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College World Series Preview
by John Manuel
 It has nothing to do with ping or bling. It's just about baseball, period. The College World Series gets started Friday at 2 p.m. when South Carolina plays Stanford. Later, Cal State Fullerton, LSU, Miami, Rice, Southwest Missouri State and defending national champion Texas will get involved too, as the best tournament in baseball comes to life at Rosenblatt Stadium. Baseball America will be there for all of it, with game coverage, notebooks, chats and more. Get started with our preview, but keep coming back when the games begin.
SOUTH CAROLINA (44-20) Bracket One
How the Gamecocks Got Here: Swept through the Atlanta regional in three games, defeating Stetson for the championship; then swept North Carolina in two games in super-regional at Columbia, S.C. CWS History: South Carolina makes its seventh appearance in Omaha and second straight in a resurgence led by Tanner. The school's previous five trips came between 1975-85, with runner-up finishes in 1975 and '77. The Gamecocks were also bridesmaids last year, losing to Texas 12-6 in the championship game. Key Players: C Landon Powell, Jr. (.338-10-59); SS Justin Harris, Sr. (.358-3-32); 3B Brian Buscher, Sr. (.390-14-64); LHP David Marchbanks, Jr. (15-2, 2.39); LHP Stephen Bondurant, Jr. (7-3, 3.90); RHP Aaron Rawl, So. (6-3, 2.75, six saves); LHP Matt Campbell, So. (5-4, 3.72). Scouting Report: "They're pretty different from what they were last year. They're geared more to pitching. They can come at you with four guys who are really good from the left side, and then Rawl and Chris Hernandez from the right are good college pitchers. Marchbanks is the SEC pitcher of the year, and they can usually hold him until Saturday. That's pretty good depth right there. I've always thought Campbell was tough to hit and has that breaking ball. "Hernandez is a good analogy to Yaron Peters from the stepping forward standpoint. He hardly pitched last year (21 innings) and this year he steps in and might be the best righthander on the club. He's a strike-thrower with moxie, and he's a California guy so he knows how to play. "On offense, they don't have the power they used to have, but Buscher is a clutch player and maybe the best player in the league with (Aaron) Hill. He's a big-play guy, is the best defender in the SEC at third and can swing it. He's clutch; he's got presence. He's got quiet intensity that's good for a team. Landon Powell hasn't hit for that kind of power this year, but he's a threat, and every team would like to have a catcher with his arm that switch-hits with some power. Plus he's better behind the plate than he was. He could play for me; I don't know why he was drafted so late. It doesn't make sense. "Stephen Tolleson will be a good infielder for them and he's helped them in the outfield. Justin Harris is a solid shortstop, he and Jon Coutlangus give them some speed, and then Kevin Melillo at second has 11 jacks—that's good production from that spot. You look and see a .973 fielding percentage and say this is a team with pitching, defense and enough offense." Omaha Outlook: Baseball America made the mistake of picking the Gamecocks to go two-and-out last year, and they went all the way to the championship game after an opening loss. South Carolina has experience, lots of quality lefthanded pitching, a two-headed bullpen tandem of Chris Hernandez and Aaron Rawl, and the most motivated player in the Series in catcher Landon Powell. Experience tends to go a long way in Omaha, and the Gamecocks would like nothing better than to return to the championship series for a rematch with Texas. However, this is a pitching-and-defense team in the same bracket with Cal State Fullerton, which does both of those things a little better.
