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University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Enters 2004 Season Looking to Continue Recent Success
2/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota loses a group of seniors who became the first to claim championships in all four seasons, but what remains with this year's squad that wears the Maroon and Gold is the expectations of excellence that have accompanied the program throughout 41 straight winning seasons. Since 1992, the Golden Gophers have claimed the Big Ten regular season or tournament title on seven occasions and have qualified for the NCAA Tournament on eight occasions. That success breads a hunger to continue the tradition among the players.
"I think throughout the history of the program we have had experienced players who have preached the importance of continuing the successful tradition of our program," said Minnesota head coach John Anderson. "No class that I have coached embodied that more then last year's senior class. Not only did they leave with four rings, but they did a great job of instilling those expectations with the players who remain on this team. We have a good core of players returning from last year's squad who I think learned those lessons well, and are prepared to continue the high level of success we achieved last season and particularly in the last four seasons."
Those last four seasons Minnesota has averaged over 20 wins in Big Ten play, going 81-32 with three regular season titles (2000, 2002, 2003). and one tournament title (2001). Last season the Golden Gophers set a school record with 24 wins in conference play, one off the Big Ten record, and won 40 games for the first time since 1999. Seventeen letterwinners return from the squad, including five all-conference players.
Three of those all-conference players were part of the Minnesota pitching staff, that boasted the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in school history. The main cog in that staff was sophomore lefthander Glen Perkins, who was 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA and school record 117 strikeouts. Perkins, who became the first pitcher in the history of the Big Ten to go 8-0 in a conference season, was a Collegiate Baseball Second-Team All-American, First-Team All-Big Ten and was only the third Gopher in school history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Senior Jeff Moen and junior Matt Loberg are also a pair of all-conference pitchers who return to Minnesota's staff this season. Moen, who broke the school record for saves with nine last season, was named Second-Team All-Big Ten as a junior. The senior from Glenwood, Minn. led the team in appearances (21), and was 1-1 with a 2.39 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 26.1 innings. Moen also allowed only three inherited runners out of 25 to score last season. Loberg, who was named Third-Team All-Big Ten, tied for third on the team in wins with a 6-2 record for Minnesota in 11 starts with a 5.14 ERA. The junior from Anoka, Minn. also was 4-0 with a 3.19 ERA in seven Big Ten starts.
"I think the strength of our team heading into the 2004 season is without a doubt the pitching staff," said Anderson. "This is probably the deepest group of pitchers we have had since I have been at Minnesota. It is a group that has a lot of experience, along with some talented young arms that join the program this year. We have five pitchers coming into the season that have started for us in Big Ten play at one point in their careers, and an experienced duo of relievers that pitched well for us throughout the season last year. On top of that we have some great young arms that will push those players for spots in the rotation and in the bullpen."
Minnesota also returns a pair of hitters that claimed all-conference honors last season in sophomore Andy Hunter and senior Sam Steidl. Steidl, who enters the season tied for 10th on the career batting average list at .359, is one of the most consistent hitters in school history. Last season Steidl was named First-Team All-Big Ten, marking the third season a row he was named to one of the all-conference teams. Steidl led the conference in hits with 87, and was second on the team in batting average at .367. He also led the team in Big Ten batting average at .391. Hunter burst upon the scene in non-conference play when he was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Mar. 10 after helping lead the Gophers to a series victory over No. 2 Cal State Fullerton. Hunter, who was named Second-Team All-Big Ten, batted .344 with four home runs and 44 RBI. He finished second in conference play in RBI with 28, which was ninth on the Minnesota single season list.
"We definitely have some big shoes to fill in our lineup with some of the seniors that graduated last year," said Anderson. "However, we have some very good players returning from last year's team, along with some players who are ready for the opportunity to become starting position players on this team. I think we have good team speed this year, and we plan to utilize that to create opportunities. I also was really impressed with the way we played defense in the fall. Defense was one of the main keys to our success last year, and it will play a big role in how we do this season as well."
Minnesota returns four starting position players from last season's team in the field. However, the Golden Gophers have 13 redshirt and true freshmen, many of which will have the opportunity to play important roles on this season's squad. "We have had a good run of talented players that have been with the program for three or four seasons over the recent stretch of success," said Anderson. "This year we have four position players returning from last season. We also have a large group of talented young players that will have a chance to make a big impact on our team this season. Seeing what players emerge from the young group will be something that our coaching staff is excited to find out."
