Southern Exposure: SEC Baseball in the Fall

♦ College Baseball Daily has a current series running of SEC Fall Check-ins, with info about fall practices, fall rosters, and scouting reports.

So far they've taken a look at Auburn, Mississippi State, and LSU.

• LSU:  Expectations are high at Tigers camp this year, as a solid core returns to the team in addition to the nation’s fourth-ranked recruiting class. LSU was dealt an early blow after Joe Broussard needed Tommy John surgery after pitching in the Cape Cod League over the Summer, but Mainieri doesn’t think that obstacle will prove too much to overcome.
  
  “We have a chance to be one of the best teams in the country,” Mainieri said. “No doubt about it.”

♦ SEC Digital Network has SEC in the MLB Playoffs.  Auburn leads the SEC with 4 players on MLB Playoff rosters.  Mizzou, of course, has 2:  Ian Kinsler and Max Scherzer. Overall there are 32 SEC school alums on those rosters.

♦  Razorbacks, Van Horn Looking To Sign 13 Commitments For Baseball (Arkansas Sports 360)

Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn has 13 commitments as the team heads into the NCAA early signing period.
Fall baseball practice is underway, but the coaching staff has found time to recruit and add hitting and pitching help. Arkansas advanced to the College World Series last year and has a team returning many feel can get to Omaha again. . 

♦ Vanderbilt's new baseball field gets tryout (The Tennessean)

With construction complete on Vanderbilt’s new baseball surface, the Commodores have spent the first few days of fall practice getting familiar with their new turf.

“Having been here for three years with the grass, it’s a little bit of an adjustment,” senior outfielder Connor Harrell said. “At the same time… we’re excited about the change.

“Coach (Tim) Corbin did a good job of making sure that the surface played true like a grass field. The green part plays like grass and the brown part plays like dirt.”

Why make the switch at Hawkins Field?

“The anxiety of weather more than anything else,” Corbin said. “It takes that out of the element. You still look at the weather report, but you are not stuck on it as much as you were before.”

♦ MSU baseball working to find Friday starter (CD Dispatch)

Mississippi State University baseball coach John Cohen opens fall practice today with a "unique" situation he'd like to make routine.

Cohen enters his fifth season as coach at his alma mater with one starting positional spot and one spot in the pitching rotation to fill from last season.

The return of junior center fielder C.T. Bradford from a major shoulder injury essentially takes care of the one every-day spot to fill due to the graduation of Brent Brownlee.

However, the role of Friday night starting pitcher remains open. The performance of someone in that role will help determine if MSU can make its third consecutive NCAA tournament regional.

"It's such a great question because every young man that starts wants to pitch on Friday night because it's the prime spotlighted game in a weekend in our sport," Cohen said Thursday. "You have to have something special to be a Friday night guy, and not everybody has that."

♦ Vols' diamond vision is crystal-clear (Go Vols Xtra)

With former Vols R.A. Dickey, Chase Headley and others making headlines as Major League stars, the Tennessee coaches are working hard to mold this year’s roster and prepare it for the upcoming season.

After having the weekend off, UT found a break in the weather and returned to the practice field briefly on Monday before holding another intra-squad scrimmage on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon in Knoxville.

The time off gave the team a chance to catch its breath after being indoctrinated into the brand of baseball the Tennessee coaching staff wants to play and came back with plenty of energy and excitement.