2010 College World Series: Breaking Down The Field

While it doesn't get the attention March Madness or the Bowl season does, the College World Series is as much a part of college sports as its larger grossing brothers.

It is an opportunity for Major League Baseball fans to get a look at some of the future stars of the game, as they get their chance to play in front of a national television audience.

This year's field may be the most competitive in years with top dogs like Texas and Virginia, among others, ousted in the Super Regional round.

This slideshow should give readers a chance to learn a little something about the eight teams that will be competing, just in time for action to start this weekend at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.

So with that, here is the 2010 College World Series field:

Bracket 1: TCU (51-12)

First Round Opponent: Florida State
Next Game: June 19th, 2 p.m., ESPN

Top Pitchers
SP Matt Purke (14-0, 3.23 ERA, 133 Ks) - pictured
SP Steven Maxwell (11-2, 2.41 ERA, 89 Ks)
SP Kyle Winkler (12-1, 2.84 ERA, 90 Ks)
RP Tyler Lockwood (6-2, 7 Saves, 1.92 ERA, 36 Ks)

Top Hitters
1B Matt Curry (.346 BA, 17 HR, 60 RBI
C Bryan Holaday (.350 BA, 13 HR, 48 RBI)
LF Jason Coates (.373 BA, 13 HR, 66 RBI)

The Horned Frogs sandwiched a pair of fantastic pitching performances around a disastrous 14-1 drubbing in their Super Regional series against Texas.

Great starting pitching is what has gotten TCU this far and it all starts with uber-freshman Matt Purke, who absolutely dominated the Longhorns in his start, striking out 11. Purke was a first-round pick last season out of high school, but opted to go to college, turning down a $4 million signing bonus in the process.

On the other side of the ball, TCU is led by senior catcher Bryan Holaday, who was a 6th round pick by the Tigers, is not only a great hitter, but also one of the best defensive backstops in all of college baseball.

The Horned Frogs will be in every game because of their pitching, and they could be back next year with Purke and Kyle Winkler back in the fold. However, there is more work to be done this year for the talented TCU team.

Bracket 1: Florida State (47-18)

First Round Opponent: TCU
Next Game: June 19th, 2 p.m., ESPN

Top Pitchers
SP Sean Gilmartin (9-7, 4.89 ERA, 107 Ks)
SP John Gast (7-3, 5.61 ERA, 59 Ks)
RP Mike McGee (4-0, 12 Saves, 1.37 ERA, 33 Ks)

Top Hitters
CF Tyler Holt (.352 BA, 12 HR, 46 RBI, 30 SB) - pictured
DH Mike McGee (.328 BA, 15 HR, 68 RBI, 5 SB)
RF James Ramsey (.294 BA, 9 HR, 62 RBI, 11 SB)
SS Stephen Cardullo (.276 BA, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 20 SB)

The Seminoles snuck past a lesser Vanderbilt team to make it to Omaha and a very talented TCU team awaits them.

The FSU offense has a number of guys that can pack a punch and Holt, a 10th round pick by the Indians, is the perfect catalyst atop the lineup with his speed and contact combination.

The real x-factor for the team, however, is McGee. Who is not only the team's No. 3 hitter and top power threat, but also it's closer. He was drafted late as a pitcher, so he can certainly contribute on the hill.

That said, he can't start games which is an area of weakness for the Seminoles who lack a legitimate staff ace. The Cardinals saw enough potential in Gast, who’s a left-hander and a 6th round pick, but his numbers this season have been anything but impressive.

FSU will have their hands full with TCU and its stable of starting pitching and someone will have to step up for the Seminoles on the mound if they hope to advance in the College World Series.

