The LSU baseball team took an early season blow to its roster when Chris Jackson, 2005 freshman all-Southeastern Conference third baseman, underwent season-ending elbow surgery Jan. 13. Jackson reportedly aggravated a high school elbow injury in the Oct. 8 football game at Vanderbilt. LSU coach Smoke Laval said he is confident Jackson will play again in 2007. “He’s definitely out this year,” Laval said. “Then in nine [to] 10 months he can start throwing again, so by this time next year he should be ready to go” Senior Will Harris, coming off a disappointing 2005 season where he batted only .213, will replace Jackson at third base. Harris said he knew he would play third base before Jackson’s injury but said the team will definitely feel Jackson’s loss. “Chris is a great team guy and brings a lot to our club,” Harris said. “We’re going to miss him.” The Tigers, ranked No. 15 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 20 by Baseball America, were bounced from the 2005 NCAA tournament in the Regional round for the first time since 1998. This season, the Tigers will be playing without all-America outfielder Ryan Patterson, all-SEC infielder Clay Harris and 7th-round draft selection Nick Stavinoha. Laval said he is not concerned with the young players in the field because of the return of Harris, senior Matt Liuzza, sophomore Jordan Mayer, sophomore Michael Hollander, senior Bruce Sprowl and senior Quinn Stewart. Liuzza said this year’s team reminds him of the 2002 team, when the roster had 17 freshmen and 4 sophomores. That team also began the season after losing Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot. “We had a real young team that year and didn’t know what to expect from some of the players because pretty much everybody in the lineup was new,” Liuzza said. “I think we’re going to have three or four starting freshmen [this season].” Before the Feb. 10 opener at Alex Box Stadium against North Florida, Laval said he would like to see solid hitting throughout the entire lineup. “You like to hit throughout the lineup and don’t have a weak link in there,” Laval said. “Right now, everyone is doing real well” Harris said the team needs to focus its attention to the mental details of the game. “With having so many young guys in the field, they may not really know exactly what’s going on,” Harris said. “The college game is much faster than the high school game.” Laval said he is concerned that a few pitchers have not pitched enough quality innings. Pitching coach Brady Wiederhold said he is optimistic about the new faces on the staff but also cautions that some of the pitchers are untested. “Early in the season, we’re going to have to mix and match a few guys and see some guys out there on the mound and see what they do when the lights come on and there are people in the stands,” he said. “[The weekend rotation] is up in the air.” Wiederhold singled-out Derik Olvey, junior right-hander transfer from Notre Dame, as a player who had an impressive fall workout. Olvey had a 1-0 record as a freshman at Notre Dame with a 3.52 ERA. He missed much of his freshman year because of a sore forearm but has made a full recovery. “He’s pitched at Notre Dame and played good competition,” Wiederhold said. “He’s been involved in games that some of the freshmen have not been at this level.” Wiederhold also said freshman right-handers Darryl Shaffer and Louis Coleman were impressive toward the end of the fall. Returning pitchers Michael Bonura and Daniel Forrer, both coming off arm surgery, also received praise from Wiederhold. Justin Meier, senior right-hander, was noted as having outstanding bullpen sessions in the fall. Sophomore right-hander Eric English will be the only pitcher not ready to play, Wiederhold said. Laval said English probably would have been redshirted this season even if he was healthy. “Other than Jackson, everybody is healthy,” he said.
 
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