Undermanned but never unprepared, Ford baseball is set to compete in the MAC Red

This baseball season will be yet another where the Macomb Area Conference Red is among the best if not the best leagues in Michigan.Its is littered with Division I talent, and a few teams, like Dakota and Stevenson, are being touted as potential state championship favorites.But when anyone talks about the league this year be it the high-level guys or the potential state runs the Ford Falcons arent usually brought up, at least not until later.And theyre just fine with that.I feel like our team doesnt have those high caliber, highly recruited guys, said head coach Dan Tallant, now in his fifth season.

But man, baseball is such a funny game where I dont think that that stuff is what will win.I kind of like where were at, where no one really knows our guys and they kind of like that.

And again, I think were going to be just kind of annoying for teams, which to me is a good quality.Ford head coach Dan Tallant stands in the third base coaches box with one of his players during their scrimmage against Anchor Bay.

(BRADY McATAMNEY MediaNews Group, file)Ford went 19-15 overall and 8-7 in the MAC Red last season.

They played in a district championship game, but fell 3-0 to Stevenson one of the highly-praised teams in the league year-in and year-out.

They were certainly a good team, but they know they havent won anything yet.They graduated talent from that squad, starting with Matthew Dickinson, who was their top pitcher and one of their top pitchers.

Including him, they have over 90 innings to replace on the mound.But unlike some teams, theyre not relying on high velocities or Division I-bound arms.Because, at the end of the day, its all about getting outs.I think were going to be really annoying to play, Tallant said.

I think well play really clean defense.

I think well maybe not rack up huge strikeout numbers, but I think were going to attack the strike zone and make hitters swing the bat and limit the amount of free stuff that well give other teams.Then, on offense, theyll do exactly what pitchers hate theyll work counts, draw walks, see the ball and, once theyre on base, theyll swipe bases, take the extra 90 feet and battle with aggression to manufacture runs, a la 2024 Detroit Tigers.In essence, nothing about playing Ford will be easy.And over the course of a league series, theyll grate on the nerves of their opponents, whether its a Division I player or not.We know its not going to come easy, but again, we just are really bought into thinking that it requires more than just velo on the mound and a high PBR (Prep Baseball Report) ranking to win games, Tallant said.Theyre not the Bad News Bears, either left-handed pitcher Hunter Whitt returns after being their No.

3 starter in MAC Red play last season.

The southpaw is (ironically) committed to Henry Ford College and is confident in his off-speed movement and precision, making him a chore for any offense to pick apart and especially difficult to rattle.When you have a pitcher who is confident attacking the zone and not getting himself into trouble, I think he had maybe five complete games last year and went six-plus another three or four times, Tallant said.Were expecting him to kind of be our top guy, and Im really excited to see him as a senior and kind of shoulder the load of our pitching staff.Fords Dylan Isrow stands in against Anchor Bay during a scrimmage.

(BRADY McATAMNEY MediaNews Group)Center fielder Dylan Isrow is Sharpied into the top of the lineup.

Also a Henry Ford commit, hes somewhat undersized at 5-foot-9, but he stings the ball and has high-end speed, encapsulating everything the Falcons hope to be this season.Eli White is Tallants coach on the field, being praised for his off the charts baseball IQ and ability to scheme and problem solve on the fly.He sees things, you know, even just little stuff; picking up on pitchers and wants to run all these little back door pick plays and things like that, Tallant said.

And hes kind of stepped into a leadership role for us this year.White, a shortstop, will also spend time in a relief role while hitting out of the middle of the order.Then theres Mr.

Ford himself: Eli Miller.The 6-foot-3 athlete was one of the best basketball players in Macomb County this past season, helping lead Ford to a 17-7 record and district championship appearance.

Hes a multi-year captain both on the court and on the diamond.Hell play a bunch of third base for us.

Hell probably start some games on the mound for us, Tallant said.

And then hell be that three, four, five hitter.

And the leadership, the x-factor and stuff thats maybe a little tougher to actually define, he has all that stuff.

He thrives in those big games when the spotlight is on him.The Falcons open MAC Red play against Chippewa Valley on Monday, April 14.

Theyll face Dakota the week after, followed by series with Romeo, Stevenson and Eisenhower..

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