College World Series Odds

[TJBELL]

NCAA Baseball Odds To Win 2004 College World Series
Fri 6/18 Texas
11:00 AM 301 Yes +286
302 No -316

Fri 6/18 Miami Florida
11:00 AM 303 Yes +375
304 No -425

Fri 6/18 LSU
11:00 AM 305 Yes +675
306 No -745

Fri 6/18 South Carolina
11:00 AM 307 Yes +600
308 No -670

Fri 6/18 CS Fullerton
11:00 AM 309 Yes +625
310 No -695

Fri 6/18 Arkansas
11:00 AM 311 Yes +1000
312 No -1150

Fri 6/18 Georgia
11:00 AM 313 Yes +1600
314 No -1850

Fri 6/18 Arizona
11:00 AM 315 Yes +2000
316 No -2250


Not sure which thread this belongs in. Any one with any thoughts in who will win???

Thanks!!!!!!

 

[jv1]

south carolina at +600 looks like the best price I think. I still dont think the longhorns have the bats to win it.

 

[TJBELL]

Bump.

Thanks jv1.

Anyone else with a thought?? Fletch???

 

[TJBELL]

College Baseball Fri 6/18
Game Run Line Money Line Total Runs More
Fri 6/18 501 Arkansas +192
04:00 PM 502 Texas -212

Fri 6/18 503 Arizona +126
11:00 AM 504 Georgia -138


College Baseball Sat 6/19
Game Run Line Money Line Total Runs More
Sat 6/19 505 LSU +116
04:00 PM 506 Miami Florida -126

Sat 6/19 507 CS-Fullerton +118
11:30 AM 508 South Carolina -128

 

[Nosigar]

From what I've heard on the radio here in Miami, the Canes aren't going with their strongest pitcher against LSU, apparently since he's similar in style to a pitcher they recently beat up on. I think the starter is a more crafty type. I'll try to get more info.

Good odds on LSU though. They got most the guys back from last year when they were blown out early.
I am a bit partial, though.

 

[Cie]

I heard the same as Nosigar regarding Miami holding back their ace. LSU can hit up and down the lineup .334 BA, but have not displayed much power of late. Miami also hits well as a team .328 BA. Lefty Cesar Carillo 11-0 2.73 era will start for the canes and Lefty Mestapay will start for LSU. Mestapay missed his entire Junior season do to surgery on his throwing shoulder and it took him a while to find his rhythm during regular season. He has since found his stuff and this guy is a warrior on the mound with tons of post season experience from his frosh and soph seasons when he dominated under the spotlight en route to a frosh of the year campaign 3 seasons back.

Teams seem evenly matched, but I will play LSU for a couple of units due to the pressure which Miami HC Morris has put on his players to avenge the walk off home run by Warren Morris to defeat the canes for the '96 CWS title.


GL:weed:

 

[IE]

2004 College World Series Capsules



Arizona Wildcats

Tuscon, Ariz.

At-large bid from Pacific-10 Conference, won South Bend Regional, won Long Beach Super Regional

2004 Record ? 12-12, 35-25-1 (fifth in Pac-10)

Coach ? Andy Lopez (UCLA, 1975)

Record at school ? 101-72-1, three years

Overall record ? 788-490-7, 22 years

Assistant coaches ? Steve Kling, Mark Wasikowski, Jeff Casper

Team offense - .304 BA, 428 R, 59 HR, .469 SLG%, .388 OB%, 78/111 SB

Team pitching ? 5.21 ERA, 542.1 IP, 608 H, 254 BB, 417 K

Top hitters ?Trevor Crowe (.339/5/33/25 SB), Richard Mercado (.337/4/30), Jeff Van Houten (.325/3/39), Bill Rhinehart (.324/7/26), Jason Donald (.321/8/43), Moises Duran (.312/6/47/12 SB), Nick Hundley (.311/4/26), Jordan Brown (.306/11/53), John Hardy (.305/5/31)

Top pitchers ? Koley Kolberg (9-6, 2 saves, 4.56, 140.0 IP, 169 H, 61 BB, 117 K), Mark Melancon (6-4, 4.60 58.2 IP, 55 H, 18 BB, 44 K), Derek Rodriguez (1-3, 7 saves, 4.74, 24.2 IP, 26 H, 18 BB, 12 K), John Meloan (9-0, 4.80, 86.1 IP, 92 H, 39 BB, 72 K), Luis Cortez (3-3, 6.35, 45.1 IP, 45 H, 26 BB, 28 K), Kevin Guyette (6-7, 6.57, 112.1 IP, 142 H, 52 BB, 81 K).

Last NCAA appearance ? 2003 (0-2 at Fullerton Regional)

Notes ? The Wildcats won the Long Beach Super Regional. It was their first Super Regional trip. It was the only Super Regional to go three games. Arizona is making its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, the first time since 1992 and 1993 that the Wildcats have gone in back-to-back years. Arizona played 17 games against teams in the Top 25 at the time of the game during the regular season and went 7-10. Andy Lopez is taking his third team to the College World Series. Pepperdine won the national championship in 1992 with Lopez at the helm. He also took Florida to the College World Series. Arizona is in the NCAA Tournament for the 30th time and is making its 15th trip to Omaha, its first since 1986. The Wildcats have three national titles and three seconds.



Arkansas Razorbacks

Fayetteville, Arkansas

At-large bid from Southeastern Conference, won Fayetteville Regional, won Fayetteville Super Regional

2004 Record ? 19-11, 45-22 (first in SEC West)

Coach - Dave Van Horn (Arkansas, 1988)

Record at school - 80-44, two years

Overall record - 665-293, 16 years

Assistant coaches - Matt Deggs, Dave Jorn

Team offense - .294 BA, 442 R, 52 HR, .424 SLG%, .382 OB%, 110-130 SB

Team pitching - 3.78 ERA, 604.1 IP, 660 H, 178 BB, 439 SO

Top hitters ? Clay Goodwin (.327/4/32), Haas Pratt (.317/8/52), Danny Hamblin (.309/8/41/19 2B), Jake Dugger (.299/8/44), Casey Rowlett (.298/3/21/22 SB), Scott Hode (.293/7/53), Brady Toops (.287/5/30)

