texas has played, and we've gotten the opportunity uh to really see the ballparks in the SEC, or I've gotten the opportunity to see them, and boy, there's a lot of these ballparks that I'd love to go hit in. I'm just telling you, they're good offensive ballparks. And uh those kind of numbers uh in an offensive league like the SEC have been impressive. He's probably the the one guy, the most impressive guy I've seen this year. That's what I was looking for. And I'm I knew that if you'd seen him once, you'd go, hmm, uh, this guy's pretty special. So that uh that to me is is is been important. Um we've also seen uh some other guys that have been really good, but he's been the guy that sort of jumped off the page for me.

SPEAKER_00

But hitters.

SPEAKER_01

You got any hitters that have well caught I I yeah, there's there's a guy who plays first base at Texas AM might be the best college hitter I've seen in a while. He was last weekend. Well, he is pretty much every weekend. I I've seen a lot of his at bats and I've watched a lot of film on him. Uh he does it um he comes to the plate with a game plan. He's he's set in his position. I really like his set, his alignment, his setup, and he gets ready to go. And if you try to force it in on him, he can turn and go that way. If you pitch him away, he's gonna really hurt you to right center. He's got great extension through the ball, stays flat through the ball. Uh, you can change speeds on him. He has very little stride, so he very few times does he get off balance. Um really, really good looking hitter. Uh, I mean, I know that he played some third base, now he's moved over to first, and uh I just really impressed with him as an offensive player. Uh one of the best ones I've seen this season.

SPEAKER_00

And Jacobian in there hasn't hit his stride yet with Caden Sorrell back in second. That could be a best one, two, three in the nation, the AG.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, they're they're they're a really good offensive club. There, there, there's there's no question. Uh uh, I still don't know uh how how long their pitching's gonna hold up, and and if it can hold up uh throughout the out the time. So because everybody's pitching's in the same boat. Who whose pitching can hold up once we get into May, June? I mean, because that's when pitching really starts to count. And uh, but that that to me is is one of the best offensive players I've seen. Obviously, uh we look at the numbers, uh Will Gasparino, uh his strikeouts are down uh from where he was last year. He's having a fantastic year in center field uh for UCLA. Uh there's some other ones we can mention. I mean, Aiden Robbins is having a really exceptional year in center field for the Longhorns. Um he he's he's proved he can hit the ball at the ballpark and do a lot of different things. Um there's some good ones, there's no question out there. Uh uh couple young men in Georgia, but that is a really good ballpark. You and I both have been to Foley Field called games, and trust me.

SPEAKER_00

I can have 10 there. I could hit 10 at Foley Field.

SPEAKER_01

It's a really good hitter's ballpark.

SPEAKER_00

I'd probably give up 40, but I can hit 10. How about this name? How about um standing in the Big 12, Landon Hairston? He is having a fantastic year. I got his numbers here. He's betting 445, right? Third in the country. He's got 69 hits first in the country, 23 home runs first in the country, and 65 RBIs second in the country. And this is all in 38 games. Yeah, I mean he started out slow. I had him in those games in Arlington earlier this year and didn't really have a good tournament there. But um, 38 games, 69 hits, and 23 homers. Um, right now, that's my midpoint player of the year.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, but I looked at his numbers as well, and and uh the other point is that people trying to put things in perspective. Uh, anybody that gets to 100 hits in a college baseball season, you got to go, okay. Anybody gets to 75 RBIs, you gotta, ooh, okay. And anybody that hits 20 home runs, and he's already to that point, because 20 home runs in a college baseball season is a bunch. Uh so uh, you know, he's already surpassed pretty much all of those numbers. He will get to 100, he may hit 125 hits when this thing's all over, which is uh a phenomenal number. And uh, you know, it's just you look at you look at what uh we see, we see all the power arms and we see the velocity and we see everything else. Uh, I'm gonna make a political statement here. Why are we not going to a piece of wood and let's get let's get back to real baseball? I mean, it college baseball is the minor leagues basically now for uh major league baseball because they cut the draft down. There's many less minor league teams than there used to be. Uh it wouldn't be that expensive if we said, hey, uh we're gonna play with a wooden bat. That you know, it would help pitching and it would help the hitters.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Political statement. I mean, I agree. I mean, it's um I guess I'll get to um be around it again this summer in that wooden bat league in Galveston. So I'll teach my pitchers to pitch off the end uh of the bat and pitch inside. Yeah, we we want to make them uh order more bats. Um it should be it should be. I mean, it I mean you've hit with both. Yeah, it jumps off the aluminum or the BB core, but you had a ball solid with a wooden bat zone because that's no better feeling than that.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, it there it there isn't, but it but it also teaches everybody the same thing you're talking about. I mean, the difference is you know, you stand at home plate, you can get jammed with a uh an aluminum bat, and if you're strong, you can muscle the ball out of the infield. That's not gonna happen. Wood, you're gonna be sitting there holding the end of the stick in your hand and go, what happened? And wearing a pad on your right hand because it just got heck jammed out of you. So uh, you know, I I don't know. I I some of these guys are gonna hit and some of them make the transition to to wood just fine. Uh but um I I really believe that uh as we go along here, um, you know, I don't want to take anything away from the companies and I don't want to take anybody's job for Merucci and all these other things. They make bats and this, whatever. But boy, I think uh Division I college baseball should be playing with wood.

