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By The Numbers And Analysis For Each Of The Omaha Eight

By Collegebaseball360.com Editor Sean Stires

The beginning of the end is almost here.  The last College World Series that will ever be played at Rosenblatt Stadium starts Saturday.  Below are statistical breakdowns of this year’s eight CWS teams as well as a “by the numbers” look at each team and analysis.

Once the CWS begins Collegebaseball360.com will have daily coverage of every game in Omaha, including post game video with players and coaches, a daily blog and a daily CWS scoreboard.

CWS Bracket One

Team	Record	Conf.	BA	Runs/ Game	HR	Slg%	OBP	SB- Att.	Fld%	ERA	CG	SV	K	BB	Opp. BA
Florida	47-15	SEC	.300	6.9	81	.480	.381	92-126	.978	3.96	1	18	441	130	.268
TCU	51-12	Mountain West	.340	8.6	92	.558	.415	71-104	.971	3.46	3	12	521	182	.251
Florida St.	47-18	ACC	.301	8.1	81	.497	.413	96-114	.971	4.38	0	19	524	255	.260
UCLA	48-14	Pac 10	.307	7.0	61	.464	.401	97-128	.970	2.97	2	11	639	189	.218

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Jim Schlossnagle

TCU Horned Frogs (51-12)
Head Coach: Jim Schlossnagle  (7th season)

1…College World Series appearance by the Horned Frogs.  It’s also the first CWS appearance by any Mountain West Conference team in the 11 year history of the league.

51…Wins this season-a school record.

37-3…Combined record of TCU starting pitchers Matt Purke, Kyle Winkler and Steven Maxwell.   The trio has also combined for 312 strikeouts and just 95 walks in 317 2/3 IP.

23-0…TCU’s record this season when its pitching staff strikes out at least 10 batters in a game.

14…Wins with no losses by Purke.  The freshman was also the 14th overall pick in the first round by the Texas Rangers in the 2009 MLB draft, but he chose to go to college instead.

5-1…The Horned Frogs’ record so far in the NCAA post season.  Their only loss was vs. Texas in game two of their Super Regional.

.340…Team batting average, which is 10th best in the nation this season.

3.46…Team ERA-good for a #7 national ranking.  TCU is the only team in the nation to rank in the top 10 in both team batting average and ERA.

.558…Team slugging percentage-the best of any of the eight CWS teams and good for a #6 NCAA ranking.

1…TCU player, Matt Curry, who has double-digit home runs and stolen bases.  Curry leads the Horned Frogs with 17 and 12, respectively.  Curry also has team highs with 26 doubles and an 1.173 OPS.

.373 & 66…Team best batting average and RBIs by outfielder Jason Coats, who has also hit 13 HR.

ANALYSIS: TCU has the best combination of pitching and hitting of the eight teams in Omaha.  Any questions about the Horned Frogs offensive and pitching stats against Mountain West Conference competition have already been answered.  They took two of three from one of the nation’s best offensive teams, New Mexico, during the regular season.  They also beat the nation’s best pitching team, Texas, in last week’s Super Regional.  The biggest question would appear to be whether they can avoid the awe factor of the program’s first CWS appearance.

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Mike Martin

Florida State Seminoles (47-18)
Head Coach: Mike Martin  (31st season)

20…College World Series appearances by the FSU-the fifth most all-time appearances by a school.

2,570…Florida State baseball games head coach Mike Martin has been involved in as a player, assistant and head coach.  Martin has been involved in nearly 75% of the 2,526 wins in the history of Florida State baseball.

15 & 68…Team leading home runs and RBIs by Mike McGee, who is also batting .328.

12…Team leading saves by McGee, which is tied for 10th in the nation.  The junior, who doubles as the team’s closer, is 4-0 on the mound with a 1.37 ERA.

0…Complete games by the FSU pitching staff.  The Seminoles join Arizona State as the only two CWS pitching staffs without a CG this season.

15…Out of 15 FSU pitchers who have made at least one relief appearance during the season.

255…Walks issued by the Seminole staff-the most of any of the teams in Omaha.

30…Team best stolen bases by Tyler Holt, who is also batting a team best .352 and leads the ‘Noles with 82 runs scored.

ANALYSIS: As usual, Mike Martin’s Seminoles have a team that can hit, but there are questions with their pitching depth.  Sean Gilmartin was knocked-out early in FSU’s Super Regional opener against Vanderbilt and then had to come back out of the bullpen to help win game three.  A win over TCU and freshman ace Matt Purke in the opener would be huge.

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John Savage

UCLA Bruins (48-14)
Head Coach: John Savage  (6th season)

3…College World Series appearances by the Bruins.  This is their first since 1997.

48…School record wins this season.

#6…National seed of the Bruins, which are one of just three national seeds to make it to Omaha.

22…School record wins to open the season by UCLA.  The Bruins first setback was an 8-4 loss to Stanford on April 3rd.

2.94 & .218…Team ERA and opponent batting average of the Bruin pitching staff.  The ERA is the second best in the nation (behind Texas).

639…NCAA leading strikeouts fired by the UCLA pitching staff.

396…Of the strikeouts that have been recorded by weekend starters Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer and Rob Rasmussen.  The trio is also a combined 31-8 this season.

11…Wins this season by Rasmussen.  The junior has the most wins by a Bruin hurler since Jim Parque set the school record with 13 on the team’s 1997 CWS team.

1…Career complete game Rasmussen has tossed.  It came in Sunday’s Super Regional clincher vs. Cal State Fullerton.

.464 & .401…Team slugging percentage and on-base percentage.  The slugging percentage is the lowest in the CWS field, while the on-base percentage is tied for the second lowest with Oklahoma.

0…Double digit home run hitters for UCLA.  They’re the only such CWS team this year.

.328-7-45…Batting average, HR and RBIs by Tyler Rahmatulla, who started 61 of UCLA’s 62 games this season as their primary 3-hole hitter.  The sophomore will miss the CWS after breaking his wrist in the Bruins’ Super Regional celebration dog pile.

ANALYSIS: As evidenced by the strikeout total UCLA is built on not just pitching, but power arms and that’s what usually gets it done in the post season (although not for Texas last week).  The Bruin pitchers aren’t just strong-armed, they’re confident as well.  UCLA must overcome the loss of Rahmatulla, who emerged early as one of their top run producers.  A team that doesn’t have a lot of offense to begin with can’t afford to lose what offense it has.

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Kevin O'Sullivan

Florida Gators (47-15)
Head Coach:  Kevin O’Sullivan  (3rd season)

6…College World Series appearances by the Gators.  This is their first trip to Omaha since finishing as the national runner-up in 2005.

3…Years as a head coach by Gator boss Kevin O’Sullivan.  He made trips to the CWS as a Clemson assistant in 2000, 2002 and 2006.

3…National seed of the Gators, making the first round Florida vs. UCLA game the only one to feature two national seeds.

6.9…Runs a game scored by Florida-the lowest of the eight teams in the field in Omaha.

.381…On-base percentage by the Gators-the lowest of the eight CWS competitors.

1…Complete game this season by the Florida pitching staff.  Alex Panteliodis got it last week when he struck out 12 in Florida’s 7-2 win over Miami in the Super Regional opener.

11…Saves by Kevin Chapman, who has made a staff high 30 appearances while holding opposing batters to a .183 average.

6…Florida position players who have started at least 25 games who are either freshmen or sophomores.

2…Freshmen, Brian Johnson (6-4) and Hudson Randall (8-3), who join the sophomore Panteliodis (11-2) in the weekend pitching rotation.

3.97 & .413…Johnson’s ERA and batting average this season.  The freshman has started 14 times on the mound as well as 26 games in the Gator line-up.

17 & 70…Team leading home runs and RBIs by freshman Austin Maddox, who has started 61 of his team’s 62 games this season.

.358 & 23…Team high batting average and stolen bases by Matt den Dekker, who is one of a handful of seniors on the team.  He has also hit 13 home runs and has scored a team best 64 runs.

.978…Team fielding percentage-the best of the eight CWS teams and 6th best in the nation.

ANALYSIS: The Gators don’t do anything particularly flashy, they are just good across the board and they find a way to win.  They’re battled tested with big SEC series wins, including the regular season finale vs. fellow CWS team South Carolina.   There’s a possible Omaha awe factor as well for the young Gators.

