College Baseball Coming Soon..................

[SWAG]

Well it is now the start of the new year which also brings college baseball to the table since ballgames begin in Feb. I see Arkansas picked pre-season #1 and a bunch of SEC teams in pre-season rankings or getting votes. I guess that is par for the course. I am much anticipating this MSU season. Not sure exactly who is going to pitch Fri, Sat, and Sun. But one thing is for certain....we have about 15 very capable guys trying to get one of those 8 position player spots. This team is loaded with talent and experience. This should be fun!!!!

[stitch]

Well it is now the start of the new year which also brings college baseball to the table since ballgames begin in Feb. I see Arkansas picked pre-season #1 and a bunch of SEC teams in pre-season rankings or getting votes. I guess that is par for the course. I am much anticipating this MSU season. Not sure exactly who is going to pitch Fri, Sat, and Sun. But one thing is for certain....we have about 15 very capable guys trying to get one of those 8 position player spots. This team is loaded with talent and experience. This should be fun!!!!

We have the opportunity to have a very fun year in Starkville

[SWAG]

Anyone know why Taylor Stark not back on roster this spring for MSU?

[Greenhead22]

Anyone know why Taylor Stark not back on roster this spring for MSU?

Wanted more PT and his pitching never got to where it needed to be.

[msudawg8087]

I'm pumped to say the least. Should be a great year.

[SWAG]

He came out quick last season when he got the start at 3B last season (do not remember the game) and had 3 hits in that game. I was there a few days later when Mingione sent him to second trying for a double that obviously was a mistake when Stark pulled hamstring digging it out. He knew he was going to be out and then the injury to add. He booted a ball in that game but came back to make a couple of dandy defensive plays before the hamstring pull.


Yes I am very excited to about this team. Lots of really good experienced players around the field. Hoping Bracewell comes out and has a banner year.

[RiverDuck]

The word on the street is that the Dawgs are going to Omaha. I dont put much in preseason poles, especially baseball, but it seems as though we look good on paper!

[SWAG]

13. MISSISSIPPI
2012 Record (Ranking): 37-26 (NR). RPI: 26.
Coach (Record at school): Mike Bianco (471-278-1, 12 years).
Postseason History: 17 regionals (active streak; 1), 4 CWS trips (last in 1972), 0 national titles.
2013 Lineup
Pos. Name, Yr. AVG/OBP/SLG HR RBI SB
C Stuart Turner, Jr. Tr.—LSU-Eunice
1B Sikes Orvis, So. .232/.317/.321 1 11 0
2B Lance Wilson, Jr. Tr.—Shelton (Ala.) State JC
3B Andrew Mistone, Sr. .243/.305/.299 1 21 3
SS Austin Anderson, Jr. .239/.352/.312 0 11 1
LF Tanner Mathis, Sr. .359/.437/.508 0 23 8
CF Auston Bousfield, So. .281/.352/.362 2 22 6
RF Will Jamison, So. .247/.289/.325 0 4 1
DH Will Allen, Jr. .302/.333/.391 1 24 2
Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV
RHP Bobby Wahl, Jr. 7 4 2.55 99 104 0
RHP Mike Mayers, Jr. 6 3 3.50 93 71 0
RHP Chris Ellis, So. 4 0 2.84 32 29 0
RP Brett Huber, Sr. 2 2 2.84 25 29 10

Hitting: 50. The Rebels could take a step back without All-American Alex Yarbrough and slugger Matt Snyder, as their successors—Wilson and Orvis—are much less offensive. But Ole Miss should make up a big chunk of that production behind the plate, because Turner has serious bat potential. Mathis is the best pure hitter in the lineup, with the ability to pepper hard line drives all around the field from the left side. Jamison's flat, line-drive swing suggests he should be able to hit for more average as a sophomore, and Ole Miss says Anderson is another improved lefthanded hitter, though he doesn't figure to be an offensive force. Allen is the top returning bat from the right side, and he looks primed for a big junior year.

Power: 50. Mississippi is very excited about Turner's huge righthanded power potential, and Allen has more juice than his numbers suggest. The Rebels—and scouts—say Bousfield is more physical than he was a year ago and expect him to take a big step forward, providing a third righthanded bat with pop. Orvis brings some lefthanded power.

Speed: 70. Team speed is this lineup's greatest asset, and it could make the Rebels dangerous. Bousfield is faster as well as stronger, running the 60-yard dash in 6.5 seconds this fall. Jamison and Wilson are also plus-plus runners, while Mathis has plus speed and gets out of the box quickly from the left side, putting extra pressure on defenders. Two-sport talent So. OF Senquez Golson brings top-of-the-charts speed off the bench. Anderson is an average runner.

