University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Bullpen Arms Teach Winning by Example
5/8/2019 1:29:00 PM | Baseball
Modern baseball research downplays the "win" statistic for pitchers. Too circumstantial, they say. It depends as much on the pitcher's performance as it does his batting line-up. What can't be argued, though, is that if you aren't being tagged with a loss, you must be doing something to help the team win.
Such is the case for fifth-year senior Jeff Fasching and junior Brett Schulze, who have anchored the Minnesota pitching staff in the past two seasons but particularly in 2019, when the pair entered last weekend with a combined 2.83 ERA in 54.0 innings pitched and 6-1 record out of the Gopher bullpen.
For his career, Fasching is 4-0 in 50 appearances, posting a 3.21 career ERA in 70.0 innings. He's having a career year in 2019 with highs in appearances (15), innings (24.1) and strikeouts (26) and a low in ERA (1.48). The left-hander from St. Cloud has had a unique career at Minnesota, sidelined by injury after just six appearances in the 2017 season and receiving a medical redshirt, making him eligible to return for a fifth season in 2019.
"My third year here was the year I ended up having hip surgery. That offseason, I developed a lot in the weight room, and since then, the two years have been pretty good for me," said Fasching. "That was a turning point for me in terms of getting my body healthy and being able to contribute at a high level."
The southpaw is the elder statesman of the bullpen, seeing his own freshman class move on following Minnesota's epic 2018 campaign. He's using that extra year of experience to help build up the youth that makes up the majority of the Maroon & Gold staff this season.
"As a guy that's been here through some down years and some really good years, it's important to show the younger guys how to stay a team," said Fasching. "The teams that have done the best on the field here in my career are the ones that are the closest off of it. Developing that chemistry in the locker room and having fun with the guys translates to the field."
Fasching also enjoyed a unique opportunity to start last season when the Gophers faced off with the Twins in Ft. Myers.
"It was a special experience for me, something that I'll be able to talk about for a long time," said Fasching. "I'm glad I had the opportunity to do that. It was awesome to pitch in front of that many people against the team I've rooted for my whole life and [to compete] against some guys I see on TV now."
Schulze began his career in the starting rotation, finish 4-3 with a 5.50 ERA in 14 starts. After his final defeat of his rookie season, the right-hander from Maple Grove performed a record-setting stretch of 708 days without a loss, going 15-0 in a span of 45 appearances out of the Gopher bullpen.
On the streak, Schulze said, "Even as a starter, you can pitch really well and not be labeled with the win. That's kind of what it is: a label. There's times where I definitely deserved it, and times when it was just happenstance. I have relatively little control over when that happens."
Since officially moving to the bullpen, Schulze is 15-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 81.1 innings. He's allows just 15 earned runs over the past two seasons, and with Max Meyer's move to the rotation earlier this year, became the full-time closer for Minnesota.
"It didn't start that way, even this year," said Schulze. "I was the makeshift guy, the jam guy, the first guy out of the bullpen, long relief, even set up. As the year progressed, everyone has adapted to different roles. I'm still at times not the designated 'closer.' Sometimes, I have to come on in the sixth and get a couple of important outs. It's a good feeling to know that I'm there to pick up my teammates."
While Schulze's winning streak came to a close against then-No. 23-ranked Indiana, his confidence heading into the final stretch of the season has not waned.
"Maturity has been a big thing for me, mentally as well as physically," said Schulze. "You don't have a lot of time to think before you get in the game. You're just locked into the task at hand. Relieving … is more ideal for how my body works. I have a quick rebound rate, and I can be used however the team needs. I've gotten stronger, more tougher mentally, and also performed better [since moving to the bullpen]."
