re: Baseball Ranked #3 in Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll

quote:

---

Did Tennessee lose that much talent from last year's team?

---

They lost their catcher, replaced him with their LF/DH and a RS freshman.

Their new LF will be their 4th OF from last year, I think.

They lost most of their infield. Their first baseman is back though. He's the last guy on the roster that pre-dates Vitello being there. I think he's like 40.

Their new infield will be a lot of JC transfers.

They return Blade Tidwell and added a couple big time portal arms.

They're less proven than last year, but they still have a lot of upside. They're replacing like 4 or 5 starters but some of the replacements were part time starters before and some of them are highly touted JUCO guys.

They had picked up a catcher in the portal, but I heard the team leaders (players) weren't thrilled with his work ethic in the fall and he's not on the roster anymore. That's why the LF/DH (the one that hit 6 HRs in two games against us and Vandy) is now at Catcher. He's a 5th year guy that bleeds orange and will do whatever to help the team win.