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As this is the Hot Stove League time of the year for college baseball, who are the top returning starters for UCA at each position - including the pitching rotation and bullpen?

Also, who are the top returning players and pitchers at the other schools in the conference?

Well, I count at least 10 new juco guys on the roster. There are only three outfielders that are returning with experience. And two of those (Wagner and Getchell) played other positions. There are a ton of spots to fill, and I see a ton of question marks on who fills them. Not knowing the new guys, I'd expect Wagner and Getchell to get more time now that they are sophomores. I just don't know where.

C - Open/Wagner
1B - Roberts?
2B - Open/Getchell?
3B - Dickson?/Roberts?
SS - Pritchett
LF - Open/Wagner?
CF - Throneberry
RF - Open/Getchell?

P - Pritchett
P - Cross
P - Solberg?
P - Ward?
Closer - Open/Brewer?/Wild?


Maybe 101 can help out?

Welcome UE to the board........

Trey,

Do you not see Ariola figuring into the pitching mix somewhere?

Oh yeah. He'll be somewhere. I just listed the four guys returning with the most starts last season.

I'd expect Pritchett and Cross to be weekend starters. I'm not sure who the third might be. OR, both of those guys could be used as closers I guess (although Pritchett as a starter seems like a lock to me).

Pritchett seems to be more effective as a closer, plus you like his bat and defensive ability at short all through the game.

Evan Cox will leaned upon heavily in the pitching rotation, maybe out of the pen to begin. I believe they were wanting to use Pritchett MOSTLY as a pitcher this season, but I havent been around since they have started working out to know anything.

I do think there will be quite a number of newcomers counted on this season as it stood during the summer months...

I typed up something but it didn't submit, so I'll try again.

I agree that Pritchett would be great in a closer role. I was just basing my list on the number of starts and innings he threw last year. I would be happy if we had one guy that was "the closer." I don't know that we've had something like that since I've been paying attention. I guess Bobby's five from last year are proof that he can handle it. Then you just have to figure out the weird DH rules around bringing him in from the field.


I saw Cox throw some when he was at UA-F. He has a powerful arm, no doubt. I forgot about him since he wasn't on the stats from last season. I think he's be a good closer as well. But if he can throw that hard for 6 or 7 innings, I'd leave Bobby in the field to play defense and hit and bring him in to close games out.

NOTE: I apparently wasn't keeping up in 2006 when Blankenship had 10 saves.

That guy Open better be a heck of a player or it could be a long season. Having your SS go in to close a game does not seem to be the ideal situation, but if he is the best for both jobs, so be it.

As far as the rest of the conference goes, who are the best arms/players out there? I have seen Rett Varner from UTA and he is legit at 94. Anybody else?