2010 York College Baseball Preview
The York College baseball squad begins 2010
like it does most seasons: high expectations and a great enthusiasm
for the upcoming campaign. York head coach Paul
Saikia enters his 23rd campaign at the helm of the
Spartans coming off a 28-win season and an NCAA Tournament
berth.
Saikia welcomes back seven everyday starters
and a majority of his pitching staff as the Spartans are geared up
to compete for the Capital Athletic Conference championship. That
championship carries a new benefit this year as the conference now
owns an NCAA Tournament automatic bid for the first time in
conference history.
The Spartans have a number of versatile players
that provide Saikia with the ability to mix and match lineups. It
also gives the Spartan mentor exceptional depth for 2010.
INFIELD
The Spartans have experience all over the
infield as all four starters return. Shortstop Rob
Klinck begins his third year as a starter while
Kyle Cook settles in at third base. Dustin
Worthman will hold down second base while CT
Stanley begins his second season as the Spartans’
starting first sacker. Senior Rick Shumway
will also play a big role in the infield as he can fill in at
second, third and short depending on the Spartans’ needs.
Klinck hit .312 with 38 runs scored, 19 RBI, 10
doubles, four triples and a pair of home runs last season. He is a
steady shortstop with a good arm and range. Klinck is one of the
most experienced Spartans with over 300 at-bats in his career. He
will likely hit in the lower third of the lineup and gives that
part of the order some run production potential.
Cook blossomed as a sophomore, hitting .376
with 37 runs scored, 17 RBI, and seven doubles before having his
season end early with a wrist injury in the NC Wesleyan game. He
will hit in the heart of the lineup as he provides York with the
ability to be a key run producer. Cook will also hold down a spot
in the Spartan pitching rotation.
Worthman played in 34 games as a freshman with
time split between the designated hitter role and second base. He
will take over full time at second in 2010 and hit at the top of
the lineup. He hit a blistering .448 in 96 at-bats with 25 runs
scored, three doubles, a triple, and 14 RBI. He had a .500 on-base
percentage while he also stole nine bases. Worthman has improved
defensively and is a hard-nosed player who brings toughness to the
Spartan squad.
Stanley had a very productive sophomore year as
he hit .291 with a team-high nine home runs. He drove in 38 with 29
runs scored and 14 doubles. He has refined his approach at the
plate that should provide him the ability to hit for a higher
average without losing his power. Stanley started 43 games and
owned a .394 on-base percentage. He is slated to hit in the four
hole and will have a chance to be a big run producer for the Green
and White. Stanley has also become a very reliable first baseman,
giving his fellow infielders a big, athletic target at first
base.
Shumway comes to York from Division II
Shippensburg where he was a dynamic offensive player for the Red
Raiders. In 2008, Shumway hit .380 with 52 runs scored, 10 doubles,
five triples, and a home run. He drove in 39 runs in addition to
stealing 21 bases. He is a very versatile infielder that will get
playing time at various positions in addition to getting at-bats as
the designated hitter.
“I like our infield a lot,” says
Saikia. “We have experience at every position, both in
starting roles and in depth. I would not expect us to be flashy,
but I do feel we are solid and steady. I think some of our
infielders have grown a lot as leaders on our team as well. That
brings stability to a team that I think is very
valuable.”
Junior Sean McCann provides
depth at both corner positions while Adam Hegedus
is a back up at second for the Green and White. Steve
Bonitatibus also provides depth for the Green and White at
first base.
OUTFIELD
The Spartan outfield brings a good mix of
players, as York must replace their lone lost starter in graduated
centerfielder Ryan Poff. Senior Matt Monti moves
from third base to centerfield where he made a smooth adjustment
during the fall season. Monti is a great athlete with exceptional
speed that can cover ground in center. He hit .341 with 27 runs
scored, 38 RBI, 11 doubles, two triples, and a pair of home runs in
2009. He stole a team-high 13 bases and will likely hit in the two
spot for the Green and White.
Monti will be flanked in leftfield by senior
Mike Connolly and in right by Joe
Doyle. Connolly begins his final year in the Green and
White as a four-year starter. He hit .320 with 35 runs scored, 31
RBI, 12 doubles, and three home runs. He drew 20 walks in 2009 as
he had a .400 on-base percentage. Connolly is in tremendous shape
and will have the opportunity to finish among the all-time Spartan
offensive leaders with a good season. Connolly has made strides as
a defensive player as he boasts an accurate arm in left field. The
left-handed hitting Connolly will hit in either the third or fifth
hole depending on match ups.
Doyle played in 39 games last year and
responded by hitting .319 with 15 runs scored, 15 RBI, 10 doubles
and a home run. He should flourish with extended at-bats, as he is
an outstanding athlete. Doyle is a tough, competitive player who
will likely see most of his plate appearances come from the lower
half of the Spartan order.
Sophomore Steve Tretter
provides Saikia with a great option at any of the three outfield
slots. He is a gifted athlete that can really run and throw. He is
an aggressive hitter who also could see time out of the bullpen.
Junior Devin Harbold provides depth in right and
left field while junior Shaun Rutherford also
plays in left for York.
