UConn Baseball 2020

[kris1]

Another newcomer to the UConn baseball staff. I don't recall any announcement of this.

Devin Belenski - Baseball Coach - University of Connecticut Athletics

Devin Belenski joins the Huskies in his first season as Director of Player Development. Belenski played four seasons with the Eastern Connecticut State University

uconnhuskies.com

A little late on this one but....Devin is a great addition to the UConn Baseball staff!! My son had the opportunity to play for Devin this summer. Outstanding young man, wish him well in his new gig.

 

[huskymedic]

Annual Halloween lift:

 

[dbmill]

Annual Halloween lift:

I look forward to the Halloween lift video every year. It is always fun. It has become one of the big UConn baseball events of the fall ball season, at least for me.

 

[dbmill]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

Always look forward to any Coach Penders interview about the team, especially in the preseason, whether it is with Chris Jones or anyone else. There is often interesting informational tidbits to be had.

 

[kris1]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[kris1]

I might be alone in this but I’m excited to see Wink in CF this spring....

 

[businesslawyer]

I might be alone in this but I’m excited to see Wink in CF this spring....

It's an interesting move. He was an outstanding defensive 1B. I'd love to know if this was about him being the best candidate to fill the hole in CF, or whether this was to get Crawford's bat in the lineup without removing Winkel's or Gazzo's.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[kris1]

It's an interesting move. He was an outstanding defensive 1B. I'd love to know if this was about him being the best candidate to fill the hole in CF, or whether this was to get Crawford's bat in the lineup without removing Winkel's or Gazzo's.

Agree, he is an outstanding defensive 1B. I think it’s a combination of Wink’s ridiculous athleticism and Crawford’s potential in the lineup. I love the move and think the transition will be smooth. Wink did play some outfield at Amity when he was coming back from a basketball injury his senior year.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

It's an interesting move. He was an outstanding defensive 1B. I'd love to know if this was about him being the best candidate to fill the hole in CF, or whether this was to get Crawford's bat in the lineup without removing Winkel's or Gazzo's.

Agree, he is an outstanding defensive 1B. I think it’s a combination of Wink’s ridiculous athleticism and Crawford’s potential in the lineup. I love the move and think the transition will be smooth. Wink did play some outfield at Amity when he was coming back from a basketball injury his senior year.

Chris Winkel played some outfield as a freshman at UConn. I recall interviews with Penders and the coaching staff from early on in Winkel’s time at UConn where they talked about the possibility of Winkel eventually playing center field, so in a way this move has been a long time coming. Helping to keep Winkel at 1B were Troy Stefanski and Mike Woodworth and their excellent play in CF. Now that those guys are gone and now that UConn baseball has a very talented freshman candidate for the 1B job, the Winkel move to CF is happening. I would say the move to CF for Winkel is due to not only to his speed and athleticism, but also is a testament to how highly the coaching staff thinks of Reggie Crawford and his potential. The UConn coaching staff has always tried to get young talented players and pitchers established in the lineup as quickly as possible, and Crawford is no exception.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Crawford's arm is so tempting to develop him into a starter.

 

[dbmill]

Crawford's arm is so tempting to develop him into a starter.

That could very well come. It wouldn't surprise me if he gets some midweek starts this coming season.

 

[dbmill]

Don't have time to listen to this now, but I'll probably get around to it sometime today.

 

[dbmill]

Don't have time to listen to this now, but I'll probably get around to it sometime today.

Biggest news out of this interview is that Justin Willis suffered a fall season ending ACL injury. Sounds like there is a hope that he will be able to pitch in the 2020 season, and possibly be the closer out of the bullpen. We'll have to see about that. Both Casparius and Stock have impressed the coaching staff especially with their fall pitching. Still don't know if either of these guys will be eligible to play in the spring. Sounds like Austin Peterson is not yet on campus, Penders could not talk about him yet. Nick Krauth is drawing comparisons as a Jeffrey Kersten type pitcher. Zach Bushling has impressed Penders with his versatility in the infield, has a Woodworth quality that way. As for returning players, Paul Gozzo is going to be the backup to Pat Winkel behind the plate, but his bat is going to get him more time in the lineup than just being a back up catcher. As you may expect, big expectations for Reggie Crawford at 1B, and possibly on the mound at some point.

 

[kris1]

Good story, great read....Josh Cohen

 

[dbmill]

Good story, great read....Josh Cohen

Indeed, an excellent read. The basics of the story has been reported in other places, including the angle of Coach Hourigan finding out that Cohen was coming back from cancer while at a UConn camp, but this article really did a good job of fleshing out the whole story with more detail.

 

[dbmill]

If the past is any guide, the UConn baseball team usually conclude their fall workouts in the UConn cemetery at the gravesite of the Storrs brothers, Charles and Augustus, on the Friday before Thanksgiving. It is also traditionally the time and place where the team captains for the upcoming season are named. I have no idea if a ouija board is used to get the input of the long dead university founders. At any rate, this is one of the highlights of the fall season. I would guess that Chris Winkel will repeat his role as one of the captains.

 

[huskymedic]

UConn Release

 

[Palatine]

Last season in a elite baseball conference.

 

[huskymedic]