Category: Baseball

Hamilton Season Preview

Hamilton (16-21, 4-8 in 2013)

What they lost:

Gabe Klein will certainly be missed as he left with the best career on base percentage (.469) in Hamilton history. Thankfully, he and Sam Fuentes are the only starting position players that left the team, meaning Hamilton has an experienced group of everyday players this spring. Hamilton is only losing two pitchers, Mike Williams and Steve Wright, who both struggled with ERAs over 7.00 in limited action last year. Other than Klein, Hamilton has not lost a lot which means their entire team should be used to playing together which will only help in terms of chemistry.

2014 MVP: SS Zack Becker ’16

Starting in 29 games last year, Hamilton’s sophomore phenom is looking to build on an impressive batting average of .323 to go along with a .434 on-base percentage. With the loss of Klein, Becker will have to step up and lead the team into 2014. That can be a daunting task for a sophomore who will likely move up from fifth to third in the lineup this year. However, Becker’s previous stats show he’s up to the challenge. He will set the pace for an offense that does not hit a lot of home runs (only five total last year, four by Klein), and focuses on average and base running to score. Look for Hamilton to move up in the standings if Becker can pick up where he left off.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: J.J. Lane ’15

Lane had a tough freshman year, going 2-6 with a 7.80 ERA over nine starts. He gained confidence and turned everything around in his sophomore campaign, at 1-2 with a 1.46 ERA over eight starts. While some falling off is expected, anything near Lane’s 2013 dominance would be impressive. He will head up an experienced rotation that includes fellow junior Alex Pachella ’15 along with senior Colin Henneberger ’14 and sophomore Cole Dreyfuss ’16. If Hamilton’s offense can improve their run support, Lane should win most of his starts this year.

Season outlook:

Despite four straight finishes at last or tied for last in their division, Hamilton has improved it’s NESCAC record each year from 1-11 in 2010 to 4-8 last year. They won one game against each NESCAC opponent, and will look to change that into winning serieses in 2014. The season hinges on a number of juniors who will need to step up in their first year as upperclassmen. Production from Becker and Lane should be expected, but players such as Andrew Jaffoni ’15, Tyler Reinhold ’15 and Alex Pachella ’15 could make or break Hamilton’s season.

 

Tufts Season Preview

Tufts (22-13, 7-5 in 2013)

What they lost:

The Jumbos have a huge level of talent on their roster, but they were not immune to offseason losses. Shortstop Scott Staniewicz was probably the most important offensive force for Tufts last year, hitting .344 with 22 RBI and a fantastic .452 OBP. He also stole 11 bases. Outfielder Nate Izzo batted .322 with 16 RBI and also stole 11 bases. The departure of these two table setters leaves Tufts with significant worries about who can get on base in front of sluggers Wade Hauser ’15 and Matt Freccia ’14.  They will probably bank on Nick Barker ’15 continuing his 2013 success, and on improvement from junior speedster Connor McDavitt ’15, who already gets on base at a .437 clip. Staniewicz and Izzo would be difficult to replace for any team, but if there’s a team with the talent to do it, it’s Tufts.

2014 MVP: Wade Hauser ’15

Tufts has several dangerous hitters in their lineup, with three returning players who hit over .300 last year. But one slugger stands a cut above the rest in their lineup, and that is junior infielder Wade Hauser.  Last year, as a sophomore, Hauser hit .358, with three homers and 24 RBI.  He also posted an impressive .925 OPS.  This was enough to earn him a 2nd team all-NESCAC nod. For these next two years, we can expect only more of the same from Hauser, which is a scary thought for the pitchers of NESCAC. In addition to Hauser, first baseman Freccia (.379 with 16 RBI) and catcher Barker (.344) will make up the middle of the order, replacing Staniewicz and Izzo.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Andrew David ’16

One would be hard pressed to find a more dangerous pitching staff in NESCAC than the one Tufts is trotting out this season. An astounding six pitchers from last year’s staff had an ERA under 3.00, with four of them returning this season. Indeed, it is difficult to choose a pitcher who truly stands out in Tufts’ staff, as there is so much talent across the board. But Andrew David ’16 gets the nod because of his youth and versatility. David made six starts in his 13 appearances, tossing two shutouts. In his 54 innings pitched, he only walked 9, while striking out 47. Allow me to reiterate: that was his freshman year. In addition to David, ace closer Matt Moser ’16 (1.96 ERA) returns, and appropriately named lefty Kyle Slinger ’15 (2.71 with 4 wins) is back as well.  To the dismay of the rest of NESCAC, Tufts’ staff vaguely resembles the Orioles of the ’70’s, and should remain dominant for the foreseeable future.

