It's time to see how Cal Poly handles expectations.

The Mustangs haven't exactly been a regional mainstay the past few seasons. But last season, coach Larry Lee's program took a huge step forward by making an NCAA regional and finishing the season with an impressive 37-21 mark.

Now we'll see if the 'Stangs can establish consistency.

The Mustangs should have a potent offense even without Adam Buschini, Kyle Smith, Ryan Lee and Wes Dorrell. The pitching staff, meanwhile, must improve on last season's 5.95 ERA with the return of all three weekend starters.

Cal Poly, as with most teams, has some holes to fill between now and the spring. But this is a team once again expected to make a regional.

It's time to dissect the Mustangs.

Cal Poly's five keys

1. Build off last season -- Cal Poly has been looking for an identity for several seasons. There are past years when the Mustangs felt they deserved an NCAA regional bid. However, the NCAA didn't take notice until last season when they put together a resume that couldn't go unnoticed. Now the Mustangs hope to seize the moment. This is a program that finally has taken a huge step forward. How they handle the situation will be interesting to watch. Conventional wisdom suggests coach Larry Lee and his outstanding coaching staff will have this program ready to take yet another step. But there also is that small chance that Poly returns to a middle-of-the-road Big West program. It's important that CP has another successful campaign.

2. Starting pitching must improve -- The Mustangs are one of few teams around the country that actually returns their entire starting weekend rotation. But that isn't always a good thing if you ask me. This is a unit that must rise to the occasion in the spring. DJ Mauldin is the staff ace and is coming off an OK campaign. He went 5-5 and had a 4.75 ERA in 108 innings last season. However, teams batted .317 off him. Mason Radeke started 11 games last season and compiled a 5.31 ERA in 76 1/3 innings. Teams hit him at a .325 clip. There's also Matt Leonard, who made 14 starts last season and had a 7.68 ERA in 77 1/3 innings. He only struck out 43 batters and teams hit .317 off him. This unit must lower opponents' batting averages in the spring if the team is to move forward.

3. Create some pitching depth -- In addition to the woes the starting pitchers had last season, the Mustangs also must find a way to create some pitching depth. They finished last season with a 5.95 ERA and will enter the spring without top relievers Eric Massingham, Kevin Castner and part-time starter and reliever Jared Eskew. That's not good news. Massingham had a 3.07 ERA. Eskew also put together respectable numbers. Castner, meanwhile, was good at times last season but lacked consistency. At any rate, the departure of this trio means a lot of innings must be eaten up by some arms. That puts much pressure on Mark DeVincenzi, Mark Laugenour and Jeff Johnson to perform. DeVincenzi made 31 appearances last season and had a 4.26 ERA in 57 innings. Laugenour and Johnson, though, each had very unimpressive numbers. This unit must rise to the occasion in the spring. It will take some newcomers to get the job done.

4. Reload at the plate -- The Mustangs will enter the spring without some key hitters, but they're still in good shape with the return of several key cogs from a lineup that finished last season with an impressive .325 batting average. The 'Stangs welcome back five key hitters that ended '09 with batting averages better than .300. The list includes Ross Brayton, Matt Jensen, Bobby Crocker, DJ Gentile and Luke Yoder. Brayton batted .393 with a home run and 28 RBIs last season, Jensen was injured some of last season but still managed to hit .375 with nine homers and 53 RBIs, Crocker batted .323 with five homers and 24 RBIs, Gentile batted .304 with five homers and 41 RBIs and Luke Yoder batted .301 with nine homers and 40 RBIs. CP also welcomes back J.J. Thompson, who hit .292 with seven homers and 41 RBIs. There's no question this should be a good lineup.

5. Get off to a fast start in the spring -- You can't question Larry Lee's schedule for the upcoming season. Boy, it's tough. The Mustangs begin the season against Southern California at home before hitting the road to take on a solid San Francisco team. They then will head to Arizona for a tournament including Arizona State, FIU and Oregon State before returning home for a pair of series against Houston and California. Poly wraps up weekend non-conference action with a three-game series at UCLA. Cal Poly was criticized for its schedule just a few seasons ago. That won't be the case in '10. Even with the toughness of their non-conference schedule, it's important coming off last season that the Mustangs get off to a fast start. They need to set the tone for the season.

Long Beach State hopes the spring will bring a return to normalcy.

The Dirtbags are a perennial regional contender. But last season, the program took a small step back by finishing 25-29 with an unimpressive 11-13 mark in the Big West.

Most important, though, is the fact they failed to make an NCAA regional.

The Beach hopes the regional hiatus is short lived. It should be.

The Dirtbags welcome back six hitters that finished last season with batting averages better than .300. They also welcome back a pair of weekend starting pitchers in Jake Thompson and Andrew Gagnon. The bullpen, though, is a concern.

In addition to the player personnel the Beach welcomes back in the spring, the return of pitching coach Troy Buckley also is a much needed boost. Buckley, of course, was very instrumental to the Dirbags' success earlier this decade.

