Gone. That is what is what casual college baseball fans will think when they
look at the 2008 Rutgers baseball team. All the stars are gone. Todd Frazier, arguably the best player in the history of the Rutgers
program was selected by the Cincinnati Reds after his junior season and
is looking forward to playing his first full year of professional
baseball in 2008.
So are former teammates Frank Meade, David Williams, Mike Bionde, and
Ryan Hill. Tim Querns, Chris Lillis and Steve Healing have graduated.
Of the six players who took the infield in Game 1 of the NCAA
tournament, five are gone. So are the corner outfielders.
But all is not lost.
Back are a pair of All Big East selections, designated hitter Jon
Gossard (pictured, left) and third team first baseman Tom Edwards. Back are two of the
three weekend starters, buoyed by the return of the team’s top starter
in 2006. Add in three All State recruits, the promotion of some
experienced back-up and maybe can be good once again “On the Banks of
the Raritan.”
Pitching:
The weekend lineup looks set, as Steve Holt, the team’s top starter in
2006, joins sophomore Casey Gaynor and junior Matt Giannini in a battle
tested staff. They will be supported by Jon McCue, who 7-0 in mid-week
starts a season ago.
Gaynor, 4-3 with a 4.82 ERA in 15 starts a season ago, needs to step
up to become the ace in 2007. The stories of his reunion with former
Tom River Little League champion teammate Frazier made great copy for
the media a season ago, but the Scarlet Knights need his exploits on
the mound to take center stage in 2008. Gaynor showed excellent
control as a freshman, walking only 26 in 97 innings, while striking
out 64.
Giannini needs to harness his stuff, as wildness did in the big (6-4,
230) righthander a season ago. Allowing 49 walks and throwing 14 wild
pitches meant that runners were usually on base, and the Scarlet Knight
need him to improve on his 5-5, 6.22 line from 2007.
Holt, the team’s ace in 2006, will be looking to bounce back strong
after surgery on his pitching arm last year. If he falters, Rutgers
will turn to McCue, who was an impressive 7-0, with 2.62 ERA in 8
starts, including an impressive performance in the Big East Tournament.
Tony Wargo provides depth, while Dennis Hill, who was injured in the pre-season, is believed to be out for the season.
Senior left-hander Matt Patterson, junior Jason Downey and sophomore
Kevin Lillis (Chris' younger brother) should provide the Scarlet
Knights with solid choices on the mound during the final frames.
Patterson (2-0, 3.06) was masterful at stranding runners, while Downey
provided the Scarlet Knights with a hard- throwing set-up man with
three quality pitches in his repertoire. As a freshman, Lillis was
dominant, highlighted by memorable saves at UCF which gave Hill his
900th career victory and the BIG EAST Championship-clinching
performance against Connecticut in Brooklyn – both one-run games
finished off by the freshman.
Ryan Beard, a Second Team Junior College All-American who led Brookdale
Community College to the 2006 NJCAA World Series, is expected to make
his debut for Rutgers as a hard-throwing right-hander who gives Hill
another solid option to enter the game in late-inning situations. Also
expected to contribute out of the bullpen this spring is sophomore
righty Kyle Bradley, and red-shirt freshman righty Dale Hering.
Catcher:
A year ago Gossard was the designated hitter and backup catcher, now he
gets the job all to himself. With a bat in his hands, Gossard was
potent, hitting .322 with six home runs, whiel driving in 35. He
should move up in the order in 2008, with a good chance to drive in
more runs.
Jayson Hernandez, a transfer from Winthrop University, will be the
primary reserve, while Tim Reilly, a member of the team a year ago
(0-for-2 in three games) will provide depth. Nick Gaeta, Kevin Bond
and Francisco Ramirez round out the squad.
