Since there is not a whole lot of coverage of college baseball until the announcement of the teams that qualified for there Regional Tournament, today I give you a little taste at what is shaping up in NCAA baseball this year. Here's a little of what some of the power conferences are looking like as well as who to look for in Omaha this summer. Enjoy!
PAC-10
The Pac-10 is very top heavy this year with the pre-season polls having 3 teams in the top 10. #1 Arizona is back looking to take control of the conference early on and advance to the CWS for the first time since '04 with All-Americans, pitcher Preston Guilmet and an offensive beast 1st basemen C.J. Ziegler. The UCLA squad with a pre-season #3 rank and 5th in recruiting this year. The Bruins are looking to improve on their Super Regional appearance last season a first for this team not know for baseball. Also, looking to be a threat this season are '07 Pac-10 champs Arizona State, led by last years Pac-10 Player of the Year and Pac-10 Triple Crown winner Brett Wallace. And of course like most of the baseball world, like to forget about are the quiet two-time defending champs from Oregon State. Ranked 12th in the pre-season polls the Beavers are looking to make history again in the CWS. I like Arizona State to take the conference again this season and Arizona to have a shot in the Super Regionals, I must have forgot about Oregon State like everyone else!
SEC
Ole Miss looks to be easily taking this conference this season with their two top pitchers that are both ranked in the top 10 of the nations best in RHP Cody Setterwhite and RHP Lance Lynn. Both are projected to be early 1st round picks in this years draft. With Ole Miss is of course Vanderbilt, who are always in the talks as the best team in the SEC. #3 Vandy has the #1 prospect playing for them in 3B Pedro Alvarez, he hits like Albert Puhols and plays third like Brooks Robinson. South Carolina are the late season favorites to go to the CWS this season who went to the title game in '02. Junior Justin Smok is the offensive threat for the Gamecocks who has just recently hit his 41st home run and is now tied for 7th in school history...yeah, he's a junior! I went an saw Florida play yesterday in Gainesville and wasn't too impressed but I did enjoy the fact that they swing the bats aggressively, which is consistent throughout the conference. Vandy was my favorite to sneak by Ole Miss this year but an injury to Alvarez yesterday could put him out for at least 6 weeks so look for Ole Miss to take an early conference lead and hold it for the season.
ACC
The same teams with the same colors you'll see in early June, with North Carolina being the early conference favorite and ranking 4th in the polls. The Tarheels are back again and get use to keep seeing them in the CWS because they are back with a very good young pitching staff. #9 Miami, you usually always get to see in Omaha, wasn't there last year but quite possibly has the best offensive team they ever had. They have the best 3,4,5 hitters in the nation in 2B Jemile Weeks (Rickie's brother), OF Dennis Raber, and 1B Yonder Alonso. I looking forward to seeing Weeks play this season, with a lot of scouts saying that he is as good if not better than his brother. The middle of the pack teams I like is Virginia and Clemson this season. The Cavaliers are led by All-American pitcher Jacob Thompson, but the loss of 5 players to the MLB Draft could hurt. To make up for the tough losses they brought in 16 quality frosh playing with a nice core of vets. The Tigers will have to endure some tough times early with having the nations toughest schedule on their side and starting plenty of sophomores, but I honestly believe this will be very benificial as the season goes on. UNC should win the conference but I really like Miami to go far in the CWS.
BIG 12
Getting the opportunity to see one of the nations best in Missouri this week put a bad taste in my mouth about this suppose elite conference. The Tigers are led by All-American Aaron Crow that is the ace of a very deep pitching staff. Baylor surprised a lot of readers by sneaking up to 13th in the Pre-season polls. But, little does everyone know that Baylor is returning a full squad of experienced players with 8 of them being lettermen pitchers including top pro prospect, closer Nick Cassavechia. The team with the most CWS appearance is back to an elite as Texas has two 1st team All-American outfielders in Jordan Danks and Kyle Russell. Oklahoma State did some great recruiting this season as well, getting lucky with the transfer of catcher Luis Flores leaving Houston for the Cowboys. Flores was a Freshman All-American is '06 and is already showing signs of stardom behind the plate in this early season. The Big 12 is always deep and with teams Nebraska and Texas A&M being in the middle of the pack this makes for a fun finish for the conference winner. As I said I wasn't too impressed with Missouri and their bats so I am going to go with Texas to win the conference and advance to the CWS again this year.
OTHERS
The Big Ten has nobody but Michigan for the third consecutive year as the Wolverines look to improve on their Super Regional Finals and get to the CWS for the first time since '84. As always the Big West is led by Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton with LBS being the early conference favorite. Having gotten the chance to already see a Conference USA team play in Central Florida it should be a fun conference season with the early favorites being #15 Rice and #18 Tulane, with East Carolina and UCF balancing out the rest. San Diego and their #17 ranking is the highest in school history and should handle the WCC with the #1 prospect pitcher in Brian Matusz. I like Tony Gwynn to lead a surprising San Diego State team to the Mountain West Conference title and a hopeful in the Super Regionals. Wichita State is the heavy favorite in the Missouri Valley again this year and CWS hopeful this year.
It should be another great year in college baseball hopefully I will get to see more games live since television just isn't in the books for college baseball until June. On to my fearless picks for the College World Series...
Losers Bracket Final - UNC vs. Ole Miss
Winners Bracket winner - Miami
Championship - UNC vs. Miami
Champs - Miami
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