Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll

[SB Shock]

1. Texas (50-16-1) 496
2. Louisiana St. (56-17 ) 494
3. Virginia (49-15-1) 493
4. Cal. St. Fullerton (47-16 ) 492
5. Arizona St. (51-14) 491
6. Georgia Tech. (38-19-1) 486
7. Florida St. (45-18) 483
8. U.C. Irvine (45-15) 482
9. Florida (42-22) 479
10. Oregon St. (37-19) 475
11. Rice (43-18) 473
12. Miami, Fla. (38-22) 470
13. North Carolina (48-18 ) 469
14. Ohio St. (42-19) 467
15. Texas Christian (40-18 ) 464
16. Clemson (44-22) 462
17. Coastal Carolina (47-16) 459
18. East Carolina (46-20) 455
19. Louisville (47-18) 454
20. UCLA (27-29) 452
21. Southern Miss. (40-26 ) 450
22. Mississippi (44-20) 446
23. Arkansas (41-24) 443
24. San Diego (29-25) 441
25. Oklahoma (43-20) 439
26. Stanford (30-25) 435
27. Wichita St. (30-27 ) 430
28. South Carolina (40-23) 428
29. Texas A&M (37-24) 427
30. Minnesota (40-19 ) 425
31. Georgia (38-24) 422
32. Vanderbilt (37-27) 419
33. Fresno St. (32-30) 417
34. Pepperdine (31-23) 415
35. South Florida (34-12) 412
36. Kansas (39-24) 410
37. Middle Tennessee St. (44-18) 407
38. Florida Gulf Coast (36-18) 402
39. Notre Dame (36-23) 401
40. Dallas Baptist (38-17) 397

Other Teams Receiving Votes: Cal Poly, Arizona, Oregon, Long Beach St., California, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, Baylor, Oklahoma St., Central Florida, Mississippi St., Alabama, Auburn, James Madison, Tulane, Kentucky, Tennessee, New Mexico St., Ball St., Bowling Green St., Hawaii, Houston, Kent St., Missouri St., Creighton, Western Kentucky, N.C. State, Boston College, Illinois, Jacksonville, Washington, Southern Cal., Washington St., Troy, San Diego St., College of Charleston, Georgia Southern, St. John's, Wagner, New Mexico, Eastern Illinois, Kennesaw St., Florida International, West Virginia, Elon, Texas St., Southeastern Louisiana, Stetson, Oral Roberts, Winthrop, N.C. Wilmington, Georgia St., Dartmouth, Wright St., Bethune-Cookman, Liberty, Dayton, Rhode Island, Southern.

Source: Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

[shock10]

Shockers play 29 games against teams on this poll. If my count is right.... 17 at home. 8 in the top 40.

[shocks771]

Our non-con schedule doesn't have any blockbusters on it, but it should still be pretty challenging. We will play against the following teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll this year.

Kansas, Florida Gulf Coast, Dallas Baptist, Arizona, Long Beach State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Washington State and Oral Roberts.

[ShockerFever]

Where'd Kansas State go?

Don't tell me they were just a one-hit wonder?

[shocker22]

I think this is a very low ranking for the talent we have. Bold prediction...we hit the top ten this year.

How can I say that? Our returning starters and returning bullpen help from injury, and the offensive additions. This team is deep, talented, and learned alot from last year.

[GoShockers89]

I have similar hopes for this team. Our pitching staff will be the best in the country, and one of the finest in school history.

I just hope we can swing the sticks a little.

[SB Shock]

I think this is a very low ranking for the talent we have. Bold prediction...we hit the top ten this year.

How can I say that? Our returning starters and returning bullpen help from injury, and the offensive additions. This team is deep, talented, and learned alot from last year.

Based on where the shox are ranked preseason - they are going to have to play almost perfect ball to hit top 10 ranking just due to poll mechanics.

I have faith (barring injuries) that the pitching staff will be better than last year.

I don't not have the same faith in the hitting. To expect a bad hitting team to become a good one is probably overly optimistic (granted there are unknown of what the newcomers may bring to the table).

[ShockerFever]

Based on where the shox are ranked preseason - they are going to have to play almost perfect ball to hit top 10 ranking just due to poll mechanics.

I'm actually surprised we were ranked this high to begin with, so I'm excited. We can make the Top 10 if other teams fall off and we hold strong like any normal year.

After last season, I honestly didn't think we'd be high on the national radar early in the year. But our name definitely helps.

But I do believe we will be much improved and this praise will be justifiable.


Now the only question is will we be picked to win the conference? :lol:

[shocker22]

I think this is a very low ranking for the talent we have. Bold prediction...we hit the top ten this year.

How can I say that? Our returning starters and returning bullpen help from injury, and the offensive additions. This team is deep, talented, and learned alot from last year.

Based on where the shox are ranked preseason - they are going to have to play almost perfect ball to hit top 10 ranking just due to poll mechanics.

I have faith (barring injuries) that the pitching staff will be better than last year.

I don't not have the same faith in the hitting. To expect a bad hitting team to become a good one is probably overly optimistic (granted there are unknown of what the newcomers may bring to the table).

I think the hitting will be very improved from last year. Here are my thoughts by position

C - LAssley and O'brien will split time here and the hot hitter will play. I expect alot of improvement from O'brien at the plate.

1b - Mckeever will be solid again and Springer has some pop as a backup and both can DH

2b - Baez had another year to improve. He will be better

SS - Grimes showed many signs of being an excellent hitter, will be improved

3b - Between Goro and Coy the hot corner will be solid. Hoepfully coy can brng some power.

RF - Jones will not repeat last year and will be improved

CF - We have Hall back, he should be our lead off

LF - I think Bennett steps in here and gives us the production we have been missing from this position.

DH - Engrav can hit, also Obrien, Keev, Springer will get at bats.

Not to mention all the other under classmen not mentioned that could step up and produce. I see alot of production. I'm bored at work so I will go with my predicted lineup.

CF - Hall
SS - Grimes
RF - Jones
1b - Keev
DH - Obrien
LF - Bennett
2b - Baez
3b - Goro or Coy
C - Lassley

Any thoughts?

[shocker22]

Due to boredom, here are my thoguhts on pitching.

First four are pretty obvious:

Kelley
Lowell
Cooper
Flynn
5th starter...fleming, mateycheck, mcgreevey

Closer - Sossaman
Set up - Hoch
first out of pen - Guy, Johnson, Muncrief (if back), and then whomever else steps up.

[Ashockalypse]

With our pitching, we should totally dominate this year.

[SB Shock]

With our pitching, we should totally dominate this year.

If WSU offense doesn't produce, then the pitching staff better throw up zero's every game. WSU biggest problem last year even though the pitching staff was having a down year by WSU standards was it offense. If that is not fixed and MUCH better, then it will be a frustrating year.

[SHOCKvalue]

Well, Jim Thomas is still on staff, so I'm going to go out on a limb and guess our bats might still suck.

I know, I know, he's the same guy who was coaching the hitting back in '98, but that was a long time ago by now, and at this point we have enough data to produce a trendline that would impress the GAO.

[GoShockers89]

Agreed, Ricky. I doubt that we will ever see the prolific offense from the 90's reproduced under the current staff.

However, if we can just muster an above average hitting team (coupled with this pitching staff), we will be a team that will host a regional. The addition of Bennett is what really gives me hope that we can get back to hitting over .300 as a team this year.

[Ashockalypse]

I predict we will have prolific bats as well.