STANFORD (46-15) Bracket One, No. 6 National Seed
How the Cardinal Got Here: Swept through the Palo Alto, Calif., regional in three games, defeating Richmond for the championship; played host to Long Beach State in super-regional and swept, holding Dirtbags to three runs on just two extra-base hits in two games. CWS History: Stanford passes Arizona and sits alone at seventh all-time with its 15th trip to Omaha and fifth straight. The Cardinal has not missed the CWS under the current regional/super-regional tournament format that began in 1999. Marquess and the Cardinal won back-to-back national titles in 1987 and '88 and have been runners-up twice more since then. Key Players: C Ryan Garko, Sr. (.411-18-88); OFs Sam Fuld, Jr. (.327-2-32); Carlos Quentin, Jr. (.398-10-56); and Danny Putnam, So. (.355-14-57); RHP John Hudgins, Jr. (11-3, 3.18); LHP Mark Romanczuk, Fr. (12-0, 3.39); RHPs Kodiak Quick, Fr. (2-0, 4.41, three saves) and Matt Manship, Fr. (2-4, 3.54, nine saves). Scouting Report: "It's a very physical team, particularly offensively. They can really hit. They were more physical than anyone else we saw all year—big, strong players, and if you make a mistake they'll pound you. They're explosive—you walk a guy, and it's boom, bang, bam, you're down three more runs before you can get a guy warmed up in the bullpen. They had the best total club we faced, but their offense is the best part of their team. "John Hudgins is the real deal. He throws strikes with everything, he's 87-89 mph, touches some 90s, really pitches, and when he has his breaking ball, he's outstanding. He's the best pitcher they have. Romanczuk throws strikes as a lefty and doesn't get rattled easily, and they rely heavily on their freshmen in the bullpen. "The offense is just so deep. Quentin and Putnam are power guys. I mean, John Mayberry Jr. was tearing it up early, and he's riding (the pine) right now. Garko is a very tough out—he has more home runs than strikeouts. That's crazy. Jonny Ash is playing a solid third base for them right now and can get hot with the bat, and I like Tobin Swope. He's just a solid, solid defensive shortstop. He plays hard, and he catches what he gets to and throws strikes. "The biggest thing with them—they believe in their mystique, that they will win. It must be a wonderful feeling. That home environment especially helps, and they feed off that. The program has great momentum." Omaha Outlook: Has there been one thing missing from Stanford's previous teams in this current span of five consecutive trips to the CWS? Not power—Joe Borchard, Edmund Muth and Ryan Garko have provided plenty over the years. Pitching? Don't make us laugh. Defense? The Cardinal's infield defense over the last four years regularly ranked among the best in the field, if not at the top. Mostly, Stanford has had bad timing—Mike Gosling pitched poorly against an unbelievably deep Miami team in 2001, and Louisiana State had too much mojo for the Cardinal in 2000. Last year, Texas was just better. This year, the same might be said for Cal State Fullerton, which swept the Cardinal early in the season. But maybe what Stanford really needs is luck.
CAL STATE FULLERTON (48-14) Bracket One, No. 7 National Seed
How the Titans Got Here: Swept through the Fullerton, Calif., regional in three games, defeating Notre Dame for the championship; stayed home to defeat Arizona State in three games in super-regional, winning final game 7-1. CWS History: Fullerton is making its 12th appearance in the College World Series, with its last coming in 2001. The Titans have won three national titles, in 1979, '84 and '95. Key Players: OFs Richie Burgos, Jr. (.324-4-49); Shane Costa, Jr. (.372-4-54); Danny Dorn, Fr. (.366-7-54); SS/2B Justin Turner, Fr. (.321-0-35); RHPs Jason Windsor, Jr. (10-2, 1.82); Dustin Miller, Fr. (9-2, 3.03); Chad Cordero, Jr. (5-1, 1.42, seven saves). Scouting Report: "Their pitching is very deep; they're very different from Long Beach State in that Long Beach has two pitchers who really scare you and three or four other guys that you might see. Fullerton has so many good pitchers who can start, and while we had some success against them, they're all very solid. I wish I had that kind of depth—to have an All-American like Wes Littleton and he's not in the rotation anymore. That's depth. "I liked their defense, though not as much as Long Beach's defense. (Ronnie) Prettyman at third base is nothing special. Justin Smyres was just OK at short, but I guess they thought so too, because now they have Turner at short and (Jason) Corapci at second, which gives them another veteran. "Their offense was kind of predictable in that a lot of their hitters hit the same way, so when we found a way to pitch to one of them, it worked for a lot of them. Shane Costa and Kyle Boyer are their most dangerous hitters. Costa runs well and is their best hitter, he'll spray line drives gap-to-gap. Boyer has some tools and has had a big year. Turner is a nice player—not much power but puts it in play and moves runners. "Cordero finishes stuff off for them and he can be very good. He was 93-94 mph against us with a high 70s slider that makes it tough on lefthanded hitters." Omaha Outlook: The Titans may be ranked No. 2 in the nation, but they have to be considered the favorite in Omaha because of their balance and pitching depth, which even surpasses that of Rice. Cal State Fullerton's ability to slow Arizona State's offense in the super-regional was impressive. The Sun Devils, averaging 10 runs a game, scored just nine in the three-game series. Chad Cordero takes a back seat to no one in a CWS filled with good closers, and Kyle Boyer, Richie Burgos, red-hot Ronnie Prettyman and the catching duo of P.J. Pilliterre and Kurt Suzuki give the Titans enough offensive help for Shane Costa.
