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PrintFeb. 14, 2008
- CSTV.com Baseball Preview Index
- CSTV.com Preseason Player of the Year
- CSTV.com Projected NCAA Tournament Bracket
By Eric Sorenson
Special to CSTV.com
ERIC SORENSON
Eric Sorenson is a regular contributor to CSTV.com, covering football, basketball & baseball.
E-mail
The WCC has - arguably - been at the top of the mid-major food chain, especially when it comes to the amount of talent that the MLB raids each June. But 2007 was a season of ups and downs, including another NCAA regional hosting slot for the second straight year (San Diego) and also the bad snubbing of second place Gonzaga not getting an at-large spot. But the conference's David whipping Goliath image took a shot to the ego with both USD and Pepperdine going 0-2 in the Big Dance. Of course, with the non-conference games these teams schedule, redemption is never far away. Looks like 2008 will see the WCC get back to its earthshaking ways. And it may also be time to see the conference make those waves in
Favorite:
Contender: Pepperdine
Darkhorse: Santa Clara
Gonzaga (33-25, 15-6)
The Good News:
Wins over
The Bad News:
This team, more so than
The Intangible:
That double-whammy.
The Zags have to deal with the stigma of both the WCC and Northwest baseball being undervalued. Obviously, those two myths are going away with what's happened the last few years. But Gonzaga needs to make good on recent promise.
Schedule Note:
The Zags get the tough stuff out of the way early, with Pepperdine and
Loyola Marymount (22-33-1, 9-12)
The Good News:
There is strength up the middle with C Sean Dovel (.244-6-28), SS Michael Glomb (.283) and WCC Freshman of the Year OF Angelo Songco (.321). The pitch staff still has RHP Nathan Keadle (3-2, 6.37) and reliever Andy Beal (2-1, 7.33, 5svs) to rebuild around. Watch for the V-Boys: Frosh RHP Martin Viramontes was an 11th-round pick of the Angels and OF Joe Viera was a 49th-round pick of the Devil Rays.
The Bad News:
LMU had only three winning seasons in the new millennium, the last one coming in 2005. Lots of losses to the roster, including all three weekend starters on the mound and also the offensive heart-and-soul, Eric Farris, takes his .349 average and 33SBs to the pros.
The Intangible:
Hard to tell.
LMU can year-in, year-out be labeled a "mystery" team due to the fact that there is always a number of pro prospects on the field, but the death-march schedule is a brow-beater, often masking the true potential of the team. This year is no different.
Schedule Note:
You may question his sanity, but you can't question coach Frank Cruz's bravery as he'll take his rebuilding Lions into games with Cal,
Pepperdine (35-22, 14-7)
The Good News:
Like rival LMU, look for the Waves to pick up plenty of RPI-boosting wins with its tough slate, but add a few more talented returnees. There may not be a gun good enough to clock RHP Brett Hunter (6-5, 3.94), one of the hardest throwers in the country. He'll be joined by RHP Robert Dickmann (6-4, 3.96) to head the rotation. Some viable bats return in Chase d'Arnaud (.331) and a pair of OFs, Donald Brown (.328) and Eric Thames (.320), who turned down the Yankees (40th round pick) last June.
The Bad News:
The post-finals blues hit in late April and the Waves were never the same, going 5-9 down the stretch and 0-2 in the NCAAs. Ace Barry Enright, fleet-footed Adrian Ortiz and top hitter Danny Worth all took their game to the pros. The need to find a viable saves-man to replace Jason Dominguez will be of the utmost concern.
The Intangible:
Location, location, location.
I am convinced that an earthquake will have to shake the
Schedule Note:
Though their schedule is chock-full of great matchups (ahhhh, Pepperdine NEVER disappoints in schedule rigor), the most intriguing weekend could be when Oral Roberts visits in mid-March, in a matchup of two of the best mid-majors in the country.
The Good News:
Improvement is imminent in the Pilots based solely on the fact that only five players off last year's team are missing with seven starters and two weekend pitchers back. A pair of strapping lefties returns in David Gruener (3-5, 3.51) and Ari Ronick (2-4, 3.05) off a staff that sported a good 4.94ERA. 1B Chase Powell (.321), OF Cory Wiltshire (.280) and 2B Brandon Howard have potential for even bigger seasons.
The Bad News:
Powell was the only hitter with a .300+ average as the team hit a lilty-soft .250 - easily the worst in the WCC. Power struggles (just 15 home runs, 76 doubles) need to be addressed. And the growing specter of behemoth big brother
The Intangible:
If only they emphasized it like soccer.
