Well...Baseball America is sticking with us despite the 22-4 pummeling on Sunday. Here's what they say in their Top 25 Tracker...
- MISSOURI
Last Week: 3-1. Overall: 28-10, 9-6 in Big 12. (6-2 vs. Top 25). Weekend Series: 6-2.
The Tigers won their second straight conference series despite being throttled in the run-rule-shortened finale on Sunday. The Tigers overcame a 4-1 deficit Friday with five runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth, led by So. 2B Greg Folgia (3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI). Jr. RHP Aaron Crow (7.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) became the nation's lone nine-game winner in that one. So. RHP Kyle Gibson (7 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) was hittable Saturday, but Jr. RHP Steve Gray (3-for-5, 2 RBI) delivered a game-winning RBI double in the top of the 10th. Jr. RHP Ian Berger (1 IP, 7 H, 7 ER) was pounded for the second straight week Sunday, causing his ERA to rise from 0.81 to 3.20 in just two weeks. Folgia finished with seven hits on the weekend.
...and here's what they said in yesterday's podcast (via trripleplay)...
After the Top 3, things opened up a bit. We didn't particularly feel comfortable with Missouri as number 4.
Missouri, they win 2 out of 3 on the road in the Big 12, that's good. Then they got embarrassed on Sunday, just hammered. But then again, after the way the game started, I think they kind of threw some arms out there tha weren't their best arms.
The main thing is, we didn't have a 4th team, and Missouri, in our minds, has done enough to still be there.
I think Missouri's been pretty consistent. There's one series loss you really look at: They were home against Oklahoma State. . . As good as Oklahoma State has been playing, and as well as they're playing right now, I think that's a series that you think Missouri should win. But they've been very consistent all season. A loss here, a loss there, but I think Missouri's been probably the 2nd most consistent team in the Big 12.
I know Texas A&M leads, but Nebraska's been a very consistent team all year as well. So I think Missouri's consistency is what's got them ranked #4.
That and their incredible pitching talent. Ian Berger has been strugling the last two weeks, and Kyle Gibson hasn't been quite as good over the last three weeks.
Rivals.com remains less than sold on Mizzou, though we did move up from #14 to #12. The thing to notice about both of these polls is, the Big 12 is suddenly everywhere! Remember early in the season, when it was basically Mizzou, Texas, and Baylor in the Top 25? UT and BU have tanked, but OSU (who's always been up there at least somewhat), NU, and ATM are all surging. Gonna be a fun Big 12 tourney. Oh yeah, and this weekend's series in College Station is HAAAA-YUUUUUGE.
Football recruiting links! Dave Matter takes a look at Big Jack Meiners' commitment, while PowerMizzou talks to Ronnie Wingo about his B&G Game experience...TJ Moe, too. Oh, and Mizzou commit Sheldon Richardson continues to move up in the new Rivals 100. He's gone from #220 to #89.
While we're at it, the Post-Dispatch has its StL-area Top 30 juniors. Mizzou commits Richardson (#4), Meiners (#9), and Kerwin Stricker (#10) are all up there, while we also lead (I think) for Darris Ford (#5), Montee Ball (#6), and TJ Moe (#7)...and possibly Ronnie Wingo (#2). Hard to tell anything about where #1 and #3 (Kraig Appleton, Terry Hawthorne...both WR's from East StL) stand, though I don't think we're at the tippy top of their lists.
I forgot to link to this yesterday...just in case you find yourself getting impressed about NU drawing 80K to their spring game, AJ's here to put you in your place.
Finally, the Missourian has a nice profile up on Mizzou Gymnastics All-American hope, Adrianne Perry.