Season Outlook:

To be blunt, this team is loaded. The offense will step back slightly without Staniewicz and Izzo, but Hauser, Freccia and Barker will keep it highly dangerous.  And honestly, any offense would be adequate with the pitching staff Tufts has lined up. The ceiling for this team is getting higher every day, and only injuries will keep them from being in heavy contention for the NESCAC title.

Middlebury Season Preview

Middlebury (12-19, 4-8 in 2013)

What they lost:

Despite heavy losses in the offseason due to graduating seniors, the most devastating blows to Middlebury’s lineup came just this last week. Hunter Merryman ’15 and Dylan Sinnickson ’15, the two best offensive players on the team, both made the decision not to go out this year.  Merryman and Sinnickson, who both also play basketball, tied for the team lead in average last year at .379, and Sinnickson led the team in pretty much every major offensive category. Among the graduating seniors were the top three RBI men on the team in Mike Morris, Tom Driscoll, and Tom Rafferty. If you add Merryman and Sinnickson to that list, that’s five of the top six. Morris, Driscoll, Sinnickson and Merryman all hit well over .300, and Morris added a team leading 13 steals. In terms of the rotation, Noah Bakker ’15, despite posting a sub-4.00 ERA in 2013, will not be with the team in 2014 by the coaches’ decision. To make up those losses, Middlebury will need not only established players like Eric Truss ’15 and Alex Kelly ’14 to continue playing well, but for a bevy of sophomores and first-years to step up and do what they can to fill the gaps.

2014 MVP: Outfielder Alex Kelly ’14

With Sinnickson and Merryman gone, a huge offensive burden falls onto senior captain Alex Kelly.  Kelly batted .316 last year with 14 RBI.  He didn’t have any home runs, but he still slugged at a .447 clip, showing solid gap to gap power. It is unclear where Coach Bob Smith will employ Kelly’s talents. Kelly has decent speed and could be an effective lead-off man, given his uncanny knack for fighting off pitches and making pitchers work. If the NESCAC tracked pitchers per plate appearance, there is no doubt that Kelly would be one of the leaders in that category. On the other hand, Smith may decide to drop Kelly into the heart of the order in the three or four slot. Kelly’s leadership and talent will be imperative if Middlebury hopes to weather these disappointing losses.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Eric Truss ’15

The pitching staff will also be crucial for a comeback, as the lineup will probably be weakened.  And for the first time in several years, pitching appears to be the strength of the Panthers.  The (admittedly heavy) losses that Middlebury sustained in the offseason were primarily position players, leaving the majority of the staff intact. The return of Matt Leach ’15, who had an inspiring freshman campaign, from Tommy John surgery brings a new weapon to the rotation. Tri-captain Dylan Kane ’14 and Logan Mobley ’15 should make larger contributions than was the case last year, and Mark Dickerson ’15 was very effective out of the bullpen last year, posting a 1.02 ERA in 10 appearances. But, as is the case with the lineup, only one returner can truly be counted on at this point, and that is tri-captain Truss. Last year, Truss made the leap to the ace of the staff, leading the starters in ERA (3.54) and wins (three). Using his excellent control (only 9 walks in 48 innings), Truss could be ready to make another leap, into all-NESCAC territory.  A dangerous pitching staff has not exactly been a staple of recent Panthers teams, but this year’s incarnation appears poised to break the mold.

Season Outlook:

This is a very young team. Along with the stats, Sinnickson, Merryman and the departing seniors are taking away much of the seniority. At most, two upperclassmen will be in the starting lineup when the team heads to Arizona to begin the season. To be competitive this year, the Panthers will have to play smart, fundamentally sound baseball. The rotation should be good enough to keep the games close, so the offense will have to be able to scrape out enough runs to back them up. This should be the team that writers like me get to wear out clichés on. The Panthers might not have the talent this year to really compete for a NESCAC title, but the experience that these young players get this year be huge in preparing them for the coming years. And who knows, maybe the Panthers will get hot and make a title run, and then we can get a great sports movie out of it.