I've been to the
Schedule Note:
It's got a "classic" feel, to say the least. The Pilots will play in the Coca-Cola (
Saint Mary's (21-29-1, 3-18)
The Good News:
The Gaels may have finished in last place, but they were third in team batting (.289) and fifth in team pitching (4.90) last year. Not bad. Wallace Award candidate Anthony Aliotti (.320 and 6-4, 4.44) will have the double-play combo of SS Joel Staples (.311-6-35) and 2B Randy Wells (.354) as a pair of solid gloves to back him. A second starter, RHP Brandon Berl (4-5, 4.35) gives Saint Mary's hope to be more than just competitive.
The Bad News:
This is still a program with just one winning season (2006 at 26-25) in 18 years. Lots of youth still on this team will mean they're still a year away. Coach Jedd Soto will have to lean heavily on Texas Tech transfer Geoff Byrns, who hit .308 for the Red Raiders. Eric Cattoni, the firestarter on offense (.303, 28SBs) will be a huge hole to plug.
The Intangible:
If only the season ended on March 18th.
This may be a glimpse into the greatness that will come, but SMC started 2007 at 16-8-1 before WCC play. That included a win over national champion
Schedule Note:
This slate gives the Gaels hope for a winning record in '08. Sure there are trips to UCLA and Miami, but the Gaels will also play teams like
The Good News:
Man! No wonder coach Rich Hill always seems to be in a good mood. Look at what he's got coming back! Possibly the best starting rotation in the nation returns in All Americans LHP Brian Matusz (10-3, 2.85, 163Ks) and LHP/CF Josh Romanski (9-1, 3.05, .335, and a diving-catch specialist in CF), along with Sunday starter Matt Couch (9-2, 3.60) and Frosh Al- American A.J. Griffin (6-2, 2.70, 11svs). They're freakin' scary good. C Logan Gelbrich (.316) 2B Kevin Hansen (.316) and SS Sean Nichol (.300) provide great gloves and leadership. With all this talent back in the fold, it is, indeed, a good time to be a Torero.
The Bad News:
Nobody saw the Toreros' quick exit from the '07 regionals coming. They need to vanquish that memory come this June. Hitters like Justin Snyder, Shane Buschini and Jordan Abruzzo were three of the top four hitters and 25 of the 37 home runs hit by USD last year. It's a good problem to have, but great googily-mooly! There's a lot of talented pitchers on this staff, and just one ball to go around out there.
The Intangible:
Even the new blood is un-Godly good.
Think USD is going away sometime soon? Pshaw! Listen to this, three Freshman-to-be's, 3B Victor Sanchez (who has the body of a major leaguer and made a number of great bare-handed plays at 3rd in fall exhibition games with Long Beach), RHP Darrin Campbell and RHP Kyle Blair, all made Baseball America's Top 10 prospects list in various summer leagues. Sanchez and Blair were Nos. 1 and 2 in the well-respected Northwoods League, too.
Schedule Note:
Lots of good, tough non-conference competition, including
The Good News:
The best fielding team in the WCC returns most of its infield with 1B Mitchell Bialosky (.345-5-40), 2B Tavo Hall (.239, 13SBs) and SS Joe Railey (.329, 22SBs), also the firestarters at the dish. Bialosky also started seven games on the hill (1-4, 4.80) and has RHP Brian Anderson (0-2, 4.91, the No. 6 prospect in the Cal Ripken Summer League) to build a new staff with.
The Bad News:
After the raging success of 2006 (NCAA Regionals, eliminated
The Intangible:
Let's hear it for the four four-year guys.
OF Kyle Morgan (Long Beach State), OF Drew Johnson (Nevada), LHP Evan Fredrickson (Virginia Tech, No. 10 pro prospect in the Cal Ripken Summer League) and C Sam Wiley (Tulane) all shipped into Fog City and will be counted on heavily this spring to fill some gaping holes in the lineup card.
Schedule Note:
It's no April Fools. Coach Giarrantano has arranged once again for a game to be played against
The Good News:
Every pitcher of note returns for 2008, including starters Matt Wickswat (7-5, 3.41) and Donald Brandt (4-2, 4.12). Saves specialist Jeff Lombard (3-5, 4.06, 10svs) is there to put the clamps on. Wallace candidate C Tommy Medica (.373), senior 2B Gabe Alcantar (.343) and junior OF Evan LeBlanc (.302) will pace the Broncos in '08.
The Bad News:
The Broncos have put together winning marks in both WCC and overall play in the same season just once (2003) in the last 10 years. Pen needs to ratchet up the intensity as
The Intangible:
Summer studs making big leaps this spring.
Baseball
Schedule Note:
SCU has the unenviable task of playing at the two toughest road assignments in the WCC, at