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CWS Bracket Two

Team	Record	Conf.	BA	Runs/ Game	HR	Slg%	OBP	SB-Att.	Fld%	ERA	CG	SV	K	BB	Opp. BA
South Carolina	48-15	SEC	.302	7.3	90	.493	.396	45-66	.975	3.61	4	16	568	208	.230
Arizona St.	52-8	Pac 10	.338	8.5	68	.539	.436	134-176	.976	3.14	0	23	537	160	.239
Clemson	43-23	ACC	.310	8.8	93	.500	.407	122-146	.963	4.72	1	12	460	213	.280
Oklahoma	49-16	Big 12	.312	7.9	100	.523	.401	95-126	.976	3.79	2	16	562	207	.257

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Tim Esmay

Arizona State Sun Devils (52-8)
Head Coach: Tim Esmay  (1st season)

#1…National seed.  The Sun Devils are one of just three national seed (along with UCLA and Florida) to make it to Omaha this year.

22…College World Series appearances by ASU-the third most all-time behind Texas (33) and Miami (23)

24…Consecutive wins by ASU to open the season.  They suffered their first loss on April 2nd with a 6-5 setback to Oregon in 12 innings.

134…Stolen bases by the Sun Devils-the most of any CWS team.  Drew Maggi leads ASU with 35 swipes.

14…NCAA leading triples hit by Pac 10 Player of the Year Zack MacPhee, who also leads the Sun Devils with a .679 slugging percentage.  MacPhee’s .394 batting average is second only to Riccio Torrez’s .399 avg.

33-3…Combined record of starting pitchers Merrill Kelly, Jake Borup and Pac 10 Pitcher of the Year Seth Blair.

7-2…The trios ASU record last year, with all the decisions courtesy of Blair.  Kelly is in his first year at ASU after transferring from Yavapai CC, while Borup made just eight appearances last year as a freshman.

0…Innings pitched this year by Josh Spence due to an elbow injury.  Spence was 10-1 with a 2.37 ERA for last year’s CWS team.  He was drafted in the third round of last year’s MLB draft by the Angels, but chose to return to ASU for his senior season.

0…Complete games by the ASU pitching staff.  They join Florida State as the only two staffs in Omaha without a CG this year.

23…Saves by Sun Devil pitchers-the most of any CWS team this season.  Jordan Swaggerty leads the way with 14, which is tied for the third most in the nation.

.239…Opponent batting average by the Sun Devil staff.  The mark is second only to UCLA’s CWS leading .219.

ANALYSIS: Arizona State brought plenty of confident teams to Omaha under former head coach Pat Murphy, but never brought home the big prize.  Under Tim Esmay the Sun Devils enter the CWS this year in circumstances similar to last year’s Cal State Fullerton team that was 5-0 in Regionals and Super Regionals, but went 0-2 in Omaha.  ASU still has the same swagger under Esmay as they head under Murphy, but can they finally go the distance with it?

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Jack Leggett

Clemson Tigers (43-23)
Head Coach: Jack Leggett  (17th season)

12…College World Series appearances by Clemson – the 11th most all-time appearances by a team.

43…Wins by the Tigers – the fewest of the eight CWS teams.

23…Clemson losses – the most of the field in Omaha.

20 & 20…Touchdown passes thrown and home runs hit by quarterback/outfielder Kyle Parker, who is the first such 20/20 two-sport athlete in Division One history.  The Colorado Rockies took Parker with the 26th pick in the first round of this year’s MLB draft.

4.72…Team ERA – the highest of this year’s CWS teams.

.280…Opponent batting average, which is also the highest of the eight pitching staffs in Omaha.

8.8…Runs a game scored by the Tigers, making them the highest scoring offense in Omaha this year.

17 & 23…Home runs hit and stolen bases by 3B John Hinson, who is also batting .345 with 72 RBIs.

15 & 85…Home runs and RBIs by OF Jeff Schaus, whose RBI total ranks fifth in the nation and is the most of any player at the College World Series.

7-2…Alex Frederick’s record on the mound.  The reliever has made just one start with a team high 30 appearances and is tied with starter Casey Harman (7-3) for the second most wins on the Tiger staff.

1…Complete game (tossed by Harman) by the Clemson pitching staff.

5…Tigers relievers, incuding Frederick, who have made at least 20 appearances this season.  Harman and Scott Weismann (8-2) have each made 17 starts and are the only Clemson pitchers without a relief appearance in 2010.

ANALYSIS: The Tigers hit and then hit some more, as evidenced by their 31 runs in their three Super Regional games vs. Alabama.  They scored at least 10 runs in a game 25 times this season, but how will they fair in their first round match-up against an Arizona State team that pitches, hits and plays defense?  ASU is going to put it in play and Clemson’s defense also ranks just 135th in the nation.

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Sunny Golloway

Oklahoma Sooners (49-16)
Head Coach: Sunny Golloway  (6th season)

10…College World Series appearances by the Sooners, who haven’t been to Omaha since 1995.  OU won the 1994 National Championship.

100…Home runs hit this season by Oklahoma – the most by any of the eight CWS teams and good for eighth in the nation.

65…Sac bunts by the Sooners, which is also the most by any of the eight CWS teams and good for seventh in the nation.

4…Home runs hit in OU’s two Super Regional wins over Virginia by Cody Reine.  The OF was 5-for-8 with 11 RBIs in the game two and three victories.  Five of his 10 HR this year have come in NCAA play.

95…Stolen bases by Oklahoma.  With five more swipes OU would join Coastal Carolina and Miami as the only three teams with at least 100 HR and 100 SB this season.

2…Straight wins by Oklahoma to close their Super Regional series after losing 3-2 to Virginia in the opener.  The Cavaliers hadn’t lost back to back games all season.

0…Runs allowed by the Sooners in their 11-0 Super Regional clinching win over UVA.  It’s their first shutout in NCAA play since 1992.

.371/16/64…Team best batting average, home runs and RBIs by Garrett Buechelle.  The sophomore is the son of 11-year MLB veteran Steve Buechelle.

.311/15/52…Batting average, home runs and RBIs by Cameron Seitzer.  The sophomore is the son of 12-year MLB veteran Kevin Seitzer.

.976…Team fielding percentage – tied with Arizona State for the second best fielding rate at the CWS.

5-0…Record of pitcher Jack Mayfield.  The freshman has made just three starts with 13 relief outings, but he has one of the pitching staff’s three complete games this year.

7 & 5…Wins and saves by Jeremy Erben, who leads the Sooners with 31 appearances, including 29 in relief.  Erben’s saves are second to Ryan Duke, who leads the team with 11.

540…Miles from OU’s campus in Norman, OK to Omaha, NE.  The number has been posted in the Sooner’s dugout all season.

ANALYSIS: Oklahoma took a page out of Virginia’s own book when it went on the road to beat the Cavs in last week’s Super Regional (as UVA did last year at Ole Miss).  The first round match-up vs. South Carolina’s Blake Cooper (see below) is an intriguing one.  Despite the big offensive numbers the Sooners have put-up this year they were shutout twice and scored just three runs in three games against the best pitchers they’ve seen so far: Texas.

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Ray Tanner

South Carolina Gamecocks (48-15)
Head Coach: Ray Tanner  (14th season)

9…College World Series appearances by the Gamecocks.  Their last appearance was in 2004.

3…Times (including this year) that South Carolina made it to Omaha in the same year as intrastate rival Clemson.  The two also appeared together at the CWS in 2002 and 1977.

2-0…South Carolina’s record vs. Clemson at the ’02 CWS – the only games between the two teams in Omaha.

12…Home runs hit and stolen bases by Whit Merrifield.  The junior leads his team in both categories and he’s the only Gamecock with double digit home runs and stolen bases.

13 & 70…Sacrifice bunts and runs scored by Merrifield - both tops in the SEC.

9…South Carolina players who have hit at least seven home runs and driven-in at least 28 runs in 2010.

15 & 52…Team leading doubles and RBIs by Adrian Morales.  The junior is batting .286.

.371…Team high batting average of Jackie Bradley, Jr., who had 51 RBIs entering the CWS.

