I read it sometime last week.  I had noticed that all the baseball players I had seen around campus had shaved their heads.  I had thought it was just a form of team unity or something they did to new guys.  

I'll be there this weekend pulling for the Tigers.  Coach Thompson has done an excellent job in recruiting. This years team should be much improved from the last few.  Although they will be young, they will make some noise in the SEC.  The SEC coaches predicted them to finish fourth in the West.  This is based on last years team stats.  Other coaches don't know how transfers and incoming freshman will be able to impact the team.  

Arizona State transfer Matt Hall will be the opening day starter at shortstop.  He'll be a big improvement but offensively and defensively.  Freshmen Hunter Morris and Kevin Patterson will also provide a huge spark to the lineup.  Morris was a second round pick last June by the Boston Red Sox, while Patterson was a 24th round pick by the Chicago White Sox.  Patterson would have been drafted around the same time as Morris, but teams knew it would be difficult to keep him from attending Auburn due to the large amount of money he wanted to sign.  All-SEC 2nd teamer Mike Bianucci returns for his third year on the diamond.  He hit .326 last season to go along with 14 HR's.  Teams will try to pitch around him even more this year.  The great thing about this years team is that he will have even more protection around him in the lineup.  

Pitching will be strong this year.  Especially when Paul Burnside returns from a broken collar bone.  Baseball America's summer play of the year Luke Greinke will get more time on the mound this year along with his duties as day to day center fielder.      Freshman lefty Cory Luckie will also see time as a starter this season.  During scrimmages this Spring he had a streak of twenty innings without giving up a run.  

Look for the Tigers to return to Hoover and to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 05.