Collegiate Baseball Poll out...
- Thread starter 8dog
- Start date
C
Curly Bill
Guest
At least for the time being, while our talent (at this point in time) is not elite, we can still play in the underdog role - for awhile. We won't have that luxury much longer.
We have a legit SEC ace in Routt, and it looks like Devin Jones will be very good, unless he gets Ricky Bowen disease. We have a LOT of junior and senior players. Our schedule is easier than last year, which will help our freshman. Our biggest problem is going to be our bullpen.
I honestly don't get why we are in the Top 25. Our pitching staff returns Pomeranz and........yep, that's about it. We lose Bukvich, Bittle, Baker, and Irwin. That's probably our No. 2 through No. 5 starters if you want to look at it that way. And of course our closer, Morgan, just had Tommy John surgery and won't play this year, and we have to fill all but one starting slot and our biggest bullpen role.
Throw in that we lose Henry, Power, and both our catchers. I just don't see it. Bianco has pulled some miracles, but no way does Pomeranz alone justify a Top 25 ranking.
Throw in that we lose Henry, Power, and both our catchers. I just don't see it. Bianco has pulled some miracles, but no way does Pomeranz alone justify a Top 25 ranking.
is because of the midweek schedule. We play only once a lot instead of two games midweek- that's going to allow us to save our pitching during the midweek, and then help us save it for the weekend. And yes, I know it's midweek, but those games add up and are fairly important in the end when you talk about making a regional vs hosting one, etc. We also play a few more games against SWAC schools, which is going to be good for our freshmen pitchers as far as getting some experience against some very beatable teams.
We only play Oklahoma and UCLA once, which I'm OK with- I don't necessarily want a total joke of a schedule, and it's good to play some people that are equivalent to an SEC team before SEC play for sure. But even then, when we play Oklahoma and UCLA, we are going to have Routt and Devin Jones- our top two guys starting agianst them, and then our 3-4 guys start agiainst Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I really think we could have a really good tournament over there.
And on top of that, we also play almost all of our non-conference games in Starkville this year. And after the CC Tournament, I don't believe we play any more non-conference games outside of the state of Mississippi. We have three games at Trustmark Park- UM, USM, and JSU- two of which are tough, but are neutral site games, and then we play USM in Hattiesburg, which is our toughest non-conference compeition as far as midweek.
I do agree that the SEC schedule is tougher this year- we play Florida as you mentioned, and we also have to play LSU, Bama, and Auburn on the road. I still think that the team will perform better, though despite that.
We only play Oklahoma and UCLA once, which I'm OK with- I don't necessarily want a total joke of a schedule, and it's good to play some people that are equivalent to an SEC team before SEC play for sure. But even then, when we play Oklahoma and UCLA, we are going to have Routt and Devin Jones- our top two guys starting agianst them, and then our 3-4 guys start agiainst Texas A&M Corpus Christi. I really think we could have a really good tournament over there.
And on top of that, we also play almost all of our non-conference games in Starkville this year. And after the CC Tournament, I don't believe we play any more non-conference games outside of the state of Mississippi. We have three games at Trustmark Park- UM, USM, and JSU- two of which are tough, but are neutral site games, and then we play USM in Hattiesburg, which is our toughest non-conference compeition as far as midweek.
I do agree that the SEC schedule is tougher this year- we play Florida as you mentioned, and we also have to play LSU, Bama, and Auburn on the road. I still think that the team will perform better, though despite that.
that there is some bias aganst SEC baseball teams. Baseball America is the worst at it though.
I don't think that there's a better college baseball conference in America than the SEC, when you talk about quality of the players, the teams top to bottom in the league, the quality of the coaching, the fans, and the facilities.
There are some that are close- Pac-10, ACC, Big 12- but none of those have the entire package like the SEC does from top to bottom. Essentially, SEC baseball is a cross between minor league baseball and SEC football. You really do see almost as many legit prospects in the SEC as you do in some of the A ball leagues.
I don't think that there's a better college baseball conference in America than the SEC, when you talk about quality of the players, the teams top to bottom in the league, the quality of the coaching, the fans, and the facilities.
There are some that are close- Pac-10, ACC, Big 12- but none of those have the entire package like the SEC does from top to bottom. Essentially, SEC baseball is a cross between minor league baseball and SEC football. You really do see almost as many legit prospects in the SEC as you do in some of the A ball leagues.