2015 SEC Baseball Outlook
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(Image via @SEC__Baseball)[/caption]
Today marks the start of the 2015 SEC baseball season and if you follow SEC sports as closely as I do then you are well aware that baseball is the league’s most competitive sport top to bottom. Eight SEC squads are ranked in D1Baseball.com's preseason top 25, with defending national champion and East division foe, Vanderbilt, coming in at #1.
Other ranked conference opponents that UK will face include #2 Florida, #5 South Carolina, #9 LSU, #17 Texas A&M, and #25 Tennessee. The Cats are picked to finish sixth in the SEC East only ahead of Missouri in the SEC baseball coaches preseason poll. Fortunately, the Cats will get ample opportunities to prove their worth with a simply ridiculous schedule.
The depth of the SEC is what has always been impressive. The 2014 season was a historic year for the SEC as ten teams advanced to the NCAA tournament, which is the most ever by any conference. Two of those teams (Vanderbilt and Ole Miss) even punched tickets to the College World Series. Both programs reached the semifinals with the Commodores proceeding to knock off Virginia for the ultimate crown. LSU won the national title in 2009 and South Carolina won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011. Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi State have each competed for national championships in the past decade. Overall, 11 SEC teams have advanced to Omaha at least once since 1999. Wow.
The recipe to competing in the SEC and making deep postseason runs is consistent, timely hitting and bullpen depth. Kentucky’s offense will produce offense differently than it did a year ago with the loss of power hitters AJ Reed, Michael Thomas, and Max Kuhn. Expect this year’s team to rely on manufacturing runs with more small-ball and aggressive base running. Starting pitchers Kyle Cody, Dylan Dwyer, Zach Logue, Zack Brown, and top-notch JUCO transfer Dustin Beggs offer the depth the Wildcats need, and the bullpen, led by senior closer Spencer Jack, will be key in finishing tight games.
Kentucky will open SEC play with a trip to Columbia, South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks March 13th in a three game series. They will then host Mississippi State the following weekend at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
@STHowle
(Image via @SEC__Baseball)[/caption]
Today marks the start of the 2015 SEC baseball season and if you follow SEC sports as closely as I do then you are well aware that baseball is the league’s most competitive sport top to bottom. Eight SEC squads are ranked in D1Baseball.com's preseason top 25, with defending national champion and East division foe, Vanderbilt, coming in at #1.
Other ranked conference opponents that UK will face include #2 Florida, #5 South Carolina, #9 LSU, #17 Texas A&M, and #25 Tennessee. The Cats are picked to finish sixth in the SEC East only ahead of Missouri in the SEC baseball coaches preseason poll. Fortunately, the Cats will get ample opportunities to prove their worth with a simply ridiculous schedule.
The depth of the SEC is what has always been impressive. The 2014 season was a historic year for the SEC as ten teams advanced to the NCAA tournament, which is the most ever by any conference. Two of those teams (Vanderbilt and Ole Miss) even punched tickets to the College World Series. Both programs reached the semifinals with the Commodores proceeding to knock off Virginia for the ultimate crown. LSU won the national title in 2009 and South Carolina won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011. Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi State have each competed for national championships in the past decade. Overall, 11 SEC teams have advanced to Omaha at least once since 1999. Wow.
The recipe to competing in the SEC and making deep postseason runs is consistent, timely hitting and bullpen depth. Kentucky’s offense will produce offense differently than it did a year ago with the loss of power hitters AJ Reed, Michael Thomas, and Max Kuhn. Expect this year’s team to rely on manufacturing runs with more small-ball and aggressive base running. Starting pitchers Kyle Cody, Dylan Dwyer, Zach Logue, Zack Brown, and top-notch JUCO transfer Dustin Beggs offer the depth the Wildcats need, and the bullpen, led by senior closer Spencer Jack, will be key in finishing tight games.
Kentucky will open SEC play with a trip to Columbia, South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks March 13th in a three game series. They will then host Mississippi State the following weekend at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
@STHowle
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