I expect to hear something within the next 5 posts about the placements of Georgia Southern and App State.

2015 Preseason All-Sun Belt Baseball Team
David Owen (Arkansas State, Junior, SP)
Kevin Hill (South Alabama, Senior, SP)
Lucas Humpal (Texas State, Junior, SP)
Marc Skinner (Troy, Sophomore, RP)
Joey Roach (Georgia State, Junior, C)
Matt Burgess (Arkansas State, Junior, 1B)
Darien McLemore (UT Arlington, Junior, 2B)
Blake Trahan (UL Lafayette, Junior, SS)
Matt Rose (Georgia State, Junior, 3B)
Aaron Mizell (Georgia Southern, Senior, OF)
Dylan Butler (UL Lafayette, Senior, OF)
Cole Gleason (South Alabama, Senior, OF)
David Hall (Troy, Senior, DH)
Cory Geisler (Texas State, Junior, UTIL)

2015 Preseason Player of the Year
Blake Trahan (UL Lafayette, Junior, SS)

2015 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Lucas Humpal (Texas State, Junior, SP)

2015 SBC Coaches Predicted Order of Finish (first place votes)
1. UL Lafayette (8) - 114 pts
2. Texas State (1) - 94 pts
3. Arkansas State - 87 pts
4. UT Arlington - 80 pts
5. Troy - 78 pts
6. Georgia Southern (2) - 77 pts
7. South Alabama - 71 pts
8. Georgia State - 35 pts
9. UL Monroe - 34 pts
10. UALR - 31 pts
11. Appalachian State - 25 pts

http://sunbeltsports.org/news/2015/1/28/...52829.aspx

Like in most sports in our 1st year in the Belt we are picked in the mid-lower part of the preseason rankings. We surprised in football and are surprising in basketball right now, so I don't see why we can't do better than 6th in baseball when it is all said and done.

A little strange that a school picked 6th got 2 1st place votes. I am assuming a coach cannot vote for his own team so that means 2 other coaches out there voted us number 1.

In college baseball how a team does is often greatly determined by pitching or the lack thereof. Considering we lost our #1 and #2 starters I can understand us not being picked at the top of the league though. Looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

I think the coaches just decided to blow smoke our way. There have to be a number of teams in better position and returning pitching/fielding than the Cajuns to finish at the top of the conference. We'll probably be starting two freshmen on the weekend rotation. I do think we have a chance to be a pretty good team by the end of the year, but I'd be happy to finish in the top third of the league at this time. I just hope our players leave this where it belongs, on the bottom of the bird cage.

(01-28-2015 04:14 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  Like in most sports in our 1st year in the Belt we are picked in the mid-lower part of the preseason rankings. We surprised in football and are surprising in basketball right now, so I don't see why we can't do better than 6th in baseball when it is all said and done.

A little strange that a school picked 6th got 2 1st place votes. I am assuming a coach cannot vote for his own team so that means 2 other coaches out there voted us number 1.

In college baseball how a team does is often greatly determined by pitching or the lack thereof. Considering we lost our #1 and #2 starters I can understand us not being picked at the top of the league though. Looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

With what we lost, I have no idea how we are picked first. We will probably be scrapping for it towards the end but will take some lumps this year, especially early.

(01-28-2015 04:14 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  Like in most sports in our 1st year in the Belt we are picked in the mid-lower part of the preseason rankings. We surprised in football and are surprising in basketball right now, so I don't see why we can't do better than 6th in baseball when it is all said and done.

A little strange that a school picked 6th got 2 1st place votes. I am assuming a coach cannot vote for his own team so that means 2 other coaches out there voted us number 1.

In college baseball how a team does is often greatly determined by pitching or the lack thereof. Considering we lost our #1 and #2 starters I can understand us not being picked at the top of the league though. Looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

You can vote for your own team. There are coaches who do it every year.

2 first place votes for GS have to be from the GS and APP coaches right?

I think it's only post season player awards Yiu can't vote for your guy

Coaches/teams can not vote for their own players for ANY awards given out by the league; however, they may vote for themselves in the poll.

I'm glad we are not predicted near the top in this poll. These preseason Sun Belt polls have been a curse in football and basketball so far.....

I'm going to go ahead and pencil Georgia Southern in 1st and App somewhere near the top, just to be on the safe side.

I'm honestly a little surprised, but no worries, it's just a preseason poll. I'm interested to see how Southern stacks up as the SoCon was pretty decent and believe we'll beat 6th. Baseball is weird though and very difficult to predict!

Georgia Southern 6th???? Have the last six months taught you nothing???

For realsies though, GS could be pretty good if the arms pan out. I can't imagine they'll be world beaters, but they should be an unwelcome sight on anyone's schedule

(01-28-2015 08:12 PM)CC Eagle Wrote:  Georgia Southern 6th???? Have the last six months taught you nothing???

For realsies though, GS could be pretty good if the arms pan out. I can't imagine they'll be world beaters, but they should be an unwelcome sight on anyone's schedule

Not suggesting where you will or won't finish but the SBC is a good league, on some years being picked 4th puts you as a regional team. I don't see why Yall continue to get upset about these, it's obviousjy just from lack a familiarity with Yiu being new... Nobody knows how you will translate. I'm sure Yall will be right there in the hunt. It's just preseason.. Somebody gotta be picked 6th... Means nothing.

