Aldred looking to bring consistency to bullpen as fourth starter
With the Mid-American Conference baseball season starting up, sophomore left-hander Adam Aldred is making a case for the three-day rotation.
Until now, the starters have been a four-man crew: junior right-hander Jordan Foley, senior right-hander Pat Kaminska, freshman left-hander Nick Deeg and Aldred.
Typically, only three starters pitch during a MAC regular-season series, leaving Aldred as the odd man out.
Deeg was solid in his last outing, pitching eight innings while allowing six hits, no walks and striking out seven.
Meanwhile, Aldred leads the MAC in strikeouts with 33 and compares well with his starting peers. His ERA is identical to Foley's (2.97), and he has thrown 33 1/3 innings – 2/3 less than Kaminska, who leads the MAC in innings pitched (34).
"I think there is a little competition there," Aldred said of the third spot in the starting rotation. "I don't mind, I'll take innings however I get them and help the team win. It doesn't matter how I get them."
Right now Aldred's role is to come out of the bullpen if needed on Friday in relief of Foley and to start in the midweek games.
He threw two shutout innings against Central Florida on March 7, as Central Michigan came back from a six-run deficit to win in extra innings. Aldred followed it up with a win as a starter against Bucknell on March 11, before traveling to San Antonio for a series with the University of Incarnate Word.
"He's been throwing very well and very consistent," said head coach Steve Jaksa. "In order to be a good team you need good pitching depth and that doesn't just mean the starting pitching. We used him in that role on purpose ... so we have a plan for him."
With Aldred coming out of the bullpen, he will add to what has been a strength for CMU.
The relievers have a combined ERA of 3.05, not including Aldred, and have kept the team in games early this season.
"Coach (Jeff) Opalewski has put together a really good pitching staff," said junior catcher Tyler Huntey. "There have been times when we've been down and the bullpen kept putting zeros on the board and we came back to win. Aldred has command of his pitches and has a lot of comfort with his off-speed pitches."
His comfort means the opposite for his opponents in the batters' box, which leads to his MAC-high 33 strikeouts.
Aldred will make his next start at 3:05 p.m. Wednesday at Michigan State in game one of the team's three-game series. The series will continue in Mount Pleasant on April 16 at Theunissen Stadium and finish on May 13 at Comerica Park.
