Jan. 20, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. -- Baylor baseball received its highest preseason ranking in program history Tuesday as the Bears landed at No. 8 in the Baseball America Preseason Top 25. It was the fourth preseason top-10 ranking ever for Baylor, which opened the 2000, 2003 and 2005 seasons at No. 10 in the publication's ranking; the Bears won the Big 12 Conference title in 2000 and 2005, reached a super regional in 2003 and advanced to the College World Series in 2005.
This marks the 10th time Baylor has appeared in Baseball America's preseason rankings, which began in 1981. The Bears were ranked preseason in 1987 (21st), 1998 (13th), 2000 (10th), 2001 (20th), 2002 (16th), 2003 (10th), 2004 (13th), 2005 (10th) and last year (15th).
Baseball America put heavy stock in the Big 12 with five schools from the league in the ranking, including four in the top 10. Texas A&M opens the season as the nation's top-ranked team. Texas is fourth, Baylor is eighth, Missouri is 10th and Oklahoma is 16th. The Southeastern Conference placed two teams in the top 10 with LSU at No. 2 and Ole Miss at No. 6. No other conference had more than one top-10 team.
In addition to Texas A&M, Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma, seven of Baylor's 2009 opponents appear in the Top 25 and all are ranked 16th or better. Rice is ranked seventh, UC Irvine is ninth and UCLA is 12th. Baylor faces Rice and UCLA at the Houston College Classic, while UC Irvine visits Waco for the fourth-annual QTI Baylor Classic.
Baylor returns 19 letterwinners this season, including eight position starters and six pitchers. The Bears open their 2009 season Feb. 20-22, hosting University of the Pacific for a three-game series at Baylor Ballpark.
2009 BASEBALL AMERICA PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Texas A&M
2. LSU
3. North Carolina
4. Texas
5. Cal State Fullerton
6. Ole Miss
7. Rice
8. BAYLOR
9. UC Irvine
10. Missouri
11. San Diego
12. UCLA
13. Arizona State
14. Georgia
15. Stanford
16. Oklahoma
17. Pepperdine
18. Kent State
19. Clemson
20. Georgia Tech
21. Alabama
22. Arkansas
23. Louisville
24. Florida State
25. Oregon State
For more Baylor baseball information, check out Straight from the Pen.
