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In Baseball America's ridiculously exhaustive winter analysis of Division I baseball, it found Arizona to be the nation's No. 7 program by computing postseason success back to 1947.

Well, duh.

That's why the campus stadium bears dual coaches' names, Jerry Kindall and Frank Sancet. It is also why the UA's main athletic plant, McKale Center, is named after Pop McKale, who foremost was the founder, caretaker and everlasting spirit of Arizona baseball.

But once you get past the dust-gathering plaques and the old newspaper clippings, UA baseball has slipped considerably.

In a comprehensive look at college baseball from 1999 to 2006, Baseball America ranks Arizona as the nation's No. 23 program.

That number might be good at Fresno State (No. 38) or Tennessee (No. 26), but it's a sobering position at Arizona, which the magazine picks to finish sixth in the Pac-10. Worse, the BA editors forecast Arizona to match, identically, last year's dreadful 27-28 record.

"We don't consider them an elite program any longer," John Manuel, editor of Baseball America, said Tuesday. "To be elite, you need to go to Omaha (College World Series) more than once in (21 years). You can't say Arizona is in that territory now."

Arizona is unranked as it begins the 2007 season Friday afternoon against Gonzaga. Although troublesome issues exist in almost every facet of his program, Mr. Energy, Andy Lopez, is typically upbeat.

"I wish we were older, we only have two seniors," he said, "but all these young guys are confident almost to a fault. They're almost arrogant, but arrogant in a good way."

This is Lopez's sixth season. He has gone through a full recruiting cycle and has replaced the Trevor Crowes and John Meloans with a new cycle of underclassmen, many of whom have yet to play an inning of college baseball.

Predictably, Lopez can't get through a conversation without talking about Omaha.

The last time he was in this situation, in 2003, Lopez put three consecutive teams in the NCAA tournament, including the '04 club into the College World Series.

"We've got more pitching depth than at any time since I've been here, and that's the best thing to have," Lopez said. "Plus, the Pac-10 is basically a young league this year. This is the right spot to have a young team."

There are, however, some less-than-positive issues:

● Potential No. 1 starting pitcher Ryan Perry is out until mid-March with a broken arm he suffered in a motorcycle accident two weeks ago.

● The Wildcats plan to start three freshmen in the infield: catcher Dwight Childs, shortstop Robert Abel and third baseman Erik Castro.

● Down a scholarship because of substandard NCAA academic progress rates, the Wildcats have been unable, in part, to rebuild via junior college transfers.

A program that long ago made a national impact with such junior college transfers as Scott Erickson, George Arias and Trevor Hoffman, the Wildcats have a limited amount of scholarship money available. This year's JC additions, Pima College designated hitter C.J. Ziegler and PCC pitcher Lee Taylor, might not play regularly.

● Talented sophomore left-hander Daniel Schlereth could be the No. 1 starter or the closer. Confused? His role won't be determined for a few days or a few weeks. A lot of roles, starting and relieving, depend on the decision. Either way, he is irreplaceable.

● David Plante, the team's No. 2 returning RBI producer and home run hitter, became ineligible at semester break.

● Not a single Wildcat is among Baseball America's preseason All-Pac-10, nor part of Collegiate Baseball's 96-man preseason All-America list.

"My perception of Lopez is that he will get it done at Arizona and, as his track record at Pepperdine and Florida suggests, get Arizona back to Omaha," said Baseball America's Manuel. "It's harder to get to Omaha now than it was when Arizona was a power (in the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s). But Andy should get the benefit of the doubt."

It's not that Florida has rolled ever since Lopez left there in 2001. The Gators finished last in the SEC in 2006, collapsing to 10-20 in league play.

The prominent names of UA baseball have changed. You'll be hearing a lot about infielders Abel and Castro, outfielders T.J. Steele and Diallo Fon, a transfer from Vanderbilt. Freshman pitcher Jason Stoffel and Paul Bargas are, as Lopez says, "high-profile kids."

The nonconference schedule is manageable. Aside from killer series against Cal State Fullerton and Hawaii, this young UA team will be able to get some break-in mileage against the Zags, Morehead State, Utah Valley State, Eastern Michigan and Northern Colorado.

"Twenty-five of our 34 players are freshmen and sophomores," said Lopez. "In no way is that an excuse. We'll be able to get a pulse of this team early. I think you'll like what you see."