Posted by NoleCC

By Bill Kristoph

Although at first glance, the Seminoles might looked stacked this season, in reality, the Noles have a very tough road ahead if they hope to host an NCAA regional this season.  Coach Mike Martin, will likely make some oddball decisions along the way that will leaves fans scratching their collective heads.  “Why did Martin leave in so-and-so so long?” “Why didn’t he bunt in that situation?” Etc. Etc. Etc.  In a way, that’s the great thing about being a fan; we get to second guess the decision after the fact.  But as history has proven, some of those decisions will cost the Seminoles in close games.  Enough of those losses combined with a potentially streaky offense is the formula for a Noles team that might be 15 games over .500, but without a signature victory.

The ACC schedule at the end of the season is murder.  Coach Shouppe will have the pitchers ready to go early in the season, but how long will they hold up? Luke Tucker is already nursing a sore shoulder for at least the next three weeks.  What happens when the bullpen, a big question mark for FSU this season, can’t work through trouble or has a couple of injuries?  Even worse, what if the Noles lose Bryan Henry?  Also, I’ll place my bet now that the Buster Posey double-duty experiment is not going to work.  Posey might have all of the talent in the world, but when it comes down to it, Catcher is the most demanding position on the field.  How can Posey play that for 8 innings, hit and run and THEN pitch the 9th inning effectively?

If Seminole fans are expecting some drastic change in 2007 from 2006, it’s not going to happen.  MadCow’s, the lead of the Animals of Section B, prediction for the record seems to be spot on at 36-20.  However, I’m going to disagree and predict that FSU backs its way into hosting a regional. The NCAA knows that Dick Howser Stadium is one of the best venues in the country and I doubt they would miss out on that two years in a row.  FSU won’t be the #1 seed in Tallahassee, though, but at least we’ll get our long weekend of baseball, hot dogs and heat, right?  Expect the Noles to be done in the regional again in 2007, sorry Steve Ellis.