It's time to dissect the Dirtbags.

Long Beach State's five keys

1. Forget about last season -- Long Beach State is a perennial regional contender and shouldn't get deterred by what transpired last season. As coach Mike Weathers told me during the offseason, what occurred last season is not typical of his program. Last season was last season and I fully expect the Dirtbags to turn the page sooner rather than later. With a plethora of key cogs back at the plate in the spring, the Dirtbags will have the leadership and experience needed to make some noise. The Big West, though, will be incredibly difficult with UC Irvine, Fullerton and Cal Poly all expected to be solid.

2. Show more progress at the plate -- The Dirtbags welcome back seven hitters that earned significant playing time last season. They're most excited about the return of Steve Tinoco, TJ Mittelstaedt, Jordan Casas, Devin Lohman, Derek Legg and Jonathan Jones, which all finished last season with batting averages better than .300. It also will be interesting to see what Kellen Hoime and freshman Juan Avila bring to the table. The Dirtbags also will usher in the Joey Terdoslavich era at Long Beach State. Terdoslavich was a highly touted player at Miami a few seasons ago, but sat out last season because of the new transfer rule. He could provide a huge boost to the LBSU lineup. There's no reason for this unit not to best last season's .289 batting average.

3. Starting pitching must improve -- There's no question that Long Beach State's starting pitching must improve between now and the spring. The Dirtbags had a solid ace pitcher in Adam Wilk last season. Wilk, however, has since signed a professional contract. He ended last season with a 2.78 ERA in 94 innings. The returning starters for LBSU include Jake Thompson and Andrew Gagnon. Thompson started 14 games last season and had a 5.61 ERA in 85 innings. He also struck out 42 and walked 13 and opponents hit him at a high .302 clip. Gagnon, meanwhile, started 13 games and compiled a 6.32 ERA in 72 2/3 innings. He struck out 44 and walked 23 and teams hit .327 off him. LBSU needs Gagnon and Thompson to rise to the occasion. If not, others must fill the voids.

4. Create quality bullpen depth -- The Dirtbags have some work to do in the bullpen without top relievers David Born, Anthony Carrillo, Charlie Ruiz and Dustin Rasco. Born finished last season with an ERA under three and led the team in appearances. Carrillo, Ruiz and Rasco also compiled solid numbers. That leaves the Dirtbags with Jason Markovitz, David Brown and Josh Corrales as their top returnees. Markovitz made 18 appearances last season and had a 4.12 ERA in 19 2/3 innings. He also struck out 15 and walked nine and limited opposing teams to a .304 batting average. Brown had a 6.30 ERA in 20 innings and Corrales had a 6.64 ERA in 20 1/3 innings. The Beach will need more arms. Perhaps newcomers such as Jordan Mejia, Eddie Magallon, Tommy Nance, Cris Trout, Troy Watson and Nate Underwood can provide a boost. If not, the Dirtbags definitely will need the starters to step up.

5. Embrace the return of Troy Buckley -- The Dirtbags received a tough blow a few years ago when Buckley decided to leave the program to take a high-end job with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Buckley, though, has returned to Long Beach State as pitching coach. He will not return to his old post as recruiting coordinator. Still, his return is huge for a program that missed the postseason in '09. Buckley is an excellent pitching coach and the Dirtbags should reap the benefits of his return. It's time to embrace his return to Blair Field. It will be particularly interesting to see if the pitching staff improves in the coming months.

UC Irvine took a huge step forward last season when it was ranked No. 1 for several weeks during the regular season.

The Anteaters hope to seal the deal with a national title in 2010.

Despite earning a national seed in '09, the Anteaters drew the nation's toughest regional that included defending champion Fresno State, Virginia and San Diego State. There was plenty of controversy surrounding the NCAA's decision to give the 'Eaters that draw.

Reflecting on last season, the 'Eaters still are disappointed with the NCAA's decision. But the fact of the matter is they still failed to win the regional with a tough title game loss to red-hot Virginia.

Now the 'Eaters hope to turn the page and get back to Omaha with a team littered with veterans both at the plate and on the mound.

There's no reason why UC Irvine shouldn't be in the mix for the national title in '10.

It's time to dissect the 'Eaters.

UC Irvine's five keys

1. Use last season as motivation -- There's no question the Anteaters feel like they were given the shaft with a tough regional draw as a national seed last season. Some would say the Anteaters need to fully move on, but I say they should use it as motivation for the upcoming season. This is a veteran team filled with key players. Extra motivation is something that could help this team do even better than its 45-15 record last season. Irvine has its sights firmly set on reaching the College World Series. Either way, though, it'll never forget its tough regional draw last season.

