Florida State Baseball: Previewing the Teams in the Connecticut Regional


Florida State makes it 33rd consecutive regional appearance by playing Central Connecticut State Friday at 2:00 PM in the Norwich, CT. That game will be followed by the Oregon Ducks and the Connecticut Huskies at 7:00 PM. Inside we will preview each team and what we can expect from them this upcoming weekend.
#4 Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils - Northeast Conference
The Blue Devils finished 3rd in the Northeast Conference 7 games behind Bryant University but won the conference tournament earning them an automatic bid and a spot in Regionals for the first time since 2004. Of the 32 conferences in Division I baseball the Northeast Conference currently has an RPI of 27.
The conference as a whole is not pitching dominated and Central Connecticut is not a team that counts on their staff to win their games. This is an area where the Blue Devils will be exploited as they do not have anyone on their team that could be even considered an "Ace".

Central Connecticut does excel offensively and leads the conference in just about every offensive category. Senior Sean Allaire was named the 2010 NEC Player of the Year this season and lead the conference with a 1.385 OPS in conference only play. In their only game versus a Top 100 RPI team they went on the road beat the Connecticut Huskies by scoring 7 runs on 15 hits.
#3 Oregon Ducks - Pac 10 Conference
Oregon finished the season 5th in the Pac 10 but given the depth of quality teams in their conference they were able to earn an at-large bid in only their second season of baseball after nearly a break of 2 decades. The Pac 10 currently holds the #1 RPI amongst all conferences and sent 8 teams to post season play.
The Ducks have a phenomenal pitching staff that and are well above league average in a conference dominated by pitching. Their starting 3, Anderson, LaTempa and Thornton have the ability to completely shut down opposing hitters and together have an amazing strikeout to walk ratio of 4.24.
As you can see the Oregon offense does nothing impressive offensively. They are a station to station small ball team that relies on their starting pitching to keep them in low scoring games. No one for the Ducks had more than 2 homeruns in conference play this season.
#2 Connecticut Huskies - Big East Conference
The Huskies finished the Big East season 2nd behind Louisville and made it to the conference tournament final where they to lost to St. John's but their overall body of work was enough to earn them an at-large bid. The Big East conference as a whole has not very good, half of their teams are ranked 100 or worse in RPI with only 2 teams having an RPI in the Top 50. The conference currently sits at 7 in the RPI rankings.
Connecticut's excellent pitching staff is led by Elliot Glynn, Matt Barnes and Greg Nappo who have all posted sub 4.00 ERAs in conference play this year. The Huskies bullpen has been just as good thanks to Kevin Vance and Scott Oberg who have allowed just 2 extra base hits in 25.1 innings of work.
This is a team that takes advantage of their team speed by stealing bases and moving runners into scoring position. In conference play the Huskies had 77 attempts, 1 less than Oregon and Florida State combined. Connecticut's main power threat comes from Mike Olt but also receives support from George Springer and Mike Nemeth.
#1 Florida State Seminoles - ACC Conference
The Seminoles finished 2nd place in the Atlantic division and despite losing their first game in the ACC tournament they won their next 3 games en route to their 5th conference title. The ACC is currently ranked 3rd in RPI and is sending a record 8 teams into Regional play.
Florida State's pitching is not the reason they won many games this season. In a starting pitching role the Seminoles had an ERA of 8.00 which was last in the conference. Their pitching was much improved in the conference tournament and will need to continue that good pitching in the postseason.
The Seminoles were one of the more potent offenses in the ACC this season and were led by juniors Mike McGee (.997 OPS) and Tyler Holt (1.208 OPS). This offense might have to continue outslugging teams if the pitching reverts back to its regular season form.
So there you have it, a brief breakdown of every team in the Norwich Regional. As Florida State progresses through the weekend will preview each matchup starting tomorrow with Central Connecticut State.
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Central Conn St's logo looks like a blue teenage Count Chocula
by GraniteStateNoles on Jun 3, 2010 1:45 PM EDT reply actions
The offspring of Count Chocula and Boo Berry
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Or a cheesy rendition of a Duke logo.
"Dear Angel Hernandez and Joe West. You Suck. Please Resign. Sincerely, Everyone"
by Randall W. Spetman on Jun 3, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions


