Canespace

IMHO: College Baseball Is Broken And Needs Fixing

This is a first in a new series on Canespace titled: In My Humble Opinion (IMHO). But in reality we do not plan to be very humble although we will definitely be very opinionated when we write a piece like this about any subject.

For our first subject we chose college baseball. We realize that only about 25% of Miami fans can be considered hard core baseball fans but still, we think the sport, and this issue, deserves our serious attention.

The issue: It has become the common and accepted practice for college baseball teams participating in their conference tournaments to rest their best starting pitchers in the championship game even with the conference title is on the line.

The reasoning: The apparent theory is that the conference title is much less important than the upcoming NCAA regionals, super-regionals and making it all the way to the College World Series.

The problem: This does not happen in ANY pother collegiate sport other than baseball. The practice directly and intentionally diminishes the value of winning a conference title which should obviously be a huge priority in any college sport.

Now before we go there, let me be clear: This is not a criticism of UM head baseball coach Jim Morris and the Miami Hurricanes baseball team. Morris, albeit willingly, simply followed the currently accepted college baseball playbook on how to handle the conference baseball championships. To be fair the Georgia Tech coach took the same approach as Morris but only with different results.

In addition, this is not just a UM or GT issue, or just an ACC problem, but a NCAA wide issue that applies to all college baseball teams and their respective conferences.

But can you imagine UM head football coach Al Golden intentionally putting his team at a disadvantage and minimizing the importance of winning an ACC title. Can you imagine Golden sitting his starting QB for an ACC title game for fear of injury and "saving him" for a BCS bowl game? Can you imagine Jimbo Fisher doing the exact same thing?

Of course not because winning the conference title means something in college football. It determines your ranking in the polls, your BCS standing, which bowl game you will attend and millions of dollars are on the line.

Can you wrap your head around UM head basketball coach Jim Larranaga resting his starting five in an effort to "save them" for the NCAA tourney? Can you just imagine Miami facing down North Carolina for an ACC title and Larranaga starting his bench and resting his starters in an effort to try not win the ACC crown and but set up a run at the Sweet 16? Can you imagine Roy Williams from UNC doing the same?

Never in a million years would this happen in basketball because your seeding in the NCAA tourney is directly related to your conference tournament performance.

Georgia Tech went on to win their fifth ACC baseball title on Sunday. Miami has won one since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference when the Canes won it in 2008 under Morris.

Still, I think another one in 2012 would have been really, really nice, don't U?

Or maybe we should just ask Al Golden or Jim Larranaga how much an ACC title would mean to them and their teams right about now?

Canes Fall Short In Quest For ACC Title

Your Miami Hurricanes beat the odds just to make it to the ACC Championship Game after dropping their opener to North Carolina State in heart-breaking fashion in the bottom of the ninth by walking in the winning run.

However, the Canes dug deep and managed to come back strong to take games against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday and against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Friday to give themselves a legitimate chance at the ACC title on Sunday.

Sixth seeded Miami played #8 seed Georgia Tech, who totally surprised everybody in the conference, in the championship game in Greensboro, NC. Unfortunately the Canes lost the game basically before it started and wound up on the wrong end of an 8-5 deficit.

In what appears now to be a common practice now in college baseball conference tournaments, the Hurricanes decided to throw a very inexperienced Sophmore in Javi Salas against the Yellow Jackets. Salas took the mound and proceeded to throw a little less than two innings of what amounted to batting practice for GT.

Before you could say: "Wramblin' Wreck", Tech took the opportunity to jump out to four run lead in the first inning and never looked back. Miami's day was wrecked and the rest is history as they blew their chance to win their second ACC baseball title.

Sure the Hurricanes fought back valiantly to make the game close several times including closing the gap to just one run late in the game at 6-5. But it was to no avail as the Hurricanes could not score enough runs without production from Peter O'Brien who went hitless on the day and left several men on base in critical situations.

