MANZO: CMU must find starting pitchers
The old saying is that good pitching beats good hitting.
In 2010 the Central Michigan baseball team did it offensively, defensively, with good pitching and occasionally in comeback fashion in route to a Mid-American Conference West Division title.
In the 2011 Major League Baseball draft junior pitchers Trent Howard and Zach Cooper were selected, albeit bittersweet. While the congratulations were well-offered, the Chippewas find itself in a bit of a jam and their top three pitchers from 2010 won’t be around to get them out.
Former CMU pitcher Jake Sabol is following similar paths as Howard and Cooper. He was selected by the Detroit Tigers, but was ineligible to pitch because he was a senior in 2010.
Howard was selected by the Balitmore Orioles and Cooper by the Florida Marlins.
With these pitchers onto professional careers, where will that leave the Chippewas?
They’ll be offensively dangerous. The pitching will be a work in progress, but runs can keep teams in a game.
Infielders Tyler Hall, Jordan Dean and Nate Theunissen are returning. The outfield still contains Sam Russell, but most importantly catcher William Arnold will be back.
His bat and ability to call the game will provide a smoother transition for the new pitching staff.
Hall should continue to anchor the leadoff spot and I expect him to improve on an outstanding season.
He set the school record for triples with 11 and had a team-high .367 batting average.
Hall’s all-around ability should cause multiple disadvantages for opposing teams. Just ask Toledo.
In the MAC Tournament he hit for the cycle, going 4-4 with five RBIs and stole a base.
It was an incredible performance in an important game. His leadership should help transition the future of CMU baseball.
Who knows if or when sophomore shortstop/second baseman Pat MacKenzie will play, but he could be the infield hope. The experienced infield will take care of his transition into an enhanced role.
All this offense and infield hype sounds wonderful, but good pitching beats good hitting.
Arnold’s experience will help, but he can’t throw the ball—run to home plate—then catch it.
Dietrich Enns led the team in saves with six and had a 2.83 era, but he wasn’t a starter.
All four of CMU’s starters have been signed or graduated.
Harvey Martin, Jon Weaver, Ryan Longstreth and Scott Mariner all made double-digit appearances, but Longstreth was the only one to make a start in 2010.
Despite seven starts, he went 1-5 with a 5.01 era. Not exactly ace material, but time will tell.
If this team wants to live up to the past two seasons, it needs to pitch well because runs only keep a team in games for so long.
In the end, good pitching beats good hitting.
