Hogs Bounced at Baum, While Billy 'D' Bails

Razorbacks Tripped Up in Baum Regional by OSU---Again

Well, that was quick, wasn't it? A bad outing from starter Jess Todd on Saturday against Oklahoma State, not enough run support on Sunday for a beleaguered bullpen in a Cowboys' rematch and the Razorbacks spit the bit in the Baum Regional Round against OSU for the second straight year. This one hurts more than last year's defeat though; it has to, when you consider that Arkansas had three potential first round draft picks in its rotation with Nick Schmidt, Jess Todd and Duke Welker.

But them's be the breaks in the world of baseball. If you don't hit, more often than not, you ain't gonna win. With Jake Dugger and Casey Coon battling through slumps at the end of the year, the honus was even more so on the backs of Danny Hamblin and Logan Forsythe, and the talented Razorback cornermen couldn't quite deliver.

So it's back to the drawing board for skipper Dave Van Horn. With Hamblin and Forsythe the only regulars leaving the lineup, you would think the offense and defense will be even better a year from now. But replenishing the pitching will be the key if the Hogs hope to not only get back to a Regional next year, but take it a step further.

And This Week's Dana Altman Award Goes To....

Billy Donovan, Florida Gators. You win back-to-back NCAA basketball championships---for the first time ever, mind you, with the same starting five---you've created an already unmatched resume at Florida, a place that didn't even know it had a basketball team until you got there, and you're leaving for the Orlando Magic? Just so you know, they don't have Shaq or Penny anymore....

See, it didn't even make sense to begin with, and now you've already signed the deal to hop to the NBA! Billy Donovan, what are you doing, buddy?

In case you didn't know, Donovan now wants out of his five-million-a-year deal with Orlando. Considering Florida will probably willingly take him back for three million dollars a year, the only loser here will be the Magic. If I were running them, I'd play hardball with Donovan, make him sweat it out a bit, if only to make a point.

-JAB

(Tomorrow's Blog Entry: LeBron Rises Up! '07 NBA Finals Preview)