Dirtbags Baseball - Long Beach State 49ers

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Baseball America's Big West Conference Preview

Baseball America is out with their Big West Conference 2005 preview (no link, paid subscription area only). BA gives the Big West a conference power rating in 6th place, and projects the following finish (records are from 2004):

			 Conference 	Overall

			 W 	L 	W 	L

1. Cal St. Fullerton (3) 19 	2 	47 	22

2. Long Beach State (22) 14 	7 	40 	21

3. Cal Poly (38) 	 10 	11 	38 	23

4. UC Irvine (40) 	 10 	11 	34 	23

5. UC Santa Barbara 	 10 	11 	33 	21

6. UC Riverside 	 11 	10 	33 	24

7. Cal State Northridge  5 	16 	19 	38

8. Pacific 		 5 	16 	20 	34

They predict that Fullerton, Cal Poly and the Dirtbags will be Regional teams. Highlights in the "Players to Watch" prognostications:

All-Conference Team: Troy Tulowitzki and Cesar Ramos.
Player of the Year: Troy Tulowitzki.
Top Newcomers: #3 RHP Jared Hughes and #4 RHP Cody Evans.
Top Prospects, 2005 Draft: #1. Troy Tulowitzki. #2. Cesar Ramos. #4. Neil Jamison.
Top Prospects, 2006 Draft: #3. Jared Hughes.
Best Athlete: Troy Tulowizki.
Best Defensive Shortstop: Troy Tulowizki.
Infielder/Best Arm: Troy Tulowizki.
Best Control: Cesar Ramos.

Here's BA's take on the Dirtbags' team:

Long Beach State featured one of the best starting rotations in Division I in 2004 with first-rounder Jered Weaver (15-1, 1.62), second-rounder Jason Vargas (7-6, 4.14) and LHP Cesar Ramos (12-4, 2.29), who projects as a first- or second-rounder this year. Ramos, who pitched last summer for Team USA, assumes the role of ace from Weaver, who remains unsigned but is not expected back for his senior year. The 49ers rotation should get a boost with the transfer of sophomore RHP Jared Hughes, who ranked as the nation's top prep pitcher entering his senior year in high school. Hughes transferred to Long Beach State after going 0-1, 4.79 in 21 innings as a freshman at Santa Clara. The 49ers staff also got an unexpected lift when senior RHP Neil Jamison, who saved 12 games in 2004, elected to return after being selected by the Mets in the eighth round of the draft . . .

posted on 1/11/2005 by Jeff Agnew

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