Top pitchers ? Boyd Goodner (3-3, 1.38, 58.2 IP, 54 H, 16 BB, 45 K), Caton Hall (5-2, 4 saves, 3.97, 34.0 IP, 41 H, 14 BB, 28 K), Charley Boyce (10-2, 1 save, 3.10, 110.1 IP, 112 H, 20 BB, 79 K), Clint Brannon (4-3, 3.53, 102.0 IP, 107 H, 30 BB, 71 K), Trey Holloway (2-2, 1 save, 3.80, 45.0 IP, 52 H, 6 BB, 16 K), Jay Sawatski (10-3, 7 saves, 3.32, 89.1 IP, 95 H, 22 BB, 83 K)

Last NCAA appearance - 2003 (1-2 at Austin Regional)

Notes ? Arkansas is making its fifth trip to the College World Series and first since 1989. Coach Dave Van Horn is taking his second squad to Omaha. He took Nebraska in 2001 and 2002. The Razorbacks won both Super Regional games against Florida State. The Razorbacks had to fight through the loser?s bracket of the Fayetteville Regional before they beat Wichita State twice on Sunday to capture the regional title. Arkansas has made 17 trips to NCAA Regionals. The Razorbacks are 38-33 in NCAA Tournament games. The Razorbacks have a little pop in Jake Dugger, Scott Hode and Danny Hamblin (19 doubles). Casey Rowlett leads the team in stolen bases (22/26). Charlie Boyce and Jay Sawatski form a nice 1-2 combo on the hill, combining for a 20-5 record. Sawatski saved both Super Regional contests against FSU. The Hogs took two of three from South Carolina and LSU.



Cal State Fullerton Titans

Fullerton, Calif.

Automatic bid from Big West Conference, won Fullerton Regional, won Super Regional

2004 record ? 19-2, 42-21 (first in Big West)

Coach: George Horton (Cal State Fullerton ?78)

Record at school: 351-151-1, eight years

Overall record: same

Assistant coaches: Dave Serrano, Rick Vanderhook, Chad Baum

Team offense: .333 BA, 494 R, 46 HR, .475 SLG%, .406 OB%, 59/92 SB

Team pitching: 3.86 ERA, 563.2 IP, 542 H, 152 BB, 424 K

Top hitters: Kurt Suzuki (.437/16/86), Clark Hardman (.363/0/31), P.J. Pilittere (.354/4/49), Felipe Garcia (.342/6/43), Sergio Pedroza (.340/7/39/20 2B), Danny Dorn (.329/4/56), Ronnie Prettyman (.329/2/34/12 SB), Justin Turner (.309/0/33).

Top pitchers: Jason Windsor (11-4, 1.84, 141.2, 89 H, 18 BB, 119 K), Ricky Romero (12-4, 3.36, 139.1 IP, 129 H, 38 BB, 111 K), Mike Martinez (8-2, 1 save, 4.06, 84.1 IP, 104 H, 23 BB, 56 K), Vinnie Pestano (3-3, 5.00, 45.0 IP, 52 H, 3 BB, 34 K), Ryan Schreppel (3-3, 2 saves, 6.16, 64.1 IP, 67 H, 36 BB, 47 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 2003 (3-0 at Fullerton Regional, 2-1 at Fullerton Super Regional, 2-2 at College World Series)

Notes: The Titans will make their 13th trip to the College World Series. Once 13-16, CSF has gone 29-5. Jason Windsor and Ricky Romero each earned wins over Tulane in the Super Regional. Windsor lowered his ERA to 1.84. Kurt Suzuki continues to pound the ball, raising his batting average to .437. He was the Big West player of the year and is slugging a ridiculous .753. Fullerton battled back to win twice against Pepperdine in the regional after losing a winners? bracket game to the Waves. Scott Sarver (2-2, 3.16) picked up a huge win, as did Mike Martinez. Danny Dorn homered twice and had five RBI in the regional, and Felipe Garcia and Ronnie Prettyman added six RBI apiece. P.J. Pilittere was the author of a journal for CollegeBaseballInsider.com for part of the year.



Georgia Bulldogs

Athens, Georgia

At-large bid from Southeastern Conference, won Athens Regional, won Atlanta Super Regional

2004 record ? 19-11, 43-21 (first in SEC East)

Coach: David Perno (Georgia, 1991)

Record at school: 104-76, three years

Overall record: Same

Assistant coaches: Butch Thompson, Don Norris, Jason Eller

Team offense: .300 BA, 464 R, 64 HR, .457 SLG%, .378 OB%, 69/104 SB

Team pitching: 4.18 ERA, 570.1 IP, 551 H, 221 BB, 490 K

Top hitters: Justin Holmes (.328/8/54/17 SB), Josh Smith (.320/3/38), Josh Morris (.319/16/68/16 2B), Marshall Szabo (.306/6/36), Bobby Felmy (.295/9/45), Kyle Keen (.291/4/30/15 SB), Clint Sammons (.289/4/41), Joey Side (.288/5/31)

Top pitchers: Will Startup (7-2, 10 saves, 2.34, 73.0 IP, 49 H, 21 BB, 61 K), Bo Lanier (4-1, 2 saves, 2.61, 41.1 IP, 39 H, 17 BB, 38 K), Sean Ruthven (7-1, 2.94, 85.2 IP, 63 H, 32 BB, 86 K), Michael Hyle (7-2, 3.10, 81.1 IP, 81 H, 30 BB, 50 K), Johnny Dobbs (5-2, 3.61, 42.1 IP, 32 H, 12 BB, 37 K), Paul Lubrano (5-4, 4.22, 91.2 IP, 91 H, 34 BB, 60 K)

Last NCAA appearance: 2002 (2-2 at Atlanta Regional)

Notes: David Perno was named College Baseball Insider national coach of the year. Georgia is making its second NCAA appearance in Perno?s three years with the Bulldogs. Georgia won twice at Georgia Tech to capture the Atlanta Super Regional. Reliever Will Startup earned a pair of saves against the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs are making their fourth trip to Omaha and first since 2001. Georgia won the national championship in 1990 and Perno was a member of the squad. The Bulldogs won two of three against Clemson to capture the Athens Regional. In the final game of the tournament, Georgia needed a pair of home runs in the ninth to tie it and a solo shot by Clint Sammons in the 10th for the 7-6 win.

 

[IE]

LSU Tigers

Baton Rouge, La.

