This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
College World Series Expert Picks Tonight
Cashed that little Dodgers team total play the other night, cool beans. Let's get into the best sport of all time, College Baseball. You're coming in at a great time since it's the College World Series in Omaha. Let's see where the best value is on the board.
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Oral Roberts (+140) vs.TCU (-175) | Over/Under 12
The dark horse against Cinderella. It's a great way to kick off this glorious weekend. The two hottest teams in the country pose an interesting matchup on Friday afternoon. We're likely to see ORU's Jakob Hall against TCU's freshman pitcher, Kole Klecker. Does the dream stay alive for the Golden Eagles?
Oral Roberts was more than just a long shot four seed entering the tournament. They were a unit of talent and grit. They stormed through a very difficult regional with Oklahoma State, Dallas Baptist, and Washington. Next, Oral Roberts outlasted Oregon in a heavyweight bloodbath slugfest. Here, they are, only a couple wins away from the finals.
Hall has been steady for this squad all season, posting a 3.56 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 17 starts. Facing a TCU offense that's a similar carbon copy of Oregon's, with power and speed, Hall will have to be sharper than he was in the Supers against the Ducks. Part of his struggles against Oregon last weekend (5 IP, 7 H, 5 ER) were the result of three home runs. Luckily, Charles Schwab field in Omaha plays big (335 ft down the lines, 375 ft in the gaps, 408 ft in dead center). If Hall can simmer down a red hot Frogs lineup, and force them off the bases, I don't think they will be able to tally hit after hit to knock in runners. Along with the recent power surge led by projected 2023 first-round pick Braden Taylor, TCU is among the elite base-stealing offenses in the nation (139 SB), so Hall will have to be cautious. Oh by the way, Oral has the nation's best fielding percentage (.984%), so it should play nicely at this monster ballpark.
Kole Klecker has come on strong down the stretch to take the reins as the guy for this TCU staff. The true freshman shut down Indiana State in the Supers for seven scoreless innings, even though that lineup isn't great. Before that he got hit by Arizona in the regionals, and Kansas in the Big12 tournament. If we're counting 13 innings of one run ball in two starts against Baylor and Kansas State - two teams who didn't even make the tournament - then sure he's done well lately.
Klecker will have his hands full against Jonah Cox and this offense. Cox is riding a ridiculous 47-game hitting streak by the way. ORU is approaching both 100 HR and 100 stolen bases as a team this season, displaying their versatility. Like Oregon, TCU is extremely thin in the pitching department, so if the Golden Eagles can beat up Klecker early, and get into the pen by the 5th inning, things are looking good for them. ORU scored 27 runs against Oregon last weekend, and 27 runs in the regionals. The key has been getting guys on base, that's their bread and butter.
Oral was a team I gave out at 500/1 before the tournament started, so obviously I am pulling for them. The thing is, I truly believe ORU is the better team with the better matchup. The fact is the books are uneducated about this team from nowhere. Because they are a four seed, books believe they don't have a chance. That's wrong. In my opinion, this should be close to a pick'em.
College World Series Best Bet
- Oral Roberts ML +140
Virginia (+105) vs. Florida (-135) | Over/Under 10.5
Here we have probably the most difficult game of the weekend to cap between a couple of 50-win teams. Littered with first-round picks, this matchup features possibly the game with the tightest margins. Who gets it done?
Florida clearly has the better superstars in this. A guy I've dubbed all season as this generation's Mike Trout in five-tool OF Wyatt Langford, who has a shot at being the top pick in this summer's MLB draft. The two-way stud people call the college Ohtani in Jac Caglianone, who is a favorite to be the top pick in 2024. It also includes their best pitcher in Southern Miss transfer, Hurston Waldrep. Waldrep, who is usually their game two guy, is a first-rounder this summer, and shooting up draft boards as we speak. Will this be enough?
The Gators are throwing their Friday guy (even if he isn't their best) in Brandon Sproat. Sproat turned down a third-round invitation from the Mets last summer to have one more ride. The stuff is very good featuring a 95-98 MPH heater that touches 100, dazzling changeup, and great slider. When he's on, he's almost impossible to get to. He'll need to be on against a UVA lineup that has registered the best batting average in the country for most of the year (.335 avg). This Cavs lineup has some studs of its own led by likely top 10 pick in catcher Kyle Teel, and power blasting 3B Jake Gelof. Of course, I can't forget that Teel and Gelof are just two of six players in this lineup with a .300 average or better. Sproat will not only need to keep the walks to a minimum, but base hits too. UVA's offensive approach is perfect for this big park, as they also lead the country in doubles (169). If he gets knocked around early by a persistent lineup, I don't believe the Gators have the bullpen to put a lid on it. Sproatzilla has registered three straight quality starts.
If I'm being honest, I thought UVA was a bunch of frauds all year, and I still do. Sure they have gutted out wins recently, and their team has come together, but I'm still not sold just yet. The guy they will call on to quiet this Florida offense is Nick Parker. Parker has been great down the stretch, logging three consecutive quality starts, and five out of his last six tries. With the Virginia hurler not being a big strikeout guy, it should bode well for a Florida offense that likes to put the ball in play. The one issue for the Gators could be that they are a home run hitting team, who has relied on the long ball at times. With fewer home runs likely in this big park, they need to play the alleys and lines that can use their speed.
While it's a tough pick, I have to go with Florida. I believe they are the better team with better stars. It should be a close game down to the wire, but Florida emerges victorious.
College World Series Best Bet:
- Florida ML -135