12 & 118 1/3…Wins and innings pitched by Gamecock ace Blake Cooper, who leads the SEC in both departments.  The senior (12-1, 2.81 ERA) suffered his only loss of the season in his last start of the regular season to SEC regular season champion Florida.

4…Complete games pitched by the SC pitching staff – the most of the eight CWS teams.  Sam Dyson (5-5, 4.39 ERA) has tossed three of them, while Cooper has the other.

91…Combined relief appearances by Michael Roth (1-1, 1.50, 3 SV), Matt Price (3-1, 2.54, 10 SV) and Jose Mata (7-1, 2.34).  Roth is second in the SEC with 33 appearances, while Mata’s 31 are tied for third.

568…Strikeouts by the Gamecock pitching staff.  The total ranks third in the nation and is second only to UCLA’s 619 of the teams in Omaha.

ANALYSIS: Like SEC rival Florida, South Carolina is a team that lacks a lot of flash, but just gets it done.  Cooper is a bulldog who has gone up against the top pitchers in the SEC and lost just once all season.  While none of the other starters approach his production, the bullpen is deep enough to make the Gamecocks a legit threat.  Their Sunday match-up with OU could be the best of the four first round games.

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Here’s a look at the official Division One NCAA baseball statistics leaders in selected categories.

Tom Clayton

BATTING AVERAGE

1.  Tom Clayton-Youngstown State  .474

2.  Sean Allaire-Central Connecticut St.  .473

3.  Effrey Valdez-New York Tech  .472

4.  Jonathon Kaskow-Stanford  .462

5.  Phil Cerreto-Longwood  .457

6.  Joe Leonard-Pittsburgh  .455

7.  Gary Brown-Cal State Fullerton  .454

7.  Kevin Tokarski-Illinois State  .454

9.  Paul Hoilman-East Tennessee St.  .452

10.  Casey Jones-Southeast Missouri St.  .449

Jordan Ribera

HOME RUNS

1.  Jordan Ribera-Fresno State  20

2.  Jacob Tanis-Mercer  19

3.  A.J. Kirby-Jones-Tennessee Tech  18

4.  J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  17

4.  Alex Dickerson-Indiana  17

6.  Jordan Ballard-VMI  16

Chris Duffy-Central Florida  16

Paul Hoilman-East Tennessee St.  16

Matt Leeds-College of Charleston  16

Justin Miller-Middle Tennessee St.  16

Peter O’Brien-Bethune-Cookman  16

Dan Paolini-Siena  16

Kyle Parker-Clemson  16

Nate Woods-Belmont  16

Jacob Tanis

RBIs

1.  Jacob Tanis-Mercer  71

2.  Mac Doyle-Wofford  63

3.  Drew Lee-Morehead St.  62

3.  Matt Leeds-College of Charleston  62

3.  Jake Overstreet-South Alabama  62

3.  Greg Wallace-Evansville  62

7.  Nate Woods-Belmont  61

8.  Chris Duffy-Central Florida  60

8.  Connor Powers-Mississippi St.  60

10.  Danny Brock-St. Louis  58

Justin Miller-Middle Tennessee St.  58

Anthony Ottrando-Eastern Kentucky  58

Brandon Williams-Georgia State  58

Taylor Dugas

ON-BASE PERCENTAGE

1.  Taylor Dugas-Alabama  .575

2.  Nate Roberts-High Point  .573

3.  Michael Choice-UT Arlington  .571

4.  Kevin Tokarski-Illinois St.  .570

5.  Effrey Valdez-New York Tech  .561

6.  Jonathon Kaskow-Stanford  .551

7.  J.D. Ashbrook-Moorehead St.  .548

7.  Yasmani Grandal-Miami (FL)  .548

9.  Paul Hoilman-East Tennessee St.  .542

9.  Shane Brown-Central Florida  .542

Paul Hoilman

SLUGGING PERCENTAGE

1.  Paul Hoilman-East Tennessee St.  .890

2.  Mac Doyle-Wofford  .876

3.  A.J. Kirby-Jones-Tennessee Tech  .854

4.  Chris Duffy-Central Florida  .836

5.  J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  .834

6.  Rob Segedin-Tulane  .830

7.  Phil Cerreto-Longwood  .829

8.  Wes Cunningham-Murray St.  .827

9.  Dan Scheffler-Florida Atlantic  .825

10.  Jayson Langfels-Eastern Kentucky  .818

Nate Roberts

RUNS

1.  Nate Roberts-High Point  65

2.  J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  62

3,  Ryan Aguayo-New Mexico St.  61

3.  Dallas Poulk-North Carolina St.  61

5.  Jeff Rowland-Georgia Tech  59

6.  Tyler Holt-Florida St.  58

7.  Wes Cunningham-Murray St.  57

8.  Jared Andreoli-Western Kentucky  56

8.  Mark Micowski-Georgia St.  56

8.  Jonathon Ross-Savannah St.  56

TEAM BATTING AVERAGE

1.  Georgia State  .375

2.  Pittsburgh  .369

3.  Utah Valley  .361

4.  Southeast Missouri St.  .357

5.  New Mexico St.  .356

6.  New Mexico  .350

7.  Auburn  .349

8.  Central Connecticut St.  .347

9.  Arizona  .346

10.  Dallas Baptist  .345

Corey Baker

WINS

1.  Corey Baker-Pittsburgh  (9-1)

1.  Cole Green-Texas  (9-0)

1.  D.D. Hanks-South Alabama  (9-2)

1.  Alex Wimmers-Ohio St.  (9-0)

5.  Jake Borup-Arizona St.  (8-1)

Blake Cooper-South Carolina  (8-0)

Justin Jones-California  (8-3)

Merrill Kelly-Arizona St.  (8-0)

Anthony Meo-Coastal Carolina  (8-1)

Shawn Teufel-Liberty  (8-1)

Asher Wojciechowski-The Citadel  (8-1)

Brandon Workman-Texas  (8-1)

* 25 pitchers are tied for 13th with seven wins

Chance Ruffin

ERA

Minimum 40 IP & Pitchers must have 1.0 IP for every game played by team

1.  Chance Ruffin-Texas  0.88

2.  John Stilson-Texas A&M  1.17

3.  Adam Izokovic-Gardner-Webb  1.43

4.  Nathan Forer-Southern Illinois  1.48

4.  Nathan Kilcrease-Alabama  1.48

6.  Alex Wimmers-Ohio St.  1.61

7.  Josh Slaats-Hawaii  1.71

8.  Chase Whitley-Troy  1.74

9.  Anthony Meo-Coastal Carolina  1.79

10.  Cole Green-Texas  1.82

Asher Wojciechowski

STRIKEOUTS

1.  Asher Wojciechowski-The Citadel  98

2.  Drew Pomeranz-Mississippi  93

2.  Chris Sale-Florida Gulf Coast  93

4.  Josh Smith-Lipscomb  89

5.  Barret Loux-Texas A&M  88

6.  Taylor Jungmann-Texas  87

7.  Gerrit Cole-UCLA  86

8.  Trevor Bauer-UCLA  85

9.  Daniel Bibona-UC Irvine  84

10.  Eric Cantrell-George Washington  83

10.  Luke Irvine-Northwestern St.  83

10.  Jason Mitchell-UT Arlington  83

Chris Patterson

SAVES

1.  Kevin Arico-Virginia  13

1.  Chris Patterson-Appalachian St.  13

3.  Matty Ott-LSU  11

4.  Ryan Duke-Oklahama  10

Neil Holland-Louisville  10

Kevin McKague-Army  10

Jordan Swagerty-Arizona St.  10

8.  Andrew Burkett-Cincinnati  9

Lenny Linsky-Hawaii  9

Andy Mee-Florida Atlantic  9

Brooks Pinckard-Baylor  9

Chance Ruffin-Texas  9

Chad Sheppard-Northwestern St.  9

TEAM ERA

1.  Texas  2.30

2.  UCLA  2.80

3.  Coastal Carolina  3.02

4.  Oregon  3.14

5.  Arizona State  3.21

6.  Vanderbilt  3.29

7.  South Carolina  3.31

8.  Portland  3.39

9.  Louisiana-Lafayette  3.47

10.  Connecticut  3.56

10.  TCU  3.56

Here’s a look at the official Division One NCAA baseball statistics leaders in selected categories.