2. Move on without shortstop Ben Orloff -- What an impressive player Orloff was both on and off the field throughout his UC Irvine career. Orloff was one of the nation's best defensive shortstops for a few seasons. He also did a nice job at the plate. But perhaps most important about Orloff's departure is the fact he was such an inspirational leader. Orloff and a few other players essentially carried the program for a couple months when Dave Serrano left for Cal State Fullerton. It takes a special player to do something like that. The Anteaters certainly will miss Orloff, but just how much? We'll find out the answer to that question sooner rather than later.

3. Weekend rotation needs to meet expectations -- There's a huge reason Irvine is very confident about its weekend rotation. It's the return of ace pitcher Danny Bibona in addition to Christian Bergman and Crosby Slaught. Bibona's return this fall was a huge surprise to many. The talented left-hander tallied All-American-like numbers last season. He went 12-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 106 innings. He also struck out 108 and walked 26 and held opposing teams to a .209 batting average. Bergman, meanwhile, went 9-3 with a 3.50 ERA in 97 2/3 innings. He also struck out 66 and walked 16 and held opposing teams to a .288 batting average. There also is Slaught, who compiled a 4.62 ERA in 76 innings last season. Teams hit him at a .297 clip. Slaught certainly could improve in the spring, but it doesn't get much better than the one-two punch of Bibona and Bergman.

4. Establish more pitching depth -- The weekend rotation and key roles in the bullpen are in good hands, but the Anteaters could use more depth. Irvine welcomes back top relievers Eric Pettis and Kyle Necke. Pettis made 29 appearances last season and had a 3.86 ERA in 42 innings. He also recorded 17 saves. Necke, meanwhile, made 18 appearances and had a 4.50 ERA in 34 innings. Teams hit just .260 off him. Without key relievers Brock Bardeen, Noel Avison and Matt Dufour, the 'Eaters need others to rise to the occasion in the spring. That includes sophomore Nick Hoover, freshman Kyle Hopper and a host of others. This team will be flawless if the bullpen answers some questions.

5. Live up to the hype at the plate -- Even without shortstop Ben Orloff, the Anteaters have a golden opportunity to have a very potent offense. They finished last season with an impressive .317 batting average and could best that mark in the spring. The 'Eaters welcome back six hitters that finished last season with batting averages better than .300. The list includes Ronnie Shaeffer, Tommy Reyes, Casey Stevenson, Ryan Fisher, Cory Olson and Francis Larson. The 'Eaters also welcome back Jeff Cusick, D.J. Crumlich, Dillon Bell and Sean Madigan. There's a wealth of experience with this set of hitters. That should be a determining factor in their success come spring.

Arizona was a win away from returning to the College World Series two seasons ago.

The Wildcats lived a nightmare last season.

Arizona had suspensions, academic issues and of course on top of those things, key injuries that set them back even further last season.

The Wildcats hope to move forward sooner rather than later. Accomplishing that goal, though, could be incredibly difficult.

'Zona will enter the spring without six key hitters from last year's team. It also must find a way to replace several key arms, including ace pitcher Preston Guilmet and relievers Jason Stoffel and Cory Burns.

Perhaps you could say the Wildcats will have a solid core of hitters coming back in the spring. But on the mound, this team has much to prove.

First, coach Andy Lopez needs to restore order.

Arizona's five keys

1. Build a strong foundation -- If you build a house on a foundation full of cracks, there's a good chance the house eventually will fail. The same theory applies to the Wildcats. Arizona had several issues last season. They had injuries, suspensions and academic issues. The injury part is out of the players' control. However, suspensions and academic issues can be avoided. It's not too hard to go to class this day and age. Lopez had a team filled with great leaders two seasons ago, but last season was a completely different story. Before Arizona even thinks about returning to a regional in the spring, it first must find leaders and take care of business off the field. Everything else will take care of itself. At least you hope.

2. Stay healthy -- The Wildcats were unable to stay healthy last season and that hurt them. Arizona finished last season with an unimpressive 5.46 ERA and could've used pitchers Matt Chaffee and Ryan Doyle. However, both pitchers were injured for much of last season. Chaffee made just eight appearances and Doyle made just three. The Wildcats had additional injuries last season, but at least a couple of those players have since left the program. Still, the Wildcats will have a tough time returning to normal in the spring if they don't stay healthy. Staying injury free is a huge key to the '10 campaign.

3. Replace the Big Three on the mound -- The Wildcats certainly return a couple talented pitchers in the spring, but replacing Preston Guilmet, Cory Burns and Jason Stoffel won't be easy. It may be an impossible chore to accomplish the next few months. Guilmet started 14 games last season and had a 3.74 ERA 91 1/3 innings, Burns made 40 appearances and had a 3.80 ERA in 47 1/3 innings and Stoffel made 39 appearances and had a 4.67 ERA in 54 innings. Overall, the Wildcats lost 94 innings from last year's team. That's simply a staggering number, but a reality the Wildcats must deal with. Daniel Workman and Joe Allison are a pair of pitchers the Wildcats can count on for the spring. Bryce Bandilla and Kyle Simon also showed some positive signs last season. This unit, though, has much work to do between now and February.

