Postseason baseball has arrived. Many of the 12 teams in Hoover can already be safely slated into the NCAA Tournament field and a decent handful are safe bets to host Regional site matchups. But don’t let this fool anyone into thinking there’s not plenty on the line this week.

Here are 10 questions we’re looking to see answered at the SEC Tournament.

1. Can LSU get back on track?

For most of the season, LSU looked 10 feet tall and bulletproof. Their lineup is still formidable, with Tommy White posting a real shot to be the first SEC player since 2000 to knock in 100 runs and Dylan Crews “slumping” to a .423 average and a .573 on base percentage.

But while Paul Skenes has been the nation’s top pitcher, it gets dicey after he exits.

Ty Floyd has been merely OK (4.59 ERA), but the Tigers’ most common 3rd starters, Thatcher Hurd and Christian Little, each have ERAs over 6.50. Hurd also leads LSU in saves, so the bullpen isn’t exactly stellar. Playing on a short turnaround, LSU will have to find some pitching depth or Hoover will continue their late-season struggles (just 5-5 in their last 10 games).

2. Who is a dangerous underdog?

Well, the 2 hottest teams heading into the SEC Tournament are Auburn and Alabama. Each went 8-2 over their final 10 SEC games and both climbed from the lower rungs of the SEC into the thick of the league battle.

Auburn struggled early on the mound but has improved significantly over the past month and seemingly presents a real threat to the league’s heavy hitters. Controlling hitters is where Alabama could surprise. The Tide are kind of a lite version of Arkansas — solid on the mound, good if not overpowering at the plate, but a solid team that doesn’t seem to make many mistakes. Either Alabama squad could surprise.

3. Is this Florida’s year?

Florida hasn’t won the SEC Tournament since 2015, but they hit Hoover as the top overall seed. With 14 wins against Top-25 foes, only one SEC team can claim more victories over ranked teams (Vandy has 15). UF’s power duo of Jac Caglianone (28 HRs, most in SEC) and Wyatt Langford (.399) can hold their own against LSU’s dynamic duo. With UF looking to win 4 games in 5 days, they figure to see well into some SEC bullpens, and Langford and Caglianone might just slug UF into the title. They have plenty of help from a nasty rotation of Caglianone, Brandon Sproat, and Hurston Waldrep, with Brandon Neely (SEC-high 10 saves) pitching well out of the bullpen.

4. Or is Arkansas’s steady hand going to win out?

Arkansas lost its past 2 games and thus claims only a split of the regular-season title. But the Hogs have been perhaps the league’s most consistent team, if not its most exciting. Arkansas is 10th in the SEC in batting average, 9th in home runs and 8th in ERA.

But the Hogs’ 17 saves lead the SEC as does their double-play total. Arkansas plays solid fundamental baseball and avoids costly mistakes. Is that a winning formula for Hoover (and beyond)? Well, Hagen Smith figures to be good for one standout game, and if Arkansas’ pitching depth can follow him, they could be the ones to slow UF, LSU, and Vandy at the plate.

5. What’s the best game Tuesday?

Alabama vs. Kentucky, as the 8-9 game, seems like a good one. Both teams tend toward small ball, and while the Tide are one of the hottest teams, Kentucky has been superb in close games. Bama has the SEC’s 2nd-best ERA, while Kentucky boasts the league’s best defensive stats. Don’t be surprised if the nightcap game (Auburn vs. Missouri), which follow this one, gets pushed into the early morning hours by extra innings.

6. Who got the worst draw?

For a team that, not long ago, was in the mix as a possible No. 1 overall seed, No. 6 South Carolina has certainly not gotten an easy road. Georgia is better than most No. 11 seeds, with Charlie Condon’s home run power a threat to end things in a hurry for the Gamecocks. Survive that and USC gets LSU, the most fearsome squad in the field, with Arkansas, the most consistent squad, lurking behind them. If South Carolina puts together a run to the title, consider it safe to say that they earned their way.

7. Who wins the Tournament MVP?

It’s probably a hitter, and guys like White, Crews and Caglianone seem like favorites. But at the end of the day, don’t sleep on Jace Bohrofen (.332, 14 HRs, 46 RBIs) of Arkansas. He’s a clutch hitter for the team that seems best put together for the grind in Hoover. He might be a bit of a longshot, but the head Hog gets the nod here.

8. Should anyone be nervous about the NCAA Tournament? Could results in Hoover push somebody out of the field?

Well, Texas A&M, we’re looking at you. Of course, the Mississippi schools are firmly out of the NCAA field by not making it to Hoover. Likewise, Missouri and Georgia would have to do some massive work to play their way in. But A&M could be interesting. At 14-16 in the SEC, the Aggies have probably done enough to make the field. The distance between No. 5 seed Auburn and No. 10 seed A&M is 2 games. But A&M could really use a win Tuesday over Tennessee to almost guarantee that spot. (Remember, Tuesday’s losers are eliminated.) Lose that game, and the tournaments for smaller conferences start to get way too interesting for Texas A&M’s liking. A loss Tuesday is probably not a season-ender … but it could be a little too close for comfort for an Aggies team that reached the College World Series last year.

9. What’s the Regional hosting situation looking like?

Florida, Arkansas, LSU and Vandy are safely locked in to hosting. A&M is not hosting, and it looks very unlikely for Tennessee (4-12 road record this year is a killer) and probably not Alabama. That leaves South Carolina, Kentucky and Auburn.

South Carolina had looked like a lock, but they limp in at 2-8 in their last 10 games. Lose to Georgia on Tuesday and they could well slide off the hosting list. Win 2 games in Hoover and the Gamecocks are probably locked in. Kentucky’s record isn’t exciting, but they have a phenomenal RPI (No. 2), a solid 11-11 road record, and a win over Alabama on Tuesday would solidly lock in UK.

Auburn (No. 15 RPI) might need a little help. They’re probably on the outside looking in on hosting, but a pair of wins might just get them in the field, particularly if, say, South Carolina slides out.

10. Does all this matter anyway?

A year ago, Ole Miss stumbled into Hoover as a No. 9 seed, lost their opening game 3-1 and was the last team in the NCAA Tournament field, only to win the title. Two years ago, Mississippi State went to Hoover, got smacked 13-1 and 12-2, and then won the NCAA title.

It’s reasonable to wonder if the SEC Tournament really means anything. One former SEC pitcher told me this weekend, he hopes his team got knocked out quickly in Hoover so that they could use most of the week for rest before NCAA play.

Of course, Hoover has NCAA field and seeding implications, but does a week full of working your pitchers justify a trophy? It would be nice after 2 years that screamed “NO,” for 2023 to be the year where winning in Hoover launched one of the SEC’s big guns into the NCAA title.

Vanderbilt (2019) and LSU (2009, 2000) are the only teams this century to win the SEC Tournament and College World Series in the same season.