Actually, Big Poppa, I think you're not too far off. But I think you've got St. John's too high (I have no idea what they'll have for pitching) and I think Hamline would be my choice for 3rd in the conference right now. They had a nice season last year, made the league playoffs (only 4 teams get in the playoff) and have most of that team back. After the top 3 of St. Thomas, St. Olaf and Hamline, it'll be a real crapshoot.

That's great, TC! But what can you tell us about the Johnnies baseball team this spring?

We'll see if we can get any action revved up on this MIAC Board. I'm a "newbie" to these boards, but have followed the MIAC for several years and also follow all of college baseball throughout Minn., Wisc. and Iowa.

I'd have to say the early favorites in the MIAC will be St. Olaf and St. Thomas (UST). St. Olaf has virtually all of their position starters back from their NCAA regional team last year, but lost 2 sr. pitchers who pitched alot (including the MIAC pitcher of the year in '06). But they do have a couple stud pitchers back - pitching depth will be the question. UST lost many position starters to graduation, but has virtually all their pitching back from a staff that was near the top of all D3 in team ERA last year. Their defense should be solid with the pop in the bats being the question mark. They may actually put the ball in play better than recent teams and play more "small ball". After those teams, the sleeper team (although they may not be a sleeper any more as they really emerged last season) may be Hamline who got within one game of getting into the NCAA regionals last year. They were young last year and return lots of talent. They just don't have the tradition of being a contender, but they should be an interesting team to watch. After that, Gustavus, Concordia, and Augsburg lost some key talent to graduation and may struggle a bit. If Bethel could find some pitching, they could surprise. And anybody else in the league would have to have some major surprises to contend. But all this prognosticating doesn't take into account any contributions from stud freshmen or transfers that I don't know about.

I'll make one comment about the WIAC - it has to be the strongest D3 baseball league, outside of possibly the New Jersey conference. Wisc.-Stevens Pt. should be powerful this year led by Jordan Zimmerman, a likely MLB draftee this spring. They did lose some big bats from a year ago (saw them play in the Wisc. Rapids regional last spring), but they return lots of pitching. They, St. Thomas and St. Scholastica (another MidWest perennial power) will play a round robin in the MetroDome on March 5. Should be an interesting start to the year!