At-large bid from Southeastern Conference, won Baton Rouge Regional, won Baton Rouge Super Regional

2004 Record ? 18-12, 46-17 (tied for second in West)

Coach - Smoke Laval (Jacksonville, 1977)

Record at school ? 135-61-1, three years

Overall record ? 376-220-1, 10 years

Assistant coaches ? Henry Thomas, Brady Wiederhold

Team offense - .333 BA, 506 R, 79 HR, .511 SLG%, .401 OB%, 43/55 SB

Team pitching - 3.51 ERA, 564.1 IP, 593 H, 153 BB, 388 SO

Top hitters ? J.C. Holt (.390/6/51/20 SB), Jon Zeringue (.387/12/55), Blake Gill (.344/5/41), Ryan Patterson (.340/14/64/22 2B), Nick Stavinoha (.335/8/42), Matt Liuzza (.330/9/45), Will Harris (.329/7/39), Clay Harris (.295/7/51), Ivan Naccarata (.277/5/33)

Top pitchers ? Jordan Faircloth (3-3, 4 saves, 2.40, 56.1 IP, 51 H, 11 BB, 40 K), Clay Dirks (8-2, 1 save, 3.35, 80.2 IP, 79 H, 17 BB, 66 K), Nate Bumstead (10-3, 3.59, 90.1 IP, 101 H, 19 BB, 52 K), Justin Meier (6-2, 3.75, 100.2 IP, 118 H, 26 BB, 75 K), Lane Mestepey (7-3, 3.43, 94.1 IP, 107 H, 26 BB, 42 K), Jason Determann (6-4, 1 save, 3.93, 71 IP, 68 H, 15 BB, 45 K)

Last NCAA appearance - 2003 (won LSU Regional, 2-1 at Baton Rouge Super Regional, 0-2 at College World Series)

Notes ? The Tigers are heading to the College World Series for the 12th time, all in the past 19 seasons. LSU is looking for its sixth national championship. The Tigers took two from Texas A&M in the Baton Rouge Super Regional. LSU hosted a regional for the 15th straight year. LSU is now 58-10 in regional contests. The Tigers boast a splendid pitching staff with four steady starters. For the most part, they make teams put the ball in play, as none of the four starters are really strikeout pitchers. Lane Mestepay tossed a five-hit shutout in the clincher against Texas A&M with one walk and one strikeout. The offense is full of sticks, led by SEC co-player of the year Jon Zeringue. Ryan Patterson is just as dangerous, with 22 doubles, two triples and 14 homers for a .579 slugging percentage, which leads the team. J.C. Holt leads the team with 103 hits and 20 stolen bases. The Tigers went 26-9 at home this season.



Miami Hurricanes
Miami, Fla.

At-large bid as an independent, won Coral Gables Regional, won Coral Gables Super Regional

2004 record - 49-11

Coach: Jim Morris (Elon, 1976)

Record at school: 515-173-2, 11 years

Overall record: 1,146-455-3, 27 years

Assistant coaches: J.D. Arteaga, Gino DiMare, Greg Lovelady

Team offense: .329 BA, 519 R, 78 HR, .525 SLG, .424 OBA, 132/177 SB

Team pitching: 3.59 ERA, 537.0 IP, 472 H, 252 BB, 468 K

Top hitters: Jim Burt (.373/14/72), Brian Barton (.365/6/45/16 SB), John Jay (.364/5/49/19 SB), Paco Figueroa (.364/3/17/18 SB), Ryan Braun (.347/9/43/20 SB), Adam Ricks (.336/10/48), Erick San Pedro (.330/12/52), Gaby Sanchez (.314/7/44), Joey Hooft (.271/1/21/18 SB)

Top pitchers: Cesar Carrillo (11-0, 2.73, 105.2 IP, 86 H, 39 BB, 85 K), J.D. Cockroft (9-4, 3.41, 100.1 IP, 97 H, 36 BB, 63 K), Brandon Camardese (6-2, 3.86, 88.2 IP, 76 H, 39 BB, 63 K), Danny Gil (8-0, 5 saves, 3.11, 37.2 IP, 23 H, 26 BB, 49 K), Dan Touchet (5-1, 3.69, 46.1 IP, 39 H, 16 BB, 29 K), Vince Bongiovanni (3-2, 5.40, 38.1 IP, 38 H, 27 BB, 36 K)

Last time in tournament: 2003 (3-1 Coral Gables Regional, 2-0 Coral Gables Super Regional, 1-2 College World Series)

Notes: Miami is making its 21st trip to the College World Series. The Hurricanes are looking for their fifth national title in baseball. The Hurricanes rolled through the Coral Gables Regional, topping Florida Atlantic 19-6 in the final. Miami?s bats were the story as the offense put 19 runs on the board in back-to-back games. Jim Burt was a beast, going 10 for 14 with nine runs and 11 RBI in the three games, including back-to-back four-hit games. Gaby Sanchez had a six-RBI game against N.C. State, and Richard Giannotti drove in seven against FAU. Opponents hit only .238 off Hurricanes pitchers this season. Miami took two from Florida to win the Super Regional, running its win streak to 12 games. Cesar Carrillo tossed a four-hitter in the clincher, the Hurricanes? first complete game of the season.



South Carolina Gamecocks

Columbia, S.C.

Automatic bid from Southeastern Conference, won Columbia Regional, won Columbia Super Regional

2004 Record ? 17-13, 50-15 (tied for second in SEC East)

Coach - Ray Tanner (North Carolina State, 1980)

Record at school ? 369-150, nine years

Overall record ? 764-323-3, 17 years

Assistant coaches - Jim Toman, Jerry Meyers, Monte Lee

Team offense - .296 BA, 457 R, 102 HR, .502 SLG%, .371 OB%, 57/78 SB

Team pitching - 3.31 ERA, 582.0 IP, 521 H, 133 BB, 621 SO

Top hitters ? Landon Powell (.332/19/65), Steve Pearce (.327/20/65), Davy Gregg (.322/0/24/14 SB), Steven Tolleson (.320/3/23), Michael Campbell (.315/14/50), Brendan Winn (.310/18/64/18 2B), Kevin Melillo (.304/9/35), Bryan Triplett (.274/7/35)

