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Vanderbilt took two of three games at Kentucky last weekend to claim the best conference record in the SEC, but they aren't atop our first power rankings of 2015. Shaky missteps in conference play put the 'Dores behind national #1 LSU and a Texas A&M team that has yet to lose a non-conference matchup. Tim Corbin can change that when Florida comes to Nashville this weekend. A big win over the #10 Gators would be enough to stake Vandy's claim on a top spot in the SEC and a National Seed at the NCAA Tournament.
The lineup for the conference tournament seems pretty well set with two weeks remaining in the regular season. The four teams at the bottom of the power rankings all have a significant hole to dig out of if they want to take that Memorial Day weekend trip to scenic Hoover, AL. Tennessee sits in the basement thanks to a 18-24 record. They'll need to finish the season on one hell of a heater if they want to even be eligible for the postseason.
Here are the official AoG SEC Baseball Power Rankings for May 6, 2015:
| Record | ||||
| Rank | Team | Overall | SEC | Analysis |
| Working Towards National Seeds | ||||
| 1 | LSU | 40-8 | 16-7 | This is the hands down luckiest team in baseball. Unfortunately, on the bayou, luck is a skill, and a skill all past LSU National Championship teams have had by the bale full. What they have working for them (besides luck): The most potent lineup in baseball. However, their pitching depth may just be their tragic downfall in Omaha (if they even get there). - Andrew VU '04 |
| 2 | Texas A&M | 41-7 | 16-7 | The Aggies have run the table out of conference play and have dropped just one series this year - against LSU. - Christian D'Andrea (Oh...and also Arkansas. Oops) |
| 3 | Vanderbilt | 35-14 | 17-7 | Talent wins out. Vandy has the most talented team top to bottom in the league, and possibly all of baseball. - AVU |
| Second Tier in the SEC Still Means the Chance to Host Regional | ||||
| 4 | Florida | 36-13 | 15-9 | Florida's got a solid SEC record at 15-9, but the Gators don't have a headlining series win in conference play. - CD |
| 5 | Arkansas | 29-18 | 14-10 | Solid all-around team. The 'Hogs only conference series losses came against LSU and Vandy. - AVU |
| 6 | Missouri | 28-21 | 14-10 | Only the best teams beat Mizzou in series play; A&M, Vandy, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize them as anything but three good starting pitchers. - CD/AVU |
| Tentatively Booking Their Tickets to Hoover | ||||
| 7 | Kentucky | 26-20 | 11-12 | Beating LSU and Florida outweighs an otherwise disappointing record in conference play. - CD |
| 8 | Auburn | 32-17 | 12-12 | Better than their record, but still... their record does exist. - AVU |
| 9 | South Carolina | 27-21 | 10-14 | The Gamecocks are inconsistent, but have the tools to put together an NCAA run despite lots of losses. - CD |
| 10 | Ole Miss | 25-24 | 11-13 | "It’s a trap" series for anyone who overlooks the Fightin’ Ackbars, but they’re nothing like they were last year. - AVU |
| Likely to Watch the SEC Tournament From Home | ||||
| 11 | Mississippi State | 24-24 | 8-16 | The leaders of the bottom tier of SEC Baseball...but not by much. Looked cromulent vs. LSU. - CD |
| 12 | Alabama | 25-24 | 8-16 | I'll write about them in a week, when we play them to close out the season. - AVU |
| 13 | Georgia | 22-25 | 7-16 | Meh. - AVU |
| 14 | Tennessee | 18-24 | 7-17 | A unanimous vote for last place. And not *just* because we're biased here. - CD |