Gone from the infield are four-year mainstays Luke Appert, Scott Welch and David Roach. Appert graduated and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics (sixth round) after being named conference player of the year in back-to-back seasons. He became the first player since Barry Larkin to claim that achievement. Welch was a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten shortstop, while David Roach was a rock defensively for Minnesota at first base.
The Golden Gophers do return sophomore David Hrncirik, who batted .324 with 36 runs, 29 RBI and six stolen bases. Hrncirik enters the season with a .343 career batting average and has displayed tremendous range since taking over the hot corner in his freshman season. After fully recovering from an ankle injury that occurred at the beginning of last season he will look to utilize his speed more this season. Hrncirik also played this summer with the Madison Mallards in the Northwoods Summer League League.
Minnesota had the luxury of grooming sophomore Matt Fornasiere in his freshman season to replace Welch when he graduated. Although Fornasiere only played the position seven times last season, he got accustomed to college baseball by playing in 43 of Minnesota's 62 games last season. Last season he batted .257 with 17 runs and 19 RBI, spending portions of the season in left field, shortstop, designated hitter and in pinch-hitting roles. He batted .292 with seven RBI in Big Ten play, and saved his best for the NCAA Tournament when he went three-for-five with two runs against Pepperdine in Minnesota's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2000.
The Golden Gophers enter the season with a trio of players vying for time at second base. Sophomore Luke MacLean moves to second base from the outfield, where he played his freshman season. Senior Jared Sanders and junior Dan Thompson both played well in the fall and will each get a chance to be the starting second baseman. MacLean, who was originally a shortstop out of high school, batted .349 in 43 plate appearances, scoring 15 runs and driving in eight. This past summer MacLean got some games under his belt at second base as a member of the Duluth Huskies in the Northwoods Summer League. Sanders played in 14 games last season, five of which were in conference play, as a utility player. Thompson also served as a utility player in five games last season. All three players provide Minnesota with versatility throughout the season.
First base duties will be shared by Hunter and redshirt freshman Mike Mee. Both players will also see time at the designated hitter slot. Mee, whose father played on the last Gopher team to make the College World Series in 1977, redshirted his freshman season and played in the Northwoods League in preparation for the opportunity to be the starting first baseman for Minnesota. Hunter, who caught 10 games last season, will move out from behind the plate to play first-base and fill the left-handed designated hitter role he was so good at last season, along with Gary Dick and Mee.
Freshman Joe Maciej is an infielder who is a redshirt candidate and was a 2003 All-State Selection at Elk River High School.
"We lost three very good infielders from last year's team," said Anderson. "However, we feel each and every one of the players we have slated to start this season is prepared. David (Hrncirik) has proven to be one of the top third baseman in our conference the last two seasons. Matt (Fornasiere) and Luke (MacLean) had a lot of experience for our team last year and in the Northwoods League this summer. We look for Andy (Hunter) to continue some of the great hitting he displayed last year, while Mike (Mee) had a redshirt season to improve and also got valuable experience in the Northwoods Summer League. We also like the way Jared (Sanders) and Dan (Thompson) played in fall ball, and feel they each have a legitimate shot at starting at second base. Between Dan, Luke and Jared we feel we have a lot of versatility in our infield going into the season."
One of the main strengths heading into the 2004 season for Minnesota is the pitching staff, which boasts quite a bit of depth and experience. However, it should not be overlooked that Minnesota returns all three players that caught the experienced group of pitchers last season.
With Hunter moving to first, the catching situation will primarily involve Jake Elder and Gary Dick. The duo accounted for 52 of the 62 starts last year behind the plate. With Dick and Elder calling the majority of the games in 2003, Minnesota pitching had its second-highest total of strikeouts in school history and walked the fewest batters by a Gophers staff since 1979.
Elder, who started the season off with a bang with a home run and four RBI in an opening day victory over Arizona last year, struggled with injuries for the early part of the season. However, the junior from Delta, British Columbia finished the season strong and ended up batting .339 with 15 RBI, 19 runs and two homers. Elder shined the brightest in the Big Ten Tournament, where he was named to the All-Tournament team at the catcher's spot with a .583 batting average.
Dick split time playing catcher and designated hitter in 27 games, and batted .316 with three homers and 11 RBI in 57 at-bats. He had two of those homers in Big Ten play, where he batted .382. Redshirt freshman Kevin Carlson, who is the son of former Minnesota quarterback and former Gopher baseball player (1980) Mark Carlson, will also see some time behind the plate for Minnesota.
