It wasn’t even close. The Michigan Wolverines crushed the Illini by similar scores of 14-4 and 14-6.
I didn’t make it out to the games. Between the cold, wet weather and watching the kids, it just wasn’t in the making. I had Gametracker going on the computer and the Cubs on WGN-TV (ugh, a 7-1 drubbing by Cole Hamels and the Phillies). A bad day all around… even the Sox won.
I generally don’t cover Illini opponents’ players. This is, in part, an Illini baseball fan blog and I prefer to focus on the highlights and yes, sometimes the lowlights of the Illini baseball team.
One exception I’ll make is for Zach Putnam. When a player starts a game on Friday, wins that game (though his dad admitted to me he was “struggling”) while contributing a homerun to his own cause and THEN comes back on Saturday and goes 4 for 9 for the doubleheader with two homers and 7 rbis, you pay attention. Six of those rbis today came in Game one.
Through the debacle that was today’s sweep, Ryan Hastings did have a good day at the plate. He was 3 for 7 with a homer and 4 rbis. Mike Giller who seems to be producing when Hartleb puts him in, got his 3rd pinch hit of the season today.
Tomorrow is the last game of the Michigan-Illinois series. Game starts at 1:05 and Aaron Martin is on the hill for the Illini.
Giller should be getting more playing time. Hartleb wants him to be a punching judy hitter and Mike’s a slugger. He belongs in this line-up and not in his dog house. If the transfer rule had not changed you can bet the ranch he’d follow his former roommate out of town. He’s an asset to the team and it’s unfortunate that he’s being treated this bad. Ditman was supposed to be a slugger also and he nor Giller have seen their time behind the plate.
Mr AD, it’s time for a change
there’s no doubt Giller’s doing his part when he gets his chance.
but boy, those are strong words. things do change, I hope at least for his sake, he gets more playing time.
Hartleb is going to continue to recruit good players and ruin them. What a joke.