Smoke Laval, LSU baseball head coach, said the return of three injured pitchers could determine how successful the Tigers are next season.
Laval said pitchers Lane Mestepey, Brian Wilson and Brandon Nall, all of whom missed time last year because of season-ending injuries, are scheduled to return for the 2004 season. But Laval will not know for sure until fall practice.
Laval said if the three pitchers bounce back to regular form, the pitching staff will be more solid and deep than the 2003 squad.
Mestepey, a 2001 and 2002 first team All-SEC player, missed the entire 2003 season because of off-season shoulder surgery.
Mestepey was the No. 1 starter for his first two seasons and posted a 22-8 career record with the Tigers.
Laval said Mestepey already has pitched in the bullpen and trainers will make a complete evaluation on his shoulder in September.
Wilson underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow during the middle of last season.
Wilson posted a 5-3 record and had a 3.38 ERA in 50.2 innings of work before the injury.
Nall was the closer before a torn labrum in his right shoulder forced him out of the lineup, said Shawn Eddy, LSU assistant trainer, in an Advocate article.
Nall had two saves in six appearances and opponents only batted .222 against him.
The Tigers also have Nate Bumstead, Jason Determann and Justin Meier returning to the pitching staff from last season.
Laval said he hopes the addition of Pat Clayton, a transfer from Clemson University, will provide depth at the closer position.
Clayton, a 6-foot-5-inch right-hander, will be eligible to play for the 2004 season.
Clayton was 1-0 with 17 strikeouts and held opponents to a .173 batting average last year as a freshman with Clemson.
Laval said Clayton has a good fastball but is worried about his pitch location.
“He is a power pitcher with a good split finger, but it is not in the zone enough,” Laval said.
Clayton is not the only promising incoming player for the Tigers, Laval said. Incoming freshmen pitchers Kody Bumpous, Roland Rodriguez and Michael Bonura are capable of pitching next year.
“The good thing with the young guys is if none of them make the step forward, then hopefully the injury guys are healthy, and we won’t need them,” Laval said. “So they will have a year to make the adjustment.”
Laval said the only downfall to the new pitchers will be the high expectations placed on them.
“It’s a different place here,” Laval said. “How do you handle the pressure that is put on throwing in front of 7,000 fans, and you must win all the time? If they can overcome the pressure barrier, then they will be fine.”