2008 Baseball Season Preview
After
a year of transition with a young lineup and a
season of games in a temporary home field, Pacific
figures into another year of transition in 2008.
This year of transition, however, will be much more exciting and should build better momentum for Boxers' teams to come. For starters, the Boxers will return to Forest Grove to open their new facility at Chuck Bafaro Stadium. The chance to play in a home of their, on natural grass instead of artificial turf, will be a motivating factor.
While exciting, 13th year Head Coach Greg Bradley admits that the first year in the new yard will be one of transition. "We won't be able to practice on it much before we play games, so it will still be new for us just as it will be new for our opponents," Bradley said. "The prospect of playing here and playing on a true home field, however, excites all of us in the program."
Bradley is hopeful that friendly confines will translate into better hitting. The offense struggled in cavernous Hillsboro Stadium. The Boxers hit just .264 as a team and hit just 10 home runs, well down from their total of 26 the year before.
The pitching did its job to keep the Boxers in games, but a lack of pop in the bat kept Pacific from taking advantage in close games. Nearly two-thirds of the Boxers' 26 losses in 2007 were decided by two runs or less.
"We need to improve not just on our power numbers, but also hitting for average and on-base percentage," Bradley said. "I think our pitching kept us in games, but they weren't able to win games by themselves. We wound up not scoring enough, not having enough production to win it."
With another year of experience and the return to Forest Grove, however, Bradley is confident that Pacific can return to a 15-win season, a plateau the Boxers have reached six of the last seven years. "We have to make improvement in our overall record and we have to establish a home field presence," Bradley said. "We want to be able to play well at home and establish a strong presence in our first year in the new complex."
PITCHERS
Unlike past years, Bradley believes that the depth
of the pitching staff will be the Boxers' biggest
strength. A total of six hurlers will be vying
for spots in the expanded four-man rotation. While
no one sticks out as a true ace of the staff,
Bradley sees a number of reliable and dependable
arms.
"We will have four games in two days as opposed to three games in two days," Bradley said of the new conference series set up for this season, "We have to have more depth and at this stage we think we have more than we did last year. We have a number of guys who are capable and pretty equal that we think we can intermix."
Brandon Larson (Sr., Beaverton, Ore.) and Sean Dickey (Sr., Redmond, Wash.) will be depended on for the senior leadership on the staff. Larson put together a solid season in 2007 with 4.76 earned run average, but his 1-6 record reflected a number of hard luck losses. Dickey saw most of his action as a middle reliever, but figures as a starting candidate allowing 19 earned runs in 32 innings.
Blaine Knuth (Jr., Salem, Ore.) finished with a 3.98 earned run average, the lowest of any Pacific starter until his year ended with an injury. Andrew Curtin (So., Portland, Ore.), who made two spot starts and finished with a 2-1 record, and Tyler Fransen (So,. Oregon City, Ore.), who made four starts late in the season, will also vie for starting positions. Jason Reed (Jr., Roseburg, Ore.), a transfer from Southwestern Oregon CC, will also compete for a starting position.
As with the starters, the Boxers will also benefit from a deep group of relievers. Kyle Barksdale (Jr., Portland, Ore.) earned Second Team All-NWC honors as the Boxers' closer, amassing a 1.82 earned run average in 19 appearances. Nate McBride (Jr., Warrenton, Ore.) and Ryne Miyamoto (So., Mililani, Hawaii) will also figure into the mix after gaining good experience in 2007.
Daniel Wolfe (Fr., Warrenton, Ore.) and Alex Edwards (Fr., Albany, Ore.) lead the list of newcomers in the bullpen. Wolfe comes to Pacific after two years as an all-state pitcher and infielder, while Edwards earned all-league honors his senior year as a reliever.
CATCHERS
Pacific returns the most experienced corps of
catchers in the conference, thanks in part to
an injury that kept the most experienced man out
of the lineup. Matt Hendryx (Sr., Warrenton, Ore.)
was injured in last year's first game, which forced
Barksdale and Korey Yost (Jr., Caldwell, Idaho)
into a platoon-starting role.
"Korey and Kyle both got some great experience." Bradley said. "They both got thrown into the fire when we thought they wouldn't be full-time guys and they both got a chance to play quite a bit."
Hendryx, meanwhile, comes back as a strong defense presence behind the plate and a threat in front of it. The senior hit .319 during the 2006 season, third best on the team, and committed just five errors in 197 chances. On top of it all, Hendryx is ready to make in impact after having to watch last season from the dugout.
"Matt has a lot on the line," Bradley said. "He is back for his fifth year when he could have graduated last spring. He has a real sense of urgency to help our program be more successful. It's a huge goal for him now that he sat a whole year and has a chance to start over."
INFIELDERS
The infield positions will be a transition point
for Bradley as injuries and departures have left
the Boxers filling holes. Of the four infield
positions, three will be manned by players who
will fill those spots for the first time.
Nick McNeely (Jr., Hillsboro, Ore.) is the only one of the starters who returns with a full season of experience. McNeely started much of the season at first base and was one of the Boxers' few power threats, hitting .298 with five home runs. "Nick is the heir apparent at the position," Bradley said. "He swings the bat well from the left side and has improved his defense."
Kaeo Lau-Hee (So., Pukalani, Hawaii) and Billy Thomas (Fr., Reno, Nev.) will also compete for time at the corner. Lau-Hee played in just eight games as a freshman, but has shown consistent improvement in pre-season practices. Thomas has shown promise after earning high school all-league honors his senior year.
Pacific will fill second base by committee until Frankie Guros (Jr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) can return from injury. The Boxers' regular starter last year and a .275 hitter, Guros continues to recover from off-season arm surgery. Curtin and Reed will platoon at the post while also seeing time on the mound. Max Price (Fr., Salem, Ore.) will covert from first base to second base and enters the Pacific program with all-conference credentials.
Brandon Kon (So., Kaneohe, Hawaii) will be challenged by stepping into a starting role at shortstop. Kon made eight starts as a freshman, but has solid defensive credentials. "Brandon is very capable," Bradley said. "He is a very good defensive player and will do a great job at the position."
The Boxers' best hitter, meanwhile, makes the move from shortstop to third base. Zach Gantenbein (Sr., Warrenton, Ore.) fills the hole left by Ryan Bailey with another strong defensive arm. Gantenbein started 38 games as a shortstop last season and is the Boxers' top returning hitter with a .305 average and nine extra-base hits. Derek Nelson (Fr., Brookings, Ore.) will back-up Gantenbein after earning all-state distinction his junior and senior high school seasons.
OUTFIELDERS
Pacific will return a mix of experience and youth
to the outfield. The line-up will be flexible
as Bradley will move a number of players in and
out to help relieve logjams at other positions.
Jeff Johnston (Sr., Portland, Ore.) will provide stability at center field. Johnston started all 40 games last year and will lock down a starting spot once again with his .293 batting average. Joey Pulito (So., Portland, Ore.) is likely to start in either left or right field after starting 26 games as a freshman in a variety of positions.
Hendryx and Yost will likely play the outfield while not catching, as will Fransen when he is not on the mound. Andy Tolbert (So., Sonoma, Calif.) and Jordan Nakayama (So., Kahalu'u, Hawaii) will also vie for playing time as pure outfielders.