College Sports Scene Today
"College Sports Scene Today" tackles the hottest topics and latest news around the world of college sports. Each episode features conversations and analysis with special guests including insiders, athletes, coaches, and other newsmakers from college conferences around the country.
College Sports Scene Today
Big Ten Baseball Update with Connor Onion
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Connor Onion of BTN and FOX Sports joins the podcast to analyze the Big Ten Baseball season to date and looks ahead to the remainder of the year.
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College Sports Scene Today is hosted by Pete Pistone and produced by Mia Pistone
Hi everybody, Peter Stoney here for College Sports Team today. And let's talk a little Big Ten baseball. Hard to believe we're in the middle of April and the season's winding down. We're going to get to conference tournament play before you know it. And then of course the College World Series. And let's bring in a guy who's got his finger on the pulse of a lot of sports, including Big Ten baseball from BTN and Fox, Connor Onion, with us here on College Sports Team today. How are you doing, Connor? Good to see you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, good to see you too, Pete. It's been a minute, but uh yeah, good to be back on with you.
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean, I'll start by saying this. Uh we see you everywhere, and congratulations, man. I mean, you're doing some major league baseball stuff, you're doing some Big Ten stuff, obviously. You're here in Chicago doing some bull stuff this past winter as well. I mean, you're all over the place. Congratulations on all the work you're getting these days, Connor.
SPEAKER_00No, I I appreciate it, Pete. Yeah, I I mean, the the Bulls thing was was a blast, uh, filling in for the the great Adam Amin a little bit this winter. Um, Adam's obviously working a full schedule too with uh with all he's doing nationally. So um honored to sit in his chair and keep it warm for a little bit and um love doing the college stuff and the major league baseball stuff too. So it's been uh it's been a fun couple of months here for sure.
SPEAKER_01Well, let's talk about uh Big Ten baseball. As I mentioned, I mean you're doing some of those games as well. And uh again, as I said, it's hard to believe we're in the middle of April here. Let's just start big picture, then we'll ask you a thumbnail on some of the teams here. When you look at this conference this year, what do you see? What might be different? What might be the same from what we've covered in the past, Connor?
SPEAKER_00Well, you have uh a major juggernaut at the top with UCLA. Um, you know, they they had a 27-game winning streak, which tied for the Big Ten record. Uh unfortunately, that came to an end last night or earlier this week um against UC Santa Barbara. But I think that's probably the the biggest difference is that they're a year older, and it's a lot of the same guys that went to the Big Ten championship game last year. But uh they they are loaded, and it's it's no no mistake that they're the number one team of the country out of the Big Ten right now.
SPEAKER_01I feel like in the Big Ten it's the UCLA's world, and we're all living in it considering everything that they've been doing out there. Well, let's dive in a little deeper than uh to the Bruins, as you mentioned. They did lose the game here, but in terms of the conference, I mean, they're the on top. Uh for our listeners who maybe aren't watching Bruin baseball yet and they need to going forward. What are some of the keys there about how good this team is and bringing back a lot of those guys from a year ago, as you said, Connor?
SPEAKER_00Well, if you're if you're a Major League Baseball fan and if you happen to be listening to this in Chicago or viewing this from Chicago, you're gonna want to watch their shortstop, Rock Cholowski. The the Chicago White Sox have the number one pick in the upcoming MLB draft, and Rock Cholowski, UCLA's shortstop, is expected to be the number one pick. So that's that's where it all starts. He's the reigning Big Ten player of the year. Uh, but it's it's not just him. They've they've added Will Gasparino, and he's one of the best power hitters in the Big Ten. Uh, the entire infield around Rok Cholowski is also back from UCLA's team that went to the College World Series last year. And with a John Savage team, their head coach, you can always expect good pitching. You know, this is the same guy that mentored Garrett Cole and Trevor Bauer when they were in college before being the first and third overall pick in the draft. And it's it's a major pitching pipeline uh whenever John Savage is is in charge. So it's it's a complete team, and that's why they're uh they're rolling 18 and oh in the Big Ten right now.
SPEAKER_01You mentioned John Savage, and we've had him on the show before. And you know, as anybody in these days in sports college other or otherwise, longevity like that that he has there, you don't see that that often. What's been the key to the success of John being there as long and being at such a high level as good as I do think it it starts with that, his pitching philosophy.
SPEAKER_00He always has guys that uh you know not only can locate a fastball and throw hard, but he's so good at developing those secondary pitches and and turning guys into pro-ready pitchers before they're even draft eligible as juniors. Uh, and that's what's been so impressive about this team is uh you've got strike throwers, you've got high velocity arms, but you've um you've got a complete staff that misses bats. Uh they they struck out 30 batters in a game last Friday at Rutgers. Uh it was it was a 14-inning game. Uh and they were in a fight there on that Friday night, but um incredible what what he's done in in so many different iterations of college baseball from pre-NIL to post-NIL. Uh, he he continues to develop, and I I think it all starts with pitching when you you think about John Savage and his legacy.
