A&M Weekend Rotation:
Friday Starter: Nathan Dettmer (6-3 last season including 1-1 in CWS, 4.99 ERA)
Saturday Starter: Troy Wansing (4-4 at Purdue with a 5.44 ERA, but was All Big 10 Freshman team last season)
Sunday Starter Chris Cortez (6-3 with a 4.91 ERA. All SEC Freshman team last season)
Honestly, this is A&M's best baseball team this century. Lot of hitters coming back and some new faces get to shine such as Wansing and freshman Jace LaViolette (learn the name). LaViolette was the top outfield prospect in Texas last season and got a lot of looks because of his power. He will be one of the favorites to win SEC Freshman of year if he lives up to the hype. While Wansing and Cortez are new the rotation, A&M has the offense to beat most teams they play which should give both new starters room to breath.
Seattle weekend rotation (still not confirmed):
Friday: Peter Chronowski (4-7 with a 4.75 ERA)
Saturday: Nestor German (2-4 with a 7.02 ERA)
Sunday: Kian Hogan (3-3 with 3.51 ERA in JUCO)
Last season, Seattle was bad. 16-34 with one of those wins coming against an NAIA school. Matt Boissoneault is their best player as he led the team in six different batting categories (but no all-conference selection, so yeah). Chronowski was the Friday starter last season.
Biggest gripe heading into the season is the A&M non-conference schedule. Weekend series with Seattle, Portland, and Northern Kentucky will do nothing good for a tournament resume other than ruin it as the three teams went a combined 67-92 last season. The saving grace is the Shriner Classic where A&M gets Louisville, Texas Tech, and Michigan. Outside of Texas, not many good non conference wins available this season which means A&M better be as close to perfect in non-conference play as possible to have a shot at a top 8 seed.
Prediction for the weekend:
A&M should blow Seattle out of the water. Fairly easily I might add. Anything less than a sweep and one blowout game should viewed as a meh weekend.
Friday Starter: Nathan Dettmer (6-3 last season including 1-1 in CWS, 4.99 ERA)
Saturday Starter: Troy Wansing (4-4 at Purdue with a 5.44 ERA, but was All Big 10 Freshman team last season)
Sunday Starter Chris Cortez (6-3 with a 4.91 ERA. All SEC Freshman team last season)
Honestly, this is A&M's best baseball team this century. Lot of hitters coming back and some new faces get to shine such as Wansing and freshman Jace LaViolette (learn the name). LaViolette was the top outfield prospect in Texas last season and got a lot of looks because of his power. He will be one of the favorites to win SEC Freshman of year if he lives up to the hype. While Wansing and Cortez are new the rotation, A&M has the offense to beat most teams they play which should give both new starters room to breath.
Seattle weekend rotation (still not confirmed):
Friday: Peter Chronowski (4-7 with a 4.75 ERA)
Saturday: Nestor German (2-4 with a 7.02 ERA)
Sunday: Kian Hogan (3-3 with 3.51 ERA in JUCO)
Last season, Seattle was bad. 16-34 with one of those wins coming against an NAIA school. Matt Boissoneault is their best player as he led the team in six different batting categories (but no all-conference selection, so yeah). Chronowski was the Friday starter last season.
Biggest gripe heading into the season is the A&M non-conference schedule. Weekend series with Seattle, Portland, and Northern Kentucky will do nothing good for a tournament resume other than ruin it as the three teams went a combined 67-92 last season. The saving grace is the Shriner Classic where A&M gets Louisville, Texas Tech, and Michigan. Outside of Texas, not many good non conference wins available this season which means A&M better be as close to perfect in non-conference play as possible to have a shot at a top 8 seed.
Prediction for the weekend:
A&M should blow Seattle out of the water. Fairly easily I might add. Anything less than a sweep and one blowout game should viewed as a meh weekend.