Central CT State’s logo got the Count’s ears, hair-horns, and hair-helmet; and got Boo Berry’s skin color, eye brows and (presumably) teeth.
Nose is a bit of a blend.
Smurf this guy up with some blue body paint and you’ve got the Central CT State logo personified.
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by GraniteStateNoles on Jun 3, 2010 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Funny...
My gf’s dad went to CCSU and gave me a shirt for Christmas. I hope we lay into them so I have some smack to talk.
Great read RnN. Should be a decent regional because its our strength (hitting) vs. other team’s strength (pitching). I’m concerned with our team getting shut down by an ace while our pitchers let a mediocre offense hit well.
Florida State Seminoles
Need I remind you of Bucknell in 2008
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Please don't
I was at that game. Couldn’t believe how we got nothing going against that guy. He couldn’t have been bigger than 5’10 170 lbs
Florida State Seminoles
Complete game shutout against the best offense in the country
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
It was great for the kid
You could tell how ecstatic he was. But man…our hitting was poor.
Florida State Seminoles
He was probably thrilled that he didn't have to throw pitch #154
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Per seminoles.com
Only three teams (Miami, Texas and Southern California) have more wins in NCAA Tournament play and the College World Series than Florida State and only nine schools in all of college baseball have more than 100 wins in postseason play:
Texas – 215 (6)
Southern California – 171 (12)
Miami, Fla. – 171 (4)
Florida State – 157 (0)
Arizona State – 146 (5)
Oklahoma State – 134 (1)
Cal State Fullerton – 134 (4)
Stanford – 128 (2)
LSU – 122 (6)
The 3 teams ahead of us have a combined 22 titles while the 5 teams behind us have 18 combined. Please tell me why Mike Martin deserves more time?
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Rays, those are eye opening numbers. It’s hard to claim unlucky when you have more opportunities than most programs. I’ve heard the “making it to the post season is so tough…anything can happen once you get there” too many time
by jasonole59 on Jun 3, 2010 3:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
dand mobile posting...hit post by mistake while trying to correct...
Insert excuse after the quote and add an s. to time
by jasonole59 on Jun 3, 2010 3:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
20 of those 40 titles occured in the MM era too
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
I like our chances here. If we were going against some mashers like Auburn I would think we wouldn’t have much of a shot but I think we have a decent shot here. Who pitches game 1? I’m assuming Scantling or Sitz maybe.
Haven't announced yet.
I would expect Gilmartin, Gast, Busch or Parker
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
per the Best baseball related site out there
Norwich Regional: #1 Florida State, #2 Connecticut, #3 Oregon, #4 Central Connecticut.
Best 2010 Draft Prospect: Tyler Holt, of, Florida State.
You will notice this is the one regional in which the #1 seed is not hosting, as the NCAA looks to expand college baseball’s popularity to new regions. So these four will play in Connecticut, where a very likable Huskies team will play underdog in their own ballpark. I’d be remiss not to point your attention to UConn 2B Pierre LePage, who struck out in last weekend’s Big East Tournament. It was news, because it was just the third time he’d done so in more than 250 plate appearances this season. They open their weekend against an amazing story — the Oregon Ducks, who made the tournament in the program’s second year of existence. They did so because of legendary coach George Horton’s ability to recruit pitchers (3.28 team ERA), namely ace Tyler Anderson (101 K’s in 95 IP). Florida State will await the winner, with their usual blend of great hitters and an enigmatic pitching staff. This has the makings to be the weekend’s most entertaining regional. The pick: Connecticut.
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
He is very very good at college baseball
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
I do.
Plus defense, plus getting on base ability. Won’t hit for much power with a wood bat though, imo.
Tomahawknation.com
I've never really seen his arm tested
his range is excellent, though. His ability to hit to all fields is a big plus, too.
Florida State Seminoles
I wish we had access to his splits
That would be very telling to his potential success
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Yes, McGee will be a fringe major league player at best
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Shane was probably my favorite Nole to watch on the diamond
Since I didn’t get to see much of J.D. Drew
>>---l>
Florida State will await the winner, with their usual blend of great hitters and an enigmatic pitching staff.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Enigmatic pitching staff? I wish our pitching staff was enigmatic. Right now they’re just bad.
Hoping for "enigmatic"
best case scenario – on the first trip through the lineup, our starting pitching surprises opponents who have not scouted us; and then we get good bullpen work.
I’d rather be playing in Tallahassee, but if we must travel, this is a good regional for us – particularly because our strength of schedule has prepared us better than our opponents.
Can't say I blame him
TCU would be the only one I question
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
We're the worst #1
Bryan Smith is very good.
However, I doubt all the 1s pass through on variation alone.
Tomahawknation.com
Wasn't it two or three years ago that the top three or four overall seeds didnt make it out of their region?
David Price’s final year I think.
Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
by mmmCheese on Jun 3, 2010 3:51 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Not the same as a weekend series
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Conference records vs Top 50 RPI
ACC – 147-203 (.420)
Pac 10 – 119-145 (.451)
Big East – 31-83 (.272)
Northeast – 4-20 (.167)
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Conference records vs Top 50 RPI for teams that made the tournament
ACC – 120-107 (.529)
Pac 10 – 101-105 (.490)
Big East – 16-12 (.571)
Northeast – 1-0 (1.000)
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Pictures from today's practice

via uconnhuskies.com
We can kill rallies wil the best of them
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
I love the caption. It's very accurate.
"Dear Angel Hernandez and Joe West. You Suck. Please Resign. Sincerely, Everyone"
by Randall W. Spetman on Jun 3, 2010 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Good News is that Oregon has 73 SACs this year
The other three teams in the regional have 74 combined.
THE fsugeo?
MiNDSET? SWAG-ER-ISM!!!
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"Trick is right."
"Wherever you are, Trick, you are wise, indeed."
2010 Louisville Slugger All-American Team
Holt made 2nd team and McGee made 3rd teams as a RP.
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Despite Dodd Stadium's small dimensions it seems that it still plays havoc offensive numbers
More on this in tomorrow’s preview
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
How recent?
Ponder lacks arm strength? Think again.
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They never moved the fences
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
Brian Busch will start for the 'Noles tomorrow
Wants to live in a world where Batting Average goes the way of the Dodo!
ehhh...
wish we had confidence in the staff to save our “#2”

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