Boston College Athletics
1998 Boston College Baseball Outlook
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
March 8, 1998
As temperatures start to rise and spring begins to thaw through, people start being gripped by baseball fever once again. Tenth-year head coach Richard "Moe" Maloney knows this feeling all too well. And he's excited. The Eagles enter the 1998 season with what is expected to be one of the strongest teams the college has produced in a long time. Losing only two seniors from last year's squad, Maloney feels this 1998 group can bring the Heights to a new level by reaching its potential. Talking with him for only a few minutes, one can easily detect optimism and excitement in his voice.
I can't wait to get started this year. In the BIG EAST preseason poll, we're ranked eighth out of 11 teams, but I believe we're ready to surprise a lot of people. We have six seniors this year, and I'm very excited about our team's chances with their experience and growth over the past few years."
Making up the heart and soul of the squad are its captains -- senior pitcher Steve Dunlea and junior catcher Sonny Nictakis.
"I'm extremely happy and pleased the players voted for Steve and Sonny to lead them this season. The team couldn't be in better hands with these two tremendous individuals as captains," Maloney said.
"Steve made a career decision to continue his education at BC (after receiving his degree in May 1997) and stay with the team, while Sonny is one of the most unique people I have ever met. He has always met his challenges and never let any setbacks affect him," Maloney said.
Dunlea has been a model of consistency for the Eagles. Subtracting the 1996 season, which was lost because of shoulder surgery, the fifth-year starter has reached double-digit appearances each of his years at Boston College, collecting 35 in all. In 1997, Dunlea made 11 mound appearances, posting a 3-2 mark, while allowing only 10 walks in 32.2 innings. In addition, the resilient righthander recorded a 2.89 ERA in his three wins, allowing only three earned runs over 9 1/3 innings.
Nictakis begins his third campaign as one of junior Jeff Waldron's reliable backups once again. The Lawrenceville, N.J. native has appeared in 12 games in his collegiate career, including eight last season, finishing with a .286 batting average. Nictakis came through in the clutch when asked, registering a pinch-hit RBI double against Notre Dame on April 6, and driving in one run and scoring one run via a single against Connecticut the last weekend of the season.
With these two inspirational teammates leading the way, Maloney expects improvement.
"With our junior class as strong as it is and another excellent recruiting class coming in, our depth from top to bottom is something I haven't seen here in years," the coach said.
Tempering this enthusiasm will be the Eagles' BIG EAST schedule. While Maloney is convinced "there are no weak sisters" in the conference, he believes improvement upon last year's 20-23 record and the achievement of a winning season are attainable this year.
Below is a positional analysis of the 1998 Eagles.
PITCHERS
A team can never have enough pitching, but Maloney thinks his Eagles are pretty well-stocked for the upcoming campaign. Losing only 1997 captain Craig Katz from last spring, the team has four returnees in the starting rotation, along with a closer to shut the door. Add three more sophomores and four newcomers, and Maloney can see why this position could be quite a strength for Boston College.
Flanked by senior Dunlea, and sophomores Steve Langone and Andy Sullivan, junior Paul Bibbo is expected to anchor the staff, while junior Sean McGowan is expected to finish off the competition.
Bibbo returns to the rotation as the team's ace for the second consecutive year. Maloney holds nothing back, saying, "I foresee Paul setting the tone for the team every Saturday. He just doesn't give in to anyone." The reliable Newton, Mass. native made 11 appearances, including 10 starts, last year, matching his totals from a year before. Despite a hard-luck 2-7 record, Bibbo improved in all other areas including innings (59.0), strikeouts (37), complete games (4) and ERA (3.32).
Langone finished second on the team with 61.0 innings pitched in 1997, notching 30 strikeouts and 13 walks in nine starts. Compling a 4-4 record and a 5.39 ERA, he tied Bibbo for the team lead with four complete games.
Sullivan also finished his first season with high hopes toward the future. Leading the team with 71.2 innings pitched in 11 appearances, he earned a 4-5 record and also tied Bibbo for the team lead in complete games.
McGowan, in addition to playing first base, is projected as the backbone of the bullpen. He recorded a 2-0 record with a 2.05 ERA last season.
Counted on to fill out the rotation are any number of underclassmen. One of these is the highly-touted righthander Erik Olsen. Hailing from Reading, Mass., Olsen was a two-time Middlesex League all-star selection and the league's MVP in his final season. He also earned Eastern Massachusetts Division 2 Player of the Year honors.