"Obviously one of the strengths of our team heading into the season is our pitching," said Anderson. "So it makes me feel comfortable that we have an experienced veteran duo of catchers to work with our pitching staff. Jake (Elder) and Gary (Dick) are two very solid catchers who are also good hitters, which is an extra bonus at the catching position. Kevin (Carlson) is a good catcher who will make us deep at the catching position this season."
Minnesota returns a pair of experienced outfielders from last season, along with an infusion of young talent that has a lot of potential to make this a strong group.
Steidl, a three-time All-Big Ten outfielder returns to patrol centerfield for Minnesota. Steidl, who delivered the sixth-highest hit total in a single-season for Minnesota last year, is a rock-solid defensive centerfielder who provides the Golden Gophers with speed on the basepaths. Last year he was second on the team with 10 steals, and enters 2004 with 43 career stolen bases in three seasons.
Leseman, who had the second-highest Big Ten batting average (.375) on the team, is slated as the starting leftfielder for Minnesota. He returns after a freshman season that saw him bat .315 with 22 runs and 18 RBI. Leseman forged his away into the lineup as a regular with great defense and speed on the basepaths for Minnesota. This season the Golden Gophers are expecting him to raise his stolen base totals with one year of experience under his belt.
Minnesota will look to fill the rightfield spot that Pattee played last year, before graduating. Heading into the season true freshman Sean Kommerstad and redshirt freshman John Arlt are the two main players who will compete for the position. Kommerstad was the 2003 High School Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Minnesota. Arlt was an All-State player at Lakeville High School as a high school senior in 2002. Redshirt freshman Taylor VanderAarde will also challenge for a spot in the outfield. VanderAarde was an all-state outfielder for Hastings High School in 2002 as a senior.
The Golden Gophers also bring in three talented freshmen outfielders who will most likely redshirt the season in Nick Biagini, Tom Steidl and Aaron Larson. Biagini is an All-State Selection who comes from the talent rich Cretin-Durham High School. Steidl, who is the younger brother of Sam Steidl, was a 2003 All-State outfielder at Alexandria High School, while Larson was Honorable-Mention All-Conference at Lakeville High School in 2003.
"Tony (Leseman) and Sam (Steidl) give us great speed and a very strong defensive foundation in the outfield," said Anderson. "Both are very fast, have excellent instincts in the outfield and are very good hitters as well. Sean (Kommerstad) is a very talented player who already looks very comfortable defensively in rightfield. We also have an extremely talented group of young outfielders who will push for playing time in the outfield throughout the season. This crop of young outfielders has a lot of potential."
Minnesota losses a mainstay in its pitching staff over the last four years in C.J. Woodrow. However, the Golden Gophers return a wealth of talent, including Perkins who was the 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The Golden Gophers also return two of the other conference starters from last season in Loberg and Jay Gagner. Minnesota went 15-0 in Big Ten games pitched by Loberg and Perkins in 2003. Gagner finished 4-6 with 45 strikeouts in 13 starts, including a sterling performance in which he only allowed two hits and pitched seven shutout innings in a victory over No. 2 Cal State Fullerton on Mar. 7.
Minnesota also returns Craig Molldrem who was fourth on the team in strikeouts last season. Molldrem, who started in conference play in 2002, was a spot starter and middle reliever in conference play for Minnesota last season. The Golden Gophers expect him to compete for one of the four spots in the starting rotation. Minnesota also welcomes back junior Josh Krogman, who missed the 2003 season with Tommy John surgery. Krogman made 18 starts in his first two years with Golden Gophers and was 9-4 with a 65 strikeouts.
Perkins heads into the season as the ace of the staff, while Loberg, Molldrem, Krogman and Gagner are expected to battle it out for the remaining three spots on the staff. Minnesota also returns last year's closer in Moen. Last year Moen broke school records for regular and Big Ten single-season saves, and stranded 22 of 25 inherited runners. Brian Bull and Tim Theis will be the primary left-handed relievers for Minnesota this season. Bull picked up six wins in relief and had the third-lowest ERA on the team at 3.48. He also picked up two saves on the season and led all relievers in innings pitched as a freshman with 44. Theis was 1-0 with a 5.94 ERA as a sophomore in 2003. Andy Peters, who was 2-0 with a 5.29 ERA in his freshman season, also returns to the bullpen for Minnesota.
