Jan. 11, 2007
For many Terp fans, the start of February brings memories of past championships and ambitions for what could be in the coming months. As they are forced to endure the last gasps of the cold winter months, they are thinking more about slam dunks and somersaults than stolen bases and hit-and-runs. But for the Maryland baseball team, February brings the start of a new season, and the chance to build on the legacy of the University's second-oldest athletic program.
Head coach Terry Rupp is entering his seventh season at the helm of Terrapin baseball, and has assembled a squad that he believes will be competitive with the entire Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the toughest in the country. As the season unfolds and the Terps enter league play, Rupp knows that one of the most crucial aspects to his team's chances for success is its depth.
"I think the one thing we have right now is depth position-wise, and we have not had that depth," Rupp says. "When we've had a player go down, we really haven't had that guy who comes in and holds the line for us."
The Terps boast one of its deepest and most well-rounded lineups in a number of seasons. According to Rupp, filling out the team's depth chart has been one of the coaching staff's most important goals and they feel like this year they have achieved the objective. Rupp believes that Maryland has made the necessary improvements to compete at the highest level.
"We had a young team last year, and these guys are more seasoned. I think it's a more balanced team offensively," Rupp explains. "We've got some guys one through nine that can do a lot of different things, and we're going to swing the bats. But at the same time, we can also do the finer points of the game, such as bunting, hit-and-run, and moving runners, and do the things that are needed to win ballgames. Defensively, we're going to be much improved. I don't see any holes in our lineup."
On the mound, the Terps lost two key seniors in Ben Pfinsgraff and Seth Overbey, but the team has loaded up on arms and should be able to pitch effectively deep into the game. Of course, it helps that once the game reaches the seventh inning and the Terps have the lead, they can count on one of the top closers in the entire nation. Senior lefty Brett Cecil, a preseason watch list nominee for the Roger Clemens Award, has established himself as a dominating, lights-out presence in the Terps' bullpen. Cecil, who shattered the school's single season saves record with 13 in 2006, is a player that Coach Rupp trusts to carry the team to victory when called upon.
"We've got Brett Cecil at the tail end of the game. He's a premium player and we know that, if we get the ball in his hands with a lead, we're going to win most of those games," Rupp explains. "That's probably our goal this season - to get to the seventh inning with a lead so we can turn the ball over to our horse, and that's Brett Cecil."
On the offensive side of the ball, the Terrapins return two of their top three hitters in infielders Dan Melvin and Mike Murphy. Melvin, a senior from Fredericksburg, Va., is slated to start at shortstop and will be an important key to the Terps' lineup coming off a season where he led the team in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.
"Dan has been outstanding defensively at shortstop," Rupp says. "He's an offensive shortstop, which is good to have. I see him improving, even after last year."
Murphy, a sophomore from Silver Spring, has cemented himself at the third base spot after hard work in the offseason to improve his offensive and defensive skills.
"Mike has made the most strides of anybody on the club defensively," Rupp says. "He has really improved his backhand at third base, which was a problem for him last year. Offensively, he's made some changes in his swing and he looks real good at the plate."
On the left side of the infield, sophomores Gerry Spessard and Dan Benick will cover first and second base, respectively. Spessard, who earned honors for his play over the summer in the New York Collegiate Baseball League, is being counted on to play a vital role in the offense.
"Gerry is probably one of the better athletes on the team. He can run, he's a big kid, and he's very strong and a solid hitter from the left side," Rupp says. "He's a guy we're looking to anchor the middle of our lineup. He had a great summer and we're looking for great things from him."
Behind the plate, junior Chad Durakis has been a steady presence for the Terps over the past three seasons. While Rupp acknowledges the importance of Durakis managing the game day in and day out, he knows that his production can certainly improve over the coming season.
"Chad Durakis has been the guy that grinds it out back there, and we know what we're going to get from him. He has been consistent on a daily basis, and we're hoping that we won't have to have him catch every day," he explains. "Hopefully we can move him to a DH role from time to time."
In the outfield, a number of players will potentially see time in left and right, while junior Nick Jowers has cemented himself at center. "Nick Jowers is probably one of the better defensive players you're going to find in center field in this league," Rupp says. "He is not the fastest guy, but he makes great jumps off the ball and that's something you can't teach. He's always in the right spot and is just a solid outfielder."
While the Terps return many of their players from last season, many newcomers will have a chance to see time as well. Among them, AJ Casario, who was drafted last year in the 27th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, stands out as one of the immediate contributors.
"A.J. Casario has tremendous power at the plate, as he hit 20-plus home runs in high school. He's going to add that threat of left-handed power into our lineup, which we didn't have in the past. He's a great runner with raw talent and he has a great arm," says Rupp of the Pine Hill, N.J., native who will see time in right field and behind the plate.
Maryland baseball will begin its season on February 9 at Winthrop, and will play six straight games on the road before its Shipley Field opener on February 23. That weekend, the Terps will host local rival George Washington for a three-game series. All told, Maryland will host 33 home games this season, the most since the 2002 campaign. The schedule will not get any easier, as the Terps square off against eight teams who participated in last year's NCAA tournament, including a set against College World Series runner-up North Carolina on the final weekend of the regular season.
However, Terry Rupp and the Maryland Terrapins are unfazed by the road ahead, because they know that they are prepared for the challenge.
"The schedule is going to be tough as always. Our main thing is that we have to come out of the box winning," Rupp explains. "Last year, we came out really slow because we were unsettled in a lot of positions. This year, we're more settled, we know where we're going with our players and we've had guys win positions outright. That helps out, because now we hit the ground running. Last year, if we had taken some of those early series and turned them around in our favor, we'd have been sitting in the regional tournament. That ultimately matches our goal, to compete in the NCAAs and compete for a national championship."
