University of North Carolina Athletics
Fall Baseball Notebook
October 28, 2009 | Baseball
Oct. 28, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Diamond Heels wrapped up their annual Fall World Series last week. While one team is declared the winner of the event, the Carolina coaching staff is watching a lot more than simply wins and losses.
The six-game series was a chance for 12th-year skipper Mike Fox and his assistants to see their young players in certain situations for the first time, and gives the Carolina veterans an opportunity to help mold the 2010 squad. TarHeelBlue.com takes a look back at the FWS, which capped six weeks of fall practice for the Tar Heels.
Strong Fall For Veterans
Veterans Ben Bunting and Ryan Graepel had strong showings to wrap up the fall. Bunting, who is Carolina's top returning hitter from 2009, hit .412 (7-17) with six runs and five RBI over the six-game series. Graepel, who is slated to start at shortstop for the second straight season, batted .364 (8-22) with four runs and three RBI. He was also perfect defensively in 24 chances.
Bunting and Graepel, along with senior outfielder Mike Cavasinni, who hit .278 (5-18) with six runs, and sophomore infielder Levi Michael, who batted .278 (5-18) with a home run and three RBI, give the Tar Heels a solid nucleus of returning veterans on which to build in 2010.
"We know what our veterans can do for the most part," said Fox. "We've watched them for a year or two or sometimes three. It's the young guys that get most of the looks in the fall. We just want to see guys that have a little confidence and want to compete - they've got to have those two things to have a chance."
Messer Making A Move; Starters Looking Sharp
Highlighting the Tar Heels returning starting pitchers, sophomore right-hander Jimmy Messer made two strong starts in the FWS. He tossed six scoreless frames and fanned seven in the finale and finished the event with a 2.45 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 11 innings.
"He's improved a lot, which we expect," said Fox about Messer. "Jimmy is one of our hardest workers, if not the hardest worker, on our team. He's very committed ... This summer I think he gained a little confidence and some experience. He came back a different player. He worked on that sinker. He and Coach Forbes have worked a lot together. Jimmy's going to need to be - and I think he will be - a very valuable member of our pitching staff this spring."
Junior righty Matt Harvey had a team-best 13 Ks in the FWS in just 10 1/3 innings. In his second outing, Harvey fanned seven in just 5 2/3 innings. Classmate Patrick Johnson allowed just two hits over 5 2/3 innings in his first outing before struggling in his final FWS start.
Junior Colin Bates, who served as the Tar Heels' closer last season, is transitioning to the starting rotation for 2010. He was solid in the FWS with a 4.50 ERA and seven strikeouts to just two walks in 10 innings.
"We held Colin out and just protected his arm, but I think he threw well his last two or three starts," said Fox.
Veterans Provide Power Surge
Returnees Seth Baldwin, Greg Holt and Tarron Robinson provided the power numbers in the FWS with two homers apiece. Baldwin hit .333 (7-21) with four runs and four RBI, while Holt batted .316 (6-19) with a series-best eight RBI. However, Fox was cautious when asked about his team counting on home run power in the spring.
"I never rely on that part of the game for our offense," said Fox. "I never would have thought that Dusty would have hit 22 last year. If it happens it happens. I think we have some guys that are capable of hitting the ball out of the ballpark, but we're going to focus on the other parts of our offense."
Wierzbicki, Transfers Catching On
Junior transfer catcher Jesse Wierzbicki, who joined the Tar Heel program from Walters State Community College, impressed in the fall and hit a team-best .538 (7-13) with four runs and three RBI in the Fall World Series. According to Fox, Wierzbicki, who hit .373 with 12 home runs and 60 RBI at Walters State a year ago, could see time at catcher, first base and designated hitter.
Wierzbicki is one of three transfers for the Tar Heels, as infielder Dillon Hazlett and right-hander Teddy Mitrosilis also join the program as juniors.
"Jesse Wierzbicki's got a chance to help us - tough kid, hard nosed and really knows the game," said Fox. "Dillon is very talented. He's just got to learn to play at this level. I feel good about our team."
Rated Rookies
Freshman second baseman Tommy Coyle capped an outstanding fall by hitting .429 (9-21) with four runs and three RBI in the FWS to lead all rookies. Classmate Brian Goodwin also had a big series, hitting .353 (6-17) before missing the final game with a hamstring injury. Brett Knief also hit an even .300 (6-20) with a homer and four RBI.