4. Create more pitching depth -- In addition to the lack of consistency that plagued the pitching staff last season, the Wildcats also had little depth. That has to change for this team to make a return to an NCAA regional in the spring. The Wildcats will receive a boost from the returns of Chaffee and Doyle, but needs others to rise to the occasion. There's a good chance newcomers Nick Cunningham, Tyler Hale and Kurt Heyer will have important roles. Both Cunningham and Heyer have opened some eyes this fall with good outings. Creating more pitching depth is an incredibly important goal for this club.

5. Get things together at the plate -- The offense was the lone bright spot for the Wildcats last season with a .314 batting average. But now the top three hitters are gone and a total of at least six key hitters have departed since last season. There's a chance that spells trouble for the Wildcats, but a strong core still is in place. Bryce Ortega and Steve Selsky each hit over .300 last season. Kyle Stiner and Jett Bandy looked very solid at times and Rafael Valenzuela and Shaun Cooper are guys the Wildcats believe have the ability to rise to the occasion. There's little chance this team hits .314 barring a major surprise, but there's no reason they can't at least hit over .290. Perhaps newcomers Jake Meskin, Trey Ford, Alex Mejia, Joey Rickard and Cole Frenzel will provide boosts. It'll be very interesting to see how this unit unfolds when spring arrives.

Fall workouts already have come to a close for many programs. There also are programs still in the midst of workouts.

The goal of every team this fall is the same, though. Everyone wants to fill in their holes and improve their weak spots in hopes of reaching the College World Series in 2010.

In our weekly trip around the nation, we get the latest on fall workouts at Cal State Fullerton, East Carolina, Southern Mississippi and Kentucky.

Fullerton and Southern Miss both hope to make returns trips to Omaha in the spring. East Carolina, meanwhile, has one more step to take to get to Omaha. Kentucky, though, has high hopes even after failing to make a regional last season.

Around the nation

• Cal State Fullerton has missed outstanding shortstop Christian Colon this fall because of an injury, but other players have risen to the occasion and given Dave Serrano and his staff something to get excited about. Serrano believes the pitching staff has a chance to be great with several talented arms on the roster. Additionally, the offense is filled with young, but very talented players. Pitchers that are having impressive falls include Colin O'Connell, Dylan Floro, David Hurlbut and Raymond Hernandez ... Offensively, Nick Ramirez, Carlos Lopez and Corey Jones are elevating their games. Ramirez was a big-time power producer last season and is continuing where he left off as a freshman. Lopez and Jones, though, missed last season because of injuries. Both players are primed to be power producers in the spring. The Titans believe Jones is coming back a vengeance and Lopez is a hitter with a very high ceiling ... While the offense and pitching staff are garnering plenty of attention this fall, also keep an eye on the battle behind the plate between Billy Marcoe, David Carrillo and Geno Escalante. All three are having good falls. Marcoe is a seasoned veteran, while Carrillo is a junior college transfer and Escalante is a true freshman.

• Kentucky will be back in an NCAA regional in the spring if it meets expectations. The Wildcats are having a good fall, but without ace pitcher James Paxton in the mix. Paxton has been sidelined because of knee surgery and just now is back to throwing bullpen sessions. The Wildcats expect to have him back at 100 percent for the season ... Speaking of pitchers, the Wildcats are extremely excited about talented sophomore Alex Meyer. Meyer put together a solid freshman campaign last season and is expected to be even better as a sophomore. UK coach Gary Henderson said last week that Meyer stayed in Lexington, Ky., throughout the summer and got bigger and stronger. As a matter of fact, he has climbed from 208 to 220 pounds from last season to now. Henderson also is impressed with Meyer's improved work ethic ... The Wildcats don't have a set weekend rotation outside of Paxton and Meyer. The third spot is open to a plethora of pitchers, including Sean Bouthilette, Logan Darnell, Braden Kapteyn, Taylor Rogers, Kyle Jackson and Jordan Cooper ... At the plate, the Wildcats are impressed with junior college transfer shortstop Taylor Black. They also are pleased with returnees Chad Wright, Keenan Wiley, Braden Kapteyn and Gunner Glad. Veteran catcher Marcus Ndiffer is a seasoned veteran, but really has caught the coaches' attention ... Henderson said he really likes the '10 team. He believes they'll be more offensive and have much more depth in the bullpen.

