Baseball

Ask the Big Ten Network's Cal Eldred

Cal Eldred, a former Major League Baseball pitcher and University of Iowa product, was our Big Ten Network baseball expert for the 2009 Big Ten Baseball Tournament. Eldred served as the in-studio expert as the Big Ten Network broadcasts every tournament game live from Columbus, Ohio. 

During the tourney Eldred answered your e-mail questions. Thanks to everyone who sent them in and read all of his answers below.

CAL'S MAILBAG

With IU having 3 starters on the All Conference teams lead by Arnett why did they struggle so much in the non conference season! -- Chad K., Greenwood, IN

Cal Eldred: Because they weren't pitching the number of innings they were during Big Ten play. Those guys were saved during the non-conference schedule for the conference season. They pitched well but just not as many innings as they did later in the year.

Are there any different instructions you have for pitchers 6"5 or taller vs shorter ones? -- Frank P., South Bend, IN

Cal Eldred: It's all the same. For the most part there are three or four things in mechanics that it doesn't matter how tall you are, how short you are, how wide you are, how thin you are, that you have to have. Wherever you deliver the ball, when you come through the elbow needs to be level or a little above the shoulder. Also, you have to have everything going towards home plate and finally every pitcher needs to get to a balance point before they go forward.

How can the Big Ten say that Columbus, Ohio is a "neutral site" for the tournament? Look at the attendance at yesterday's games. The Ohio State game had 20 times the fans of the other games. Why not choose a site like Kentucky that truly would be neutral? -- Deborah F., St. Louis, MO

Cal Eldred: At this point you have to pick a place that has some proximity to the Big Ten teams. The conference does it for attendance and they may move it to different venues that will favor different Big Ten teams.

There have been a lot of Ohio State fans at the games, but that worked against the Buckeyes on Thursday as the team was a little too excited for the game in the early innings.

Don't you agree that Tom Buske is the best looking player in the tournament? Signed - his Grandma, Apple Valley, MN

Cal Eldred: I'm not in the business of commenting on which players look the best, but I can tell you that Tom is one the players who has pitched the best.

Who were a few of the toughest hitters you faced in the majors? And on the flip side, were there any hitters that you particularly did well against? –- Mike J., Green Bay, WI

Cal Eldred: I had a lot of success for some reason against Ken Griffey Jr. but Albert Belle always gave me a tough time and a guy most people won't remember, Jody Reid, was always a pest.

Could you clarify your comments about the OSU catcher winning the Player of the Year? You mentioned it's not always about the numbers but how he handled the OSU pitching staff probably pushed him ahead of McCallum. Really? The staff that issued the most walks in the league? The third most home runs? The second-most wild pitches? Tied for the most balks? Sixth in the Big Ten in ERA? –- Jeff M., Minneapolis, MN

Cal Eldred: Handling a pitching staff doesn't always equate to numbers, without a good catcher they're probably not where they are. Sometimes you'll find catchers who will win gold gloves but they aren't on good teams.

Who are your top hitters in the Big Ten? -- @rynoesco via Twitter

Cal Eldred: Brandon Haveman (PUR), Derek McCallum (MINN), Dan Burkhart (OSU) and Josh Phegley (IND).

Who really is the BEST team in the Big Ten? Minnesota continues to be ranked above OSU in spite of the Buckeyes' better record. -- Lowell C., Stuart, FL

Cal Eldred: The Buckeyes are a little bit better, simply because you have four starting freshman with Minnesota. Not that they're not good players but you have the experience factor with Ohio State and the combination of Dan Burkhart and Alex Wimmers helps make up a pretty solid staff. Plus they have a solid closer in Jake Hale.

Do you see a greater predictability between good college prospects' success in the majors today? -- Williams S., IL

Cal Eldred: There isn't a drastic difference because even ten to fifteen years ago you still had the balance between some kids heading to college and some kids going pro. You had guys like Mark Prior, Mark Mcgwire, Randy Johnson, and even Mark Mulder out of Michigan State. But they still have to develop, and for the most part things have stayed consistent.

Do you think that the Hoosiers have a realistic chance of winning this year? Also is there a sense that IU's baseball program is on the rise? -- Steven F., Bloomington, IN

Cal Eldred: I think they have talent with players like Josh Phegley, Eric Arnett and Matt Bashore and with that talent it makes it tough on a coach because you cannot keep the professional scouts out of your practices. Their program is on the rise and you have to give Coach Smith a lot of credit. I think they have a good chance of the winning the tournament, last year they made a run after losing the first game but they just ran out of pitching.

After losing the first game of a tournament like this, how will it be for a team like Michigan State or Purdue to come back and win the whole thing? -- Peter S., Whitewater, WI

Cal Eldred: John Anderson from Minnesota called it a 'death march'. It's tough, but it's baseball and anything can happen.