SPEAKER_00

But I think a lot of them a lot of them use them in batting practice sometimes. I don't I don't understand the you do it in batting practice, then it it changes the BB core bat is is a total different feel once the game starts. I don't I don't understand.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's a different, it a different handle. I mean, because uh you know, the pine tar and the stick them and you put it on a wood with slick, you know, that all the handles have leather on the bottom of the barrel, I mean, and of an aluminum bat. So it's a different feel the first time you put a piece of wood in your hand. So um, you know, I I I that's just that was my statement. All right, last thing I have before we uh call it a day is is if you had to choose the national champion at the midpoint, is it UCLA and everybody else trying to chase, or is is is there a chance that we you see somebody out there that's got a root if they get healthy or get things going in their direction that they they could play for the national championship?

SPEAKER_00

Ooh. That's a tough one. I mean, because the all the all the fields that these teams play on, once you get to Omaha, that that place is is a totally different playing service. I mean, it's it's good service, it's bigger. Um, all these teams play in band boxes. So I'm I'm I I don't like the teams that that are just banging the ball out of the ballpark because you get to Omaha, you don't hit that many, especially if the wind's blowing in. You're not gonna hit any. Um, I like the teams that are gonna hit. I like I think if Mississippi State's run uh a little dry here lately, but I think they have the pitching and the and the hitting that they could make a run. I think they've lost what six straight six straight conference games. Yeah. Um, but right now, I just don't well, you know what? I think Texas AM has what it takes also with with that team batting average if they can get the arms going. Um, but I I don't think anyone right now can beat UCLA.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I I I think everybody else is chasing UCLA. Now, obviously, there's still an awful lot of ball. There's a lot of outs to get, and there's a lot of hits to be had, and a lot of balls to catch in the outfield, and a lot of things in between. But I I do believe that I don't know in the last few years if I could, you and I'd have this conversation, that we would say that there is a clear cut favorite. Well, I think this year there is a clear-cut favorite, and I think it is the Bruins right now to uh uh to take and control and do. I mean, they're not gonna be pushed in in the Big Ten. There's just not enough good teams. They don't play everybody in the Big Ten. Now they will play USC. Uh we'll find out a little bit about both of those clubs later on this year. Uh they're not going to be pushed in any kind of tournament in the Big Ten. And if they're the overall national seed, they will have the easiest path, so to speak, to get to Omaha. Uh, I mean, there's no easy path. You still have to win a regional, you still have to win a super regional to get there. Uh but uh I think they're clear.

SPEAKER_00

If they went with the brackets, they would have Liberty, Gonzaga, and Farley Dickinson in their regionals.

SPEAKER_01

Well, Gonzaga plays good ball, but I don't know. Pays to be number one. Yeah, it does. There is no question. And Jackie Robinson Stadium is a beautiful ballpark. And uh so uh I I just think that they're clear-cut uh, in my opinion, uh the the the team to beat. Now that could change, and obviously we as we get closer to the end, you and I will have another one of these days where we don't have a guest and sort of go over it because it you know this is this is that time of the year when it's so much fun for me. I I I've seen pretty much everybody. I've I've watched this many games, called a bunch of games, and and you just see and you go, all right, which ones are the ones out there, and who are the guys that I want to see? And if you get a chance, folks, to go see Alvarez pitch at Auburn, go see him pitch. If you get a chance to see UCLA play, just watch the game and watch all of their stars that are there. So there that's a great thing about college baseball right now. I think there is a bunch of really good players out there that you gotta have a chance to go watch.