The good news is that due to their solid performance in the ACC tourney, Miami was selected by the NCAA to host a regional tournament at Alex Rodriguez Park. The even better news is that the other teams selected for the Coral Gables Regional appears, at least on paper, to be weak.

The Hurricanes will host UCF, Mizzouri State and Stony Brook. We predict the Hurricanes will win their regional and then adavance to take on the winner of the Baton Rouge (LSU) regional.

That's where the going will get tough once again for UM head coach Jim Morris and his team.

A Little Help Please?

A little help is exactly what your Miami Hurricanes need from the North Carolina Tar Heels tonight when they play the North Carolina State Wolfpack at 7 PM in the final contest of the ACC pool play to determine which team will earn the right to play in the conference championship game on Sunday.

It can't get any more simple than this: If UNC beats NCST tonight, Miami plays for the Atlantic Coast Conference title tomorrow.

Miami already did their part on Friday night by beating Wake Forest 6-3 to move their ACC tourney record to 2-1. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes their one loss came to NCST in the opening game on Wednesday night. That is when Miami blew a one run lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning and walked in the winning run to lose the game in heart-wrenching fashion.

To sit here in my Canespace T-shirt and think that IF the Hurricanes could have held onto that precious lead and closed out the game against the Wolfpack on Wednesday they would already be 3-0 and guaranteed a spot in the ACC title game on Sunday.

But these days nothing seems to come easy for your Miami Hurricanes. Yet still, I don't think we are really asking for too much from the Tar Heels to beat the Wolfpack, are we?

How about a little help please?

Miami Releases Statement On The ACC

Statement from University of Miami Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst:

We are so fortunate at Miami. Our University, under past and present visionary leadership and with an 87-year history of achievement, is strong in our foundation and in our beliefs. It allows us to stay steady when there are stormy seas, and that core strength holds us together today more than ever.

Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004, the University of Miami has worked hard to measure up to the high academic and athletic standards set by our peers and we could not be more proud than to call the ACC our home. We are confident in our progress and in our accomplishments, yet there is still much work to be done.

We are committed to the ACC and to doing our part to continue the tradition of excellence across the board. In that regard, we have not engaged in any formal or informal discussions with any other conferences.

The additions of the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University, as well as the new exclusive television partnership with ESPN, signal the very strength and nationwide appeal of the ACC. Fans will be able to watch more ACC sports and more ACC games in more ways than ever before with the most powerful brand in sports behind us. This is an exciting time to be a part of the ACC and we are honored and humbled to be among its members.

Chris Freet
Associate AD for Communications &
Marketing | University of Miami Athletics

Cardiac Canes Come Through Against Tar Heels

Just when you thought it was going to be easy, things got really, really hard.

For the second straight day at the ACC Baseball Tournament your Miami Hurricanes took a lead into the ninth inning. Closing the deal should be a piece of cake right? Well, not so much.

On Wednesday against NCST, Miami clung to a one run lead going into the bottom of the ninth and could not hold the lead, walked in the winning run and lost 3-2 to the Wolfpack.

It was enough to make an average Hurricane fan turn into a Maniac.

On Thursday Miami had a more comfortable two run advantage going into the closing frame courtesy of a Dale Carey two run homerun. It was only Carey's second dinger of the season but it happened when it was mattered most.

For a while at least, Miami breathed easy. Then in the ninth the Hurricanes brought in the reliable and dependable A.J. Salcines to close out the game in simple fashion.

However, the adventure to get UM their first ACC tourney win of 2012 would be anything but simple. Somehow Salcines forgot what he had done all season long and suddenly developed control problems. Enough to make head coach Jim Morris and the 'Canes faithful very nervous.

Salcines then proceeded to walk the bases loaded with two outs before throwing the most beautiful pitch you may have ever seen for a called third strike against UNC's best hitter to end the game.

The 5-3 victory over North Carolina kept Miami's ACC tourney chances alive going into their game against Wake Forest tomorrow night at 7 PM.

