Baseball America Tabs Miami No. 3 in Preseason Poll
Jan. 5, 2004
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — Baseball America released its preseason Top 25 NCAA Division I baseball poll on Monday afternoon with the University of Miami ranked third.
Miami is coming off of a fifth-place finish in the College World Series last season and rolled to a 45-17-1 overall record. The Hurricanes return every starting position player from a year ago in addition to four starting pitchers and the entire bullpen.
The defending national champion Rice Owls are the preseason No. 1 choice, while the publication picked LSU as the nation’s second-ranked team.
“I like to be ranked high because that means you’ve got a good club, and I feel like we have a pretty good club when you look at everyone that is coming back,” head coach Jim Morris said. “I have never had an entire group of position player starters and pitchers back like this.”
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Head Coach Jim Morris |
“Being ranked this high to open the season gives you certain expectations, but expectations are always around the University of Miami. In the end, the only thing that matters is where you finish the season.”
In addition, sophomore third baseman Gaby Sanchez earned preseason third-team All-American honors from Baseball America. Sanchez hit .328 last season with seven home runs, 56 RBI and a team-high 21 doubles.
Miami returns three superb starters on the mound in LHP J.D. Cockroft (11-3, 2.72 ERA), LHP Brandon Camardese (9-2, 5.01 ERA), RHP Vince Bongiovanni (8-4, 4.00 ERA) and relief specialists in RHP Huguet and RHP Shawn Valdes-Fauli (5 SV, 5-0, 3.02 ERA).
On offense, the Hurricanes return excellent power with 70 home runs last season and 134 doubles. UM also returns outstanding speed with (122 stolen bases). As far as defense, Miami was second in the nation in last year, turning 72 double plays in 63 games.
The Hurricanes open the season with the annual Alumni game on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Field and then open the season at home on Friday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. with the Florida Gators. For more information on the Hurricanes log onto www.hurricanesports.com. For ticket information you can go to the website or call the ticket office at 1-800-GO CANES.