The Golden Gophers also welcome a trio of exciting pitching prospects to the program this season in Cole DeVries, Josh Oslin and John Gaub. DeVries was the Minnesota Class 3A Player of the Year for Eden Praire High School, while Oslin was named All-Section and was also drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 28th round out of high school. Gaub is a powerful pitcher who was drafted by the Twins in the 25th-round. All three pitchers will have a chance to compete for spots on the pitching staff.
Reid Mahon, Bill Johnson, Luke Beresford and Jonathon Holt will also challenge for spots on the Golden Gophers staff. Beresford is coming off missing the 2003 season due to elbow surgery. In his freshman season in 2002, Beresford made 12 appearances in relief for Minnesota and was 1-0 with 11 strikeouts in 13 innings. Mahon made four appearances and three starts for Minnesota in 2003 and struck out nine batters in 10.1 innings. Johnson is a lefty-redshirt freshman who could battle for a spot in the bullpen, while Holt is a senior righthander who will also get a chance to compete for a bullpen slot.
"We are very excited about this group of pitchers heading into the season," said Anderson. "This group is a testament to the reputation that Pitching Coach Todd Oakes has for working successfully with our pitchers. This is a group that we think can go out there and put us in position to win on a regular basis. It is a good mix of experience and talent that we feel can help us succeed in the postseason."
The Golden Gophers have never shied away from the top competition in the nation and this year is no different. Minnesota starts the season at the Florida Atlantic Tournament where it will open with No. 23 Florida Atlantic on Feb. 27. The Golden Gophers will play 2003 Big South Champion Winthrop on Feb. 28. On Feb. 29, Minnesota will close out the tournament against No. 19 Notre Dame, and then travel down to Coral Gables the same day to wrap up the trip at No. 3 Miami (Fla.). Minnesota follows that up by hosting the Dairy Queen Classic on Mar. 5-7, which will feature No. 22 Florida State, 2003 Dairy Queen Classic Champion Nebraska (No. 24) and West Virginia, who finished second in the Big East in 2003.
The Golden Gophers will also head to California for a nine-day, seven-game road trip. That road trip will begin with a three-game series at 2003 College World Series participant Cal State Fullerton (No. 4) on Mar. 12-14. Minnesota will play a single-game against Cal-State Northridge on Mar. 17, before wrapping up the trip at UC Irvine on Mar. 18-20. The Golden Gophers finish up the preseason portion of the schedule with a tournament at Des Moines, Iowa on Mar. 26-28 that will feature Northern Illinois, Northern Colorado and Iowa.
"We have always strived to put together a schedule that will let us evaluate our team and players right off the bat," said Anderson. "In order to challenge for the Big Ten and be successful in postseason play we feel it is important to play a tough schedule. This schedule is no different. We want to challenge our players, and we feel this preseason schedule will prepare them to succeed in conference play and NCAA Tournament play, two of our annual goals. This is a geographically diverse group of opponents that gives us a quality schedule and a chance to succeed at our goals as a program this season."
Minnesota starts Big Ten play at Michigan on Apr. 2-4. Its second series will see the Golden Gophers wrap up a 20-game road trip at Indiana on Apr. 9-11. Minnesota will play its first home Big Ten series against Penn State at Siebert Field on Apr. 16-18. The Golden Gophers will also host Purdue (Apr. 30-May 2), Iowa (May 7-9) and Ohio State (May 21-23) in Big Ten play. Minnesota will travel to play at Northwestern (Apr. 23-25) and Illinois (May 14-16).
"I don't see one or two dominant teams in the Big Ten this season," said Anderson. "A lot of last year's top players in the conference graduated or were drafted. The Big Ten should be a pretty close race that will probably come down to the last weekend of the season."
Minnesota will set its sight on the annual set of goals of winning the Big Ten title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Gophers won their first NCAA Tournament game since 2000 last season, and Minnesota is hungry to get back to the NCAA Tournament and build off that success.
"We are excited about the team we are putting on the field this season," said Anderson. "We have a solid core of returning position players from last year's team and an exciting group of young players. With the combination of those players and a very talented pitching staff we feel we have the ingredients to not only be successful in regular season play, but down the road in the postseason as well." The Minnesota Golden Gophers head into the 2004 season fresh off winning their first back-to-back regular season Big Ten titles since the 1973 and 74 seasons. In fact the last four seasons the Golden Gophers have won either Big Ten regular season or tournament titles.