Defense: 65. Mississippi might have the nation's fastest outfield, and Bousfield also has a plus arm in center. Turner's strength, flexibility, intelligence, receiving ability and strong arm make him a special defender behind the plate. Mistone is an elite defensive third baseman, and the middle infield should be solid.


Bobby Wahl
Starting Pitching: 70. The Rebels are blessed with three physical, power-armed righties in the weekend rotation, which should be stellar. Wahl works in the 90-95 range and gets plenty swing-and-misses with his 80-83 power sluve; some scouts have also seen him flash a plus changeup with late fade and bottom. Mayers, the No. 17 prospect in the Cape League last summer, sits at 89-93 and bumps 95, and has a pair of quality secondary pitches in his low-80s slider and 78-82 changeup. Ellis made a big jump in the summer and fall, bumping the mid-90s and sitting comfortably at 90-93. His changeup has really developed, and his 78-81 curve is an out pitch. Sr. RHP Tanner Bailey, a competitive, strike-throwing veteran with fringy stuff across the board, should be a solid midweek starter.

Bullpen: 70. Even without his best stuff last year, Huber racked up 10 saves, giving him 26 in his career. He attacks hitters with an 88-92 fastball and a good low-80s slider. So. RHP Hawtin Buchanan, like Ellis, made huge strides in the offseason, dramatically improving his 83-85 power slider and bumping 96-97 with his fastball, though he sat 91-94 this fall. This unit has depth, too: RHPs Josh Laxer, Aaron Greenwood, Brady Bramlett and Jacob Waguespack have solid breaking balls and intriguing upside. Austin Blunt and Matt Denny give this group a pair of left-on-left specialists, and Scott Weathersby is tough on righties.

Experience/Intangibles: 60. The senior Mathis sets the tone for the lineup, giving the Rebels a little edge. Five everyday players are back, plus the one-two punch atop the rotation and an exceptionally battle-tested closer. But this program needs to prove it can get over the final hump and reach Omaha.

Baseball America OFP: 60. Ole Miss should be a formidable pitching-and-defense outfit, and that formula is very effective in the BBCOR era. How much would the Rebels love to end their infamous 41-year CWS drought, so they never have to hear about it again? This could be the year.

[SWAG]

10. LOUISIANA STATE
2012 Record (Ranking): 47-18 (9). RPI: 10.
Coach (Record at school): Paul Maineri (258-122-2, 6 years).
Postseason History: 25 regionals (active streak; 1), 15 CWS trips (last in 2009), 6 national titles (last in 2009).
2013 Lineup
Pos. Name, Yr. AVG/OBP/SLG HR RBI SB
C Ty Ross, Jr. .292/.357/.384 3 41 2
1B Mason Katz, Sr. .320/.414/.552 13 52 8
2B JaCoby Jones, Jr. .253/.308/.363 4 29 11
3B Christian Ibarra, Jr. Tr.—Rio Hondo (Calif.) CC
SS Alex Bregman, Fr. HS—Albuquerque
LF Raph Rhymes, Sr. .431/.489/.530 4 53 2
CF Chris Sciambra, So. .246/.324/.311 0 11 2
RF Sean McMullen, Jr. Tr.—Delgado (La.) CC
DH Mark Laird, Fr. HS—Monroe, La.
Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV
RHP Aaron Nola, Fr. 7 4 3.61 90 89 0
RHP Ryan Eades, Jr. 5 3 3.83 94 63 0
LHP Brent Bonvillain, Sr. 4 0 3.49 28 26 0
RP Nick Rumbelow, Jr. 0 0 3.65 25 34 0


Raph Rhymes
Hitting: 60. LSU's lineup is built around one of the nation's most accomplished hitters in Rhymes, whose uncanny hand-eye coordination and flat bat path helped him flirt with .500 deep into the 2012 season. Like Rhymes, the precocious Bregman is an advanced hitter who rarely strikes out, and scouts are as convinced as LSU's coaches that he will be an instant star. Ross, who excels at going the other way into the right-center gap, took a big step forward last year. The 5-foot-7 Ibarra is an aggressive hitter with surprising strength in his swing. Sciambra, McMullen and Laird give this lineup a key trio of athletic lefthanded hitters who work counts, get on base and cause havoc.

Power: 50. Katz, who ranked third in the SEC in homers last year, packs impressive all-fields power into his 5-foot-10 frame. Fellow sub-6-footers Bregman, Ibarra and McMullen also could provide occasional pop. The wiry Jones has struck out too much during his collegiate career, but he showed off his emerging power last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he won the home run derby at the all-star game. The Tigers think he's primed for a monster year. Physical Fr. C Chris Chinea brings some more righthanded thump.

