University of North Carolina Athletics
2000 Carolina Baseball Preview
January 13, 2000 | Baseball
Jan. 13, 2000
When the University of North Carolina baseball team hits the field to open the 2000 season, you won't have to look hard to find some of the finest college baseball players in the nation wearing Carolina's blue and white. After all, the Tar Heels are graced with the overwhelming speed of Tyrell Godwin, the power of Ryan Earey, the defensive prowess of Dan Moylan, an ace starting pitcher in Ryan Snare, the veteran leadership of Chris Elmore and Clay Hooper and the precision of Derrick DePriest, arguably the nation's finest relief pitcher. But as soon as you notice the talent and experience that comes with the return of three 1999 all-conference performers and three preseason All-Americas, you'll also quickly see a number of key holes. These are holes that have been left with the departure of a handful of seniors and professional players that helped lead the Tar Heels to the last year's NCAA Tournament and the longest winning streak in school history, 16 games to open the season. And they are holes that must be filled if the Tar Heels expect to enjoy success in 2000.
Carolina is led by second-year head coach Mike Fox, a Tar Heel letterman from 1976-78 who has felt the glory of helping lead UNC to the 1978 College World Series. He also knows how difficult it can be to take that step to the next level and then stay there. Over the course of the 1990s, the Tar Heels enjoyed five NCAA Tournament berths, four 40-win seasons and an ACC championship. In order to build on that momentum, Fox knows just how important recruiting is in a conference with the high-caliber of competition of the ACC.
In his first full season of recruiting student-athletes to the University of North Carolina, Fox has assembled a solid crop of young talent that will be counted on early to fill the slots left vacant by eight departed 1999 letterwinners, among them standouts Mike Bynum, Chris LaMarsh, Jarrett Shearin and Kyle Snyder. Snyder and Bynum were both first-round picks in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, while Shearin graduated as UNC's alltime leader in hits, doubles, runs batted in and runs and was drafted in the 14th round by the Kansas City Royals. LaMarsh earned second-team All-ACC honors in both 1998 and 1999.
"We're young in some spots," Fox says. "We lost some very good players last year, and they're all guys who are going to be hard to replace. We're basically replacing them with young and inexperienced players.
"I tell our new players that there are two big transitions they have to make. They have one transition from high school to college in the fall - getting adjusted to school, to the coaching staff and to our fall practice season. Then the next step is to get ready for ACC competition in the spring. It's one thing playing against one another in practice, but it's another thing to be on the road in the ACC when the game's on the line."
The Tar Heels return 11 position players and five pitchers and there are 10 newcomers on the current roster - nine freshman and one junior transfer. Fox has tried to test his group early with a comprehensive fall workout, and he's scheduled several challenging early-season opponents to gain a perspective on where his team stands early in the 2000 season. Included in Carolina's non-conference schedule is a season-opening trip to the Disney Baseball Blast in Orlando and a trip to the West Coast to face preseason No. 4 UCLA.
"We open the season with three tough opponents, and that's going to be very exciting," Fox says. "We'll find out a lot about our team when we throw them out there against Central Florida, Rice and Miami to start the season. UCLA will also be very tough on the road. But that's what we wanted. We need these first 10 or 12 games to get us ready for trips like Georgia Tech and Wake Forest."
PITCHING
While preseason All-America picks Ryan Snare and Derrick DePriest, as well as veteran left-hander Chris Elmore, return to lead the Tar Heel pitching staff in 2000, the loss of first-round MLB draft picks Mike Bynum and Kyle Snyder off one of the nation's finest pitching staffs will certainly be felt. Last year, Carolina's staff combined for a 3.73 team ERA, eighth-best nationally, and UNC's four impact pitchers who have departed accounted for more than half of the team's wins (24), strikeouts (273) and innings pitched (259.5).
Fox will be counting on Snare and Elmore to lead the way in the UNC starting rotation. Snare is a left-hander with a wicked curveball and is one of ACC's top returning pitchers after finishing fourth in the conference in 1999 with a 2.94 ERA and striking out 82 batters in 79.2 innings. Meanwhile, Elmore is a big-game left-hander who made 22 appearances last year for UNC, primarily as a mid-week starter.
Newcomers Scott Autrey and Eric Henderson will likely be thrown immediately into the mix as starters, and red-shirt freshman Matt Tanner is a good pick for the fifth spot in Carolina's starting rotation after adding strength during the offseason.
Henderson, a junior transfer who spent his freshman year at the University of Tennessee before heading to Santa Fe Community College last year, is a big and fast left-handed pitcher who should make and immediate impact. At Santa Fe CC he was a first-team all-conference selection as an outfielder and a second-team pick for his work on the mound. Autrey made a solid debut on campus during fall workouts and has impressed the UNC coaching staff with his accuracy and size.
"Scott did some very good things in the fall, and I think he can step right out there and play for us," Fox says. "I like that he has a starter's mentality and that he consistently throws strikes. Both Scott and Eric give us size we're definitely going to need with the loss of Mike Bynum and Kyle Snyder."
