Gators Open Season Confident in Deep Pitching Staff
Friday, February 13, 2015 | Baseball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators shortstop Richie Martin sometimes steps to the plate during intrasquad scrimmages and ponders the possibilities.
Martin and his teammates have faced Florida's pitching staff for weeks now leading up to tonight's season opener against Rhode Island (7 p.m. at McKethan Stadium).
Martin's take: opponents beware.
“I think it's going to be very difficult for other teams,'' Martin said. “They don't get to see what we get to see. We have the best arms out there.”
As the Gators open their eighth season under head coach Kevin O'Sullivan, the theme is similar to past ones during O'Sullivan's tenure. Florida's pitching staff is deep and talented.
Consider that last season's opening-day starter, left-hander Bobby Poyner, is not in the rotation this weekend against the Rams. Poyner's start in last year's opener against Maryland was a good one – the senior left-hander pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings in Florida's 4-0 win.
However, with a roster loaded with live arms, O'Sullivan penciled in sophomores Logan Shore (Friday), Dane Dunning (Saturday) and A.J. Puk (Sunday) to start this weekend's three-game series. Poyner (5-4, 3.47 ERA in 28 games in 2014) returns and projects as a spot starter and inning eater out of the bullpen for the defending SEC regular-season champion Gators.
The depth of Florida's pitching staff is a major reason why the Gators open the season ranked fifth by USA Today and sixth by Baseball America.
Sophomore Dane Dunning is scheduled to make his first weekend start on Saturday. (Photo: Tim Casey)
Shore emerged as the team's ace a season ago as a true freshman, going 7-4 with a 2.16 ERA in 15 starts to earn SEC Freshman of the Year. Shore worked at least five innings in all his starts and carried a calm demeanor more typical of a senior than a player who just arrived from Coon Rapids, Minn.
“He's a very mature young man. He understands the importance of being a No. 1 starter and what goes into that,” O'Sullivan said. “He knows what needs to happen on his end and I just kind of leave him alone. If he just goes out there and does his thing, then that's going to be plenty good enough. He doesn't need to be Superman; he just needs to be consistent like he always is.”
A right-hander from Fleming Island, Fla., Dunning has an opportunity to take on a much larger role this season. He will make his first career weekend start after a stellar offseason. Martin considers Dunning and junior-college transfer Taylor Lewis the two most difficult pitchers on the team to hit.
Dunning's slider is a challenge for anyone.
“Dane has been lights out. His stuff is electric,'' said Puk, who will start Sunday after playing first base in the first two games. “If he throws strikes, he will be really effective.”
Dunning made 17 appearances as a freshman and struck out 31 in 24 innings. Also a sophomore, Puk was 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA last season in 20 appearances (seven starts), and stuck out 46 batters in 42 1/3 innings.
The trio of sophomores in the starting rotation have talent that supersedes any concern over their lack of experience.
“They've earned it,'' O'Sullivan said. “They've all pitched very well.”
Florida finished 40-23 a season ago and captured the program's 13th SEC title and first since 2011 by winning 21 of 30 conference games. However, they were eliminated on the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament and their mission is to return to Omaha, where they advance to the College World Series for three consecutive years from 2010-12.
“We have been preparing since the last game of last spring,” Martin said.
The Gators start the season without a key piece of their lineup in sophomore first baseman Pete Alonso (.264, 4 HR, 32 RBI in 2014). Alonso suffered a broken foot this week and is out indefinitely. Freshman Jeremy Vasquez, also expected to play first base, is out with a broken hand.
Puk was originally slated to start on Saturday to give Rhode Island a right-left-right look during the series, but Dunning moved into the Saturday slot and Puk to Sunday after Alonso's injury. When Puk is on the mound, O'Sullivan mentioned freshman Christian Hicks, sophomore John Sternagel freshman JJ Schwarz, the starting catcher, as possibilities at first base.
“It's obviously a blow for us to not have Pete,'' O'Sullivan said. “I think it's a great opportunity for other players. It's just part of it. In the meantime, we've got plenty of depth. It's as deep a lineup as I think we've had. Now, they've got to go out and perform.”
O'Sullivan has the starters on a 70- to 75-pitch limit on the opening weekend, so expect several trips to the mound as he begins the process of sorting out roles in the bullpen.
The Gators also have 10 newcomers, nine freshmen and Lewis, a right-hander who pitched at Chipola (Fla.) Junior College last season.
Martin returns for his third season as the team's starting shortstop and is ready to start the 56-game regular season. He called on a quote former major-leaguer Chet Lemon, Martin's coach in summer ball growing up, once told him about starting a new season.
“If you're not nervous for a baseball game or for a special event, you shouldn't be playing anymore,” Martin said. “I took that to heart.”
Play ball, Gators.
