Around the Diamond: Big 12 Week in Review

It's safe to say this baseball season has not gotten off to the start TCU fans wanted. A sweep against Ole Miss, as 2balls wrote yesterday, isn't going to look good to the selection committee. However, TCU looks to get back on track this weekend against Cal State Fullerton, so let's hope that happens.

Meanwhile, here's where the rest of the league stands (by current standings)

1. #18 Oklahoma (6-0). This week: 6-0.

Def: Hofstra, 10-4, 3-2, 11-10 (11), 7-4; Arkansas Pine Bluff, 4-2, 11-1 (8)

Oklahoma just played six games in five days and won them all. That's impressive, I don't care who you're playing. Okay, I care a little, but still, it's something to note. The Sooners came into the season ranked 19th in the Baseball America preseason poll and moved up one spot after their games this week.

Player of the Week: Junior Dillon Overton went 2-0 in his first two starts with a 1.12 ERA. He'll be one of the best arms in the Big 12 this season.

Next week: vs. Iowa, @ Texas A&M CC, vs. New Mexico

2. Texas Tech (4-0). This week: 4-0.

Def: Northern Illinois, 8-0, 13-0; Northern Colorado 10-1; BYU 5-1

Texas Tech starts their season by playing a bunch of fluff, but they beat that fluff pretty handily. This week is more of the same, as they head to Orlando for the UCF Wawa Weekend Classic.

Player of the Week: Bryant Burleson has started off the season 6-of-12 at the plate, scoring six runs and driving in three more.

Next week: vs. Troy, @ UCF, vs. Connecticut

3. Oklahoma State (4-1). This week: 4-1.

Def: New Mexico, 4-2, 15-14 (13); Alcorn State, 11-3, 8-1.

Lost: New Mexico, 9-1

OSU took two of three from preseason #21 New Mexick, but dropped the Sunday game as their only blemish so far on the season. If Phillip Wilson pitches like he did, he may not be the Sunday starter for long.

Player of the Week: First baseman Tanner Kreitemeier went 11-20 to start the season, to go along with seven RBI.

Next week: New Jersey Institute of Technology; Arkansas Little Rock

4. Texas (3-1). This week: 3-1.

Def: Sacramento State 6-5, 6-3; UT-Arlington 2-1

Lost: Sacramento State 5-3

Texas dropped a game to Sacramento State, but other than that, they looked pretty strong. Good pitching at the front of the rotation with Parker French, and good hitting at the top of the order with C.J. Hinojosa.

Player of the Week: Mark Payton. Payton is hitting well to start the season (.467) with a double, triple, three RBI and a stolen base.

Next week: vs. Nebraska, vs. Sam Houston State

5. Kansas State (2-1). This week: 2-1.

Def: High Point 5-1; George Mason 7-6

Lost: The Citadel 10-8

After beating High Point on Friday, things got a lot more difficult for the Wildcats. A loss to The Citadel, and then squeaking by George Mason should't instill a whole lot of confidence in KSU fans.

Player of the Week: Shane Conlon hit .462 over the weekend with a double, triple, RBI and run scored.

Next week: @ Coastal Carolina, vs. #8 Kentucky, vs. Elon

6. Kansas (2-2). This week: 2-2.

Def: Nevada, 11-4, 6-3

Lost: Nevada, 2-1, 9-8

Kansas split their opening series with Nevada, and now they have the weekend off before they face Missouri state next Tuesday.

Player of the Week: Michael Suiter, I guess. No Jayhawk really stood out over the weekend. Very average baseball.

Next Week: vs. Missouri State

7. West Virginia (1-2). This week: 1-2.

Def: North Florida, 4-3.

Lost: North Florida, 4-0, 7-6.

West Virginia isn't good, and it showed early on as they didn't score a run until their second game against North Florida. First year head coach Randy Mazey, former TCU assistant coach, has a lot on his hands this season.

Player of the Week: Billy Flemming. Flemming went 5-of-9 over the weekend, with an RBI and three runs scored.

Next week: vs. Youngstown State, @ Wake Forest

8. Baylor (1-3). This week: 1-3.

Def: Texas State, 6-3

Lost: UC Irvine, 6-4, 5-0, 15-3.

Baylor didn't get off to the start they wanted, getting drilled in three games against UC Irvine. They took out some frustrations on Texas State, but they need to get it together quickly with UCLA and Pepperdine coming to town.

Player of the Week: Nathan Orf. Orf hit 9-18 for the weekend, including five RBI and two runs scored.

Next week: vs. UCLA, vs. Pepperdine

9. #22 TCU (0-3). This week: 0-3.

Lost: #8 Ole Miss, 1-0, 5-2, 5-2

SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS. GOT SCREWED AND THEN IT SUCKED SOME MORE.

Player of the Week: Jantzen Witte and Kevin Cron. They're the only two Frogs hitting about .250 right now.

Next week: vs. Cal State Fullerton, @ Dallas Baptist