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D1Baseball Weekly Chat: March 29
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Kyle Niblett
1:11
With undefeated 6-0 Ole Miss this week and a trip to Top-10 Tennessee next, what are Florida's realistic chances of getting the season back on track and competing for the SEC crown? Is a national seed, or even Top-16 seed, still possible?
Aaron Fitt
1:11
Nibs! Good to see you (in virtual form, anyway). Yeah it feels like every time anyone has dismissed Florida's chances over the last decade, the Gators have proceeded to sweep somebody good the very next weekend. Florida is not a finished product obviously -- the bullpen still has issues, and preseason All-Americans Barco and Fabian are scuffling. But I am definitely betting on the Gators to get it going and wind up hosting a regional, and I still think they're capable of making a run and landing a top-8. This weekend is a good test, because right now Ole Miss is the better club and playing at a much higher level... but don't be surprised if Florida rebounds in a big way, like it always seems to under Kevin O'Sullivan.
Ryan
1:12
Excited for Louisiana Tech's hot start to the season and unsustainable high RPI of 7 currently. What does Tech have to do the rest of the way to have a chance at hosting given the weak conference schedule the rest of the way?
Kendall Rogers
1:12
Ryan -- At this point, I think it's conceivable to say Louisiana Tech will host a regional if it wins Conference USA. Unless it racks up some terrible losses along the way (which is certainly possible), winning the league, along with a solid non-conference resume, would probably do it. But let's see how things progress. A lot can change. I was pretty impressive with those guys over the weekend. The Pete is NOT an easy place to take a series, much less 3/4.
Reb 21
1:14
How big is a 6-0 start for Ole Miss with the daunting slate ahead?  I read they were the second SEC team since 2000 to start off 6-0 in the league.
Aaron Fitt
1:14
Oh it's huge, clearly -- this conference is a meat grinder, and Ole Miss now has some breathing room heading into a really nasty stretch. And heck, Alabama is good! I was in Tuscaloosa for the Friday doubleheader and I walked away thinking Bama is a real contender and a regional-caliber team -- I'd move that club up past Georgia (and certainly Auburn) in my personal pecking order, which is a change from the preseason. So to sweep Bama on the road was pretty loud.
Jake
1:19
How good is Kentucky?  Are they in the South Carolina/Tennessee tier, or is it more of the schedule they've played so far?
Aaron Fitt
1:19
My revised SEC tiers look like this: TIER 1: Vandy/Arkansas/Ole Miss/Miss State/Florida (still have Bulldogs and Gators in that top tier after getting swept).... TIER 2: Tennessee/South Carolina... TIER 3: LSU/Alabama/A&M/Kentucky.... TIER 4: Georgia/Auburn/Missouri

So yes, I've got Kentucky in the legitimate regional contender category, but obviously there's a lot more to prove. I thought since the fall that UK would have one of the 3 best offenses in the league, but I wanted to see how the pitching and defense would hold up. So far, so good, it appears. Our guy David Seifert caught some of that series this weekend and he'll have more on the Wildcats in this week's Scouting Trail.
Mitch
1:22
At this point in the season, what are one or two categories for a team that y'all would regrade (higher or lower) from the preseason previews? For example, Arkansas had a 55 grade on their power but now seems more like a 65.
Aaron Fitt
1:22
That's a good example (and a fun question!). I would certainly agree with you on the upgrade to Arkansas' power. West Virginia's absurdly high bullpen grade makes me cringe in hindsight. I placed a bet on some exciting power arms, and so far they have not put it all together the way I expected. Too ambitious there.
Cornelius V.
1:23
If it's Vandy vs. Arkansas in the CWS finals, and either Leiter or Rocker can't pitch the first two games due to lack of rest, who are you taking?
Aaron Fitt
1:23
I mean, Arkansas, easily for me. But something tells me you're not gonna get to face Vandy in the Finals without seeing Leiter or Rocker. Those guys are just such enormous difference makers.
Bobbruinbear a terrific seri
1:24
UCLA is still not settled with their rotation and bullpen.
Kendall Rogers
1:24
Abilene Christian sitting at 15-8 overall and 7-5 in the league, while Sam Houston State is 5-7 in the league right now are both certainly surprises. That league race is certainly anyone's game right now.
Butch
1:25
Fellas - I have ties to TCU and Notre Dame. TCU of course is the traditional baseball power, ND meanwhile had a brief glimpse of competitive baseball back in 2015. They're very different fan experiences, but naturally I'm a bit more excited about ND's last 13 months of momentum. I guess my question is- which team are you buying into more for 2021?
Aaron Fitt
1:25
I'm so impressed with what Notre Dame has done over the last 13 months -- so, so impressed. I'm really trying hard to get myself to believe, because that group of kids have earned some benefit of the doubt -- they're just winners. But man, I can't shake my concerns about that pitching staff's ability to hold up over the long term. I have no such concern about TCU. If I'm betting which team finishes higher in the postseason Top 25 (which is based 100 percent on a team's body of work), I'm betting on TCU.
Joe
1:28
Was this just a bad weekend for my dogs or is Arkansas really that much better? Do you still see State as an Omaha team?
Aaron Fitt
1:28
Arkansas is better right now, for sure -- as Roons put it in our group text, the Arkansas defense travels, and it's considerably better than the State defense in my opinion. The Arkansas lineup is also more explosive, and I'm not surprised by that. But I still like MSU's starting pitching better, and I like both teams in the bullpen. Yes, I still have Mississippi State as an Omaha team -- chalk it up to a bad weekend in March. We're an awful long way from June.
Vol Fan 1
1:29
Should Tennessee move Sean Hunley to a weekend rotation spot or keep him in the bullpen?
Aaron Fitt
1:29
Boy, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. He's been such a stud out of the bullpen for a long time now, I think he gives them such peace of mind in that role -- I'd leave him right where he is. Try to steal as many innings as you can with the starters and you can bring Hunley in at a moment of truth and extend him as long as you need -- what a weapon. I like that formula a lot.
Drew
1:32
Hi guys, what are your thoughts on San Diego's season so far as they are currently #28 in RPI and have an explosive offense that averages 8.5 runs per game?
Aaron Fitt
1:32
Yeah, the Toreros are very much on our radar -- we discussed them in the Top 25 meeting last night, but they just don't have a signature series win yet to hang their hats upon. But that offense is really dangerous, several legitimate dudes there, and I like the top end of the staff, though I have concerns about the depth. Have felt all along that USD and Gonzaga were the teams to beat in the WCC and I still do.
Aaron Fitt
1:33
Thanks guys, sorry for the shorter chat from me today -- long travel day. See you next week!
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