Big 12 favored Baylor has good nucleus back

Thursday, January 27th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Undated-AP) -- Oklahoma State and Texas A-and-M both played in the College World Series last year -- and they have lot of new faces this year. The rosters for the Cowboys and Aggies have changed dramatically because of graduation and the draft. But Baylor has to make only minor changes one year after the first 50-win season in the Waco school's history.

Here's what some of the coaches had to say in today's conference call:

--Bears coach Steve Smith says Baylor has six of its nine top hitters back. The Bears are the preseason pick to win the Big 12 title -- in Baseball America's poll of the leagues coaches.

--Oklahoma State's trip to the College World Series last season was its fourth of the 1990's. A return trip could be a difficult task. Cowboys coach Tom Holliday says O-S-U lost an awful lot of players who've played a lot of baseball. The Cowboys return junior left-handed pitcher Matt Smith, who was the number one starter for much of his first two seasons. Smith was 9-and-6 last season with a three-point-zero-nine earned run average.

--Texas A-and-M's lineup was decimated by the draft. Eight players -- five of the top seven hitters and the three Big 12 starting pitchers -- signed pro contracts last summer. A-and-M coach Mark Johnson says he's got a new club and could start a lot of freshmen.

--Kansas State looks forward to the opportunity to play at home this season. The Wildcats traveled more than 17-thousand miles last season as their home stadium was being remodeled.

-- Texas Tech coach Larry Hays is beginning his 14th season with the Red Raiders and 30th as a college coach. He'll pick up career victory number 12-hundred with his first win this season. Hays was going to have the chance to pick that up this last weekend in January, but a three-game series at Texas-Pan American was postponed because of icy weather.