It’s been a rough season for the Indiana baseball team, but the Hoosiers have one more shot to finish the season on a high note against Illinois this week.

Indiana (21-30, 7-20) has lost five straight contests and failed to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament after finishing outside the top 12 in the Big Ten, meaning Saturday’s game against the Illini will be the Hoosiers’ last.

And that may very well be the biggest surprise in all of the Big Ten, considering IU won 33+ games each of the last two years and finished above .500 in Big Ten play each of the last three seasons.

About Indiana

Indiana’s disappointing season is almost over after getting swept by in-state rival Purdue over the weekend. IU has lost four straight Big Ten series and hasn’t won a series in nearly a month.

Regardless of who is playing well and who’s not, don’t be surprised if the majority of the seniors get to play this weekend.

That probably wouldn’t be the case if Indiana were still able to qualify for the Big Ten Tourney, but with that out of the equation, expect to see the guys who might not ever play another competitive game of baseball get to see the field one last time.

The Hoosiers’ best pitcher is southpaw Tony Neubeck, who leads the team in wins, starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. Neubeck has recorded back-to-back quality starts and could very well hear his name called in this June’s MLB Draft.

Offensively, the Hoosiers have proven they can score some runs, and despite getting swept last week, scored 21 runs against Purdue. IU’s top hitter is Jake Hanley, who leads Indiana’s offense in at-bats, hits, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and walks.

About Illinois

Unlike Indiana, no matter what happens this week for Illinois, the Illini are automatically a lock for the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois might rest some of its everyday players who have played a lot and have some of its top arms on pitch counts, but outside of that, expect the Illini to play this series like it’s their last.

Illinois still has a chance to move up a spot in the Big Ten, and there’s no denying the fact that seeding matters.

Illinois (27-23, 13-14) has won five in a row but has struggled on the road this season, especially in Big Ten play.

Still, though, Illinois has a couple of solid relievers — Sam Mommer and Sam Reed — and has an ace in Aidan Flinn.

Offensively, the Illini are inconsistent but did manage to score 26 runs in three games against Northwestern and have a couple of power hitters in AJ Putty and Collin Jennings.

Series Schedule

Thursday, May 14th (6 p.m. ET)
Friday, May 15h (6 p.m. ET)
Saturday, May 16th (2 p.m. ET)

All three games are available to watch via the Big Ten Network Plus (BIG+).

A colleague at lunch recently proclaimed that my columns are negative, critical, lacking in affirming values. He didn’t use all those words, but I cut him short.

OK, this week, I’m offering a verbal bouquet to the Indiana State Department of Health. I’m presuming that was the agency identified in a text to me from my IU Health Care Team containing a “Full Screening Form” from SDOH.

Of course, I don’t recognize any IU Health Care Team. I do have a physician who practices at one of the ever-expanding IU Health facilities. From time-to-time he sends me on excursions through the labyrinth of departments, labs, or orifices of that serpentine organization. But I know no team.

The “Full Screening Form” from SDOH came in two sections. First I was asked, “In the past year, have you or any family members you live with been unable to get any of the following when it was really needed?” There were five classes of items indicated: Food, Health care or medication, Housing, Transportation for health care or medication, and Utilities.

I presumed I could check any or all of these. But I selected, “No.” An added option was, “I choose not to answer this question.” 

In the second section I was asked, “In the past year, have you been afraid or felt unsafe due to the following?”  Choices: Partner or ex-partner, Family member or caregiver, Where you live. Once again I answered, “No” and was glad to see, “Choose not to answer.”

I was not able to identify my insecurity driving the bombed-pocked streets of my city.

Here we find our state government expressing concern about our welfare. These are important indicators of well-being and security. Collecting such information, matching with my characteristics which are already on file, and merging those responses into a well-structured, but confidential data base, could provide useful inputs for policy development.

Where did this come from? Is there leftover money from a Biden initiative? Did the Braun administration or the Indiana General Assembly come up with this independently? Is this a state-wide program or just a test exercise to look (excuse the word) progressive?

Whatever the genesis, this is important and noteworthy. Most of us, faced with any of the conditions enumerated, would be hesitant to admit such concerns. But efforts to overcome that reluctance can be beneficial and prevent tragedy. If the data can be used and if useful, are used.

However, if the at-risk population fails to respond, we’re no better off. If the SDOH has no funding to follow-up itself or if local resources are insufficient to do the job, then we’ll know the need and have failed to provide help.

I look forward to the SDOH reporting on the success of this program. If they only notify my doctor of my well-being… I won’t say it. That would be negative.

Mr. Marcus is a research economist formerly with the Kelley School of Business at IU. Contact him at mortonjmarcus@gmail.com. Listen to Morton with John Guy on the podcast Who Gets What? at mortonjohn.libsyn.com

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Tuesday marked the first day of practice for the Indianapolis 500, and fans filled the stands at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to soak it all in.

For many fans, going to ‘500’ practice is more than just watching cars on the track; it’s a tradition. Some fans have been coming to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for decades.

“This is the place to be in the Month of May. If you don’t come here, you’re missing out. This is a ‘bucket list’ event,” Tom Shoffner said.

82-year-old Ron Jones, of Speedway, has come to the track every year since 1957. He says it takes him nearly a month to prepare for the events, and that he gets so excited for the first practice that it feels like a holiday.

“I have to figure out what I’m going to wear, what I’m going to take with me, and where I’m going to go when I get out there. All my life, I dreamed of getting up in that penthouse, and I’m up there now, and I like to sit out here with the people, so many people, and a lot of them are famous,” Jones said.

Some fans have started a new family tradition.

“We come every year to practice, we skip school that day, and take in the race,” Sam Crecelius said.

Students from several local schools took a field trip to the speedway for tours and to see cars on the track.

“We’re watching the practice races, we had a nice picnic lunch, and we have a scavenger hunt that we’re doing,” said parent Lauren Powers.

Another parent, Molly Peterson, added, “We’ve gotten to walk around. We got to see the trophy, we kissed the bricks, we watched the cars, so they’re just having a great time out here.”

Field trips are great fun, but for die-hard race fans like Jones, the track isn’t just a place to visit in May; it’s a part of who they are.

“If I’m not here, I’m dead or flat on my back in the hospital. I couldn’t imagine life without this. I’m so proud and so happy to have this in my backyard.”

Cars were on the track from noon to 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Gates open at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, with practice set to run from noon to 6 p.m., weather permitting.