Who should be #1?

[BigPoppa]

Just trying to drum up some conversation while the snow sits on the ground.

Who should be the #1 team in pre-season poll?

Who should be #1 in each region?

New England 
New York 
South Region
Midwest Region
Mid-East Region
Mid-Atlantic Region
Central Region
West Region

[LTBB1971]

For the South region I think it should be Shenandoah University.  They have JR 1B/P Van Sickler, JR CF Brashers, SR 3B Van Dusseldorp and SR SS Henry returning to form a great nucleus...and they can hit the lights out the ball. 

[CrashDavisD3]

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring - Roger Hornsby

[BigPoppa]

Big Poppa's Preseason Poll:

01 Wooster
02 St. Thomas
03 Salisbury
04 UW-Stevens Point
05 Eastern Connecticut
06 Heidelberg
07 Pomona-Pitzer
08 Chapman
09 Kean
10 Trinity (Conn.)
11 Adrian
12 Texas-Tyler
13 Southern Maine
14 Carthage
15 Wheaton (Mass.)
16 Millsaps
17 Keystone
18 Shenandoah
19 Cortland State
20 Marietta
21 Illinois Wesleyan
22 St. Olaf
23 Cal Lutheran
24 St. Scholastica
25 Beloit

Thoughts? How did I do? Before everyone jumps on me about Beloit, consider the fact that they return their ENTIRE team from last year's Regional qualifier. Texas-Tyler may be a bit high as well, but they usually find their way to the top by the end. I also get a funny feeling everytime I think of Stevens Point in 2010.

Carthage (my alma mater) is #5 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, but I do not see them as that strong yet. They have young, un-proven pitching that needs to step up before I bump them up (Two all-americans from last year are not back in 2010... one transferred and one had surgery. All the weight falls on Jr. Mario Perez).

Chapman lost a ton of talent from last season's squad to graduation, the MLB Draft and transfers out of the program. Their Freshmen DH, Ben Owens, transferred to Fullerton JC. How quickly the Panthers can reload could determine their success in 2010.

[OshDude]

Mine wouldn't be too different. My top five?
UST
Wooster
Salisbury
ECSU
UWSP

All conjecture, but we disagree on:
Shenandoah (top 10)
Rose-Hulman (I like ... a lot)
RPI (see above)
Tyler (not top 25 to me)
Millsaps (see above)
Pomona (much lower than you)

My radar has Whitewater, Wash & Jeff and St. Joe's (ME). I like the Beloit nod, btw.

[BigPoppa]

I do like Whitewater as well. I had a few just left off... Whitewater, RPI, Linfield and St. Joe's. FYI: I only have Pomona that high as I am a bit unsure of Chapman and Pomona could dominate the Cal schools without Chapman as a solid threat.

[cubs]

Carthage (my alma mater) is #5 in the Collegiate Baseball poll, but I do not see them as that strong yet. They have young, un-proven pitching that needs to step up before I bump them up (Two all-americans from last year are not back in 2010... one transferred and one had surgery. All the weight falls on Jr. Mario Perez).

So where did Jaehne-Llanas transfer this time?  I believe this will be the third school for him in four years.

[Jim Dixon]

Big Poppa's Preseason Poll:

01 Wooster
...
25 Beloit

Thoughts? How did I do? Before everyone jumps on me about Beloit, consider the fact that they return their ENTIRE team from last year's Regional qualifier. \

Maybe you have Beloit too low.  I started paying attention to them a few years back and they have shown progress every year.  This is once again the year starts with few strong teams in the Midwest and Central region they should have a decent showing.

[Jim Dixon]

I do like Whitewater as well. I had a few just left off... Whitewater, RPI, Linfield and St. Joe's. FYI: I only have Pomona that high as I am a bit unsure of Chapman and Pomona could dominate the Cal schools without Chapman as a solid threat.

They key to Chapman's success will be the ever decreasing B Pool.   They peaked last year for to keep their consecutive championship round appearance streak current and could do the same.

[Yanksfan]

Why don't any of you give Farmingdale any credit? They made it to the world series last year picking up wins during the season over Southern Maine and Cortland. In  the regional they beat a good RPI team twice and sent Cortland packing while blowing Clackson out. Yeah their first game of the world series wasn't pretty but they played Chapman tough. They have now gone to the regional two years in a row and only seem to be getting better. They don't deserve to be in the top 25?

[Jim Dixon]

Why don't any of you give Farmingdale any credit? They made it to the world series last year picking up wins during the season over Southern Maine and Cortland. In  the regional they beat a good RPI team twice and sent Cortland packing while blowing Clackson out. Yeah their first game of the world series wasn't pretty but they played Chapman tough. They have now gone to the regional two years in a row and only seem to be getting better. They don't deserve to be in the top 25?

I expect Farmingdale to crack the top 25.  I think that with their SS and Heeman, they will not be the team they were in the regional.  Heeman did not pitch in the championship round and the results were predictable.  Osik has a good program going (should easily hit 100 wins in his career this season) and I know he could give the Cortlands and RPI's a run for their money.   Personally I don't see it this year but will be pleasently surprised if I am wrong.

[BigPoppa]

Agree 100% with you, Jim. I'd love to see Farmingdale rise up and challenge in the New York region, which has been dominated by only a few programs in the past 30 years. I am not sure if 2010 is the season for them though. I'd be happy if I were wrong.

[d3baseballnut]

Hopkins should be #1!!!

 

 Seriously though, they are really going to be able to swing it. Pitching is the question mark.


(What else is new?)

[BigPoppa]

Hopkins should be #1!!!

 

 Seriously though, they are really going to be able to swing it. Pitching is the question mark.


(What else is new?)

They ALWAYS swing it well. That should be no surprise to anyone. How they pitch and catch will determine their fate this season (couldn't we say that about every team though).

[ECSUalum]

Should Salisbury be ranked this high?  Seniors last year were their ace pitcher, (Eric Willey), and two pretty good offensive players in Jordan Crystal and Cody Collins.  I assume they have graduated. Dont know if they reloaded with transfers.

Also, they don't seem to play the toughest schedule and while they have made a 15 NCAA Regional appearances, they have only translated that to 2 CWS appearances.  Just my observations