Observations from the Florida trip!!!

[factman]

Great week of baseball in Florida. Falcons went 6-1 with a rainout against Georgetown, and beating UConn, Northeastern, Valpo, Lehigh, Holy Cross, Eastern Kentucky and losing to Indiana on "getaway day".
Overall, it was a very good trip and a huge following of Falcon fans and parents. Some of the notables attending some of the games were past baseball coach and AD, Dick Young, past baseball coach and BSU AD, Don Purvis, retired AD Jack Gregory, and BGSU HOF Gary Haas, and ex player Jim Fisher, who are spearheading a drive to upgrade the baseball (and softball) facilities, including a MUCH needed lockerroom.
Overall the pitching was pretty good, with some early season jitters, as can be expected, but overall pretty strong. Freshman Nick Cantrell seems to be the suprise find so far and pitched very well in Florida, after also performing well at Murray State.
If you have never seen Nolan Reimold (Johns little broter) play baseball, you need to get out and see him hit and play right field. There were 15-25 professional scouts at EVERY BG game primarily to see Nolan, and he put on a pretty good show for them. I know Theo Epstein (GM Red Sox) and Bill Lajoy (ex Tiger GM) both made a special trip to Bradenton to see him play. He hits the ball so hard it is scary. They were watching him in the batting cage, taping him taking warmup swings, and following him everywhere he went (almost), but even noted when he went there!!!
Many are projecting him in the 1st or 2nd round in the draft this year.
Andy Hudak was also getting alot of attention from the scouts as he was producing from his cleanup spot following Nolan in the lineup. Burke Badenhop had some scouts there to see him also, and was throwing 88-91 on their guns and had two pretty good outings.
Don't be too hard on the Falcons for the IU game, as it was IU's first game in Florida and our last. We started Alan Brecht against them but also pitched 3-4 freshman, because after 7 games in 8 days, the pitching depth is running a little short, and in the meantime we faced IU's #1 and they had their whole staff available.
I thought our defense was VERY good for the entire trip, turning many DP's, and looking overall very good.
It looks like our normal starting lineup will be Hudak 1B, Lawson 2B, Lipari/Maijer splitting duties at SS, Wasserman 3B (sprained ankle in FL), Foster/Wells/Stewart LF, Warnock CF, Reimold RF and Stewart,Longstreth, and Barnard sharing catching duties. Knoblach (R), Brecht(L), Badenhop(R) and Laughlin (L) will be the primary starters with Gumpf(L), Cantrell(R) middle relief and Hundley and Becker sharing closer duties.
I'm sure I forgot some improtant facts and players, but the depth on this team is very good and I expect a few suprises in playing time before the season is over. It is a GREAT group of coaches and kids that everyone associated with BG can be proud of, and need to get out and support during this 2005 baseball season.

[BGSU33]

Factman,

Thanks for the update! I was hoping we'd beat IU to end the trip, but the points you touched on with our pitching by week's end and their ace coming in is just what I figured would happen. Never the less, a very good week for BG and we got to play a lot of baseball which was much needed. We'll see how the weather holds up when we get back to Ohio. I'm excited to see how we do this year in the MAC, it would be awesome to get back into an NCAA Regional again. If you're ever in Charlottesville and want to see some ACC baseball, let me know! Virginia's new stadium is off the charts, one of the best in the nation! This thing blows away some minor league ballparks, and I am not kidding. I'm there right now as we're about to play a game....gotta run. As always, GO BG!!!

'33

[Falconboy]

I thought this guy was goin' to be the "bomb" so to speak at pitcher. Is he in any of our pitching rotations at all?

[factman]

He has not been in school at BG since last year........grades. The last I heard he was at a Jr College in Alabama. He wasn't here for football either, and he was on a FB scholarship !!

[Falconfreak90]

Way to go, Factman! 6-1 on the trip is excellent! Nolan Reimold's name appears in almost every game summary as the leading hitter. I gotta make it up for a few games this year. I don't think BG plays at Kent or Akron, so that bites.

BG is supposed to host Findlay tomorrow.

Thanks for all the updates, FM.

Our flight leaves on 3/23 for Tampa....only 9 days to go.

[NY-BG-FAN]

He has not been in school at BG since last year........grades. The last I heard he was at a Jr College in Alabama. He wasn't here for football either, and he was on a FB scholarship !!

I thought I heard that he transferred to Florida A&M to play football, but I am not sure. Anyone have any info on this?

[golfertk14]

sound like a great trip, can i assume it was a warm one too?

[JoeFalcon]

Awesome report factman! Please continue to bring us the insider perspective on Falcon baseball.

BTW, did another coach join the staff to replace Chris Hoiles? I know he was just a volunteer, but it seems like a decent position for someone to get some D-I coaching experience.

[factman]

No, they have not filled Coach Hoiles position yet. It is rather interesting with him on the opposing bench, as I know we had at least one missed sign today because we had to change them for EMU. BG still kicked their butts!!