Despite losing all-star pitching prospect Randy Newsom, who was drafted by the Boston Red Sox after his senior year, the Tufts baseball team is optimistic about its young pitching staff. The core members of the 2004 pitching staff, with the exception of Newsom, all return in 2005 and are supplemented by the addition of Derek Rice, a sophomore transfer from Div. II Rollins College.
"I feel good about our pitching staff this year," Coach John Casey said. "We have depth and a group of guys that are hard-working. I think the biggest thing for us is replacing Newsom mentally."
Casey is still trying to determine the starters on the mound this season. Sophomores Ben Simon, Rice and Aaron Narva, junior Zack Smotherman and senior Jeremy Davis are all competing for starting jobs. The Jumbos expect to have a four-man starting rotation.
Narva, who closed for the team last year and led the Jumbos in appearances and saves, may make the transition from reliever to starter this year.
"I loved closing last year and I certainly would not mind starting," Narva said. "However, I am ready to go wherever Coach Casey puts me. He knows what's best for the team."
In contrast to Narva, a power pitcher, Simon is known more for his control. He led the team in ERA as a freshman, finishing with a 2.01 in 10 appearances. Simon's final record was 4-2.
Smotherman is a strikeout pitcher who posted an ERA just under three. He also held his opponents to the lowest batting average against any pitcher in the NESCAC, and was second in innings pitched only to Simon.
Davis posted a 3-2 record with a 4.54 ERA a year ago and figures to be the leader of this pitching staff.
"Davis' leadership has been huge," Narva said. "He has become an extension of Casey in a way. [He] is always telling us what to expect and advises us on how to handle things that come up during the year."
Sophomore Chris Gingle will also be returning, after missing almost all of last season with an elbow injury.
The pitching staff should get a significant boost from newcomer Rice. Rice was the number two pitcher on the staff at Rollins, the No. 2 Div. II team in the country. He appeared on the mound and played a significant role in the 2004 Div. II College World Series.
"Rice should certainly help us," Casey said. "He is scheduled to start an early game on the southern trip. He has worked extremely hard and we should see the benefits of that hard work this season."
This year, Casey will continue to preach a philosophy of throwing strikes, avoiding walks, and giving the defense behind the pitcher a chance to make plays.
"I think the guys on this team have really bought into the way we are going to pitch, which is we are going to throw strikes," Casey said. "If you look at our pitching staff's strike-to-ball ratio last year, it was excellent, and I don't see why this year should be any different."
The team's early season southern road trip will provide an opportunity to solidify the rotation.
"I hope after the southern trip there will be some type of delineation as to who will start and who will relieve," Casey said. "This is something I just don't know at this point."
Simon and Smotherman each threw about 40 innings last year, the second most innings on the team, but still 20 less than Newsom, who was the team's horse. One questionmark will be whether their arms can hold up under increased pressure.
But Casey isn't worried about filling the innings void left by Newsom's departure.
"Its funny, people were saying the same thing about filling John Lee's shoes, when he left a few years ago after being an all-star." he said "And then came along Newsom who ended up developing into [another] all-star. It seems like somebody always finds a way to step up around here. I am wondering who it will be this year."
