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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Baseball to Open Season This Weekend at Delaware
February 28, 2008 | Baseball
The Princeton baseball team opens the 2008 season this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders at Delaware. Both doubleheaders begin at 12 noon. Princeton enters the 2008 season looking for its 17th overall league title and its sixth in nine years.
Princeton opens against a Delaware team that got its season started last weekend at The Citadel. Delaware took two of the three games it played there, winning 7-2 and 6-4 and falling 12-0.
Livestats all for all four games this weekend can be found on the baseball schedule page. For more information about the 2008 Princeton baseball team, read the season outlook below.
Princeton enters the 2008 baseball season looking to build off a strong finish to last season and a good fall of practices. The 2007 Tiger roster was very young, as many of Princeton's players were in starting roles for the first time in their collegiate careers. Because of that inexperience, the Tigers found themselves looking up in the standings midway through the league season. With its back to the wall and needing to win its last six games to force a playoff with Penn atop the Gehrig Division standings, Princeton reeled off five straight wins before falling in extra innings against Cornell in the sixth game and falling a game short of the Quakers.
“We need to capitalize on the lessons learned last season,” says head coach Scott Bradley. “We dug ourselves into a hole and just couldn't get out. This year, we are a year older and a lot of our young guys are now aware of what is needed and expected to be successful at this level.”
Princeton headed to the offseason a game short of the postseason, but with a good idea of what it needed to work on during the summer and fall in preparation for
the upcoming season.
The Tiger roster includes 13 position players, two of which are two-way players who also pitch.
“The first thing you will notice about our team in the field and at the plate is that we are not as deep as we have been,” says Bradley. “The positions may change, but we are going to send out a very similar lineup on a day-in day-out basis.”
That group will center around the likes of senior Spencer Lucian, sophomore Jack Murphy and junior Dan DeGeorge, who will be counted upon to deliver in the middle of the Tiger lineup.
While Princeton lacks depth in the field, the Tigers do boast an experienced crop of pitchers. Princeton has four returning starters seniors Christian Staehely and Steven Miller, junior Brad Gemberling and sophomore David Hale was have all started league games in the past, as well as some younger players who will figure in the mix.
“It is nice to have an experienced group of pitchers, especially when we are inexperienced in most other places,” says Bradley. “There will be great competition for our starting rotation and we hope that they are able to push each other throughout the season.”
The returning core and the cast of newcomers will have to work to overcome the losses of a season ago. Gone are two of Princeton's starting infielders from last season, as well as a three-game winner from the pitching staff.
Sal Iacono, a third baseman and catcher, hit .413 as a senior to lead Princeton in nearly all offensive categories. He signed with the Houston Astros after being drafted and played for their short season affiliate in Troy, N.Y., last summer. His average led all Ivy players and was the third-highest single-season total in Princeton history.
Aaron Prince, a three-year starter at second base, also graduated. He hit .221 as a senior in 38 games. Eric Walz, a four-year starter on the mound for the Tigers, also graduated. Walz led the team in innings pitched with 57 and was 3-1 last season and 9-8 for his career.
Despite the graduation of those players, Princeton will start the upcoming season with a full roster and plenty of opportunity.
“I like the pieces we have in place,” says Bradley. “Our strength lies in the quality of our pitching staff and good pitching always give you a chance. We should be a very good defensive team as well, and we hope that our offense will come along and do enough to help us win and be successful.”
THE PITCHING STAFF
When looking at the Tiger roster, it is clear that Princeton's pitching is its biggest strength. The staff includes 15 arms with five good front-end pitchers and a lot of help in the bullpen.
Despite the loss of a weekend starter to graduation, Princeton returns four pitchers in 2008 that have weekend starting experience, as well as a group of sophomores that saw innings last season, and a group of six freshman pitchers.
Seniors Christian Staehely and Steven Miller lead the group as the pair have pitched considerable innings in three seasons at Princeton. Staehely struggled during the 2007 season, going 0-6 with a 6.20 ERA a year after he went 5-2 with a 2.57 ERA as a sophomore. He regrouped during the summer, pitching in the Cape Cod League and also for Sweden this fall at the European Baseball Championships.