• East Carolina put together an impressive '09 campaign and was a couple wins away from advancing to the CWS. The Pirates came up short last season, but Omaha again will be the expectation for the upcoming season. There's a reason for that. The main reason is the fact coach Billy Godwin believes the '10 pitching staff will be the best he has had in Greenville, N.C., with the return of Brad Mincey, Seth Maness, Patrick Somers, Kevin Brandt and others. Godwin is most impressed with freshman right-handed pitcher Joseph Hughes. Hughes had a fantastic fall and is in the running for a spot in the weekend rotation ... Offensively, the Pirates obviously have a couple big holes to fill. However, they also welcome back several key hitters including Kyle Roller and Trent Whitehead, among others. The Pirates are pleased with the progressions made by sophomore Corey Thompson, juniors Austin Homan and Cam Freeman and freshmen John Wooten and Bryan Bass. Wooten also made waves at second base with his superior defensive skills. Also keep an eye on redshirt freshman Phillip Clark between now and the spring. Clark had a nice summer at the Cape Cod League and followed that up with an impressive fall. Godwin said he is in the mix in left field and first base ... In terms of areas that could improve, the Pirates are focused on team defense between now and the spring.

•  Southern Mississippi gave long-time coach Corky Palmer the perfect retirement present last season when it defeated Florida in the Gainesville Super Regional and reached the CWS. Now the Golden Eagles hope to return to Omaha with coach Scott Berry in charge. The Eagles certainly have some key holes to fill between now and the spring. Much focus has been on the mound, where the Eagles hope to create more depth to take some pressure off ace pitcher Todd McInnis. Berry believes that pitchers Cody Schlagel, Scott Copeland and junior college transfer Ryan MacNamara must rise to the occasion. Copeland had a very productive fall. Also keep an eye on sophomore transfer Mandella Mingo. Mingo, a left-handed pitcher, had an impressive fall and could be in the weekend rotation come spring ... In terms of position players, the Eagles believe Joey Archer has made a smooth transition from first to third base. Also, junior Adam Doleac has been a defensive surprise. The middle infield with shortstop BA Vollmuth and Taylor Walker leading the way. Walker was a third baseman last season, but made the move to second this fall.

Stanford hopes to return to the College World Series in 2010.

The Cardinal made a statement two seasons ago by returning to Omaha after a thrilling super regional win over Cal State Fullerton.

Last season, though, the Cardinal took a huge step back. They finished the season with a 30-25 record and also ended Pac-10 play tied for fifth place.

Given its expectations entering the season, last season was disappointing for Stanford.

Now the Cardinal hopes to return to normalcy.

Stanford welcomes back a pair of weekend starting pitchers and several relievers. It also welcomes back eight hitters that contributed last season.

There's no reason the Cardinal shouldn't return to a regional in the spring.

It's time to dissect Mark Marquess' club.

Stanford's five keys

1. Restore order and an attitude -- It's time for the Cardinal to restore order. They appeared to be in great shape after reaching the CWS two seasons ago. However, they took a step back last season by not even reaching an NCAA regional. Now they must find a way to get back to the postseason. There was a time earlier this decade when the Cardinal had the swagger that consistently propelled to success in the regular season and postseason. That attitude, though, appears to be long gone. Can this team change that trend? It certainly returns enough key cogs. It'll be interesting to see what this club brings to the table.

2. Develop some power at the plate -- The Cardinal certainly plays a certain brand of baseball as with many programs out on the West Coast, but there's no question it must find more power sooner rather than later. Stanford finished last season with just 49 homers as a team and had just one player -- Brent Milleville -- with double digit homers. Milleville, of course, now is gone and Kellen Killsgaard is the top returning power hitter. He blasted nine homers and knocked in 46 runs last season. Stanford also welcomes back two-sport star Toby Gerhart, who hit seven homers last season. The Cardinal desperately needs more home run and doubles hitters in the spring.

3. Improve across the board at the plate -- Creating more power production is a huge key to Stanford's success in the spring. But the Cardinal also must improve consistency at the plate. It had a potent offense two seasons ago with Jason Castro and others leading the way. But last season, the Cardinal took a step back with a dismal .279 batting average. Hitters Stanford welcomes back includes Colin Walsh, Kellen Killsgaard, Adam Gaylord, Toby Gerhart, Ben Clowe, Jonathan Kaskow, Zach Jones and Jake Schlander. Walsh and Killsgaard surprisingly were the only two to hit over .300 last season. Walsh led the team with a .320 batting average and also drove in 25 runs. Killsgaard, meanwhile, batted .313 with nine homers and 46 RBIs. This offense will have much to prove in the spring, but the potential to succeed certainly is there. The Cardinal also could receive some help from newcomers Jacob Stewart and Kenny Diekroeger.

4. Weekend rotation must meet expectations -- The Cardinal is going through fall workouts without Jeff Inman, who signed a pro contract this past summer. But it returns its top two weekend starters from last season -- Brett Mooneyham and Jordan Pries. Mooneyham started 11 games last season and had a 4.14 ERA in 67 2/3 innings. Pries, meanwhile, started 11 games and had a 4.62 ERA in 76 innings. Both pitchers threw well as freshmen last season and are expected to significantly improve as sophomores in the spring. The Cardinal still must find a third weekend starter, but perhaps Scott Snodgress, Danny Sandbrink or Michael Marshall can assume the role. Snodgress and Sandbrink each started five games last season. Marshall, meanwhile, made just three starts but had an impressive 4.10 ERA in 37 1/3 innings.

