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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Baseball Season Preview Part 2
February 09, 2010 | Baseball
Feb. 9, 2010
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NORMAN, Okla. -- SoonerSports.com concludes its season preview with the second and final installment featuring a breakdown of each position.
Click here for Part 1 of the preview.
The Sooners begin the 2010 season on the road with a matchup at San Diego State on Friday, Feb. 19. The four-game series gets underway at 8 p.m. CT and can be heard live on OU baseball's new flagship station, KREF 1400-AM. All four games of the series can be heard live on the station and on Oklahoma All-Access.
The Sooners' home opener is slated for Tuesday, March 2 against UT-Arlington. The game is the first of 28 home contests for Oklahoma at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
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CATCHERS |
Returners: Bryan Groth, Ross Hubbard and Tyler Ogle
Newcomer: Max White
In 2009, J.T. Wise was the best catcher in the nation and had the awards to prove it, being named the Johnny Bench Award winner and Big 12 Player of the Year.
A trio of Sooners this season will look to fill that void with sophomore Tyler Ogle expected to start opening day. OU has depth behind the plate with senior Bryan Groth, the only Sooner with three years of experience in the OU program, senior captain Ross Hubbard and freshman Max White.
“The position was a question mark heading into last spring and look at the year that J.T. had,” said Golloway. “We have talent and experience at the position and are confident the group will help lead our pitching staff. This program has a history of producing quality players at the catcher position and the coaches believe another will emerge.”
As a true freshman, Ogle made seven of his 26 starts signaling the pitches, but most of his time was as the team's designated hitter, where he opened the season in the starting lineup. In 43 games, Ogle hit .302 with 17 RBIs and then went on to play catcher in the Texas Collegiate League over the summer.
“Tyler showed a lot of poise last year and developed even further in the TCL,” added Golloway. “He has the offensive and defensive skills necessary to be successful.”
Hubbard saw a lot of time this fall behind the plate after finishing the 2009 campaign as OU's designated hitter. He brings power from the left side of the plate.
In three years as a Sooner, Groth has impressed coaches with his defensive skills and he looks to show off his bat in 2010.
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PITCHERS |
Returners: Jason Chowning, Ryan Duke, Jeremy Erben, Kaleb Herren, J.R. Robinson, Michael Rocha and Jarrett Semler.
Newcomers: Brandon Bargas, Luis Collazo, Ryan Gibson, Drew Harrison, Jordan John,
Jack Mayfield, Zach Neal, Bobby Shore, Derek Vaughn, Drew Verhagen, Max White
Rotation: No. 1 Neal (RHP) , No. 2 Robinson (LHP), No. 3 Shore (RHP)
No. 4 Gibson (LHP), No. 5 Verhagen (RHP).
Bullpen: RHP - Chowning, Duke, Erben, Harrison, Herren, Mayfield, Semler, Vaughn, Verhagen, White
LHP - Bargas, Gibson, John, Collazo
OU returns nine letterwinners from the 2009 campaign, but the coaching staff has to replace a majority
of the starting rotation which included Andrew Doyle and Garrett Richards. That drafted duo combined for 17 wins and made 19 starts last season.
However, nearly 50 percent of the team's appearances return for this year's run, led by seniors Jeremy Erben and J.R. Robinson and juniors Ryan Duke and Michael Rocha. The quartet makes up 83 of the 111 appearances back from the 2009 squad. They are joined by a talented recruiting class that gives the OU coaching staff an opportunity to match up with left-handed hitters with four lefties on the 18-man staff.
“Everyone knows about the importance of pitching and we have a deep and talented staff that allows us to manage from both sides of the plate.
“The challenge of maintaining that high level of competition in college baseball is in the recruitment of quality athletes – which we have done,” said Golloway. “A lot of the players we signed in the fall knew they had the opportunity to come in and play right away. That is why they came to Oklahoma. We feel very good about the youth of this team because that youth is going to turn into experience quickly.”
Duke has experienced the most success among the veterans after finishing 3-1 with 16 saves in 2009, a total that ranks second all-time in a single season at Oklahoma. For his efforts, Duke was named a third team All-American following 2009 and was tabbed a preseason All-American prior to the 2010 season. The last Sooner to hold that preseason distinction was David Purcey, a first round draft pick, in 2003.
“The most important thing to me is a closer and we have that,” said Golloway. “If we had Ryan in that role two-to-three years ago, we are probably winning the Big 12 Tournament and advancing to Omaha. Duke gives us confidence going into every game. He makes this team believe that we can win day in and day out.”
While the role of closer is locked up by Duke, competition for the starting rotation is heated. The recruiting class will fill a majority of the starting roles with the exception of Robinson, who is penciled in as the projected No. 2 after making seven starts in 2009.
