Terrapin Baseball 2004 Season Preview
1/27/2004 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 27, 2004
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the 2004 Maryland baseball team this year. A solid core of experienced juniors return to a team which has acquired several key newcomers.
Over the past few years, the Terps have played a tougher schedule than ever before. They have persevered through tough times, and worked extremely hard so they would be prepared to succeed against the toughest of competition. The Terrapins believe that now is their time to succeed. The youth of last year's team has returned a more experienced and battle-tested group of players, poised to make a splash in the ACC.
Terry Rupp and his coaching staff have the highest expectations for this Maryland squad since arriving in College Park four years ago. They feel that all of the right pieces are in place for this team to have some real success. The Terps return a core of their starting lineup, with eight players who started 20 or more games last season. Despite the loss of Steve Schmoll, the pitching staff remains largely intact.
One of last year's goals was improved play in the ACC. Despite not finishing higher in the standings, the Terps proved that they can compete with the top teams by taking three consecutive weekend series against ACC competition. These big wins are not enough to satisfy Rupp and his coaching staff, however. "Our goal is, and will always be, to get into the regional tournament and move on from there," said Rupp.
Last year's Terrapin baseball team saw several players emerge to show that they are ready to step up and provide the help needed in order for this team to reach the next level. Junior outfielder Justin Maxwell broke out last year, leading the Terps in six offensive categories as a sophomore. This performance led to Maxwell being named a second-team preseason All-American by Baseball America. The Terps expect Maxwell to continue to excel and lead this team in the right direction.
Sophomore Mike Costantino also made a good impression last season. He was one of the team's best hitters as a freshman. His successful transition from high school to college ball shows great promise for his career as a Terrapin. He will surely be a cornerstone for their success. Right-handed pitcher Chris Clem also stepped it up last season, showing coaches that he is ready to be one of the leaders on this year's pitching staff.
With the emergence of those returning players, recruiting coordinator Gregg Kilby and the rest of the coaching staff have also brought in some top quality recruits to supplement the core of last year's team. Junior Kevin Hart is a transfer out of Navarro Community College in Texas who gives the Terps a solid arm in the pitching rotation, while providing a powerful bat to the lineup as well. Other transfers, Truan Mehl and Elliot Singletary, provide speed which the Terps have been missing in past years.
Perhaps, the greatest attribute of this year's Maryland team is its balance. The team is full of players who have the ability to do many different things on the field. This versatility gives the team great depth, and allows Rupp to field many different lineups. Almost every starting position has several possible takers. Never before in the Rupp era at Maryland has there been such competition for each spot. Though the lineup is not set in stone, Rupp says "this definitely is not a bad problem to have."
A solid pitching staff has always been something the Terps have tried to establish since Rupp took over. This year, they feel as though they have exactly what they've been working for. Rupp feels that if things work out like he expects, this year's staff could be one of the best around.
Kevin Hart will compete with Chris Clem for the top starting spot on a staff that saw the loss of Steve Schmoll, who signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hart is a strong pitcher with an arsenal of four pitches to choose from. He is very durable and will provide the Terps with many valuable innings. Last year, he led Navarro with a 2.54 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 72 innings while issuing just 12 walks for a 9-2 record. He is a key addition to the pitching staff, which the coaches feel will pay big dividends for the Terps.
Clem really turned it on in the second half last season, as he pitched his way to a 4-3 record with a 4.35 ERA. Over the offseason, he has worked on his changeup, which will give him a combination of three quality pitches to choose from. What coaches like best about Clem is the valuable ACC experience he brings to the rotation as a starter. He has started 14 ACC games throughout his career, the most by any returning Terrapin.
Battling for the third weekend starting role will be junior Sean Kane and sophomore transfer Ben Pfinsgraff. Kane is a hard-throwing right-hander who started 12 games last season. Since last year, he has made significant improvements to his breaking ball and change-up. Rupp feels that if Kane can bring everything together, he will be a key in making this rotation a force.
Transferring from Allegheny College, Pfinsgraff brings with him an array of pitches to choose from. He has a quality fastball, curveball, change-up and slider, all of which he can throw for strikes. Rupp also says to watch out for him because he has surprisingly strong arm strength for his stature.
Lefties Chris Bowen and Casey Baron are projected to be midweek starters and the top middle relievers coming out of the bullpen. Bowen, a junior, is the most improved pitcher on the staff, and has greatly increased the command on his pitches. Baron, a freshman who is very polished coming into college, has great command of his pitches.
