A new era of baseball will soon begin at LSU under the leadership of head coach Raymond “Smoke” Laval.
With the exit of legendary coach Skip Bertman and the departure of six fielders and three starting pitchers, the Tigers are left with a group of young players.
Despite the lack of experience, the Tigers have once again been picked by the coaches to finish atop the Southeastern Conference.
Laval said he does not know what to expect from his team or from himself as head coach of the program after spending last season as an administrative assistant to Bertman.
“[Last year] I was in charge of nothing,” Laval said. “I did nothing but sit around and watch. I just had to get caught up to the SEC speed.”
To sum up the greenness of this team, sophomore hurler Lane Mestepey is the only pitcher returning with more than 40 innings pitched last season.
Senior Matt Heath and junior Wally Pontiff are the only returning hitters with more than 150 at-bats last season.
“We only have two or three positions that are really etched in stone,” Laval said. “There are times when you’ll see the Tigers with four, possibly five, freshmen playing.”
With so many freshmen who have not been in the college baseball atmosphere, it is difficult to tell how they will respond in each game, Laval said.
The Tigers will feature junior Bo Pettit as the number-one starter followed by Mestepey and junior college transfer Jake Tompkins, giving LSU a right-left-right combination.
“[Pettit] is very healthy right now,” Laval said. “This is the first time since he was in eighth or ninth grade that he hasn’t missed a rotation, all fall and all spring.”
Mestepey was the Tigers’ most consistent starter in 2001, in which he finished 11-3 with a 3.75 ERA in 139.1 innings.
In the field, Pontiff, who hit .347 with seven home runs last year, will play third base again in his third season.
Pontiff said he is looking forward to the beginning of conference play, after the team has had several games to play together.
“They’re all tough games,” Pontiff said. “Any time you play within the SEC, you’re always in a battle.”
Heath, who played behind the plate for LSU last season, will see some time at designated hitter as well as left field.
In center field, the Tigers will feature senior David Raymer, who had a solid 2001 in which he hit .324.
Sophomore Aaron Hill, who saw time at several positions last season, will replace Ryan Theriot at shortstop.
“[Hill] is a very good player with all the accolades that you read about him,” Laval said. “He’s a tremendous offensive player, but maybe a little short on range.”
Laval plans to split time at second base between freshman Rocky Scelfo and freshman J.C. Holt.
At first base, the Tigers will also start two players: freshman Blake Gill and junior Eric Wiethorn.
Sean Barker, who started in 21 games last season, will play right field for the Tigers in 2002.
Laval said he is not sure who will start at catcher because he must choose from three talented players in senior Darren Welch, sophomore Dustin Weaver and freshman Jon Zeringue.
With so many young players, it is only a matter of time before they develop, Laval said.
“They’re all there, they’ve seen the fire,” he said. “They just haven’t been in it.”
The LSU bullpen will be a source of experience, featuring senior Weylin Guidry, junior Brad David and sophomore Brian Wilson.
Laval said he plans to use any of the three in the closer’s role with the other two pitchers as set-up men.
With three good relief pitchers, the starters will only have to pitch five or six innings in each game, Laval said.
In the alumni game on Saturday against former LSU players, Laval said he plans to use many of the young players in order for them to gain experience.
“You have to spoon-feed these guys,” he said. “You have to put the younger guys in where they can succeed and not get down on themselves.”
Pontiff also said he believes the alumni game is important for the young team.
“They don’t really know what to expect,” he said. “It’s a lot better to go out there in an alumni game that doesn’t really mean much, and get an opportunity to hit or throw. When they come out in a real game, it gives them a better chance to do well.”
Ronnie Richard