Southern Exposure: Mizzou SEC graphics, Gator Recruiting, BA Notes

♦ Check out this great SEC map poster by Paul Burkhart

♦ Kevin O’Sullivan wisely gambles on recruiting (Gator Country)

Call him “Riverboat Sully” or "Lucky O'Sullivan" because Kevin O’Sullivan is a gambler.

Not the kind of gambling that gets Tulsa athletic directors fired. The Florida Gators’ baseball coach gambles on recruiting, but it’s a low-risk, high-reward bet. It’s really more of a “no-risk” gamble because coaches don’t have anything to lose.
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While some college coaches try to avoid signing prospects that project to be high-round draft picks, O’Sullivan isn’t afraid of going all-in to sign an elite player.

“It’s only a good gamble if it works out,” O’Sullivan said Friday. “It’s a double-edged sword. If you don’t sign them, then you have zero chance of getting them to school.”

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♦ Baseball America's Aaron Fitt has random Notes from fall practice from coast to coast, including tidbits about Alabama's recruiting class, Auburn's pitching, Florida's starting lineup, a football player turned OF/1B at Kentucky, a speedy CF at Ole Miss, NOLA at LSU, and more about other SEC teams. Plus a look at the post-Kyle Zimmer USF Dons, who will play a series at Taylor Stadium this season.

A year after Kyle Zimmer was drafted fifth overall, the Dons have a chance to produce another first-rounder on the mound. Junior righthander Alex Balog showed flashes of brilliance last spring, and he was generating plenty of interest from scouts this fall.

♦ SECRant.com has a message board thread full of photos of SEC Baseball Stadiums. Some really nice ballparks down south.