Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this weekend

Around the SEC – odds and ends from local newspapers (I hope I can keep my spirts up through the next couple of baseball seasons until the Tigers dig their way out of the Smoke mess):

• Columbia – South Carolina and LSU start their 2007 SEC baseball schedules this weekend in Columbia. In 15 games this year South Carolina (13-2; No. 4 USA/Coaches Top 25 and No. 4 in Collegiate Baseball Top 30) are outscoring opponents 130-41. The Gamecocks’ team batting average is .301.Their pitching staff ERA is 2.31. In 136.1 innings, Gamecocks’ pitchers have struck out 143 batters allowing 40 walks. South Carolina leads the SEC with a .986 fielding percentage.

• Knoxville – UT canceled its Tuesday (03.13.2007) baseball game with MoreheadState because of over scheduling (UT scheduled more than the 56-game limit).

• Nashville – Vanderbilt (No. 1 in USA/Coaches Top 25 and No. 1 in Collegiate Baseball Top 30) rumbled to a 14-5 baseball win over Illinois-Chicago Sunday for an 18-0 team start.

• Lexington – Kentucky baseball (No. 17 in USA/Coaches Top 25 and No. 12 in Collegiate Baseball Top 30) beat Tennessee-Martin 16-7 on Sunday to set a school record season start of 16-0. Kentucky’s current regular season home winning streak is 26 games - the longest such streak in the nation. Kentucky has had 10 or more hits in 11 of 16 games

On a Louisiana related SEC football note:

• Auburn – Sophomore Linebacker, Patrick Trahan (St. Augustine HS, NO, LA) led all defenders with 2.5 tackles for loss for the first team defense in Auburn’s second scrimmage of spring practice (140 plays last Saturday).

ldskule:

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

If the Tigers can somehow manage enough wins to get a post season bid, they'll be battle tested for sure. Once again, the SEC is the cream of the crop. I fear that the quality of pitching in the league is going to make it tough on our anemic bats, though.

Vandy is 18-0 and #1 in both polls. Kentucky is 16-0 and 17/12. I love rankings.

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

Well, once this weekend rolls around, forget about all of those records, all of the polls, everything. As all of you know, it doesn't mean anything until these teams do it in SEC play--not that I don't think that they can.

To be fully honest, I haven't been too up to date with who's been playing who, but I'd much rather a team that starts off slow and progresses than one that starts off hot and fizzles out. There will always be a team (or three or five) in the SEC that starts playing ball at the right time and goes on a tear (think of Ole Piss the last few seasons) to close it out. LSU could be that team. In any case, if LSU brings the game it's played this past weekend to USC we may be able to take a couple. USM is a solid team and LSU did a good job of playing the way they'll need to to be successful this season.

The main problem is that we still have a lot of Smoke's players that were recruited to play his style of ball. These players seem to be having a hard time buying into CPM's philosophy, but they're getting better.

The vets know that this is the time to step-it-up. Chris and Michael and Wags and the rest of the guys need to do a good job in leading and I think we'll be okay.

Remember when LSU was "mighty" and how we used to have problems with small-ball scrappy teams? Well, maybe it's time we get used to a little of our own medicine, except this time around we could be the victors.

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

Additionally, according to boydsworld.com LSU is currently eighth in its Pseudo-RPI (generally spot-on) while USM is ranked number one. http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/rpi/currentrpi.html

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

I sure hope they have a good season, but I am not expecting them to go to Iowa this year. Hope I am wrong.

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

Ah, I see, you're the kind that likes surprises, eh? :grin: I can't remember the last time I've been this excited about LSU baseball. Win or lose, Coach Mainieri's team sure is fun to watch.

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

****twilight zone****

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

Maybe he means that they'll be confident enough in their trip to Omaha to book rooms early, and not have to stay across the river! :rofl:

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee

I saw Florida play over here at aTm last weekend and even the Aggies are much improved over last year, they aren't that good to dominate an SEC team in a 3 game series sweep like they did over the Gators. At least I didn't think so. Florida is very young and have a long long way to go to make any impact in the SEC. aTm hit the Florida pitchers pretty much at will and I saw more balk calls in the Sat/Sun games than I've seen in an entire year -- probably why the Florida head gator got tossed in the 7th on Sunday.

 

Re: Around the SEC - we'll start finding out who is for real in SEC Baseball this wee