According to Warren Nolan's site, #56 RPI Iowa will lose 6 RPI points with a win in Game 1 today and will lose 87 RPI points with a loss. Unless Iowa sweeps Minnesota today, Iowa will fall into the 60s again. Hell, even a sweep of all 3 games against Minnesota may not keep Iowa in the 50s.
Pre-game broadcast summation:
-Minnesota's broadcast representative (Don Danbridge(?)) claims that the Gophers' pitching is rounding into form and is pitching much better than earlier in the season. The first starting pitcher is a big lefty who works really fast. The second starting pitcher is MLB draft quality. On offense, the team works counts well. The power game has been largely absent. When runners get on, they will be aggressive. Weather sounds like it is nice today. Saying that there will be little chance that games are played on either Saturday or Sunday.
-Heller's comments: Seems happy with how the team played against Milwaukee. Wind is blowing (hard) straight in from RCF. Warm day. Biggest key offensively today will be to be disciplined with strike zone and work the count. Minnesota's first starter relies upon hitters chasing fastballs at the top of the zone and chasing breaking pitches at the bottom of the zone. Heller feels like wind negates what would otherwise be Iowa's offensive advantage. As for tomorrow, Heller says wind chills predicted in low 40s. Sunday sounds like it is absolutely not going to happen. Hoping for a window mid-day (2:00-4:00 p.m.) tomorrow. Similar to what Danbridge claimed, Heller says Minnesota doesn't have a lot of power but has a tendency to put the ball in play. Minnesota's infield turf is a lot slower than Iowa's turf. But Minnesota's OF is really "bouncy" and balls hit during Iowa's BP were bouncing over the fence from unexpected places. (Wind is messing with the broadcast quality) Heller acknowledges that Minnesota's #1 is pitching the second game. He'll hit 100 mph on the gun; has some control issues. Not a situation like Indiana where the Hoosiers flipped their Friday starter to Saturday to avoid Brecht. Minnesota has been throwing their #1 on Saturdays this year.
Pre-game broadcast summation:
-Minnesota's broadcast representative (Don Danbridge(?)) claims that the Gophers' pitching is rounding into form and is pitching much better than earlier in the season. The first starting pitcher is a big lefty who works really fast. The second starting pitcher is MLB draft quality. On offense, the team works counts well. The power game has been largely absent. When runners get on, they will be aggressive. Weather sounds like it is nice today. Saying that there will be little chance that games are played on either Saturday or Sunday.
-Heller's comments: Seems happy with how the team played against Milwaukee. Wind is blowing (hard) straight in from RCF. Warm day. Biggest key offensively today will be to be disciplined with strike zone and work the count. Minnesota's first starter relies upon hitters chasing fastballs at the top of the zone and chasing breaking pitches at the bottom of the zone. Heller feels like wind negates what would otherwise be Iowa's offensive advantage. As for tomorrow, Heller says wind chills predicted in low 40s. Sunday sounds like it is absolutely not going to happen. Hoping for a window mid-day (2:00-4:00 p.m.) tomorrow. Similar to what Danbridge claimed, Heller says Minnesota doesn't have a lot of power but has a tendency to put the ball in play. Minnesota's infield turf is a lot slower than Iowa's turf. But Minnesota's OF is really "bouncy" and balls hit during Iowa's BP were bouncing over the fence from unexpected places. (Wind is messing with the broadcast quality) Heller acknowledges that Minnesota's #1 is pitching the second game. He'll hit 100 mph on the gun; has some control issues. Not a situation like Indiana where the Hoosiers flipped their Friday starter to Saturday to avoid Brecht. Minnesota has been throwing their #1 on Saturdays this year.