Minnesota loses a group of seniors who became the first to claim championships in all four seasons, but what remains with this year's squad that wears the Maroon and Gold is the expectations of excellence that have accompanied the program throughout 41 straight winning seasons. Since 1992, the Golden Gophers have claimed the Big Ten regular season or tournament title on seven occasions and have qualified for the NCAA Tournament on eight occasions. That success breads a hunger to continue the tradition among the players.
"I think throughout the history of the program we have had experienced players who have preached the importance of continuing the successful tradition of our program," said Minnesota head coach John Anderson. "No class that I have coached embodied that more then last year's senior class. Not only did they leave with four rings, but they did a great job of instilling those expectations with the players who remain on this team. We have a good core of players returning from last year's squad who I think learned those lessons well, and are prepared to continue the high level of success we achieved last season and particularly in the last four seasons."
Those last four seasons Minnesota has averaged over 20 wins in Big Ten play, going 81-32 with three regular season titles (2000, 2002, 2003). and one tournament title (2001). Last season the Golden Gophers set a school record with 24 wins in conference play, one off the Big Ten record, and won 40 games for the first time since 1999. Seventeen letterwinners return from the squad, including five all-conference players.
Three of those all-conference players were part of the Minnesota pitching staff, that boasted the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in school history. The main cog in that staff was sophomore lefthander Glen Perkins, who was 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA and school record 117 strikeouts. Perkins, who became the first pitcher in the history of the Big Ten to go 8-0 in a conference season, was a Collegiate Baseball Second-Team All-American, First-Team All-Big Ten and was only the third Gopher in school history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Senior Jeff Moen and junior Matt Loberg are also a pair of all-conference pitchers who return to Minnesota's staff this season. Moen, who broke the school record for saves with nine last season, was named Second-Team All-Big Ten as a junior. The senior from Glenwood, Minn. led the team in appearances (21), and was 1-1 with a 2.39 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 26.1 innings. Moen also allowed only three inherited runners out of 25 to score last season. Loberg, who was named Third-Team All-Big Ten, tied for third on the team in wins with a 6-2 record for Minnesota in 11 starts with a 5.14 ERA. The junior from Anoka, Minn. also was 4-0 with a 3.19 ERA in seven Big Ten starts.
"I think the strength of our team heading into the 2004 season is without a doubt the pitching staff," said Anderson. "This is probably the deepest group of pitchers we have had since I have been at Minnesota. It is a group that has a lot of experience, along with some talented young arms that join the program this year. We have five pitchers coming into the season that have started for us in Big Ten play at one point in their careers, and an experienced duo of relievers that pitched well for us throughout the season last year. On top of that we have some great young arms that will push those players for spots in the rotation and in the bullpen."
Minnesota also returns a pair of hitters that claimed all-conference honors last season in sophomore Andy Hunter and senior Sam Steidl. Steidl, who enters the season tied for 10th on the career batting average list at .359, is one of the most consistent hitters in school history. Last season Steidl was named First-Team All-Big Ten, marking the third season a row he was named to one of the all-conference teams. Steidl led the conference in hits with 87, and was second on the team in batting average at .367. He also led the team in Big Ten batting average at .391. Hunter burst upon the scene in non-conference play when he was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Mar. 10 after helping lead the Gophers to a series victory over No. 2 Cal State Fullerton. Hunter, who was named Second-Team All-Big Ten, batted .344 with four home runs and 44 RBI. He finished second in conference play in RBI with 28, which was ninth on the Minnesota single season list.
"We definitely have some big shoes to fill in our lineup with some of the seniors that graduated last year," said Anderson. "However, we have some very good players returning from last year's team, along with some players who are ready for the opportunity to become starting position players on this team. I think we have good team speed this year, and we plan to utilize that to create opportunities. I also was really impressed with the way we played defense in the fall. Defense was one of the main keys to our success last year, and it will play a big role in how we do this season as well."
Minnesota returns four starting position players from last season's team in the field. However, the Golden Gophers have 13 redshirt and true freshmen, many of which will have the opportunity to play important roles on this season's squad. "We have had a good run of talented players that have been with the program for three or four seasons over the recent stretch of success," said Anderson. "This year we have four position players returning from last season. We also have a large group of talented young players that will have a chance to make a big impact on our team this season. Seeing what players emerge from the young group will be something that our coaching staff is excited to find out."
