Tigers picked to finish last in SEC West by baseball coaches

AUBURN — The Auburn baseball team was picked to finish last in the SEC West by the conference’s baseball coaches in a preseason poll released Tuesday morning.

The Tigers received a total of 24 points in the poll, fewest in the West and only one more than Missouri for least in the conference.

Arkansas received the most points (90), narrowly edging out Vanderbilt (89) and was picked to win the conference. The Razorbacks are ranked No. 1 in the preseason USA Today Coaches’ Poll and return five position starters and 10 pitchers last year’s team which reached the College World Series semifinals.

The Tigers, who  finished 31-28 and 13-17 in the SEC last season, open the 2013 season hosting Maine on Friday at 3 p.m. at Plainsman Park.

The full SEC preseason poll:

Eastern Division
Team                           Pts.
1) Vanderbilt               89 (12)
2) Florida                     67
3) Kentucky                 59 (1)
South Carolina        59 (1)
5) Georgia                   41
6) Tennessee               29
7) Missouri                  23

Western Division
Team                           Pts.
1) Arkansas                 90 (12)
2) LSU                          75 (1)
3) Mississippi State     59 (1)
4) Ole Miss                  54
5) Texas A&M             51
6) Alabama                 26
7) Auburn                    24

SEC Champion: Arkansas (9), Vanderbilt (3), Kentucky (1), LSU (1)