Roster Breakdown - The Frosh

Of course, none of these guys of played a game in a Petrel uniform. I'm basing this all on practices and their high school careers. Coaches are not crystal ball readers, we tend to be wrong, only occasionally, in our assessments. Like last year..I said Freshmen Micah Seehorn would play great defense, give us some speed but would really struggle at the plate....40 games later he was a .295 hitter!?! There is much to be said when the lights go on. Some guys just have that switch.

Enjoy!


#2 - Brandon McMichael - Outfield / Second Base

A speedy Inf/OF with good hands and an above average arm. He can play both the infield and outfield but will probably see more time in the outfield early in his career. Brandon gives us a nice option off the bench with speed on the base paths and is a good bunter. He'll need to work on his stroke during the year to shorten up his swing. Has the potential to develop into a leadoff type hitter and a solid 2B...

#4 Andrew Llano - Shortstop

Llano joins us after a year hiatus from baseball and from the St. Pius baseball program. He'll be the first player to wear the #4 since the last SS to come from Pius to Oglethorpe, Ryan Meehan. Both guys have a very similar style of play, for Llano that means some pretty big shoes to fill. There is no doubt he has the attitude, work ethic and talent to surpass Meehan's illustrious OU career. Andrew has quick feet, great hands and a ROCKET arm. He has a sweet swing with surprising power and knows the game of baseball. He'll most likely hit in the top of the lineup and give us some surprising speed on the base paths. He also is one of the locker room champs at video games....which may or may not be a good thing?!?

#7 Austin Benedict - Outfield

One of three Lakeside boys on the roster....Austin is a speedy center fielder with a good arm that will see time at all three outfield spots this year. A great bunter with a nice swing. He'll need some AB's to adjust to the college pitching but he works very hard and there is no doubt he'll find a way. Once on the bases he puts tremendous pressure on the opposing pitcher with his great speed.

#8 John Hale - Pitcher

After nursing an injury in the fall, John is fully recovered and ready to go. He will step into the starting rotation and will be able to give us quality innings. He has an unbelievable knack for pitching and delivers with four quality pitches. We will lean on him to make an immediate impact and get us deep into games.

#11 Chris Lucas - Outfield / First Base

Lucas joins us after a year at Ranger JuCo in Texas. He brings with him four years of eligibility and a passion for the game. Once you see Chris you think baseball player...when you see him you'll know what I mean. A smooth swinging lefty with a great arm and good speed, he'll give us a few options in the outfield and at first base. Chris will also contribute on the hill, giving us a quality lefty out of the pen.

#13 JJ Rizzo - Infielder

JJ transferred in at the semester break from Rollins College and immediately made his presence known. He has a smooth stroke, soft hands and a great arm...Coming from South Florida he has quickly made the adjustment to the cold weather. He'll see a lot of time at 1B and will also see time around the infield. Look for him to bat in the top half of the lineup and be a big run producer for the offense. He'll also see some time on the hill both as a reliever and spot starter.

#15 Brendan Pilger - Right Fielder

Pilber continues his career at Anderson Field after spending the past two seasons patrolling RF for St. Pius...He's very athletic, with a great arm and good wheels. He's been working extremely hard at his hitting and if he continues, he can develop into a big time hitter. He'll spend most of the time in RF and we look for him to mature into a leader on and off the field.

#18 Ben Giddens - Catcher

Ander, the Best Madden player on the team, starts the season as the #2 catcher and a candidate to get some AB's as the DH. He delivers a powerful stroke and we'll look to get him as many AB's as possible throughout the year. Behind the dish he's a good receiver and an excellent blocker. He gives the pitchers instant confidence with his catching skills and knowledge. As a freshmen he'll need to make the most of his time and learn the college game...He'll come into 2008 as the leading candidate to catch full time.

#20 Matt Anderson - Third Base

Matty will begin the season as the starting third baseman. He brings a gritty, blue-collar type of play to the team which is suited well for 3B. He's not afraid to put his body in front of screaming grounder or stick his nose in on a tag. Offensively he shows surprising pop in his bat. He's a tireless worker and has a me against the world attitude.