Top pitchers ? Cliff Donald (2-0, 1 save, 1.85, 39 IP, 40 H, 7 BB, 36 K), Chad Blackwell (4-3, 19 saves, 2.79, 58.0 IP, 47 H, 13 BB, 74 K), Matt Campbell (10-4, 2.88, 112.1 IP, 88 H, 28 BB, 135 K), Billy Buckner (6-2, 3.16, 77 IP, 68 H, 22 BB, 95 K), Zac McCamie (7-0, 3.25, 55.1 IP, 48 H, 10 BB, 49 K), Arik Hempy (3-1, 1 save, 3.33, 51.1 IP, 38 H, 14 BB, 49 K), Aaron Rawl (12-4, 4.29, 115.1 IP, 124 H, 16 BB, 93 K)

Last NCAA appearance - 2003 (won Columbia Regional, won Columbia Super Regional, 1-2 at College World Series)

Notes ? The Gamecocks are going to the College World Series for the third straight year and the eighth time overall. South Carolina is looking for its first national championship. The Gamecocks have been runners-up three times, including falling to Texas in 2002 in the title game. USC made its fifth straight Super Regional appearance. The Gamecocks took two from the East Carolina Pirates. Trio of Billy Buckner, Matt Campbell and Aaron Rawl is tough to beat. Steve Pearce had a huge Regional, blasting three homers and driving in nine while upping his batting average 12 points. Kevin Melillo went from .285 to .311. On the flip side, catcher Landon Powell didn?t homer or drive in a run in USC?s three wins. South Carolina won its first SEC tourney title with its 3-2 win over Vanderbilt.



Texas Longhorns

Austin, Texas

At-large bid from Big 12 Conference, won Austin Regional, won Austin Super Regional

2004 Record: 19-7, 55-13 (first in Big 12)

Coach: Augie Garrido (Fresno State, 1961)

Record at school: 332-175-1, eight years

Overall record: 1,485-699-8, 36 years

Assistant coaches: Tommy Harmon, Tom Holliday, Dennis Cook

Team offense: .288 BA, 423 R, 50 HR, .430 SLG%, .379 OB%, 112/155 SB

Team pitching: 2.68 ERA, 619.0 IP, 497 H, 211 BB, 573 SO

Top hitters: Curtis Thigpen (.369/7/48/26 2B), Carson Kainer (.351/3/21), Drew Stubbs (.311/8/44/27 SB), Seth Johnston (.290/6/45/15 SB), Robby Hudson (.287/3/24), Taylor Teagarden (.286/9/49), J.D. Reininger (.269/4/33), Hunter Harris (.269/0/18).

Top pitchers: Huston Street (5-1, 12 saves, 1.46, 49.1 IP, 29 H, 12 BB, 48 K), J. Brent Cox (5-1, 5 saves, 1.65, 54.2 IP, 35 H, 16 BB, 58 K), Buck Cody (1-1, 2 saves, 1.71, 42.0 IP, 30 H, 15 BB, 43 K), J.P. Howell (14-2, 2.26, 123.2 IP, 82 H, 45 BB, 153 K), Sam LeCure (9-3, 2.40, 112.2 IP, 89 H, 32 BB, 108 K).

Last time in tournament: 2003 (3-1 at Austin Regional, 2-0 at Tallahassee Super Regional, 2-2 at College World Series).

Notes: Texas, the national champion from 2002, is making its 46th trip to the NCAA tourney and its 30th appearance in Omaha. The Longhorns went 3-0 in the Austin Regional, including two wins over Oral Roberts. Texas took two from Vanderbilt in the Austin Super Regional. This team has a different makeup from last year - pitching rules the day. The team ERA went from 3.45 at this point a year ago to 2.68 this year, and the Longhorns? staff has allowed more than 100 fewer hits and struck out nearly 100 more batters in the same number of innings. J.P. Howell is 22-4 the past two years with an ERA a shade above 2.00, and Sam LeCure has been a splendid No. 2. Justin Simmons is 9-3 with 16 starts, and Kyle McCulloch is 7-0 with eight starts. The bullpen, led by Huston Street and J. Brent Cox, is lights out. Offensively, the team is hitting .288, down from .306 a year ago. But it?s still an offense that can do some damage. Curtis Thigpen is the leader. Texas fields a splendid .975 as a team.

 

[Cie]

Nice info IE.

Of the SEC teams I like SC and LSU as possible plays to win it all. I do not think the Longhorns have the bats to win this thing although it appears they have outstanding defense to go along with the top staff in the CWS.

GL:weed:

 

[IE]

Baseball America CWS Preview

Baseball America CWS Preview

2004 College World Series Preview
Team Capsules
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Texas Longhorns 55-13

Coach: Augie Garrido (seventh season at Texas; 11 trips to Omaha, including seven with Cal State Fullerton; four CWS titles, one with Texas in 2002)

How Texas Got Here: Swept through the Austin regional in three games, beating Oral Roberts in the final; swept Vanderbilt by a combined score of 25-5 at Disch-Falk Field in the most lopsided super-regional ever.

CWS History: Texas makes its 31st appearance at the CWS, an NCAA record. The Longhorns make the trip for the fourth time in five years and last won it in 2002. Texas has won 70 games and five titles in Omaha (1949, '50, '75 and '83). Only Southern California has more, and Texas needs four wins to tie USC's mark of 74. Throw in Garrido, who has won four titles--each in a different decade--at two schools to go along with an appearance as a Fresno State player in 1959.

Players To Watch: Jr. LHP J.P. Howell (14-2, 2.26 with 153 strikeouts and 45 walks in 124 innings); Jr. RHP Huston Street (5-1, 1.46 with 12 saves); So. RHP Sam LeCure (9-3, 2.40 with 108 strikeouts and 32 walks in 113 innings); Jr. C/1B Curtis Thigpen (.369-7-48 with 26 doubles); Fr. CF Drew Stubbs (.311-8-44 with 27 steals), So. C Taylor Teagarden (.286-9-49).

Lowdown on the Longhorns: "What's so important about Texas to me is they play the game without looking at the scoreboard. They play a nine-inning game and count on you to make mistakes and lose it. Texas just plays the game itself so well. They do not beat themselves. They're real tough to beat on that turf. If you're going to beat them, it will have to be how N.C. State did it--get amazing pitching.

"Texas has unreal pitching depth. The only thing I've seen close to it was the USA national team. They have as good depth on a college staff as I've ever seen. They have guys in their bullpen that throw 90-92 (mph) without other out pitches. Against Howell, we wanted to sit on his curveball, but I saw it and told our guys they just weren't going to have a chance. I just told them to look for a fastball up and try to slap it. Sam LeCure is good too; he has a good feel and command and works fast.

