[Flames & Heels]

With baseball season rapidly approaching, even if the weather doesn't seem like baseball weather, what type of season will the Flames have?
It seems that Coach Toman has put together a solid team this year with depth all around the diamond. Will this be the year for a postseason run?

[Sly Fox]

Expectations are high and anything less than a Top-3 finish in league play would be a major disappointment.

[BJWilliams]

Ive taken a break from my blog but Im looking to expand my writings on Flames athletics and I will try to have a preview of the team in the coming weeks.

[SuperJon]

Ive taken a break from my blog but Im looking to expand my writings on Flames athletics and I will try to have a preview whenever the media guide comes out and I can recreate what they wrote.

Fixed tat for ya Beej.

[BJWilliams]

Ha thanks...Im on a friend's laptop while Im in bed so I miss a few keys from time to time

[Kolzilla41]

Ha thanks...Im on a friend's laptowhile Im in bed so I miss a few keys from time to time

I would re-read what he wrote Beej.

[BJWilliams]

Man Im more off than usual... Im staying with a friend and his two kids kept the house up late last night...but yeah the media guide will prove helpful (and our resident scribe as well)

[ToTheLeft]

I think top 3 is basement for what we should expect. We have so much pitching, and a lot of hitting that has gotten a year older. And we get Coastal at home. If there was a year to beat the Chants in the regular season, this is it. Then it comes down to the tourney. I'm thinking 40ish wins and an outside shot at an at large, and a good shot at knocking off the Chickens in the tournament.

[Flames & Heels]

I agree, this looks like possibly the best team LU has had in a while. I saw in one poll that the Flames were just outisde the top 40 but had gotten a respectable number of votes. It seems like Coastal has a ton of hype going into this year, but it also seems like we are a clear #2 going into the season.
If we get off to a hot start and sweep the soft weekend series (UNCA, Pres, etc.), win some key OOC games and take at least 2 every weekend, an at large seems very realistic.

[ToTheLeft]

I agree. This team will be very good. We have more solid starters than we have weekend games every week. We have plenty of hitting, including several guys who are scrappy leadoff hitter types. Kenneth Negron returning to join PJ, Matt W., and Curran gives us four guys who will bat for a good average and get around the bases to set up the 3-5 hitters, or turn the lineup over in the 8-9 spots, and with guys like T. Bream, Wimmer, and Thompson in the middle of the lineup, we'll have plenty of runs scored. If we get good pitching out of the bullpen, solid defense, and consistency across the board, we have a complete team.

[flamesfilmguy]

If any of you guys want to come down to atlanta or some of you who are from atlanta the guys open the season next month at Kennesaw state i'll be at all 3 games. should be a good gauge for the beginning of the season.

[uncafan]

I agree, this looks like possibly the best team LU has had in a while. I saw in one poll that the Flames were just outisde the top 40 but had gotten a respectable number of votes. It seems like Coastal has a ton of hype going into this year, but it also seems like we are a clear #2 going into the season.
If we get off to a hot start and sweep the soft weekend series (UNCA, Pres, etc.), win some key OOC games and take at least 2 every weekend, an at large seems very realistic.

I don't disagree with any of your expectations for LU baseball this year. The only thing I will say is Winthrop is seriously flying under the radar right now (if that's at all possible) and I have a feeling a lot of people may be surprised at how good they are. With some of the arms they have coming in, as well as what they are bringing back... I wouldn't be shocked if it was Winthrop, not Coastal, that is the 'team to beat' early on in the season.

Having said that -- the quality of Recruits Coastal & Liberty have been getting...definitely rising...but I think Winthrop has 'recovered' from the major losses they took via transfers a while back (Wilson, Franzblau etc.) and they have the arms to really be a force this year.

Should be a great year. Don't sleep on my Bulldogs -- they've got one or two arms and a few bats. They aren't going to win more than a series all year, but they may surprise/kill some teams at-large hopes with a win or two on a saturday or even friday night.

And lets not forget that this is (if i recall correctly) year one of the 'fully funded' presbyterian plan. Can't remember if this was discussed here or over on our board...But the baseball program (and I think basketball as well) has been 'holding back' funds and scholarship money so that when they become a fully eligible D-1 member they are not only fully funded/financed but have experienced players as well (trying to compete in year one).