Interview with Brian DeCaussin of Big Ten Hardball

For my money, Brian DeCaussin knows more about Big Ten baseball than any of us “regular guys” and more importantly, doesn’t back down speaking out about some of the issues facing the game.

DeCaussin runs Big Ten Hardball, the “go-to” website for anyone who is interested in Big Ten baseball.  BTH acts as sort of a repository of information on the  topic.

With the last series of games almost upon (and quite a photo-finish it is) and the Big Ten Baseball Tournament taking place next week, DeCaussin was the obvious choice for Illinois Baseball Report’s subject for a Q&A interview this week.  I quizzed him on a variety of topics including this weekend’s final series and the tournament.

Here we go…

Illinois Baseball Report:  The race for first place in the Big Ten is pretty tight this year with Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio State, and Indiana all having a realistic shot at it at this point. All things considered, who do you think has the best shot at top spot?

Big Ten Hardball:  I think I’ve proven over the years that I have no ability to predict winners.  This season is no exception.  So, take what I’m about to offer with a grain of salt.

On paper, Ohio State would seem to be in the best position of overtaking Minnesota.  The Gophers (at Penn State), Illinois (at Purdue) and Indiana (hosting Michigan State) all play squads with better conference records than Iowa, the Buckeyes opposition this week.  It’s also a home date for OSU.  

All that stated, I won’t be the least bit surprised regardless of what scenario plays out.  It’s just been that kind of year all around college baseball.

IBR:  At the same time, the last tournament qualifying spot is still up for grabs. That makes for some pretty important matchups going into this weekend. Comments?

BTH:  Purdue really holds all the cards for the final Big Ten Tournament slot.  The Boilermakers need to lose, if Michigan or Penn State hope to land the sixth and final seed.  I suspect a number of Michigan and PSU fans will become Illini fans during these last three games.  

IBR:  The Big Ten Tournament begins May 20. In your opinion, how is that different than the regular season in terms of intensity, rigor, and all around play? Can we make an analogy to MLB playoffs and World Series compared to their regular season? Or is it a totally different ball of wax?

BTH:  If I can borrow the TNT catch-phrase during the NBA Playoffs, the Big Ten Tournament is "Win or Go Home".  That scenario instantly changes the environment.  Unlike professional sports, though, this is a two-and-out (or two-and-BBQ, in Omaha-terms) situation.  This abbreviated format makes your potential exit more immediate, which does increase the pressure and intensity.  The pros have more margin for error.

Do I think you suddenly see better performances because of that?  Probably not, but they appear bigger just because the setting is much more dramatic.

I should also point out that the format the Big Ten uses for the conference tournament does put a strain on pitching staffs.  Most Big Ten sides have three "weekend" starters.  However, to capture the tournament title, you could need five or six starters depending on how many arms get chewed up eating innings trying to survive.

If often turns the conference tournament final into a battle of attrition.  The starters in the championship game might not have started a game in over a week.  It can make for some high-scoring, albeit ugly, baseball at the end.  That also alters the quality of play to some extent.

IBR:  Speaking of the Big Ten Tournament, what’s your take on the issue of the tournament taking place in a neutral baseball stadium? Do you see advantages? Disadvantages? What about the specific location of Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio?

BTH:  I’ve always supported the neutral site concept.  There are several reasons, but I’ll try to hit just two.  First, logistics.  Right now, we’ve got four teams with a shot at winning the Big Ten’s regular season.  If the regular season champ were going to host the tourney this year, not one team would know right now where they would be playing next week.  With the race as tight as it is, we might not know until Sunday.  That’s makes things, like travel arrangements, difficult not only for each baseball program, but their fan base and the media.

My second reason is facilities.  There are just some programs in this conference that are not ready to host the Big Ten Tournament.  Many of the programs around the conference either have made upgrades to their ballparks or intend to, but if baseball is going to be taken seriously, they need to make the tournament as fan-friendly, media-friendly and baseball-friendly, as possible.  That means playing in the best facilities available.

I realize some are upset that the "neutral" site is Columbus.  However, I think some perspective here helps.  There’s a great possibility that Columbus simply offered the best plan.  (Perhaps, they offered the only plan.)  The city is also centerally located in the Big Ten’s footprint.  OSU also draws quite well.  Now, does that make it any less a home series for the Buckeyes?  No, but it’s just one year.

Let’s see if the site rotates in the future.  If it ends up a permanent fixture in C-bus, then, perhaps, we need to have a different discussion.  Which leads me into my next point.

While I support the idea of a neutral site conference tournament, and I love watching baseball all day long for several days, I oppose the concept of conference tournaments, in general.  I also vehemently oppose issuing the conference’s lone automatic NCAA Tournament berth to the conference tournament winner.

Let’s be honest, probably no more than three conferences — the ACC, Big XII and SEC — make money from these conference tournaments.  As a financial loser, why keep them?  Second, handing out automatic NCAA berths to a team that gets hot for one week is silly.  We play an entire season to produce a champion then let a team that gets hot for a week garner the lone automatic tournament spot?  It’s craziness.

Let’s say, the sixth-seeded club wins the Big Ten Conference Tournament.  They get the Big Ten’s bid.  Now, is the NCAA still going to take three more Big Ten schools?  I don’t think so.  So, if the sixth-seeded team gets in, either Minnesota, OSU or Illinois is out.  If I had to bet, I suspect two of them would find themselves on the outside looking in.  And what if this scenario plays out elsewhere?

If a lower-seeded "bubble" SEC side claims their tournament crown and automatic berth, who do you think is going to stay home?  A higher seeded, and higher RPI, SEC program or one of the Big Ten teams that couldn’t win their conference’s regular or post-season title?

This doesn’t apply just to the Big Ten, either. I would argue that all the mid-majors need to send their best team to the NCAA Tournament.  If I were in charge of college baseball, there would be no more conference tournaments, the regular season would extend into that week and the regular season champion would get the automatic berth.

IBR:  Are you bold enough to make a prediction for winner of the Tournament? On the same note, will we see any Big Ten get past the Regionals? 

BTH:  Two predictions in one Q & A?  Are you trying to get me in trouble with our readers?  I’ll avoid making predictions about the Big Ten Tournament outcome.  However, I will say that I believe that any of the top four teams could make some noise in the regionals, but it will depend on where they get placed.  My first hope is that three teams from the conference make the field of sixty-four.  Right now, that’s questionable.

IBR:  Who are the front runners for the 2009 Big Ten Player of the Year? Pitcher of the Year?

BTH:  I’m thinking the coaches will select Minnesota’s Derek McCallum as the Big Ten Player of the Year.  I’ll also predict that the Pitcher of the Year Award will be split between Indiana’s Eric Arnett and Ohio State’s Alex Wimmers.  One could have a bad outing and the other could finish strong this week, but I still think it will end in a tie.

IBR:  Finally, most readers of Illinois Baseball Report are more than likely familiar with your blog, Big Ten Hardball. But take a couple sentences and tell us about BTH, anyway.

BTH:  Big Ten Hardball, wrapping up its fifth season, is simply my attempt to shine some light on the teams and players in the Big Ten Conference.  What do you know?  I did it in one sentence.

Thanks to Brian who never seems to give himself enough credit for the work he does with Big Ten Hardball.  I think the Big Ten baseball community really owes him a debt of gratitude for networking the different elements of the game the way he does.