Bracket 1: UCLA (48-14)

First Round Opponent: Florida
Next Game: June 19th, 7 p.m., ESPN

Top Pitchers
SP Rob Rasmussen (11-2, 2.73 ERA, 117 Ks) - pictured
SP Trevor Bauer (10-3, 3.02 ERA, 141 Ks)
SP Gerrit Cole (10-3, 3.25 ERA, 138 Ks)
RP Dan Klein (6-0, 9 Saves, 1.93 ERA, 50 Ks)

Top Hitters
1B Dean Espy (.353 BA, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 7 SB)
CF Beau Amaral (..352 BA, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 8 SB)
2B Tyler Rahmatulla (.328 BA, 7 HR, 45 RBI, 13 SB)

The Bruins may have the field's weakest lineup, with no clear cut star among them. In fact they have nine players who have driven in over 25 runs, but no one with more than 8 HR or 48 RBI. That said, they have more than enough pitching to make up for it.

The ace role belongs to Rasmussen, a second round pick by the Marlins, but he gets plenty of help from his fellow starters, as even spot starter Garrett Claypool went 8-3 and was an 11th round pick.

Not only are the starting pitchers great, but Klein, a third round pick by the Orioles, is among the best closers around. Setup man Matt Grace was also a high pick, going in the eighth round to the Nationals.

So while they probably won't produce any huge scoring outbursts, UCLA has as good a chance as anyone to win it all thanks to their top tier pitching.

Bracket 1: Florida (47-15)

First Round Opponent: UCLA
Next Game: June 19th, 7 p.m., ESPN

Top Pitchers
SP Alex Panteliodis (11-2, 3.26 ERA, 80 Ks)
SP Hudson Randall (8-3, 2.95 ERA, 68 Ks)
RP Kevin Chapman (3-0, 11 Saves, 1.48 ERA, 43 Ks)

Top Hitters
CF Matt den Dekker (.358 BA, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 23 SB) - pictured
3B Austin Maddox (.333 BA, 17 HR, 71 RBI, 0 SB)
1B Preston Tucker (.339 BA, 11 HR, 46 RBI, 8 SB)

Florida, like usual, has one of the nation's top teams, and should be in the running to win it all as there is really nothing they don't do well.

The Gators have a legitimate star in den Dekker, a fifth round pick by the Mets, and he joins Maddox and Tucker to form one of the best 3-4-5 trios around.

The team's most dangerous weapon, however, may be their closer Chapman, who can hit the high 90s with his fastball, and was a fourth round pick by the Royals. He could be among the first picks from the 2010 draft class to see the majors.

With a pair of solid starters, a great closer, and a powerful lineup, the Gators have everything it takes to win a championship. UCLA's great pitching against Florida's power may be the match-up to watch of the first round.

Bracket 2: Oklahoma (49-16)

First Round Opponent: South Carolina
Next Game: June 20th, 2 p.m., ESPN

Top Pitchers
SP Bobby Shore (11-4, 3.86 ERA, 82 Ks) - pictured
SP Zach Neal (8-3, 4.65 ERA, 88 KS)
SP Michael Rocha (7-2, 3.57 ERA, 53 Ks)

Top Hitters
3B Garrett Buechele (.371 BA, 16 HR, 64 RBI, 3 SB)
LF Max White (.307 BA, 15 HR, 43 RBI, 7 SB)
1B Cameron Seitzer (.311 BA, 15 HR, 52 RBI, 2 SB)
C Tyler Ogle (.322 BA, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 4 SB)
OF Cody Reine (.341 BA, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 3 SB)

The Sooners head into the World Series after knocking off one of the nation's top teams in Virginia, and handily, with an 11-0 thrashing in Game Three of their Super Regional.

The Sooners boast a top-tier offense, and have great depth with 15 different players starting at least ten games during the season. That said, the offense is clearly led by Garrett Buechele, the son of former major leaguer Steve. He was an 18th round pick by the Rangers in the draft.

Reine is also a force at the plate, as he has hit 10 HR in just 132 at bats, including two three-run shots in Game Three against Virginia.

The rotation is anchored by ace Neal, but they will need Shore, who threw eight shutout innings in the clinching Game Three against Virginia, to step up once again in Omaha for their staff to be an asset.