“Like the infield we have veteran depth
at every spot. Monti is new to his position, but I feel he is
adjusting well,” states Saikia. “All in all I think we
have a good talent and experience in the outfield – physical
players with some versatility.
PITCHING
STAFF
The York pitching staff is headlined by senior
ace Jason Christenberry. The right-hander is
coming off an 8-3 year as he owned a 3.75 ERA in a team-high 84
innings. Christenberry struck out 60 as opponents hit .260 against
him. He made 14 starts while he also earned one save out of the pen
for York. Christenberry is an aggressive pitcher that works quickly
and challenges hitters. He has worked on improving his change up,
giving him another weapon to attack his opponents.
Junior Andy Rosenzweig returns
as York’s number two starter after posting six wins as a
sophomore. Rosenzweig made 13 starts and threw 66.2 innings. He has
four quality pitches which he can throw consistently for strikes.
Rosenzweig is a battler that gives York experience near the top of
the rotation.
Cook is slated to hold down a spot in the
rotation while senior Chris Frankenfield moves to
the rotation after spending most of last year throwing out of the
pen. Cook earned three wins and five saves last year. Cook spent
most of last year doing his pitching as the closer but this year he
slides into the rotation. There is a possibility of him moving back
into the closer role if needed by Saikia.
Frankenfield has a great junior year as he went
3-2 with a 3.09 ERA in 46.2 innings. He is a competitive and
intelligent pitcher who battles and doesn’t beat himself with
walks. Frankenfield made 18 appearances with five starts late in
the year as he provides York with another experienced arm in the
rotation.
Saikia has a group of four right-handers who provide
him spot starters or long bullpen relievers. Sophomores
K.C. Beshore and Tom Moran join
freshmen Brian Lusby and Joey
Couch as candidates for joining the rotation. Beshore went
4-1 in 16 appearances and six starts last year while Moran made six
appearances last year. Lusby is a promising first-year Spartan that
could make an impact as a freshman. Couch is a hard thrower that
also has the ability to impact the York fortunes.
The Spartans have a core of six pitchers that
will likely pitch exclusively out of the bullpen. Senior
Jeff Benchich and sophomore Brandon
Ullom will be joined by the freshmen foursome of Tretter,
Courtland Sullivan, Brian
Workman, and Josh Kohn in the pen.
Benchich tossed 16.1 innings last year and will be counted on to
provide leadership at the back end of the pen. Ullom threw limited
innings as a freshman but has worked hard to make himself into a
factor for York. Tretter, Sullivan, and Workman are three
right-handers that will get chances to contribute from the pen.
Kohn is the lone lefty on the Spartan staff in 2010.
“As the team is in most aspects, we have
a tested core on the mound,” comments Saikia. “We
should be able to start every game with a pitcher we feel can
provide the team a good chance to win. We have some gifted young
pitchers as well—getting a little bit out of each of them
will be the difference in whether we have legitimate depth or not.
I view them as our wild card. No pun intended.”
CATCHING
The Spartans are in good hands behind the dish.
Senior Jim Meehan comes back as the starter for
the Green and White. Meehan is an outstanding defensive catcher who
blossomed as the starter last year. Meehan hit .268 with 13 RBI and
10 runs scored but the coaching staff expects him to improve after
a good fall campaign that saw him hit the ball with authority all
over the field. Four freshmen provide Meehan with capable back up.
Justin Cohen is on track to be Meehan’s main
understudy. Cohen is a vocal, aggressive player who could also get
some designated hitter at-bats throughout the season.
Nicholas Long, Jimmy King, and
Michael Doran give the coaching staff an
outstanding core of young and talented catchers that provide York
with a bright future behind the plate.
“We have an unusual assembly of catchers
this year—a senior with a ton of experience and group of
freshmen who are talented but certainly still in the development
stage. My goal this year is to get as much as we can from Jimmy and
then look for every opportunity we can to get the freshmen some
experience,” states the Spartan mentor.
Saikia is excited to get out on the field
with his team.
“I think we have a chance to be a serious
contender in the CAC and the South Region. We scratched and clawed
our way through last season. Hopefully our returners can feed on
that experience and play a year more matured. I’m curious to
see what we can get from some of our younger guys. If our veterans
play like veterans and we get a reasonable contribution from our
bench, we could be pretty good,” remarks Saikia.
Much like all Spartan baseball seasons, the
Green and White face a tough regular season slate in preparation
for the CAC Tournament and NCAA Tournament play.
“The CAC gaining an AQ will definitely
raise the intensity level of our conference season and tournament.
Not to say that it was ever lacking, but it’s going to be an
all-out war now. Every game we play this year will be counted by
the NCAA as a regional game, so there really is no let up.
It’s going to be a long, hard battle,” says Saikia.
The Spartans open their 2010 schedule on
February 26 when they travel to Atlanta, Georgia to participate in
the Emory University Rawlings Southern Classic. York plays four
games in the tournament before playing at Randolph-Macon on March 2
on the way home from Atlanta. The Spartans are scheduled to open
their home season on March 5 against Mary Washington.
