We're coming into the weekend - full into a decent-looking spring here in Minnesota. It was darn near 80 today. Tonight will probably be one of those nights I sit around and burn all the stuff that's accumulated in the garage or the yard over winter. And release more bad things into the atmosphere, increasing my carbon footprint and prompting the neighbors to once again remind that Spring is not a time for swearing loudly after dark. They can tolerate it in fall, when all the Vikings fans are moping around, but not Spring. Spring is happy time. Fall? They root for the Gophers and the Vikings - what do you think?
Here's your Baseball Insider Weekend Preview - this Aaron Fitt guy knows his college ball over there.
Baseball Insider puts out a weekly podcast discussing the their Top 25 and why they're placing teams where they are. Get to it if you haven't - it can lead to better arguing on your part. You know that guy that sits next to you and goes on and on about how (insert his favorite unknown college team here) gets screwed every year in the tournament seatings? Well, start listening to their podcast and you'll be a helluva lot smarter than him. No one will ever know. That's what I'm doing. Don't tell no one.
and the College Baseball blog has your ACC Weekend Preview. The big one this weekend - Florida State at Miami. The CBB predicts that FSU will win two out of three, while Baseball Insider picks Miami in their 'Upset City' pick of the week.
Eric Sorenson includes his weekend preview in his "The DaVinci Code of College Baseball is Revealed Edition" - a single rambling post (that's still worth reading) where he makes some great points about the NCAA's RPI (we'll be talking about that tomorrow), and then has his "10 Places I'd want to be this weekend" bit.
Holy DaVinci Code length, man! Maybe post more often! Or have you hidden things we need to look for?
The Big 12 Weekly Preview? Who does that? Maybe I should, unless someone else is going to volunteer. Okay - I had our first practice of rec-league soccer last night. I'm coaching girls - 10-12 or something like that. It's always interesting dealing with kids who are all over the board and trying to assemble them into working together. So.... I was busy re-acquainting myself with games, drills, and new things to yell at them this year.
BUT - What you need to know is that the big 'un this weekend is Texas versus Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Here's where we find out if Texas is going to run away with the Big 12 or if the Cowboys can reel them in a little.
Nebraska (since this is a Husker's blog at it's heart!) has Kansas State at home. I would like a sweep. Maybe that's greedy. But last week showed that Ryan Wehrle is coming around for the Huskers, and Tony Watson can shut anyone down on Friday nights. For the first time in a few weeks, the starting pitchers are listed for ALL THREE GAMES - Luke Wertz to start on Sunday. The Huskers just need to keep on movin' and everything will be good!
Here's the Top 25 Schedule (Stolen Mercilessly from Baseball Insider)
Florida at (1) Vanderbilt
(2) Florida State at Miami
Maryland at (3) Virginia
(4) Rice at Alabama-Birmingham
(5) Texas at (12) Oklahoma State
(6) North Carolina at North Carolina State
(7) Arkansas at Auburn
(8) Oregon State at Stanford
(9) South Carolina at Alabama
Evansville at (10) Wichita State
(11) Arizona State at California
(13) Pepperdine at (17) San Diego
(14) Arizona at (25) UCLA
(15) Cal State Fullerton at UC Riverside
UC Davis at (17) UC Irvine
Baylor vs./at/at (18) Texas A&M
(24) Georgia Tech at (19) Clemson
(20) Michigan at/vs./vs./at Michigan State
Liberty at (21) Coastal Carolina
(22) Mississippi State at (23) Mississippi