Thirty-three degrees and windy-it’s time for baseball season.
It’s that time of the year again, and the Billiken baseball team is gearing up for a chilly opener. Next Tuesday, the Billikens travel to University of Tennessee Martin to open the 2002 season.
The Billikens are ready for the season; however, questions are abundant-especially in the pitching staff. The Bills’ staff has the opportunity to be the backbone of the team-if everyone performs up to par.
The staff is spearheaded by seniors Wes Jaillet, Brad Wehrfritz and junior transfer Corey Lawson. Those three pitchers look to get the early weekend series nods leading into conference play.
The Bills would have Ben Hutton, a 2001 Conference USA first team pitcher back, but an MRI Monday afternoon revealed a torn labrum in Hutton’s pitching shoulder.
Hutton is scheduled to have surgery in two weeks and will take a medical redshirt for the ’02 season.
“We all feel terrible for Ben. He was really looking forward to this season. As a team Wes, Corey and I are going to have to step up and carry the load,” said Wehrfritz.
The addition of Lawson looks to bolster a staff that could have been decimated with the loss of Hutton. Lawson comes over from Southwest Missouri State where he played for two years.
“Corey is a legitimate weekend starter. He has been absolutely tremendous for us in the fall and leading up to the season. He is throwing 88-90 and controlling all four of his pitches. He should be one of the guys that steps up on the weekend,” said Billiken pitching coach Todd Whaley.
Last season at SMS Lawson posted a 3-3 record with a 4.17 ERA in 45 innings. He also averaged nearly a strikeout per inning with 42.
In addition to his pitching duties, Lawson looks to get considerable playing time at first base, where he was platooned last year. He hit .289 with three home runs in just 38 at-bats last season.
“Corey could be the biggest difference for us from last season to this season. He brings a lot of intensity and competitiveness to the table,” Wehrfritz said.
Whaley is looking to his pair of senior starters to take the reigns of the staff.
“Wehrfritz was a midweek starter for us last year. He should have no trouble stepping into his role except the fact that he is lacking conference experience. He has been here for four years and it is his turn, he should be the guy that we’ll turn to. He has earned the first shot at a spot in the rotation on the weekend, and we’ll look for him to perform,” Whaley said.
With Hutton on the shelf for the year, the Bills’ most experienced returning starter is Jaillet. He posted decent numbers last season with a 5-6 record and a 7.31 ERA. He had 75 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched and gave up just 33 walks.
The question that looms over the Bills is the status of pitchers Torrey Lombardo and Zach Placzek.
Both pitchers are coming off of serious arm injuries and are looking to contribute again this year. Lombardo is still recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery that he had during the 2000 season. At the time of his injury during the ’00 season, Lombardo was leading the Bills in ERA and had only allowed one earned run in 18 innings.
Placzek is looking to return to the form he showed in his freshman year when he was elected to the Collegiate Baseball honorable mention All-American team. Placzek battled bursitis last season and turned in disappointing numbers due to his injured shoulder.
“Zach and Torrey have both progressed very well. Torrey is a little bit ahead of Zach, but in the last three weeks Zach has definitely gotten a lot better. Right now they are both still question marks; we expect things from them and get something else. Really we won’t know what we have until they get into game situations,” Whaley commented.
On the offensive side of the ball the Bills lost three of their four leading hitters to graduation.
The Bills do return right fielder Jim Bredenkoetter, who hit .293 last year with seven home runs and nine doubles.
The Bills also return starting catcher Andrew Slania who hit .261 with four home runs last season. Slania is the Billikens’ offensive leader according to Wehrfritz and is expected to have a big season behind the plate.
Another addition to the Bills is junior transfer Jake Friederich. Friederich comes to the team from Forest Park community college and was a Junior College All-American last year.
“Friederich should fill in at second very well. He fields the ball smoothly and has a very good stroke,” Whaley said.
The Billikens will try to improve on a 21-32 record from last season with a more concentrated outlook. “We are more focused and intense than we have ever been in my four years here,” Wehrfritz said.
Catch the Bills home opener on Saturday the 23rd in a double header against Western Illinois.