Returning for their sophomore seasons will be David Conley, Jaime Quiros and Brendan Nolan. Lefthander Conley made eight appearances last year, two in a starting role, but did not record a decision. Quiros earned one win in seven appearances. Nolan, another lefthander, led the team with 15 appearances last year, all in relief, and two saves.
Righthanders Jed Rogers and Greg Doble, and lefthander Chris Gannon round out the list of newcomers.
CATCHERS
Maloney believes the Eagles' catching situation will be just as solid and deep as his pitching staff with four catchers completing the battery. Junior starter Jeff Waldron returns, planning to make his presence felt both offensively and defensively, after hitting .295 over the summer for Wareham in the prestigious Cape Cod League. Starting more than 40 games for a second consecutive year, Waldron has been a rock on defense, committing only 10 total errors with a career .976 fielding percentage. At the plate, he was second on the team in at bats (151) and hits (52), while placing third in RBI (25).
"Jeff has been as good a catcher as anyone in the area. He is poised to blossom and have a great year,"Maloney said.
Battling for the backup job will be junior Nictakis, along with senior John Bello and sophomore Chris Rosado. Rosado is a transfer from the University of New Hampshire.
INFIELDERS
Bring up the progress of Maloney's infielders and he has one response -- defense, defense, defense. Confident and upbeat after the team's fall and winter workouts, the head coach believes they have the potential to be a strong, defensive group with all four starters returning.
"One of the main things we as a team can improve upon is our defense. With all of our starters back, progress in this area will be key for us this year, " Maloney said.
Shoring up the left side of the diamond will be seniors David Bingham at shortstop and Greg Fulginite at third base. Bingham, a former second baseman, made a smooth transition to the other side of the infield last year, starting in 42 of the team's 43 games. He finished the 1997 campaign with nine multiple-hit and nine multiple-RBI games.
Fulginite, who came to Boston College as a shortstop, played third base, shortstop and second base a year ago, but enters the season as the full-time starter at the hot corner. The Wayland, Mass. product has improved every season, raising his batting average to a career-high .301 in 1997.
Joining the group on the right side will be juniors Mike Gambino and Sean McGowan. Gambino earned the job at second base this spring with his toughness and defense. The 5-foot 8-inch righty played in 37 games last year, making 27 starts, and committing only seven errors for a .944 fielding percentage.
"Mike Gambino will be the glue to the infield," Maloney said.
McGowan, a powerful righthanded hitter, will do double-duty this spring, gobbling up anything around the first base bag, in addition to being the team's closer out of the bullpen. McGowan led the team in almost every offensive category last year, and Maloney cannot put a ceiling on this young man's potential.
"Sean has taken the time to develop as a hitter, and because of that he has become better and better. Sean McGowan is a scary hitter. He's ready to explode."
McGowan, a 1997 All-New England selection, finshed his sophomore season with a .360 batting average, while leading the team in home runs (12), RBI (55), doubles (14), hits (62) and runs scored (37).
Sophomores Joe Durkin and Langone, and newcomers Keith Erazmus and Mike Hubbard will provide depth for the infield.
OUTFIELDERS
Having lost the services of two-time BIG EAST batting champion Kevin Penwell to graduation, Maloney might have reason to question the strength of his outfield. Not so. The head coach is excited about the prospects of filling Penwell's old station out in right field. In addition, he has two experienced seniors in left field and center field.
Righthanded-hitting Chang Choe returns to his left-field post as the only player to appear in all 43 games last year. Choe, who brings a blend of speed and power to the lineup, finished with a .331 batting average last spring, while placing second on the squad with eight home runs and tied for second in steals with seven in nine attempts.
In center field, lefthanded-hitting Brendan Levesque brings similar qualities, coming off a season in which he hit .291 with four home runs and 22 RBI. He also stole seven bases last season. The Exeter, N.H. native started 42 games, one of only four to do so.
The showdown for the right-field spot will be competitive, with no player having secured the position going into the season. Maloney expects sophomore Mike Quirk to have stiff opposition from freshmen Joe Kealty and Jarett Mendoza. Quirk hit .200 last year, recording 12 hits, five for extra bases, and seven RBI in 21 games.
Kealty comes to Boston College from Catholic Memorial (Mass.), where he was named Outstanding Senior Baseball Player in 1997 with a .432 batting average.
Mendoza, who hails from North Dighton, Mass., is a three-time All-South Coast Conference selection, capturing league MVP honors his senior season. He finished his career with 109 hits, while batting over .500 each of his last two years.
