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Kendall Rogers
10:23
BOB -- if there is anyone who can make hay with this year's pitching staff, it's Max Weiner. But Texas does have a dilemma on its hands. When I saw the Horns a couple of weeks ago, it felt like the bullpen was just OK and was just waiting on Ruger Riojas to enter the game. It's going to be interesting to see how Texas manages his workload as the season progresses. On another note, Dre Duplantier has actually pitched well and I am sky high on Dylan Volantis. I actually think Volantis ends up being in the weekend rotation before the dust settles. If the pitching staff pans out ... watch out.
Bob in ATX
10:23
Biggest concern for me coming into the season for Texas was quality arms in the bullpen. Has what you’ve seen from Texas in the first two weeks given you reason to believe that bullpen can compete in the SEC at the highest level?
Aaron Fitt
10:22
Pretty good! Nice bounceback from that Friday night loss to Alabama, got the bats going the next two days. Coastal is putting together a nice little body of work in these early weeks -- those two wins against K-State are looking mighty nice now, after what the Wildcats did at Globe Life. Good to see Blake Barthol get his bat going on Saturday, and as he continues to heat up, it will make Coastal that much more dangerous. Definitely feels like a team that could find itself in the Top 25 sooner rather than later.
Bob
10:22
What are your thoughts on the weekend the Chanticleers had in Jacksonville?
Aaron Fitt
10:19
I think the weather was definitely a significant factor, and I don't have any concerns about A&M's offense over the long term -- they are just loaded, and they'll get those bats going soon. I don't expect Texas to be as potent offensively, but they can really pitch, so they should remain right in the mix in the SEC, I think.
FittsMagic
10:19
Was the nail-biting weekends in College Station & Austin a product of the cold weather or do the Aggies/Longhorns have some things to figure out?
Kendall Rogers
10:19
Mason -- I think the Golden Eagles are just fine no matter what happens over that stretch, but I think you'd have to feel pretty good as long as you can win 2-3 games over that span given the competition. Really excited about USM's potential with Middleton, Sivley, Allen and Adams pitching so well. Middleton was kind of the wild card X-factor guy coming into the season, and he's been USM's best arm thus far. If that keeps occurring, this team will end up hosting, IMO.
MasonK
10:19
Happy to see USM climb in to the top 25 - Our next 5 games are on the road against other top 25 teams, what do you think the boys need to do over that stretch (Ole Miss, TCU, Ms State) to feel good moving forward in the season?
Aaron Fitt
10:18
The quality of competition hasn't been great so far, although Jacksonville does have talent and that was a nice road sweep, but it's still not a Top 25 resumé for a team that started outside the rankings. But 6-0 is indeed a great start, and I love how WVU has pitched so far. I was impressed over 18 innings in the fall with the sheer number of quality arms on that staff, and I think they'll be a regional team when it's all said and done.
cool 1
Timothy (WV)
10:18
WVU Baseball is off to first 6-0 start since 1966, went to Super Regionals last season, and not in your Top 25, so what will it take for them to break into the rankings, and how do you feel about their prospects for the season?
Aaron Fitt
10:16
I haven't heard a recent update on Martinez but it didn't sound like an injury that was going to keep him out for TOO long, so I'd expect him back pretty soon. And yes, very nice start for Irvine -- I know Texas Tech isn't what it was a few years ago, but any time you go to Lubbock and take two of three, that's impressive. Irvine isn't too far outside the Top 25, but that midweek loss kept them behind a few others this week, since they're just 4-3 overall. But two good winning weekends, I like the body of work they're building, and I think they're a good postseason-caliber club.
Benny
10:16
UC Irvine has played admirably without star slugger, Anthony Martinez. How much longer will he be out for and how close are the Eaters to breaking back into the Top 25?
Kendall Rogers
10:14
FM -- Boy, it was truly a stark contrast the last two games vs. the first game for the Beavers. I still feel really good about this OSU team, though. Keljo is obviously very good, and though Dax Whitney ran out of gas a little bit in terms of his overall approach against OU, I still loved the arm. It was up to 98 with insane IVB. I like the balance of this OSU lineup as well. Aiva Arquette was as advertised atop the lineup. He makes incredibly hard contact. AJ Singer was my other positive takeaway. I am not sure I was expecting that kind of production from him over the weekend. Weird to say, but I feel great about these guys despite a 1-2 weekend.