Minnesota baseball fans will enjoy three more chances to catch the Maroon & Gold on campus as the Gophers host Maryland in a three-game Big Ten series this weekend. Friday night will be Dollar Dog Night at Siebert Field, Saturday night features a celebration of the career of former assistant coach Rob Fornasiere, and Sunday will be Senior Day. Single-game tickets remain available for all Gopher home games over the final stretch of the season. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
Such is the case for fifth-year senior Jeff Fasching and junior Brett Schulze, who have anchored the Minnesota pitching staff in the past two seasons but particularly in 2019, when the pair entered last weekend with a combined 2.83 ERA in 54.0 innings pitched and 6-1 record out of the Gopher bullpen.
For his career, Fasching is 4-0 in 50 appearances, posting a 3.21 career ERA in 70.0 innings. He's having a career year in 2019 with highs in appearances (15), innings (24.1) and strikeouts (26) and a low in ERA (1.48). The left-hander from St. Cloud has had a unique career at Minnesota, sidelined by injury after just six appearances in the 2017 season and receiving a medical redshirt, making him eligible to return for a fifth season in 2019.
"My third year here was the year I ended up having hip surgery. That offseason, I developed a lot in the weight room, and since then, the two years have been pretty good for me," said Fasching. "That was a turning point for me in terms of getting my body healthy and being able to contribute at a high level."
The southpaw is the elder statesman of the bullpen, seeing his own freshman class move on following Minnesota's epic 2018 campaign. He's using that extra year of experience to help build up the youth that makes up the majority of the Maroon & Gold staff this season.
"As a guy that's been here through some down years and some really good years, it's important to show the younger guys how to stay a team," said Fasching. "The teams that have done the best on the field here in my career are the ones that are the closest off of it. Developing that chemistry in the locker room and having fun with the guys translates to the field."
Fasching also enjoyed a unique opportunity to start last season when the Gophers faced off with the Twins in Ft. Myers.
"It was a special experience for me, something that I'll be able to talk about for a long time," said Fasching. "I'm glad I had the opportunity to do that. It was awesome to pitch in front of that many people against the team I've rooted for my whole life and [to compete] against some guys I see on TV now."
Schulze began his career in the starting rotation, finish 4-3 with a 5.50 ERA in 14 starts. After his final defeat of his rookie season, the right-hander from Maple Grove performed a record-setting stretch of 708 days without a loss, going 15-0 in a span of 45 appearances out of the Gopher bullpen.
On the streak, Schulze said, "Even as a starter, you can pitch really well and not be labeled with the win. That's kind of what it is: a label. There's times where I definitely deserved it, and times when it was just happenstance. I have relatively little control over when that happens."
Since officially moving to the bullpen, Schulze is 15-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 81.1 innings. He's allows just 15 earned runs over the past two seasons, and with Max Meyer's move to the rotation earlier this year, became the full-time closer for Minnesota.
"It didn't start that way, even this year," said Schulze. "I was the makeshift guy, the jam guy, the first guy out of the bullpen, long relief, even set up. As the year progressed, everyone has adapted to different roles. I'm still at times not the designated 'closer.' Sometimes, I have to come on in the sixth and get a couple of important outs. It's a good feeling to know that I'm there to pick up my teammates."
While Schulze's winning streak came to a close against then-No. 23-ranked Indiana, his confidence heading into the final stretch of the season has not waned.
"Maturity has been a big thing for me, mentally as well as physically," said Schulze. "You don't have a lot of time to think before you get in the game. You're just locked into the task at hand. Relieving … is more ideal for how my body works. I have a quick rebound rate, and I can be used however the team needs. I've gotten stronger, more tougher mentally, and also performed better [since moving to the bullpen]."
Minnesota baseball fans will enjoy three more chances to catch the Maroon & Gold on campus as the Gophers host Maryland in a three-game Big Ten series this weekend. Friday night will be Dollar Dog Night at Siebert Field, Saturday night features a celebration of the career of former assistant coach Rob Fornasiere, and Sunday will be Senior Day. Single-game tickets remain available for all Gopher home games over the final stretch of the season. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
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