LOUISIANA STATE (45-20) Bracket One, No. 2 national seed
How the Tigers Got Here: Swept through the Baton Rouge, La., regional in three games, defeating UNC Wilmington in 11 innings for the championship; defeated Baylor at home in three-game super-regional, winning decisive game 20-5. CWS History: Comparable to any school's. LSU is making its 12th trip to Omaha and won national championships in 1991, '93, '96, '97 and 2000. Key Players: SS Aaron Hill, Jr. (.366-9-67); OFs Ryan Patterson, So. (.350-15-49) and Jon Zeringue, So. (.333-14-44); 1B Clay Harris, So. (.333-15-60); RHPs Nate Bumstead, Jr. (11-3, 3.97); Justin Maier, Fr. (8-3, 2.83); Billy Sadler, Jr. (1-1, 3.83, four saves); and Bo Pettit, Sr. (9-2, 5.42); LHP Jason Determann, Fr. (7-0, 2.67). Scouting Report: "They were scurrying for a while to find pitching because of all the injuries they've had, but you'd never know it now. Most teams would lose Lane Mestepey and Brian Wilson and fall off, but they bring in Nate Bumstead and they keep on rolling. Bumstead is really savvy and has been excellent for them. He's a plus competitor and looks like a leader; that dude's good. "Bo Pettit is a veteran who doesn't have one special pitch, but he'll throw you a good breaking ball. Maier was right around the dish at all times and competed, and now they're using Determann, who wasn't even being used when we saw them. "They don't mash like they used to, but they can hit. Aaron Hill has no glaring weakness. He doesn't have tools like a Brandon Larson, or even a Khalil Greene, but he plays so solid like Khalil and makes plays you don't expect like Larson. I thought he was the best player in the conference. He hits line drives everywhere, and he's strong. "The guy who gets left out there is Ryan Patterson—he gets overlooked, and he shouldn't be. He's a tough out, and he's dangerous and difficult to pitch to. He solidified their lineup. Zeringue is a powerful hitter with a good strong arm, and Harris is strong. Blake Gill gives them a solid hitter and had a big regional. I just thought this was the best offensive team in the league. "Smoke Laval was coach of the year for a reason. They went through a lot with their injuries and the death of Wally Pontiff. They took all the hits and they started slow, but they regrouped. He did a great job." Omaha Outlook: Give it up to the Southeastern Conference. While much of the evidence pointed to a down year in the league, the SEC still sends its top two teams to Omaha (while the Atlantic Coast Conference goes winless in super-regionals). Louisiana State showed its mettle—which should have been obvious with how it had overcome injuries and the death of Wally Pontiff—by rallying past plucky Baylor in the super-regional. If the Tigers can continue to get their starters deep into games, they'll keep giving themselves chances to win. Sure will seem weird without Skip Bertman in the dugout in Omaha, but Smoke Laval has earned the respect of Tigers fans by picking up where his predecessor left off—with another trip to the CWS.
SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE (40-24) Bracket Two
How the Bears Got Here: Won the Lincoln, Neb., regional in four games, defeating host Nebraska for the championship; then went to Columbus, Ohio, and swept Ohio State in two games to win super-regional. CWS History: None. In a field full of traditional powers, SMS is the newcomer. Guttin took over the program in 1983, the school's first season in Division I, and he's just the second coach in school history (current athletic director Bill Rowe is the other). This is the Bears' seventh appearance in NCAA regional play. Key Players: OF Dant'e Brinkley, Sr. (.349-8-47); SS/RHP Shaun Marcum, Sr. (.283-6-41; 0-4, 1.98, 13 saves); C Tony Piazza, Sr. (.306-15-55); RHP Chad Mulholland, Jr. (10-3, 2.98); RHP Brad Ziegler, Sr. (12-1, 4.29); RHP Bob Zimmermann, Jr. (5-3, 4.03). Scouting Report: "It's a veteran team that has gotten hot at the right time. Everyone knew they had good pitching, but it's just surprising that they were able to go on the road and beat Nebraska like that. "Bob Zimmermann was better as a freshman, when he was a little wilder. His velocity was down when we saw him, in the high 80s, and he didn't have much feel for his offspeed stuff. But he pitched the game of his life in the regional championship game. I like him better out of the bullpen just letting it go. "Brad Ziegler, I don't know why he was back or why he doesn't get drafted higher. He's a pitcher, with a 12-to-6 curve, good changeup, throws strikes with everything. We thought he'd be their best pitcher, but Mulholland was when we saw him. He's 88-91 with command of a slurvy breaking ball and solid changeup. Then there's Marcum. He's flashy at short, can be a cocky player, but he plays hard. He has good actions at short, but he's an aluminum bat hitter. He has a plus slider and has hit 91 mph with his fastball, and his curveball and his command is OK. "Brinkley is the table-setter for them on offense. He's unorthodox—he has his hands apart kind of like Mel Ott on the bat. But he gets the job done, he always seems to be on base and gets a lot of key hits for them. He steals bases as well (breaking Bill Mueller's school record). "The rest of their lineup is nothing special. Tony Piazza hits some homers, but a lot of teams know how to pitch him, and he strikes out a lot. He's OK behind the plate, mostly he's a veteran. They're a solid team defensively, nothing special." Omaha Outlook: If there's a team that's just happy to be here, it's SMS, which is making its first-ever CWS trip. Good timing, too—the program opens a $30 million stadium complex next season, so the momentum of this trip should help Keith Guttin's program for years. Every CWS of late has had a Cinderella club, and SMS fits that bill for 2003, but don't be shocked if the Bears win a game. First, their lineup is full of veterans, with seniors like outfielder Rick Wilson, catcher Tony Piazza and righthander Brad Ziegler. Second, SMS has power arms in the bullpen in Shaun Marcum and Bob Zimmermann. It's a good formula for a solid showing in Omaha, but expecting a championship is too much for a first time.
RICE (53-11) Bracket Two, No. 5 National Seed
How the Owls Got Here: Swept through the Houston regional in three games, defeating Wichita State for the championship; came back to win last two games of super-regional at home after losing opener to crosstown rival Houston. CWS History: The Owls are getting to be Omaha regulars under Graham, and now they'd like to make a dent in their bracket. In three previous CWS trips, Rice has gone just 1-6, losing two heartbreakers last year after coming in as the No. 4 national seed. For a school that hadn't been to a regional before Graham reached that goal in 1995, though, Rice is still a program on the rise. Key Players: 1B Vince Sinisi, So. (.355-9-57); OF Chris Kolkhorst, Jr. (.350-3-43); 3B Craig Stansberry, Jr. (.307-6-51); OF Austin Davis, Jr. (.346-5-60); RHPs Jeff Niemann, So. (16-0, 1.63), Philip Humber, So. (10-3, 3.28); Wade Townsend, So. (10-1, 1.90, five saves); David Aardsma, Jr. (5-3, 3.25, 11 saves). Scouting Report: "They're amazing. Humber, Townsend and Niemann—all three are good kids and all three have great arms. Townsend has beaten a lot of good teams. Niemann has separated himself for me, though. He uses his height well, throws up and down in and out of the zone, and really college hitters just don't see that. When he pitched in relief, he was up to 97 mph and throwing sliders in the upper 80s. College hitters just don't see that, either. "Townsend is a big kid, just pure power. Humber has the sinker/slider combo and throws up to 94. Josh Baker