Inherently disadvantaged by the geographical position of its schools, the Big Ten isn't quite the power conference in baseball as it is in football, basketball or wrestling.

While schools in the south get the experience of practicing outside almost all year round -- and commitments from the top recruits who want to be able to do that -- schools in the Big Ten have to convince players to come to a school where they spend every early-season weekend travelling south, and almost every weekday practicing indoors.

The Big Ten has experienced more success than most of the northern conferences.

Along with the Big East, they were one of only two conferences made of predominantly northern teams to get two teams in last year's NCAA tournament (Ohio State and Minnesota).

However, no Big Ten team has played in the College World Series since Michigan in 1984, and no team has won the title since Ohio State in 1966.

Nevertheless, the conference race is usually tight and the conference coaches expect more of the same this season.

"There are no weak sisters in this conference," Indiana coach Bob Morgan said. "It's so balanced top to bottom. There isn't a lot of difference between the best teams and the worst. You know you have to play well every game to win."

Ohio State, the returning conference regular season champions, are still the favorites. The Buckeyes are 12-3-1 thus far, and are one of only two Big Ten teams receiving votes in the latest ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll.

They boast a .307 team average, and seven regulars with batting averages over .300.

Included are second baseman Christian Snavely, who is hitting .423, right fielder Doug Deeds who is hitting .404 with 17 RBI, and first baseman Nick Swisher (.317) a returning first team All-Big Ten selection, and preseason All-American in several publications. The Buckeyes are also getting solid pitching with E. J. Laratta (4-0, 0.90 ERA) serving as staff ace.

The defending tournament champion, Minnesota (8-11) doesn't have as impressive a record, but that comes from playing what is perhaps the toughest non-conference schedule among conference teams. They began the season with seven straight losses, the first three to defending national champion Miami (Fla.). They boast wins over No. 8 Alabama and No. 13 Nebraska and have yet to lose to a team that is not either a 2001 NCAA Tournament qualifier or a team receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today top 25 poll.

The Golden Gophers, who finished third in the conference in the regular season last year, are still getting loads of offensive production. They are hitting .309 as a team, and boast three regulars with batting averages of .400 or higher, including right fielder Jason Kennedy, who has three home runs and 25 RBI to go with his .422 average.

The pitching statistics look shaky now (5.71 team ERA) but they return nine of 13 pitchers from a staff that had the conference's second-best ERA last season.

Purdue (6-12), who finished second in the conference last season, is in the same boat as the Gophers. Among the teams they have lost to are No. 1 Clemson and No. 4 South Carolina. Their pitching staff, which boasted a conference best 3.67 ERA in conference games last season, has been shelled to the tune of a 6.38 ERA thus far this year. They still have five regulars hitting over .300 and the conference's best fielding percentage.

Penn State, who finished fourth last season, is expected to compete, but so are a number of teams that have boasted huge numbers against somewhat shaky competition thus far this season.

Leading that charge of teams is Michigan State (14-3).

The Spartan's offensive production is bordering on ridiculous. They have only scored less than six runs three times, putting up double digits 10 times (once in a 22-15 loss).

They are hitting an eye-popping .374 as a team led by right fielder Bob Malek, who has an astronomical .467 batting average with three homers and 21 RBI. Also putting up gargantuan numbers is center fielder Chris McCuiston, ripping hits at a .416 clip while hitting eight bombs with 30 RBI.

Indiana (16-3) has won its past 12 games with a similar explosion from the plate.

They are hitting .364 and have outscored opponents 200-80, averaging more than 10 runs per game.

Three of the Hoosiers everyday players are hitting over .400, including third baseman Vasili Spanos, who is hitting a mind-boggling .452 with eight homers and 32 RBI.

"He's become a little more disciplined this season," Morgan said. "And he's got tremendous power. When he gets a hold of the ball it goes."

The pitching has also been great thus far. The Hoosiers allow just 3.38 runs per nine innings.

Of course, both of those teams still need to prove themselves in conference play.

The Spartans and Hoosiers finished eighth and tenth respectively last season.

Illinois' non-conference statistics aren't quite as astonishing as those of Indiana and Michigan State, but the results have actually been better. The Fighting Illini are 10-1 in non-conference. They've gotten solid offensive production, with a .301 team batting average and five regulars hitting over .300, but the defense has been shaky.

"We've found ways to win," Illinois coach Richard Jones said. "We're getting good relief pitching and we're swinging the bats well, but the defense has to tighten up."

The starting pitching has been solid, and ace Andy Dickinson, the returning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, has been spectacular, sporting a paper-thin 1.73 ERA and a 4-0 record. He's rung up 44 batters in 41.2 innings. No one on the rest of his team has 10 strikeouts.

The other three teams in the league have struggled through the non-conference season. Michigan (3-12) has done so against a torrid schedule, including a three-game set against No. 24 San Diego. The squad only has two returning starting position players, and it has shown.

The Wolverines are only hitting 2.59 as a team and the pitching staff has a combined ERA of 7.01. The one bright spot has been sophomore left fielder Brandon Roberts, who leads the team with a .367 batting average, has hit three dingers and also driven in 14 runners.

"We're a little disappointed that we haven't played as well as we've wanted," Michigan coach Chris Harrison said. "I think we've pitched well, but it's hard for guys to get past some of the errors. You might say the earned run average is what looks bad, but you have to understand, that also comes from giving teams extra outs with errors and making your pitcher face more hitters."

Iowa (6-7) and Northwestern (5-8) round out the teams whose non-conference season has not produced quite as much promise as they would like. The Hawkeyes finished seventh and ninth respectively last season. Those two teams and the Wolverines are the worst three hitting teams in the conference. However, the Hawkeyes do boast a .400 hitter in designated hitter Andy Jansen, and the Wildcats have an offensive threat in center fielder Steve Haake (.386).