Carlos Alonso

BATTING AVERAGE

Minimum 3.0 Plate Appearances Per Game & Min. 80 Plate Appearances

1. Carlos Alonso-Delaware  .466

2. Kevin Tokarski-Illinois St.  .465

3. Anthony Gomez-Vanderbilt  .462

4. Phil Cerreto-Longwood  .461

5. J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  .460

6. Justin Frane-Valparaiso  .459

7. Jonathon Kaskow-Stanford  .455

8. Jerrud Sabourin-Indiana  .454

9. Effrey Valdez-NY Tech  .453

10. Chris Benson-Utah Valley  .449

A.J. Kirby-Jones

HOME RUNS

1. A-J Kirby-Jones-Tennessee Tech  18

1. Jacob Tanis-Mercer  18

3. J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  17

4. Jordan Ballard-VMI  16

4. Alex Dickerson-Indiana  16

4. Matt Leeds-College of Charleston  16

4. Peter O’Brien-Bethune-Cookman  16

4. Nate Woods-Belmont  16

9. Pat Biserta-Rutgers  15

9. Drew Lee-Morehead St.  15

9. Jordan Ribera-Fresno St.  15

9. Mike Sodders-New Mexico St.  15

(7 tied with 14)

J.D. Ashbrook

RUNS

1. J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  62

2. Dallas Poulk-NC State 57

3. Ryan Aguayo-New Mexico St.  56

3. Nate Roberts-High Point  56

5. Wes Cunningham-Murray State  54

5. Tyler Holt-Florida St.  54

5. Jeff Rowland-Georgia Tech  54

8. Danny Lopez-Pittsburgh  51

8. Cory Spangenberg-VMI  51

8. Jacob Tanis-Mercer  51

Jacob Tanis

RBIs

1.  Jacob Tanis-Mercer  68

2.  Drew Lee-Morehead St.  61

3.  Nate Woods-Belmont  59

4.  Jake Overstreet-South Alabama  58

5.  Matt Leeds-College of Charleston  57

6.  Chris Duffy-Central Florida  55

6.  A.J. Kirby-Jones-Tennessee Tech 55

8.  Dexter Kelley-Savannah St.  54

8.  Brandon Williams-Georgia St.  54

10. Danny Brock-St. Louis  53

10.  Tyler Huelsing-Memphis  53

10.  Connor Powers-Mississippi St.  53

Mac Doyle

SLUGGING PERCENTAGE

1.  A.J. Kirby-Jones-Tennessee Tech  .899

2.  Mac Doyle-Wofford  .874

3.  J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  .867

4.  Jacke Healey-Youngstown St.  .860

5.  Paul Hoilman-East Tennessee St.  .859

6.  Chace Perkins-New Mexico St.  .853

7.  Chris Duffy-Central Florida  .847

8.  Wes Cunningham-Murray St.  .846

9.  Ryan Fleming-Georgia St.  .838

10.  Dan Scheffler-Florida Atlantic  .837

Kevin Tokarski

ON-BASE PERCENTAGE

1.  Kevin Tokarski-Illinois St.  .576

2.  Taylor Dugas-Alabama  .572

3.  Nate Roberts-High Point  .564

4.  Michael Choice-UT Arlington  .563

5.  J.D. Ashbrook-Morehead St.  .561

6.  Curtis Wilson-Southern  .556

7.  Chad Salem-Manhattan  .554

7.  Kyle Roller-East Carolina  .554

9.  Brian Harris-Vanderbilt  .552

10.  Anthony Rendon-Rice  .547

TEAM BATTING AVERAGE

1.  Georgia State  .378

2.  Pittsburgh  .370

3.  New Mexico St.  .367

4.  Arizona  .355

5.  Southeast Missouri St.  .354

5.  VMI  .354

7.  Utah Valley  .352

8.  Dallas Baptist  .348

9.  Auburn  .346

9.  New Mexico  .346

D.D. Hanks

WINS

These seven pitchers are tied with eight wins

Corey Baker-Pittsburgh

Cole Green-Texas

D.D. Hanks-South Alabama

Justin Jones-Cal

Merrill Kelly-Arizona State

Alex Wimmers-Ohio State

Asher Wojciechowski-The Citadel

These 16 pitchers are tied with seven wins

Matt Andress-Appalachian State

Matt Barnes-UConn

Jake Borup-Arizona State

Blake Cooper-South Carolina

Quintavious Drains-Jackson State

Brandon Efferson-Southeastern Louisiana

Kyle Hunter-Kansas State

Kyle Kraus-Portland

Keegan Linza-Liberty

Anthony Meo-Coastal Carolina

Matt Ridings-Western Kentucky

Thomas Royse-Louisville

Josh Smith-Lipscomb

Shawn Teufel-Liberty

Brandon Workman-Texas

Chance Ruffin

ERA

Minimum 35 IP & 1 IP for every game played by team

1.  Chance Ruffin-Texas  0.95

2.  John Stilson-Texas A&M  1.17

3.  Drew Leininger-Indiana  1.20

4.  Nathan Forer-Southern Illinois  1.23

5.  Drew Pomeranz-Mississippi  1.38

6.  Nathan Kilcrease-Alabama  1.46

7.  Neil Holland-Louisville  1.50

8.  Alex Wimmers-1.71

9.  Adam Izokovic-Gardner-Webb  1.75

10.  Garrett Claypool-UCLA  1.85

Kevin Arico

SAVES

1.  Kevin Arico-Virginia  12

2.  Matty Ott-LSU  11

2.  Chris Patterson-Appalachian St.  11

4.  Ryan Duke-Oklahoma  10

4.  Jordan Swaggerty-Arizona St.  10

6.  Kevin McKague-Army  9

6.  Brooks Pinckard-Baylor  9

6.  Chance Ruffin-Texas  9

9.  Andrew Burkett-Cincinnati  8

9.  Adam Conley-Washington St.  8

9.  Chris Dennis-Portland  8

9.  Tom Heithoff-Evansville  8

9.  Neil Holland-Louisville  8

9.  Ryne Purcell-Eastern Kentucky  8

9.  Chad Sheppard-Northwestern St.  8

Drew Pomeranz

STRIKEOUTS

1.  Drew Pomeranz-Mississippi  90

2.  Asher Wojciechowski-The Citadel  86

3.  Josh Smith-Lipscomb  80

4.  Taylor Jungmann-Texas  79

5.  Barret Loux-Texas A&M  78

5.  Chris Sale-Florida Gulf Coast  78

7.  Daniel Bibona-UC Irvine  76

7.  Gerrit Cole-UCLA  76

7.  Danny Hultzen-Virginia  76

10. Eric Cantrell-George Washington  75

TEAM ERA

1.  Texas  2.41

2.  UCLA  2.44

3.  Oregon  2.92

4.  Arizona State  3.06

4.  Vanderbilt  3.06

6.  Coastal Carolina  3.18

7.  South Carolina  3.27

8.  TCU  3.35

9.  Connecticut  3.37

10.  Portland  3.39

Stats through games as of 4/18/10

Virginia’s Arico, LSU’s Ott Headline List

Kevin Arico

Leading the elite field with a nation-best 11 saves is Virginia’s Kevin Arico.  The junior right-hander owns a 2.37 ERA and had registered 27 strikeouts in 19.0 innings pitched.

Also included on this year’s midseason watch list is 2009 finalist Matty Ott of LSU (0-0, 2.70), who ranks second in the nation with 10 saves. Last year, Ott, the 2009 SEC Freshman of the Year, set a new high for the most single-season saves in LSU history with 16 and carried his team to a national championship. Oklahoma’s Ryan Duke (0-1, 1.59) and Appalachian State’s Chris Patterson (2-1, 0.77) each hold 10 saves apiece, tying them for second in the country with Ott.

Matty Ott

The Big 12 Conference leads the way with six players named to the midseason watch list. The ACC, Pac-10, SEC and Southland Conference have four pitchers each on this year’s watch list, while the Big East Conference is represented by three players.  In all, 20 conferences are showcased in this year’s midseason watch list.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, June 2, prior to start of NCAA regional tournament competition.  The NCBWA’s All-America Committee then will select the winner, with this year’s recipient to be announced on the opening day of the College World Series on June 19.

Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the Year Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor in 2006, Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in 2007, Georgia’s Joshua Fields topping the field in 2008 and San Diego State’s Addison Reed grabbing the honor last season (Reed was on the Preseason watch list, but is now in SDSU’s starting rotation).

The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation’s top player. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I and III Players of the Week, Division I District Players of the Year and Division III Players of the Year.

2010 NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Pitcher-School-Year
James Allen Kansas State So.
Kevin Arico Virginia Jr.
Billy Barber Richmond Jr.
DJ Baxendale Arkansas Fr.
Lance Baxter South Alabama Sr.
Brett Bochy Kansas Jr.
Russell Brewer Vanderbilt Jr.
Andrew Burkett Cincinnati Sr.
Garret Carruth Texas State Sr.
Kevin Chapman Florida Jr.
Adam Cimber Washington Fr.
Adam Conley Washington State So.
Rye Davis Western Kentucky So.
Ryan Duke Oklahoma Jr.
Austin Fleet Coastal Carolina Fr.
Chris Franklin Southeastern Louisiana Sr.
Tyler Gebler Rutgers Fr.
Dan Gentzler Maryland Jr.
David Gutierrez Miami (Fla.) Sr.
Matt Hauser San Diego Sr.
Tom Heithoff Evansville Sr.
Neil Holland Louisville Jr.
Jon Ivie Belmont Jr.
Josh Janway Southeastern Louisiana So.
Chris Kaminski Jacksonville Jr.
Dan Klein UCLA So.
Ben Rowen Virginia Tech Sr.
Patrick Lawson Charlotte Sr.
Drew Mahaffey Citadel Jr.
Kevin McKague Army Jr.
David McKnight BYU Jr.
Kevin Munson James Madison Jr.
Kyle Necke UC Irvine Sr.
Matty Ott LSU So.
Chris Patterson Appalachian State Sr.
Brooks Pinckard Baylor So.
Nick Pepitone Tulane Jr.
Ryne Purcell Eastern Kentucky Jr.
Chance Ruffin Texas Jr.
Gera Sanchez New Mexico So.
Chad Sheppard Northwestern State So.
Seth Simmons East Carolina Jr.
John Soldinger Manhattan Fr.
John Stilson Texas A&M So.
Jordan Swagerty Arizona State So.
— NCBWA –

MWC Looks To Have Tight Race In 2010

2009 Regular Season Champion:  TCU

2009 Tournament Champion:  Utah beat San Diego State 9-3 in the championship game.

Last season proved to be an historic one for Mountain West Conference baseball.  For the first time ever the conference received three bids to the NCAA Tournament when Utah, San Diego State and TCU were all tabbed.  Utah was the #6 seed at the conference tournament and earned its berth after first eliminating TCU and then beating the Aztecs in the title game.  San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg also became the first MWC player ever taken with the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft when he was picked by the Washington Nationals last June.

2010 Mountain West Conference Preview

Air Force

2009 Record:  (14-37, 3-18)

Mascot:  Falcons

Head Coach:  Mike Hutcheon

Location:  U.S. Air Force Academy/Colorado Springs, CO

Vitals:  .291 BA, 57 HR, 68 SB, .365 OBP, .955 Fld%…8.34 ERA, 3 CG, 9 SV, 253 K, 153 BB, .369 opp. BA

Matt Alexander

Big Stick:  Senior DH/1B Matt Alexander (.383, 15 HR, 65 RBIs) was one of the top hitters in the MWC in 2009, and he’s back to lead the Falcons this season.  The preseason All-American was the conference RBI leader last year, while finishing second with his 15 HR and .710 slugging percentage.  He was also one of 16 semi-finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy.

Supporting Cast:  Fellow Senior Addison Gentry (.347, 9 HR, 40 RBIs, .575 slg%) provides protection in the order with some pop of his own.  Outfielders Ben Ausbun (.301, 6 HR) and Nathan Carter (7 HR, 15 SB) return as well.

Pitching Turnover:  The Falcons lose 8 of the 13 pitchers who toed the rubber in 2009, including team saves leader Aaron Kurcz (3-4, 7 SV).  Jake Petro and Casey Allen, who started 8 and 9 games, respectively, are also gone.  Senior RHP Alex Truesdale (2-9, 7.04 ERA), who had two of the staff’s complete games, is the top returnee.

Anchors Away:  Air Force plays a 3-game series vs. Navy in Savannah, GA Feb. 26-28.

BYU

2009 Record:  (30-24, 14-8)

Mascot:  Cougars

Head Coach:  Vance Law

Location:  Provo, UT

Vitals:  .310 BA, 57 HR, 98 SB, .388 OBP, .956 Fld%…5.45 ERA, 4 CG, 15 SV, 331 K, 239 BB, .295 opp. BA

BYU Bootcamp:  Members of the BYU baseball team were put through a two-day “boot camp” last fall by two Army Captains.  The 39 Cougars were taught the concepts of relying on each other through a series of drills and exercises designed to create better team unity.  The  players ate just a hard boiled egg and a hot dog on the first day of camp and then shared two granola bars and two packs of M & M’s on day two.  BYU coaches went through a similar two-day camp last August.

Line-Up Turnover:  BYU loses five players who each started at least 49 of 54 games last season.  Included in that group are Kent Walton (.377, 9 HR), Steve Parker (.361, 9 HR) and Stetson Banks (.348, 23 SB).  Walton and Parker were both drafted by the Oakland A’s, while Banks was selected by the L.A. Dodgers.  Senior OF Sean McNaughton (.290, 10 HR, 32 RBIs) is the team’s top returning overall hitter.

Perplexing Pitching:  Senior RHP Blake Torgerson (6-3, 5.66 ERA) is the only returnee of BYU’s top five pitchers from last season.  Marc Oslund (7-1, 2.49 ERA)  is serving a Church mission in North Carolina, starter Adam Miller (3-3, 4.04 ERA) is serving on mission in Mexico and Jeremy Toole (5-5, 5.77 ERA) was drafted by the San Francisco Giants.

The Family Law:  Senior 2B Andrew Law (.259, 18 SB) is the son of head coach Vance Law, who played both baseball & basketball at BYU before playing 10 Major League seasons for five teams.  The younger Law is the grandson of 1960 Cy Young winner Vernon Law (Pirates).  His brother, Tim, played baseball at BYU, and his uncles also played both baseball and basketball for the Cougars.

New Mexico

2009 Record:  (37-20, 15-8)

Mascot:  Lobos

Head Coach:  Ray Birmingham

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Vitals:  .363 BA, 51 HR, 74 SB, .432 OBP, .976 Fld%…5.26 ERA, 1 CG, 12 SV, 394 K, 217 BB, .292 opp. BA

Rafael Neda

Rare Air:  New Mexico led the nation with its .363 team batting average and 47 triples in 2009.

Lobo Line-Up Lowdown:  Four Lobos hit above .400 last year and two of them, catcher Rafael Neda (.415, 7 HR, 49 RBIs, .629 slg%) and OF Ryan Honeycutt (.406, 6 HR, 53 RBIs), are back to lead the offense in 2010.  2009 MWC Player of the Year Mike Brownstein (.414, 11 triples, .611 slg%, 20 SB) and Kevin Atkinson (.400, 61 RBIs)  are both departed, as is Brian Cavazos-Galvez (.392, 15 HR, .737 slg%).   Australian Adam Courcha (.313, 30 starts) will assume a bigger role this year, as will Max Willett (.355, 46 RBIs, 12 SB)  and Justin Howard (.309, 6 HR, 41 RBIs).

Pitching Turnover:  Departed Friday starter John Hesketh (6-4, 3.45 ERA, 15 starts) was the only Lobo to make 10 or more starts last year, and closer Cole White (3-2, 2.33 ERA, 4 SV) is gone as well.  Reliever Gabe Aguilar (2-1, 1.98 ERA), who had the team’s best ERA as a freshman, will bolster the bullpen.  Rudy Jamarillo (4-2, 5.73 ERA) and Willy Kesler are expected to lead the weekend rotation, while hard throwing junior college transfers Mike Lachapelle (90 mph fastball) and Zach Cleveland (95 mph fastball) will look to make impacts as well.