5. Move on without leading relievers -- The Cardinal received a small blow when key relievers Drew Storen and Max Fearnow signed pro contracts this past summer. Storen's departure was the toughest because he was just a draft-eligible sophomore. Fearnow was a senior and would've been gone this fall no matter what. Even without the two appearance leaders from last season, the Cardinal should be fine. They welcome back Michael Marshall, Brian Busick, Carey Schwartz and Alex Pracher. Marshall had a 4.10 ERA last season, Busick had a 4.50 ERA, Schwartz had a 5.11 ERA and Pracher had a 5.53 ERA. There's no reason why Stanford's bullpen shouldn't compile good numbers. Mark Appel and Chris Jenkins are a pair of newcomers that could have immediate impacts.

All is right in the world of Cal State Fullerton baseball.

In Dave Serrano's first season as coach two years ago, the Titans stormed through regional play before falling just short against Stanford in the Fullerton Super Regional.

Last season, though, the Titans returned to their rightful place in the College World Series after making easy work of teams in regional play and Louisville in super regional action.

The Titans entered the CWS as one of the favorites to win the national title, but fell well short and were eliminated after just two games. Fullerton now hopes to take another step forward and notch its fifth national title in '10.

Accomplishing that goal is a distinct possibility.

The Titans welcome back all three weekend starting pitchers and a plethora of key relievers. They also welcome back enough offense to hit well over .300 in the spring.

It's time to dissect Serrano's Titans.

Cal State Fullerton's five keys

1. Learn from last year's CWS appearance -- The Titans put together a great campaign last season, but each time they were pushed to the limit they seemed to crumble. Fullerton played exceptionally well down the stretch and had little trouble in regional and super regional action. But come time for the CWS, the Titans were confronted by a motivated Arkansas team and a red-hot Virginia team. That spelled trouble for a team that didn't exactly handle much pressure too well throughout the spring. Fullerton learned a very valuable lesson in Omaha last season. This team will enter the spring with more motivation and an excellent attitude and approach.

2. Weekend rotation needs to meet expectations -- The Titans had a fantastic weekend rotation last season and they welcome back all three starters -- Daniel Renken, Noe Ramirez and Tyler Pill. There's no reason for this group of arms to take a step back. If anything, they're expected to take another step forward. Renken had a fantastic junior campaign last season. He started 17 games and compiled a 2.69 ERA in 123 2/3 innings. He also struck out 103 and walked 35 and held opposing teams to a .206 clip. Ramirez, meanwhile, earned Freshman All-America honors after going 9-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 110 2/3 innings. He also struck out 100 and walked 24 and held opposing teams to a .227 batting average. Pill started 16 games and had a 4.06 ERA in 102 innings. He struck out 74 and walked 13 and held opposing teams to a .247 batting average. This will be a fun trio to watch in the spring.

3. Sort out the bullpen roles -- The Titans have an issue that over 240 Division I baseball teams wish they had -- they have too many talented arms in the bullpen with only a few roles to fill. The Titans welcome back relievers Kyle Mertins, Nick Ramirez, Ryan Ackland and Kevin Rath for starters. Mertins had a 2.30 ERA in 27 1/3 innings last season and Ramirez had a 2.61 ERA with seven saves in 41 1/3 innings. Ackland and Rath had ERA's of 3.41 and 5.02, respectively. Also look for the Titans to heavily involve newcomers Ray Hernandez, David Hurlbut, Colin O'Connell and Dylan Floro in their bullpen plans. All four newcomers have left a lasting impression on the coaches this fall. This bullpen should have little trouble compiling great numbers in '10.

4. Replace the power of Jared Clark and Khris Davis -- Most would say the Titans will have an incredibly difficult time replacing Clark and Davis. After all, Clark blasted 17 doubles, 12 homers and 82 RBIs last season. Davis, meanwhile, hit .328 with 25 doubles, 16 homers and 58 RBIs. Serrano, though, has high hopes for junior Corey Jones and redshirt freshman Carlos Lopez in addition to Nick Ramirez. Jones and Lopez each missed last season with injuries and are having exceptional falls in the power department. Ramirez, meanwhile, has trimmed down a bit and also is having a great fall. He batted .287 with 10 homers and 31 RBIs last season. The Titans are in business if Jones, Lopez and Ramirez rise to the occasion. If not, other hitters will have to fit the bill in the power department.

5. Meet expectations at the plate -- Even with some uncertainty at the plate when it comes to power production, the Titans still should have a productive offense with the return of Joey Siddons, Christian Colon and Gary Brown. Siddons was a surprise last season and batted .371 with 23 RBIs, Colon will be back in the spring after sitting out this fall because of an injury, and batted .357 with eight homers and 40 RBIs last season. Brown, meanwhile, is an exceptional athlete that batted .340 with 17 doubles, seven triples, three homers and 40 RBIs. He also was 23-of-31 in stolen bases. The Titans finished last season with a .329 batting average. There's no reason they can't get close or equal that mark in the spring.

The College World Series is an annual event that has been held dear to residents of the City of Omaha for several years.

Leaving Rosenblatt Stadium after the 2010 CWS will be difficult. But there's also plenty of excitement surrounding the construction of the new ballpark, which will hold 24,000 spectators and be a great addition to already thriving downtown Omaha. The '11 CWS will be held at the new ballpark.

Here's an aerial look of the construction progress of TD Ameritrade Park.

-----

-----

-----

With fall workouts coming to a close in the next few weeks for several programs around the country, we thought it'd be good to catch up with some coaches in Conference USA.

Here are some intriguing notes from programs around the league:

• Rice coach Wayne Graham is very optimistic about his team this fall. Veteran Diego Seastrunk has improved a lot behind the plate this fall and also is hitting at a high clip. Graham said that Seastrunk is in the best shape he's ever been. Steven Sultzbaugh is having a sensational fall and is "killing" the ball according to Graham. To no surprise, newcomer second baseman Michael Ratterree is having a fantastic fall. Graham said Ratterree is a fantastic athlete and the real deal ... On the mound, junior left-handed pitcher Doug Simmons has been a pleasant surprise this fall. The Owls changed his release point at the beginning of fall workouts and that switch has made all the difference. Graham said the lefty was great against Texas State in a scrimmage last week and throws 87-91 with good movement and a good changeup. Redshirt freshman pitcher Anthony Fazio is having a good fall and appears to be back in business. Boogie Anagnostou, a newcomer, also is a good fit and Graham said Jared Rogers has matured a great deal since last season. Other pitchers that have impressed Graham include J.T. Chargois, Chase McDowell and Tyler Spurlin ... Last but not least, there has at least been some speculating that Graham might be a candidate for the vacant Rice athletic director position after Chris Del Conte made the move to TCU. Graham said he has no interest in that side of athletics. He's a baseball coach only.

• After a tough first campaign with the Knights, UCF coach Terry Rooney is sleeping a little better these days after he welcomed an exceptional recruiting class to campus this fall. Rooney said his program has 21 new players and the learning curve must improve between now and the spring. He did say, however, that the players are continuing to gain familiarity with his styles and expectations. He admits it will take time, but wants the program to have a championship mentality sooner rather than later. In the surprise department, the maturity of many of the newcomers has been a welcomed surprise for the second-year coach. Freshman infielder Darnell Sweeney is standing out this fall. Sweeney could start at shortstop and is swinging the bat very well this fall. He also is displaying a high level of maturity for such a young player. On the mound, keep an eye on right-handed pitcher Owen Dew. Dew is a junior college transfer that has blossomed since having a solid summer at the Alaska League a few months ago. Rooney believes he has the potential to be one of the better arms in C-USA ... Overall, Rooney feels like this team has potential, but still is cautiously optimistic because of its lack of experience.

• Tulane has its sights set on making it back to an NCAA regional in the spring. Coach Rick Jones took some time out to provide us with some snippets from fall workouts. In terms of improvements that need to be made, Jones said the team needs to gain more experience. He expects to start up to five freshmen in the spring. He does say, however, that the young players are very talented. In terms of positives, Jones is very pleased with how seasoned veterans Rob Segedin and Robby Broach are performing this fall. They both missed much of last season with injuries, and having them back and healthy is like adding a pair of outstanding recruits. Jones is very excited about the dynamic duo ... Jones believes freshman Garrett Cannizaro, a shortstop, will be an immediate impact player. He is having an impressive fall ...  On the mound, keep an eye on right-handers Kyle McKenzie and Alex Byo. McKenzie is throwing 91-95 with a great breaking ball and Byo has great control with a plus changeup and slider.

• Houston is another C-USA team hoping to return to a regional in the spring. The Cougars hope to find someone to fill the closer's role sooner rather than later. For now, though, that role is a concern. In the surprise department, Taylor Hammack is finally healthy and having a fantastic fall on the mound. Michael Goodnight, who started on the weekend as a freshman last season, is following up a good summer at the Cape Cod League with an even better fall for the Cougars. UH's coaches are very excited about Goodnight for the upcoming season. Other surprises to keep an eye on include transfers Ryan Still, Austin Gracey and Matt Creel. Still and Gracey are infielders and Creel is a two-way player for the Cougars ... In terms of an overall fall assessment, the Cougars believe they lacked both speed and power offensively last season. So far this fall, UH believes it has fixed those issues. The Cougars also believe they're stronger defensively and have much more experience than last season.