 

Amherst Season Preview

Amherst (27-13, 9-3 in 2013)

What They Lost:

There is one major difference between this year’s team and the 2013 version that had a program-record 27 victories and won the NESCAC championship; 1B/DH/P Bob Cook posted a NESCAC-leading 0.95 ERA on his way to earning Pitcher of the Year honors in 2013 (a year after being named NESCAC Player of the Year) and still found time to hit .368/.487/.484 in 76 at bats, but this year will be on the bench as an assistant coach. Adding to the void is the loss of Nolan Stewart, the team’s top qualified hitter from 2013. However, Amherst is one of few squads in the NESCAC with the bevy of talent to replace such dynamic players.

2014 MVP: P/OF Mike Odenwaelder ’16

Odenwaelder garnered Rookie of the Year honors last season by slashing .331/.538/.383. It’s that middle number that really stands out. His .538 slugging was good for third in the NESCAC last season, and three bombs tied him for third in the league, as well. Odenwaelder manned rightfield for most of 2013, and should continue to anchor an offense that was neck-and-neck atop the NESCAC with Wesleyan last season in almost every offensive category. Odenwaelder brings speed as well. He tallied 10 stolen bases last year and five triples. And just in case your jaw hasn’t hit the floor yet, Odenwaelder has been competing for a spot in the starting rotation, in which case he would likely move to DH, allowing a tandem of Alex Hero ’14, Jonathan Ramirez ’16 and Tyler Jacobs ’15, in his return from injury, to man the outfield.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Dylan Driscoll ’14

Cook is out, but that doesn’t mean this staff is without the talent necessary to capture another NESCAC crown. Captain Dylan Driscoll fronts the rotation. Driscoll posted a 2.76 ERA last season and an absurd 34:4 K:BB ratio, good for eighth in the nation, while his 0.58 BB/9 ratio was good for fourth in all of Division-III. Driscoll tossed one shutout and two complete games in his nine starts last year, and should be one of the league’s most durable hurlers, as he was one of three pitchers to surpass the 60 IP threshold in 2013.

Season Outlook:

Amherst returns nine hitters who played at least 19 games last season. All but one hit .304 or better. Rookie of the Year Mike Odenwaelder should improve, Defensive Player of the Year Taiki Kasuga ’14 will continue to vacuum up everything hit his way at shortstop, and Andrew Vandini ’16, who posted the third-best average in NESCAC games last season, will continue to quietly produce. Senior centerfielder and three-year starter Alex Hero should not be overlooked, too. Hero started 24 games and triple-slashed .333/.475/.352 while stealing 12 bases, and will again be in the running for best surname in the NESCAC. Leftfielder Jonathan Ramirez ’16 posted a Votto-like .430 OBP in 2013, and the versatile Brendon Hardin ’15 hit .304/.365/.372, while swiping 13 bags, one less than his teammate, Kasuga. Hardin will likely return to 2B after playing outfield for most of last season. Connor Gunn ’16 and David Cunningham ’16 both garnered at bats behind the dish last year. Gunn started 37 games on his way to batting .328. Last but not least, corner infielder Eric West ’15 got 20 starts last year and slashed .364/.530/.434, leading the Jeffs in slugging. Additionally, OF Tyler Jacobs ’15 returns after missing all of 2013 due to injury. Jacobs hit .244 his freshman season and has a shot to start in 2014.

As for the pitching staff, losing Bob Cook hurts, but his younger brother John Cook ’15 will get the first chance to lock down the third spot in the Jeffs rotation behind the formidable 1-2 of Driscoll and Frank Shepard ’14. While Cook started six games and recorded a 4.29 ERA, Driscoll and Shepard started nine and 10 games, respectively, and were each dominant with ERAs hovering around 3.00. Eric Kotin ’14 returns as the team’s best combination of effectiveness and reliability in the bullpen. Kotin tossed 24.0 innings in relief and posted a 3.38 ERA in 2013. The Jeffs’ other top bullpen arms graduated from last year, but a deep first-year class of hurlers could immediately bolster the Amherst pen.

