Page 8 - 2013 Baseball Media Guide

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8
2013 SALUKI BASEBALL
SIUSALUKIS.COM
As Saluki Baseball prepares for an upgrade in facilities
in 2014, the program is already experiencing an upgrade
in on-field expectations for 2013. With 14 juniors and nine
seniors, the time is now for Southern to make some noise in
the Missouri Valley Conference.
“It’s no longer that we hope to get something done,”
Coach Ken Henderson said. “We expect to have a good year,
and you have to go into it that way. I think we have players
who have that approach and that mentality.That junior class is
huge, and most of them have been playing since their freshman
year so it is an older ball club, and we expect them to play with
that attitude.”
In 2012, his first season as the head coach without the
interim tag, Henderson led SIU to a winning record of 31-
28 and finished one win away from the school’s first NCAA
Tournament bid since 1990, losing in the MVC Championship
game. A large core of that team is back for 2013.
With six of nine starters and starting pitchers Cody
Forsythe and Sam Coonrod returning, Henderson sees depth
and experience as strengths. Southern lost just five impact
players to graduation or the Major League draft from last
year’s squad and brought in three freshmen and six junior
college transfers.
While it may be a difficult task to replace All-American
first baseman Chris Serritella in the middle of the order,
Southern figures to be just as strong overall with a more
balanced offensive attack.
“We don’t have Chris sitting in the middle of the lineup,”
Henderson said,“but I think we’ll be a better club 1 through 9.
I don’t think there will be holes in the lineup. There will be a
lot of guys we can lean on. We have some big, strong physical
kids up and down the lineup, and the number of quality players
we have on this team is far greater.”
Just as important, the Salukis should have an upgraded
defense. The addition of a true shortstop in junior college
transfer Ryan Rosthenhausler allows some of the big bats from
last year’s lineup to take their gloves to their more natural
positions.
“Last year we were not good on defense,”Henderson said.
“That’s where we’ve made the biggest strides. Rosty allows us
to put other people back where they belong so I think we’ll be
much better on defense.”
PITCHING STAFF
The starting rotation will be anchored by two-time All-
MVC selection
Cody Forsythe
, who is a senior captain, and
Sam Coonrod
, a sophomore who showed great potential in
10 starts last year.
The pair will offer a contrast to hitters. Forsythe is a
polished lefty with great command, and Coonrod is a righty
with a fastball in the mid-90s.
“We know Cody can flat out pitch, and he competes his
rear end off,” Henderson said. “Coonrod really came on at the
end of last year.We knew he had the physical tools, but I think
he’s learned how to pitch at this level. He’s turned into a more
complete pitcher. Those two guys give us as good of a one-two
punch as we’ve had in a long time.”
The early part of the season will be spent determining
who fits into the starters roles for the third weekend game
and midweek games. Two of the leading candidates are
junior college transfers, lefty
Derek Fogel
and righty
Bryce
Sablotny
.
In addition, southpaw
Brad Drust
will have an opportunity
to start games after missing all of last season with Tommy
John surgery.
Aaron Snyder
returned from elbow surgery last year to
make 25 relief appearances and one start. He could possibly
be used in a starters role again.
“We feel very good about all four of these guys,”
Henderson said. “We just need to find out which roles fit
them and our club best. They all should be major contributors,
whatever their role.”
The back end of the bullpen will feature two experienced
late innings relievers.
Todd Eaton
saved nine games on his
way to a second-team All-MVC selection last year. Southpaw
Tyler Dray
will return to the setup role. He also has experience
closing games and could be called upon to finish a game if
needed.
“Todd was one of the best closers in the league last year,”
Henderson said. “Dray has thrown at the end of games for two
years. He throws strikes, and his velocity is better than last
year. We feel pretty good about those two guys at the end of
games.”
The Salukis should also have more options out of the
bullpen to get to the final innings than they did a year ago.
“Beyond shortstop, relief pitching was our biggest
question mark and concern from last year,” Henderson said.