We suggest that you stay thirsty and stay tuned 'Canes fans for tomorrow night's game and LIVE blog coverage here at Canespace.

Slip Sliding Away

The University of Miami baseball team took to the field today to begin their quest for the 2012 College World Series in Omaha at the ACC baseball championships held in Greensboro, NC.

Unfortunately, the results were not so good. Miami eventually lost 3-2 to the Wolfpack.

After wasting a brilliant effort from starting pitcher Eric Erickson;

After blowing several excellent scoring chances with men on base;

After leading the entire game until the bottom of the ninth inning;

After Jim Morris changed pitchers more often than Kim Kardashian changes boyfriends;

The University of Miami baseball team lost to North Carolina State in the most awful way.

They walked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Now, with the season in jeopardy after a brutal and devastating loss, can the Hurricanes recover?

Or do Hurricane fans feel that the 2012 season is just slip sliding away...

What Have U Done For Me Lately?

The University of Miami baseball team has a proud tradition and glorious history of success dating back to the early 1980s and "The Wizard of College Baseball" Hurricane head coach Ron Fraser.

The Hurricanes have won four National Championships (1982, 1985, 1999 and 2001). In fact, Miami has been to the College World series 23 times which is the most of any ACC school and second in the entire NCAA only to Texas.

UM has been to the College World Series in 11 of the last 15 years under current head coach Jim Morris. He led the Hurricanes to two national championships in (1999, 2001) and Miami's only ACC title in a major sport in 2008 when the UM baseball team captured the conference crown.

However, Miami has not made it back to the CWS in the last three years. The Hurricanes have not made the trip out to Omaha since the memorable 2008 ACC title season. 

That year Miami finished the regular season ranked #1 in the polls and headed to Rosenblatt Stadium with five All-ACC players in tow.  Some of the players on that star-studded roster included starting pitchers Chris Hernandez and Eric Erickson, closer Kyle Bellamy and sluggers Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal, Jemile Weeks and ACC tourney MVP Dave DiNatalie.

Some Hurricane fans have grown anxious or concerned about Miami's recent lack of success and a few have even begun to ask Morris: "Yeah, but what have U done for me lately?"

Miami begins their quest for another trip to Omaha on Wednesday at the ACC baseball championship tournament at NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Hurricanes are seeded sixth out of eight teams that made the tourney and are in Pool B that includes #2 seed North Carolina, #3 NCST and #7 Wake Forest. The Pool A teams are #1 seed FSU, #4 Virginia, #5 Clemson and #8 seed Georgia Tech.

First up for the Hurricanes will be the Wolfpack at 3 PM on Wednesday. Miami will then take on North Carolina on Thursday at 3 PM before facing the Demon Deacons at 7 PM on Friday.

The ACC championship game will be played between the winners of the two, four-team brackets on Saturday at noon.

All In The Family

On Friday the news broke that highly recruited and highly coveted 2013 QB Kevin Olsen verbally committed to the University of Miami.

It was widely known that Olsen was strong Miami lean and that his official announcement was likely to come soon. Nonetheless, the formal confirmation of his public verbal commitment on Friday was another huge step forward for the Hurricanes and a very important piece of the 2013 recruiting puzzle and process.

UM head coach Al Golden was obviously very excited about the commitment and also indicated that Olsen may be the only QB that the Miami takes in this recruiting class. Olsen talked about his strong relationships with Golden and UM offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch as reasons for his now solid
commitment to Miami.

Many Miami fans believe that Olsen's commitment may open the proverbial floodgates for other recruits to publicly state their verbal commitments to UM in the coming days and weeks. Olsen is the third member of the ESPN Top 150 players in the 2013 class to verbally commit to the Hurricanes joining #70 DT Keith Bryant and #131 TE Standish Dobard.

As most of you are probably already aware, Kevin Olsen is the younger brother of former UM TE Greg Olsen. As many of you may also know, Greg was first round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 2007. Last year he was traded by the Bears and now plays for the Carolina Panthers in the NFLU under
another former UM TE in Rob Chudzinski who is the Panthers' offensive coordinator.

