Fall practice is over for the 2003 Southeastern Conference baseball champions, but the Tigers left an impression at the plate.
The hitters were ahead of the pitching this fall practice, where as last fall pitching dominated the hitting, according to several members of the Tigers’ pitching staff.
Starting pitcher Nate Bumstead said it was hard to get anything by the Tigers’ offense, which is filled with returners from last year’s College World Series run.
“Guys likes [outfielder Ryan] Patterson and [catcher/designated hitter] Nick Stavinoha – you could make a good pitch to them and they would crush it,” Bumstead said. “There wasn’t one day that went by they didn’t cease to amaze me.”
Sophomore starter Justin Meier echoed similar feelings.
Second baseman Blake Gill does not foresee any problems with LSU being one of the nation’s highest ranked teams in the upcoming season.
“I don’t think it would be a match [with other teams] talent wise,” Gill said. “The question is whether we can gel.”
LSU will return the core of an offensive team that batted .316 collectively. The only 2003 Major League first round draft pick was shortstop Aaron Hill.
“It is early, but next season we have a lot to look forward to,” said sophomore catcher Matt Liuzza. “We have a lot of talent. I know talent just doesn’t win, but if we put it all together we can be powerful.”
Liuzza saw both sides of the plate as a hitter and a catcher. While he did not catch much this fall due to a minor elbow injury, he said he saw many positives in the pitching staff.
“Meier looked awesome,” Liuzza said. “Bumstead and Meier look how they’ve always pitched. A lot of the pitchers found where their weaknesses are.”
Gill said the pitching staff gives the offense a good challenge in fall ball. He said the unit’s depth is a positive.
“Meier and Bumstead, from a player’s standpoint, are about what we expected [they’d be],” Gill said. “Overall, I think [the pitching] is deep.”
Pitching coach Brady Wiederhold said facing good hitters helps inexperienced and freshmen pitchers. He said the idea of throwing them in the fire helps with a pitcher’s maturation process.
“Like any fall situation, there’s ups and downs,” Wiederhold said of the pitching. “At times we’re very good … on other days, the offense will stand out. Toward the end we were really pleased with the returning guys.
“[Junior starting pitcher Lane] Mestepey is getting in innings now. Anytime you have an injury, it is just as much mental as physical. [Redshirt freshman] Clay Dirks is in the same boat, trying to get his confidence back.”
Meier said he felt good about his fall performance. The starter who saw some action as a closer in the famed Cape Cod League said while he does not mind getting the ball as a closer, he prefers starting.
“I had a real good fall,” Meier said. “I did well in the Cape and brought it over here. I picked up a couple of miles per hour on the fastball.”