Gone from the infield are four-year mainstays Luke Appert, Scott Welch and David Roach. Appert graduated and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics (sixth round) after being named conference player of the year in back-to-back seasons. He became the first player since Barry Larkin to claim that achievement. Welch was a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten shortstop, while David Roach was a rock defensively for Minnesota at first base.
The Golden Gophers do return sophomore David Hrncirik, who batted .324 with 36 runs, 29 RBI and six stolen bases. Hrncirik enters the season with a .343 career batting average and has displayed tremendous range since taking over the hot corner in his freshman season. After fully recovering from an ankle injury that occurred at the beginning of last season he will look to utilize his speed more this season. Hrncirik also played this summer with the Madison Mallards in the Northwoods Summer League League.
Minnesota had the luxury of grooming sophomore Matt Fornasiere in his freshman season to replace Welch when he graduated. Although Fornasiere only played the position seven times last season, he got accustomed to college baseball by playing in 43 of Minnesota's 62 games last season. Last season he batted .257 with 17 runs and 19 RBI, spending portions of the season in left field, shortstop, designated hitter and in pinch-hitting roles. He batted .292 with seven RBI in Big Ten play, and saved his best for the NCAA Tournament when he went three-for-five with two runs against Pepperdine in Minnesota's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2000.
The Golden Gophers enter the season with a trio of players vying for time at second base. Sophomore Luke MacLean moves to second base from the outfield, where he played his freshman season. Senior Jared Sanders and junior Dan Thompson both played well in the fall and will each get a chance to be the starting second baseman. MacLean, who was originally a shortstop out of high school, batted .349 in 43 plate appearances, scoring 15 runs and driving in eight. This past summer MacLean got some games under his belt at second base as a member of the Duluth Huskies in the Northwoods Summer League. Sanders played in 14 games last season, five of which were in conference play, as a utility player. Thompson also served as a utility player in five games last season. All three players provide Minnesota with versatility throughout the season.
First base duties will be shared by Hunter and redshirt freshman Mike Mee. Both players will also see time at the designated hitter slot. Mee, whose father played on the last Gopher team to make the College World Series in 1977, redshirted his freshman season and played in the Northwoods League in preparation for the opportunity to be the starting first baseman for Minnesota. Hunter, who caught 10 games last season, will move out from behind the plate to play first-base and fill the left-handed designated hitter role he was so good at last season, along with Gary Dick and Mee.
Freshman Joe Maciej is an infielder who is a redshirt candidate and was a 2003 All-State Selection at Elk River High School.
"We lost three very good infielders from last year's team," said Anderson. "However, we feel each and every one of the players we have slated to start this season is prepared. David (Hrncirik) has proven to be one of the top third baseman in our conference the last two seasons. Matt (Fornasiere) and Luke (MacLean) had a lot of experience for our team last year and in the Northwoods League this summer. We look for Andy (Hunter) to continue some of the great hitting he displayed last year, while Mike (Mee) had a redshirt season to improve and also got valuable experience in the Northwoods Summer League. We also like the way Jared (Sanders) and Dan (Thompson) played in fall ball, and feel they each have a legitimate shot at starting at second base. Between Dan, Luke and Jared we feel we have a lot of versatility in our infield going into the season."
One of the main strengths heading into the 2004 season for Minnesota is the pitching staff, which boasts quite a bit of depth and experience. However, it should not be overlooked that Minnesota returns all three players that caught the experienced group of pitchers last season.
With Hunter moving to first, the catching situation will primarily involve Jake Elder and Gary Dick. The duo accounted for 52 of the 62 starts last year behind the plate. With Dick and Elder calling the majority of the games in 2003, Minnesota pitching had its second-highest total of strikeouts in school history and walked the fewest batters by a Gophers staff since 1979.
Elder, who started the season off with a bang with a home run and four RBI in an opening day victory over Arizona last year, struggled with injuries for the early part of the season. However, the junior from Delta, British Columbia finished the season strong and ended up batting .339 with 15 RBI, 19 runs and two homers. Elder shined the brightest in the Big Ten Tournament, where he was named to the All-Tournament team at the catcher's spot with a .583 batting average.
