The 2009 College Baseball Season

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Fresno State proved last year that any good team can be hot and win the NC even in this format, but I don't think Van Horn has yet fielded the kind of team he is capable of fielding to make a true run for the title. I don't know why Van Horn hasn't fielded that complete team yet, but I have a hard time thinking it won't happen eventually.

I agree with this basically. I don't think this team quite has it, but they have definitely been hot.

[Tigercat]

Sean McDonough should have stayed at home sick, he is pretty brutal to listen to right now.

Would definitely like to see Texas win this game, a hot Arizona State team in the championship series would be scary. Even more so than Texas's excellent pitching.

[SnDvls]

my Devils have fallen apart tonight. up 6-0 and now we're down 8-6 man this sucks. At least we'll have Leake vs UNC.

[cartman]

Holy crap what a comeback by the 'Horns!!! Down 6-0, they charge back and win 10-6, after they publicly got a fire lit under their ass by the coach, Augie Garrido.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by SnDvls

my Devils have fallen apart tonight. up 6-0 and now we're down 8-6 man this sucks. At least we'll have Leake vs UNC.

Very surprising, but Texas' offense has had a tendency to get going once we get in a situation where not even Garrido will call a bunt.

The Sun Devils are definitely not out of it. They're a great team and I have a hunch they'll react well. Their body language in the 8th and 9th wasn't good but they will have a night to sleep on it.

[Huckleberry]

Elimination game tonight between Arkansas and Virginia. Sorry, MJ4H, but I'm pulling for Virginia because I think they're more likely to take the first game against LSU than the Razorbacks are. Not probable, just more probable.

Should be a good matchup either way.

[MJ4H]

lol if I apologized everytime I rooted for the team Texas was playing I'd be permanently hoarse.

[digamma]

Let's go Hoos!

[Tigercat]

It's not just that I think we stand a better chance against Arkansas, but I'll also get behind the SEC team. I don't have a good feeling about Arkansas winning tonight though, would be nice to be proven wrong.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

lol if I apologized everytime I rooted for the team Texas was playing I'd be permanently hoarse.

Texas' having actually won national championships in football and baseball means I can root for the Razorbacks when it helps Texas (e.g., against Fullerton in the CWS). I guess you're not quite sure what that's like, though.

[Huckleberry]

Hahaha. They just showed another missed call in the field and it's the same ump with the other two big screwups in Bracket 1 so far. That guy's terrible.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Texas' having actually won national championships in football and baseball means I can root for the Razorbacks when it helps Texas (e.g., against Fullerton in the CWS). I guess you're not quite sure what that's like, though.

Arkansas has won championships in basketball, football, and many other sports (especially track) thank you very much.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Arkansas has won championships in basketball, football, and many other sports (especially track) thank you very much.

Well, you should have won football in 1964 but you weren't actually awarded either of the major championships at the time, right?

And you definitely have a kickass track program. How exactly did y'all let the Aggies win both the outdoor track titles this year? I swear, you can't depend on Arkansas for anything.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Hahaha. They just showed another missed call in the field and it's the same ump with the other two big screwups in Bracket 1 so far. That guy's terrible.

Yeah he blew that one, too, but I think this one it was a little harder to see the ball wasn't in the glove.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Well, you should have won football in 1964 but you weren't actually awarded either of the major championships at the time, right?

And you definitely have a kickass track program. How exactly did y'all let the Aggies win both the outdoor track titles this year? I swear, you can't depend on Arkansas for anything.

hehe our legendary coach retired, that's pretty much it (and yes we were awarded one of the national championships in 1964 (none of them were official, major is debatable), and it is pretty obvious in retrospect that Arkansas was the national champ that year based on resume).

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

How exactly did y'all let the Aggies win both the outdoor track titles this year? I swear, you can't depend on Arkansas for anything.

That would be *our* fault. Pat Henry, who won 19 national championships at LSU, split pretty well between men and women, is at A&M now because Skip Bertman wouldn't pony up enough $ to pay Henry when Skip was AD.

LSU's track still does well, but it isn't as successful as it was under Henry.

[Karlifornia]

Virginia and Arkansas are playing a tight elimination game right now. 2-1 Virginia, going to the bottom of the 7th I believe.

[MJ4H]

well that was a no-doubter

[Tigercat]

Ha-Ha! I love how the announcers were calling this game over, only to see Arkansas tie it at 3 in the 9th off of a 2 out HR.

Seriously, you would think veteran announcers would know better with the tying run at the plate.

[Tigercat]

Dola, come on 15 inning+ game! Lets see a classic one tonight! No biased desire from me whatsoever.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

Ha-Ha! I love how the announcers were calling this game over, only to see Arkansas tie it at 3 in the 9th off of a 2 out HR.

Seriously, you would think veteran announcers would know better with the tying run at the plate.

Yeah they were saying something about the coaches reuniting, and the one guy said "Yeah, they will". I was kind of surprised.

[MJ4H]

Sigh, here we go.

[Tigercat]

Oh no, it would suck to see another team go home on a walk off walk.

[MJ4H]

hahah how many heart attacks am I gonna have

[Tigercat]

Good job Hogs! 3-3 going to the 10th, inning ended on a bases loaded double play.

[MJ4H]

i cant feel my legss

[Karlifornia]

This game is entering once-in-a-lifetime stuff for Arkansas. They just need to win it now.

[MJ4H]

If we could get an ounce of production from 3-4-5 maybe. This is the exact reason we went in a death spiral down the stretch. When 3-4-5 woke up in the regionals, we were unstoppable again.

[MJ4H]

sigh.

[larrymcg421]

Wow, this is some terrible baserunning.

[MJ4H]

It really is that guy is a total mess.

[larrymcg421]

Are they really sac bunting with a .356, 16 HR hitter?

[MJ4H]

That was the craziest thing ever. Arkansas wins 4-3.

[Tigercat]

Another gutsy win by Arkansas. They deserve at least a share of third place this year with the way they've fought in the post season.

Anything can happen of course, but LSU has the perfect set-up from this game. The less potent offense won, and Arkansas's star lefty had to pitch at least 50 pitches in relief. Keuchel will still probably pitch the if necessary though, so if it does go to that game things will be very interesting.

[MJ4H]

Yeah you pretty much got exactly what you were hoping for.

[Huckleberry]

Great game.

Congratulations to the SEC on their 4th CWS runner-up finish this decade.

[MJ4H]

[digamma]

How do you go all Lonnie Smith there, Halley? Virginia has no one to blame but themselves. So many opportunities. Kudos to the Hogs for hanging in there.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And as a little reminder of the other end of the spectrum, Tennessee just had a player turn down a scholarship offer in order to attend a community college, basically saying that it was a better opportunity for him for his pro aspirations (he's a catcher that figured UT would try to convert him).

Regardless, turning down a ride at a D1 for a truly typical community college (it's in my wife's hometown so I'm not totally unfamiliar) is a pretty good indication of how far the program has sunk.

[StLee]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And as a little reminder of the other end of the spectrum, Tennessee just had a player turn down a scholarship offer in order to attend a community college, basically saying that it was a better opportunity for him for his pro aspirations (he's a catcher that figured UT would try to convert him).

Regardless, turning down a ride at a D1 for a truly typical community college (it's in my wife's hometown so I'm not totally unfamiliar) is a pretty good indication of how far the program has sunk.

In baseball, I wouldn't take that the same way since players do NOT get full rides. Baseball has limited scholarships, so most baseball players get something like a third of a scholarship. Many players over the years have done the same thing as that recruit. As an example, Arkansas' pitcher Forrest was an LSU recruit and player, but decided to transfer to Bossier City Community College to improve his draft stock. After he was not drafted as highly as he would've liked (somewhere around the 30th round), he transferred to Arkansas.

[SnDvls]

Nice birthday win by ASU to move on vs. Texas tomorrow

[Tigercat]

I blame Arkansas and their crappy rain luck for this rain delay. Someone on that team must have one of those permanent rain clouds following over their head.

[MJ4H]

haha I hear that

FWIW, if anyone missed any of the Arkansas-Virginia game, it is being replayed now and WELL worth the watch. One of the most intense baseball games you'll get to see.

[StLee]

LSU out to a big start by getting some early hits and chasing Arkansas' starter (who is actually their closer--not enough pitchers to take two against LSU) after 2 innings and 3 batters faced in the third. LSU up 4-0 in the 3rd.

[StLee]

A couple of solo homers makes it 6-0 LSU in the 6th.

[MJ4H]

After doing this to us twice if LSU doesn't pound Texas into oblivion I'll never forgive em.

edit: if it winds up being Arizona St. I won't be so upset, but I still hope SEC wins. Losing to Texas = don't even come back home, though.

[Tigercat]

Originally Posted by Tigercat

I think IF, and it may/may not be a big if, LSU hitting ever heats up to the talent potential, we are the clear best team in the nation. And that is something I would have never said at this point in the season about any other LSU baseball team. We have hit well below our potential so far as a team, and we are still #2 or #4 in the nation in all the polls.

Texas and Arizona State are no slouches and are plenty talented, but looks like my prediction from earlier in the year has come true. Seen a lot of great LSU teams, but this probably is the best LSU CWS team I have ever seen, relative to the year they are playing in. Shame to see Arkansas play so hard only to see their wheels come off now.

[MJ4H]

Eh, this is exactly how we looked down the regular season stretch. It almost looks like a mental block against SEC West teams.

[Tigercat]

Arkansas is one spunky team.

[StLee]

Final: LSU 14, Arkansas 5