Shockwaves

I am back from a week’s vacation, which I needed to prepare for the Shocker baseball fall series. I spent the week selecting canned foods for my donation to the Kansas Food Bank, the traditional price of admission to the fall series at Eck Stadium.

I also checked out a couple practices as I tried to get a handle on this team full of unknowns. I went back Monday for a seven-inning scrimmage and I estimate I watched parts of six or so practices this fall. Based on that small sample size (and a few conversations with better-informed people), here are my guesses for a lineup. There is much to be decided this fall, but I think several positions (more than I expected) possess strong favorites. The pitching staff is more of a mystery to me than position spots. For much of the fall, pitchers were limited to fastball-changeup. I think the scrimmages may be more illuminating for the pitchers than position players.

1B - Clint McKeever is better defensively and seems to be crushing the ball. Last week, he homered three straight times in batting practice. His career arc is one of steady improvement and it appears that continues. Figure him as WSU’s cleanup hitter. Josh Rosecrans, Remington Johnson and Taylor Gilmore also play first. I don’t know who would be the defensive replacement when McKeever pitches. I will say Gilmore, a walk-on from Cloud County, looks like a useful guy. He can play third and made a nice running catch in right field Monday. He seems to hit, at least when I am watching.

2B - Will Baez, a transfer from Western Oklahoma, looks like a good defensive player with good range and hands. He can hit with some pop and plays with a lot of enthusiasm. Kyle Sisney (and Taylor Brown) both look more comfortable and polished in the middle infield. I don’t think either will start, but I think both are more capable than they were last season. I’ve always liked the way Sisney plays, and it would not surprise me if he makes a solid contribution before his career is finished. Both seem to be playing well enough that there is competition and depth up the middle.

SS -Freshman Tyler Grimes missed about a week with a broken finger on his right hand. I think he is the guy at short, although Brown is playing there also.

3B - Freshman Chris O’Brien (a switch-hitter) seems to hit the ball hard almost every at-bat. I think he will hit in the middle of the lineup and be a real masher before his time at WSU is done. He is a better defensive player than I would have guessed (because I considered him a catcher before the fall). Not surprisingly (considering his baseball genes), he seems to make smart plays and doesn’t get rattled at third. Freshman Chance Sossamon is a good defensive player who also plays short and pitches. Ryan Engrav and Mike Williams also play third.

C - I will be surprised if Cody Lassley isn’t the starting catcher. O’Brien has been there in practice a lot recently. Rosecrans also catches. Lassley is the most experienced catcher, and that should be at a premium with a bunch of inexperienced pitchers. He seems to be hitting the ball well this fall.

RF - Ryan Jones, who made a spectacular running catch in Monday’s scrimmage to take away extra bases.

CF - Kevin Hall and freshman Andrew Letourneau are taking almost all of the time in center. If I had to pick one guy to watch this fall, it would be Letourneau. He seems to get on base and makes all the plays in center. He hit leadoff in Monday’s scrimmage, which I would take as an indication the coaches like his bat. He is a guy to take seriously, maybe even in left. Hall played his best during WSU’s postseason run in 2008, so I am confident he will be in the lineup.

LF - Mitch Caster and Bret Bascue are both experienced. I would guess the one who hits will play, or figure into the DH picture. Both have had their moments as Shockers. Can they go from .230-.270 hitters to .320?

Tim Kelley and Jordan Cooper are your likely starters for Game 1, which is an indication both are in the group expected to contend for starting spots. Neither is a surprise. Kelley is WSU’s most experienced returner from last season. Cooper was probably WSU’s top pitching recruit. I don’t have a good read on other starters, although Dalton Banwart and Charlie Lowell looked good in practices I watched. McKeever is the top candidate to close. Caster threw an inning on Monday and looked good. These seven games should do something to clear up roles on the pitching staff.

• Pitcher injury update: Logan Hoch is still rehabbing his injured left shoulder and won’t throw. Cameron Maldonado, who sat last season with an impingement in his right shoulder, has thrown some this fall but is iffy for the fall series. Grant Muncrief, who had surgery on his right wrist in August, will not throw in the series.
• Gilmore isn’t the only walk-on on a series roster. Lefty Drew Rainey, from Derby, played last spring at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Outfielder Zach Gillis is from Western Nebraska Community College. Williams and pitchers Josh Smith and Ryan Scoles are invited walk-ons.

Rosters – Black: UT Ryan Engrav; 1B Clint McKeever; 2B-SS Kyle Sisney; SS-2B Taylor Brown; 3B-C Chris O’Brien; OF Mitch Caster; OF Kevin Hall, UT Taylor Gilmore; 1B Remington Johnson; OF Zach Gillis; P Jordan Cooper; P Brian Flynn; P Max Hutson; P Justin Kemp; P Josh Smith; P Cobey Guy; P Grant Muncrief
Gold: C Cody Lassley; 1B Josh Rosecrans, 2B Will Baez; SS Tyler Grimes; 3B-P Chance Sossamon; OF Bret Bascue; OF Andrew Letourneau; OF Ryan Jones; 3B Mike Williams; P Logan Hoch; P Tim Kelley; P Charlie Lowell; P Clint Maune; P Dalton Banwart; P Ryan Scoles; P Cameron Maldonado; P Drew Rainey

Schedule:

Game 1 — Wed., Oct. 1, 7 p.m.
Game 2 — Sat., Oct. 4, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 — Tue., Oct. 7, 7 p.m.
Game 4 — Thurs., Oct. 9, 7 p.m.
Game 5 — Sun., Oct. 12, 7 p.m.
Game 6 — Tue., Oct. 14, 7 p.m.
Game 7 — Wed., Oct. 15, 7 p.m.