University of Tennessee Athletics
Baseball Vols Primed for Success
January 26, 2005 | Baseball
Jan. 26, 2005
After returning to the SEC and NCAA tournaments and posting a 38-24 record in 2004, the Tennessee Volunteers are primed to take the next step in 2005. With their sights set on a return to Omaha, Neb., and the College World Series, the Vols will be led by a deep, versatile pitching staff and a hungry, veteran corps of position players.
The Vols, guided by 16th year head coach Rod Delmonico, enter spring practice with a pitching staff comprised of eight returnees, two junior-college transfers and two freshmen newcomers.
Tennessee returns eight position players with a combined 593 Division I starts under their collective belts. A promising pair of freshmen newcomers also enters the fold and looks to compete for time.
Tennessee begins the season ranked No. 34 by Baseball America and No. 40 by Collegiate Baseball.
CATCHER
After spending much of last season as the Vols' backup catcher, junior Kelly Edmundson enters the 2005 season as UT's primary backstop. The Memphis native started 16 games a season ago and hit .264 with 15 RBI and three home runs.
Delmonico has long been one to utilize a two-player rotation at the catcher position, and freshman newcomer J.P. Arencibia has given the Vols skipper no reason to change his philosophy. Seattle drafted Arencibia in the 17th round in 2004 following a decorated prep career at Miami's Westminster Christian HS.
"We've always caught two guys in our system," Delmonico said. "I think both Kelly and J.P., offensively, have a chance to be very, very good. We need to figure out a way to work that in somehow."
INFIELD
Junior Chase Headley has the Big Orange coaching staff excited about his potential at the hot corner. Headley missed time due to injury in 2004, but did make 32 starts - at five different positions. He made a name for himself in the Cape Cod League this past summer, earning team MVP honors after batting .242 with three doubles, three home runs and 17 RBI in 36 games with the Cotuit Kettleers.
After making 61 starts as the Vols' second baseman a season ago, senior Eric King moves back to the shortstop position, which he played as a freshman and sophomore at Los Medanos College in California. One of Tennessee's most dependable defensive gloves, King more than holds his own offensively. In 2004, he tied for second on the team in runs scored (47), ranked third in hits (68) and RBI (42) and tied for third in doubles (17) and stolen bases (10).
Versatile junior Michael Rivera, who moves in from the outfield, will likely occupy King's old post at second base. The Miami, Fla., native started 42 games as a sophomore and also put together a 10-game hit streak that marked the longest such stretch by a Vol all year.
Senior Alex Suarez looks to be the Vols' starting first baseman entering spring practice. Suarez served as Tennessee's designated hitter in 2004 and his prowess at the plate - he led the Vols in batting average (.330) and on-base percentage (.416). - earned him second-team All-SEC acclaim. Suarez could also see action in left field or in his former role as a designated hitter, depending on circumstances in the lineup and how well he responds from off-season arm surgery.
OUTFIELD
Utility man Rob Fitzgerald will begin spring practice as the man in left field, but has the ability to move in and effectively play the infield -and possibly first base - if needed. The senior from New Orleans has selflessly given UT added depth at a number of positions throughout his career, from the outfield to the infield and even on the mound.
"Rob's a guy that, offensively, can give us some pop from the left side (of the plate)," Delmonico said. "We've got to find a spot for him to play, but he'll probably start the season in left."
Junior Josh Alley, the Vols' leadoff man and leading run scorer last season, will also likely keep himself in the mix to roam the outfield. The junior from Anna, Ill., is one of Tennessee's most aggressive baserunners, a trait he transfers to his defensive efforts to chase down balls in the outfield.
Alley will battle with newcomer Julio Borbon for the right to earn a spot in centerfield. Borbon comes to Rocky Top from the Dominican Republic and has drawn praise from Delmonico for both his blazing speed and his dedication to academics.
The right field position is one that evokes far less debate, as junior Eli Iorg has worked himself comfortably into that post. Delmonico named the junior a co-captain for the 2005 season after Iorg led the Vols in hits (77), triples (6) and stolen bases (26) last year. Iorg also earned 2005 second-team preseason All-SEC honors from SEBaseball.com.
Freshman newcomer Isaiah Newson arrives at UT following a solid prep career at Chattanooga's The Baylor School. Newson will redshirt this season and could provide depth in the outfield as a freshman in 2006.
PITCHERS
The Tennessee pitching staff has Delmonico feeling optimistic about his options on the mound and in the bullpen. The Vols' hurlers are led by returning ace and preseason All-America selection Luke Hochevar. The junior co-captain missed time with two separate injuries in 2004, but battled back to post a 4-2 record with a 2.86 ERA. He was also named to the NCAA Kinston All-Regional Team. Hochevar spent the summer as a member of Team USA, gaining invaluable experience along the way.