All told, Amherst will once again be in contention for a NESCAC title.

Wesleyan Season Preview

Wesleyan (25-15-1, 9-3 in 2013)

What They Lost:

Bottom line, not much. Rightfielder Steve Moran played all but one game last season and hit a robust .348, but his bat, though solid, is replaceable. Moran was seventh among qualified hitters on the team in OBP and slugged a paltry (when compared to his average) .385. Captain Chris Bonti has also moved on, who spent most of last season as the team’s designated hitter at the top of the lineup. Bonti was a table-setter of the sabermetric mold, boasting a .443 OBP and rarely striking out (10.3%) while not being known for his speed (1-1 SB). The 2013 Cardinals’ only other two seniors had minimal impacts.

2014 MVP: CF Donnie Cimino ’15

This is an easy call. Cimino, an all-NESCAC football player, has been one of the league’s best ever since he hit .400 as a freshman, and has led the NESCAC in hitting the last two years. Cimino was so good that he worked his way into the 3-hole by the end of that season, and remained there throughout 2013, when he slashed .399/.467/.486. In conference games last season, Cimino was in the top five in AVG, SLG, hits, RBI and runs. Cimino headlines what could be the best offense in the NESCAC this year.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Jeff Blout ’15

Blout and classmate Nick Cooney started 19 games between them last season, and each posted an ERA of 3.05 or below. Blout was almost a run better than Cooney on the year, finishing with a 2.06 ERA, a 5-2 W-L in nine appearances, all starts, and a 45:16 K:BB ratio. Among starters, Blout ranked fourth in ERA in 2013. The top two in that category (Cook of Amherst and van Zant of Bowdoin) have graduated, so the ERA crowd could come down to Blout and fellow junior JJ Lane of Hamilton. In four in-conference starts, Blout really excelled, posting a 0.75 ERA, and hurling two of his three shutouts in the NESCAC, but he wasn’t at his best come tournament time, giving up 13 hits and four runs in eight innings against Amherst in the finals of the winners’ bracket of the NESCAC tournament.

Season Outlook:

The Cardinals made the postseason last year after a two year hiatus, and are poised to return this season with a chance to claim a NESCAC title and repeat as Little Three champs. The outfield will be a strength for the Cardinals, with Cimino again aiming for a NESCAC batting crown. Jon Dennet ’15, who hit .340 last season and had one of the Cardinals’ two home runs in 2013, will man left field. Second baseman Andrew Yin ’15 and Sam Goodwin-Boyd ’15 each return looking to repeat their All-NESCAC performances from 2013. Goodwin-Boyd tallied the fifth-best slugging percentage in the NESCAC at .525. Third baseman Ben Hoynes ’15 and shortstop Guy Davidson ’16 make up one of the best defensive left sides in the NESCAC. Eric Jones ’16 will handle the duties behind the dish. He played in 34 games last year, and while he was mediocre offensively, he led the NESCAC in runners caught stealing (18) and held would-be base stealers to the lowest stolen base success rate (.679) among starting catchers. First-year Ellis Schaefer is a natural infielder, but will get at bats in right field as long as he continues to hit, while also spelling Davidson and other infielders at times.

The top-ten ERA-leaders from the Cardinals’ 2013 squad return. Blout and Cooney each earned second-team All-NESCAC honors in 2013, and could easily repeat that in 2014. Sam Elias was a dominant reliever in 2013, posting a 2.94 ERA, and could be considered for a starting spot in 2014, though the front-runner for the third weekend slot is Chris Law ’14. Overall, the Wesleyan staff posted a 3.69 ERA in 2013, and could improve on that number this season.

Again, the Lord Jeffs will likely be Wesleyan’s biggest competition for a NESCAC West title, and the two teams could rematch for a NESCAC championship come early May.

 

Colby Season Preview

Colby (11-23, 2-10 in 2013)

What they lost:

They lost a few players from last season, but none that were true impact players. The best position player Colby lost was Jack Kramer, a decent hitting, but by no means irreplaceable player. Kramer had only one extra base hit in 65 at bats. Brady Hesslein threw 40 innings for the Mules last year, but had a 6.07 ERA. The best player Colby los was reliever Ian Bezahler, who sported 1.00 ERA albeit in only 18 innings.