When a team scores that many runs in a game – as Illinois just did against Michigan State – it's hard not to believe that hitting is contagious. As a former ballplayer, does offense truly rub off? -- Chris D., Chicago, Ill.

Cal Eldred: Hitting is contagious. If you watch the body language of the hitters, you can see it. You see the confidence. It's almost as though all the guys are like, "If he can do it, I can do it."

Just curious: As you watch college baseball these days, how has the game changed since you played? -- Jim M., Bloomington, Ind.

Cal Eldred: College baseball hasn't really changed much since I was playing. It's mostly the same game and I don't see any huge changes out there.

I have a son who is strictly a relief pitcher and I'm always trying to keep him focused on the game in the dugout. Any recommendations? -- Billy C., Detroit, Mich.

Cal Eldred: Give him a job. Have him pay attention to whether the guys running the bases are hitting the bases, have him watch the pitcher to see if he can figure out what he is going to throw -- stuff like that. Basically, have him act and think like a coach by giving him a job.

If you could start your team around any current Big Ten player, who would it be and why? -- Miley R., Muncie, Ind.

Cal Eldred: I'd start with pitching. That leaves me with Alex Wimmers or Eric Arnett. Of those two, I'd take whoever is going to give me more innings. Josh Phegley would come in at third, based on him running a pitching staff and practically an offense.

As a pitcher, what are your thoughts on hitters showing up pitchers on home runs? -- Mark I., Champaign, Ill.

Cal Eldred: I don't like it. I don't like it all. It makes you want to hit the guy, it really does. I'm not for showmanship at any time. Play the game, respect the game.

Is Josh Phegley a future MLB catcher? If so, which current catcher would you compare him to? -- Todd G., Mankato, Minn.

Cal Eldred: Yes. And after watching him, I'd have to agree with their coach that the comparison is Pudge [Rodriguez]. I'm not saying he will be the next Pudge, just his body frame, the way he moves, and the way he swings, it reminds me of Pudge.

If in any given the year the best college baseball team in the country played a 3-game series against the MLB team with the worst record that season (and both sides used wooden bats) how competitive could the college team be? -- Spencer J., Chicago, Ill.

Cal Eldred: They'd get smoked in a series. The only thing about baseball is you could have one pitcher who is just a stud. They do college exhibition games and sometimes they are close. If the college team has a dominant pitcher, that could make it a close game, solely because they have that one pitcher. Other than that, even with that one stud, the pro hitters are going to hit the mistakes, and hit them hard.

Cal, can you describe the difference in how a player develops within a college program vs. a minor-league system directly out of high school? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both? -- Charlie W., Lake Bluff, Ill.

Cal Eldred: It depends on the minor-league organization, but the biggest difference is that the big leagues has a longer term view, where college is all about what we can get out of this kid to get as far as we can go.

Can Alex Wimmers dominate as much in the postseason or will hitters be more aware of how he throws? -- John S., Chicago, Ill.

Cal Eldred: They'll be more aware, yes, but he's tough. He is just a great pitcher who will still be real tough to hit.

How did pitching three years at Iowa prepare you for MLB and how will this tournament prepare Big Ten players? -- John S., Chicago, Ill.

Cal Eldred: The intensity of the game, the importance of the game that's what helped prepare me for the bigs. These games are more intense and the importance of the game is so much greater. On top of that, you are playing the elite competition from your conference.

I saw you picked Purdue as your dark horse favorite. What do you see as their strengths? -- Dennis C., Cosa Mesa, Calif.

Cal Eldred: I just think the experience they had from last year will help them so much. To me, that is the biggest thing. And they are healthy now. They are all finally healthy.

This has nothing to do with the tournament, but I was interested to find out which big league hitter gave you the most fits? -- Mark G., Bloomington, Ind.

Cal Eldred: Albert Belle. He gave me fits forever. He was one of the first hitters who really studied tape and it showed against me.

For all the kids out there, could you describe how a pitcher pitches differently when he's facing hitters with metal bats compared to wooden bats? -- Gary V., Normal, Ill.

Cal Eldred: The biggest difference is that the pitchers pitch away more [with metal bats].

Aside from the weather, what's the biggest difference between Big Ten baseball and, say, SEC and Pac-10? -- Allison J., Athens, Ga.

Cal Eldred: Nothing really. I think the advantage of going to a school in the Big Ten is that they have off time, down time. If I had a son who was a pitcher, I'd send him up here. I wouldn't send him out to the SEC or Pac-10 because kids at this age don't need to be throwing all the time.

Looking at this stadium here today, I have to think you're jealous they didn't have it back in your day. During your time, which Big Ten school had the nicest stadium? -- Bobby T., Columbus, Ohio

Cal Eldred: I would say Michigan probably had it at the time. I look back now and that was 20 years ago, but I really think it had to be Michigan.

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