FittsMagic
10:14
Beavers easily looked like the best team in the country on Friday, but faltered the rest of the weekend. Were there any concerning takeaways? They head back to TX this week: will travel play an impact all year?
Aaron Fitt
10:13
The Gators look awfully formidable, you're right, Adam. Obviously tons of firepower there with Donay tearing the cover off the ball, and Shelton with his track record, and Blake Cyr healthy and producing, and Bobby Boser and Cade Kurland adding additional power, and the exciting freshman Lawson -- on and on. Certainly in the conversation for deepest and best lineup in the country.
Adam
10:13
Good morning. It is your favorite Gator fan and college baseball fan from Indiana!! I will never not think the Gators are good, regardless of competition or time of year, but is this the deepest team, offensively in the nation?! Legit not even being a Gator homer. As always, thank you and appreciate all that you guys do for the game!
Kendall Rogers
10:12
I'm not sure it's ultra surprising to some degree, but it definitely confirms some of the positive vibes I had about the Sooners coming out of fall workouts. The Sooners showed premium pitching depth at the end of the Virginia game yesterday, and that was one of those things we thought would be a strength. But you never know until you see it in the wild so to speak. I thought OU's offense was VERY opportunistic over the weekend. Really impressed with just how Scott Mudler hit the ball over the weekend. Also, Kyle Branch is utlra impresisve. Skip was sky high on him in the fall, and he was both a menace offensively, and great defensively.
Dave
10:12
How big a surprise was the Oklahoma U sweep at Karachi?
Aaron Fitt
10:10
I'm not sure if Penn State qualifies as a sleeper considering we had them projected to make a regional entering the season, but it's been a long time since they've been a postseason team so I think they fit here. Really like that club -- they did a fantastic job in the portal. Paxton Kling looks like he's on his way to a huge year, harnessing his immense raw talent, and I'm a big fan of Ryan DeSanto. Those two guys really caught my eye last week in Puerto Rico, but I think their whole club is very solid.
Guest
10:10
big 10 sleeper with the top half looking a bit off early in the szn.
Aaron Fitt
10:06
Yeah, certainly North Carolina has been very impressive so far, and I think your assessment is spot-on -- it looks like an elite pitching staff, and while the offense won't be as explosive as last year's, it's still plenty talented and good enough to make the Tar Heels an Omaha-caliber team behind that pitching staff. I like what UNC has done with Folger Boaz at the back of the bullpen, I think he'll be a force in that role, and Knapp makes sense to me as a starter. Lots of options for them to play with on the mound, and that strikes me as the right combination.
Julian
10:06
Early thoughts on North Carolina? They've clinched the series against ECU with one game left to play on Monday, and that K-State win from midweek is looking really good after what the Wildcats did this weekend at Globe Life. The offense isn't as strong as it was last year, but with the pitching staff Forbes has assembled, it might be enough.
Aaron Fitt
10:03
Alabama has a very good Top 25 case, and was our team No. 26 this week. Certainly after two weeks, Bama has a better resumé than Duke, to use your example, but we're still early enough in the season that the rankings aren't based entirely off resumé, with just two weeks to go by. Duke started high in the rankings for a reason — lots of very good pieces back from an ACC tournament champion club, lots of talent and experience. They haven't gotten off to a great start and so they've slid in the rankings, but still too early to run them out, since they did at least win their weekend. But if we had a mulligan on these rankings, I'd probably be inclined to rank Bama over TCU, even though I like TCU's club quite a bit, despite Sunday's lopsided loss.
Brooks
10:03
I was just wondering what the ultimate decision was on not including Alabama in the Top 25 this week. How does that team compare to 4-3 duke team who is in the Top 20 with a weekend series loss at home and a loss to Cornell at home.
Aaron Fitt
10:00
Hello friends, fun weekend of college baseball. Let's dive in!
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