Infield
Edwards, the Big East’s All Conference Pre-Season choice at first base,
returns as the only starter back from last year’s infield. A smooth
fielder, Edwards led the Big East in fielding in 2007, and could move
around the infield, if needed this season. With the bat in his hands,
Edwards is the Scarlet Knights biggest threat. Coming of an impressive
.340, 7, 48 season in 2007, he and Gossard will form a potent middle of
the order for Rutgers.
Victor Cegles will take over at second base, while sophomore Dan
Betteridge is expected to take over at shortstop. Betteridge hit .250
with a triple and two RBI in 12 at bats in 2007, and was utilized as a
pinch-runner, and will look to be a threat on the base paths. Cegles,
who hit .194 in 36 at bats, has the experience to step in and help the
team.
Vincent Sangemino (.231, 0, 3 in 13 at bats) will get the first shot at
third base for the Scarlet Knights in 2008. Jaren Matthews, a talented
high school player who was selected in the June MLB draft, is a first
base/outfielder who will probably get most of his at bats as the
designated hitter as a freshman.
D.J. Anderson and James Ruzich earned All-State accolades last season,
with Anderson getting a shot to see time at third base. Brandon
Boykin, Russ Hopkins and Dan Perrine will also add depth to a strong
corps of young infielders.
Outfield:
With the loss of corner outfielders Williams Ryan Hill, centerfielders
Luis Feliz (.218, 0, 18) and Donny Callahan (.194, 0, 9)are the leaders
of this group. Both possess strong arms and are solid at the plate.
After splitting centerfield in 2007, Callahan is expected to move to
right.
Sophomore Jarred Jimenez (.300, 0, 3 in 20 at bats) is expected to take
over in left field after appearing in 13 games as a true freshman last
season, seeing time as a designated hitter while also playing left
field in a number of games. Sophomore Brett Garlick (,231 0, 1 in 13 at
bats) should see extensive time in the outfield. The outfielder played
in 15 games as a true freshman last year.
Rutgers will benefit from the return of sophomore Mike Livingston. He
was sidelined last season after appearing in several games as a true
freshman in 2006. Also complementing a strong corps of outfielders this
season is the addition of a pair of New Jersey scholastic All- State
selections in Mike Lang and Pat Biserta. Red-shirt freshman Matt
Meyerkopf will add depth and vie for at-bats with the
extremely-talented Scarlet Knight outfield.
SCHEDULE
A difficult schedule awaits, as the Scarlet Knights open with a
three-game set against 23rd ranked Old Dominion, followed by a trip to
Atlanta against perennial power house Georgia Tech. A third series
against nationally ranked competition follows, as Rutgers faces Texas
A&M in College Station before playing Iowa and Florida Atlantic as
part of their Florida trip.
Rutgers returns home to start its Big East slate, and will play local
rivals Rider, NJIT, Princeton, Monmouth, Fairleigh Dickinson, Iona,
Lafayette and Delaware in non-conference play. Temple, coached by
former Scarlet Knight Rob Valli, will also come to Piscataway early in
March.
OUTLOOK: A challenging schedule and a very young team do not often
create optimism, but there is proven talent there for the challenge.
It will be interesting to see if the uniform start date helps or
hinders the Scarlet Knights early in the season. Do not be surprised
to see a slow start from this group, particularly in non-Big East play.
Still, expect a return trip to Clearwater for the Big East tournament,
and at least two of the talented newcomers to step up and displace a
starter.
Gone. That is what is what casual college baseball fans will think when they
look at the 2008 Rutgers baseball team. All the stars are gone. Todd Frazier, arguably the best player in the history of the Rutgers
program was selected by the Cincinnati Reds after his junior season and
is looking forward to playing his first full year of professional
baseball in 2008.
Back are a pair of All Big East selections, designated hitter Jon
Gossard (pictured, left) and third team first baseman Tom Edwards. Back are two of the
three weekend starters, buoyed by the return of the team’s top starter
in 2006. Add in three All State recruits, the promotion of some
experienced back-up and maybe can be good once again “On the Banks of
the Raritan.”