Cougars 20th in Pre-Season Baseball America
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The College of Charleston baseball team was picked 20th in the Baseball America Pre-Season Top 25 Ranking, it was released today.
The Cougars were most recently picked 22nd in the College Baseball Lineup Division I Pre-Season poll and 35th in the Collegiate Baseball Poll.
The staff of Baseball America determines the Top 25 rankings.
Monte Lee, in his third year with the Cougars, is coming off a 2010 season that saw the team post a 44-19 record and an appearance in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional final. It was the fourth time in program history that the Cougars tallied at least 40 wins in a single season.
Southern Conference Player of the Year Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.), who had 21 home runs and 88 RBI in 2010 and was named to the Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger Pre-Season All-American, returns to the lineup, along with Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.). He led the Cougars in several offensive categories, including batting average (.378), hits (102), runs (76), doubles (27) and stolen bases (20). David Peterson (Walnut Creek, Calif.) is back on the mound for the team. He led the team in strikeouts last season with 68. He will be joined by Christian Powell (Greenwood, S.C.) as weekend starters.
The following is what Baseball America had to say about the 2011 Cougars (also found at http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/top-25/2011/2611213.html):
Hitting: 65. Six regulars return from a CofC team that ranked seventh nationally in scoring a year ago (9.1 runs per game) and ninth in doubles (160). Rakar, the 2010 Southern Conference hits leader, is a dynamic catalyst at or near the top of the order. Kral, Rodriguez and Leeds are accomplished, dangerous veterans in the middle of the lineup. The scrappy Holler has a knack for coming up with timely hits and came on strong in the postseason. The athletic Mesa, who started 29 games last year, should increase his productivity in an everyday role.
Power: 65. Charleston's 105 homers were fifth-most in the nation last year, and three of the four Cougars who hit at least 15 long balls a year ago are back. The switch-hitting Leeds leads the way; the reigning SoCon player of the year is an RBI machine (he ranked second in the nation in the category last year) who has proven to be a productive college power hitter. Rodriguez and Kral are boppers in their own right, and Aldrich also has flashed good raw power. Gantt hit 21 homers in junior-college ball last year, but most of his power is to the gaps. The only question is whether Charleston's pop will play with the new toned-down bats, because the lineup is filled with quality college-caliber sluggers, rather than players with pro power.
Speed: 50. Rakar and Gantt are plus runners, and Mesa has at least average speed. The Cougars ran some last year, but they are known more for bludgeoning opponents with the long ball.
Defense: 50. Charleston's defense is average-it doesn't stand out, but it's not a liability. Holler is a very steady defender at short, and Mesa has the athleticism and actions to replace mainstay Joey Bergman at second. Rakar is very good in center, but CofC is not special on any of its corners. Kral is experienced but is known more for his bat.
Starting Pitching: 55. Four of Charleston's top five starters are back, and the rotation has a chance to quite good as the season unfolds. Peterson is a veteran anchor with two years' experience in the weekend rotation; his three-pitch mix is highlighted by an 88-92 sinker. Salay had an up-and-down 2010 in a midweek role but showed 91-93 mph heat and a good cutter in the fall. Powell, the team's best prospect, spent time as the Friday starter as a freshman, showing promise but also taking his lumps. He works in the 87-91 range and features an excellent changeup and solid breaking ball. So. LHP Jake Zokan, who made seven starts last year, will compete for midweek starts with JC transfer Ryan West, a classic sinker/slider guy.
Bullpen: 50. Fireballer Heath Hembree is gone, but he was inconsistent in the closer role anyway. Lucchese, an unsigned 39th-rounder as a junior, was the team's most reliable reliever last year, and he should do fine as the closer thanks to an 88-92 fastball and a swing-and-miss curve. Watts is a two-way player who could serve as the setup man thanks to a good 87-91sinker, solid curveball and change.
Experience/Intangibles: 60. Charleston returns loads of veterans from a 44-win team that pushed Coastal Carolina to the max in regionals. The Cougars have proven tenacious and resilient.
Baseball America OFP: 55. CofC looks capable of getting back to super regionals for the first time since 2006. If its arms develop as hoped, it might even have a shot to go deeper than that.
The Cougars open the 2011 season against Kentucky Feb. 18 as part of the CofC Invitational. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. For season ticket and single-game ticket information visit www.CofCSports.com or call the ticket office at 843.953.CofC (2632).
