[Husker] 2009 Husker baseball preview

[Skylar Dodds]

Hi guys!  As many of you know, the Husker baseball season starts tonight so
I thought I'd do a little preview.

Pitching
========

The pitching staff is led (IMO) by So. Mike Nesseth (6'5" 220lbs RHP).
Mike's a legit top of the rotation guy who is rated I think the #26 MLB
prospect in college.  He's got a great mid-90s fastball and a deadly slider
and is at times unhittable.  Those of you who paid close attention to the
team last year know he was striking about about 2/inning for the last month
or two of the season (in relief).

After Nesseth, it's really anybody's guess who's going to step up.  I
personally like So. Mike Mariot (6'0" 170lbs RHP).  A righty who pitched out
of the pen last year as well is very decent at times.  He had a 6+ ERA last
year, but it was bloated by 1 or 2 really bad appearances (the other 6 or 7
were VERY good).  It seems to me like he just needs to develop some
consistency.

For Sunday's it's anybody's guess.  I'd bet MA will use Bird, although I
wish he'd keep Bird in the pen and use JUCO transfer Jr. Roaldes (6'2" 207
LHP) or So. Matt Freeman (6'1" 183 RHP) out of Elkhorn or maybe even So.
Casey Hauptman (6'4" 214 RHP).   I'd bet you'll see one of those three as
the weekday starter if they don't use them o nthe weekend.

It's no secret that this will be another big test for new pitching coach
Eric Newman.  If you remember last year, Dorn was the only pitcher that came
in with any experience and he was coming off a Junior year with a 5+ ERA and
looked to be getting worse every year.  Fast forward a few months and we had
one of the top staffs in the Big XII and sent 7 guys to the draft.

This year we have NOBODY with any weekend starting experience (Bird started
a few, but it was mostly midweek) and only a few guys with any game
experience at all.  Our success will largely rely on Newman's ability to
piece together a quality staff.

Offense
=======

I personally think there is potential this year to really break out a little
offensively.  We're missing a real power hitter as our top 3 homerun guys
left after last year (Abeita, Opitz, and Corriston).  However, I expect
three guys to really pick up the slack in Tezak (who was injured last year),
Neer and Farst.

We've got switch hitters galore and a couple guys that can move a bit on the
basepaths.  Hitters to watch for will be Tezak, Belfonte (hopefully over his
sophomore-it is), Farst (who I'd bet leads NU in homers this year) and maybe
a newcomer like Boomer Collins or maybe even Adam Bailey.

Don't expect Cooper to play, especially early.  Rumors are he's got an
injury to his rotator cuff that may ensure he won't play this year.  If
those rumors aren't true, I would still be surprised to see him play much in
the 1st half of the season.

My guess is the lineup will look like this:

1) Belfonte RF
2) Mort 3B
3) Neer C
4) Farst 1B
5) Tezak 2B
6) Sullivan RF
7) Collins/Bailey CF
8) DH (Who knows?)
9) Kline SS

The offense may have to carry the pitching this year (to be fair I thought
they would last year too).  It will be interesting to see who steps up.

Overall/Predictions
===================

No doubt it will be interesting to see who steps up to help carry this team.
I think the biggest losses from last year's team are Dorn and Abeita.  Both
great guys in the clubhouse and great performers/leaders on the field.  

The toughest thing for this team is probably the competitiveness of the Big
XII.  This year in the Big XII is NOT a good year to be rebuilding.  There
are a LEGIT 5 Big XII teams in the top 25 and with Aaron Crow back at MU and
Andrew Oliver back at OSU, well...probably 3 or 4 of those 5 them should be
top 10 (with aTm and Texas).  So even if MA has a good year he might finish
6th in the Big XII (10 teams only in baseball).

My prediction: 35-38 wins, regional birth (not host), 5th or 6th in the Big
XII.  And I WOULD consider that a successful season.

--
Skylar