Hi all,
Although the still standing snow wouldn't suggest so, the start of the IU baseball season is right around the corner.
The Hoosiers held their first official practice at Mellencamp Pavilion on Super Bowl Sunday. The guys went live with pitching and hitting, and did some position and baserunning drills, before taking part in the game and a team meal.
Greg and I were on hand for the second practice of the season this afternoon, and had the pleasure of seeing the start of what promises to be an exciting season.
The team was still working off the rust today, and kept practice relatively simple. The Hoosiers ran wind sprints, threw the ball around and practiced various rundown situations during the session, which lasted a little over two hours. They also went through batting stations.
An even playing field
The NCAA mandatory start day for spring practice, which stipulates all college team's collectively start on Feb. 1, is in its second year of enforcement. The mandatory start date of Feb. 20 is also in its second year.
Both rules are a major asset for the Hoosiers and cold-weather teams across the country. In previous years, IU faced an obvious disadvantage in playing against teams with 15-some-odd games under their belts. The most highly touted team IU has fielded in quite some time will now have an even playing field when they start the season, which is sure to yield some interesting baseball.
But enough of my opinion, what do you think? Did the NCAA get it right? Do more changes need to be made? Sound off!
