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2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #21
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
And Kendall/Perfect Game has us at #17 (as did Collegiate Baseball and College Baseball Nation)...

http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View...ticle=9339

IMO, UCLA, Oregon and North Carolina are ranked way too high in this poll. Oregon has no returning offense, UCLA lost the majority of its starting pitching (and didn't have much of an offense last year), and North Carolina lost it's Friday and Saturday starting pitchers, as well as two relievers and their stud SS and 1B.
(This post was last modified: 01-29-2014 07:01 AM by waltgreenberg.)
01-27-2014 11:08 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #22
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
I like the fact we're flying a bit beneath the radar entering the season. IMO, barring injuries, our offense will be well above average, and our pitching will be strong, as usual.
01-27-2014 11:19 AM
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ausowl Offline
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Post: #23
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
Rice @ UT (April 8th) went on sale this AM.
01-27-2014 12:33 PM
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krehbr Offline
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Post: #24
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
(01-27-2014 11:04 AM)d1owls4life Wrote:  #17 in Perfect Game Top 25

FAU at #24.

As a South Florida Rice alum, and as someone who watched last year's final games of the FAU and Rice super regionals back and forth the same night to see both teams lose in the end, I am surprised that FAU isn't ranked even higher to start. They are returning 6 of their 8 top hitters, their top two starters and their top two relievers and have some quality players coming in. Maybe history and lack of name recognition are working against them, but they could be really tough.
01-27-2014 01:21 PM
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grol Offline
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Post: #25
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
[Image: BfAnzbACQAAVFNl.jpg]
01-28-2014 12:28 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #26
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
Here's Kendall's analysis/wirteups on each of his Top 25 teams...

http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View...ticle=9347

Quote:17. Rice
Head coach: Wayne Graham
Conference: Conference USA
2013 record: 44-20 (15-9 C-USA)
2013 accomplishment: Reached an NCAA Super Regional

Top returning hitters: 3B Shane Hoelscher (.320-0-25), OF Michael Aquino (.315-9-43), 2B Ford Stainback (.295-0-25), OF Keenan Cook (.292-0-32), SS Leon Byrd (.275-1-21), 1B Skyler Ewing (.226-4-23).

Top returning pitchers: RHP Zech Lemond (2.02, 14 saves, 75.2 IP, 71K/21BB), RHP Jordan Stephens (2.43, 118.2 IP, 100K/31BB), LHP Blake Fox (3.41, 37 IP, 23K/13BB), RHP Evan Rutter (4.86, 14 IP, 6K/6BB), RHP Kevin McCanna (4.50, 40 IP, 18K/17BB).

Freshman to watch: The Owls have the luxury of not needing to rely on too much newcomers this season, particularly of the freshman variety, but keep an eye on No. 3 starting pitcher and freshman righthander Jon Duplantier. Duplantier is a 6-foot-3, 195-pounder, who’s 87-92 with his fastball, along with a good breaking ball and command. Duplantier’s future is bright, as he still has plenty of room to grow moving forward.

2014 Prospects to watch: RHP Zech Lemond (69), RHP Jordan Stephens (122), 1B Skyler Ewing (182).

Notebook: Rice righthanded pitcher Zech Lemond was good all of last season, but it seemed like he only got stronger as the season progressed. He actually started in the Eugene Regional and was magnificent against host Oregon. Lemond, though, who has a fastball up to 95 on a consistent basis, will likely stay in the bullpen this spring … That means fellow righty Jordan Stephens spearheads the starting rotation. Stephens struggled a bit with command at the beginning of last season, but it seems like he’s been a different pitcher since. Stephens finished 2013 on a high note, and appears ready to take another step forward this spring. He’s 88-92 with good secondary stuff and command … From an offensive standpoint, keep a close eye on outfielder Michael Aquino. Aquino might not get a ton of publicity, but he’s got a lot of power in a compact frame. He’s also got solid speed with a 6.8 60-yard-dash time … In other news, the Owls feel like San Jacinto College transfer pitcher Trevor Teykl will help log some important innings this season.