Kevin Olsen, who plays QB at Wayne High School in New Jersey, was at one time the 4th overall rated QB in the Nation by Scout. He is a pro-style QB that is listed at 6’-2”, 195 pounds that is known for his accuracy and quick release. Olsen is a four-star recruit and had offers from almost all of the major college football programs.

Olsen is currently ranked as the #7 overall QB prospect by the national recruiting services. He has also been invited to play in the Under Armour All-Star game and the Elite 11 QB camp.

Some People Deserve More Than 15 Minutes

They say everybody gets their fifteen minutes of fame one way or another. Still, it would seem that some people deserve a little more than the bare minimum. I think all Miami Hurricane fans can agree that former Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson is definitely one of those people.

Former University of Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson, who led the Hurricanes to their second National Championship in 1987, is one of 17 former players or coaches that were selected by the National Football Foundation to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Johnson becomes the third head coach from UM to earn the honor and will now join Jack Harding (1980) and Andy Gustafson (1985) in the exclusive club.

While at Miami (1984-88), Johnson compiled a 52-9 record over five seasons and guided the Hurricanes to a perfect 12-0 record in 1987. That year UM defeated six nationally ranked teams including the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship.

Johnson’s teams were known for their intimidating style of play and most of all for their totally dominating, relentless and suffocating defense. He built a solid foundation for a Miami team that consistently found success against many of the top teams in the Nation.

In fact, his Hurricanes would go on to beat Oklahoma, Florida State and Notre Dame three times in a row during Johnson's time at Miami.

Prior to arriving in Miami, Johnson spent five seasons as the head coach of Oklahoma State. His overall career collegiate record was 81-34-3.

Johnson was the only one of the many successful UM head coaches who left Miami and found any real measurable success. He left Coral Gables after the 1988 season to replace the iconic and  irreplaceable Tom Landry as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

His five-year tenure in Dallas resulted in back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1992 and 1993, making Johnson one of just six NFL head coaches to lead his team to consecutive Super Bowl wins.

Johnson becomes the ninth former Hurricane to be selected into the College Football Hall of Fame. In fact, he coached two of them: DT Russell Maryland (2011) and S Bennie Blades (2006).

The other former 'Canes that are in the CFHOF are: Don Bosseler (1990), Ted Hendricks (1987), Gino Torretta (2009), Arnold Tucker (2008).

Slam Wakes Up Canes, Clinches ACC Tourney Berth

You can thank University of Miami third baseman Brad Fieger for waking up the sleep walking UM baseball team on Sunday in the rubber match of their three game weekend series against Wake Forest at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.

After Miami dominated Wake and easily won Friday's series opener 11-0 behind excellent pitching from Eric Erickson, the Demon Deacons came back strong to take the Saturday night affair 7-2.  So it all came down to Sunday's game to decide the series, and even more importantly, the fate of the #21 ranked Hurricanes' short-term future. 

Fieger, who is by far Canespace blogger Six's favorite Miami baseball player ever, blasted a two out grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning to power the Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Demon Deacons.  While Six may rave and rant about UM's recent lack of success (since 2008) under head coach Jim Morris he just loves him some Brad Fieger.

With the game tied at 2-2 Fieger came to the plate with the bases juiced and hit a towering slam over the left field fence as the loyal Hurricane fans at ARP went wild.  Fieger rounded the bases and jumped into the waiting arms of his teammates in a joyous home plate celebration.

Fieger's grand slam not only propelled the Hurricanes to win the game and the series from the Demon Deacons but the victory allowed Miami (32-18, 14-13 ACC) to  clinch a berth in the ACC Tournament.  The ACC tourney is scheduled for May 23-27 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Miami returns to ARP for their final home game of the season on Wednesday, May 15 against Florida Gulf Coast University before closing out the regular season with a three game series at Georgia Tech.