When I mention the state of Nebraska, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Corn? Football? Beef? Omaha Steaks? College World Series?
All of these would be great answers, but the thing on my mind and many others that follow college baseball is Nebraska Baseball. The Nebraska all-state team is yet again dominating in the Big XII. I call it the Nebraska all-state team because most of these players are from high-schools right here in our (I live in Lincoln, NE) own back yard.
How can this be? Isn't it common knowledge that the majority of top baseball players come from the "Sunbelt" and other warm weather states? Makes sense considering our boys from Nebraska can only play baseball outside eight months max per year, if we are lucky. So, where does all the talent on this team come from then?
COACHING.
Coach Anderson is doing an amazing job taking the talent Nebraska does have, as raw as it may be, and growing these players into consistent and fundamentally sound players.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Look at the roster. None of the players will be named to the All America team except for maybe catch Mitch Albeita. But they do just enough to win every weekend.
This weekend's matchup against then number six Texas A&M proves this point perfectly. Nebraska rallied from behind only to lose in the 16th on Friday, and then swept both games on Sunday coming from behind, yet again. They did this by getting timely hits with runners on base, playing solid defense, and not giving in when they were down by more than a grand slam's worth of offense.
If Nebraska takes two out of three from Missouri this upcoming weekend and Texas A&M stumbles and drops two of three in their Big XII finale, the Children of the Corn will take home the Big XII regular season trophy, again.
Not bad for a team picked to finish sixth in the Big XII this year.
Depending on how the Big XII championships go in Oklahoma City in a couple of weeks, Nebraska should be awarded with both a regional and super regional hosting sites. This is great for the Huskers, and also for baseball because Haymarket Park is truly one of the top five college baseball parks in the country. Come check it out, or rent NCAA Baseball. EA Sports liked it enough that they chose to put it in their game.
This season has been crazy and has inspired more than a few heart attacks in late inning situations for the Nebraska Cornhuskers Baseball Team. I look forward to watching both post-season play right here in Lincoln, Ne, but more importantly, I look forward to the one hour drive East to Omaha, Nebraska for the 2008 College World Series to root on the Children of the Corn.
Go Big Red!
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7 months ago
Two issues with your article
1. Coach Anderson is the reason that the Huskers have been doing so poorly the past few years. Coaching Division 1-A talent to not swing at the first pitch the way he did the last two seasons was ridiculous. He also has a poor penchant for taking pitchers out of the game who are cruising along just fine. He puts in younger guys who pitched the night before to get them some "experience". They then get torn up by the opposition and spend their next three appearances recovering from this "experience" Look at the Oklahoma game that ended in a tie. If Coach Anderson wouldn't have made this move in this game and against Kansas we would be leading the Big 12 right now.
2. Nebraska has plenty of talent. I've never liked the "bunch of farmboys" routine, even when it has applied. Anywhere you go, even in the most rural parts of Nebraska, the schools all have resources for good athletes and communication with top strength, conditioning, and nutrition programs. Right now the state is producing a lot of top flight baseball talent. Nebraska and Creighton both have good players that are from Nebraska. Johnny Dorn is a sure pro, and I am sure that Nimmo will also get drafted.
from 7 months ago
Coach Anderson is the reason this team is good. Not the players. He knows we don't have the talent to win unless he goes balls out coaching with hit and runs and stolen bases. Small ball. Coach Anderson is the man.
And for every one kid that is good in Nebraska at baseball, Texas has 1000. More proof that ANderson does an amazing job at coaching what he gets.
7 months ago
Small Ball?????
Nebraska is currently 4th in the league in stolen bases and next to last in walks. Just because we don't overwhelm people offensively does not mean that we play small ball. We have been winning because of clutch hitting with 2 outs and outstanding pitching. This has nothing to do with coaching, but rather, with outstanding individual performances. If you don't think that our roster has talent, you need to take another look. We may not have any Alex Gordon's, but we have a lot more Matt Hopper's.
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