[PAmedic]

Flames Tabbed Fourth In Big South Preseason Baseball Poll

January 25, 2006 · Charlotte, N.C.

The Liberty Flames have been picked to finish fourth in the Big South Conference this season in the league’s annual preseason baseball poll as voted on by the conference’s head coaches and Sports Information Directors and announced today by the conference office.

Defending Big South champion Winthrop was chosen as the team to beat this season, while Eagles pitcher/infielder Heath Rollins was voted the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.

The Flames, coming off a 36-19 mark, which tied the school record for most Division I victories in a season, in 2005 and the first 30-win season under four-year head coach Matt Royer, received one first-place vote and 112 points in being selected fourth.

Winthrop received 12 first-place votes and 156 points in being tabbed first. The Eagles were followed by Coastal Carolina, who received four first-place votes and 140 points, and Birmingham-Southern, who received a first-place vote and 127 points. After Liberty in fourth, VMI was selected fifth (72) with Charleston Southern being tabbed sixth (64). High Point (59), Radford (42) and UNC Asheville (38) rounded out the conference voting.

Rollins finished with 12 first place votes and 45 points in being picked the conference’s Preseason Player of the year. He was followed by VMI’s Kelly Sweppenhiser (18 points and two first-place votes), the Flames’ Aaron Grijalva (r-So., 1B, Redlands, Calif.) (17 points and two first-place votes) and Birmingham-Southern’s Brandon Hynick (17 points and two first-place votes).

Liberty opens it 2006 season on February 9 with a three-game weekend series at Wofford. The Flames open their home schedule on February 14 when they host Longwood at Worthington Stadium.

[PAmedic]

evidently WU and CCU are the teams to beat- though the top 4 are a step above the rest of the conf. Look forward to seeing how the guys do this year.

[bigsmooth]

not surprising. the league will be very competitive, and the fact we get birm south and coastal at home is a plus. so try to get at least one or two of three at winthrop, and if we take care of biz at home we can flirt with the top.

[Sly Fox]

Despite what some may think, this is the league's premier sport. We compete with everybody not named Big 12, SEC and ACC (you can toss in Big East with FSU & Miami being a 2-headed monster). There would be no shame in finishing 4th in the Big South. But you never know how things can work out during the course of a long baseball season ... positive or negative.

[RedDog]

I agree this is the league's premier sport, but from top to bottom, the Big South would have trouble competing with Conference USA, PAC-10 and Big West ... Finishing fourth in the Big South will leave you at home come tournament time ... You have to finish in the top 2 to have a shot at a bid but with our downgraded schedule, anything short of winning the tournament won't get you ia bid.

[Sly Fox]

OK. I can agree that the Pac-10 slipped my mind. But the Big West isn't anything to write home about. Now that Rice is in the C-USA, that helps bolster the league along with Tulane. And getting rid of those atrocious northern schools to the Big East certainly builds the C-USA's stature overall.

[RedDog]

Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Cal Irvine ... I would say they are very good ... No. 5 RPI last year ... Conference USA was a very good league before Rice joined with Tulane, Southern Miss, East Carolina, TCU, Houston and now I would say that Rice has more than replaced TCU and C-USA added UCF who is good as well ...
C-USA got 4 bids last year and will get 5 with Rice ...

[SamFan]

Is there a preseason conference ranking? If so, where is the BS?

[bigsmooth]

the big south's elite teams can compete with most schools from the bigger conferences. they may win only one of a three game set, but they are not blow outs my any stretch.

[RedDog]

How is that competing when you lose 2-of-3 games in a series ... To say you're competing, you have to win 2-of-3 in a series ...

[SamFan]

How is that competing when you lose 2-of-3 games in a series ... To say you're competing, you have to win 2-of-3 in a series ...

If you go... 1-2, 5-4, 2-3... I would say that is being competitive. Especially if it is against a ranked team. If Men's basketball played three top 25 teams and won 1 and played the other 2 close... that would be "competing."

Another post and more negativity...you need to take a class in optimism. Man, everytime I read you, it brings me down. I'm not the most positive person in the world, but the glass has to be half full every once in a while.

I went back and read all your posts on the board... MAN.... Debbie Downer.

[RedDog]

Quit worrying about people being positive or negative and learn from the truth ... You have to think outside the box in order to advance and succeed ... You seem to be satisfied with losing.

It's not about being competitve, it's about winning games ... You don't get ranked, get more bids to the tournament and get recogntion for the conference by being competitve and losing games ... No one remembers who loses just who wins ... I am positive and I am being positive about that!!!

One more thing I am being positive about - You can't be a champion for Christ by losing games and being satisfied with just being competitvie - Go LU!!!

[SamFan]

Quit worrying about people being positive or negative and learn from the truth ... You have to think outside the box in order to advance and succeed ... You seem to be satisfied with losing.

It's not about being competitve, it's about winning games ... You don't get ranked, get more bids to the tournament and get recogntion for the conference by being competitve and losing games ... No one remembers who loses just who wins ... I am positive and I am being positive about that!!!