“We weren’t as good as we needed to be and didn’t have the
depth we needed. The guys we used, we had to use too much.”
Matt Murphy
led the team with 28 relief appearances
in 2012 and was good at times. Now a junior, he will look to
improve his consistency.
Lee Weld
returned from surgery to make seven relief
appearances over the last six weeks of the 2012 season. He
has dropped down to a submariner who will give hitters a
different look.
The Salukis have added some freshmen to the mix as well.
Jacob Williams
has a good arm,” Henderson said. “He
throws with a great deal of confidence, and when he pounds
the strike zone, he is pretty good.
Anthony Shimkus
will also
have some opportunities in that role. He throws strikes and
has good makeup.”
Fellow freshman
Connor McFadden
will see some time
in middle relief along with left-handed senior
Austin Johnson
.
Bryan Waldrop
is returning from shoulder surgery but
will not be ready for the start of the season after redshirting
in 2012.
CATCHERS
After graduating two senior catchers from last year’s
team, the Salukis’ only returning catcher is senior
Luke
Mottashed
. A left-handed hitter, he hit .292 with a .443 on-
base percentage in 20 games in 2012, his first with SIU.
“Luke has made strides especially offensively,”Henderson
said. “He does a good job receiving, and he moves well behind
the plate.”
Mottashed is joined by junior
Matt Jones
, a right-handed
hitting transfer from Central Arizona Community College. As
a sophomore, he hit .375 and threw out nearly 60 percent of
attempted base stealers.
“He’s extremely athletic with a plus arm,” Henderson
said. “He throws as well as anybody around. He’s also had
great success offensively everywhere he’s been.”
Both catchers are expected to see plenty of playing time.
“At this level, you have to have two guys who you can go
to,” Henderson said, “and I feel very comfortable that those
two can give us a good one-two combination behind the plate.”
INFIELD
Improving infield defense was the biggest concern this
offseason after the Salukis committed nearly two errors per
game in 2012. SIU has shuffled players to different positions
and added some key newcomers to fix the problem.
Southern will have many options at first base. Junior
Ryan Casillas
and senior
Brock Harding
are the two most
likely candidates to take over for Serritella. Casillas began
his career at the University of Arizona and comes to SIU as
a transfer from Central Arizona Junior College. Harding is a
former middle infielder who was second-team All-Conference
as a designated hitter in 2012. He hit .347 through the first
40 games of the year and played through a wrist injury for the
latter part of the season.
“Ryan is one of the more physical kids on the team in
terms of strength,” Henderson said. “We are confident that he
will hit and he’s made a great deal of improvement defensively.
As a former middle infielder, Harding has good hands and
knows how to play the infield. Defensively, he’s certainly a
strong candidate to be the everyday first baseman.”
Either player could fill the DH role as well.
Senior
Derek Trovillion
is another capable first baseman
who will get opportunities.
“Derek’s chances will probably come more at the plate.
He had a good summer and we are hopeful that will carry over
to the spring.”
Senior
Wes Neece
started 47 games at first base in 2011
and also has experience playing second base, third base and
the outfield.
“Wes is a true utility guy in that he can play any of the
infield spots and has done so over his career,” Henderson said.
The only returning starter in the infield will be junior
Jake
Welch
who began last season at shortstop and moved to his
natural position at second base midway through the season.
He had a strong year as the Dawgs’ leadoff hitter, batting .308
with a team-leading 16 stolen bases.
“When we moved him to second base, which is where he
belongs and where we recruited him to be, he just exploded,”
Henderson said. “It took some pressure off him and allowed
him to be a better offensive player as well. He has all the tools
to be everything you would need in a college second baseman.”
Sophomore second baseman
Adam Warda
has seen
limited action as he continues to battle an arm injury dating
back to his senior year of high school. He was limited to six
at-bats in 2012.
The top recruiting priority for this season was finding a
true shortstop, and
Ryan Rosthenhausler
fits that role. He is
a transfer from Gateway (Ariz.) Community College and has
impressed the coaches with his defensive ability.