SPEAKER_01They're so good, as you know. Uh, but there's a long way to go. Is there an Achilles heel as you look at this team? It's kind of hard for me to find one. Is there anything that you see, Connor?
SPEAKER_00Not not really. Like it feels inevitable that they're going to be in Omaha, not once but twice. There'll be an Omaha, no doubt about it, for the Big Ten Baseball Tournament Memorial Day weekend, but uh it feels like it's inevitable that they're gonna be back there for a second straight college world series. Uh, they they play really good defense. Uh, as I mentioned, their entire infield return from last year. Uh maybe all those guys are gonna get drafted. Um, it's very likely that the entire infield does. Um, they have three of the five best run producers in the Big Ten. They hit for power, they hit for average. Um, the their starting rotation is excellent. As we mentioned, they're they're bullpen too, with all those strikeouts, not just Friday night, but throughout the season, they miss bats. So, no, it's it's a complete team, and uh it's it's gonna take a lot for a Big Ten team to beat them in a series here coming down the stretch.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, there are some other teams I want to ask you about that maybe have an opportunity to do that. And the next one up is uh Nebraska. And the Huskers are playing good baseball again, they're in the shadow of UCLA. What do you see with that team this year out there in Omaha?
SPEAKER_00Well, Pete, I'm sure you remember Jamie Moyer from his time in the big leagues. Sure. Uh crafty southpaw. Uh his his son, Mac, is the starting center fielder for Nebraska. And um Mac Moyer is is having an awesome year at the plate, junior college transfer first year at Nebraska. Uh, went into last night's game. He was hitting 401, leading the Big Ten and playing a great center field. So he's he's been the anchor of their lineup, hitting leadoff. Uh, and then uh they've they've mixed their their pitching uh in a way that's been pretty creative. They actually pitched their Friday night ace on a Tuesday last night against Creighton and uh have have gone with a lot of different combinations on the mound. Uh Rob Childress is their pitching coach, longtime Texas AM head coach. Um, and kind of like we were talking about with John Savage, like the the first thing you think of with Rob Childress is how he how he develops pitchers. You know, he had Michael Waka, longtime big leaguer uh at Texas AM, and he's he's produced uh produced and developed a bunch of really good pitchers lately for Nebraska, and this year has been no different.
SPEAKER_01So if Jamie Moyer's son plays as long as he did, he'll be playing into his 40s because Jamie pitched a long time, didn't he? Um be interesting to watch them. All right, let's go back to the West Coast. USC is another team that's kind of interesting to me. The Trojans, sort of a little bit hit and miss there, but still playing at a pretty high level. Give us the thumbnail of of USC, Connor.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I feel like we're we're talking pitching a bunch, which is a really good sign for the Big Ten because you you think of this over the years as a physical power-based offensive league. But uh watching USC's Friday night ace, Mason Edwards. Uh he he struck out 16 Iowa Hawk guys last Friday as is ERA on the years 135. Uh, and that's that's where it all starts for USC is with their Friday night guy, Mason Edwards. But uh they they can slug a little bit too. It's it's mostly an average uh gap-to-gap type offense, but they've got Augie Lopez up there in the middle in the top of the lineup. And uh he's he's gone from a guy who hit three home runs last year to 11 already this year, with still over a month to go. So uh that's that's a fascinating series this weekend of the Big Ten. USC goes to Nebraska, and and that's a series that could determine who gets a top four seed in the Big Ten tournament, which means you get a bye to the quarterfinals.
SPEAKER_01That's gonna be an interesting one to watch. I'll go back here to the Midwest as school down in Lafayette, Purdue, again, playing some pretty good baseball as well. What have you seen of the Boilermakers this year, where they are right now to kind of end the month of April going into Bay, Connor?
SPEAKER_00Well, headlining win looked really good for the Big Ten in the non-conference. They beat at the time number 11 Oregon State, and and that's helped the league's RPI, that's helped Purdue's RPI. Uh, so the Boilers look like a lock for the NCAA tournament because what they did in the non-conference and have continued to do in league play. Um always always fascinated to watch them run the bases. Uh Alexander Field is their home park. It's a bigger ballpark with big gaps. So Greg Goff typically builds his team on speed. Uh, they've they've got Eli Anderson who's near the top of the conference and stolen bases. But what's a little bit different about this Purdue team is at the corner infield spots, they've got CJ Richmond and Sam Flores, who who are slugging a lot more than we're used to with some Purdue teams. So they've they've kept that identity of speed, but but mixed in the power with Flores and Richmond. And uh that's it's made for a really good year so far with the Boilers.