Baseball America's Pre-Season Top 25
Team 2010 Record Final 2010 Ranking
1. Florida 47-17 7
2. UCLA 51-17 2
3. Texas Christian 54-14 3
4. Vanderbilt 46-20 14
5. Oklahoma 50-18 5
6. Texas 50-13 9
7. South Carolina 54-16 1
8. Cal State Fullerton 46-18 11
9. Connecticut 48-16 NR
10. Clemson 45-25 10
11. Arizona State 52-10 4
12. Florida State 48-20 6
13. Stanford 31-25 NR
14. Oregon 40-24 25
15. Virginia 51-14 8
16. Baylor 36-24 NR
17. California 29-25 NR
18. Rice 40-23 21
19. Arizona 34-24 NR
20. College of Charleston 44-19 NR
21. Texas A&M 43-21 23
22. Louisiana State 41-22 NR
23. St. John's 43-20 NR
24. Miami 43-20 15
25. Tulane 32-24 NR
Cougars Ranked 26th in NCBWA Preseason Poll
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The College of Charleston baseball team was picked 26th in the 2011 National Collegiate Baseball Writers poll released today. It is the fourth preseason poll ranking for the Cougars, who open the 2011 season against Kentucky Feb. 18 as part of the CofC Invitational.
The Cougars were most recently picked 20th in the Baseball America Pre-Season Top 25 Rankings, 22nd in the College Baseball Lineup Division I Pre-Season poll and 35th in the Collegiate Baseball Poll. Monte Lee, in his third year with the Cougars, is coming off a 2010 season that saw the team post a 44-19 record and an appearance in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional final. It was the fourth time in program history that the Cougars tallied at least 40 wins in a single season.
Southern Conference Player of the Year Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.), who had 21 home runs and 88 RBI in 2010 and was named to the Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger Pre-Season All-American, returns to the lineup, along with Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.). He led the Cougars in several offensive categories, including batting average (.378), hits (102), runs (76), doubles (27) and stolen bases (20). David Peterson (Walnut Creek, Calif.) is back on the mound for the team. He led the team in strikeouts last season with 68. He will be joined by Christian Powell (Greenwood, S.C.) as weekend starters.
The NCBWA continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 14th year with its 2011 preseason predictions and weekly surveys. TCU is No. 1 nationally for the first time in school history. Weekly polls will resume from Feb. 21-June 28 with the finale following the 65th annual 2011 NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb.
The poll voters come from 40 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. After a preseason Top 35 listing, the remainder of the polls will feature a national Top 30 beginning with the Feb. 21 NCBWA survey.
This week's poll has representation by 12 different conferences among the 300 baseball-playing schools in the 2011 NCAA Division I ranks. The polls of 2010 had teams from 15 different DI conferences rated at least one week. For more information or to join the NCBWA, please go to www.ncbwa.com.
The Cougars open the 2011 season against Kentucky Feb. 18 as part of the CofC Invitational. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. For season ticket and single-game ticket information visit www.CofCSports.com or call the ticket office at 843.953.CofC (2632).
Rank-School-2010 Record-Final '10 Poll Place
1 TCU Mountain West 54-14 3
2 UCLA Pacific-10 51-17 2
3 Florida Southeastern 47-17 8
4 Vanderbilt SEC 46-20 15
5 Oklahoma Big 12 50-18 5
6 Texas Big 12 50-13 9
7 Clemson Atlantic Coast 45-25 4
8 South Carolina SEC 54-16 1
9 Cal State Fullerton Big West 46-18 12
10 Florida State ACC 48-20 6
11 Arizona State Pac-10 52-10 7
12 Oregon Pac-10 40-24 25
13 Virginia ACC 51-14 10
14 Stanford Pac-10 31-25 NR
15 Rice Conference USA 40-23 21
16 Texas A&M Big 12 43-21-1 24
17 Connecticut Big East 48-16 22
18 Coastal Carolina Big South 55-10 11
19 LSU SEC 41-22 29
20 Miami (Fla.) ACC 43-20 13
21 Georgia Tech ACC 47-15 16
22 Louisville Big East 50-14 17
23 Auburn SEC 43-21 19
24 Arkansas SEC 43-21 14
25 Arizona Pacific-10 34-24 NR
26 College of Charleston Southern 44-19 27
27 UC Irvine Big West 39-21 20
28 Alabama SEC 42-25 18
29 North Carolina ACC 38-22 26
30 California Pac-10 29-25 NR
31 St. John's Big East 43-20 28
32 Baylor Big 12 36-24 NR
33 Wichita State Missouri Valley 41-19 NR
34 Washington State Pac-10 37-22 NR
35 Fresno State Western Athletic 38-25 NR
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically with 2010 records): Bethune-Cookman (35-22), Cal Poly (23-32), Charlotte (39-17), East Carolina (32-27), Elon (38-24), Florida Atlantic (37-24), Florida International (36-25), Hawai'i (35-28), James Madison (30-23), Kansas (31-27-1), Kansas State (37-22), Kent State (39-25), Liberty (42-19), Louisiana-Lafayette (38-22), Michigan (35-22), Minnesota (32-20), Ole Miss (39-24), NC State (38-24), New Mexico (38-22), Oregon State (32-24), Pittsburgh (38-18), San Diego (37-22), San Diego State (28-28), Southern Miss (36-24), Texas State (38-22), The Citadel (43-22), Troy (36-25), Tulane (32-24), UC Riverside (32-23), UCF (33-22), VCU (34-26-1), Virginia Tech (40-22), Western Carolina (37-21-1).