Tuesday February 14, 2012

Clemson Baseball

Clemson Baseball
Jack Leggett is excited about his 19th team at Clemson because of a talented pitching staff, familiar faces in new places and a new outfield.

Pitchers
On paper this team could depend on its pitching to be the strength of this ball club. In talking to the staff they are excited about the arms, especially the ones at the top of the rotation.

Junior righthander Kevin Brady has electric stuff but has battled injuries since he arrived. When healthy, few in the conference have this kind of stuff. Last season Brady was 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 23.1 innings. I was amazed that he only walked one batter all season. Brady was drafted in the 17th round by Cleveland but chose to return to school and is now listed as the #41 prospect in the nation for the 2012 draft by Baseball America.

Dominic Leone is another junior righthander who has been brilliant at times but has also had arm issues last season. He was 6-2 with a 3.70 ERA and a team-high 72 strikeouts in 65.2 innings last season. Leone ended the season strong when he earned a win in five straight starts from April to May.

Another junior righthander is another key part of the staff. Jonathan Meyer moved into the weekend rotation in the second half of the season last year and pitched well. He went 5-2 with a 3.31 ERA.

A fourth junior righthander is another key pitcher for the Tigers. Scott Firth went 5-1 with a 3.06 ERA a year ago in 16 appearances including seven starts.

Like Meyer, David Haselden has spent time as a both a starter and a reliever and could play a big role in this staff. The senior righthander went 6-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 25 appearances including four starts.

Kevin Pohle had a very good freshman season last year. The righthander was a freshman All-American after going 5-2 with a 1.93 ERA.

Matt Campbell is another pitcher who had a good freshman season. He was 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA with two saves.

Mike Kent red-shirted last season due to injury but went 1-1 as a freshman in 2010.

The only lefthander with experience is junior Joseph Moorefield who was drafted in the 26th round by the Royals but returned to school.

Several freshmen and red-shirt freshmen will compete for innings as well. They include Daniel Gossett of Lyman, SC, Brock Goodling of Mount Union, PA, Clay Bates of Rock Hill, SC, Kyle Bailey of Southlake, TX. Patrick Andrews of Hilton Head, SC and Trevor Kieboom of Marietta, GA.

Outfielders
As experienced as the pitching staff is the outfield is the exact opposite as the Tigers have all newcomers in the mix for the starting positions vacated by Jeff Schaus, Will Lamb and Chris Epps.

Dominic Attanasio hit .367 in 33 games as a freshman a year ago and is the most experienced outfielder in the mix.

Joe Costigan played in only 14 games and was 2-for-8 at the plate as a freshman.

Junior Thomas Brittle sat out last season after transferring from College of Charleston. As a Cougar he batted .273 and is the favorite to win the job in centerfield because of his speed.

Another low country transfer is graduate Brad Felder who played at The Citadel where he hit .252 with 18 homers, 68 RBIs and 36 steals in his career.

Freshmen Tyler Slaton and Mike Triller are two true freshmen that should battle for another spot in the outfield.

Catchers
The Tigers are loaded with talent and experience behind the plate with junior Spencer Kieboom and senior Phil Pohl.

Kieboom is one of the top defensive catchers in the ACC and hit .282 with 31 RBIs last season.

Pohl hit .333 with 22 doubles, four home runs and 33 RBIs last season. Pohl is the leading candidate to be the designated hitter entering the season.

Infielders
The infield will feature two new faces and two experienced ones in new places.

Junior Richie Shaffer is the top hitter entering the season. The right handed is a career .318 hitter with 20 HRs and 91 RBIs entering his third season as a Tiger. Last season he had 91 runs, 13 home runs and 55 RBIs. Shaffer will move from first base to third base this season. The staff is hopeful the defensive move will not effect his offense.

Senior Jason Stolz is also moving from the right side of the infield to the left side and should start the season at shortstop. He is a career .283 hitter and a solid defensive player. Stolz has had major back issues throughout his Clemson career but continues to play through pain.

Steve Wilkerson was a highly drafted middle infielder who played sparingly as a true freshman last season. He is a switch hitter that struggled at the plate last season but had a good fall and hopes to improve now that he has won the starting spot at second base.

Jon McGibbon should take over at first base after a solid season as a true freshman last year. In 43 games he hit .339 with a home run and 14 RBIs.

Summary
In talking to the staff, there is both excitement and caution about this team. They like the mix of experience and youth at certain positions but are cautious until they see it in real games. They also know that the season is long and roles will be defined throughout the year. The staff feels much better about the new Easton bats compared to this time last year. Finally the staff knows this team will have to grow up early because the third weekend of the year South Carolina is on the schedule and the following week North Carolina comes to town.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:

If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.

If you would like to add someone to the list please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com

*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list.

Those who need our prayers include:Finn Brookover, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Daniel Rosborough, The Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs,Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys", Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas. V Family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers,Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Mary Priester, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr, Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Randy Anderson, Lillian, Matt Hogan, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, Nancy Taylor, the Dowis family, Shervin Messer, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Nancy Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Christopher Tuten, Jimmy Head, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jack Bailey, Jake David family, Janice Thompson, Angie Crowley, Rachel Graves, Ira, Elsie Taylor, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson.