St. John's University Athletics
2007 Red Storm Baseball Season Preview
2/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Hopes are high for the Red Storm heading into 2007, and on paper, the team appears to have all the pieces in place for a BIG EAST championship run. Coaches in the league agreed, picking St. John's to win the 2007 BIG EAST title and recognizing three players ??? pitcher Scott Barnes, outfielder Chris Joachim and designated hitter Anthony Smith ??? as preseason all-conference selections.
Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer |
Head coach Ed Blankmeyer is quick to acknowledge the team's preseason accolades, but is even quicker to push them aside. "It's nice to receive accolades, but we don't want to listen to it," the 12th year head coach said. "It doesn't matter whether we're being praised or criticized, we still have to go about our business and win games."
There is experience in most of the key positions on the field, including senior captains in left fielder Joachim, second baseman Sam DeLuca and catcher Brendan Monaghan. Eight of the team's nine offensive starters are juniors or seniors, and nine different pitchers saw action in BIG EAST Conference games last season.
"The BIG EAST experience we have is crucial," said Blankmeyer. "Guys understand what it takes to play and win a weekend series, from both a physical and mental aspect. I also like the makeup and personalities of the club and how all of the guys work and interact. Let's just say that we're cautiously optimistic heading into the season."
Pitching
With 11 pitchers returning from a group that posted the nation's fifth-lowest team earned run average (3.21) in 2006, there are high expectations for the Red Storm staff in 2007. The sophomore Barnes anchors the rotation, and a group of six players competes for the two remaining BIG EAST starting spots.
Sophomore Scott Barnes |
Junior lefties George Brown, Nick Luisi and Matt Tosoni, sophomore righties Colin Lynch and Jared Yecker and freshman Miguel Valcarcel are all in contention for weekend starts. The junior left-handers and talented young right-handers offer a blend of balance, experience and upside that leaves the Red Storm coaching staff with a wealth of arms that can contribute during the BIG EAST season.
Freshman B.J. Martin and sophomore Justin Gutsie have solidified the back end of the St. John's bullpen, while freshman Ryan Cole, sophomore Rich Armento, junior James Lally and Smith find roles in the middle and late innings and in specialty situations.
Freshmen right-handers Nick Cenatiempo and Matt Owens compete for time in relief as they develop their games. Both possess good size and athleticism and can log innings in the Red Storm's mid-week contests.
Senior lefty Luis Monell will miss the 2007 season after undergoing surgery on his pitching elbow.
Barnes has earned Preseason All-BIG EAST mention and been named to the Roger Clemens Award watch list after surging to the top spot in the Red Storm's rotation at the end of last season. With his athleticism, live arm and compete repertoire, Barnes is capable of anchoring the staff and going nose-to-nose with other teams' aces.
Junior George Brown |
With a 7-0 career record and a 2.41 ERA in two seasons, it is hard to say that Brown (right) 'emerged' with a clutch performance in a BIG EAST Tournament win over top-seeded Notre Dame last season. But that postseason performance made a statement, and he made more steady progress through the summer and fall in an effort to win a spot in the rotation.
Luisi went 4-2 with a 2.70 ERA in six appearances and won both of his BIG EAST starts last season. An equally strong performance in winter workouts and non-conference action could propel the junior into the rotation, and he should be valuable in both a starting or relief role throughout the season.
Tosoni had a remarkable redshirt sophomore season, overcoming the effects of ulcerative colitis that sidelined him in 2005 to earn second team all-conference honors in 2006. He has gotten stronger, added velocity and gained 30 pounds in the offseason and is a sure bet to pitch key innings in a starting or relief role.
Lynch has earned praise for his aggressive demeanor on the mound as he continuously attacks opposing hitters. His approach translated as both a starter and a reliever last season, and he logged big innings over the course of the BIG EAST schedule.
Yecker was the Red Storm's most reliable midweek starter last season and looks to carry that success over to BIG EAST weekend play. The big right-hander's seven wins as a rookie were tied for the fifth-most in the league as he made a quick transition to the college level. His experience, size and arm strength make him an early favorite for a spot in the BIG EAST rotation.
Valcarcel, a 32nd round draft choice of the Colorado Rockies last June, is cut from the same cloth as Yecker. The rookie has good size and a good, heavy fastball that sits in the low 90's and outstanding raw arm strength. How he develops in the winter and through the non-conference schedule will go a long way in dictating his role for the conference slate.
Sophomore Justin Gutsie |
Gutsie made great strides from beginning to end of last season and continued his improvement through the winter. He was dominant at times as a rookie, leading all Red Storm pitchers with a .205 opposing batting average, and added velocity to win the closer role to start his sophomore season.
Lally and Armento were a nice combination replacing first round draft choice Craig Hansen as the team's closer last year. Lally had three saves and allowed opponents to hit just .218 in 15 innings of work, and Armento ranked among the BIG EAST leaders with five saves while also compiling a 2.67 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 30.1 innings.
