UL-Lafayette should be good once again. Troy should be loaded after last years 32-26 season, which was a rebuilding year. Troy recruited verrryy well and has a lot of players coming back. New Orleans and South Alabama should be pretty good as well.

I feel like next season the SBC will once again be in the top 15 and have 2-3 NCAA bids.

WKU was very young last year, and we return some good players. I think we will be in the conversation.

It's going to come down to MT's pitching (as with every team). If we can get back to having great pitching, then our first season in the new stadium will be a great one.

I'm a homer and a half but Troy is going to lock it down this year.

(01-16-2009 11:26 AM)Paul of Troy Wrote:  I'm a homer and a half but Troy is going to lock it down this year.

I'm gonna have to agree.

I'm excited about the future of MT baseball, but wku has some good players and will get votes for first place, maybe even be the preseason favorite, as much as I hate to say that...

(01-20-2009 03:18 PM)SpaceRaider Wrote:  I'm excited about the future of MT baseball, but wku has some good players and will get votes for first place, maybe even be the preseason favorite, as much as I hate to say that...

I don't think WKU is going to be pre-season favorite. The favorite IMO will be either UNO or ULL. I think the conference will be better than it was last season for sure though.

Believe it or not, this year will not be the typical UL year. Normally, our pitching will shut you down, but we have trouble scoring. We lost Moody, Farquar, and Glass from the pitching rotation and will be tough to fill. We also hired a new hitting coach (from ULM). So this year, we will just try to out score you instead of shutting you down and pray we can score enough runs.

Also, after watching WKU win the tournament last season and knowing that they will be having everyone back (or at least close to everyone), I would think that they would be the favorite. WKU played some great baseball down the stretch and in the SBC tournament.

FIU baseball set to welcome highly rated recruiting class

BY PETE PELEGRIN
ppelegrin@MiamiHerald.com
The season opener is a little more than a month away, but FIU baseball coach Turtle Thomas is eager to see what his recruiting class, which was ranked 15th nationally, can do on the diamond.

''I thought it was good,'' said Thomas, who will begin his second season at FIU on Feb. 20 against Jacksonville. ``We've got a lot of talented players that now have to develop together.

``One of the things we have to do to keep improving the program is to consistently get players that know how to win baseball games.''

According to perfectgame.org, FIU had the third-best 2008 recruiting class in the state, trailing Florida (No. 4 nationally) and Central Florida (No. 7).

Miami was No. 17 nationally, Florida State was No. 18 and South Florida was No. 20. Arizona State had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

The Panthers will begin the 2009 season with the FIU Diamond Dinner on Feb. 7. The dinner is to benefit baseball and softball programs.

The event begins with a reception at 6 p.m. and will feature College Baseball Hall of Fame coach Ron Polk as the guest speaker.

For seats and more information on the dinner, call 305-348-7403.

(01-21-2009 10:05 PM)Cajunman02 Wrote:  Believe it or not, this year will not be the typical UL year. Normally, our pitching will shut you down, but we have trouble scoring. We lost Moody, Farquar, and Glass from the pitching rotation and will be tough to fill. We also hired a new hitting coach (from ULM). So this year, we will just try to out score you instead of shutting you down and pray we can score enough runs.

I remember when UL made the trip to Troy and Farquar. He's probably the best closer I've ever seen play in college... at least for that night.

(01-21-2009 10:05 PM)FIU Panther Fan Wrote:  FIU baseball set to welcome highly rated recruiting class

BY PETE PELEGRIN
ppelegrin@MiamiHerald.com
The season opener is a little more than a month away, but FIU baseball coach Turtle Thomas is eager to see what his recruiting class, which was ranked 15th nationally, can do on the diamond.

''I thought it was good,'' said Thomas, who will begin his second season at FIU on Feb. 20 against Jacksonville. ``We've got a lot of talented players that now have to develop together.

``One of the things we have to do to keep improving the program is to consistently get players that know how to win baseball games.''

According to perfectgame.org, FIU had the third-best 2008 recruiting class in the state, trailing Florida (No. 4 nationally) and Central Florida (No. 7).

Miami was No. 17 nationally, Florida State was No. 18 and South Florida was No. 20. Arizona State had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

The Panthers will begin the 2009 season with the FIU Diamond Dinner on Feb. 7. The dinner is to benefit baseball and softball programs.

The event begins with a reception at 6 p.m. and will feature College Baseball Hall of Fame coach Ron Polk as the guest speaker.

For seats and more information on the dinner, call 305-348-7403.

I didn't realize FIU had such a great recruiting class. I guess they could turn out to be a dark horse...

Come on guys! No mention of the Sunbelt conference CHAMPIONS!?!?!
How bout them hawks?

Here's the current rivals prediction for the season:
1. Western Kentucky
2. Troy
3. Louisiana-Monroe
4. Middle Tennessee State
5. New Orleans
6. Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL)
7. South Alabama
8. Florida Atlantic
9. Florida International
10. Arkansas State
11. Arkansas-Little Rock

We were picked near dead last last season and won the conf title.... so if we're picked 3rd this season that means we're destined for Omaha right?!?

WKU is the favorite. They return nearly everyone from last years Sunbelt tourney champs. Finwood has got it going on.

(02-02-2009 09:35 PM)ChrisULM Wrote:  Come on guys! No mention of the Sunbelt conference CHAMPIONS!?!?!
How bout them hawks?

Here's the current rivals prediction for the season:
1. Western Kentucky
2. Troy
3. Louisiana-Monroe
4. Middle Tennessee State
5. New Orleans
6. Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL)
7. South Alabama
8. Florida Atlantic
9. Florida International
10. Arkansas State
11. Arkansas-Little Rock

We were picked near dead last last season and won the conf title.... so if we're picked 3rd this season that means we're destined for Omaha right?!?

I gotta say, ULM impressed me last season. I think they would have gone to an NCAA Regional if they wouldn't have lost steam at the end of the season. BTW, welcome to the board ChrisULM.

damn it's good to see this board so busy. hey Hilltopper2k, that sig picture is beautiful.

Ahhh, yes. The fluke that was UL-Monroe last season. The first team in over 15 years to win the SBC regular season and not receive at least an at-large bid to an NCAA regional. Thanks for breaking the streak.

UL-Monroe will finish anywhere between 6th-9th this season.

I think FIU, even with the recruiting class is going to be in the middle of the pack this year. I think Troy is gonna pull it out this season.

i have never been to a sunbelt game and very much looking foward to it this year. just hope to see a vast improvment from what looks to have been a very poor ualr team this century. getting to talk to the players that have been there they feel they will be much better this year, their new coaches really make them work. they are short on pitching but the top 8 are all better than last years staff (so the older guys say) they played the ontario blue jays this fall and killed them but the OBJs played several team around the country real close, so heres hoping.

is anyone planning on making the road game to TROY? we just finished our new stadium last year, it's very nice.

if we ualr make the tourny i'll be there