Even before the mention of these injuries, I thought the competition at 3B was going to be interesting this season for UConn baseball. It will be interesting to see who plays at 3B this coming weekend.
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Even before the mention of these injuries, I thought the competition at 3B was going to be interesting this season for UConn baseball. It will be interesting to see who plays at 3B this coming weekend.
Have to say that in the interview about the position players, a decent amount of the information about the players matched what I had been thinking about them and there playing time.
Can't wait for the interview concerning the pitchers. I figure with that one there is going to be a goodly portion of information that I haven't figured out, so a lot of it could be new to me.
Can't wait for the interview concerning the pitchers. I figure with that one there is going to be a goodly portion of information that I haven't figured out, so a lot of it could be new to me.
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First thing discussed in terms of the players in this interview., the starting pitchers for this upcoming weekend. Garrett Coe is the Friday starter, followed by Steve Quigley and Ian Cooke.
Other guys who have been stretched for possible use in a starting role are the following. Players mentioned first are more likely to see time as a starting pitcher.
Tom Ellisen
Gabe Van Emon
Braden Quinn
Jack Sullivan
Those 4 pitchers above will initially see time out of the bullpen, and possibly enter the starting rotation at a later date if need be, or get starts during the week.
Current leading candidates for back of the bullpen:
Brady Afthim
Cameron Mayer
Joe Carrea
Joe Cinnella
Freshmen who look interesting:
Sean Finn (I saw him pitch a few times in Norwich last summer, he did well.)
Ben Schild
Tom Turner
Charlie West
Devin Wolff
Guys who may need time to develop and possibly make contributions later in the season:
Alex Mach
M. Quigley
Kieran Finnegan
Ryan VanDeWater
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Wasn’t explicitly stated but reading between the lines it sounded like Afthim to me. Maybe I am reading into it too much so take that opinion with a grain of salt
It is one of those seasons where we have to see how things get sorted out with the pitching staff as the season progresses. Also would seem that the starting pitching is currently more firmly set, but not so the bullpen. Does sound like Afthim will get the first crack at being the bullpen closer.
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Going to be an interesting watch through the first few weekends. Always wild to see which players emerge when lights go on, which struggle more than you would have thought based on coach’s feedback on performance in preseason. I know Penders likes stability in his lineup so most of what he starts on Friday will likely be there all weekend with a few ins and outs based on giving catchers rest and seeing how a couple guys who just missed starting Friday do with their opportunity.
Excited for another season of hookc is a little more than 24 hours away.
Excited for another season of hookc is a little more than 24 hours away.
HookC Opens 2024 Season at USF Baseball Tournament - University of Connecticut Athletics
TAMPA, Fla . - The UConn baseball team opens its 2024 season with three games at the USF Baseball Tournament beginning on Friday, February 16 at 6 p.m. again...
HookC Opens 2024 Season at USF Baseball Tournament - University of Connecticut Athletics
TAMPA, Fla . - The UConn baseball team opens its 2024 season with three games at the USF Baseball Tournament beginning on Friday, February 16 at 6 p.m. again...uconnhuskies.com
Informative stuff in this article. Among other things, due to injury Padilla likely will not play until March.
IF it‘s Minick at 3B tomorrow what an opportunity for him to step in and grab that role.
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HookC Opens 2024 Season at USF Baseball Tournament - University of Connecticut Athletics
TAMPA, Fla . - The UConn baseball team opens its 2024 season with three games at the USF Baseball Tournament beginning on Friday, February 16 at 6 p.m. again...
From this article:
<Luke Broadhurst returns as a corner infielder and Dan Hurley for the Huskies after clubbing 14 home runs and hitting .312 last season. The Second Team All-BIG EAST performer missed significant time in the fall and preseason with a wrist injury but is hopeful to be available for this weekend.>
Over the past 2 fall ball seasons, I have seen Broadhurst get playing time at both 1B and 3B in scrimmages and exhibition games. However, during the 2023 fall ball season, I noticed during the few sessions that I went to that Broadhurst would get playing time at both 1B and 3B, but I don't recall him getting any at bats during these sessions. I didn't know about his wrist injury, but I figured Broadhurst had some sort of injury since he wasn't getting at bats.