2014 MVP: OF Jason Buco ’15

Buco had an up and down sophomore campaign after an exceptional freshman season, but we expect him to return to his form from two years ago. Besides his bat, he is a real threat on the basepaths and last year hit five triples, so his speed is exceptional. He only had 84 plate appearances last year, and if that number is in the 120 area he could have 15 steals easily. The fact that he had more walks (10) than strikeouts (seven) bodes well for the season.  Buco is part of a very good defensive outfield that is a huge boon for Colby pitchers, and doubles as a wide out on the football team.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Soren Hanson ’16

Hanson was Colby’s best starter last year as a freshman and will need to be a full-fledged ace this year. He has the potential to shut teams down as evidenced by his 41 strikeouts in 43 innings, but he finished the season with a mediocre 3.74 ERA. The Belmont Hill product should see his innings increase this season as the Mules tighten their rotation. He finished the season on a high note going 7 1/3 innings while striking out 11 against Bates. The power right-hander could be poised for an All-NESCAC performance.

Season Outlook:

The Mules bring almost everybody back from a team that was a disappointment in 2013. They should be better this year given their depth, but unless their pitching increases leaps and bounds they will be at best a middle of the road team. They benefit from having two sport stars Buco and Luke Duncklee ’15 who play football in the fall. The lineup should be good as there are experienced players at every position. We don’t expect last year’s best hitter Nate Ellis ’14 to replicate his .380 average, but he is still an above average player. Hanson has the chance to be a very good starter, but others will need to elevate their game on the mound. Scott Goldberg ’15 or captain Greg Ladd ’14 are the most likely to make a jump. One interesting tidbit about the Mules is that their season preview lists seven second baseman. We are sure the competition for that spot is fierce.

 

Bates Season Preview

Bates (19-17, 5-7 in 2013)

What they lost:

From last year’s seniors only two were impact players, Ryan Sonberg and Kevin McGregor. The impact of those two on the Bates offense was enormous as both posted on-base percentages above .400. McGregor, despite being the bigger of the two, was actually a walks savant, and Sonberg had 11 more total bases than any other Bobcat last year. The biggest loss however might come from the departure of last year’s innings-pitched leader Tom Baroni. Baroni ought to have been a senior this year but has decided to step away from the team this season. Whatever the reason for his absence, his 63.2 innings pitched and 2.12 ERA would have been very useful for the Bobcats.

2014 MVP: C Mekae Hyde ’15

The junior catcher enjoyed a great sophomore campaign capped off with a first team All-NESCAC honor. The stocky catcher is a Lewiston native so he has been right at home from day one on the Bates campus. Hyde is a powerful and balanced hitter with three home runs and a .324 average last year. Hyde might see some time besides catcher especially on the second game of doubleheaders in order to keep him fresh and let veteran catchers Jeff Gunn ’14 and John Anagnost ’15 get some at-bats. Still, Hyde is most valuable at catcher where he combines elite offense and defense.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Brad Reynolds ’14

The 6’2” left-hander made the switch from reliever to starter last year with great results. He held batters to a .208 average in 43 innings last year which is low for a top of the line starter. This year he is likely to pitch close to 60, but it isn’t likely he will get worn out from the increased workload. Reynolds, like many other southpaws, relies more on deception to induce weak grounders and flyballs than overpowering hitters. If he cuts down on the 23 walks he gave out last year, he will be able to lead a Bates staff that boasts some other talented arms.

Season Outlook:

There is a lot of talent up in Lewiston, but that doesn’t mean results are a given. The team already completed their trip to Georgia and posted a record of 1-6. Hyde only played in the last two games so hopefully he is healthy when the team resumes play this weekend. Last year, Bates played a lot of close conference games including three one run losses against Trinity. They should win more of those games this year given regression to the mean, but that alone doesn’t guarantee a better record. The team’s disappointing performance in Georgia can be attributed to their shoddy defense. They averaged 3.6 errors in their seven games, and considering the team lacks any overpowering starters, the defense needs to be rock solid. If they improve there they have the bats to make some noise, but the pitching will not be enough to get Bates to the top.