#23 Theo Stathakis - Inf

Basketball has claimed another victim...Theo playing some BB rolled is ankle and was diagnosed with a grade 3 sprained ankle (not good), It may take a few months to get him back and the possibility of red shirt will be discussed.

#26 Patrick Falco - Pitcher

After a tough loss in the Sugar Bowl his draft stock dropped and his NFL career never materialized....Just kidding. That was Shane Falco! Patrick gives the Petrels depth in their bullpen and looks to start the season as the setup man. The hope is he can move into the closer role later in the year. Now on a regimented throwing program Pat will gain arm strength which will only help him some zip to his fastball to go along with a good curve ball...

#28 Mario Rivera - Pitcher

The Hondurian sensation looks to fill out the starting rotation. Coming from a predominately soccer country, Mario has not had the intense baseball training found in the states. He has already added a few pounds to his frame through Infinite and with a structured throwing program will add to his arm strength. He brings a great curve ball to the mound along with a good sinking fastball. He's been working on a nice 'hook' change that will make his fastball that more deceptive.

#32 Stephen Archer - 1st Base

The big man has sure impressed us early on and is pushing for some serious playing time. A nice solid swing with good power, Archer could develop into a big time run producer. He's shown good footwork and a good glove at first base. Practice and hard work will only make him better.

Date Change to Original Date...

This is what happens when you try and beat Mother Nature...Game is back on for:

Tuesday Feb. 6th 3pm

We can only learn from history...

LaGrange, not much too say but we really do not like this team. Their coach is a great guy and has won everywhere he has been. I really respect him as a coach and a person. Probably one of my favorite coaches that I've played against, but there is something about playing LaGrange that we really do not like...maybe it has to do with Eddie LaGrange himself?

But I found this story up on their site, some pretty interesting stuff. May I point out that OU's last two wins against LaGrange, were games that I started and earned the win. Gentlemen, that's not really something I wish to say any longer.

Side note: Basketball teams sweep Austin, set to play Hendrix on Sunday.

Roster Breakdown - Juniors and Sophomores

Juniors

# 5 Evan Baker - Second Base
Ebay begins his third year in the program and hopefully he can remain at his natural position for an entire year. A 2-bagger by trade, Bake started last year at SS for the Petrels, and while he did a great job he'll be even better at second base. He'll hit in the top half of the order and will constantly challenge pitchers on a day-to-day basis. Last year he led the team with a .350 BA after a notorious slow start, this year he has made the adjustment to the colder weather....If only we can get him to use less bleach....

#29 Nick Greenfield - Pitcher

Greenie is a talented pitcher with arguably the best 'stuff' on the team. With a good fastball, a new two-seamer, and a change to go along with the devastating slider and 12-6 curve, he is not short on quality pitches. He has shown flashes of dominance over the past two years but needs to be more consistent. There is no doubting his work ethic and determination to win. Greenfield will have to step up and and show the dominance he is capable of, every time he steps on the bump. Consistency is the key to Greenfield having a "Special" year...

Sophomores

#10 Brandyn Steen - Left Field / Second Base

Brandyn "#1" Steen has turned the corner....a rough 2006 has only made him stronger. He is attempting to make the switch from 2B to LF this year and has shown that he is capable of playing LF everyday, when the focus is right. Its not easy moving from a position that has a lot of responsibilities on every pitch, to a position that requires more patience. But with Steener's athleticism he should be fine. A good, aggressive hitter Steen has the chance to be a big contributor in the offense. His wheels are a huge asset and when he gets fully healthy will be able to steal his fair share of bases. Maturity from last season is evident in his daily work habits and that will only lead to greater success for the young Petrel.

#25 Sean Tuttle - Pitcher

King Tut burst on the scene last year with an impressive 6-2 record and 4-0 record in SCAC play. This year teams will be ready, so Tuttle needs to put in the extra work to stay one step ahead. He has great mechanics, a live fastball, good off speed pitches and a great feel on how to pitch. His imposing 6-4 frame lets him get on top of his fastball and create great backspin which makes it very difficult to hit. We'll need him to step up and do his thing all year. Along with Greenie these two will be at the top of the rotation for 2007 and 2008. I expect Tuttle to grasp the leadership role as a top pitcher and guide the rest of the talented but young staff. Sky is the limit for this guy.