This article says that Broadhurst may be available to play in games this weekend. If he does, it will be interesting to see if he ends up back at D.H. or ends up seeing time at either 1B or 3B. Agree with @MarkyMark that between this and the Padilla injury, we may be seeing Tyler Minick getting time at 3B this weekend. That would be a good opportunity for Minick, that's for sure.
Also, according to this article, another freshman, catcher Mike Oates, is probably out for the season due to a broken foot. Considering UConn also has Garbowski, Malcom, and Hyde behind the plate, I doubt Oates was going to see much time at the catcher spot during the spring season.
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@dbmill did they end up cutting anyone or it was moot with the way the injuries played out?
Because of the injuries to players that I am guessing are not on full or partial baseball scholarships, they don't need to make any more cuts to the roster. Guessing that the injured players will be off the official spring playing roster, but will still be considered part of the team.
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Connecticut
Head Coach: Jim Penders2023 Record: 44-17 (15-5)
Connecticut looked primed to be just the third regional host in the Northeast in the last 32 years, sitting at 36-11 early in May, but the Huskies finished the season going a paltry 8-6, including falling in the Big East Championship and then having a short appearance in the Gainesville Regional where their starting pitching was overmatched, giving up nine earned runs on 12 hits and seven walks in 10.2 innings.
Strengths
Turn your weaknesses into strengths. UConn faded last year and didn’t have the frontline horses to go toe to toe with Texas Tech and Florida in the regional, but the Huskies feel much more confident in their pitching staff overall and starting rotation specifically, even though the names in the rotation are familiar ones. Six-foot-six fifth-year senior lefty Garrett Coe (6-3, 4.42) has moved up to take the ball on Fridays. Used exclusively as a reliever until he was thrust into the rotation midseason last year, Coe’s stuff has ticked up from low- to mid-80s a couple years ago to where he now routinely pitches in the high 80s to 90 and can touch 91-92. That’s helped his changeup play up even more, allowing him to attack hitters for early contact and more advantageous counts rather than constantly being in lengthy at-bats that drove up his pitch counts. Before jumping into the rotation for the Huskies, Coe was phenomenal this summer pitching in the Cape Cod League, allowing two earned runs on 13 hits with 18 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.
He’ll be buoyed by righthanders Ian Cooke (3-3, 5.74 with 60 K in 53.1 IP), the conference’s 2022 preseason Pitcher of the Year, and Stephen Quigley (4-3, 4.83 with 74 K in 76.1 IP), the conference’s 2023 preseason Pitcher of the Year. Both were beneficiaries of a staff-wide increased focus on conditioning that has led to more consistent deliveries and more strike throwing after Connecticut slid from No. 3 in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio and No. 6 in walks allowed per nine innings in 2022 to being No. 60 and No. 81 in the same two categories in 2023. Cooke accepted the challenge and reworked his body, which should help him on the mound, but also to stay on the mound after he suffered multiple minor, nagging injuries last season. He’s been 90-94 and touching 95 in addition to a sharp slider and changeup.
Question Marks
Pitching coach Joshua MacDonald is confident the Huskies have a deeper arsenal of reliable weapons on the mound this season than last year, but that will include multiple unproven commodities, particularly in the bullpen where they lose Devin Kirby (49.2 IP over 25 appearances), Zach Fogell (8-0, 1.89 with 60 K in 47.2 IP over 36 appearances) and closer Justin Willis who had 27 combined saves the last two seasons. With Coe headed to the front of the rotation and either Jack Sullivan or Thomas Ellisen likely to get the Tuesday starter spot, some newcomers and seldom-used arms are going to be called upon for important bridge innings to get the ball to Brady Afthim (0-0, 3.91 in 26 appearances), who will get the first crack at filling Willis’ shoes. Ellisen could also be a back-end option or a multi-inning bridge guy. Braden Quinn struggled last year but has a huge breaking ball from the left side. Tufts transfer righthander Cameron Mayer and walk-on Joe Carrea will get early opportunities but keep an eye on freshman righthanders Tommy Turner and Ben Schild.
Star Power
Jake Studley is the most common name mentioned by opposing Big East coaches when asked about the conference’s scariest hitter to face. That might seem strange praise for a hitter with only eight home runs last year and that doesn’t have a towering presence in the batter’s box at 5’11”, but Studley doesn’t have many holes. He’s a difficult at-bat for pitchers because he knows his strengths and doesn’t try to do too much. Instead, he just hits laser beams all around the yard.