Dick split time playing catcher and designated hitter in 27 games, and batted .316 with three homers and 11 RBI in 57 at-bats. He had two of those homers in Big Ten play, where he batted .382. Redshirt freshman Kevin Carlson, who is the son of former Minnesota quarterback and former Gopher baseball player (1980) Mark Carlson, will also see some time behind the plate for Minnesota.
"Obviously one of the strengths of our team heading into the season is our pitching," said Anderson. "So it makes me feel comfortable that we have an experienced veteran duo of catchers to work with our pitching staff. Jake (Elder) and Gary (Dick) are two very solid catchers who are also good hitters, which is an extra bonus at the catching position. Kevin (Carlson) is a good catcher who will make us deep at the catching position this season."
Minnesota returns a pair of experienced outfielders from last season, along with an infusion of young talent that has a lot of potential to make this a strong group.
Steidl, a three-time All-Big Ten outfielder returns to patrol centerfield for Minnesota. Steidl, who delivered the sixth-highest hit total in a single-season for Minnesota last year, is a rock-solid defensive centerfielder who provides the Golden Gophers with speed on the basepaths. Last year he was second on the team with 10 steals, and enters 2004 with 43 career stolen bases in three seasons.
Leseman, who had the second-highest Big Ten batting average (.375) on the team, is slated as the starting leftfielder for Minnesota. He returns after a freshman season that saw him bat .315 with 22 runs and 18 RBI. Leseman forged his away into the lineup as a regular with great defense and speed on the basepaths for Minnesota. This season the Golden Gophers are expecting him to raise his stolen base totals with one year of experience under his belt.
Minnesota will look to fill the rightfield spot that Pattee played last year, before graduating. Heading into the season true freshman Sean Kommerstad and redshirt freshman John Arlt are the two main players who will compete for the position. Kommerstad was the 2003 High School Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Minnesota. Arlt was an All-State player at Lakeville High School as a high school senior in 2002. Redshirt freshman Taylor VanderAarde will also challenge for a spot in the outfield. VanderAarde was an all-state outfielder for Hastings High School in 2002 as a senior.
The Golden Gophers also bring in three talented freshmen outfielders who will most likely redshirt the season in Nick Biagini, Tom Steidl and Aaron Larson. Biagini is an All-State Selection who comes from the talent rich Cretin-Durham High School. Steidl, who is the younger brother of Sam Steidl, was a 2003 All-State outfielder at Alexandria High School, while Larson was Honorable-Mention All-Conference at Lakeville High School in 2003.
"Tony (Leseman) and Sam (Steidl) give us great speed and a very strong defensive foundation in the outfield," said Anderson. "Both are very fast, have excellent instincts in the outfield and are very good hitters as well. Sean (Kommerstad) is a very talented player who already looks very comfortable defensively in rightfield. We also have an extremely talented group of young outfielders who will push for playing time in the outfield throughout the season. This crop of young outfielders has a lot of potential."
Minnesota losses a mainstay in its pitching staff over the last four years in C.J. Woodrow. However, the Golden Gophers return a wealth of talent, including Perkins who was the 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The Golden Gophers also return two of the other conference starters from last season in Loberg and Jay Gagner. Minnesota went 15-0 in Big Ten games pitched by Loberg and Perkins in 2003. Gagner finished 4-6 with 45 strikeouts in 13 starts, including a sterling performance in which he only allowed two hits and pitched seven shutout innings in a victory over No. 2 Cal State Fullerton on Mar. 7.
Minnesota also returns Craig Molldrem who was fourth on the team in strikeouts last season. Molldrem, who started in conference play in 2002, was a spot starter and middle reliever in conference play for Minnesota last season. The Golden Gophers expect him to compete for one of the four spots in the starting rotation. Minnesota also welcomes back junior Josh Krogman, who missed the 2003 season with Tommy John surgery. Krogman made 18 starts in his first two years with Golden Gophers and was 9-4 with a 65 strikeouts.
Perkins heads into the season as the ace of the staff, while Loberg, Molldrem, Krogman and Gagner are expected to battle it out for the remaining three spots on the staff. Minnesota also returns last year's closer in Moen. Last year Moen broke school records for regular and Big Ten single-season saves, and stranded 22 of 25 inherited runners. Brian Bull and Tim Theis will be the primary left-handed relievers for Minnesota this season. Bull picked up six wins in relief and had the third-lowest ERA on the team at 3.48. He also picked up two saves on the season and led all relievers in innings pitched as a freshman with 44. Theis was 1-0 with a 5.94 ERA as a sophomore in 2003. Andy Peters, who was 2-0 with a 5.29 ERA in his freshman season, also returns to the bullpen for Minnesota.