"They have just enough depth in their lineup in position players they can match up with you with a lefthanded hitter late. They don't have a lot of power. It's mostly Thigpen and Teagarden. (Second baseman) Seth Johnston has some pop at second base. Stubbs is a super talent, and if he makes contact, look out. He's young, so pitch selection isn't a strong suit. They aren't afraid to give up an out to move a runner, and they'll hit and run and bunt. They take advantage of every opportunity and get big hits. That's what you have to do against them if you want to win."

Omaha Outlook: Texas entered super-regionals as a pitching-and-defense team. The second-best ERA in the country and a top-10 fielding percentage have earned that description. The Longhorns left their matchup with Vanderbilt with both of those rankings firmly intact, but also exploded offensively. A team that averaged six runs per game during the regular season (and 5.5 in Big 12 conference games) put 25 on the board against a team that posted the nation's fourth-best ERA despite playing in the offense-heavy Southeastern Conference. Freshmen Stubbs and Carson Kainer have hit better as the season has progressed, and the entire offense should pick up outside of spacious Disch-Falk Field, especially the power of Thigpen and Teagarden. And this doesn't even mention the nation's deepest pitching staff, college's best closer in Street or one of its top coaches in Garrido. Anything less than a title series berth will be a disappointment, and the Longhorns might have a slight edge in the final against whichever team emerges from what could be a war of attrition between the four offensive juggernauts across the bracket.


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[IE]

Arkansas Razorbacks 45-22

Coach: Dave Van Horn (second season at Arkansas; three trips to Omaha, two with Nebraska).

How Arkansas Got Here: Won the Fayetteville, Ark., regional in five games, beating Wichita State twice on the final day; drew record crowds to Baum Stadium in beating Florida State in two games to win the super-regional.

CWS History: This marks the fifth trip to the CWS for Arkansas, but its first since 1989. Coach Dave Van Horn is a bit more familiar with the routine, having led Nebraska to Omaha in 2001 and 2002 before leaving to take the top job at his alma mater. Arkansas' best finish came as the runner-up to Cal State Fullerton in its first visit back in 1979.

Players To Watch: So. RHP Charley Boyce (10-2, 3.10 with 79 strikeouts and 20 walks in 110 innings); Jr. LHP Clint Brannon (4-3, 3.53 with 71 strikeouts and 30 walks in 102 innings); Sr. LHP Jay Sawatski (10-3, 3.32 with seven saves, 83 strikeouts and 22 walks in 89 innings); Jr. SS Scott Hode (.293-7-53); Fr. OF Jake Dugger (.299-8-44); Sr. 1B Haas Pratt (.317-8-52).

Lowdown on the Razorbacks: "They're a blue-collar team, not a bunch of high-profile guys. They're scrappy, well coached and can really execute. They grind it out with solid pitching, solid defense and good hitting, but none of it's great. The catcher (Brady Toops) throws very well and the center fielder (Casey Rowlett) covers a ton of ground.

"Be ready to swing it against their pitchers; they're going to throw it in the zone. They just change speeds and I don't think there's one guy who throws in the 90s, but they've got depth and can match up. Sawatski is a good, solid guy who can throw three pitches for strikes. But Brannon is the guy I really like. He can just pitch. He knows how to pitch. He throws 88 with a sinking fastball and good breaking pitch. He can move it all around and then catch you looking at it.

"They're aggressive offensively and do a little bit of everything. They don't steal a lot and don't hit a lot of home runs, but they don't swing at bad pitches or strike out in key situations. They get a big play or a key hit right when they need it. They play like there's nothing to lose. The amazing thing about them is you don't ever know who's going to beat you. All those guys are hitting .300. They can do it with a senior in Pratt or a freshman with the left fielder (Dugger). They came back a lot this year and did it against Wichita State twice (in regionals)."

Omaha Outlook: Arkansas was picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in a preseason SEC coaches poll. The roster lacks any premium draft prospects. It didn't finish in the top half of the conference in any major category--except for wins. Take it as a slap in the face, or evidence of the sum being much greater than the whole--a true underdog story. Either way, the Razorbacks just keep winning. It was apparent something was special when Arkansas went into Alex Box Stadium and swept Louisiana State at home for the first time ever. The feel-good story continued in super-regionals, where a record crowd of 10,027 saw the Razorbacks punch their ticket to Omaha. While their talent says 0-2 finish, we've seen that talent level doesn't mean a lot to Van Horn.


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Arizona Wildcats 35-25-1

Coach: Andy Lopez (third season at Arizona; four trips to Omaha, two with Florida, one with Pepperdine, where he won the 1992 CWS title).

How Arizona Got Here: Won the South Bend, Ind., regional, beating host Notre Dame; went on the road to knock off Long Beach State in three games in a super-regional, with its victories coming in a four-run ninth-inning rally and an 11-inning affair.

CWS History: Arizona ranks eighth all-time with 15 appearances, though this marks the first trip to Omaha since 1986 for the Wildcats. Arizona won three titles under Jerry Kindall in 1976, 1980 and 1986. Lopez isn't quite as decorated, but he does have one title and becomes the third coach to lead three schools to the CWS in earning his first berth since 1998.

Players To Watch: So. OF Trevor Crowe (.341-5-33 with 24 steals); Fr. SS Jason Donald (.324-8-43); So. 1B Jordan Brown (.313-11-53); Jr. RHP Koley Kolberg (9-6, 4.56 with 117 strikeouts and 61 walks in 140 innings); Sr. 2B Moises Duran (.318-6-47); So. RHP John Meloan (9-0, 4.96 with 64 strikeouts and 37 walks in 78 innings).

Lowdown on the Wildcats: "There are some great athletes; they have that freshman shortstop and he's going to be pretty good. Crowe can hit and he can run. Offensively they are very difficult to pitch to because they don't strike out a lot and run deep counts.

"You have to play good defense because you won't get nine, 10, 11 strikeouts. If you get the first guy out it strips their game plan in terms of bunting and hit-and-run. They can put one or two (runs) on the board any time because they are so feisty and have good at-bats, but don't have the thunder to get a bunch at once.

"They have good flexibility left and right and they can run, but there's no big power. The addition of Brown into the lineup in the middle of the year has added a middle-of-the-order threat. He hit 11 home runs in like half a season. One through nine, they can hit.