The Vols also return their No. 2 pitcher, sophomore Sean Watson. The right-hander led Tennessee with 14 starts as a true freshman a season ago, and he also started all 10 SEC series.
Tennessee's staff was bolstered in January with the arrival of talented left-hander Tyler Coon. After starring for two seasons at the Community College of Southern Nevada, Coon transferred to Texas for the fall 2004 semester. He then chose to enroll at Tennessee and is now in the mix as a contributor this spring for the Vols.
A 17-6 record and a 2.81 ERA highlighted coon's two-year career at CCSN. As a freshman, he tossed a 4-1 complete-game victory in the championship of the NJCAA World Series and was named World Series MVP.
Fellow newcomer James Adkins, an in-state product from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., also has the potential to be a Sunday starter for UT. The true freshman lefty stands 6-foot-5 and was a 2004 13th-round draftee of the Philadelphia Phillies.
"Adkins is a promising young freshman who could throw a lot of innings for us," Delmonico said. "I think he has a chance to be a really special player."
A number of Volunteers are slated to see action in middle relief, and experienced senior Joey Andrews headlines that list. The Englewood, Colo., native benefited from a strong summer in the Alaska Baseball League and looks to close out his career on Rocky Top in fine fashion.
Another right-hander that has the Big Orange coaching staff excited is juco transfer Jabe Beard, who was a teammate of Coon at the Community College of Southern Nevada. Beard was the ace of a staff that led the Coyotes to the 2003 NJCAA World Series title. He compiled a 13-1 mark with an impressive 1.93 ERA that season on his way to earning ABCA Division I Junior College All-America honors.
"With Beard and Coon, we've got the Nos. 1 and 2 guys from the junior college national championship team, which I like," Delmonico said. "Jabe is a guy who's looking for a place to pitch. He'll probably pitch middle to start the season, but he could also be a spot-starter."
Mike Kerfeld is a left-handed junior who posted a 4-0 mark with a 3.16 ERA in 2004. In total, he had 12 mound appearances and four starts as a sophomore, tossing 25.2 innings with 26 strikeouts.
Senior Chris Howell adds even more depth. Howell missed nearly one month due to an injury last season, but did go 1-0 with a save and a 3.48 ERA in 10 appearances. Playing in his first season on Rocky Top after transferring from Pensacola junior college, Howell did not allow a run in eight of his 10 appearances.
Trey Bridges is a junior walk-on who made good use of the summer and could also contribute as a middle reliever if called upon.
Freshman Chase Hardin possesses one of the hardest-throwing arms in the Vols' bullpen, and hopes to work himself into a role after redshirting last season.
Another pitcher looking to earn some playing time is freshman Jonathan Rapavi from Springfield, Va. The lefty hurls the ball at 92-94 mph and could be a sleeper for the Vols if he can polish his mechanics and improve his technique.
Sophomore Craig Cobb gives the Vols a versatile right arm that can fill many roles. As a true freshman last season, the Knoxville native threw 70.1 innings; with six starts and a team-best three complete games in 21 appearances. He assumed the closer's role against Arkansas in the SEC tournament, and is penciled in as Tennessee's closer entering this season.
"I really like our pitching staff," Delmonico said. "We bring back our Nos. 1 and 2 guys from last season, and we've added a couple of juco guys who already have a lot of college experience. So we've got six or seven really solid guys, and we've got some experience and depth in that middle slot to get us to our closer."
SCHEDULE
As in years past, Tennessee navigates one of the nation's most difficult schedules. In addition to the perennial-challenging SEC slate, the Vols also square off against a bevy of dangerous non-conference foes.
There is little time allowed for working out any kinks either, as UT opens the season against three Big 12 powerhouses in the 2005 Minute Maid College Classic in Houston Feb. 11-13. Texas A&M, Baylor and Oklahoma State are all on tap for the Vols in the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park, and all three clubs boast at least two top-tier pitchers and a top-25 preseason ranking.
Tennessee faces four teams that are listed in the top 10 - and 11 teams in the top 40 -- in Collegiate Baseball's preseason rankings. In the Baseball America poll, 13 UT opponents garner a top-50 preseason ranking, with three in the top 10.
Nine SEC teams were ranked in both preseason polls, with an average ranking of No. 20 in the Baseball America poll and No. 21 in the Collegiate Baseball listings.
This season's schedule also includes 14 teams that finished among the top 50 in RPI last year, as well as four teams that advanced to the 2004 College World Series.