Not sure Kendall did much homework here, or bothered to speak to Coach Graham, as there's no mention of either Reeves (who he did previously select as CUSA Newcomer of the Year) or Warren. No mention of upperclass experience (which is a primary team strength) or offense. BTW, I don't recall Stephens struggling with his control early last year, do you? I think Kendall was thinking of Kubitza.
(This post was last modified: 01-28-2014 08:29 AM by waltgreenberg.)
01-28-2014 08:25 AM
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grol Offline
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Post: #27
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
Today BA gives us their breakdown on teams ranked 6-10. Tomorrow Rice in the 11-15 group. We'll see if Aaron does better than Kendall.
01-28-2014 09:51 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #28
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
(01-28-2014 09:51 AM)grol Wrote:  Today BA gives us their breakdown on teams ranked 6-10. Tomorrow Rice in the 11-15 group. We'll see if Aaron does better than Kendall.

I have no doubt he will. I know he spoke with The OG a couple weeks back, and is VERY high on our returning offense. His comment back to me was that Duplantier and McCanna were the keys-- if they perform up to their potential, we're an Omaha-caliber club. In a year in which most of the top 35 programs have strong pitching and questionable offense, our offense and upperclass experience could prove to be the difference. BTW, after doing a little follow-up research with his Perfect Game scouting guys, Kendall confirmed that Jon Duplantier (due to his early birthday) is draft-eligible after his second season at Rice (2015).
(This post was last modified: 01-28-2014 09:59 AM by waltgreenberg.)
01-28-2014 09:57 AM
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texd Offline
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Post: #29
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
(01-27-2014 12:33 PM)ausowl Wrote:  Rice @ UT (April 8th) went on sale this AM.

Link

The 3rd base dugout is the visitor dugout. There are good number of open seats (together even) in L2, L3, and L4, even some close to the field and a number of aisle seats. (I didn't see this until a day and a half of sales and still scored an aisle in row 2). Tickets run $15 each for actual seats, and additional fees run about $2.50 each.
01-28-2014 06:01 PM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #30
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
(01-27-2014 11:08 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  And Kendall/Perfect Game has us at #17 (as did Collegiate Baseball and College Baseball Nation)...

http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View...ticle=9339

IMO, UCLA, Oregon and North Carolina are ranked way too high in this poll. Oregon has no returning offense, UCLA lost the majority of its starting pitching (and didn't have much of an offense last year), and North Carolina lost it's Friday and Saturday starting pitchers, as well as two relievers and their stud SS and 1B.

And here's Kendall's "next 25" (Top 26 - 50), which includes in order: TCU, ECU, SHS, Houston, Tulane, Stanford and FIU...

http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View...ticle=9348

...if this pans out, we'll be playing half our schedule against Top 50 caliber clubs (with UT, A&M and FAU in his Top 25). What a change from the way last year turned out (when we faced just one Top 25 team and played only 3 other games against Top 50 programs, going 1-3 in those games).
(This post was last modified: 01-29-2014 07:29 AM by waltgreenberg.)
01-29-2014 07:01 AM
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dragon2owl Offline
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Post: #31
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
#18 in College Sports Madness

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/8311
01-29-2014 09:53 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #32
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
And College Sports Madness, counting down from #44 (with #25 ECU and #34 FAU), have us at #18...

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/base...4-previews

Quote:Rice continues to operate at a level of consistency that not many other programs, not only in baseball, but other college sports, can reach. Following an 18th-straight season in which the Owls either won or shared a conference title, a 19th straight season of 40 wins and their 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, Wayne Graham has his team poised to add to all of those streaks with a large amount of notable returners.

2013: 44-20, 15-9
2013 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Wayne Graham

Field Players:
Following his best season in terms of batting average (.320) while leading Rice in the category, Shane Hoelscher will look to continue leading the Owls. The senior infielder finished his 2013 campaign strong as he was named to both the Conference USA All-Tournament Team and NCAA All-Regional Team. Hoelscher was on his way to his best all-around season before an injury sidelined him in early March for more than a month. The senior did finish third on the team with a career-best on-base percentage (.401) and was fourth in slugging (.380). The team’s second-best hitter, in terms of average, is Michael Aquino, who batted .315 in 248 at-bats. The winner of the college edition of the Home Run Derby slugged nine homers in the regular season, while driving in a team-high 43 runs. The senior outfielder/designated hitter also led the Owls in slugging (.508) and total bases (126) and was second in hits with 78 and doubles with 13. Coach Graham, while losing his third-best hitter from 2013, does return his fourth through six best players in terms of average. Of note is Ford Stainback, a junior who hit .295 and collected a team-high 81 hits in 275 at-bats and sophomore Leon Byrd, a .275 hitter who posted a .420 on-base percentage and tied for a team best with 44 walks.