"Kolberg without question has the stuff to be a No. 1 guy. The whole staff turns on him. He will stay in the game a long time because there's not a lot of confidence in the bullpen. If you get in that bullpen, you can really get to them. Be patient with Kolberg. He's thrown a lot of pitches this year, and came back to close that one in the ninth (in the regional), so he could be tiring."

Omaha Outlook: Arizona enters the College World Series with the fewest wins since California was 35-26 in 1992. The Golden Bears went 0-2 that year. A similar result might have been expected of the Wildcats against Long Beach State, especially considering the Dirtbags had swept Arizona earlier in the year and had Jered Weaver on the mound. But a scrappy, resilient Wildcats team got just enough pitching to stay within striking distance for two late-inning comebacks. Arizona is the third No. 3 seed to reach the CWS since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1999, joining San Jose State (2000) and Southwest Missouri State (2003). But no Arizona pitcher has an ERA less than 4.00 entering Omaha, and the Wildcats have just one significant long ball threat. Every other team here has an offense at least superior to Long Beach State's. Arizona gave the Pac-10 a CWS team for the eighth straight year but probably won't make much more noise.


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Georgia Bulldogs 43-21

Coach: Dave Perno (third season at Georgia, first trip to Omaha).

How Georgia Got Here: Won the Athens, Ga., regional in four games, beating Clemson in the final; won two straight from cross-state rival Georgia Tech in the Atlanta super-regional.

CWS History: The Bulldogs make their fourth CWS appearance (1987, 1990, 2001). Perno was an assistant to Ron Polk on the '01 team and also was a player on Georgia's 1990 national championship team, though he never appeared in game action.

Players To Watch: Fr. 1B Josh Morris (.319-16-68); Jr. RHP Sean Ruthven (7-1, 2.94 with 86 strikeouts and 32 walks in 86 innings); So. RHP Michael Hyle (7-2, 3.10 with 50 strikeouts and 30 walks in 81 innings); So. LHP Will Startup (7-2, 2.34 with 10 saves, 61 strikeouts and 21 walks in 73 innings); So. RHP Bo Lanier (4-1, 2.61 with two saves, 38 strikeouts and 17 walks in 41 innings); Sr. SS Justin Holmes (.328-8-54).

Lowdown on the Bulldogs: "This was a real surprise for me. I saw them in the fall and early spring and thought they were going to be in trouble. Their biggest star is Morris. I think a lot of teams have just been pitching around him as the season went on. He's got great bat speed; don't test it. I couldn't tell you another name off the top of my head, but they're kind of like Arkansas because no one sticks out but anyone can get big hits. The lineup is OK. (Third baseman) Josh Smith is a singles guy and (second baseman Marshall) Szabo is a scrapper that will surprise you with pop every now and then. They play good team ball and can manufacture a run when they need it.

"(Lefthander Paul) Lubrano, Ruthven and Hyle all stepped up and had a great year. They don't have the best stuff, but they really overachieved on the mound. Ruthven has been great on Friday night. He gets that big breaking ball in there for strikes and it throws you out of whack for the rest of the weekend. He's not lighting up radar guns (at 85 mph), but he's a real pitcher.

"Their bullpen is phenomenal. Startup is 92 and Lanier is 90-95 and can just blow you away with that fastball. They can go lefty or righty, and they have a lot of confidence in their club if they get to one of them in the sixth or seventh inning. If they have a chance to win (at that point), they just put it in the hands of those guys."

Omaha Outlook: Georgia's players don the same blue collars worn by Arkansas, the team it tied for the best regular-season SEC record. The Bulldogs went 13-2 over the second half of the SEC season, proving they can consistently beat anyone in the country--or half of a CWS field that tied the 1998 record with four SEC entries. Perno's decision to start fourth outfielder Jonathan Wyatt in the second game against Georgia Tech looked like a brilliant coaching move as the freshman hit his first college homer to break a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning. Add the mystique of that kind of clutch hitting to a shut-'em-down bullpen, and there's hope for the Bulldogs to continue a postseason run few expected at the outset of the season.

 

[IE]

South Carolina 50-15

Coach: Ray Tanner (eighth season at South Carolina; three trips to Omaha).

How South Carolina Got Here: Swept through the Columbia, S.C., regional, beating North Carolina in the final; stayed home to win two straight games against East Carolina in the super-regional.

CWS History: Tanner is starting to build South Carolina into a team with plenty in this category. This marks the third straight trip for the Gamecocks, tying Texas for the longest active streak. South Carolina has eight trips to Omaha and three second-place finishes to its credit, most recently in 2002, but no titles.

Players To Watch: Sr. C Landon Powell (.332-19-65); Jr. LHP Matt Campbell (10-4, 2.88 with 135 strikeouts and 28 walks in 112 innings); Jr. 1B Steve Pearce (.327-20-65); Jr. OF Brendan Winn (.310-18-64); Jr. RHP Chad Blackwell (4-3, 2.79 with 19 saves, 74 strikeouts and 13 walks in 58 innings); Jr. RHP Aaron Rawl (12-4, 4.29 with 93 strikeouts and 16 walks in 115 innings).

Lowdown on the Gamecocks: "They always have that superstar senior. It was the third baseman Brian Buscher last year, and that big first baseman Yaron Peters the year before. Now it's Landon Powell. I like him. He's a big league catcher. He's very good offensively, he's a brick wall behind the plate and he handles a good pitching staff and makes them great. He and that whole lineup are so physical. Pearce can be pitched to, though. (Davy) Gregg can fly in center field and covers ground, but they figured him out during the second half of the SEC season and he didn't get many more hits.

"They're very solid on the mound with a first-rounder (Campbell), a second-rounder (righthander Billy Buckner), and that bullpen is nasty. Campbell and (righthander Aaron) Rawl have so much experience and just throw strikes. Buckner missed time with mono. If he's healthy he can make a big difference, but he wasn't himself after he came back. (Freshman lefty Arik) Hempy is a good one, he's going to be a real premium guy in a couple years. The staff is deep, but they really just use six or seven guys--but those guys are usually enough.

"That guy's just a great coach. He gets his guys to play so well when it counts. Just like last year they had an awesome first half, then stumbled a little and then really turned it on down the stretch and in the tournament. I think everybody expects them to win it now; South Carolina is my favorite."

