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Canes #4 in the first preseason poll of the year

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Wow - a lot higher than I expected. Gino will have to keep them focused - I hate high rankings before we've proven anything. Let's hope they meet expectations first, and the rankings and seedings should take care of the rest in May.
 
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This should be a great team this year. This is now a veteran team. Our youngsters are now Sophomores and Juniors with a lot of game experience. We are very deep in our pitching staff with several veteran arms.

The biggest thing I want to see this year is an improvement on defense. Fielding has been the Achilles heel for this team over the past 2 seasons. If this team is just an above average fielding team, it will be a championship contender.
 
More pre-season predictions from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

ACC Predictions
Atlantic
1. Louisville
2. FSU
3. NC State
4. Wake
5. Clemson
6. ND
7. BC
Coastal
1. Miami
2. UNC
3. GT
4. UVA
5. Duke
6. VT
7. Pitt

Pre-Season All-Americans
1st Team: Del Castillo
2nd Team: Van Belle, Toral
3rd Team: Gil
 
IndayArtHauz said:
Anyone feeling the inevitable letdown already? Or am I just letting the FB/BB suckage permeate into every other sport.
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Not convinced that we'll have dominant starting pitching. I think it'll be strong but not elite. Also not convinced that Zamora and Gil will make a big leap defensively, or that we'll have enough offensive firepower from our outfielders. However, it's as solid of a team as 2016 imo.
 
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scane said:
I’m a little surprised Florida is so low. It seemed like the hype train on them had started to kick back into gear this fall.

If the rankings hold, it’ll be the first time we go into the series ranked higher than the Gators since 2014.
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IMO Florida has as much talent as anyone outside of Vandy, but with the way their pitching staff imploded last year voters probably aren't going to put them ahead of SEC teams like Georgia, Auburn, Arkansas that have more proven, veteran rosters.
 
rokulika said:
Not convinced that we'll have dominant starting pitching. I think it'll be strong but not elite. Also not convinced that Zamora and Gil will make a big leap defensively, or that we'll have enough offensive firepower from our outfielders. However, it's as solid of a team as 2016 imo.
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It’s the bullpen that concerns me the most. I’m still not sold on Federman as a closer, and beyond that it’s Gates and a lot of freshmen (assuming Keysor is the midweek starter). McFarlane should do well, and I liked Palmquist the couple times I saw him pitch, but there are a lot of question marks.

With the starting pitching, I think the Friday starter at the end of the season will tell you how good it ended up being. If it’s Van Belle, it was probably good not great. If it’s Slade, there’s a good chance it lived up to its potential with McMahon somewhere between the two possibilities.
 
TheRichtShow said:
IMO Florida has as much talent as anyone outside of Vandy, but with the way their pitching staff imploded last year voters probably aren't going to put them ahead of SEC teams like Georgia, Auburn, Arkansas that have more proven, veteran rosters.
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Fair. I have a feeling D1 will have them higher. Fitt was gushing after he saw them this fall.
 
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scane said:
It’s the bullpen that concerns me the most. I’m still not sold on Federman as a closer, and beyond that it’s Gates and a lot of freshmen (assuming Keysor is the midweek starter). McFarlane should do well, and I liked Palmquist the couple times I saw him pitch, but there are a lot of question marks.

With the starting pitching, I think the Friday starter at the end of the season will tell you how good it ended up being. If it’s Van Belle, it was probably good not great. If it’s Slade, there’s a good chance it lived up to its potential with McMahon somewhere between the two possibilities.
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Yeah that NC State game from last year is etched in our memories when it comes to Federman. The ideal scenario might be McFarlane or someone else as Mr. Midweek and have Keysor, Gates, Maury, Federman audition for closer early on.
 
scane said:
It’s the bullpen that concerns me the most. I’m still not sold on Federman as a closer, and beyond that it’s Gates and a lot of freshmen (assuming Keysor is the midweek starter). McFarlane should do well, and I liked Palmquist the couple times I saw him pitch, but there are a lot of question marks.

With the starting pitching, I think the Friday starter at the end of the season will tell you how good it ended up being. If it’s Van Belle, it was probably good not great. If it’s Slade, there’s a good chance it lived up to its potential with McMahon somewhere between the two possibilities.
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Hopefully the Freshman pitchers will be able to contribute. Based on the write up from the G & O World Series at least a couple of them showed potential:

"Freshman Alex McFarlane was solid on the mound for the Orange squad, allowing four runs (two earned) and striking out six batters over five innings. Fellow freshmen Alex Munroe and Yordani Carmona, who was swapped in a trade for Tyler Keysor before the start of the game, each tossed a scoreless inning of relief to wrap up Day 1 with Orange ahead, 6-4."

Also, by the end of the series, Carmona and Munroe threw a total of 2 innings both of which were scoreless. Although not mentioned in the write up, I hear Palmquist pitched three innings and only gave up 1 run. Hopefully, the Freshman, McFarlane, Carmona, Munroe, and Palmquist are able to add value this year.
 
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scane said:
It’s the bullpen that concerns me the most. I’m still not sold on Federman as a closer, and beyond that it’s Gates and a lot of freshmen (assuming Keysor is the midweek starter). McFarlane should do well, and I liked Palmquist the couple times I saw him pitch, but there are a lot of question marks.

With the starting pitching, I think the Friday starter at the end of the season will tell you how good it ended up being. If it’s Van Belle, it was probably good not great. If it’s Slade, there’s a good chance it lived up to its potential with McMahon somewhere between the two possibilities.
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I'm willing to go on record and say there is 0.0 chance that Van Belle is the Friday starter. He just doesn't have it like Slade & Mcmahon. IMO it's Mcmahon #2 Slade #3 Van Belle. This isn't me giving a hard time to Van Belle because I love what he brings to our rotation but his stuff isn't electric like Slade and Mcmahon
 
Allabouttheu95 said:
I'm willing to go on record and say there is 0.0 chance that Van Belle is the Friday starter. He just doesn't have it like Slade & Mcmahon. IMO it's Mcmahon #2 Slade #3 Van Belle. This isn't me giving a hard time to Van Belle because I love what he brings to our rotation but his stuff isn't electric like Slade and Mcmahon
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I tend to agree, although suspect Slade may beat McMahon for the Friday night spot. His command seems a touch better than McMahon's, and with what should be our potential to score runs and still questionable IF defense, our pitchers will all need to avoid the free passes.
 
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