SPEAKER_01One more team to get a thumbnail. We'll go back uh to the West Coast of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and the Ducks and their baseball squad. I mean, we talked a lot about them when we did our softball hit a couple of weeks ago. Well, how about the baseball team from your perspective this year?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Mark Wazikowski, it's it's funny we're going Purdue, Oregon back to back, because uh Coach Wasikowski was at Purdue and has come back to the Big Ten now that Oregon has joined the league the last two years. Um known, known for their power. You know, the the ball has has jumped off Oregon's bats again this year. Um feels like every year we're talking about either a single season or a career record. Um, and we're watching a freshman, Angel Laia, um, go right into the lineup, hit 11 home runs already as a freshman, uh, he hit two against uh again, Nebraska's pitching has been pretty good this year. He hit two against Nebraska on Sunday. Um, so it hasn't really mattered the level of competition. Uh both Laia and Drew Smith have have provided that identity in the middle of the lineup for Oregon. It's um it's it's a ton of slug. It's a lot of fun to watch, and and they're another team that's headed for a regional just like they were last year.
SPEAKER_01You know, as you know well know, Connor, a couple years ago, a lot of the conversation across the conference was how will the former Pac-12 teams sort of assimilate themselves into the different leagues? Three of the teams we've talked about here are from the Pac-12. I mean, they didn't skip a beat. We talked about style of play. Has anything sort of struck out to you about what you see might be different from those three schools, or maybe the traditional Big Ten schools we had here before those three came in?
SPEAKER_00There's there's a merging of I think the the pitching from the pack and the physical, power-oriented, traditional Midwest Big Ten teams. Uh, you think about uh Illinois, you you think about uh Maryland over the years. I know that's more East Coast, and and they were added to the league still relatively recently, but uh those are those are two offenses that come to mind that you think of power, muscle hit a lot of home runs, and then you add in uh you know the John Savage philosophy, the Andy Stankowitz philosophy at UCLA and USC. And I think it's been a really good marriage where the Midwest teams have had to raise their level of pitching, and the West Coast teams have had to raise their level of power, which Oregon has had no problem with that, because they already had that identity established. But I but I think we've seen that uh from Washington, we've seen it from UCLA and USC, where they've met some of the Midwest teams where they're at and have added a little bit more physicality. The Midwest teams have have gotten better on the mound.
SPEAKER_01No, there's some teams that obviously are not in this conversation, but I think there's some pretty good players at some of these other teams. I'll ask you sort of a two-part question. Any teams out there you thought you might get a little bit more out of? And any other standout players maybe not playing for one of these upper echelon squads we talked about, Connor?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think I think Indiana um I think they still have a chance to turn turn up their season late in the year. Um they they've got a first baseman, Jake Hanley, a right fielder Hogan Denny, that are going to be drafted and uh eventually. I mean they're they're underclassmen heavy, but when those guys are eligible, they're gonna play a pro for a long time. Um I I think they they played so many one-run games early in the year, and that may have shot their confidence a little bit, but I I think they're gonna eventually make the Big Ten tournament and have a chance to make some noise in the Big Ten tournament because of how young and talented they are. Uh on the on the other side of that, Ohio State has has surprised me after a down year last year. They're they're right in the mix and have a big series this week against Purdue. Um, and they could go grab a top four seed. They they went from really struggling on the mound last year uh to throwing a lot more strikes and to to turning that thing around in in just a year. And it's been it's been fun to watch the Buckeyes in that way.
SPEAKER_01Now, obviously, you know, we're entrenched here in the Big Ten, but you kind of look big picture around the country. I mean, I I kind of think this conference is much better than it was when you talk baseball. I mean, I don't want to put you on the spot, but you know, how many teams do you think might have a chance to make the college world series from the Big Ten?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, it's it's an interesting question. I think at this point, I would I would feel safe with six. Um off the top of my head, uh, UCLA is obviously a lock. USC, Nebraska, they're in the hosting conversation for a regional. Uh, Oregon, the same. So that's four Big Ten teams that you could see host. Um, Michigan, Purdue, I feel good about making the field. And then Maryland is a team I could see playing their way in. Uh, they they have the offense. They're they're inside the top 70 of the RPI right now. So they need that RPI number to climb a little bit. Um, but they won their first series of the weekend on a walk-off grand slam uh this past weekend against Indiana. Um so they they have the bats to make a run. Uh I think it just comes down to will they throw it well enough to to climb in the RPI and climb with the Big Ten standings. So six, six or seven, if you pin me down right now.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Six or seven. That's great. Well, we'll see how it turns out. As I said, still a lot of baseball to go here, and we're looking forward to it down the stretch of April into May. Good to see you. Always appreciate you giving us some time and your insight, Connor. Thanks for being on the show today.
SPEAKER_00I appreciate it, Pete. Always good to see you.
SPEAKER_01It's Connor Onion from BTN and Fox Sports joining us here on College Sports Team Today. I'm Pete Pistoni. Thanks for watching. We'll see you next time right here at College Sports Team Today.