(01-28-2015 08:47 PM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(01-28-2015 08:12 PM)CC Eagle Wrote:  Georgia Southern 6th???? Have the last six months taught you nothing???

For realsies though, GS could be pretty good if the arms pan out. I can't imagine they'll be world beaters, but they should be an unwelcome sight on anyone's schedule

Not suggesting where you will or won't finish but the SBC is a good league, on some years being picked 4th puts you as a regional team. I don't see why Yall continue to get upset about these, it's obviousjy just from lack a familiarity with Yiu being new... Nobody knows how you will translate. I'm sure Yall will be right there in the hunt. It's just preseason.. Somebody gotta be picked 6th... Means nothing.

It was more of a joke than me being mad.

Seeing as how GS's top two arms are gone and we lost one of the best hitting freshmen in the country last season, the Eagles will definitely start the season worse off than how they ended last season.

If Troy/TXST/USA all rebound like their fans say they can, this should be one huge dogfight. I think conference standings could be largely irrelevant heading into the tournament as there are plenty of teams good enough to win.

But maybe that plays to Southern's favor. Where our basketball teams have had great seasons before choking in the conference tourney, our baseball team usually has a roller coaster ride of a regular season and does its best postseason work when they're counted out at the beginning.

(01-28-2015 08:55 PM)CC Eagle Wrote:  

(01-28-2015 08:47 PM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(01-28-2015 08:12 PM)CC Eagle Wrote:  Georgia Southern 6th???? Have the last six months taught you nothing???

For realsies though, GS could be pretty good if the arms pan out. I can't imagine they'll be world beaters, but they should be an unwelcome sight on anyone's schedule

Not suggesting where you will or won't finish but the SBC is a good league, on some years being picked 4th puts you as a regional team. I don't see why Yall continue to get upset about these, it's obviousjy just from lack a familiarity with Yiu being new... Nobody knows how you will translate. I'm sure Yall will be right there in the hunt. It's just preseason.. Somebody gotta be picked 6th... Means nothing.

It was more of a joke than me being mad.

Seeing as how GS's top two arms are gone and we lost one of the best hitting freshmen in the country last season, the Eagles will definitely start the season worse off than how they ended last season.

If Troy/TXST/USA all rebound like their fans say they can, this should be one huge dogfight. I think conference standings could be largely irrelevant heading into the tournament as there are plenty of teams good enough to win.

But maybe that plays to Southern's favor. Where our basketball teams have had great seasons before choking in the conference tourney, our baseball team usually has a roller coaster ride of a regular season and does its best postseason work when they're counted out at the beginning.

Got ya, my bad.. Didn't pick up on it. Should be an interesting year.

I don't see any reason the Sun Belt should not get 3 teams into regionals almost every year.

(01-28-2015 09:00 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I don't see any reason the Sun Belt should not get 3 teams into regionals almost every year.

I don't either, depending on how think work and who wins tourney...some years 4

I don't see App finishing last.

(01-28-2015 09:07 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  I don't see App finishing last.

I think 4th is a little optimistic for uta. we lost too much pitching and one of our best hitters. we also play a pretty tough schedule so it may be a down year for us.

(01-28-2015 08:55 PM)CC Eagle Wrote:  

(01-28-2015 08:47 PM)Louisiana99 Wrote:  

(01-28-2015 08:12 PM)CC Eagle Wrote:  Georgia Southern 6th???? Have the last six months taught you nothing???

For realsies though, GS could be pretty good if the arms pan out. I can't imagine they'll be world beaters, but they should be an unwelcome sight on anyone's schedule

Not suggesting where you will or won't finish but the SBC is a good league, on some years being picked 4th puts you as a regional team. I don't see why Yall continue to get upset about these, it's obviousjy just from lack a familiarity with Yiu being new... Nobody knows how you will translate. I'm sure Yall will be right there in the hunt. It's just preseason.. Somebody gotta be picked 6th... Means nothing.

It was more of a joke than me being mad.

Seeing as how GS's top two arms are gone and we lost one of the best hitting freshmen in the country last season, the Eagles will definitely start the season worse off than how they ended last season.

If Troy/TXST/USA all rebound like their fans say they can, this should be one huge dogfight. I think conference standings could be largely irrelevant heading into the tournament as there are plenty of teams good enough to win.

But maybe that plays to Southern's favor. Where our basketball teams have had great seasons before choking in the conference tourney, our baseball team usually has a roller coaster ride of a regular season and does its best postseason work when they're counted out at the beginning.

***
Any idea why Chapman transferred? He hit .341 which led the team. He is transferring to Florence-Darlington Tech which I believe is a JUCO His statement was that he wanted to be closer to home but then he says he hopes to eventually transfer to a bigger school. He also said there were no disciplinary or academic issues. So if his stated goal to transfer from FDT to a bigger school happens, then he will end up playing at 3 different schools. Strange.