WCC Pre-Season Baseball Poll Released

UP was picked seventh in the WCC Pre-Season coaches Poll:

2008 WCC Baseball Preseason Poll
1. San Diego - 49 (7)
2. Pepperdine - 42
3. Santa Clara - 32 (1)
4. LMU - 29
5. Gonzaga - 28
6. San Francisco - 24
7. Portland - 12
8. Saint Mary’s - 8
(First place votes)

http://www.portlandpilots.com/sports/baseball/release.asp?release_id=4777

San Diego is really, really good this year... top five team in the country according to pre-season national polls, and they have an incresible rotation with lefty Brian Matusz (potentially a top three pick in the MLB draft and widely considered the top college pitcher) and Josh Romanski, another starter, also a potential first round pick. Dang! And add to the the top-rated recruiting class in the country? Wow... they might be a College World Series team.

Anyway... as for the Pilots, they've got two solid starters in Ari Ronick and David Gruener, but someone is going to have to step up as a starter to replace Given Kutz. Offensively, Chase Powell is the big bat, but they're going to need Danny Meier and Cory Wiltshire to step it up big time. The left side of the infield is also a bit of a question... I'm guessing that Clayton Shaw and CJ Cullen are at the top of the depth charts at third and short, respectively, but I also know that they brought in some good new players who could challenge there. Rocky Gale is solid behind the plate, can hit well, and has a great arm.

Overall, there's no reason why they couldn't push USF, Gonzaga, and LMU... we can do better than seventh for sure.