For the baseball team to challenge for its third straight NESCAC title, the Jumbos are going to need a youthful renaissance.
Of Tufts' top six hitters from last season, just two are returning. Gone along with one of the program's most successful classes are first-team All-NESCAC selection David Orlowitz (LA '11), who had a team-high .400 batting average and four homers, and leadoff hitter David LeResche (LA '11), among others. Likewise, the pitching staff has graduated two starters, as well as All-American closer Ed Bernstein (LA '11), he of the 0.00 ERA, nine saves and NESCAC Pitcher of the Year honors.
"When you get in a cycle you can't come out in a way," coach John Casey said. "You get a really talented class which sort of smothers the class underneath them, theoretically. Basically, where we are right now, is we have to see if these guys who have been in our program for two or three years can play, because they haven't had much opportunity because of the performance of other guys."
Still, a solid veteran presence is in place, one that can help acclimate players who have been in Casey's program for some time to the pressures of seeing college innings. In the field, senior co-captain Sam Sager is a two-time All-NESCAC infielder who, according to Casey, has been working out at shortstop for the past two weeks after spending the bulk of his collegiate career at third. Sager hit .333 last season with a team-high 12 doubles, 33 RBIs and 27 walks.
"We just need Sager to be Sager, nothing more," Casey said. "The others need to do what they're capable of doing, and we'll see how we fill in the rest."
Stability on the bump
The pitching staff is led by seasoned performers, though there are some question marks behind them. Seniors Kevin Gilchrist and Dave Ryan headline one of the NESCAC's deepest staffs, a unit that ranked sixth nationally last season in ERA and ninth in hits allowed per nine innings. The pair combined for a 13-3 record in 2011, striking out 63 batters against 42 walks in 117 innings.
"We both had pretty good seasons last year, so we're going to try to keep going with that," Gilchrist said. "All year long, we've been trying to introduce the freshmen to the system and how everything works, get the sophomores to step up and be leaders themselves, because the sophomores usually spend a lot more time with the freshmen. Just been trying to do everything the right way."
As for the young pitchers, sophomore Christian Sbily (1-1, 2.08 ERA, 30.1 IP) will likely be the Jumbos' third starter, while classmate Dean Lambert and junior Alex Cronkite — who was Bernstein's primary setup man last season — could see a heavy workload out of the pen.
"The younger guys have been, for the most part, watching and learning, getting spot appearances here and there," Gilchrist said. "I'd say this year, more than last anyway, there are a lot of opportunities for guys to make statements."
Casey downplayed the notion that he's figured out definitive roles, even with the season-opener just over a week away.
"We don't stick guys in spots," Casey said. "We're just trying to win games. When push comes to shove, we'll have to see how it all shakes out."
Hitting the century mark
On Feb. 1, the Jumbos gathered in the cage, as they tend to do every Wednesday night once the second semester begins. This time, they played 100 innings.
The tradition began as a method to raise money for Tufts' annual spring break trip. At some point along the way, the Jumbos began donating a portion of the proceeds raised to the Jimmy Fund. When assistant Kevin Burr passed away in 2007, Tufts donated a portion to a college fund for Burr's son, who is currently at UMass Dartmouth. Now, they split proceeds between the college fund and a fund for the Adrian Misic Foundation, named after a young boy whom the team adopted through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. Adrian lost his fight with brain cancer on Sept. 21, 2010, at age eight.
"Some of it is we want to teach our kids that they're fortunate in that they get to play," Casey said. "There are more important things in life."
As far as the actual 100 innings go, Gilchrist referred to it as "controlled chaos." The Jumbos rotate positions every inning, and players — pitchers and fielders alike — take one-swing at-bats off the pitching machine.
"We're down there for a while, it's a fun atmosphere, no one's taking it too seriously obviously," Gilchrist said. "But it's good to be down there for a good cause."
Notes
According to Casey, a freshman will likely start at catcher for the Jumbos this season. Senior co-captain Matt Collins, second on the team last season with a .343 average, three home runs and 11 doubles, underwent Tommy John surgery during the offseason. However, the reigning NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year is expected to see at-bats during the spring break trip. Backup Nick Cutsumpsas, who started 11 games in 2011, suffered a torn ACL during the offseason.
The Jumbos, who received 38 votes in the latest D3baseball.com national poll, will open their season on March 16 at Lynchburg as part of a 10-day, 12-game trip to Virginia and North Carolina. On March 23, Tufts will visit No. 3 Christopher Newport.
Casey also has a new face on his coaching staff — Paul Chiampa, a 2011 Bates graduate who ranks second on the Bobcats' all-time strikeouts list.