Glue Guys
Rather than Studley, Connecticut’s leading power hitter this season will be Luke Broadhurst (.312,14, 51), but his power may be a little sapped to start the season as both he and veteran infielder Bryan Padilla (.266, 6, 42) have missed time in the preseason due to hamate bone injuries. Padilla had transitioned over to third base after Division III Oswego State transfer Paul Tammaro (.389, 4, 15) took over the shortstop spot late in the season and ran with it. But Padilla won’t be ready at the beginning of the season, so Broadhurst will likely fill in at third base with Maddix Dalena at first.
Pick to Click
Maddix Dalena is a sweet-swinging lefty with big-time pop in his bat. The sophomore has long levers, and when he connects, it goes a long way. Backing up all-conference first baseman Ben Huber last season, Dalena got minimal playing time until Huber went down with an injury. Dalena got his feet wet, hitting .254, 3, 11 in 59 at-bats, but seems primed for a breakout this season.
Top Newcomer
The Huskies are excited about freshman Tyler Minick and believe he could be one of the best impact freshmen they’ve had in a while. With Broadhurst and Padilla banged up, he’ll likely get some early opportunities, and depending on how he responds, he could move someone else out of the lineup to become a permanent fixture. He’s got all kinds of tools, including a dynamic speed/power combo.
Outlook
The Huskies have been the preeminent program in the Big East since returning from the American Athletic Conference, but after a disappointing finish to their 2023 campaign, they’ve got something to chase this season. They’ll again do it was pitching and defense, but this season, Connecticut will rely less on the long ball and instead use its speed and athleticism to cause some havoc.
During the opening weekend game broadcasts, Chris Jones mentioned that TC Simmons was the only player on the UConn roster from California. He said usually UConn baseball has a few more players from California on the roster.
Chris Jones did not mention that UConn baseball in the last years has not been getting as many California JUCO transfers as they used to in their recruiting efforts recently. Seems to me that the last few years when it comes to transfers UConn baseball was getting more in the way of Grad transfers, and this cut into the Cal JUCO pipeline that UConn baseball developed over the years. I suspect that as we get farther from the Covid years that hit college sports, the number of Grad transfers will decline some as players won't be granted extra years of eligibility. I would suspect that with the decline of Grad Transfers, that UConn baseball will start again to pick up a few more JUCO transfers, including those from California.
Chris Jones did not mention that UConn baseball in the last years has not been getting as many California JUCO transfers as they used to in their recruiting efforts recently. Seems to me that the last few years when it comes to transfers UConn baseball was getting more in the way of Grad transfers, and this cut into the Cal JUCO pipeline that UConn baseball developed over the years. I suspect that as we get farther from the Covid years that hit college sports, the number of Grad transfers will decline some as players won't be granted extra years of eligibility. I would suspect that with the decline of Grad Transfers, that UConn baseball will start again to pick up a few more JUCO transfers, including those from California.
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Will starting pitching be a strength for UConn?
The Huskies got three great outings from their starters on opening weekend.
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They moved the UC Santa Barbara home series against Sacramento State and Oregon to road games as USCB's field is still not ready. The plan I believe was Oregon was going to be the opening home series. The next home games for UCSB are on March 5 (Villanova) and March 8-10 (Uconn). If the field is still not ready for Villanova/Uconn they would probably try and move it to Fresno as there is a minor league park there I believe (subject to availability). This has to do with local govt. striking down new artificial turf, wanting them to put in sod, and the area receiving tons of rain. @huskymedic posted an article last week.
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1 of 8 teams on the Pain Train:
-> CONNECTICUT
What Happened: Swept in three games at Cal
Why It Hurts: Some wins here could really have helped their RPI bumps in late May.
As my colleague Shotgun Spratling pointed out in his thorough write-up from Berkeley, you can tell the Huskies are going to be a good team but they’re just working through some early season kinks right now. And it appears this Cal team is going to be a real witch to deal with this season. The other painful news is how the Huskies overcame a 12-3 deficit to tie game two a a dozen apiece, only to see the Bears plate three more runs in their final two at-bats to lose 15-12. On Sunday they lost in jog-off fashion as Rodney Green Jr. capped the game with an RBI single. <-
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