Omaha Outlook: The numbers tell a story of balance: South Carolina leads the nation with 102 home runs and ranks eighth with a 3.31 ERA. Powell leads a powerful lineup that includes four players who topped 14 home runs and 50 RBIs and matches up well against a slugging right side of the CWS bracket (Cal State Fullerton, Louisiana State and Miami). If that race is a four-way tie, South Carolina's pitching staff stands alone with four quality starters and the national saves leader. Still, the most important number for the Gamecocks might be nine. That's how many games the team has played in Omaha the last two years, more than any other team in this field. Add that experience to great depth, and South Carolina should be able to win the season's final game.


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Cal State Fullerton 42-21

Coach: George Horton (eighth season at Cal State Fullerton; four trips to Omaha).

How Fullerton Got Here: Won the Fullerton regional in five games, beating Pepperdine twice on the final day; went from beating the Waves to eliminating the Green Wave of Tulane in two consecutive super-regional games.

CWS History: The Titans make their second straight trip to Omaha to bring their aggregate total to 13. Fullerton won titles in 1979, '84 and '95. Horton played for the '79 team and made three trips to Omaha with the Titans as an assistant to Augie Garrido (1992, '94, '95) before leading the club there four times in his last six years as the head man.

Players To Watch: Jr. C/1B Kurt Suzuki (.437-16-86); Sr. RHP Jason Windsor (11-4, 1.84 with 119 strikeouts and 18 walks in 142 innings); So. LHP Ricky Romero (12-4, 3.36 with 111 strikeouts and 38 walks in 139 innings); Fr. OF Clark Hardman (.363-0-31); Sr. 1B/C P.J. Pilittere (.354-4-49); Jr. DH Felipe Garcia (.342-6-43).

Lowdown on the Titans: "Clearly they're one of the hottest teams and have been since the middle of the year. Windsor has been as good as any pitcher in college baseball the second half of the year. Pitching-wise they don't make mistakes. But if you can get through their starters--it's really just the Windsor and Romero show--so if you outlast them and get into the staff in a three-game series, you have a chance.

"Suzuki and Pilittere are the leaders, and both have Omaha experience. You can't let Suzuki beat you--that's become real obvious. They are very confident at the plate, very offensive, and they feed off each other. They can drag and push (bunts), hit-and-run, take the extra base. You must get the first guy out so they don't get big in an inning, but they can also bunt and run. You'll need to pitch them backward, cross-count them a little, so you need a guy who can throw three pitches for strikes. You'll need a stud on the mound who can take the game to them and not let them get confident.

"Suzuki can defend the running game. They're OK up the middle with (second baseman Justin) Turner and the (Neil) Walton/(Blake) Davis platoon at short is good. Hardman is a very good freshman outfielder in center, and (Ronnie) Prettyman is good at getting to bunts at third.

"They play sound baseball from start to finish. If there's an open sore--you can't control the running game, miss cutoffs, whatever--they will exploit it. And if you're giving them a problem, don't expect it to last nine innings. That (coaching) staff is as good as any at making in-game adjustments and will fix it and take it away from you."

Omaha Outlook: With Long Beach State's Jered Weaver out of the tournament, Fullerton's Suzuki enters the CWS as the top player. He posted a .527 on-base percentage and .753 slugging mark to key every Titans rally. The biggest comeback might have come when Fullerton, 15-16 in early April, finished 27-5. Credit Horton, the 2003 Coach of the Year, with another great job. He's shown the ability to adjust, leaning more on his starters this season. The Titans pitched 15 complete games and earned just four saves after closer Chad Cordero took his 34 career saves to the Expos after last season's CWS run. But the bullpen is a bit thin, and the staff lacks a consistent number three starter behind Windsor and Romero, meaning Fullerton will be a difficult opponent in Omaha, but likely not one that reaches the final.


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[IE]

Louisiana State Tigers 46-17

Coach: Smoke Laval (third season at Louisiana State; two trips to Omaha).

How LSU Got Here: Swept through the Baton Rouge, La., regional, beating College of Charleston in the final; defeated Texas A&M at Alex Box Stadium in one slugfest and one pitchers' duel to win the super-regional.

CWS History: Laval's second consecutive trip raises LSU's tally to 13 in 19 seasons, a time span in which the Tigers have captured five crowns (1991, '93, '96, '97 and 2000) to tie for second on the all-time list.

Players To Watch: Jr. OF J.C. Holt (.390-6-51 with 20 steals and 18 doubles); Jr. OF Jon Zeringue (.387-12-55 with 19 doubles); Jr. OF Ryan Patterson (.340-14-64 with 22 doubles); Jr. LHP Lane Mestepey (7-3, 3.43 with 41 strikeouts and 26 walks in 94 innings); Sr. RHP Nate Bumstead (10-3, 3.59 with 52 strikeouts and 19 walks in 90 innings); Jr. SS Blake Gill (.344-5-41).

Lowdown on the Tigers:

"Their defense is good, not great. Compared to last year with Aaron Hill and even Ryan Theriot before him, the shortstop isn't as good, but there's going to be more pressure on (the opposing) shortstop than LSU's because of they way they hit. Next to South Carolina, LSU has the deepest lineup in the SEC and puts constant pressure on you.

"One through nine, everybody can beat you, but I just don't think they're as scary as LSU of the mid-90s. They are definitely not as powerful as those teams. They have some guys with 13, 14 homers, but should have more in that park. They are very aggressive swingers, especially early. If you mix it up early, you can get ahead. I think you can jam a lot of their guys, and they'll chase breaking balls in the dirt and changeups away if you get ahead of them. You can get in on Zeringue, he's got some holes in his swing. Good lefties can get Holt, too.

"LSU's pitching staff is real average. Bumstead is just away, away, away--all sliders and changeups. Get on top of the plate and take the outer half away from him and you've got a chance. (Lefthander Lane) Mestepey, he just competes. He's so emotional on the mound, and when he doesn't pitch he's always the first one running out of the dugout. If he pitches and wins the first night, they've got a great chance. They're real reluctant to go to the bullpen. Basically, there are one or two guys they're comfortable with. If you can get to their starters early, you'll be in business. But you're going to have to hit because they will score their runs."

Omaha Outlook: The fans in Baton Rouge feel Omaha is an entitlement, and openly questioned Laval's coaching abilities as the team lost seven SEC series openers. LSU rallied to win six of those series before sweeping through the first two rounds of the tournament to put that talk to rest. Back in Omaha, the Tigers resemble most of their recent CWS teams with a deep, powerful lineup. However, the other three teams on LSU's side of the bracket have the ability to score just as frequently, so an inconsistent pitching staff must deliver a strong performance. Mestepey, who struggled to regain his 2001-02 form after missing 2003 with shoulder surgery, has done so in allowing four earned runs in 24 1/3 postseason innings, including a complete-game shutout against Texas A&M. The Tigers will need at least two more starters to follow that lead if they are to advance out of their bracket.


