I know we have a crew out there that really enjoys baseball season and I'm sure some would pay a little bit more attention if they knew where to find it. Well you're in luck. This really is a pretty sweet deal in for the team and fans and it shows some positive strides in trying to extend the reach of the sport among the Kansas fanbase. Certainly I'd encourage everyone to take at least one trip out to the ballpark to catch the Jayhawks during your college tenure. Who knows, you might just find you like it.

For the first time in program history, all 56 Kansas baseball regular season games during the 2012 season will air on Jayhawk All-Access or KLWN Radio (1320 AM). The addition makes more than 225 events Jayhawk All-Access will produce during the 2011-12 academic year.

It also marks the first time that the entire baseball schedule has been carried via live broadcast.

Jayhawk All-Access will carry audio for 26 games throughout the season with free video coverage available for a majority of the home contests. KLWN Radio will pick up coverage on Tuesday, March 27 for the game at Missouri State at 6:30 p.m., and continue throughout the regular season. Fans can still tune in to Jayhawk All-Access for video coverage during KU home games.

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My three favorite days of the calendar year (maybe) are now in the books, and there were some KU related surprises on draft day(s). Fortunately I don't think the Jayhawks will lose anyone early to the pro ranks (at least without knowing the individual situations more closely).

LHP Colton Murray was ranked 111th on Baseball America's top 200, but lasted until the 421st pick when the Phillies grabbed him. He didn't have great numbers this year and he pitched out of the bullpen, so I can see why he lasted, but quite a few pitchers worse than him went before him. Still, unless he gets an above slot deal, which I doubt he will, I expect him back for his Senior year at KU.

TJ Walz went 45 picks later to the A's at 466 overall to the A's. Walz was a Senior this year so he'll sign and head to the A's organization. Going 466th, he's not going to end up an MLB star, but if he improves his control a bit I think he could eventually pitch in the majors as a reliever.

Sophomore P Tanner Poppe went 1140th overall to the Rays. Because the Rays had roughly a million picks in the first and supplemental rounds they probably don't have enough money to sign Poppe overslot (and he would need an overslot to sign), so I expect him in the rotation next year.

Three recruits were also drafted:

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While definitely not full of the same fanfare as the NFL and NBA Drafts, the MLB draft is just as important for building the future of franchises. Similarly, Kansas doesn't have the same caliber of prospects in the MLB draft as they do in the NBA and NFL drafts, but Jayhawks have been getting drafted more and more recently. The team finished in 9th in the Big 12 this year, but they should still have some players drafted. Let's see who.

Day 1: June 6th, 6 PM (central)

Day 1 will be just the first round picks. No Jayhawks will be selected. Moving on.

Day 2: June 7th, 11 AM (central)

Day 2 will feature rounds 2-30. Now we're talkin. I think pitcher TJ Walz will be the first player off the board for Kansas. Walz struck out almost a batter per inning this year, and while he had problems with his control, his stuff will be good enough to get him drafted and a team will let him figure out his control. His big problem is that he is a short righthander, but more and more teams are treating that like it doesn't matter.

There is a good chance he will be the only Jayhawk selected on Day 2, but two others who could be.

Casey Lytle led the team with a .301 batting average, and also led the team in outfield assists. He has great speed and if a team thinks he can stick in center he might go decently high. He has proven he can hit with wood, having a good summer last year.

Zac Elgie was taken in the 12th round out of high school in Minot, North Dakota, but turned down a reported 6 figure bonus to play at Kansas. Three years later it looks like he may have made the wrong call. He still has a lot of upside with his bat, but while a team may take a chance on him in the middle rounds due to his potential, I expect him to come back to Kansas to improve his draft position for next year.

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The Jayhawks should have had a sweep, but a series win in Columbia for the first time since 1983 will have to do.

TJ Walz continued his stretch of good pitching with a 7 IP, 5 hit, 1 run and 5 strikeout performance. Given some of the Jayhawks' defensive adventures and the general lack of depth on the pitching staff, Walz's performance has been nothing short of great this year, and he should find himself on an All-Big 12 team at the end of the season. Zac Elgie continued his torrid season going 2-5 with a HR in the 8-3 win. Brandon Macias also hit his first HR of the season.

On Saturday the Jayhawks saw themselves involved in a nip and tuck affair, eventually losing 3-2 on a walkoff single. Tanner Poppe struggled with his control, walking 5 in 4.2 IP and also throwing a couple of pitches back to the backstop. Despite this, Missouri managed only 2 runs and the bullpen threw three scoreless innings to keep them in it before Colton Murray got the loss. Brandon Macias was 2-5 and Elgie and Jason Brunansky each had doubles.

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The football team didn't really do a great job, but the basketball team and now the baseball team have given Nebraska losses in their sendoff from the Big 12. On Friday it was the top of the order that was the star of the show, collecting 8 of Kansas's 9 hits, all of them singles. On the mound, TJ Walz had another good day, going 6 innings and allowing only 1 earned run. He also struck out 6 while walking only two.

On Saturday, Kansas suffered its lone setback of the series, as Kansas scored only two runs despite 10 hits. Zac Elgie was 2-5 and had both of the RBIs. Tanner Poppe was ok on the hill, lasting 6.1 innings, allowing all 4 Nebraska runs (2 earned). He only struck out 3 but he only walked 1 as well.

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Sophomore Thomas Taylor posted a career-high nine strikeouts, and the Kansas pitching staff retired the last 16 Missouri hitters consecutively to claim a 7-1 victory over the Tigers at Kauffman Stadium Wednesday night.

Kansas improved to 13-16 for the year and 4-0 all-time against Missouri at Kauffman Stadium. The Tigers fell to an identical 13-16 mark for the 2011 season.

"Yeah, I think so. You grow up being a Kansas fan your whole life and everyone hates Missouri, and wants to beat them as bad as they can. It's good to come out here, beat Missouri and get the win." - Jordan Dreiling

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It was a glorious weekend for baseball at Hoglund Ballpark and I managed to get out to Saturday's game and part of Sunday's to watch the KU nine take on 19th ranked Baylor.

TJ Walz was phenomenal on Friday, allowing just 2 runs in 7.2 innings pitched (for the baseball uninitiated, that's 7 and two-thirds), and struck out 11 Baylor hitters. He walked 3, which is still a bit of a problem, but when he has the stuff that will allow him to strike out 11, him pitching around the zone a bit and walking guys is going to happen.

Also on Friday, Jimmy Waters was 3-3 and Zac Elgie, who I think is primed for a great year (and not just because he is from North Dakota) went 2-4 with a home run.

Saturday's game was more of a back and forth affair, and I was actually able to go to most of it so I could throw on my scouting hat and make wild generalizations about players that may or may not be true.

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Time for a little love for the sports that don't see it that often.  Yes it's football and basketball that make the engine of the athletic department go, but there are a bunch of other sports and student athletes wearing the name Kansas on their uniforms this spring.  It's a slow week, Oklahoma State on Monday and Oklahoma on Saturday don't exactly get the competitive juices flowing so how about a look see?

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