There are many potential candidate to fill the role of closer. Sophomore Seth Overbey, junior Justin Hulse and freshman Mike Sharkevich are the leaders for the spot. Overbey has good command over a hard fastball with great movement. An impressive slider from a submarine style release is Hulse's signature pitch. Sharkevich is a righty with a solid slider.
Adding to the depth of the bullpen are juniors Brooks Norris and Josh Andrews. Norris was tied for the team-lead with four saves last year while Andrews is a lefty who has gotten bigger and stronger since last year. Freshmen Chris McCafferty, Dan Waters and Mike Sufczynski round out the pitching staff for the Terps.
The Terps have several catchers to choose from to backstop this quality pitching staff. The two main players who will see time at the position are juniors Jason Maxey and Bobby Ryan. Maxey is a powerful hitter who struggled last season due to a nagging preseason wrist injury. Rupp hopes that he can return to form and be an integral part of the Terrapin lineup.
Ryan is an excellent defensive catcher behind the plate. With a strong throwing arm, he is able to eliminate opposing teams' running games - a valuable tool that the Terps will use to their advantage. Ryan also showed that he can produce at the plate as well. If he is able to put everything together this season, he may be the complete package the Terps are looking for.
The ultimate utility man, Anthony Buffone is the lone senior on this Maryland squad. Though he may see time at every position this year, including catcher, Buffone will spend a majority of the season starting at first base. Last year, he was the only player to play all 53 games, and led the team with 21 multi-hit games.
When he's not pitching, Kevin Hart may see some action at first. With the power he can bring to the plate, the Terps would like to get him into the lineup as often as possible. Freshman Taylor Baum may spend some time covering first during the season as well.
Returning second baseman Joe Sargent will face some competition for his spot this year from freshman Dan Melvin. Sargent is a junior who started 38 games last year. He brings valuable power to the position, posting a .453 slugging percentage last year.
Melvin is a great defensive player with great range and a strong throwing arm. His speed will allow him to snag some bags for the Terps this season. Power is not a problem for him either. He is a gap-type hitter who can put the ball out of the park.
The shortstop position will be handled by junior transfer Elliot Singletary, replacing Kyle George who was drafted by the Orioles last year. Singletary is a very strong defensive shortstop. He hits for average, while his great speed allows him to be an effective base-stealer. Sophomore Matt Maropis may also see some time at short and second at times throughout the season
Despite having a fantastic freshman year, Mike Costantino will have to battle against Jordan Wilson for the starting spot at third base. Wilson's hard work has made him one of the most improved players on the team. He's really turned things around offensively since last year, giving himself a chance to compete for the spot.
Costantino may be the best pure hitter on the team. Between maturity and his dedication in the weight room, his strength has increased greatly. Since last year, he has become a player who will hit the ball for power and average. He has the potential to be quite a slugger for the Terps.
At designated hitter, Will Frazier will give the Terrapins a source of power in the middle of the lineup. He has the ability to hit line drives to every part of the park. Last year, he was third on the team with seven multiple-RBI games. After being switched to designated hitter, he really turned it on, hitting .317 with 17 RBI. Frazier will also see some time in left field and possesses an above-average throwing arm.
Another Terp competing for time in left field will be redshirt sophomore Brian Jarosinski. He may be one of the hardest working players on the team. He has been constantly improving since earning a starting job in the outfield midway through last year. He can hit for power at the plate and has above-average defensive skills.
Anchoring the outfielding corps in center will be junior Justin Maxwell, who possesses outstanding defensive skills and displays great range. Maxwell provides a solid bat to the heart of the lineup. He is able to use his speed to cover the gaps in the outfield, preventing many extra base hits. Last year he led the Terps in RBI, batting average, runs, homeruns, stolen bases and multiple-RBI games.
Rounding out the lineup will be junior transfer Truan Mehl. He has a tremendous throwing arm, and may be the best defensive outfielder on the team. He will also bring the Terps some more speed on the bases. Last year he was in the nation's top 10 for stolen bases by a junior college player. Mehl will also provide a quality bat at the top of the lineup.
This year's lineup may not stay the same throughout the season, but the team's dedication, determination and hard work will be a constant. The Terps, from top to bottom, are a group of talented and determined ball players. The coaches are focused on the success of this year's team and there is every reason to believe they will achieve their goals.
