The University of Kentucky baseball team travels to Myrtle Beach, S.C. this weekend for the start of the 2010 season at the Caravelle Resort Invitational. The Cats take on Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Coastal Carolina. If you missed the 2010 season preview, check it out here.
According to BoydsWorld.com, UK’s turned in the 22nd-toughest schedule in the country. Opponents such as San Diego, San Diego State, Western Kentucky and Louisville along with 30 games in Southeastern Conference play presents quite a challenge for the Cats.
With recent records like 25-3, 13-3 and 19-0 (twice) to begin the year, Kentucky is used to hot starts, but hasn’t turned them into anything more than a regional bid. Will taking their lumps early help or hurt the Cats?
“It depends on how we play,” said head coach Gary Henderson, who expects his team to “play well, have some losses” and enter their SEC schedule “very confident.”
With snow in 49 of 50 states at some point in past weeks and most of the world’s best players yet to pack their bags for MLB spring training, it could be tough for some to become convinced that it’s baseball season just yet. Henderson’s not worried, noting that the team has been working out since Jan. 13, and, after 37 days practicing against each other, they’re ready to face another team.
“It’s a good group, and they like each other,” Henderson said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who consider themselves to be baseball players. Our goal is to play well game by game. … If we get that done, we’ll be in good shape.”
In Yahoo’s preseason Regional projections, Kentucky is left on the outside looking in to the likes of SEC foes Vanderbilt, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Alabama. In-state foes Louisville and Western Kentucky join regional contenders Wright State, Dayton and Middle Tennessee in the projections. If you’re not aware of my take on preseason guesses stabs in the dark picks, specifically within college baseball, find out here.
The Baseball America early draft preview features several Cats that will be worth watching this season. Senior LHP James Paxton is the No. 1 ranked player in his class and the 21st overall in the entire draft. Junior LHP Logan Darnell is the 81st-best prospect in the draft, and junior INF Chris Bisson comes in at No. 98. Super sophomore RHP Alex Meyer is the fifth-best prospect in his class, while, according to BA, Taylor Rogers is the 22nd-best freshman in collegiate baseball. Here’s the full story.
Now that you’re all set with your preseason knowledge on all things college baseball, do yourself a favor: forget it. All of it. Anyone who knows baseball well enough not to run around the bases clockwise knows it’s a hard enough game to control while you’re playing it. The Tampa Bay Rays went to the World Series. Fresno State won it all in Omaha. No one knows what’s going to happen, and that’s the beauty of it. Yogi Berra said it best when he so eloquently put, “in baseball, you don’t know nothing.”
So get out to Cliff Hagan Stadium and see the Cats this year. You never know what’s going to happen.