Up next....the Lucky 13 Frosh.

Roster Breakdown -- The Seniors

Here is the first part of the Roster Breakdown. We'll start with the Seniors.

#1 Tim Ernst - Outfielder / Pitcher

If there has been one constant around OU baseball it is Timmay. He has started every game for the Petrels since his arrival and knock on wood he WILL start every game in his career. I'm not sure if I can even fathom our team without him. He's the face of OU baseball, the poster boy. Even though he knows every stat, and calculates his batting average while rounding 2nd during a triple, he does not crave the attention. He would rather win and go 0-4 then lose and hit two HRs. He can do it all....Outstanding leadoff hitter that can hit, draw a walk, steal a base and has the knack for getting that clutch hit. When the game is on the line, I want him at the plate. He holds the school record for batting average and on base percentage in a single season among 20 or so other school records. His defense has saved too many runs to count and he has handled the pressure of replacing one of the best CF ever at OU in the infamous Bloody. Tim has also done his fair share of pitching, even though every year I swear he is not going to pitch....He has played SS, CF and even has done some catching for the Petrels. 2007 will be his farewell tour around the SCAC, believe me teams are not going to miss him. Tim will once again start in CF and leadoff....He is one of the leaders on and off the field. I look for him to have his best year, yet...And that's saying a lot...

# 16 Robert Pavelka - Catcher

Bob came to us last year after hopping around a few schools, building some docks and shooting some deer. Bob is the guy who can build anything out of toothpicks and knows just about everything there is to know about power tools. He has put his hands into every baseball project we have embarked on since he's been here and he's the first guy I call with a building/plumbing/maintenance problem. On the field Bob will open up as the starting catcher and hit somewhere in the middle of lineup. After taking a year off in 2005 from baseball, he started slow in 2006 but came on fast in the second half of the season. He is a mature, well rounded leader who commands instant respect from his teammates. I don't think many players who were infielders their whole lives could transition to catcher in their junior year of college as fast as he has...It really is remarkable on how much hes improved in the last year behind the dish. You really can't put a price on a good catcher. In 2007 I see Bob continuing his hot pace and along with Tim carrying this team to the postseason, and hopefully building a few more things before he leaves....

News and Notes 1/29

• One week from Tuesday the season will kick into high gear with the opener down at LaGrange College. LaGrange is always good, it will be a great first test for the young Petrel squad.
• On February 10th we open up the home schedule with a doubleheader against Maryville College. We need parent volunteers throughout the season to help run the concession stand. We will be sending out an email asking for your help sometime this week. Any time you can give will be greatly appreciated. Remember the view from the concesion stand is the best seat in the house and also the warmest!!
• This past Saturday we had our first intrasquad game and we won! Both teams looked good, it was a well played game with just a few mistakes on the defensive side. The hitting warmed up as both seniors (Bob and Timmay) went deep in the game and overall the hitting was decent. On the rubber all pitchers did a good job throwing strikes. The walks were few and far between, but they must work on being more consistent with all of their pitches...We continue to improve everyday. The season is a marathon not a sprint. As long as we bring intensity and fire to the field everyday things will take care of themselves.
• Anybody see the box score from this weekend's basketball games? Senior secondbaseman Andrew Tulowitzky had a career high 36 points against Southwestern on Friday night. Tulo has now eclipsed the 1,000 career point mark. Congrats!! Can't wait till we get you back on the field! Aren't DIII athletics great.
• Recruiting News: We continue to reach out and find the next Petrel star...This year the long arm of OU baseball has reached all the way out to California!! The West Coast has exploded on our radar. There are 5 to 8 student-athletes looking seriously at the opportunities that OU has to offer. We have also reachd into the northeast with prospects from New Jersey, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania. Boys, "Welcome to Atlanta where the players play "- Ludacris

Stay tuned this week for a breakdown of the roster and the scouting report on LaGrange...