Jan. 30, 2006

Following a season in which University of Maryland sluggers gave chase to a variety of offensive records, head coach Terry Rupp and the 2006 Terrapins have changed gears and rededicated themselves, this time with a new focus on speed, fundamentals, sound defense and the game of "small ball."

Featuring one of the deepest lineups during Rupp's tenure in College Park, the Terps will concentrate on the finer points of the game as they look to make a name for themselves in one of the best baseball conferences in the nation.

"We've worked extremely hard at playing smart baseball throughout the fall," Rupp says. "We are going to focus on moving runners and not be a team that only goes station to station. The team is going to make things happen offensively and keep the pressure on our opponents"

The Terps will look to utilize their depth this season. Rupp believes this is one of the most versatile squads he has had in his six years at Maryland and he wants to take full advantage of it.

"Unlike in past years, we are deep at every position. There is a young group of guys coming in who are going to bring some energy and create some depth among the positions players," Rupp notes. "We've got an opportunity to use a different combination of players to attack any situation. If an opponent doesn't catch-and-throw that well, we'll go with our speed. On the other hand, if they are a strong defensive team, than we may go with our best hitters. I can see a lot of different guys making significant contributions this season."

Maryland will get the opportunity to test its game plan against some of the best competition in the country. This season the Atlantic Coast Conference figures to be extremely competitive from top to bottom, and has a legitimate shot at sending as many as seven teams to the NCAA Tournament. With the addition of Boston College this year, the stakes become even higher as the Terps look to improve on last season's 10th place league finish. Maryland is slated to play five teams which ranked in the Collegiate Baseball preseason top 25 poll.

"Our schedule does not give us any breaks, especially early on. We wanted it that way to get our guys ready for conference play," Rupp says.

With a blend of seasoned veterans and capable newcomers on the roster, the Terps will attempt to find just the right chemistry and balance to hammer away at their opponents in a variety of ways.

INFIELD
For the Terps, there are still some questions regarding how personnel will be shuffled in a very crowded infield.

At first base, Maryland returns last season's primary starter in senior Jordan Wilson. In 2005, the Frederick, Md. native put together a career-year at the plate, establishing new career bests in batting average (.301), at-bats (196), hits (59), doubles (11), home runs (3), RBI (35) and slugging percentage (.403) over 50 games. Now in his fifth season with the program, Wilson is a veteran presence in the infield who can lead by example.

Providing Maryland with significant depth at first base will be senior Jason Von Behren and redshirt freshman Gerry Spessard. In his second season with the program Von Behren is a big right-handed slugger who can hit for power. He will likely see extended time in the designated hitter role, as well. After redshirting his freshman year in 2005, Spessard put in a lot of work over the fall and summer and has made great strides, both with his bat and his glove.

Rupp has several options to go with at second base. Junior Dan Melvin and sophomore Joe Palumbo are two possibilities to play what many consider the most demanding position in the infield. After starting at shortstop last season, Melvin could be asked to move to the other side of second base to accommodate new personnel who are more comfortable on the left side of the diamond. A smooth defender with a strong arm, Melvin is one of the most versatile athletes on the club. He is the team's leading returning hitter with a .306 average and will be a sparkplug in the Maryland lineup.

Palumbo is a smart player with a high baseball IQ. In 38 games last year, the switch hitter compiled a .352 on-base percentage and was never caught steeling (four attempts). He figures to play a major role in Rupp's infield rotation.

The shortstop slot could be claimed by sophomore transfer Steve Braun. A 35th round pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2005, Braun is a quick, agile player with good instincts and can hit. He could also be an early favorite to bat leadoff for the Terps. Rupp might also choose to plug Melvin in at short should he decide to use Braun in a different role.

A pair of freshmen look to handle third base duties for Maryland this year. Newcomers Mike Murphy and Dan Benick have spent time at the hot corner during the fall and both should see time there in 2006.

A product of nearby Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, Md., Murphy brings good speed and a strong arm to the table for the Terps. He hit well during the fall season and is the early favorite to start.

Benick is another rookie who has shown great potential at the plate, with good power to the outfield gaps in particular. He is one of Rupp's most versatile infielders, comfortable at third, second or short.

Should the need to install a more experienced player at third base arise, both Melvin and Von Behren have experience at the position and could step in.

CATCHER
Behind the plate, Maryland will look to sophomore Chad Durakis as its everyday catcher. After splitting starting duties with Bobby Ryan last season, he is ready to carry more of the load in 2005 following a productive offseason in which he spent time fine tuning his mechanics.

"Offensively he's very good and defensively he's continuing to improve on a daily basis," Rupp says. "Chad is a person who has no quit in him."

After batting .286 with 27 RBI during his freshman campaign, Durakis has the tools and natural ability to be one of the best hitting catchers in the ACC. Dedicated to improving his release and receiving behind the dish, he hopes to throw out even more base stealers this year. In 2005, Durakis gunned down nine runners and allowed just two passed balls all season.

Providing relief to Durakis will be redshirt sophomore Dan Mellies and a freshmen duo, Dan Shillingburg and Mike Moss.

After sitting out last season, Mellies has shown major improvement and a knack for calling pitches. Shillingburg and Moss are both tall, strong backstops who will continue to gain experience and learn the position as the season progresses. They will both see game action in 2006.

OUTFIELD
Gone from the outfield are Will Frazier, Truan Mehl and Justin Maxwell, three of the most gifted and prolific sluggers in recent Terp history. Filling their spots, Rupp will draw on a deep crop of talented players that have the potential to chase down anything in their direction and at the same time put up some big numbers at the plate.