One more thing I am being positive about - You can't be a champion for Christ by losing games and being satisfied with just being competitvie - Go LU!!!

Dog, show me one place where I said I was satisfied with losing... one place. You won't find it. You say "You seem to be satisfied with losing" but the team had a WINNING record last year... you were the one complaining not me. As far as being competitive... I never said we should be happy with being competitive... we were fighting over the definition of "competitive."

Plus you say "Quit worrying about people being positive or negative and learn from the truth." Are you the "Truth?" Why are you the end all on what is right and wrong with our baseball team and NCAA baseball in general? Now you not only sound like a downer but also a know-it-all.

Finally... you say "You have to think outside the box in order to advance and succeed ... You can't be a champion for Christ by losing games and being satisfied with just being competitive"

What "thinking outside the box?" What are you talking about? I have only said that you come across as negative and I argued your definition of competitive. Now you are feeding me some pychobable about thinking outside the box? At no point has the topic been "Christians settling for less than victory." If so I would have been on your side on that.

Just curious... when you watch A Christmas Carol... who do you root for, Bob Cratchet or Scrooge? Sorry, that was unfair... but a serious question... isn't RedDog a beer? Champions shouldn't promote beer should they?

[RedDog]

Now you have to go making fun of my name and equating me to beer ... I'm not fighting, just debating about America's past time - college baseball - and educating a few folks along the way.

I am not the truth, just write the truth ... I been around college baseball, Liberty baseball and Liberty athletics for a long time, not a know-it-all, but know more than most ...

Let's start cheering for ole LU and quit trying to find things to accuse me of ... I've been having a good debate over college baseball with people and you jump in and start accusing me of being negative and having an agenda against the coaching staff ... Neither are true and you know it!

Just remember in a debate, there are two sides and sometimes both sides can't be positive ... I have passion for Liberty, winning and baseball ... No one likes to win more than I do ... Like I said, I want Liberty to be successful and get to the tournament any way they can ...

This debate is worn out ... It's time to move on and get ready for the season to start ... Good luck to the players, coaches and staff .... Here's to this season!!! ...

Sammy - Is that positive enough for you??? ...

[flameshaw]

Quit worrying about people being positive or negative and learn from the truth ... You have to think outside the box in order to advance and succeed ... You seem to be satisfied with losing.

It's not about being competitve, it's about winning games ... You don't get ranked, get more bids to the tournament and get recogntion for the conference by being competitve and losing games ... No one remembers who loses just who wins ... I am positive and I am being positive about that!!!

One more thing I am being positive about - You can't be a champion for Christ by losing games and being satisfied with just being competitvie - Go LU!!!

Great post RedDog. Mediocrity or just competing is nothing to be proud of. We must do "all things" to honor Him.

[PAmedic]

welcome back FLAMESHAW! good to see ya!

[SamFan]

Now you have to go making fun of my name and equating me to beer ... I'm not fighting, just debating about America's past time - college baseball - and educating a few folks along the way.

I am not the truth, just write the truth ... I been around college baseball, Liberty baseball and Liberty athletics for a long time, not a know-it-all, but know more than most ...

Let's start cheering for ole LU and quit trying to find things to accuse me of ... I've been having a good debate over college baseball with people and you jump in and start accusing me of being negative and having an agenda against the coaching staff ... Neither are true and you know it!

Just remember in a debate, there are two sides and sometimes both sides can't be positive ... I have passion for Liberty, winning and baseball ... No one likes to win more than I do ... Like I said, I want Liberty to be successful and get to the tournament any way they can ...

This debate is worn out ... It's time to move on and get ready for the season to start ... Good luck to the players, coaches and staff .... Here's to this season!!! ...

Sammy - Is that positive enough for you??? ...

AMEN! A positive statement... that's all I was looking for. I never really meant to call your motives into question, just to let you know you seemed to have a negative disposition. GO FLAMES! See... doesn't that feel good?

[RedDog]

Doesn't make me feel any different than before but I'm glad it made you feel better ...

[bigsmooth]

you can compete by winning one of three. playing close games which most of the elite big south teams do against the big boys. yeah its not winning a three game series, but it looks a lot better than getting blown out. you can nit pick all you want and you probably know a lot about baseball, but competing is not all about wins and losses every time out. a lot of big south schools just do not have the depth, so keeping it close and winning one of a three game set is competing in my book. i appreciate all your insight, your passion and coming to the board dog!

[krh44]

VMI posted a win over Auburn today 8-5- These are the type of teams we need to be playing and beating, I was dissapponted w/ the 4th place prediction. I know CCU and WU had strong teams last year but they lost some key players especially CCU- lost 5 to the draft. I guess Royer said our pitching staff is very young so a lot could rely on how that goes.

[PAmedic]

SLY posted that WU took one from a good Miami team. I think it was 8-3

[A.G.]

Winthrop won 4-3 over Miami
VMI wins the series with a 10-8 win over Auburn.
CSU swept by Fla State.

Now its time for us to get hyped up about that opening series at Wofford (17-37 in 05) followed by the home opener against the always tough Lancers of Longwood (16-32). Forgive me as I quake in my boots about our schedule.