The Golden Gophers also welcome a trio of exciting pitching prospects to the program this season in Cole DeVries, Josh Oslin and John Gaub. DeVries was the Minnesota Class 3A Player of the Year for Eden Praire High School, while Oslin was named All-Section and was also drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 28th round out of high school. Gaub is a powerful pitcher who was drafted by the Twins in the 25th-round. All three pitchers will have a chance to compete for spots on the pitching staff.
Reid Mahon, Bill Johnson, Luke Beresford and Jonathon Holt will also challenge for spots on the Golden Gophers staff. Beresford is coming off missing the 2003 season due to elbow surgery. In his freshman season in 2002, Beresford made 12 appearances in relief for Minnesota and was 1-0 with 11 strikeouts in 13 innings. Mahon made four appearances and three starts for Minnesota in 2003 and struck out nine batters in 10.1 innings. Johnson is a lefty-redshirt freshman who could battle for a spot in the bullpen, while Holt is a senior righthander who will also get a chance to compete for a bullpen slot.
"We are very excited about this group of pitchers heading into the season," said Anderson. "This group is a testament to the reputation that Pitching Coach Todd Oakes has for working successfully with our pitchers. This is a group that we think can go out there and put us in position to win on a regular basis. It is a good mix of experience and talent that we feel can help us succeed in the postseason."
The Golden Gophers have never shied away from the top competition in the nation and this year is no different. Minnesota starts the season at the Florida Atlantic Tournament where it will open with No. 23 Florida Atlantic on Feb. 27. The Golden Gophers will play 2003 Big South Champion Winthrop on Feb. 28. On Feb. 29, Minnesota will close out the tournament against No. 19 Notre Dame, and then travel down to Coral Gables the same day to wrap up the trip at No. 3 Miami (Fla.). Minnesota follows that up by hosting the Dairy Queen Classic on Mar. 5-7, which will feature No. 22 Florida State, 2003 Dairy Queen Classic Champion Nebraska (No. 24) and West Virginia, who finished second in the Big East in 2003.
The Golden Gophers will also head to California for a nine-day, seven-game road trip. That road trip will begin with a three-game series at 2003 College World Series participant Cal State Fullerton (No. 4) on Mar. 12-14. Minnesota will play a single-game against Cal-State Northridge on Mar. 17, before wrapping up the trip at UC Irvine on Mar. 18-20. The Golden Gophers finish up the preseason portion of the schedule with a tournament at Des Moines, Iowa on Mar. 26-28 that will feature Northern Illinois, Northern Colorado and Iowa.
"We have always strived to put together a schedule that will let us evaluate our team and players right off the bat," said Anderson. "In order to challenge for the Big Ten and be successful in postseason play we feel it is important to play a tough schedule. This schedule is no different. We want to challenge our players, and we feel this preseason schedule will prepare them to succeed in conference play and NCAA Tournament play, two of our annual goals. This is a geographically diverse group of opponents that gives us a quality schedule and a chance to succeed at our goals as a program this season."
Minnesota starts Big Ten play at Michigan on Apr. 2-4. Its second series will see the Golden Gophers wrap up a 20-game road trip at Indiana on Apr. 9-11. Minnesota will play its first home Big Ten series against Penn State at Siebert Field on Apr. 16-18. The Golden Gophers will also host Purdue (Apr. 30-May 2), Iowa (May 7-9) and Ohio State (May 21-23) in Big Ten play. Minnesota will travel to play at Northwestern (Apr. 23-25) and Illinois (May 14-16).
"I don't see one or two dominant teams in the Big Ten this season," said Anderson. "A lot of last year's top players in the conference graduated or were drafted. The Big Ten should be a pretty close race that will probably come down to the last weekend of the season."
Minnesota will set its sight on the annual set of goals of winning the Big Ten title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Gophers won their first NCAA Tournament game since 2000 last season, and Minnesota is hungry to get back to the NCAA Tournament and build off that success.
"We are excited about the team we are putting on the field this season," said Anderson. "We have a solid core of returning position players from last year's team and an exciting group of young players. With the combination of those players and a very talented pitching staff we feel we have the ingredients to not only be successful in regular season play, but down the road in the postseason as well."