“He’s one of the best defensive shortstops we’ve had in
this program since I’ve been here in 23 years,” Henderson
said. “He’s very knowledgeable and has all the tools to be a
tremendous shortstop and a guy who can lead us defensively.”
A junior college transfer, third baseman
Cody Daily
is
another big, powerful addition to the infield. He also figures to
be a fixture in the middle of the offensive lineup.
“We’re a much stronger, more physical club than we were
a year ago,”Henderson said.“Cody is certainly one of the guys
I’m talking about when I say that. As he adjusts to playing
the game at this level he has a chance to be a special player.”
OUTFIELD
Southern has three returning outfielders that saw
significant playing time, however only one of those was an
every day player.
Rennie Troggio
will be back in center field.
He is a solid centerfielder who was among the league leaders
with a .354 average in conference games in 2012.
“He has great athleticism,” Henderson said. “He can run
and has a plus arm. He’s learned to play at this level, and he’s a
much more rounded player than he was a year ago.”
The corners of the outfield could feature familiar
faces in new places. Senior
Austin Montgomery
, who split
time between right field and third base in 2012, has moved
primarily to left field. He finished fifth in the Valley batting
race in 2012 with a .332 average and was a first-team All-
MVC selection. He has experience at third base, first base, the
outfield and even catcher.
“Austin is a guy who’s played everywhere, and hopefully
we can get him settled into one position this year,” Henderson
said. “We definitely have to have his bat in the lineup.”
Junior
Donny Duschinsky
has moved from shortstop to
right field. He has a tremendous outfield arm and will look to
build off his strong offensive start a year ago.
“Donny throws as well as anyone we have ever had in
the outfield,” Henderson said. “I think getting him out of the
infield will take some pressure off of him. He just needs to get
used to playing in the outfield.”
Nick Johnson
is another outfield option. He showed some
power last year, hitting a career-high five home runs. He has
started 130 games for the Salukis, most of them in right field,
and is fully healthy after missing last year’s MVC Tournament
with a hyperextended knee. A senior, he brings solid defense
and a left-handed bat to the table.
“Nick is one of the more gifted athletes in the program,”
Henderson said.“We know he will play hard and certainly is in
the mix for considerable playing time.”
Tanner Renner
will also be in the discussion for playing
time. He played in 32 games as a freshman in 2012 and can
play all three outfield positions.
“Tanner has all of the tools you look for in an outfielder,”
Henderson said.“As he figures out how to play at this level and
gains confidence, he can be a significant contributor.”
With most of the offseason roster needs fulfilled, SIU will
look to take the next step this spring.
“Overall, I like this group,” Henderson said. “I think we
have filled the major holes from last year’s club and certainly
have a better mental approach.The run we made at the end of
last year gave us some confidence that will hopefully carry over
to this spring. The league will be as good as ever and every
weekend will be a challenge, but we are definitely excited
about the opportunity to compete for an MVC championship.”
2013 MVC Preseason Poll
Place Team (First place votes)
Points
1.
Missouri State (6)
60
2.
Wichita State (1)
47
T3.
Illinois State (1)
45
T3.
Indiana State
45
5.
Southern Illinois
36
6.
Bradley
21
7.
Creighton
18
8.
Evansville
16
2013 MVC Preseason All-Conference Team
Pos. Name
Class School
1B Johnny Coy
Sr. Wichita State
2B Chris Godinez
So. Bradley
3B Zac Johnson
Sr. Illinois State
SS Brett Kay
Sr. Illinois State
C
Luke Voit
Sr. Missouri State
UT Austin Montgomery Sr. Southern Illinois
DH Greg Partyka
Jr. Bradley
OF Eric Aguilera
Sr. Illinois State
OF Keenan Maddox
Sr. Missouri State
OF Robby Ort
Sr. Indiana State
SP Sean Manaea
Jr. Indiana State
SP Nick Petree
Jr. Missouri State
RP Tyler Burgess
So. Missouri State
RP Todd Eaton
Jr. Southern Illinois
2013 OUTLOOK