Bracket 2: South Carolina (48-15)

First Round Opponent: Oklahoma
Next Game: June 20th, 2 p.m., ESPN

Top Pitchers
SP Blake Cooper (12-1, 2.81 ERA, 105 Ks) - pictured
SP Sam Dyson (5-5, 4.35 ERA, 93 Ks)
RP Matt Price (10 Saves, 2.54 ERA, 68 Ks)

Top Hitters
CF Jackie Bradley Jr (.371 BA, 11 HR, 51 RBI, 7 SB)
RF Whit Merrifield (.327 BA, 12 HR, 38 RBI, 12 SB)
1B Christian Walker (.315 BA, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 2 SB)

The Gamecocks were no doubt the underdogs against a consensus top five team in Costal Carolina, but they managed to knock them out in two games, both one run wins.

While Bradley Jr. gets most of the attention, and rightfully so as he is one of the top sophomore hitters in the nation, it was Walker who came through with a big three-run shot in the eighth inning against Costal Carolina to advance the Gamecocks.

The South Carolina lineup is as balanced as they come, with nine different players hitting seven or more home runs during the season, but none hit more than 12. The team will continue to count on someone different to step up each game.

On the mound, senior Blake Cooper is a seasoned veteran, and the staff ace. However, Sam Dyson, a fourth round pick by the Blue Jays, may be the difference maker. Dyson throws gas, has two solid off-speed pitches to off set his heater, and when he's on, he can shut a team down.

Bracket 2: Arizona State (52-8)

First Round Opponent: Clemson
Next Game: June 20th, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Top Pitchers
SP Seth Blair (12-0, 3.35 ERA, 104 Ks) - pictured
SP Merrill Kelly (10-2, 3.57 ERA, 75 Ks)
RP Jordan Swagerty (14 Saves, 2.06 ERA, 46 Ks)

Top Hitters
1B Ricco Torrez (.399 BA, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 20 SB)
RF Kole Calhoun (.327 BA, 17 HR, 59 RBI, 7 SB)
2B Zack MacPhee (.394 BA, 9 HR, 64 RBI, 19 SB)
SS Drew Maggi (.335 BA, 5 HR, 39 RBI, 35 SB)

The Sun Devils roll into Omaha as one of the nations top teams, and with a perfect 5-0 record this postseason.

Led by ace Seth Blair, the 46th overall pick in draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, ASU boasts one of the better starting staffs of the field, but Blair will need to pitch like the ace he is.

Their deep starting staff is made even better by one of the best closers in college baseball in Jordan Swaggerty, who was also taken by the Cardinals, in the second round.

Offensively, the Sun Devils get contributions up and down their lineup, evidenced by leadoff hitter Maggi's 12th inning home run to send them to Omaha. Overall, ASU has one of the fields best lineups, despite lacking a true superstar hitter.

So while no one aspect of their game stands out, ASU is once again at the top of the heap, and may be the favorite to win it all.

Bracket 2: Clemson (43-23)

First Round Opponent: Arizona State
Next Game: June 20th, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Top Pitchers
SP Casey Harman (7-3, 3.73 ERA, 95 Ks)
SP Scott Weismann (8-2, 5.09 ERA, 67 Ks)

Top Hitters
RF Kyle Parker (.353 BA, 20 HR, 64 RBI, 4 SB) - pictured
3B John Hinson (.345 BA, 17 HR, 72 RBI, 23 SB)
LF Jeffrey Schaus (.328 BA, 15 HR, 85 RBI, 8 SB)
SS Brad Miller (.369 BA, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 9 SB)
2B Mike Freeman (.338 BA, 8 HR, 57 RBI, 11 SB)

Clemson was far from expected to make it to Omaha, as it is the only team in the field that was not the No. 1 seed in its regional. That said, Clemson's lineup can rake with the best of them.

The most intriguing player in the Tigers lineup is undoubtedly two-sport star Kyle Parker who, after quarterbacking the football team this past fall, has emerged as one of the top outfielders in all of college baseball. His athleticism and potential made him a first round pick, when the Rockies took him 26th overall.

The lineup stretches well beyond Parker though, with seven starters checking in with averages over .300, and six players with at least 40 RBI.

However, if the Tigers hope to make any noise, they have to have ace Casey Harman and fellow weekend starter Scott Weismann at the top of their games when they take the mound, because the Tigers have little pitching depth. In the end, they may not have enough offense to offset their pitching against mighty Arizona State.