Wake Forest Athletics
2004 Wake Forest Baseball Preview
1/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 27, 2004
When Wake Forest fans sit in the bleachers on sun-drenched afternoons at Hooks Stadium this spring, they'll want to pick up a roster card on their way into the park.
With 10 newcomers on the roster, including the potential for up to seven new starters in the field and three new starting pitchers, fans will need help identifying their new favorite players.
Gone are six seniors and three juniors that played big roles in three NCAA Tournament berths and the 2001 ACC Championship. Their departures have created opportunities for younger players and newcomers to step to the forefront.
The Deacons have gone back to work. With so many starting jobs up for grabs, fall practices were more competitive than ever. Some of the veterans say the team's chemistry is better than ever. These Deacons are ready to write their own chapter in the Wake Forest record book.
In 2004, they get their chance.
- Starting Pitching
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For the first time since 2001, Wake Forest will have a new Friday starter. First round draft pick Kyle Sleeth occupied that spot for the past two years and posted a 21-3 record.
Pretty big shoes to fill, needless to say. No one player will be asked to post statistics like those.
Instead, the Deacons believe they have more arms than in recent years. That includes more options among starting pitchers, more options out of the bullpen.
First year pitching coach Curtis Brown, who comes to Wake Forest from Richmond, inherits a good mix of returning players and talented newcomers.
The Deacons expect the weekend rotation to begin with Cypress (Calif.) Junior College transfer Justin Keadle. The right-hander has already shown to be capable of pitching against top-flight talent after striking out 53 Cape Cod batters this past summer, second in the league while pitching for Yarmouth-Dennis.
Junior lefty Tim Morley figures to hold down the Saturday spot in the location. Morley was an Honorable Mention Freshman All-American in 2002 and has outstanding ability. Though he suffered through a sophomore slump last year, everyone surrounding the program has every confidence in Morley to rebound and have a big junior year.
During the fall, sophomore right-hander Kyle Young beat out a cast of candidates for the Sunday starting role. Young has impressed coaches and players alike with his aggressiveness and command.
Young was 5-0 last season as a freshman during mid-week games. His success as a Sunday starter could mirror the team's level of success in 2004.
Freshman Josh Ellis and junior Brian Bach, both right-handers, will give the Deacons two of the best mid-week starters in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Ellis was a Mr. Baseball in Kentucky and Bach is a proven winner at the college level with a career record of 12-4.
Both Ellis and Bach would be viable options as weekend starters.
- The Bullpen
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The Deacons will rely on several individuals, but most notably sophomore Kirby Wedekind. Wedekind shut down some of the ACC's best offenses last season as a freshman and could develop into one of league's premier relievers.
One newcomer that could make a big impact is freshman Lee Land. A 13th round pick by the Pirates last June, Land turned down a contract offer and opted instead, to come to Wake Forest. He is a hard-throwing righty with the ability to become a closer-type pitcher.
The 6-foot-4 Daniel Davidson is the most experienced pitcher on the staff with 33 appearances under his belt.
Senior Indy Wilkinson and fourth-year junior Danny Mackey provide leadership for a young staff.
The freshman trio of Andrew Knox, Charlie Mellies and Sean Souders give the Deacons three talented, young arms. All will work out of the bullpen. Knox chose Wake Forest over several high-profile schools. The coaching staff believes Mellies is just beginning to scratch the surface of his ability. Souders is a lefty who will likely be in the role of a short reliever.
- Catchers
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In a sense, the Deacons are adding two bodies behind the dish in 2004. First, there is J.B. Tucker, a transfer from Mississippi State who will likely earn the starting role.
Redshirt junior Ryder Mathias, the starting catcher in 2002, missed almost the entire 2003 season with a shoulder injury. He has returned healthy and could share time with Tucker.
Steven Malinowski started 43 games last year at the position as a freshman and provides the Deacons with an experienced option at catcher.
Junior Jonathan Portnoy is the team's tireless bullpen catcher.
- Infield
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Wake Forest returns some familiar faces in the infield.
Fifth year senior Nick Blue, a second team All-ACC second baseman in 2002, is back from a shoulder injury that limited him to only one at-bat and a redshirt year in 2003.
Junior Ben Ingold begins his third year as the team's starting shortstop. He was voted by his teammates as Wake Forest's best defensive player by a wide margin.
On the corners, the Deacons have a couple of options.
Senior Brad Scioletti is a versatile player that has seen time at every position in his first two years at Wake Forest except center field and pitcher. He is a strong candidate at first base. He had a great fall, particularly at the plate, where he might be one of the Deacons to have a breakout year.
Freshman Matt Antonelli is an incredibly talented athlete who can play three positions on the infield and perhaps in the outfield. The 19th-round pick of the Dodgers in June was the Massachusetts High School Football and Hockey Player of the Year, and the runner-up in baseball.
The powerful Lee Land, who will also see time at pitcher, played third base in high school but worked at first base this past fall.
Doug Riepe is one of the team's senior veteran leaders. He has seen time at both corner infield spots as well as the outfield. He belted four home runs last season and was the team's most frequent pinch-hitter.
Junior Grant Achilles is one of the most hard-working players on the squad and provides depth in the middle infield.
- Outfield
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No matter who is in the outfield, the Deacons will have a new look in 2004. That's because Wake Forest had three senior outfielders last year.
The outfield will be built around Matt Miller, a transfer from Modesto (Calif.) Junior College where he was a First Team JC All-American. Miller is expected to claim center field. He is a speedy, leadoff-type hitter who creates havoc on the basepaths.
Senior Steve LeFaivre will be the team's right fielder. The left-handed, power hitting LeFaivre had a very solid junior year in limited duty, batting .315 with three home runs and 29 RBI. He has 13 career home runs to his credit.
Left field is still up for grabs as the team enters the spring. The two most likely candidates are sophomore Casey Sterk and freshman Brian Shust.
Sterk, a switch-hitter, played in 17 games as a rookie and is a very steady defensive player. Though just a freshman, Shust is one of the strongest players on the team. He played high school baseball with Tim Morley in suburban Chicago and was recruited by several Big Ten football programs.
Sophomore Brendan Enick, who missed important time last year during the fall with a torn hamstring, is a corner outfielder who provides depth for the Deacons.
Riepe and Scioletti have both spent time in the outfield in previous years and could be plugged into the lineup.
- Designated Hitter
Head coach George Greer has an array of options at his disposal at the designated hitter position, depending on match-ups with opposing pitchers and the team's health.
Under ideal circumstances, the individuals likely to see the most time at designated hitter would include Ryder Mathias, Doug Riepe, Steven Malinowski and Lee Land.
- Schedule
As always, the Deacons will tackle a difficult schedule. In the season's first weekend, Wake Forest will travel to Houston, Texas, for the Coca-Cola Classic to face Rice, the defending national champion. Also involved in that event is Lamar University, a 40-18 team last year that qualified for the NCAA Tournament, and Cal State Northridge.
In other non-conference action, the Deacons will also square off against Missouri and VCU, both NCAA Tournament teams in 2003.
Wake Forest will play its usual 24-game slate in the Atlantic Coast Conference, rated each of the last three years as the top baseball conference based on the NCAA's RPI.
On March 16 in Blacksburg, Va., and March 17 at Hooks Stadium, the Deacons will get an early look at Virginia Tech, which will join the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2005.
The league schedule brings Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Maryland and Florida State to Hooks Stadium. The Deacons will travel to Clemson, Duke, NC State and Virginia.
For the second straight year, the ACC Tournament returns to Salem, Va., at the end of May.