Bring It On:  New Mexico’s only NCAA Tournament appearance was in 1962, but the lack of NCAA bids hasn’t kept Ray Birmingham from challenging his team.  The Lobos open the season with a 3-game series at 2009 College World Series runner-up Texas.  They play a 3-game set at USC March 5-7, two games at Arizona March 23 & 24 and two games at 2009 CWS team Arkansas in April.

San Diego State

2009 Record:  (41-24, 15-9)

Mascot:  Aztecs

Head Coach:  Tony Gwynn

Location:  San Diego, CA

Vitals:  .291 BA, 47 HR, 53 SB, .379 OBP, .974 Fld%…4.04 ERA, 4 CG, 24 SV, 571 K, 165 K, .264 opp. BA

Addison Reed

Big Season:  San Diego State’s NCAA Regional berth last year was the program’s first since 1991.  Aztec head coach Tony Gwynn was still in the middle of his Hall of Fame MLB career in ’91, while Stephen Strasburg was not quite 3 years old.  The 2009 Aztecs set a program record with their .974 fielding percentage.  SDSU was 1-2 at the Irvine Regional with losses to Virginia and Irvine.  It’s only win eliminated defending national champion Fresno State.

Big Shoes To Fill:  Strasburg (13-1, 1.32 ERA, 195 K) famously became the number one overall pick by the Washington Nationals in last year’s MLB Draft.  His ERA and strikeouts led the NCAA.  While he was the centerpiece of the Aztec pitching staff, he is not the only loss the staff has to overcome…

Depleted Pitching:  Fellow Starters Tyler Lavigne (8-2, 3.05 ERA) and Jon Berger (4-5, 5.83 ERA) are gone as well.  Those two and Strasburg combined for 26 of the team’s 41 wins, 353 of 571 strikeouts and all four of the staff’s complete games last season.  Closer Addison Reed (0.65 ERA, 20 SV) returns to lead the staff, but it will be up to a new set of faces to give him the save opportunities he had last year.

The Line-Up:  The Aztecs lose team triple crown winner Erik Castro (.382, 11 HR, 56), but return Cory Vaughn (.326, 10 HR, 51 RBIs) who finished second to Castro in the three key stats, while leading the team with 15 stolen bases.   Mitch Blackburn (.312), Pat Colwell (.300) and Ryan O’Sullivan are among other top returnees.  O’Sullivan hit 6 home runs and also won four games in 11 starts on the mound as a freshman.

Early Test:  SDSU opens the season by hosting a four-game series vs. 2009 NCAA Regional host Oklahoma.  OU closer Ryan Duke and Addison Reed are both on the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List.

TCU

2009 Record:  (40-18, 15-5)

Mascot:  Horned Frogs

Head Coach:  Jim Schlossnagle

Location:  Ft. Worth, TX

Vitals:  .308 BA, 67 HR, 59 SB, .387 OBP, .969 Fld%…4.24 ERA, 1 CG, 15 SV, 404 K, 186 BB, .265 opp. BA

Super Season:  TCU had a season of first in 2009.  The Horned Frogs were a number one seed and hosted an NCAA Regiional for the first time in program history last year, and they didn’t waste the opportunity.  After going 3-0 vs.

Kyle Winkler

Wright State (1) and Oregon State (2) TCU advanced to its first-ever Super Regional as well, falling two games to one in Austin, TX to eventual national runner-up Texas.

TCU Turnover:  The top three batters, Matt Vern (.360, 17 HR, 54 RBIs, 16 SB), Matt Carpenter (.333, 11 HR, 13 SB, 6 triples, 47 RBIs) and Chris Ellington (.331, 6 HR, 52 RBIs), are gone from last year’s Super Regional squad.  Seniors Matt Curry (.315) and Bryan Holaday (.300, 10 HR, 48 RBIs) and Sophomores Taylor Featherston (.322, 5 HR, 8 SB) and Jason Coats (.316, 6 HR) head the list of returnees who will have a chance to step into those roles.

The Great Equalizer:  TCU is loaded with returning pitching in 2001.  The Horned Frogs return their top four pitchers, Paul Gerrish (7-2, 3.84 ERA), Kyle Winkler (7-1, 4.15 ERA), Tyler Lockwood (4-2, 4.71 ERA), and Eric Marshall (2-2, 1.48 ERA, 9 SV), while losing just 3 of 13 pitchers who saw action last year.  Marshall is on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List.  Winkler has been invited to the 2010 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Trials.

Tough Tests:  TCU plays its first 7 and 9 of its first 11 games of the season vs. 2009 NCAA Tournament teams, and just three of those games ( vs. Sam Houston State) are at home.  The Horned Frogs play at Baylor, at Cal State Fullerton (3) and single games vs. Rice and Missouri at the Minute Maid Classic in Houston in the season’s first three weeks.

UNLV

2009 Record:  (26-32, 9-15)

Mascot:  Rebels

Head Coach:  Buddy Gouldsmith

Location:  Las Vegas, NV

Vitals:  .329 BA, 49 HR, 56 SB, .395 OBP, .961 Fld%…6.89 ERA, 1 CG, 3 SV, 342 K, 242 BB, .318 opp. BA

Power Outage:  The Rebels lose four players, Jesse Wight (.345, 10 HR, 37 HR), Ryan Thornton (.327, 10 HR, 42 RBIs), 2B Bryan Resnick (.327, 7 HR, 35 RBIs), and SS Anthony Morel (.324, 3 HR, 44 RBIs) who combined to hit 30 of the team’s 49 home runs last year.  Resnick and Morel also formed the Rebel’s middle infield.  Top reliever Marc Baca (3-1, 4.05 ERA, 3 SV), who had the pitching staff’s best ERA, is gone as well.

Returning Rebels:  Senior outfielders Rance Roundy (.364, 3 HR, 32 RBIs) and Scott Berke (.329, 2 HR, 40 RBIs, 10 SB) is UNLV’s top returning hitters.  They’re joined by seniors Drew Beurlein (.407), Brian Gilbertson (.370) and Kyle Kretchmer (.329) who all look for for bigger roles this year after starting a combined 48 games in ’09.  Sophomore RHP Tanner Peters (5-7, 4.90 ERA), who tied for the team-lead with his five wins last year, is the top returning Rebel hurler.

Northern Exposure:  The Rebels host four games each with Northern teams Columbia, Temple and Northwestern over the first month of the season.

Utah

2009 Record:  (28-31, 8-16)

Mascot:  Utes

Head Coach:  Bill Kinneberg

Location:  Salt Lake City, UT

Vitals:  .303 BA, 59 HR, 55 SB, .377 OBP, .964 Fld%…6.13 ERA, 0 CG, 11 SV, 421 K, 206 BB, .317 opp. BA

Cinderella Season:  Utah entered the 2009 Mountain West Conference Tournament as the #6 seed, but the Utes went 5-1 (including two wins over #1 seed TCU) to claim the program’s first ever MWC title.  With the championship came Utah’s first NCAA appearance since 1960.  The Utes were the #4 seed at the Fullerton Regional where they were 2-2 with wins over Georgia Southern and Gonzaga sandwiched between two losses to the host Titans.  Utah was the only sub-.500 team to qualify for the NCAA field last year.

USA Ute:  Head coach Bill Kinneberg will serve as one of the assistants on this year’s USA Collegiate Baseball National Team.  He was the pitching coach for the US National Team in 2007.  Fullerton head coach Dave Serrano

Nick Kuroczko

will serve as pitching coach this year.  The University of San Francisco’s Nino Giarratano is this year’s USA head coach.  Ed Blankmeyer of St. John’s is also on the staff.

Plenty Of Returnees:  Utah returns five of its top seven batters from last year’s NCAA team.  Senior Nick Kuroczko led the team in averge (.353), triples (9), slugging percentage (.558), and on-base percentage (.454).  Tyler Yagi (.343), HR & RBI leader C.J. Cron (.337, 11 HR, 58 RBIs), Devin Walker (.314, 8 HR), Michael Beltron (.309), Rick Cornu (8 HR), and Cooper Blanc (7 HR) are all back as well.  Cron received Freshman All-American status last year.

