Crap.
For the second time in three years, the top starting pitcher for the Illini will be kicked off the baseball team. That’s right… Phil Haig. The official reason given was that he was dismissed because of a “violation of team rules”.
Here’s the official word from Coach Hartleb:
"We place great emphasis on conducting yourself in a way that represents our team and the university in a positive way and Phil did not fulfill his responsibilities," Hartleb said. "We will move forward as a team in our preparation for the 2010 season."
For the time being, “violation of team rules” is left up to speculation but it could be anything. Former Illinois pitcher Tanner Roark was dismissed prior to the 2008 season due to academic reasons.
I’ll say one thing about Coach Hartleb… he keeps his players honest and there’s no slacking off.
In 2009, Haig led the Illini with 7 wins with a 4.92 ERA.