Stan Widmann's decision to leave Clemson early in the season was sad, but understandable. It looked like he wasn't going to have an important role for the Tigers in 2009. He has a degree and can now enter the job market.
He was unable to regain the offensive form of his first two seasons after suffering a neck injury and sitting out almost all of the 2007 season. He batted just .238 as a junior in 2008 and had only one pinch-running appearance in the Tigers' first six games this season.
A tip of the cap to Clemson coach Jack Leggett, though, for giving Widmann a chance to compete for his old job. With the NCAA's absurd 11.7-scholarship limit and accompanying minimums on how much each player must receive, it might have been easy for Leggett to suggest -- or even require -- that Widmann move on over the winter so that the money could be freed up for someone else.
Into the fire
This is the earliest Clemson has started ACC play since 1994, and who do the Tigers draw in their first trip away from Doug Kingsmore Stadium but North Carolina, the No. 1 team nationally in a couple of preseason polls.
The Tigers have just 58 hits over the first seven games, and 15 of them came in Wednesday's 17-2 rout of UNC Asheville.
North Carolina fields one of the most talented weekend pitching rotations in the country, so the Tigers have their work cut out for them.
But Clemson has a talented pitching staff as well, with a staff ERA of 2.35. If the Tigers can find the range offensively this weekend, they could make a statement about their role in the ACC title race.
Dirtbags come calling
In Columbia, USC plays host to Long Beach State. Raw statistics suggest the Dirtbags have the speed to be a challenge to run on USC catchers. The stats also suggest Long Beach State may be a free-swinging bunch.
Some of the RPI/strength of schedule ratings suggest that West Coast baseball is of a higher caliber overall. It will be interesting to see that happens.
The Citadel gets a test
The Citadel also opens conference play with a challenge, hosting preseason Southern Conference favorite Elon for three games.
SoCon shining
The Southern Conference is a better baseball conference than a lot of people give it credit for, and it's shown that on the field again this season. Western Carolina won two of three at Southern Cal last weekend. (I know Southern Cal's not the power it once was, but, hey, it's still Southern Cal). Elon took two of three at Auburn, Georgia Southern split with Georgia Tech and Furman survived being one strike away from being no-hit to beat Clemson in 14 innings.
Spartans stifle Vols
Speaking of a mid-major shining, USC Upstate got its first win over an SEC school since it became Division I when it beat Tennessee, 1-0, Wednesday night. It wasn't the first win over an SEC team for Upstate. The then-USC Spartanburg Rifles beat Tennessee in 1987.
Night Owl Alert
If you find yourself sitting at your computer around 11:30 Friday night thinking "Boy, I'd like to be able to listen to a baseball game,'' you'll be in luck. Game 2 of Mississippi State's series at Hawaii is available on the Internet -- for free.
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