Martin is going to factor into the early season mix for eighth and ninth inning work because of his ability to throw strikes with a power arsenal. Cole and Smith can both contribute as hitters and pitchers, with middle relief Cole's likely role and a left-handed specialist Smith's.
Catching
The senior Monaghan begins the season as a starter for the first time in his career after hitting .354 as a junior in 2006. He has handled much of the staff and is one of the Red Storm's hardest working players. Athletic freshman Jose Iglesias, redshirt freshman Tommy Wasilowski and freshman transfer Joe Witkowski jockey for position behind Monaghan on the catching depth chart.
Senior Brendan Monaghan |
Monaghan started 24 games a season ago, but missed the better part of a month with a knee injury. How he performs and holds up for an entire season are keys for the Red Storm pitching staff and offense, as he broke out with a .354 average, eight doubles and a .440 on-base percentage last season.
The 6-foot-4 Iglesias begins the year as Monaghan's backup. He has solid receiving and throwing skills and he has a quality bat with power potential. Wasilowski has outstanding raw strength and is a tireless worker behind the plate, and Witkowski has a 'plus arm' and 'can crush a mistake' according to Blankmeyer.
Infield
Senior Sam DeLuca |
"Around the infield, we have seven guys with BIG EAST experience," Blankmeyer said. "Last year, the younger guys adapted and reserve players stepped in and did the job. This year, we have a lot of depth and experience, which should be good for competition and for potential injury replacements."
Redshirt freshman Daniel Rose works his way back from a knee injury and could be a wild card for time on the left side of the infield or at first base. Redshirt freshman Kevin Watkins has developed as a player, but may need some more time to turn his raw athleticism into baseball skill before seeing significant action at first base. Rookie second baseman Kevin Sakofs has what Blankmeyer calls "quick, quick hands and a lot of pop for his size" and begins the season behind DeLuca at second base.
DeLuca has been a starter at second in each of his two seasons at St. John's. His even-tempered approach to the game has made him a steady and reliable defender and one of the top offensive middle infielders in the BIG EAST. DeLuca works in tandem with a couple of familiar faces in shortstops Grantham and Matias, which makes for a reliable middle infield combination.
Junior Jeff Grantham |
Matias was a pleasant surprise on the offensive side, and he showed the speed and defensive abilities to make a difference on the field and the base paths.
For a second straight summer, Zayas earned Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League All-Star recognition, making a splash with his big power and throwing arm from the hot corner. Along with Mahoney and designated hitter Smith, Zayas will be relied upon in the middle of the lineup to hit for power and drive in runs.
Mahoney and Watkins make up an effective duo at first base. Mahoney is experienced and brings game-changing power to the table, and the athletic Watkins could ease his transition from behind the plate to first base. The redshirt can come off the bench or start, depending on how his bat and feel for the game develop in the winter.
Outfield
The outfield has a new look, as the senior Joachim moves to left field and newcomer Brian Kemp patrols center. A steady hand in junior Chris Anninos again starts in right field, and junior transfer Michael Aicardi has the versatility to play a number of roles, both offensively and defensively. The left-handed bat of Smith can fit into the lineup in different ways, as he plays in the corners of the outfield and at designated hitter.
Senior Chris Joachim |
"I think Joachim will make a quick transition to the outfield," said Blankmeyer. "He played outfield in summer ball and was a middle infielder in high school, and it's certainly easier to move from the infield to the outfield than the other way around. The quicker he and Kemp can get comfortable in left and center, the better off we'll be in the outfield."
A member of the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team and the Brooks Wallace Watch List, Joachim has a unique combination of size and speed that should translate well to the outfield. It has certainly translated to his offensive game, as he ranked third in the BIG EAST in batting (.398) and fifth in stolen bases (20) last season. He takes on a leadership role for the second straight year and does so as a candidate for conference and national honors.
The speedy Kemp takes over for All-American Will Vogl in center field. While Vogl's power is irreplaceable in the lineup, Kemp has the speed and ability to contribute with his solid contact bat as well as be a defensive force right away. Aicardi, who transferred from the same junior college as Vogl (Skyline JC), can play either of the corner outfield positions and come off the bench to hit or defend.
Anninos is a rock in right field, playing fundamental defense and hitting with power and for a high average. He is technically sound and instinctive as a defender and has the team's strongest outfield throwing arm. With changes taking place in left and right field, his consistent play in right will be invaluable at the start of the year.
Smith should get most of his at-bats as a designated hitter, but he can spell Anninos or Joachim in the corners of the outfield, pitch or play first base. Smith can anchor the middle of the lineup with his power and help fuel big innings with his ability to get on base. The senior has had a decorated career, first receiving Freshman All-America honors at George Washington, then first team All-BIG EAST honors last season and preseason all-conference honors in 2007.