Why Not Whatcott:  Jordan Whatcott (5-3, 4.19 ERA) was 31st round pick by the L.A. Dodgers in last year’s draft, but opted to return for his senior year.  Whatcott’s return gives the Utes three of their top four starting pitchers back in 2010.  They do lose closer Greg Krause (3-4, 4.93 ERA, 4 SV).

So Long Salt Lake City:  Utah plays its first 18 games on the road with games in five different states.  California (vs. UC Davis), Texas (vs. Sam Houston State), Washington (vs. Washington State), Oregon (vs. Oregon State & Portland), and New Mexico (conference opener vs. UNM).

2010 Mountain West Conference Predictions

Player of the Year:  Rafael Neda – New Mexico (Darkhorse – Matt Alexander Air Force)

Pitcher of the Year:  Kyle Winkler – TCU

Conference Champion:  TCU – with New Mexico and Utah right behind them.

Longhorns Look To Win Again

2009 Regular Season Champion:  Texas

2009 Tournament Champion:  Texas beat #3 seed Missouri 12-7 in the title game.

Postseason Power:  The Big 12 was well represented in the postseason with 8 of 10 teams that play baseball (Colorado and Iowa State do not) going to an NCAA Regional.  However, eventual national runner-up Texas was the only Big 12 team to even advance to a Super Regional.

Early Accolades:  Six Big 12 players, Tony Thompson (Kansas), Ryan Duke (Oklahoma) and Texas players Cameron Rupp, Chance Ruffin, Taylor Jungmann, and Cole Green have all received preseason All-American recognition.

Baylor

2009 Record:  (30-26, 10-16)

Mascot:  Bears

Head Coach:  Steve Smith

Location:  Waco, TX

Vitals:  .299 BA, 73 HR, .376 OBP, .983 Fld%…5.29 ERA, 2 CG, 10 SVs, 461 K, 224 BB, .292 opp. BA

Packed For Postseason:  2009 marked the 10th time in the last 12 seasons that Baylor made it to an NCAA Regional.  The Bears were 1-2 at last year’s Baton Rouge Regional.

Home Cookin’:  Baylor opens the season with an 18-game homestand.

Big Holes To Fill:  The Bears return five starters from last year’s team, but it’s not who’s back but who’s gone that is most significant.  Baylor loses it’s top thee run producers: Shaver Hansen (.330, 17 HR, 59 RBIs), Dustin Dickerson (.377, 10 HR, 41 RBIs) and Aaron Miller (.310, 12 HR, 47 RBIs).  They combined to hit more than half of the team’s 73 home runs.

Swing Man:  Logan Verrett (7-1, 5.13 ERA, 3 SVs) made five starts and 20 overall appearances.  He’s one of just three pitchers on the staff who had a winning record last year, and he’s the only one of the trio to pitch more than 37 innings.

Kansas

2009 Record:  (39-24, 15-12)

Mascot:  Jayhawks

Head Coach:  Ritch Price

Location:  Lawrence, KS

Vitals:  .301 BA, 61 HR, .389 OBP, .967 Fld%…4.46 ERA, 4 CG, 10 SV, 466 K, 179 BB, .267 opp. BA

Tourney Talk:  Kansas advanced to just the fourth NCAA Regional in school

Tony Thompson (KU photo)

history in 2009.  The Jayhawks were 2-2 at the Chapel Hill Regional.

Tony Terrific:  Junior 3B Tony Thompson exploded in 2009.  After hitting just .276 with 5 HR and 18 RBIs as a true freshman in 2008 Thompson won the first Triple Crown in Big 12 Conference history by batting .389 with 21 home runs and 82 RBIs.  He sported an 1.195 OPS, and struck out just 35 times in 247 at-bats.

Line-Up Losses:  While Thompson is KU’s biggest returning bat, the Jayhawks also lose two solid bats from last year’s team.  David Narodowski (.354) and Buck Afinir (.333) combined to hit 18 HR with 106 RBIs.

Family Ties:  Junior RHP Brett Bochy (5-0, 4.34 ERA) is the son of San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, while Soph. OF Jason Brunansky (.280, 2 HR) is the son of former big leaguer Tom Brunansky.

Hurlin’ ‘Hawks:  Bochy is one of 8 veteran pitchers to return from last year’s NCAA squad.  Included are weekend starters Lee Ridenhour (6-3, 4.65 ERA) and T.J. Walz (8-3, 4.70 ERA), while bullpen stalwarts Bochy, Colton Murray (2-3, 3.23 ERA) and Travis Blankenship (3-2, 5.80 ERA) combined for 102 appearances (just two starts among them) 132 Ks and 45 BB.

Kansas State

2009 Record:  (43-18-1, 14-11-1)

Mascot:  Wildcats

Head Coach:  Brad Hill

Location:  Manhattan, KS

Vitals:  .317 BA, 58 HR, .399 OBP, .972 Fld%…4.52 ERA, 6 CG, 11 SV, 453 K, 169 BB, .282 opp. BA

Wild (cat) Ride: 2009 will forever be the season that all future K-State baseball teams are judged by.  The Wildcats set a school record for wins, while earning the first NCAA Tournament berth in the 113 years of the program.  Head Coach Brad Hill also earned Big 12 and ABCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors.

Losses On The Mound…:  KSU loses its top two starting pitchers, including Big 12 Pitcher of the Year A.J. Morris (14-1, 2.09 ERA) who had 5 of the team’s 6 complete games. He and Lance Hoge (6-4, 4.54 ERA) notched nearly half of the

Jason King (KSU photo)

team’s wins.

…And Losses At The Plate: The Wildcats also have to replace their top three run producers from 2009 with Justin Bloxom (.361 BA, 12 HR, 63 RBIs), Jordan Cruz (.324, 11 HR, 52 RBIs) and Drew Biery (.329, 9 HR, 44 RBIs) all gone.  That trio accounted for more than half of the Cat’s 58 HR.

Wildcats Back:  Carter Jurica (.353, 4 HR, 46 RBIs), Nick Martini (.336, 4 HR, 50 RBIs) and Jason King (.316, 7 HR, 61 RBIs) give K-State a solid base to the line-up, while pitchers Thomas Rooke (5-2, 4.33 ERA) and James Allen (2-1, 5.50 ERA) also return.  The two combined to make 56 appearances with 99 Ks in 90 IP last year.

Missouri

2009 Record:  (35-27, 16-11)

Mascot:  Tigers

Head Coach:  Tim Jamieson

Location:  Columbia, MO

Vitals:  .272 BA, 41 HR,.964 Fld% …5.08 ERA, 6 CG, 12 SV, 492 K, 177 K

Tiger Fact:  Missouri’s 2009 NCAA bid gave Tim Jamieson’s team a seventh straight NCAA Regional berth.  Mizzou is one of just 14 programs in the country to receive NCAA bids from 2003-2009.  Missouri was 1-2 at the Oxford, MS Regional.  They lost twice to Western Kentucky and beat Monmouth.

Tough Losses:  Missouri loses both its staff pitching, Kyle Gibson (11-3, 3.21 ERA, 131 K), who went to Minnesota with the 22nd pick in last year’s draft, as well as its top bat,  Greg Folgia (.326, 12 HR, 70 RBIs) who was taken by Cleveland in the 40th round.

Draft Dodger:  Aaron Senne (.305, 6 HR, 43 RBIs) was picked by Minnesota in the 32nd round of last year’s draft, but chose to return for his senior season.

Bullpen By Committee:  Missouri had eight pitchers who appeared in at least 24 games in 2009.  On several occasions the Tigers at least eight pitchers for an inning in conference games.  Brad Buehler (1-3, 4.29 ERA, 8 SVs) led the team with 35 relief appearances for a total of 35.2 IP.  He and Tyler Clark (3-0, 2.86 ERA, 28 app.) are among the top returning bullpen arms.

Nebraska

2009 Record:  (25-28-1, 8-19)

Mascot:  Cornhuskers

Head Coach:  Mike Anderson

Location:  Lincoln, NE

Vitals:  .282 BA, 48 HR, .368 OBP, .970 Fld%…6.22 ERA, 4 CG, 6 SV, 361 K, 256 BB, .291 opp. BA

Rare Absence:  Nebraska failed to advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2009, marking just the second time since 2000 that the Cornhuskers failed to reach the postseason.