Speed: 70. The additions of McMullen, Laird and Fr. OF Andrew Stevenson change the complexion of LSU's lineup, because all three have premium speed and tailor their games around putting it to good use. Jones, one of the best athletes in college baseball, also has plus to plus-plus speed, and Sciambra is a slightly above-average runner. Bregman and Rhymes are fringe-average runners with good instincts.

Defense: 65. The Tigers will miss four-year stalwart Austin Nola at shortstop, but Bregman's superb instincts, smooth actions and solid-average arm should make him a capable replacement. Jones has excellent range at second and committed just four errors last year (.982 fielding percentage). Ibarra has soft hands and a strong arm at third, and Katz's athleticism and savvy make him a standout at first. Ross might be the country's premier defensive catcher. Sciambra, who has recovered from the frightening neck injury he suffered in the outfield last spring, takes efficient routes in center, and the corner outfielders are sound.

Starting Pitching: 60. Nola and Eades could form a dominating duo atop the rotation, but the Sunday starter job is still up in the air. Nola relentlessly pounds the strike zone (89-7 K-BB last year) with a lively low-90s fastball, quality changeup and breaking ball from a deceptive three-quarters slot. Eades has premium stuff—a mid-90s fastball, a wipeout downer curve in the low 80s, a sinker and changeup that induce ground balls—but must do a better job harnessing his command. Bonvillain has good deception and movement on his sinker and can fool hitters with his sharp breaking ball. Fr. RHP Russell Reynolds has more upside, with an 89-93 fastball and an above-average slider, but he needs to continue developing his changeup.

Bullpen: 60. A key question facing LSU is who will replace closer Nick Goody? With a fastball that reaches 94 and a putaway 12-to-6 curveball, Rumbelow has back-of-the-bullpen stuff. The most proven, trusted member of the bullpen is Sr. LHP Chris Cotton, who keeps hitters off balance by mixing his mid-80s fastball with an excellent changeup and occasional breaking ball. Jr. RHP Will LaMarche showed a mid-90s fastball and promising secondary stuff at Chabot (Calif.) JC last year, but he needs to show better command to earn a prominent role on this staff. Fr. RHP Mitchell Sewald and So. LHP Cody Glenn also have good arms, while Jr. RHP Kurt McCune and Sr. RHPs Kevin Berry and Joey Bourgeois provide valuable experience, making this a deep group.

Experience/Intangibles: 60. LSU's lineup has good veteran leadership in its four upperclassman with abundant experience in the lineup, which should make it easier for four newcomers to slide into the lineup. The bullpen is stuffed with vets, if not a proven closer, and two-thirds of the weekend rotation is back from a super regional team.

Baseball America OFP: 60. The lineup and the pitching staff still need to gel, but the front-line talent and depth on this roster is impressive. After getting stunned at home by Stony Brook in super regionals last year, LSU will be on a mission to return to Omaha, and its chances look strong.

[SWAG]

5. MISSISSIPPI STATE
2012 Record (Ranking): 40-24 (22). RPI: 22.
Coach (Record at school): John Cohen (126-101, 4 years).
Postseason History: 30 regionals (active streak; 2), 8 CWS trips (last in 2007), 0 national titles.
2013 Lineup
Pos. Name, Yr. AVG/OBP/SLG HR RBI SB
C Mitch Slauter, Sr. .232/.354/.327 3 23 0
1B Wes Rea, So. .300/.417/.500 0 3 0
2B Brett Pirtle, Jr. Tr.—Panola (Texas) JC
3B Daryl Norris, Jr. .273/.380/.353 1 25 2
SS Adam Frazier, Jr. .371/.482/.445 0 26 9
LF Jacob Robson, Fr. HS—Windsor, Ont.
CF C.T. Bradford, Jr. .258/.345/.339 2 17 3
RF Hunter Renfroe, Jr. .252/.328/.374 4 25 7
DH Trey Porter, Sr. .259/.388/.376 5 24 1
Pos. Name, Yr. W L ERA IP SO SV
RHP Kendall Graveman, Sr. 4 4 2.81 90 59 0
LHP Jacob Lindgren, So. 2 2 3.18 28 24 1
RHP Brandon Woodruff, So. 1 2 2.38 34 37 0
RP Jonathan Holder, So. 2 1 0.32 28 30 9

Hitting: 60. Depth and experience are this lineup's greatest strengths as 11 players who started 27 or more games last year return. The Bulldogs manufacture offense however they can, and hit batsmen are a big part of their attack—they ranked seventh in the nation with 99 HBPs last year, led by Porter (15), Slauter (11) and Rea (10). Bradford and Robson are lefthanded catalysts with advanced feel for their barrels, and Pirtle is a dirtbag with good contact skills from both sides. But the most accomplished hitter in the lineup is Frazier, who really makes the Bulldogs go thanks to his superb plate discipline (50-24 BB-K last year) and ability to spray the ball around the field as the situation dictates. Rea racked up quality at-bats and made consistent hard contact in the fall. MSU expects him, Porter and Norris to hit for average this spring, and it seems safe to expect MSU to boost its .251 team average dramatically.


