Boston College Athletics
2010 Baseball Outlook
February 15, 2010 | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2010
The 2010 baseball season is here. Boston College, coming off of its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1967, opens the season on Friday with a three-game series at Tulane. Read the official season preview right here.
2010 SEASON OUTLOOK
The Boston College baseball team finally broke through in 2009. The Eagles finished third in the ACC Atlantic Division, played in their first ACC Championship and earned their first berth to the NCAA Tournament in 42 years.
As great as the season was for BC, it still ended in disappointment with an opportunity to reach a Super Regional lost.
The Eagles are using that disappointment as fuel for the 2010 season. Now they know they belong on the national stage and they know that their talent is as good as anyone's in the country.
"I'm really optimistic about this year's team," head coach Mik Aoki said. "I think we have a chance to continue the momentum that we created with our first trip to the ACC Tournament and our first visit to the NCAA Tournament since 1967. I would be disappointed if we didn't go a little further into the tournament than last year."
Boston College did lose some key components from last year; namely Tony Sanchez, Mike Belfiore, Barry Butera and JB MacDonald. But as a whole, the team is deeper. The defense should be stellar and the starting pitching is expected to be solid from top to bottom.
"I know that we lost a lot in JB (MacDonald), Barry (Butera), Tony (Sanchez) and Mike (Belfiore)," Aoki said. "I also think that we're going to be able to pick up a lot of what they brought to us. I think the biggest challenge, clearly, is replacing what Tony brought to the catcher position, which is pretty significant. But, I really think this team has a chance to be better. We're deeper on the mound and we're deeper up and down the lineup. Overall we will be a bit more athletic and we will be an improved defensive team. Hopefully, we will be able to realize the talent that we have."
And if they do, the Eagles could surprise even more people this season.
STARTING PITCHERS
What was a question mark at the beginning of the season last year will be a strength this season. Junior LHP Pat Dean returns as the likely No. 1 weekend starter after a strong sophomore campaign. He went 6-4 with a 3.30 ERA last year with 90 strikeouts compared to just 16 walks.
Junior RHP John Leonard will be slotted as the No. 2 starter after spending nearly all of last year as the No. 3. His numbers weren't great last year (1-5, 7.09 ERA), but he played for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League over the summer and earned an all-star selection after going 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA.
Sophomore RHP Mike Dennhardt and junior RHP Kevin Moran are options for the last weekend spot. Dennhardt was solid as a freshman, going 5-2 with a 4.96 ERA. Aoki and his staff will try to utilize Moran the best they can as last year he was a vital part of the bullpen. He could either start or close games for the Eagles after going 5-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 2009.
One of the problems with the pitching staff last year was depth and that hurt the Eagles in their midweek non-conference games. Dennhardt spent most of his time at one of the midweek slots, but the other was always a toss up. Now, the Eagles have a battle brewing for a spot in the starting rotation. Senior RHP Dane Clemens has come on strong in the fall and spring, sophomore RHP Taylor Lasko has talent and experience and freshman RHP Andrew Del Colle has impressed the staff and is pushing for time.
"We have a chance to be a lot better than we were last year - with both conference games and our midweek games," Aoki said. "One of the two midweek games last year was a little bit of an adventure. I think that we will be able to get more consistency out of that slot."
RELIEF PITCHERS
One of the most significant losses the team experienced was the closer, Belfiore. He had 17 saves in the last two seasons and was almost a sure-thing every time he took the hill.
The Eagles will look to Moran and sophomore RHP Matt Brazis to fill that role and they should do it well. Moran became the go-to guy out of the bullpen in tough situations last year and Brazis has the talent and mentality to close out games.
"Moran and Matt Brazis will be option one and 1A," Aoki said. "Brazis has looked really good and Kevin has really, really good stuff. His biggest challenge is going to be to pitch in the strike zone a little bit more. If he does that, I think he has a chance to have a breakout year."