Pitchers:
The biggest hurdle for the Owls in 2014 is likely replacing two-thirds of its rotation from a year ago. Austin Kubitza exits following his junior season to the major leagues; as does fellow weekend starter John Simms. Rice does welcome back its third weekend starter, Jordan Stephens, the most valuable player during the team’s regional in Eugene, who tied for 11th in the NCAA with 17 starts and was in the top 40 with 100 strikeouts. The junior was the Owls leader in innings pitched (118.2), and was second on the staff in wins (8) and starts. Returning at the backend of the staff is Zech Lemond, the team’s leader in earned run average with a 2.02 mark, while setting a new school record with 14 saves. The junior was also 7-2 in 32 appearances and was named an All-American.

Who to Watch:
Rice will need to add two new pitchers to its weekend rotation, but while he might not have been the star pitcher a year-ago, Jordan Stephens seems poised to step up as the team’s ace. The junior was really good during the team’s regional, as evident by his MVP selection. The native of Texas averaged more than 6.2 innings in his 17 starts and his opponents only hit .219. After a strong finish with in his four postseason outings, in which he put together a 2-0 record, 0.74 ERA and .165 opponents' average in 24.1 innings, the time looks good for Stephens to lead the way for Rice.

Final Projection:
At Rice, playing in the NCAA Tournament is a common occurrence and an expected one. With legendary coach Wayne Graham leading the way, Rice is always considered a national power and in the discussion as a team we could see in Omaha. While it might be commonly heard each year, Rice seems poised for a big year. The Owls bring back a strong offensive attack with five of their six best average hitters back in blue. The one area where a question mark comes up is pitching. Losing two pitchers who posted ERA of 2.06 and 2.51 is tough to replace and look past in projections. But as Jordan Stephens returns, and looks towards a big breakout season, the hope is his performance spreads among others. Don’t count out Rice and coach Graham as moving past the NCAA Tournament Regional level. A 20th-straight tournament appearance is highly likely in 2014.

Projected Postseason: NCAA Baseball Tournament

Returning Leaders:
At Bats: Ford Stainback, IF, 275
Hits: Ford Stainback, IF, 81
Home Runs: Michael Aquino, OF, 9
RBIs: Michael Aquino, OF, 43
Runs: Michael Aquino, OF, 45
Stolen Bases: Leon Byrd, IF/OF, 9

Wins: Jordan Stephens, P, 8
Innings Pitched: Jordan Stephens, P, 118.2
Strikeouts: Jordan Stephens, P, 100
Saves: Zech Lemond, P, 14

Madness 2014 MLB Draft Rankings:
#81 Zech Lemond

While consistent with the #17 rankings we received from (Perfect Game, Collegiate Baseball and College Baseball Nation), clearly these guys did no research beyond looking at last year's stat sheet. No mention of Ewing, despite his outstanding Summer and Fall...incorrectly called Simms our #2 starter last year (as Stephens was our Saturday starter from the get-go, and Simms only started a handful of games)...called Hoelscher our offensive leader (I'd place him #3 behind Ewing and Aquino)...no mention of Reeves...called out Stainback when I think Cook has more upside (and has proven to be incredibly clutch for us)...no mention of Freshman All-american Fox moving to weekend rotation.
(This post was last modified: 01-29-2014 10:05 AM by waltgreenberg.)
01-29-2014 10:01 AM
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grol Offline
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Post: #33
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
And here is BA's analysis of 11-15 ranked teams, including Rice.
01-29-2014 10:14 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #34
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
(01-29-2014 10:14 AM)grol Wrote:  And here is BA's analysis of 11-15 ranked teams, including Rice.

Pretty balanced and fair writeup, though he has McCarthy in the bullpen when he'll likely be a mid-week starter, and Fox in the bullpen when he is as of now I believe pencilled in as our Saturday starter. Strange there's no mention of Ditman, Rutter and Williamson, who will be key to solidifying the bullpen.
01-29-2014 10:23 AM
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dragon2owl Offline
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Post: #35
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
C-USA Announces Preseason Baseball Awards

http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-ba...14aaa.html

Quote:PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Rice (12)
2. Florida Atlantic
3. East Carolina
4. Southern Miss
5. Tulane (1)
6. FIU
7. UTSA
8. Charlotte
9. Middle Tennessee
10. Old Dominion
11. UAB
12. Marshall
13. Louisiana Tech
(first place votes in parentheses)

PRESEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Drew Reynolds, East Carolina (Senior, DH/RHP)
Aramis Garcia, FIU (Junior, Catcher)

PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Zech Lemond, Rice (Junior, Right-hander)

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
P Austin Gomber Jr. Florida Atlantic
P Jeff Hoffman Jr. East Carolina
P Jordan Stephens Jr. Rice
RP Zech Lemond Jr. Rice
C Aramis Garcia Jr. FIU
IF Brad Elwood Jr. Charlotte
IF Shane Hoelscher Sr. Rice
IF R.J. Perucki Sr. UTSA
IF Edwin Rios So. FIU
OF Michael Aquino Sr. Rice
OF Josh Eldridge Jr. Old Dominion
OF Ryan Stephens Sr. Middle Tennessee
OF Mason Robbins Jr. Southern Miss
DH/UT Drew Reynolds Sr. East Carolina
(This post was last modified: 01-29-2014 11:10 AM by dragon2owl.)
01-29-2014 11:10 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #36
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
(01-29-2014 11:10 AM)dragon2owl Wrote:  C-USA Announces Preseason Baseball Awards

http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-ba...14aaa.html

Quote:PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Rice (12)
2. Florida Atlantic
3. East Carolina
4. Southern Miss
5. Tulane (1)
6. FIU
7. UTSA
8. Charlotte
9. Middle Tennessee
10. Old Dominion
11. UAB
12. Marshall
13. Louisiana Tech
(first place votes in parentheses)

PRESEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Drew Reynolds, East Carolina (Senior, DH/RHP)
Aramis Garcia, FIU (Junior, Catcher)

PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Zech Lemond, Rice (Junior, Right-hander)

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
P Austin Gomber Jr. Florida Atlantic
P Jeff Hoffman Jr. East Carolina
P Jordan Stephens Jr. Rice
RP Zech Lemond Jr. Rice
C Aramis Garcia Jr. FIU
IF Brad Elwood Jr. Charlotte
IF Shane Hoelscher Sr. Rice
IF R.J. Perucki Sr. UTSA
IF Edwin Rios So. FIU
OF Michael Aquino Sr. Rice
OF Josh Eldridge Jr. Old Dominion
OF Ryan Stephens Sr. Middle Tennessee
OF Mason Robbins Jr. Southern Miss
DH/UT Drew Reynolds Sr. East Carolina

Coaches are giving USM the benefit of the doubt. They lost almost all their pitching and most of their offense. I'd expect FIU, Tulane, along with Rice, ECU and FAU, to finish ahead of them.
01-29-2014 11:18 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #37
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
And we're #15 in the Coaches preseason poll...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/col...l/5030501/

So, Rice has been ranked #15 twice (Coaches, BA), #17 thrice (Perfect Game, Collegiate Baseball, College Baseball Nation), #18 once (College Sports Madness) and #24 once (the Writers), with Eric Sorenson, College Baseball Daily and Chasing Omaha still to come. Pretty consistent.

Interesting how both Aaron Fitt and Kendall have UVA #1, but the Coaches have them at #6. Coaches tend to do the least actual research, and invariably give the big name programs the benefit of the doubt in preseason polls.
(This post was last modified: 01-29-2014 06:22 PM by waltgreenberg.)
01-29-2014 06:19 PM
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grol Offline
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Post: #38
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
We're number 15 on the Writer's poll
02-03-2014 08:22 PM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #39
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
So, with only Eric Sorenson still outstanding, Rice has earned three #15 rankings (Baseball America, the Writers, the Coaches), three #17 rankings (Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game, College Baseball Nation) and one #18 ranking (College Sports Madness).

Unfortunately, BA came out with their preseason all-american selections today, and none of our guys (not even Zech) made any of their 3 teams.

Chip on the shoulder time!
02-04-2014 01:31 AM
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waltgreenberg Offline
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Post: #40
RE: 2014 Baseball Preseason Top 40 Polling
Here's Aaron Fitt and Baseball America's CUSA preview...

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/2...rence-usa/

...no surprise-- Rice is the "team to beat", led by Zech and Jordan. Minimal mention of Rice vis-a-vis other conference mates since, as a Top 25 team (#15 in BA's ranking), they had already provided a comprehensive writeup on us.

And here's College Sports Madness' CUSA preseason all-conference team...

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/8375

...Stephens and Aquino made first team, while Lemond and Hoelscher received 2nd team honors, with Warren selected as Freshman of the Year.
(This post was last modified: 02-06-2014 12:54 PM by waltgreenberg.)
02-06-2014 12:49 PM
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