In leftfield, senior Brian Jarosinski returns as one of the team's hardest working leaders. In 2004, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder hit 16 home runs, 58 RBI and registered a .571 slugging percentage. Following a bit of a down year at the plate during his junior campaign, he is poised to return to form and produce big numbers once again.

"Brian looks better than he ever has at the plate right now and I expect big things from him this year," Rupp says. "He's really worked hard and improved his speed and his defense. I think he could have a big year for us."

Manning centerfield will be swift sophomore Nick Jowers. He has exhibited a great nose for the ball and gets excellent jumps on anything hit to the gaps. Arguably the team's best defensive outfielder, Jowers is capable of doing some damage on offense as well. As a freshman, he showed good speed on the basepaths, stealing three bases and legging out the first triple of his career. Rupp will have the option of using him at either the top or bottom of the order.

In right for the Terps is senior Matt Maropis, a converted infielder who will focus exclusively on outfield duties this season. Like Jowers, Maropis is a phenomenal athlete with great speed who can burn an opponent on the bases. In 2005, he led the Terps with 19 stolen bases in 24 attempts and scored 34 runs. Maropis complemented his smart baserunning and quickness with some pop in his bat, as he smacked 13 doubles and two homers on the year.

Freshman Mike Rozak and Patrick "Wink" Nolan will step in right away and provide quality outfield depth. Like Maropis, Rozak is a former infielder who swings the bat well and can play either corner outfield position. Nolan is one of the fastest players on the team and can play all three outfield spots. Both players should see playing time this year, with the ability to make immediate impact.

Providing even more power in the outfield is junior transfer Jon Greenwich. After stops at St. Louis University and Southeastern Louisiana, the burly right-handed slugger has proven he can hit the long ball wherever he's been. Greenwich could also be utilized at designated hitter.

PITCHING
Heading into the season, the top two spots in the Terps' rotation are set, with seniors Ben Pfinsgraff and Seth Overbey slated to take the hill for crucial ACC and weekend matchups. A third starting spot is still up for grabs with several qualified candidates in the running to claim it.

Returning as the staff's ace is Pfinsgraff, who established himself as one of the best pitchers in the league last season. After leading the team in ERA (3.45) and wins (four), including one over top-ranked Georgia Tech, in 2005, the 6-foot right-hander took part in an arm strengthening program over the summer to improve his stamina and durability. Last year Pfinsgraff lasted at least 5.0 innings in 10 of 11 starts and seems poised to shoulder the load all year for Maryland.

"Ben is a proven pitcher who has shown he can beat anyone in the country," Rupp claims. "We're looking for him to be our number one guy and have a good season for us."

A former relief pitcher, Overbey will make the switch to fulltime starter in 2006. After going 3-1 in 17 appearances last season, he will be asked to log more innings and go head-to-head with some of the most talented pitchers in the conference. To prepare for his new role, Overbey spent time during the offseason developing a changeup and slider. Those pitches, along with his fastball, will give Overbey a strong arsenal to dip into against tough ACC hitters.

Junior Casey Baron and sophomore Brett Jones appear to be the early frontrunners to solidify the third starting spot in the rotation. Baron, a southpaw with experience as a middle reliever, threw well during the summer and fall and impressed the coaching staff with increased velocity. Last season he finished 3-1 with a 3.85 ERA while exhibiting excellent control on the mound.

Jones is another hurler who has made great strides since 2005. In a relief role last year, opponents hit a paltry .188 against him, a result of good command and smart pitch selection.

Others who could potentially earn starting nods throughout the season include sophomores Ryan Moorer and Mike Sufczynski.

A former 13th round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs, Moorer is a power pitcher with a live arm who throws in the low 90's. Utilized out of the bullpen last year, he has the potential to become an effective starter. In the meantime, Moorer will continue to gain experience and hone his mechanics in a relief role.

Sufczynski has the second-most starting experience on the pitching staff behind Pfinsgraff after making nine starts in 2005. With a devastating breaking ball and an effective fastball, the 6-foot-1 right-hander knows how to get hitters out. He tied for the team-lead in wins last year as a redshirt freshman and finished second on the staff with a 3.66 ERA.

Middle relief will be asked to provide quality innings throughout the year, a challenge several talented players seem capable of answering. Lefties Brett Tidball and John Dischert and right-hander Brad Taylor are three arms Rupp and pitching coach Jim Farr can turn to out of the bullpen.

As a freshman in 2005, Tidball allowed just two walks in 13.0 innings and registered a .217 batting average against. He has continued to show signs of improvement in the offseason and will be called upon to retire hitters from both sides of the plate. Taylor made nine appearances last year, including eight in relief, showing good stamina during several outings.

Dischert comes to College Park after a highly decorated prep career as both a pitcher and position player. Named first team All American and Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Delaware, Dischert was virtually unbeatable in high school. With a great breaking ball and seemingly unlimited potential, he will be thrown into the mix right away.

Another option for Rupp in relief will be sophomore Joe Zaccaria. A flame throwing right-hander who comes to the Terps following one season at Div. III Johns Hopkins, he has experience as a close and could become a quality late inning set-up man for Maryland.

Closing out games on the mound will be sophomore Brett Cecil. After seeing time as both a starter and reliever during his freshman season, the intimidating lefty has settled in as the Terps' closer in 2006.

Cecil has demonstrated the acute control required of an effective closer, as he struck out 40 and walked just 13 in 43.0 innings last season. He finished second on the team with 18 appearances in 2005 and could be handed the ball even more this year.