BC will have numerous options out of the bullpen this season with experience. Senior RHP Chris Kowalski, who made 28 appearances last spring, had an outstanding summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League and was an all-star there.
Junior LHP Nate Bayuk came out of nowhere last year as a shut-down reliever against left-handed batters. He led BC in appearances with 32 and had a 3.14 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched. Junior RHP Dave Laufer was solid last year as well with a 3.63 ERA in 22 appearances.
Other options for the Eagles include senior RHP Geoff Oxley and freshmen RHP Matt Alvarez, Hunter Gordon and Jay Jeannotte.
CATCHERS
The biggest concern for the Eagles this season will be replacing the leadership and defense that Tony Sanchez provided for three seasons.
BC brought in two freshmen catchers this season but Aoki and his staff have converted Garret Smith, last year's starting shortstop, to the spot behind the plate. Smith provides a solid option for BC defensively and it will also keep his bat in the lineup. He hit .297 with 25 RBI last year.
Freshmen Anthony Italiano and Matt Watson will also battle for some time behind the plate along with sophomore Jim Laufer. Watson provides a very good bat for BC as a freshman and will see some time as a designated hitter when he isn't calling signals.
FIRST BASE
Aoki has a lot of depth in the infield and can mix and match players depending on situations. Senior captain John Spatola will be the first option at first base. His bat came alive at the Austin Regional last year and his hot streak hasn't ended in the offseason.
Junior Mickey Wiswall will spend a majority of his time at third base but will also backup Spatola depending on what the team needs. Sophomore Anthony Melchionda will have the same duties of being a backup at both third and first base.
All three are very important bats though and should each be in the lineup on a consistent basis.
SECOND BASE
Junior Matt Hamlet has secured the starting spot at second base and is a great defensive player. He was one of four players in the ACC to not commit an error despite spending time in left field, at shortstop and second base. He also batted .309 and had a very good offseason in the box in the Coastal Plains League.
Freshman Philip Miclat, from Salisbury, N.C., has solidified himself as the backup to Hamlet. He had a great high school career that ended with him being named the second baseman for the Rowan County All-Decade Team.
SHORTSTOP
Sophomore Brad Zapenas will be the starting shortstop for the Eagles on opening day. He was the everyday second baseman as a freshman and hit .287 with 12 doubles and 26 RBI.
A variety of different players could step in during different situations that arise. Miclat, Hamlet, Smith and Melchionda could all play shortstop if need be.
THIRD BASE
Wiswall has cemented his position at third base and is one of the best hitters in the ACC entering the season. The Baseball America preseason All-American hit .320 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and 63 RBI last season. With the loss of Belfiore and Sanchez from the lineup, BC has to protect his bat this year.
"We will be able to protect Mickey really well," Aoki said. "He is obviously the one guy in the lineup that people will game plan around. Matt Watson has swung the bat really well and (John) Spatola seems to be keeping on that roll that he got on at the regional. (Anthony) Melchionda is becoming a really good bat. Matt Hamlet is not the quintessential power guy that Belfiore was to protect others, but he went out and hit .342 in one of the better summer leagues out there. I don't know that we'll hit quite as many home runs as we did last year, but we bring more ways to score than we did last year."
Melchionda will be the primary backup to Wiswall at the hot corner.
OUTFIELD
The one spot that is set in stone is center field where senior captain Robbie Anston will play. He started all 60 games there in 2009 and hit .344 with 22 doubles and 15 stolen bases. Anston emerged as one of the best leadoff hitters in the country and was an All-ACC selection.
The corner outfield spots will see a bunch of different, yet vary capable players. Spatola and freshman Matt McGovern will share duties in left field while sophomore Andrew Lawrence could spend the most time in right field. Senior Mike Sudol and sophomore Marc Perdios will also get playing time in the outfield.
Sophomore Spenser Payne, redshirt freshman Rob Moir and freshman Jimmy Dowdell will push for time as well. Payne and Moir, along with junior RHP/1B Kyle Prohovich are expected to compete for a spot as the DH.