"Brian Goodwin is obviously extremely talented," said Fox. "Chaz Frank had a good fall. Tommy Coyle probably had the best fall of any of our freshmen from start to finish. Really for six weeks he played well and brought it everyday."
While talented, Fox says this rookie class still has to learn the small things that can go a long way in ACC-level baseball, where teams cannot rely on the three-run home run for consistent run production.
"A lot of times the little things in the game freshmen aren't as adept at as we would like - the bunting and the base running - because they haven't been asked to do that a lot," said Fox. But (Chaz Frank) realizes it needs to be part of his game because he can run a little bit. Brian Goodwin improved a lot this fall bunting because he can really run. It needs to be part of our offense."
Munnelly Excels In Relief
Freshman right-hander Chris Munnelly was outstanding in relief in the Fall World Series, posting 10 strikeouts over 6 2/3 shutout innings in four appearances. Junior righty Greg Holt earned two saves and struck out six in just 3 2/3 frames.
The freshman lefty tandem of Zach Bernard and R.C. Orlan was also sharp out of the bullpen. Bernard fanned six and posted a 1.17 ERA in 7 2/3 innings, while Orlan fanned five and allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings.
"All of our young pitchers for the most part have shown us they are capable," said Fox. "They've all got to work to improve. They've all got to keep the ball out of the middle of the plate. They learned as they went that you just can't throw fastballs down the middle at this level. I think Chris Munnelly got a chance to be really good. I think Cody Penny's got a chance to be really good. I think both our lefties - R.C. Orlan and Zach Bernard - have got a chance to help us. Michael Morin is hurt but he showed us earlier in the fall that he has the capability of being a good pitcher here. I'm sure I'm leaving a few out. Parker Thomas has shown some flashes."
Welcoming The New Kids On The Block
With 16 newcomers out of 35 players, Fox and his staff had the charge of bringing many new faces into the program this fall. Much of the credit for a smooth transition goes to the Tar Heels' veterans like seniors Mike Cavasinni and Ryan Graepel.
"It's been important for team to welcome our freshman right out of the gate," said Fox, whose group of newcomers was recently ranked seventh nationally by Baseball America. "We have our returners meet them when the get here and help them move into the dorm and take them out to lunch or dinner. I think it's extremely important to make the freshman feel welcome and a part of the team as soon as they get here. There's no hazing. There's no initiation. There's no `you have to earn your way in.' Once you walk in there and you've got your name on the locker, you're in.
"Now the respect comes from what you can do out here between the white lines and that's just a matter of proving you can play at this level. I ask all of our freshmen, `did you feel comfortable about coming in here?' and `how was your transition?' and they've all been very positive, and that's a credit to our veterans."
Seeds For Spring Planted In The Fall
While Fox does not think performance in the fall is necessarily a predictor of what is to come in the spring, no one can deny the importance of the fall intra-squad action.
"The Fall World Series is our only time to turn the scoreboard on and really play a scrimmage where the outcome is important - mostly pitching wise," said Fox. "I think this was our 19th or 20th scrimmage, so we probably got each hitter 70-75 at-bats, which is important.
"We were able to bring certain pitchers out of the bullpen in certain situations, which is our only opportunity before February. In that regard, we got Chris Munnelly in the game late, we got our lefties in to face some lefty hitters, which is something they'll have to do in the spring. Little things like that. Bringing guys in with people on base, seeing how they respond. That was the most important thing we were able to see.
"The fall has never been a good predictor of the spring - either good or bad," said Fox. "However, you at least want to feel like you brought some kids in that can play at this level, at least to a level where it's going to give you a chance to win and then they improve ... I feel encouraged. I'm always reserved in the fall trying to predict because I've been doing this long enough to where I might as well flip a coin. There've been some falls that I've thought we're going to struggle a little bit and we've been better. There've been other ones where I've been really encouraged and we haven't been as good, so I'll reserve judgment on that.
"It doesn't all the time come together and mesh together in the fall like it will in the spring. Every time we scrimmage the team is split, so we really never have a chance to see us in the same dugout with the guys hitting one through nine like we're going to in the spring, so I never see the right guy hitting behind the right guy because they're always in different dugouts because we try to make the scrimmages competitive. That's why we need to play three or four games against outside competition ..."
Fox and his team will have that chance Feb. 19, 2010, when they open the season against George Washington at Boshamer Stadium.