SPEAKER_00

It's that time of year. I mean, second half. Can can it affect UCLA since they really haven't been pushed when they get to the postseason and have to really play these good teams again after just kind of I guess kind of made making the regular season look pretty easy.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I you know, I I I don't know. I I I hate to say teams can turn it off, turn it on and turn it off. If they continue to go and and we get to the end of the season and they've got five or six losses total, uh when I look at that, I go, they're ready to go no matter who they're playing. Uh, you know, you know, if they if you know then there's some teams that get hot that they're that are, you know, are really good teams. LSU is a perfect example. LXU's got a lot of talent, and you know, I can't figure them out. Arkansas is another one to me. I mean, this is a team that's got a lot of talent. And uh, haven't seen them. They haven't got on a streak yet where they start playing good ball. If they do, uh, that's another team that you know could be scary down the stretch.

SPEAKER_00

Well, I think both of those right now, I think LSU's just trying to make it to the to the big dance. I mean, they're their RPIs down, they're losing some games, but that's one team you would not want in a regional because they have the experience, they know what it takes. And in Arkansas, they're just an anomaly. I mean, they they to me every year look like the best team on paper. And then all of a sudden they lose three, they go sweep, and it's like, who is this team? But those are two teams that yeah, when postseason rolls around, uh, you don't want them in the regional.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and and the last one, uh Texas is is is a perfect example. We'll find out a lot about them, and they've got a really good team coming to town and and in Alabama. They travel on the road to Vandy uh and then come back home and catch Mississippi State. So that's their nine next nine conference games. Uh gonna know a whole lot about them uh in these next nine games uh for sure.

SPEAKER_00

I think they'll get um A Rod back. They'll get him back at shortstop, and that that'll kind of kind of get back into their rhythm. But we I would guess Barbara would go back to first. Um playing some really good third base, though, for Texas. Uh and that's that's the biggest thing, Zonk. You know, that at the end of April, early May, that's when you need everybody healthy and playing your best baseball. Um I got one for is is is Aiden Robbins a first round pick?

SPEAKER_01

You know, I I I there's a lot of things that that Aiden does uh really well, and and I think that he's definitely helped his draft stock. Uh but I you know I'm I'm not sure at this point. Uh he it's gonna be an important six weeks for him, put it that way. If he can continue uh to be the player that he's been in this first uh you know two-thirds of the season, uh if he finishes like he played the first two thirds, he he's gonna get his name. He he people are gonna take notice. I guess that's the best way to look at it. You're gonna, you know, you're on people's radar, but to get into that area where you're uh you know one of those top 35, 40 picks uh in the first round or the supplemental round, uh you're you've got to you've got to finish well. And I think that uh it'll be important for him to finish well.

SPEAKER_00

One one last thing for me. If Texas stays in the top eight, host the regional, or top 16 for that matter, and and and host the regional, and the Bobcats are scheduled to be in that regional. How fun would that be again to have these two go at it in the postseason?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, I don't think there's a question. And if they get in, I I uh uh Texas State, they've got to finish well to get there. If they get in, I I think that would be really cool. You you saw last year, I thought it was really cool, and they did a great job. Did the roadrunners of UTSA came into Austin and found a way to win the regional? So uh it'll be the same type of event to me where you're gonna have a ton of people there. There were a ton of Bobcats fans here when they played on the Tuesday night game just a week or so ago. Uh so I ex I expect it would be an outstanding crowd. And uh we have the new Built Ford Tough right field uh area that uh you can buy an adult beverage and watch the game now, too. So and it's finally got a name. It's Built Ford Tough Ford by Ford.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, okay. Well, if they get in the postseason, you might see me out there with a drink in my hand. That sounds good.

SPEAKER_01

Well, um next week we'll try to have a good guest for you. I enjoyed this week. We just wanted to do one of these uh mid-season things, and I I found out some information of people that you like, and it's amazing because we don't try to talk, folks, uh, about what we're gonna talk about. We mentioned what we're gonna, hey, let's do uh five things that you see about the first half of the season, and it's amazing how many of the same people and the same things we brought up uh you know talking about it because we both see the same things when we sit and watch a baseball game.

SPEAKER_00

I love it, I love it, love this, um, love this episode. I guess we've got to tell the people I've I've been not telling them. If you'd like us, um share us on Apple Podcasts. Um you can listen to the audio. And if you would like to see our beautiful faces, go to Spotify and see the video and the audio. But um another episode, episode 20 of Zeke and Zonk Inside the Game. We'll be back next week after Alabama comes to town to play Texas and and uh America's team, Air Force coming in Tuesday. That's always a pleasure to see those guys. Exactly. Salute to them, and by the way, they're doing a really good job right now in the world. Yes, they are. Thank you for your support. Appreciate the time, Zon. Appreciate the conversation, and then we'll see everyone next week. Sounds good.