 

Williams Season Preview

What they lost:

Williams had perhaps the NESCAC’s toughest offseason, losing a vast number of contributing seniors. Their best hitters, Darren Hartwell, Taylor Mondshein, and K.C. Murphy all graduated as did important pitchers including Jimmy Ray, Patrick Blizzard, and Lucas Casso. Players such as Phil McGovern ’15 and Matt Kastner ’14 should see more time in 2014, and could be the key to rebuilding this Ephs team.

2014 MVP: UTL Marco Hernandez ’14

With the loss of Hartwell, Mondshein, and Murphy, Hernandez has big shoes to fill on the Ephs’ roster. Fortunately, he can play anywhere on the field, and posted a respectable .366 OBP in 2013. The senior out of Fort Worth, Texas will likely move higher in the lineup after batting sixth last year, and should continue to provide solid defense in the field. If he can continue to improve upon 27 RBIs last year, Hernandez will earn that spot in the lineup and contribute to what should be a high-powered Williams offense this year.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Thomas Murphy ’15

With so many graduating seniors on the staff, Murphy will step into the unlikely role of ace this year despite a 5.08 ERA over five starts last year. If he can minimize the four home runs and .304 batting average against that he gave up last year, he can start to turn a struggling staff around after the losses of closer Ray and former ace Blizzard. Murphy will have to improve on consistency and confidence to lead this young staff in the spring.

Season Outlook:

It is tough to predict what will happen to this Williams team given all the turnover. They still have a number of contributing players on offense, and should not have a problem stringing runs together. The question mark is the pitching staff, as all the returning players had ERAs over 5.00 last year. Though it’s too soon to predict how the pitching staff will perform, Ephs fans should expect many high scoring games early on in the season, which is something to get excited about.

Bowdoin Season Preview

Bowdoin (23-15, 8-4 in 2013)

What they lost:

Nobody can deny that Bowdoin lost a lot from last year. The 2013 class was one of the most decorated in school history, headlined, of course, by Oliver Van Zant. The contributions Dan Findley, Luke Regan and Tim McGarry made in the lineup were critical for the Bowdoin offense. Replacing those three might end up being harder than replacing Van Zant, because the pitching staff remains very deep for Bowdoin.

2014 MVP: OF John Lefeber ’14

After lighting the league on fire as a freshman, Lefeber went through somewhat of a sophomore slump in 2012, but saw his numbers rebound in 2013. The senior will now have to step up and become the team’s best hitter and leader in the outfielder. Lefeber is a gap to gap hitter who led off games down the stretch last season, but might see time in the middle of the lineup because of the graduation of Findley, Regan and McGarry. The Bowdoin offense was only mediocre last year and they lost a lot in those three. Lefeber could also see an increase in innings on the mound. A huge season from Lefeber is a must for this team to repeat 2013’s success.

2014 Pitcher of the Year: Christian Martin ’14

Martin has been overshadowed his entire career by the dominance of Oliver Van Zant ’13. Now that Van Zant is gone, the expectation is for the left-handed Martin to step right in and be the ace. An argument could even be made that Martin was just as good as Van Zant last year. The southpaw boasted a better K/9 rate, started one more game, and actually allowed seven fewer runs than Van Zant (though Martin had five more earned runs allowed than his senior). He is the prototypical long lefty in the mold of a Randy Johnson or a Chris Sale. Martin has made an All-NESCAC team in three seasons already, but hasn’t been on the first team since his freshman year.

Season Outlook:

The formula remains the same for Bowdoin as they will rely on their pitching and defense paired with timely hitting. The top three starters, Martin, Henry Van Zant ’15 and Harry Ridge ’16,  already have a lot of experience. The younger Van Zant brother has the stuff of a power righty, but has to do a better job mixing up his pitches and location. Meanwhile, Ridge, another left-hander, had an up and down season last year, having some great starts, but also giving up too many homers. The other pitchers who will see more time are Erik Jacobsen ’15 and Lefeber. The key for Bowdoin is if younger players can make the lineup dangerous from top to bottom. Guys like Cole DiRoberto ’15, Peter Cimini ’16, and Buddy Shea ’15 will have to provide consistency to keep Bowdoin balanced. The returning starters can be expected to put up numbers, but none of them are likely to be dominant forces capable of carrying the offense by themselves. If players who haven’t seen much playing time so far manage to make an impact then Bowdoin will be right back in the thick of the NESCAC race despite all the talent they lost from last year.