Tone Setting – Glasser Ignites Potent Hoosier Attack
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Phillip Glasser gets it, this leadoff-hitter role, this leadership responsibility, this one-for-all team approach that has propelled Indiana back to the top of the Big Ten baseball standings, a few days away from at least a possible share of the conference championship.
Flash back to the day before the start of a defining three-game sweep of rival Purdue. The senior shortstop talks about the lead-off mindset that makes it all possible.
“The biggest thing is knowing your role,” he says. “You’re at the top of the lineup and you have good hitters behind you. The first thing is get on base any way possible. Be selective at the plate. Pick a pitch to drive and take your walks and have those guys drive you in.”
Glasser is a catalyst in every sense, and it goes way beyond his career best offensive numbers that include a .354 batting average and a team-leading 61 runs scored. Coach Jeff Mercer says Glasser’s impact will last for years because of the leadership and instruction he provides to young players such as second baseman Tyler Cerny, third baseman Josh Pyne and first baseman Brock Tibbitts.
“He helps teach them how to play infield, and they’ll teach the next group of guys, and so on,” Mercer says. “You build on top of each other when you have players like that. Glasser isn’t just good, he’s good because of how he operates.”
Consider Friday night’s Purdue series opener. The Hoosiers had struggled with slows starts, lowlighted by a disappointing Maryland series a couple of weeks earlier. Mercer insisted they had learned their lesson. They would follow the game plan, keep their emotions in check and play to their potential.
Glasser set an instant tone. His game-opening solo home run jump started a 26-11 victory, and as dominating a series as IU has ever had against the Boilers. Its 51 runs in three games was a series record.
The result -- the Hoosiers’ 15-6 Big Ten record ties Maryland atop the conference standings with three league games remaining -- at Michigan State (29-18 overall, 10-10 in the Big Ten) starting on Thursday.
Since losing all three games to Maryland, the Hoosiers (39-14) have won eight straight -- including Tuesday night's 6-2 win over Evansville -- to rise to top-30 RPI status and give themselves a chance to host an NCAA regional.
“We were relentless,” Mercer says.
“You want to play your best in the last couple of weekends, play the best you can going into postseason play. We did that. We were excellent in all phases.
“The challenge is, can we duplicate that?”
Glasser led the way. He went 4-for-6 on Friday with a program-record-tying six runs scored and two stolen bases. He added two hits, two runs and three runs batted in in Saturday’s 15-3 win, then followed with a walk and a run scored in Sunday’s 10-2 finale.
Glasser ranks second on the team in batting average, and first in runs scored, hits (79), at bats (223), doubles (19), walks (31) and stolen bases (13).
This reflects a remarkable run of consistency that includes an on-base streak of 45 straight games that ties Dustin DeMuth for the longest streak in program history since at least 2005. He’s reached base in 94 of 99 career IU games, 77 times by a hit.
He also ranks in the top 11 nationally in career hits (269) and runs (193).
Glasser’s numbers are better in basically every category from last season, his first as a Hoosier after transferring from Youngstown State.
“Phillip is a much better player,” Mercer says. “Look at how much more range he has defensively, his arm strength, his twitch, his explosiveness across the board. Look at his ability to hit to all fields. He has more hits than walks. He hits for more power. He has stolen more bases.”
The reason, Glasser says, is simple.
“If you work, you get better. You end up a way better player.”
Glasser had three strong seasons at Youngstown State, culminating with a second-team All-Horizon League final year of .321 average, 51 runs scored and 23 stolen bases.
Wanting more, he entered the transfer portal.
“Phillip was as highly sought after as there was in the portal,” Mercer says. “Every power conference across the country was interested.”
Glasser got instant endorsements from IU assistant coaches Zach Weatherford and Derrick Simmons. Weatherford had faced Glasser while coaching at Wright State, like Youngstown State, a member of the Horizon League. Simmons had recruiting him while coaching at Kent State.
Mercer, who also previously coached at Wright State, evaluates prospects by asking, would they like the weight room; are they competitive and intelligent; are they tough enough to hold others accountable and get on teammates if necessary?
The answers with Glasser were all yes.
“He wanted to be the best player he could be,” Mercer says. “When a guy says, ‘I want to play Major League Baseball; I want to win a championship; and I value my degree,’ those are buzzwords that quickly attract you.”
Mercer says Glasser’s obsessive-compulsive approach to development helps him maximize his ability.
“He’s the best player in that regard I’ve ever been around. He’s as motivated and engaged as I’ve ever seen a player.
“Because of that, it’s easy for him to hold guys accountable, which makes it easy for me to hold guys accountable when you have a guy who works like that, who plays that way every day.”
Mercer didn’t sugar-coat the challenge of joining the Hoosiers. They would have a young team in his first season, and would need veterans to lead the way. There would be struggles and growing pains.
“I told him we were going into a youth movement,” Mercer says. “We’re going to build it this way, and I’d like you to show these young guys how to do it, how to work, how to prepare. They don’t know anything. They’ll only know what you give them.
“Are you willing to do that, understanding there will be good and bad days?”
Glasser was all in.
“I told him, what we build will be our own,” Mercer says. “When we have success, it will be what we did, not something that was passed down. For certain guys, that’s exciting. They love to be the architect. They like the leadership, the responsibility. They want to do something that’s unique.”
Glasser was all in.
“Knowing I’d be going to a place for one or two years,” he says, “I had to trust the coaching staff. Those guys they kept their word. It’s been a good fit.”
That fit positions IU, which was 27-32 last year, for a Big Ten regular season title, and a lot more.
“I asked him what’s the most games he ever won,” Mercer says. “He said 32. I said, we beat that record. He gets to be on a winning team.”
Success circles back to leadership. In that, too, Glasser is all in.
“I always pride myself on being a leader and helping guys out,” he says. “It comes back full circle. Tyler Cerny is having a great year. I wanted to make certain he had everything I knew so he was well prepared. He’s been a good second baseman for us.
“I always lead by example, but there are times you have to be vocal. You have uncomfortable conversations. At the end of the day, they know you want what’s best for them. They know you’re holding them accountable because it will help them in their careers and for this season.”
The result is a potential championship final season.
“It’s been an unbelievable feeling to win games,” Glasser says. “We’re close in the locker room. We have fun.”
Does fun include a favorite moment?
“Whatever the next game is,” he says, “will be my favorite moment.”
That attitude is among the reasons why Mercer calls Glasser one of his all-time favorite players.
“I hope we get to play together another six to eight weeks. It will be a tough day when we’re not on the same field anymore, but I’ll always be his biggest fan.”