“J.R. gives us a quality left-handed arm in our weekend rotation which allows us to switch a lineup around during a three-game series,” said Golloway. “He was slowed last season with a back injury but we expect him to return to his true form that saw him really excel in the junior college ranks.”
A pair of junior college All-Americans make up the remainder of the projected weekend rotation. Zach Neal, who led Howard to the NJCAA National Championship with 13 wins, 104 strikeouts and nine walks in 89 innings, will get the nod as the staff's ace. Bobby Shore won 11 games at Palomar J.C. with 91 strikeouts in 97 innings pitched.
“We have a lot of confidence in those two,” said Golloway. “They were the top two starters in the fall and really led their teams in the Red/White Series with two wins apiece. They know how to win and have experience at the collegiate level.”
True freshmen Ryan Gibson (LHP) and Drew Verhagen (RHP) complete the rotation.
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INFIELD |
Returners: Caleb Bushyhead, Garrett Buechele, Ross Hubbard and C ameron Seitzer
Newcomers: Danny Black, Cale Ellis, Drew Harrison, Chad Kettler, Jack Mayfield & Max White
The OU infield will look entirely different with the exception of Garrett Buechele at third base this season. The sophomore's return solidifies the corner position for the first time in Norman since Ryan Rohlinger, now with the San Francisco Giants, was drafted following the 2006 Super Regional. Buechele is not only a savvy defender, but carries a hot bat with a .353 average in his first season. Freshman Max White will back up Buechele.
“Garrett got better and better as the season progressed last year,” said Golloway. “He became more comfortable with his play and his teammates and it showed down the stretch. He was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and an All-American. We expect more of the same from Garrett. He is the son of long-time pro and coach and he understands the game extremely well.”
Joining Buechele on the opposite side of the diamond is another son of a former Major League veteran, Cameron Seitzer. A steady performer in the batter's box and in the field, Seitzer's freshman season was cut short a year ago with a wrist injury after 37 games and 25 starts. Seitzer started the season with a bang, homering in his first at-bat in the season opener, and finished with a .307 average with four homers and 21 RBIs.
“We are excited to see Cam's development in year two,” said Golloway. “He gives us a solid defensive presence at first base and gives us a big bat from the left side. And we have two other big, right-handed hitters in Ross Hubbard and Drew Harrison.”
The biggest question mark in the Sooners' infield exists up the middle. Gone are Bryant Hernandez at short and Matt Harughty at second and five Sooners are battling for starting jobs. At short, highly recruited freshman Chad Kettler, a 24th round selection in 2009, is the projected starter if healthy (back) and junior Cale Ellis, a standout at Seminole J.C., could also step in right away. Junior Danny Black, another 2009 draftee, is projected to start at second base while sophomore Caleb Bushyhead brings experience from last season. Freshman Jack Mayfield is the wild card with the potential to step in at either middle infield spot and will also see action out of the Sooner bullpen.
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OUTFIELD |
Returners: Elliott Blair, Chris Ellison, Kaleb Herren, Casey Johnson
Newcomers: Tyler Brady, Ricky Eisenberg, Jarek Pritchard, Cody Reine and Erik Ross
The Sooners' outfield is perhaps the deepest group on the squad with nine players possessing the talent to see the field at some point either as a starter or defensive specialist.
“The amount of talent we have in the outfield is unprecedented,” said Golloway. “We have up to nine guys who can help us at any given time. We are excited to have two returning starters back and see how the recruiting class can help us.”
Casey Johnson, hailed by the Sooner coaches as a natural hitter, brings the most experience to the group and will start for the third straight year, with most of his starts coming in left field. Johnson played in all but one game last season and hit over .300 for the second straight year.
“He is one of the best overall hitters we have seen,” said Golloway. “He was hampered with a hand injury last season but has a chance to lead us in 2010.”
Moving from right field to center field will be sophomore Chris Ellison. The speedy product from Norman brings five tools to the starting lineup.
Junior Ricky Eisenberg is projected to start in right and complete the OU outfield. In 2009, Eisenberg starred at Cypress College and, like Ellison, brings five tools to the table.
Elliott Blair and Kaleb Herren solidify the outfield with experience to the position, while Tyler Brady, Jarek Pritchard, Cody Reine and Eric Ross enter their first year in Norman.
Johnson and Carmichael Postgame vs North Carolina
Monday, June 02
BB Highlights: OU 9, UNC 5
Monday, June 02
Johnson, Dickerson, Willits Postgame vs North Carolina
Sunday, June 01
BB Highlights: OU 17, Nebraska 1
Sunday, June 01
