Some teams shy away from preseason hype. Others claim they don’t deserve it. The LSU baseball team is embracing it.
The Tigers are ranked third in the preseason Collegiate Baseball poll and second in the Baseball America poll after winning the Southeastern Conference regular season title in 2003 and making a trip to the College World Series.
At the annual media day Thursday, LSU coach Smoke Laval said his team knows some high expectations are being placed on their shoulders.
“We had T-shirts made up that [say] ‘believe the hype’,” Laval said. “We have to believe in that. But our hype is how you prepare everyday. And we’re not at that point yet.”
LSU has eight position starters returning to this year’s squad, but lost a lot of production in the pitching staff.
Overall, the Tigers lost 19 wins from last year’s staff, and lost four of those pitchers to either graduation or the major leagues or both.
Junior Lane Mestepey, an All-American hurler his freshman year and an All-SEC pitcher his sophomore year, returns from a shoulder injury that sidelined him all of last season.
Sophomore Justin Meier and senior Nate Bumstead join Mestepey to form the weekend rotation. Meier and Bumstead went a combined 19-7 in 2003. Jason Determann, a midweek starter and middle reliever on the weekends, also brings his 7-0 record and 2.94 ERA back to the table.
Everyone else is a mystery.
“For pitching, we really don’t know,” said pitching coach Brady Wiederhold. “Lane Mestepey– is he going to come back and be in the same form [like he was] two years ago? Brandon Nall is definitely not ready at this point. Clayton Dirks is coming off an injury. So there’s a lot of questions up in the air at this point.”
The rest of LSU’s team is somewhat more solidified.
According to assistant coach Turtle Thomas, the catching position has some depth for the first time in a long while.
Sophomore catcher Matt Liuzza returns after a freshman season in which he bat .312 and had 26 RBIs. He also allowed just five past balls, an amazing number according to Thomas.
Junior college transfer Nick Stavinoha will back up Liuzza as well as start at the designated hitter position. He was selected in the 39th round of the Major League Baseball draft in 2002 but decided to remain in school. He was a two-time All-American in junior college and hit 37 home runs in his two years at San Jacinto. Dustin Weaver and Ty Jensen will lend depth to the catching position.
“We have four very good catchers and one of the things that’s great is just the depth that we’ve got,” Thomas said. “It’s just a great situation because being such a tough position if a guy goes down with injury, we’ve got a chance to have another guy step in and be real good.”
Along the infield, LSU returns three starters, including preseason All-American candidate first baseman Clay Harris. Harris batted .332 last year with 16 home runs.
He will join Ivan Naccarata, scheduled to play third base but available at second base. Blake Gill also plays second but can move to shortstop as the returning starters along the infield.
Matt Horwath, who opened the season last year as the starting shortstop, will return to that position after a shoulder injury. Bobby Diliberto will lend depth to the infield.
The outfield is one loaded with talent, as all three starters have been voted to an All-American team in some publication or another.
“To go out on the limb, they are maybe the best and most talented outfields, obviously throughout the SEC, but hopefully through our whole schedule,” Laval said.
Ryan Patterson, a DH last year, will man left field. The junior had 13 home runs and 45 RBIs his freshman year.
Roaming center field will be junior J.C. Holt, who had a phenomenal summer baseball season. He was named Most Valuable Player of the famed wooden bat Cape Cod League.
In right field will be former third round MLB draft pick Jon Zeringue, who hit .339 last year with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs.
Laval is considering redshirting Bruce Sprowl, last year’s starter in left field, and situational hitter Quinn Stewart because of the talent in the outfield.
Laval will get his first look at the 2004 squad tonight in the annual alumni game at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium.
Major leaguers Todd Walker and Paul Byrd will be there, among others.