BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[rolln2]

Been searching the web for the USAS teams looking for 2013 rosters.  Have not seen many up to date at this time. Interested to see the new additions and if there are any returners that may have been lost.

[rolln2]

Only about a month or so until the guys are back on the field practicing for the 2013 spring season. With that in mind who do you think will be the pre-season favorites to be on the all-conference team?  A lot of good players in the conference and a lot of returners from last year as well.  But I am also sure there will be some talented transfers and freshman that may make run at all-conference as well.

[Boysofsummer21]

Rollin = Not really sure as not heard a lot about anybody. CNU should be picked to win it but they have questions to answer other than the pitching. Expect Ferrum and Piedmount to be tough after that no really clue. As to the players you have to figure that CNU will hold most of the pitching slots because with 3 conference starters and their bullpen.

1st   Beasly - NCWC
2nd  Feldman - Greensboro
3rd  Maybe Newcomb - Averett (if he plays 3rd again this year)
SS  Steele - CNU ALexander - NCWC
C    Welker - Ferrum
OF Kidd - Averett
OF Parham/Davis - Piedmount
OF ?
DH McDougal - CNU
UTIL Cody Moore - Averett

Coach OTY - Who ever wins the conference (Harvell)
Player OTY - Welker - Ferrum ( or McDougal if he plays the field)
Pitcher OTY - 1 or 2 starter or setup or closer for CNU
Rookie OTY - ??
Rookie Pitcher - CNU

[rolln2]

Rollin = Not really sure as not heard a lot about anybody. CNU should be picked to win it but they have questions to answer other than the pitching. Expect Ferrum and Piedmount to be tough after that no really clue. As to the players you have to figure that CNU will hold most of the pitching slots because with 3 conference starters and their bullpen.

1st   Beasly - NCWC
2nd  Feldman - Greensboro
3rd  Maybe Newcomb - Averett (if he plays 3rd again this year)
SS  Steele - CNU ALexander - NCWC
C    Welker - Ferrum
OF Kidd - Averett
OF Parham/Davis - Piedmount
OF ?
DH McDougal - CNU
UTIL Cody Moore - Averett

Coach OTY - Who ever wins the conference (Harvell)
Player OTY - Welker - Ferrum ( or McDougal if he plays the field)
Pitcher OTY - 1 or 2 starter or setup or closer for CNU
Rookie OTY - ??
Rookie Pitcher - CNU

Who is the rookie for CNU?  What do you know about him and why?  I think most of your picks are good starts at this point.  But I have a couple different.

1B- Younger-Methodist
OF- Thigpen-Methodist
These two guys had good Jr. years and I see them doing well again as seniors. But as for the rest I am like you and don't know a lot.

[Boysofsummer21]

Oh yes how in the world did I miss Thigpen. He is a lock. Good catch.
I think Beasly willl have better opportunities to put up numbers so went with him. But agree it will probably be between these two at 1B.
As to Rookie POTY the only pitching I have really heard about is CNU and it was said here earlier that they got some transfers and Freshmen in that will make an impact this year so went with that.

[LTBB1971]

For NCWC I doubt Alexander will start at SS.  That was a stop gap move last year due to FR Guengerich getting hurt and too many errors.  I think he will actually move to 3B this year with SR A. Nichols gone.  As for Beasley, he will be battling SO 1B J. Rodriguez for AB's.

[PNeal7]

I'll try to shed some light on CNU without giving away too much information  . CNU does have some big time arms this year, both returners from last and newcomers (both freshman and transfers) that the conference has not seen. I would look for some of the newcomers to play a large role in the pitching staff, including being the weekend starters. (We are actually working on getting a few of these arms up on our club in the Valley League for this coming summer). CNU's pitching staff is without a doubt their strong point as they look to replace a majority of their position players. Steele and McDougal will lead their offense, with a slew of newcomers coming in. Sophomore Preston Grissom is a guy that could make an impact as an OF, as he has very good speed and from what limited action I saw/heard last year swings it fairly well.

Unfortunately, I do not know much about the rest of the conference, especially with the re-alignments.

[narch]

But I have a couple different.

1B- Younger-Methodist
OF- Thigpen-Methodist
These two guys had good Jr. years and I see them doing well again as seniors. But as for the rest I am like you and don't know a lot.

i like your inclusion of a couple of monarchs, but thigpen will need to hit better than .152 in conference and younger will have to have more than the 1 rbi he had in conference games last year if either are going to be first-teamers...both clearly have the ability to be 1st teamers, but they've got to step up in conference games

the three day weekends are going to be brutal...a team like cnu with so much pitching depth has got to be a big favorite to win the conference

[Boysofsummer21]

LTHS - Alexander had pretty good numbers last year so you think maybe he can keep improving and be all conf at 3B?
Narch - I feel Thigpen had a down year last year and he should be in a good position for a breakout year. That is if he is comfortable with his role this year. I think if the Monarchs are going to have a good year he is going to need to step up big. I maybe wrong but.,,,

[rolln2]

When I looked at Younger and Thigpen it was more about a total seasons worth of work.  I think they both had very good years.  Of course all-conference seemed to come down to the 12 games which is just a very small portion of any players season.  Now this seasons conference sample will be much different w/ 24 games.

[rolln2]

I see where the first d3 pre-season poll is out.  Collegiate Baseball has CNU representing the USAS at #6 in their top 30 poll.

[Boysofsummer21]

Saw this tweet today fron Dec 23. Wow announcing Regional sites already??

USA Baseball Stadium‏@USAStadium

@USAStadium was notified today that we will host the NCAA D3 South Region Baseball Tourney May 16-19, 2013 @d3baseball pic.twitter.com/TpNqNnZU

[rolln2]

Saw this tweet today fron Dec 23. Wow announcing Regional sites already??

USA Baseball Stadium‏@USAStadium

@USAStadium was notified today that we will host the NCAA D3 South Region Baseball Tourney May 16-19, 2013 @d3baseball pic.twitter.com/TpNqNnZU

I saw that too. But I would bet that if CNU or Salisbury or any team a little further east were to put in for it. And they were ranked in the region at the time. Then Millington would probably become what it was in 2012. A region that had more central and south central teams again. Last year they had teams like Webster and Birmingham Southern in that region. In 2011 Millington was the host site, but none of the regionally ranked south region teams put in for it.

[rolln2]

Ok here we go.  Some of the teams have already begun to practice.  In about 4 weeks or a little less they will open play.  Then it is straight in to the tough USAS conference play.  Twenty-four games on tap.  Any guesses on what record it will take to win the conference?  I am going to go out and say that 18-6 will win it. 

[makeitnasty]

I think that CNU has USAS in the bag. If they lose more than 5 conference games I will be shocked. With 2 D-1 pitchers from C-USA on their staff now, along with the arms they already have returning, I don't see them having a team ERA above 3.50, which will make up for any inconsistencies their younger bats may experience throughout the season. 20-4 record in USAS play is my prediction for them. I expect to see them make a strong run all the way to Wisconsin and the Championship game.