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2/7/08 BASEBALL - 2008 Outlook: Felician Well-Prepared For Change To Wood Bats |
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 RIKER
For the first time, the entire Northeast Region in Division II will play regional regular-season games with wooden bats. Since Felician is without four of its top five hitters from last year, but returns its entire starting pitching rotation, fifth-year head coach Chris Langan is breathing a sigh of relief at the timing of the decision.
“I’m definitely happier it happened this year and not last year,” Langan said. “Having said that, I think the wood bats make a statement that our region isn’t afraid of change. It helps (pro) scouts, and it gets the game back to what baseball was meant to be. Speed, defense, and coaching are important again – you have to play the complete game in order to win.”
While the other two leagues in the region have used wood bats previously, it is a first for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. The CACC has also returned to the three-game series against each opponent that was popular with league coaches, making for a 27-game conference schedule. In yet another change, the 2007 CACC Tournament champion received an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals for the first time.
It should therefore be no surprise where the Golden Falcons place their primary focus.
“Team goals are the first thing we address at the first practice in the fall,” Langan said, “and the conference tournament is the first goal we talk about. We don’t necessarily discuss finishing first, but we at least want to be one of the four teams still standing in May – and after that, it’s a new season. The wood bats will be an equalizer. There’s no clear-cut favorite, and everyone will have a chance to make a run at the tournament.”
PITCHERS AND CATCHERS: While the order of the starting rotation is still up for grabs, seniors Scott VanEs (1-8, 1 SV, 7.06 ERA, 60 SO in 2006) and Nick Riker (4-2, 5.84, 29 SO), junior B.J. Senna (5-1, 7.41, 48 SO), and sophomore left-hander Danny Conti (1-2, 8.44, 21 SO) all return and figure to re-claim their roles. Sophomore Kevin Ernst (1-2, 3.64, 50 SO), as he did a year ago, will be used as both a spot starter and “bridge” reliever. Langan, however, is holding the Opening Day start for sophomore Jeff Calabrese (23 G, 4-1, 4 SV, 3.41, 31 SO), the 2007 All-CACC closer, who he hopes can develop into a frontline starter by being allowed to use more of his arsenal of pitches.
With Calabrese no longer in the bullpen, Langan will return to his philosophy of closer-by-situation. Freshman Joe Brescia and sophomore Jon Del Franco are slated for short relief, and sidearming junior Anthony Spina (24 G, 3-2, 1 SV, 4.61, 21 SO) can be used in a variety of roles. VanEs has closed games between starts throughout his career, and sophomore John Calise (17 G, 1-1, 10.71, 11 SO) is an effective match-up lefty.
Calise, sophomore Al Jardine (4 GP, 0-2, 7.41, 16 SO) and freshman Rob Collazo bolster the left side of the bullpen, while freshman John Rose, Ernst, and position players Mike Libretta (5 G, 0-0, 4.76, 9 SO) and Albie Sanguiliano (3 G, 0-1, 10.38, 3 SO) shore up the right half.
Sophomore Marcos Torres (.301, 2 HR, 23 RBI) is likely to see the bulk of the catching duties after finishing strong last season. Powerful lefty-swinging junior Jordan Noval (.278, 2 HR, 13 RBI) is the No. 2 man, and graduate student Chris Flynn (.368, 4 HR, 33 RBI), the 2007 second-team All-CACC designated hitter, can fill that role, catch, and play first base.
INFIELD: Junior Dave Schoer (.346, 3 HR, 26 RBI) moves from third base to first base, replacing honorable-mention all-American Frank Quintana, and junior Mike Buckelew (.226, 1 HR, 6 RBI) shifts from second to third. A freshman double-play combination has won starting jobs – Mickey Zudonyi at second base and Hector Bello at shortstop.
Sanguiliano can spell the starters on the left side, with senior Joe Algieri available up the middle. Spina (.250, 2 RBI) is a capable defensive replacement at any infield spot, and freshman Jeff Abreu provides depth.
OUTFIELD/DH: Third-year starter Vinnie DiBenedetti (.267, 6 HR, 23 RBI) provides pro-caliber speed in centerfield and a power bat in the leadoff spot. Libretta (.319, 12 RBI) has won the right-field job after two years as a back-up. Del Franco, freshman Anthony Balmos, or sophomore Mike Urciuoli (.333, 1 HR, 3 RBI) could come away as the starter in left. Freshmen Marcus McCleod and James Reilly are the reserves.
Flynn, Del Franco and Reilly are the leading candidates at designated hitter
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