Hunter Renfroe
Power: 50. MSU hit just 21 homers a year ago, but that number should rise in 2013 after the Bulldogs moved the left-field fence at cavernous Dudy-Noble Field in about 13 feet. That means righthanded power hitters like Renfroe and Rea should be rewarded. Renfroe has prodigious raw power—he set a Cal Ripken League record with 16 homers last summer, then added three more in the playoffs—and is gradually refining his offensive approach. The 6-foot-5, 272-pound Rea also has plenty of strength, and Porter adds some thump from the left side. Fr. C Daniel Garner and So. 3B Nick Flair bring more righthanded pop off the bench.

Speed: 65. Robson has elite speed, running the 60-yard dash in 6.45 seconds, and should be a disruptive force on the basepaths. Renfroe and Bradford, plus reserve Demarcus Henderson, all have plus speed. Frazier is a slightly above-average runner with abundant baserunning savvy, and Pirtle moves well too.

Defense: 70. This defense has a chance to be special. Slauter has excellent game-calling skills, toughness and intelligence behind the plate, and his catch-and-throw skills are solid. Every infielder returns from a unit that led the nation with 71 double plays. Frazier has fluid actions, sure hands and an accurate arm at short, and Pirtle's instincts and arm strength should make him a fine double-play partner. Rea moves well for his size at first, and Norris is a stalwart at third. All three outfielders have serious athleticism and range; Bradford and Renfroe also bring plus or better arms, and they combined for 15 outfield assists last year.

Starting Pitching: 55. All-American ace Chris Stratton is gone, but MSU has a deep stable of starting candidates and a quality senior anchor in Graveman, who pounds the zone with a heavy sinker, above-average changeup and solid breaking ball. Lindgren and Woodruff have the talent to take major leaps as sophomores. Lindgren works at 91-93 mph with good sink from the left side and a devastating slider. Woodruff, an unsigned fifth-rounder out of high school, has comparable velocity and good life from the right side, and an 80 mph slider with good depth. Sr. LHP Chad Girodo had made a big leap, pitching at 90 mph and commanding three pitches, making him the likely fourth starter.

Bullpen: 70. Holder anchors a deep collection of quality arms in the bullpen. Holder pummels the zone with a 90-92 fastball, and his 80 mph power curveball has sharp 12-to-6 break. Jr. RHP Evan Mitchell can run his fastball up to 97 and has a swing-and-miss low-80s downer curve. Undersized Fr. RHP John Marc Shelly also has filthy stuff: a 93-95 mph fastball and mid-80s slider. So. RHPs Will Cox and Trevor Fitts are quality middle relievers who can reach the low 90s and have feel for pitching, while So. Ross Mitchell and Sr. Luis Pollorena offer different looks from the left side—but both excel at throwing strikes.

Experience/Intangibles: 70. Experience abounds in the lineup and the pitching staff, though the weekend starters behind Graveman still need to prove themselves. Plenty of holdovers remain from the 2011 MSU team that reached the brink of the CWS, and the Bulldogs proved their mettle by overcoming injuries last year and winning the SEC tournament.

Baseball America OFP: 65. The offense should be much more potent than it was a year ago, and the pitching and defense will be elite. This is a very deep, balanced, battle-tested team with its eye on a national title, and anything less than a trip to Omaha will be a disappointment.

[SWAG]

Just got off phone with MSU ticket office...tickets get here next week....I am excited to say the least!!!

[SWAG]

Opening Day for Rebs and Dogs!!!!!!!!!!

[champcaller]

even though it was cold, this has to rank as one of the best opening days i've been to.

the outfield was packed with beautiful girls and cold beer. my buddy set up a tent and we had the Nkemdiche brothers come by (who turned down the beer that was offered). it was pretty cool, they were real nice and seemed to really enjoy themselves. they can sure lead a hotty toddy!

good to get the win.

[fieldt76]

What happened to State starting out ranked #5? Looks like #16 to me....

[camlock]

West with the addition of TAMU along with MSU, OM, LSU, & Ark all setting up to be top 20 or better teams is going to be a blood bath!

In other news, MIZZOU starts off SEC baseball with a lose to Southern MS. They are not really enjoying their indoctrination into SEC sports. Their basketball team is good, but they aren't good enough on the road and not at all what they thought they'd be in this conference; they are kind of a media darling so they don't fall in rankings like everybody else and I think come postseason they will fizzle out compared to expectations. I definitely don't think they are elite as predicted coming into SEC basketball, thought to challenge Kentucky and Florida for top program in conference.