Arizona SP Konner Wade has had the performance of the CWS so far, pitching a complete game shutout against UCLA. The Wildcats have already claimed their place in the CWS Championship Series. Who will join them, Arkansas or South Carolina?
Check out the video below for a Series recap, where I discuss the following:
Mike Martin: 21 trips to the CWS and 0 national titles
Stony Brook will get the majority of the press, but can they shock the world and win the National Championship?
Here is my preview of the 2012 College World Series, complete with team-by-team analysis and overall predictions. My "Cut Half My Face Off" video technique is in full force here as well. If it's too annoying, just listen to the video and pop up another window while you listen. I guess I may have to fire my tech guy...
What do you think about the 2012 CWS? Are you buying the Stony Brook hype? Can Mike Martin finally win the big one? Drop me a comment in the box below, I love talking college baseball!
For Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, California, Texas and South Carolina, a season's worth of blood, sweat and tears has all come down to a trip to Omaha and TD Ameritrade Park and a chance to play for the College World Series Championship. The Gamecocks are the defending champions, but 7 other teams are vying to knock them off their throne. You can find the CWS schedule with TV listings HERE.
I did get 7 of 8 teams correct in my College World Series Preview back a couple weeks ago. The only one I missed was California, as they defeated underdog Dallas Baptist in the Super Regional that was played in Santa Clara, because the Bears don't have lights at their stadium!
This weekend's Super Regional action provided some great drama, especially the ending of the UC Irvine/Virginia game 3:
I thought the Cavaliers were gone after they made the first two outs in the bottom of the 9th, but they made a rally for the ages.
I'm sure many college baseball fans were surprised to see Texas A&M go to Tallahassee and beat Florida State, but I wasn't one bit surprised. As storied as Mike Martin's career has been, he still hasn't won a national championship. That's amazing when you consider the amount of quality players he's had over his 30+ years! I'm starting to think he could coach until he turns 100 and not win a title, just like Jack Leggett at Clemson and Danny Hall at Georgia Tech.
Why do these great ACC program underachieve every year? Did you know the ACC hasn't won a national championship since Wake Forest did it back in the 1950's? Amazing.
Florida and Virginia are the two best teams in the tournament, and Florida has the deepest staff in the country. They can also score enough runs to win even if the pitching lets down. That will be the downfall of Texas, they are just too offensively challenged to win the whole deal.
Watch out for Vanderbilt as well. They have a deep staff and split the season series with Florida. If Sonny Gray and Grayson Garvin get them through the first two, they will be in a great spot to advance to the championship series.
Don't count out California either. They are playing with house money, as their program was due to be cut after this season, but a fund-raising effort has helped save the program. They have all the confidence rolling in to Omaha, much like Fresno State in 2008.
I will stick to my original prediction of a Florida over Virginia in 3 games for the title. The Gators depth will help them through, even if they do slip up early and fall into the loser's bracket early on.
Who is your choice to win this year's College World Series?
For the first time in over 50 years, the road to the College World Series will not end at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. The brand new TD Ameritrade Park in downtown will be the new home of the CWS. If you ever had the opportunity to visit Rosenblatt for the CWS, as I have, it will be sorely missed and will probably always be my favorite ballpark.
However, we do have 64 teams vying for the right to be the first national champion in the new park. To see the entire bracket, and follow the tournament in real-time, CLICK HERE!
Here are my projections for how this year's tournament will play out:
Regional Winners
Charlottesville: Virginia
Los Angeles: UC Irvine
Houston: Rice
Fort Worth: TCU
Columbia: South Carolina
Clemson: Clemson
Tallahassee: Florida State
College Station: Texas A&M
Chapel Hill: North Carolina
Fullerton: Stanford
Nashville: Vanderbilt
Corvallis: Oregon State
Gainesville: Florida
Atlanta: Mississippi State
Austin: Texas
Tempe: Arkansas
Going to Omaha
Virginia over UC Irvine
Rice over TCU
South Carolina over Clemson
Texas A&M over Florida State
North Carolina over Stanford
Vanderbilt over Oregon State
Florida over Mississippi State
Texas over Arkansas
CWS Finals
Florida over Virginia in 3 games
Who do you think will win this year's national championship?
