DuckSouth.com

Diamond Dogs Picked To Win West In 2006


By David Murray
Editor-Dawgs' Bite
Date: Jan 31, 2006

Even Ron Polk has been openly optimistic about the prospects for his 2006 Diamond Dogs. Now, the Mississippi State skipper has been echoed by his peers.

The Southeastern Conference baseball coaches have voted Mississippi State to finish first in the Western Division this season. State edged out Louisiana State in both voting points, 54 to 51, and in first-place votes, 5 to 3.

Arkansas also received three first-place votes but totalled 49 points. Alabama got the last vote to finish first and came in fourth overall in the West at 41 points. Mississippi was predicted fifth with 34 points while Auburn came in sixth at 17.

Polk returns seven position starters from the May 2005 lineup, and one of the regular weekend rotation pitchers along with other hurlers who gained plenty of regular- and post-season experience.

Mississippi State was only fourth in the 2005 West standings and 13-16 in SEC play. But the Diamond Dogs, who just slipped into the SEC Tournament as the 8th seed, went unbeaten in Hoover and knocked off the rival Rebels for their second tourney crown this decade. State also took the 2001 league tournament title.

And the coach of that team, Pat McMahon, has a Florida team predicted to both win the SEC East and challenge for national titles. The Gators have been predicted as high as #2 in preseason polls. The Gators return seven position starters and 10 of 14 pitchers.

In the overall conference voting, eight coaches tabbed Florida to win the SEC Championship in 2006. LSU got three championship votes and Arkansas one. Mississippi State's last SEC Championship came in 1989.

Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.

I guess Basketball season is a write-off.

'Tis a possibility.

LSU won't finish better than 3rd

I can't understand the thought process...Pick Ole Miss to finish 5th cause of all they lost and changes on their team, and pick LSU 2nd with just as much change and far less recruiting success coming in this year???

And how Ole Miss is picked lower than everybody in the West in this article, yet preseason ranked by Baseball America higher than everyone, but LSU of course who could not field a team and break the top25, in the West???

I think State's gonna be good and all, I just don't understand how they come up with this crap every year...preseason rankings are so flawed and backasswards it's pittiful.

camlock,

Preseason ranking mean about as much as how much how highly ranked a recruiting class is. When the teams hit the field then we'll find out who has what and if the can do anything with it.

Pondman

I agree and disagree....

Preseason rankings are like weather forecast, somewhat telling but somehow never accurate....

Recruiting rankings are like radar, factual data shows that the schools consistently ranking in the top 10 are the ones competing at the top year in and out, and much like radar some of the blips fade away into reality, but overall the success can't be denied, like that big green blob moving across your state, it's gonna rain!

How you like that for a thought process after lunch!

I think that thought process is full of sh*t.

I've got $100 that says Ole Miss finishes better than 5th in the West this season. I'm only betting once, so first come, first serve on this offer.

Po Monkey Lounger wrote:I've got $100 that says Ole Miss finishes better than 5th in the West this season. I'm only betting once, so first come, first serve on this offer.

You don't know how tempted I am to take this bet.

Well take it. I would have to say that Po Monkey will win a bill on that bet

I've tried to bet your booty before, you ain'tno betting man, so stop teasing...

I've tried to bet your booty before, you ain'tno betting man, so stop teasing...

Yeah I remember that he is a lot of talk. Although he know a lot of chit about Ole Miss football, he is not using his brains on this bet. Probably just teasing though, he knows whats up

I may very well see this as a very easy benjamin in my pocket.

Well boy, you gonna pull them pistols or whistle dixie?

I'll say this, the talent is definitely there for us, but much like MSU last year, will be young. The thing with young teams though is they may go through growing pains early, but then get hot at the end of the season, much like MSU last year through the SEC tourny. I will say this, i do think we'll finish better than 5th in the west, however, the SEC west could possibly be the toughest place to play in the nation next year. There's honestly no weak team, at least the east has kentucky.