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Miami Hurricanes 49-11

Coach: Jim Morris (11th season at Miami; nine trips to Omaha; two CWS titles).

How Miami Got Here: Swept through the Coral Gables, Fla., regional in three games, beating Florida Atlantic in the final; topped Florida in two home games to win the super-regional.

CWS History: Miami ties Southern California for second all time with its 21st CWS appearance, nine of which have come in the last 11 years under Morris. The Hurricanes won titles in 1982, '85, '99 and 2001.

Players To Watch: Sr. 1B Jim Burt (.373-14-72 with 25 doubles); So. SS/DH Ryan Braun (.347-9-43 with 20 steals); So. RHP Cesar Carrillo (11-0, 2.73 with 85 strikeouts and 39 walks in 106 innings); Sr. LHP J.D. Cockroft (9-4, 3.41 with 63 strikeouts and 36 walks in 100 innings); Jr. OF Brian Barton (.365-6-45 with 16 steals); Fr. OF Jon Jay (.364-5-49 with 19 steals).

Lowdown on the Hurricanes: "They crushed Long Beach, roughed up (Jered) Weaver. They're seeing the ball well and busting good pitches for extra bases. They hit everything we threw. Burt right now is just a great hitter. He was hitting balls down and away, everywhere. We couldn't get him out. With Braun, pitch him up; he's a low-ball hitter. Down and away, he crushes that, so you've got to try to tie him up and stay up in the zone. (Third baseman Gaby) Sanchez has kind of a long swing, so tie him up inside, too. These are all great hitters in hitters' counts.

"They play really good defense. Jim Burt looks like he might not be that great at first, but he's pretty good. Sanchez is the weak link in the infield. He tends to play real deep and you can attack with the bunt.

"Carrillo is their best guy in his first year on that staff (he sat out his freshman year as a partial qualifier). He's the only one with great stuff. He gave up four in the first against N.C. State (in the regional), but they got it back and he settled down and hasn't given up anything since then. That's a positive for them. Cockroft is Cockroft. If you start a bunch of lefthanders against him, he will struggle. He has no pitch for them. He just throws that 58 mile an hour changeup that gets sucked into the dirt. He has a good move to first but you can run on his leg kick--just go before he gets it all the way up. The problem is that (catcher Erick) San Pedro is good enough behind the plate to make up for that a little bit. The bullpen has some younger guys like (freshman righthander Danny) Gil, but he's been good lately and all those guys have the confidence to close out games.

"They have great confidence playing at home. You know how Yankee Stadium is in October? That's Mark Light during regionals and super-regionals. They play so many games there during the regular season (45) and win, so they just kind of expect it and are confident in the tournament. It's a different team in Omaha."

Omaha Outlook: Health issues have hampered Miami all year, but the Hurricanes have continued to win nonetheless. Miami lost just one weekend series and enters the CWS with the nation's longest winning streak at 12 games. Still the team doesn?t have the star quality of a typical Miami team, which suits Morris just fine. The offense is packed with slashers who stole 137 bases and can manufacture runs, while the bullpen offers plenty of matchup options after three workhorse starters. Burt is a working man's player who has transformed himself into a difficult out and the team leader over four seasons. His offense helped fill the void created by the rib injury that stole 18 games from Braun and has forced him to DH-only duties. If you must name a star, it's Carrillo. The Hurricanes are 18-0 in games he pitches. After him, there's plenty of depth, but not the same power stuff that helps navigate power-packed postseason lineups.

 

[zagnut]

south carolina is the best value at +600 they will win the series.
betting them big on saturday -130

 

[Cie]

My consensus site has Miami as an over 90% public play over LSU. If the Canes are definitely the superior team why are they merely -126 favs?? I smell a rat and will now press play on LSU over Miami. Will also play SC -130 over Fullerton for a couple of units.


GL:weed::weed:

 

[TJBELL]

south carolina is the best value at +600 they will win the series.
betting them big on saturday -130

Thanks for all the info I.E. and thanks for the comments guys!!!

Started with South Carolina to win series +596.

Will read the rest in a minute.

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[BleedDodgerBlue]

LSU and SC and Texas definitely have a shot. Texas should be the favorite, but my bets going on Miami. Pound for pound as some would say, or IMO best all around team. Rock solid at almost every position, but no real super superstar. +375 is good enough odds for me to stab for 2 units. Can hedge a little if they make it to title game. Don't waste your money with Arkansas, Georgia, or Arizona. They don't have that 1 dominant arm that can for sure carry them in any game.

Really like Arizona today over Georgia today. These teams got a break in that one of the two lowest seeds will stay in the winners bracket after a game. Georgias southpaw today isn't special.

** 2 units Miami +375 win it all.

GL

 

[CLIPPER]

Hey guys, I played at Texas so there is a little bias. However I did pick Rice to beat them last year.

This year the only team that I thought had a chance was Rice. College baseball is not similar to MLB because you dont play many games. It is what team gets on a roll. Saying all this, I dont think any team that it on a roll can compete with Texas. They have 12 arms deep. Remember that the change this year is the final two teams play a best two out of three, you will be deep in your staff at that point. Texas is hitting the ball very well but they dont need to in order to win. They have the second best era in the nation and there defense is unbelievable. Texas should be at +1.50 instead of +2.85 I put 150 on it.

In the regional they didnt even get to one of there starters that would be a number two or one on most teams in the country.

Texas has also been there done that. They won two years ago and went to Omaha last year as well.

GL to you all

 

[SPIDER]

hey clipper what year did you play for texas?

spider

 

[CLIPPER]

Sorry I went to play golf after the post(which did not go well) I graduated high school in 95' went to ACU for year and a half, then junior college and then texas, walked on......made it.........utility guy but living the dream. Broke my big toe and wrist sliding in at home during the first intersquad game. That was it. Auggie was there for a year already when I got there. Never even got and official at bat but I still say I played since I made the team. I was a defensive third baseman if you can see that? Could not hit much for power but played a mean third base.

They pitch and play defense and only need a run or two to get a win on a lot of days. They should win this thing. South Carolina is a good squad though.