would be a weekend starter for plenty of clubs, but he's their fourth guy as a starter, and then there's Aardsma, who has quite an arm. He hasn't been as consistent in the second half with his delivery and so his command has been off. "They are better offensively than they get credit for; the pitching overwhelms it, you know? Kolkhorst does a real nice job getting on base and setting the table. Jorgensen and Stansberry give them great speed, so they can manufacture a run when they have to. Jeff Jorgensen was a track guy and runs everything down in center field. Austin Davis is just a solid hitter who has done it for three years. He's a tough out. "Sinisi is a big key, both for their offense, because he's such a smooth hitter, and on defense. He's smooth around the bag at first. Enrique Cruz was out of position at shortstop, but now he's settled in at second and he's solid. Paul Janish is a true shortstop, and Stansberry could play short for a lot of teams. "A lot of the credit for their improved defense should go to Mike Taylor, their infield coach. He's done a great job. They're an outstanding defensive team now." Omaha Outlook: The Owls have the experience of last year's two bitter defeats—to rival Texas and to Notre Dame on a walk-off home run—for motivation. They have the two best power pitchers in the series in Jeff Niemann and Wade Townsend (and might have Nos. 3 and 4 in Philip Humber and David Aardsma). They have their best defensive team, and an offense that can manufacture runs. If they hit with power—we're talking to you, Vincent Sinisi, Austin Davis and Enrique Cruz—they will win their first national championship.
TEXAS (48-18) Bracket Two
How the Longhorns Got Here: Won the Austin regional in four games, defeating Lamar in the championship; went on the road to play No. 1 national seed Florida State in super-regional round and swept the Seminoles, which also made Garrido the winningest coach in college baseball history. CWS History: It's hard to imagine a school having more Omaha experience. This will be Texas' 30th trip to the College World Series, the most of any school, and its 68 Omaha wins and five titles rank behind only Southern California. Add to that Garrido, who has taken the Longhorns to Omaha in three of the last four seasons. He's the first coach to lead two different schools to titles, the first coach to win titles in four decades, and one of just three to win four or more titles. Oh, and he also played in Omaha with Fresno State in 1959. Key Players: SS Omar Quintanilla, Jr. (.351-5-70); RF Dustin Majewski, Sr. (.389-12-82); OF Eric Sultemeier, Jr. (.324-9-53, 21 SB); 2B Tim Moss, Jr. (.327-3-32, 21 SB); LHP Justin Simmons, Jr. (5-5, 4.28); LHP J.P. Howell, So. (9-2, 2.34); RHP/3B Huston Street So. (8-0, 1.38, 14 saves). Scouting Report: "Experience and confidence are their keys. They are not as talented as last year but believe that they can win and they know how to win. Quintanilla, Moss, and Majewski give them three very good offensive players who know how to get it done. They have enough other dangerous hitters to put pressure on any pitching staff. As a team they will not make many mistakes offensively. They will move runners and do not strike out much or hit into many double plays. They know how to take advantage of the other team's weaknesses. "Their pitching has been good but not as dominant as last year. Simmons has struggled and has not been their number one or at times not even their number three. Howell has pitched very well as the number one and is capable of beating anyone. Their other starters are good enough to give them a chance to win but will not take over the game and shut the other team down. But if they have the lead beyond the seventh inning the game is over. Huston Street is the best closer in the business. "They have been average defensively in the infield but have played better lately. They are strong behind the plate with Taylor Teagarden and in the outfield. They have a tough opponent at Florida State, but Texas will not make mistakes and will have a chance to win each game." Omaha Outlook: Augie Garrido hasn't allowed his now successful pursuit of Cliff Gustafson's wins record obscure his team's mission to repeat as national champion. The Longhorns proved their mettle by going on the road to sweep Florida State, and have once again gotten hot at the right time, winning the Big 12 Conference tournament, a regional and super-regional in succession. If the 'Horns have a weakness (now that Huston Street has rescued their infield defense), it's starting pitching. It's good, not great, and makes the 'Horns the second-best bet to Rice to come out of this bracket.
