The Aggies entered the 2017 season with some key question marks after losing several key players, especially at the plate. Though it's hard to draw conclusions from three non-conference games, initial returns give A&M cause for optimism.

It was one of the most memorable teams in Texas A&M's long baseball history, and thus the fall was one of the program's most painful. A great deal of pitching returns; a great deal of hitting does not. How should we reflect on the 2016 season and what should we expect in '17?

In a match-up seemingly destined since last season's Fort Worth Super Regional, Texas A&M and TCU are once again preparing to face off with a trip to the College World Series on the line. Storylines abound in what is sure to be a pressure-packed weekend. It's 'win or go home' at Olsen this weekend.

It's true, the No. 4 national seed seemed to be a bit of a slight for a team that defeated four top-10 opponents en route to an SEC Tournament title. Yet, a closer look at Texas A&M's draw should enthrall Aggies everywhere. All that's left to do is go win it.

Unlike last season, there will be no consternation about Texas A&M's national seed chances. As the Aggies get set for the SEC Tournament, the only question will be just how high a spot they can snag — as well as what to do about an otherwise strong contender's one missing link.

Once again deftly handling the grind of the elite SEC slate, No. 2 Texas A&M hit the road and took a series from No. 9 USC to position itself as a near-lock for a national seed. However, the four games remaining will determine the outcome of the Aggies' season.

It seems a foregone conclusion at this point that the SEC will land three top-eight national seeds — and, perhaps, a fourth. Three series remain for No. 2 Texas A&M, which can all but lock it up beginning this weekend. Are the Aggies peaking at the right time?

Playing far from its best against one of the SEC's better pitching staff, Texas A&M found a way to take another series. Now positioned solidly at the head of the West, the Aggies — led by Boomer White's greatness and surprising pitching depth — face their make-or-break stretch.

Is any lineup in college baseball as terrifying as Texas A&M's at the moment? The Aggies rose to No. 3 in all the relevant polls after a dominant sweep of Mississippi State in Starkville, but the how and the why carry implications for every weekend that follows.

The Aggies merely needed a strong rebound during the weekend's series against Georgia. Instead, they made a statement. With a rotation that seems righted and a lineup that is as deep as any 1-through-9, Texas A&M is ready to head to No. 2 Mississippi State.

There are no kind ways to look back on Texas A&M's performance in a sweep at the hands of Florida. There are, however, plenty of ways to overreact. What does the forgettable weekend mean for the Aggies, and how can they undo the damage?

The weekend's visit from LSU gave Texas A&M the chance to show the nation the truth: the pitching is back on track, the lineup is dangerous and the Aggies deserve the title of baseball's best team. Can they retain it in visits to No. 23 Houston and No. 2 Florida?

Conference play is underway in the nation's very best — the SEC — and No. 2 Texas A&M held serve in its series at Auburn. However, there are a few kinks to be worked out in short order before a two-week stretch that may define the Aggies' season.

Flanked by the teams representing his alma mater and the school that holds his presidential library, George H.W. Bush threw out Saturday's first pitch. That was but one highlight in a weekend full of them for Texas A&M, which swept Yale to bolster its record to 11-1.

Friday's blip in Malibu notwithstanding, No. 3 Texas A&M has done all its been asked to justify its ranking through two weeks of the season. Returning home to face Yale, the Aggies' most pressing concern is likely who will eventually hold the No. 1 starter role.

Easily and impressively, No. 4 Texas A&M opened the season with a sweep. Yes, it was Hofstra. Nonetheless, that the Aggies took care of business was less impressive than the fact that it was done with a balanced effort at the plate and the emergence of a stellar freshman on the mound.

By every conceivable metric, Texas A&M's resume was more deserving of a national seed than TCU's; in fact, Monday's oversight was a first. In lieu of making sense of it, the Aggies must look to their regional field with a newfound chip on their shoulder.

The quest for a national seed, despite all indications just a few weeks ago, may come down to the SEC Tournament for the Aggies. But the larger issue is one that will make or break all of A&M's postseason hopes.