Coaching Connections:  Nebraska assistant Dave Bingham led Kansas to the 1993 College World Series as head coach of the Jayhawks.  Nebraska head coach Mike Anderson was an assistant on the ‘Husker’s 2001 & 2002 CWS squads before leading his own team to Omaha in 2005.

Cornhusker Returnees:  Sr. OF Tyler Farst (.333, 3 HR, 36 RBIs) received honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.  He was the only Cornhusker to receive All-Conference recognition.  Adam Bailey (.325, 12 HR, 50 RBIs) returns as well. 

Mound Experience: The Cornhuskers return a group of pitchers who combined to earn 23 of the team’s 25 total wins last year.  Mike Nesseth (5-4, 5.01 ERA) leads the group.  The senior led the pitching staff in wins, ERA, saves (2), and strikeouts with 73 in 64.2 IP.  He made 8 starts with 20 overall appearances, and tossed one of the team’s four complete games.   A handful of junior college transfers will also try to bolster a staff whose ERA ranked second to last in the Big 12 in ’09.

Two-Sport Cooper:  Sophomore Khiry Cooper (.229, 2 HR, 9 RBIs) had just 70 at-bats as a true freshman, but he’ll look for bigger contributions this year.  The 6’2 receiver/outfielder had 13 catches for 80 yards and a TD last fall for the Nebraska’s Holiday Bowl champion team.  Cooper was drafted in the 5th round by the L.A. Angels Of Anaheim coming out of high school.

Bulldog Bound:  Nebraska opens its season with a four-game series at Fresno State Feb. 19-22.

Oklahoma

2009 Record:  (43-20, 17-10)

Mascot:  Sooners

Head Coach:  Sunny Golloway

Location:  Norman, OK

Vitals:  .317 BA,  91 HR, .407 OBP, .973 Fld%…5.09 ERA, 3 CG, 16 SV, 495 K, 198 BB, .275 opp. BA

Out At Home:  Oklahoma hosted an NCAA Regional last year that included Arkansas, Wichita State and Washington State.  The Sooners made it to the championship round, but the Razorbacks advanced all the way to Omaha.

Ryan Duke (OU photo)

Sunny Days:  Since taking the helm at Oklahoma head coach Sunny Golloway has led OU to five straight NCAA berths.  That includes 2005 when he was 12-6 after taking over after Larry Cochell resigned.

The Duke Of Saves:  Junior closer Ryan Duke (3-1, 3.22) became the first Sooner pitcher since 2000 to earn All-American status after saving 16 games last season.  His save total led the Big 12 and ranked 6th in the nation.

Powered Down:  OU led the Big 12 with 91 HR in 2009, but loses its top four home run hitters.  Big 12 Player of the Year J.T. Wise (17 HR), Aaron Baker (15), Jamie Johnson (13), and Bryant Hernandez (12) are all gone.

Oklahoma State

2009 Record:  (36-24, 9-16)

Mascot:  Cowboys

Head Coach:  Frank Anderson

Location:  Stillwater, OK

Vitals:  .300 BA, 81 HR, .379 OBP, .976 Fld%…4.69 ERA, 3 CG, 15 SV, 516 K, 199 BB, .264 opp. BA

Power Outage: The Cowboys lose their top four power hitters from last years team.  Michael Dabbs (13 HR, 38 RBIs), Tyrone Hambly (10 HR, 41 RBIs), Neil Medchill (14 HR, 57 RBIs), Doug Kroll (10 HR, 36 RBIs) combined to smack 47 of OSU’s home runs.

Depleted Pitching:  The losses of starting pitchers Andrew Oliver (5-6, 5.30 ERA, 97 K in 88.1 IP),  and Tyler Blandford (7-4, 5.31 ERA, 97 K in 78 IP) and Randy McCurry (4-1, 2.16 ERA, 10 SVs) leave big holes to fill in the weekend rotation as well as the back end of the bullpen.

California Dreamin’:  After opening its season at home on Feb. 20 with one game vs. Oklahoma Christian, OSU plays USC, UCLA and Vanderbilt the following weekend at the Dodgertown Classic in L.A.

Kevin Keyes hit 9 HR last year for Texas.

Texas

2009 Record:  (50-16-1, 17-9-1)

Mascot:  Longhorns

Head Coach:  Augie Garrido

Location:  Austin, TX

Vitals:  .288 BA, 53 HR, .377 OBP, .976 Fld%…2.95 ERA, 6 CG, 18 SV, 556 K, 189 BB, .227 opp. BA

Armed & Ready:  Closer Austin Wood (6-1, 2.61 ERA, 15 SVs) is one of the two pitchers Texas loses from a staff whose 2.95 ERA

Taylor Jungmann

ranked second in the nation.   Taylor Jungmann (11-3, 2.00 ERA), Cole Green (5-3, 3.34 ERA) and Chance Ruffin (10-3, 3.32 ERA) are among the notable returnees.

Play Small:  The Longhorn offense was second to last in the Big 12 with 53 home runs, but led the nation with 104 sacrifice bunts last year.

Loaded Line-Up:  Texas loses five players who started at least 43 games last year, but they return some of their most productive players including Kevin Keyes (.305, 9 HR, 46 RBIs), catcher Cameron Rupp (.292, 11 HR, 46 RBIs), Brandon Loy (.288) who tied for the NCAA lead with 25 sac bunts, and Russell Moldenhauer (.262, 4 HR, 14 RBIs).  Moldenhauer started just 26 games last year due to injury, and he hit all four of his home runs at the College World Series.

Texas A&M

2009 Record:  (37-24, 14-13)

Mascot:  Aggies

Head Coach:  Rob Childress

Location:  College Station, TX

Vitals:  .298 BA, 85 HR, .392 OBP, .971 Fld%…4.49 ERA, 2 CG, 13 SV, 568 K, 172 BB, .261 opp. BA

Crowd Favorites:  Texas A&M ranked 9th in the nation with an average of 4,076 fans per game at Olsen Field in 2009.

One Step Back:  After going to back-to-back Super Regionals for the first time in program history in 2007 & 2008, the Aggies were just 1-2 at the Ft. Worth Regional last year.  Both losses were to Oregon State.

Trade-Off:  While the Aggies did lose Luke Anders (13 HR) and Kyle Colligan (15 HR), Brodie Green and Joe Patterson return to lead a team that hit the second-most home runs in the conference last year.   Colligan hit his team-leading 15 HR in 233 AB, while Patterson’s 12 HR came in just 145 AB.

Pitching The Pill:  Head coach Rob Childress’ forte is piching, and while the Aggies didn’t have the eye-popping 2.95 ERA that Texas had in ’09 his staff still tied for second with Kansas in the Big 12 at 4.49.  Ross Hales (6-2, 4.11 ERA) is the top starter back, while Nick Fleece (4-1, 3.54 ERA, 5 SVs) is the only returning reliever (of four) who combined for the team’s 13 saves last year.

Texas Tech

2009 Record:  (25-32, 12-15)

Mascot:  Red Raiders

Head Coach:  Dan Spencer

Location:  Lubbock, TX

Vitals:  .299 BA, 40 HR, .382 OBP, .959 Fld%…6.31 ERA, 2 CG, 12 SV, 409 K, 266 BB, .304 opp. BA

Experience:  The Red Raiders return seven of their top nine batters from last year’s squad, including C Jeremy Mayo (.313, 11 HR, 35 RBIs).  Three other returnees hit .327 or better.  However, the team that finished last in the Big 12 with just 40 HR loses its top home run hitter, Chris Richburg (.341, 14 HR, 60 RBIs), who led the team in nearly every offensive category.

Home Boy:  Lubbock RHP Chad Bettis (6-1, 3.59 ERA) did a little of everything last year.  He was the only Tech pitcher with a winning record, he started four games, made 19 relief appearances, tossed one of the staff’s two complete games, and earned 7 of the Red Raider’s 12 saves.

2010 Big 12 Predictions

Player of the Year:  Tony Thompson-Kansas – The junior takes the honor a year after winning the first Triple Crown in the history of the Big 12 Conference.

Pitcher of the Year:  Taylor Jungmann-Texas

Conference Champion:  Texas – There’s just too much great pitching and too many key line-up contributors back for them not to repeat.

LSU’s Ranaudo Tabbed Preseason National Player of the Year