MIAMI (44-15) Bracket Two, No. 8 National Seed Coach: Jim Morris (10th season at Miami; eighth trip to Omaha, two CWS titles).
CWS History: Miami makes its 20th appearance in Omaha, meaning the Hurricanes are now alone in third place in all-time CWS appearances behind Texas and Southern California. Miami has won titles in 1982, '85, '99 and 2001. Key Players: SS Ryan Braun, Fr. (.374-17-74); C Erick San Pedro, So. (.314-4-40); 3B Gaby Sanchez, Fr. (.329-7-56); 1B Jim Burt, Sr. (.296-10-39); OF Brian Barton, So. (.332-7-50); LHP J.D. Cockroft, Jr. (11-2, 2.65); RHP Vince Bongiovanni, So. (7-4, 3.95); LHP Brandon Camardese, So. (9-1, 4.95); RHP Shawn Valdes-Fauli, So. (5-0, 3.51, four saves). Scouting Report: "They're a young team that plays with the confidence of the old Miami teams. They are thin on talent, especially off the bench and in the bullpen. I think Jim Morris has done a great job juggling that lineup to get it where it is today. He puts them in good situations offensively so the players are not asked to do too much. He has worked the bullpen well and they are playing with a swagger now. "The two keys to their season have been Ryan Braun and Erick San Pedro. Braun has provided that big bat in the middle of the order and has not slowed down at all. San Pedro has become a better player that I thought (he would be) and has provided them with much-needed offense. Braun playing short is not pretty, but he gets the job done and he has that charisma that other players respond to. "Daniel Figueroa makes the team go. When he gets on, they have options offensively. He plays a great center field. Adam Ricks is a professional hitter that will go deep in the count to allow Figueroa to steal a base. He has excellent bat control, can bunt and hit and run. Braun has power, but now he's (also) learned to hit the ball the other way. "Gaby Sanchez is a good freshman hitter. He has holes in his swing, but if you get in on him he will hurt you if you make a mistake. San Pedro has hit in the clutch and has learned to lay off bad pitches. A tremendous catcher, he gives the pitchers the ability to waste pitches. "J.D. Cockroft throws two speeds: slow and slower. He has a great change that he will throw at anytime, and he does not get rattled. Has a curveball he used occasionally, but the changeup is his bread and butter. He will throw it three or four times in a row. Bongiavonni has a 90-92 mph flat fastball and a good 12-to-6 curveball. He gives the hitters a good look at the ball, and he will run out of gas. The key is to make him throw strikes." Omaha Outlook: Miami's not a young team anymore, not after winning a regional and super-regional at Mark Light Field. Jim Morris has adapted all season to one change after another, building around freshman Ryan Braun. After hitting third all season, Braun has added shortstop duties down the stretch, making the Hurricanes solid up the middle with center fielder Danny Figueroa, second baseman Adam Ricks and catcher Erick San Pedro. With only one player drafted, Miami looks like a better bet for a national championship in 2004 than 2003, but it seems unwise to continue underestimating the 'Canes. They haven't lost a game in Omaha since 1998. |
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Coach: Ray Tanner (seventh season at South Carolina; second trip to Omaha).
Coach: Mark Marquess (27th season at Stanford; 13th trip to Omaha, two CWS titles).
Coach: George Horton (seventh season at Cal State Fullerton; third trip to Omaha).
Coach: Smoke Laval (second season at Louisiana State; first trip to Omaha as a head coach; made six trips as Skip Bertman's No. 1 assistant at LSU from 1984-93).
Coach: Keith Guttin (21st season at SMS; first trip to Omaha).
Coach: Wayne Graham (12th season at Rice; fourth trip to Omaha).
Coach: Augie Garrido (sixth season at Texas; 10 trips to Omaha, including seven with Cal State Fullerton; four CWS titles, three with Fullerton and one with Texas).
How the Hurricanes Got Here: Won the Miami regional in four games, defeating Florida for the championship; swept North Carolina State in two close games at home, including a come-from-behind 10-9 win in the first game capped by Ryan Braun's walk-off homer.