East Lansing ? When Jake Boss took over as Michigan State's baseball coach prior to the 2009 season, the Spartans and success on the diamond were not exactly synonymous.
In the previous 10 seasons, they had been to the Big Ten tournament only twice, finishing in third place both times. In the other season in that 10-year stretch, they never finished better than seventh in the regular season.
But as Boss enters his fifth season leading Michigan State, things have turned dramatically. No longer are the Spartans an also-ran in college baseball. Now they are a regular contender in the Big Ten, and after reaching the NCAA tournament last season for the first time since 1979, expectations remain high in East Lansing.
"I think our players have set new expectations for our program and they will remain the same as long as we're here," Boss said. "The expectation is still winning the Big Ten championship, winning the Big Ten tournament and making a run in the regionals (of the NCAA tournament). We had the valuable experience of last year playing in the postseason, playing in the tournament, and the idea that the players took the program to another level has really set into our preparation this year."
The Spartans have been picked to finish third in the Big Ten this season behind Indiana and Nebraska. They open the season against Furman on Friday in Greenville, S.C.
Different look
The team Michigan State takes on the opening trip will have a bit of a different look than the one that reached the NCAA tournament a season ago, at least in the infield.
The Spartans had five players named to the All-Big Ten team in 2012 and just Jordan Keur will be back this season after Torsten Boss, Ryan Jones and Tony Bucciferro were each selected in the MLB Draft, and shortstop Justin Scanlon, a second team All-Big Ten selection, graduated.
The Spartans are hardly lacking in talent, however. Two named to the All-Freshman team ? Blaise Salter and Jimmy Pickens ? are back for their sophomore seasons and the pitching should be solid. Senior Andrew Waszak will be the No. 1 starter, followed by junior David Garner and sophomore Mick VanHossen.
"The game goes around the pitching," Waszak said. "Your pitching does well and your whole team does well. You can't win games if you give up runs, and I think our pitching staff is in pretty good shape."
Waszak has made the progression throughout his career from a mid-week guy all the way to the top of the rotation, but Boss feels Garner can be just as effective from the No. 2 spot. As a sophomore, Garner went 6-3 last season with a 3.28 ERA and Boss thinks he has the tools to be outstanding.
"Last year was kind of his breakout year," Boss said. "He came in drafted out of high school (Niles, Mich.) and really showed glimpses of good things his freshman year but was still learning how to pitch and how to get guys out at this level. Last year ? maybe the consistency was a little bit up and down, but he showed signs of some things that are pretty special. He has a bright future, I think, in professional baseball."
The pitching will be aided by a lineup that seems set in the outfield, as well as at first base with Ryan Krill and behind the plate with Joel Fisher. The holes to fill are at third base, shortstop and second base.
Boss said senior John Martinez will start the season at third, junior college transfer Ryan Richardson will play shortstop and sophomore Kevin Goergen will play second base.
"We've got some versatility," Boss said. "We've got some guys we can move around a bit."
Early contributions
The Spartans also brought in a solid recruiting class and expect contributions from some first-year players immediately.
Boss said Justin Alleman, an 18th-round pick of the Kansas City Royals, will be the team's closer while Anthony Misiewicz, a left-hander from Anchor Bay, will also contribute on the mound. Justin Hovis, a freshman from California, could see some time early at third base and Cam Gibson, son of former Tiger and Spartan Kirk Gibson, is the fourth outfielder right now and will be used at various times as a pinch runner.
"We've got some options and I feel good about all of them," Boss said. "I'll know a lot more three or four weeks from now."
And by the time Big Ten play rolls around, the Spartans will have a pretty good idea if they will have a shot at building on last season's postseason appearance.
"The first few weekends are a building block toward the Big Ten," Waszak said. "Our goal is to win the Big Ten and all these games can help our RPI and making a regional. It can help the coaches figure out the role of each player on the team and get up prepared for the Big Ten season.
"But obviously you want to win, that's the biggest thing."
mcharboneau@detroitnews.com
twitter.com/mattcharboneau
Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130214/SPORTS0202/302140441/1132/rss18
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