DePriest, a right-handed reliever from Homestead, Fla., turned down an opportunity to play professionally so he could return to the Heels for his senior season. Named Carolina's most valuable pitcher the past two seasons, DePriest led the nation with a 1.71 ERA as a junior, has 89 career appearances as a Tar Heel and he's coming off an outstanding summer with the Chatham Athletics of the Cape Cod League. He compiled a 0.00 ERA and set a Cape League record with 15 saves in leading his team to the East Division championship. His presence will be a big bonus to Carolina in 2000.
"It's just a very big lift to our team to have Derrick back for another year," Fox says. "We will be counting on him to be a big contributor for us out of the bullpen as he's been the past two years."
Also look for fifth-year senior B.J. Finnerty to contribute to the staff. After struggling with injuries throughout his career, Finnerty has worked hard in the offseason and showed signs of improvement in the fall.
CATCHING
In junior Dan Moylan, Carolina returns one of the finest catchers in America. In addition to his outstanding work defensively behind the plate, Moylan has excellent athletic ability and speed and he has matured into one of UNC's top offensive threats. A first-team All-ACC pick as a sophomore, Moylan was among the Tar Heel leaders in most offensive categories, including a .339 batting average that was tied for third best on the team.
"Dan had a great year for us last year," Fox says. "He's so patient at the plate that he may end up as our leadoff hitter again, though he may be even better for us at the No. 2 spot. We also look to play Ryan Blake more at catcher this year. He was hurt last year with a shoulder injury and played more first base and DH for us, but he'll see some time at catcher as a backup. Dan will certainly be in the lineup every day though, whether it be at left field, DH or catcher."
INFIELD
In the infield, Carolina will rely on a solid mix of young players and veterans to form a cohesive and interchangeable unit that will have the flexibility to adjust to the opponent and pitching. Junior Ryan Earey made 52 starts last year at third base but will move over to first for the 2000 season. Among Carolina's top weapons at the plate last year with 15 home runs and a .362 batting average, Earey is also expected to see some time on the mound and as the DH.
Earey's move to first will allow Ryan Blake, a sophomore who started 28 games at first a year ago, to take over the regular DH role where he made nine starts in 1999. Blake is coming off a very productive freshman season that saw him hit .267 with five homers and a .417 on-base percentage.
Fifth-year senior Clay Hooper also returns to the infield. After starting at third in 1996 and 1997 and red-shirting in 1998, Hooper was UNC's regular starter at short last year and should see plenty of playing time there again in 2000. As a junior, Hooper hit .336 with 11 home runs and tied for the team lead with 82 hits. Hooper will also see playing time back at third base, with a solid crop of young players expected to fill out the remainder of the infield.
"We're going to be very interchangeable in the infield," Fox says. "We should be better defensively with more quickness and a little more athleticism. We'll have four very steady college infielders when we take the field regardless of the exact lineup."
While freshmen Chad Prosser and Russ Adams are expected to fill the remaining starting slots at second and third base respectively, sophomore Chris Maples will also battle for playing time as the Tar Heel infield will likely take shape as the season progresses.
OUTFIELD
Junior Tyrell Godwin returns to lead the UNC outfield. One of the fastest and most exciting players in college baseball, Godwin looks to play both left and centerfield after starting at left last year for Carolina. The starting centerfielder for the U.S. National Team over the summer, Godwin returned to Chapel Hill and worked out exclusively with the baseball team this fall after spending the previous two years on the Tar Heel football team as well.
"The first thing you notice about Tyrell is that he's just a tremendous physical talent, from his strength to his speed to his explosiveness," Fox says of the preseason first-team All-America. "I think he's just now starting to tap into his full baseball potential and will continue to grow as he focuses on baseball and puts his heart and soul into the game."
Senior Matt McCay returns to right field after making a solid transition to NCAA Division I baseball. McCay transferred to Carolina last year after playing under Fox at N.C. Wesleyan for two years and in his first season as a Tar Heel he started 52 games at right and hit .278.
"As with any of our players, we always hope they save their best for their last season," Fox says. "I think Matt feels more comfortable here this year after making the transition to this program, and I expect to see good things from him. He's put on some weight and added strength and he had a great fall, both academically and in practice."
At leftfield, Carolina welcomes Adam Greenberg, a freshman from Guilford, Conn., who has impressed the UNC coaches with his athleticism and should be ready to make an immediate contribution.
"Adam made a lot of good plays for us this fall," Fox says. "He runs well and he's fearless in the outfield. He will see some playing time, especially against right-handed pitching."
Switch-hitting senior Jay Madeira will also see action this year in the outfield after making 23 starts at first base last year.
Overall, Fox enters his second season back at Carolina with reserved optimism. The Tar Heels have a solid foundation, but as with any new season there are plenty of question marks.
"We're excited about our team," Fox says. "I think we have a real close, tight-knit bunch that meshed very well in the fall. They practice hard and seem to enjoy playing with one another.
"With youth you get a little different type of excitement and exuberance. We'll just have to see how these guys adjust to big-time college baseball."
