Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season Poll

[SB Shock]

Baseball Season is Here Officially!!!!!!

Rank School (’08 Final Record) Points
1. Louisiana St. (49-19-1) 495
2. North Carolina (54-14) 494
3. Rice (47-15) 489
4. Georgia (45-25-1) 486
5. Stanford (41-24-2) 484
6. Arizona St. (49-13) 482
7. Florida St. (54-14) 479
8. Louisville (41-21) 476
9. Texas A&M (46-19) 473
10. Texas (39-22) 470
11. Mississippi (39-25) 467
12. Georgia Tech. (41-21) 465
13. Cal. St. Fullerton (41-22) 462
14. Oklahoma St. (44-18 ) 459
15. Baylor (32-26) 457
16. Fresno St. (47-31) 456
17. San Diego (44-17) 453
18. Miami, Fla. (53-11) 451
19. Kentucky (44-19 ) 448
20. U.C. Irvine (42-18 ) 445
21. UCLA (33-27) 443
22. Missouri (39-21) 440
23. Pepperdine (38-21) 439
24. Southern California (28-28 ) 436
25. Florida (34-24) 435
26. Clemson (31-27-1) 432
27. Notre Dame (33-21-1) 430
28. Coastal Carolina (50-14) 428
29. Michigan (46-14) 425
30. U.C. Santa Barbara (35-21) 423
31. East Carolina (42-21) 422
32. Missouri St. (40-17) 420
33. Southern Mississippi (42-22) 417
34. Tulane (39-22-1) 415
35. Arizona (42-19) 414
36. Wichita St. (48-17) 410
37. Texas Christian (44-19) 409
38. Oregon St. (28-24) 406
39. California (33-21-2) 402
40. Alabama (35-28 ) 398

Other Teams Receiving Votes: Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Arkansas, Auburn, Long Beach St., Oregon, Virginia, North Carolina St., Houston, Kent St., Santa Clara, U.C. Riverside, Oral Roberts, Nebraska, Kennesaw St., Ohio St., Oklahoma, San Diego St., Tennessee, Mississippi St., New Mexico, Jacksonville St., Elon, Western Kentucky, Dallas Baptist, N.C. Charlotte, South Florida, St. John's, Winthrop, Purdue, James Madison, Marshall, Central Florida, Washington, Washington St., Georgia Southern, Northwestern St., Lamar, Texas-San Antonio, Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, New Orleans, Hawaii, San Jose St., San Francisco.

[BenWSU]

Oregon State took a dive for being national champs 3 years ago.

[Ashockalypse]

36 what*******ever jerks!

[martymoose]

36 what*******ever jerks!

Really? I was thinking we'd be lucking to even make the post season this year.

[Shocker85]

36 what*******ever jerks!

36 based soley on reputation isn't bad at all.

The Shox lost 7 of 9 top hitters, something like 44 of 53 HR, about 350 of 475 RBI, about 75 SB. I could go on.

On the mound, returning players had 6 wins, 1 save, and around 100 of 566 IP. Beyond Tim Kelley, NO ONE had a quality start against a good team and the bullpen without Hoch and Fleming will be ... ummm ... inexperienced.

Tell me anyone on the list from 35 and up who the Shox look better than on paper?

Gonna be a tough season.

--'85.

[Shocker85]

The '09 schedule has 20 games vs. other teams receiving votes in that poll, although Pepperdine and Okla. St. are the only 2 in the top 25.

Several teams that have been good in recent seasons aren't getting much respect, i.e. LBSU, Nebraska, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Mississippi St., etc.

I also see teams in the top 25 that I think are over-rated. It should be an interesting season.

--'85.

[CharlieHog]

We didn't have a very good year last year. I feel okay about our chances this year though. The only thing that concerns me is our pitching, especially starting pitching. Our lineup is pretty stacked and we have a pretty veteran squad now.

Our 09 schedule has 45 games against teams receiving votes in that poll. Wow.

[ShockerFever]

We didn't have a very good year last year. I feel okay about our chances this year though. The only thing that concerns me is our pitching, especially starting pitching. Our lineup is pretty stacked and we have a pretty veteran squad now.

Our 09 schedule has 45 games against teams receiving votes in that poll. Wow.

Ahh, the perks of playing in the SEC.. :)

I can't believe we're even ranked in anything. I agree with most that it's probably gonna be a long season unless the young guys grow up quick. Why do I get the feeling we probably aren't gonna hit double-digits in homers this year?

Oh well. Nice respect.

[CharlieHog]

Ahh, the perks of playing in the SEC.. :)

No doubt. :) 30 of our games against teams in that poll are indeed our 30 SEC games. But we also have 15 non-conference games against teams in that poll including Missouri State, Oral Roberts, Arizona State, Nebraska, Washington State and Cal.

[vbird53]

Tell me anyone on the list from 35 and up who the Shox look better than on paper?

#32 Missouri State.

Shox will win the Valley.

[SB Shock]

Tell me anyone on the list from 35 and up who the Shox look better than on paper?

#32 Missouri State.

LOL. On paper SWMO is going to look like a juggernaut compared to WSU with all their players they return this next year.

Not saying that WSU can't fullfill your prediction, but there is going to have to be alot of things go right for WSU with all the new players they have.

WSU got this ranking based only reputation of the last 2 seasons. If they prove that they can reload (and not rebuild) and continue to be a threat to get to Omaha, their reputation will continue to improve.

[SHOCKvalue]

Considering our staff losses, a #36 ranking is highly generous, although it does pain me to see the hillbilly bares in front of us. Maybe this will be the year they pass us up... or not. :lol:

[SpanglerFan316]

36 what*******ever jerks!

36 based soley on reputation isn't bad at all.

The Shox lost 7 of 9 top hitters, something like 44 of 53 HR, about 350 of 475 RBI, about 75 SB. I could go on.

On the mound, returning players had 6 wins, 1 save, and around 100 of 566 IP. Beyond Tim Kelley, NO ONE had a quality start against a good team and the bullpen without Hoch and Fleming will be ... ummm ... inexperienced.

Tell me anyone on the list from 35 and up who the Shox look better than on paper?

Gonna be a tough season.

--'85.

Sounds to me like you don't trust Gene's coaching. We have some great young players and I expect us to win the Valley again this year. Gene, Brent and JT will work their magic again in 2009.

[KC Shox]

A bone was definitely thrown our way based on reputation. Hopefully we have freshman who make an impact immediately. Baptism by fire I say. Throw em' out there Gene.

[Shocker85]

Sounds to me like you don't trust Gene's coaching. We have some great young players and I expect us to win the Valley again this year. Gene, Brent and JT will work their magic again in 2009.

Oh, I trust Gene as much or more than most. My real point is that on paper, to be mentioned in any poll shows respect for the program and is not due to performance of returning players.

I do think that we might see things we've never seen before from the team and the coaches. The WSU program has relied upon returning players to indoctrinate new players for a long time and there have always been returning stalwarts who could be relied upon when the youngsters need a lift. Other than Clint McKeever, Cody Lassley, Tim Kelley and Ryan Jones there aren't many guys who have played much - much less performed well - before in D1 baseball. Nothing against those guys, but when that's the list of 'veterans', you can't expect too many miracles.

There will be a lot of teaching early and there will be some underclassmen who are grizzled veterans by May. I expect this team, however, to be 1st or 2nd in the Valley and win the tournament.

One other small prediction, the pre-season coaches/media poll will pick the Shox 3rd or 4th. There are those around the league looking for any excuse to disrespect the Shox and 2009 will be their chance. They will regret it in the end.

--'85.