• Memphis sure has had an exciting fall. As the Tigers continue fall workouts, they're also having to deal with a facility that finally is getting renovated. That's great news. Memphis coach Daron Schoenrock said the key to the end of the fall and the time leading up to the spring is to get healthy and increase depth. He believes the Tigers will have a very solid team if the front-line guys stay healthy. However, there are six position players that are out this fall because of various injuries. Three of the six are out until at least December. Schoenrock is very pleased with his pitching staff this fall ... In terms of surprises, Coach Rock is very pleased with the pitching staff and how the team approaches practice ... Position players that have stood out include outfielders Robby Graham and Derrick Thomas, first baseman Trey Wiedman, catchers Phillip Chapman, Rick Russell and Shawn Ablett and second baseman Adam McClain ... Pitchers that have stood out include left-hander Brennan Martin, Ryan Fraser, Ryan Holland (much improved command), reliever Marcus Barnes and JUCO transfer Chase Joiner.

After winning back-to-back national titles in 2006 and '07, Oregon State was shocked when it was snubbed from the NCAA postseason in '08.

The Beavers made sure they returned to an NCAA regional last season.

OSU finished high in the Pac-10 standings with a 15-12 record and ended the season with an impressive 37-19 record. But this is a program that now prides itself on getting back to the College World Series on a consistent basis.

Last season may have been a decent campaign. OSU coach Pat Casey expects better, though.

The Beavers have a great chance of returning to Omaha in '10.

They must replace a couple key hitters at the plate, but welcome back at least seven hitters that earned signiifcant playing time last season. The Beavers will be exceptional on the mound with the return of all three weekend starters and a plethora of relievers.

It's time to dissect the Beavers as fall workouts come to a close.

Oregon State's five fall keys

1. Adequately replace catcher Ryan Ortiz -- The Beavers suffered a tough blow this past summer when the outstanding catcher decided to sign a pro contract. He was a leader on and off the field and finished last season with a .352 batting average, 17 doubles, five homers and 45 RBIs. He also had an impressive .454 on-base percentage. Behind the plate, Ortiz committed just two errors the entire season. Perhaps the Beavers have the perfect replacement in freshman Andrew Susac. Susac was a 16th-round selection of the Phillies in the MLB draft this past summer and is an outstanding defensive catcher. It'll be interesting, though, to see how quick he makes the transition to Division I baseball. Replacing Ortiz will be difficult, but Susac can help the Beavers forget about him sooner rather than later.

2. Greatly improve offensively -- Even with a .278 team batting average last season, the Beavers still found a way to win 37 games and reach the Fort Worth Regional final. Just imagine if OSU had finished last season with an average of .300 or better. The Beavers hope to greatly improve at the plate in the spring. Accomplishing that goal shouldn't be too hard with the return of consistent hitters Jared Norris and Adalberto Santos and five other experienced hitters, including Michael Miller, Carter Bell, Stefen Romero, John Tommasini and Rob Folsom. Only Norris and Santos finished last season with batting averages better than .300. Norris batted .331 with three homers and 36 RBIs and Santos batted .320 with four homers and 43 RBIs. This unit as a whole, though, must improve.

3. Weekend rotation must meet expectations -- The Beavers expect to have one of the Pac-10's best rotations in the spring. There's a reason for the confidence. OSU welcomes back sophomore Sam Gaviglio and juniors Tyler Waldron and Greg Peavey. All three have an immense amount of talent. Gaviglio shined as a first-year player last season. He put together a 10-1 record and had a 2.73 ERA in 62 2/3 innings. He also struck out 55 and walked 9 and opposing teams hit him at a .200 clip. Waldron, meanwhile, was 6-4 with a 4.15 ERA in 93 1/3 innings. He struck out 70 and walked 31 and teams hit him at a .265 clip. There's also Peavey, who compiled a 5.74 ERA in 62 2/3 innings. There also are other potential weekend starters on the staff. The Beavers likely will host another regional if this unit meets expectations.

4. Sort out the bullpen roles -- The Beavers have a great problem. They have several talented pitchers in the bullpen with only a few big roles. Closer Kevin Rhoderick returns after recording nine saves in 23 appearances and 23 2/3 innings last season. OSU also welcomes back Josh Osich, Kraig Sitton, Ryan Gorton and James Nygren. Osich made 17 appearances and had a 2.05 ERA last season, Sitton had a 4.05 ERA in 20 innings, Gorton had a 1.97 ERA in 32 innings and Nygren had a 4.45 ERA in 30 1/3 innings. There also is Tanner Robles, who made nine appearances and eight starts and had a 4.75 ERA in 36 innings. Also joining the mix is newcomer Tony Bryant, who immediately could factor into the equation. It'll be interesting to see how this unit shakes out once the spring season begins.

5. Find some power at the plate -- Perhaps the Beavers enjoy playing a smaller brand of baseball, but the teams that won national titles had at least a couple power hitters on the roster. This team currently appears to have very little power. Ortiz and Romero led the team with five homers each last season. Ortiz is gone and Romero is back. But outside of those two, the Beavers had just two hitters with more than a home run. It would make life much easier on the pitching staff if OSU could find more power production in '10.