Miller was 3-6 for the Tigers last season in 12 appearances, with a 5.57 ERA in 53.1 innings. Miller ranks in Princeton's Top 10 for career appearances with 46 and will see time starting and in relief this season.
“Christian and Steven know what is expected of them as seniors,” says Bradley. “Both have had ups and downs in their careers, but each is healthy and expected to contribute for us this spring.”
Junior Brad Gemberling battled through injuries last spring, but was one of the league's top pitchers when he was able to pitch. Gemberling was 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA in eight appearances. Once healthy, Gemberling won two games during Princeton's late season run and then had a strong summer pitching in the Cape Cod and Coastal Plains Leagues.
Sophomore David Hale also emerged as one of the top pitchers in the league last season and is considered one of the top pitching prospects in the area. Hale was 3-2 with a 4.71 ERA in 42 innings last season.
“Brad and David really established themselves last season and we are expecting more of the same this season,” notes Bradley.
The four returning starters will be challenged in the starting rotation by freshman Dan Barnes. The Long Island native had a great fall for the Tigers and the coaching staff expects big things from him.
“Dan's got great composure and has a lot of life on his fastball,” adds Bradley.
The Princeton bullpen returns four players that pitched in relief last season. Senior Reid Peyton has pitched from the bullpen for his whole Princeton career. The right-handed submariner had made 25 career appearances and can be used to get late outs on right-handed hitters.
He is joined in the bullpen by sophomores Langford Stuber, Jon Broscious and Ross Staine. Stuber and Broscious both got good experience as freshmen and will see their roles expanded as sophomores. Stuber gives Princeton a good lefty in the bullpen who will be used in all kinds of roles. Staine underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and will work towards returning this season.
The remainder of the Tiger staff is comprised of five players new to the program. Freshman David Palms gives Princeton another left-handed arm in the bullpen and will get a lot of opportunities to pitch. Matt Grabowski and Tim Feess also add depth in the bullpen. The pair pitched at high levels in high school and will contribute immediately in the bullpen.
Chad Ohlendorf and Matt Welsh enter the season coming off minor injuries in the fall, but should develop this season to the point where they will help the Tigers. Ohlendorf is the younger brother of Ross Ohlendorf, who pitched at Princeton and now is a reliever for the New York Yankees.
INFIELD
The players in the Princeton infield will be consistent all season long but which position each plays will likely change regularly. The five infield positions will be split among seven players.
“We do not have a lot of depth in the infield, but we do have a bunch of guys that can play anywhere and can play every day,” says Bradley.
The infield will rotate around senior Spencer Lucian and junior Dan DeGeorge. Lucian can pretty much play every position on the field, but will settle in at second and third base, while DeGeorge, who can play either position in the middle infield, will be the team's everyday shortstop for the third-straight season.
Lucian hit a career-high .331 last season and is Princeton's top returning hitter for average, but his power numbers dropped off last season, an area where improvement is expected this season. DeGeorge raised his batting average by 20 points last season and had a strong summer and will likely slot into the leadoff spot this season.
Sophomore Noel Gonzales-Luna, who saw limited time as a freshman, will see time at second base, while freshman Matt Connor will get an opportunity to play at third base. Gonzales-Luna continued to improve throughout the offseason and will see more playing time as a sophomore, while Connor was one of Princeton's top players in the fall and should continue that into the spring.
First base will be a position that changes a lot during the season as Princeton has three good options. Senior Micah Kaplan is Princeton's best defensive first baseman, but he is also strong in the outfield. Sophomore Brian Berkowitz also saw a lot of time at first last season, but he too has also transitioned into the outfield. Kaplan and Berkowitz both hit in the high .200s last season. Junior Adrian Turnham is also an option at first base for Princeton. He batted over .300 last season as mostly a designated hitter and led the team in doubles.
Sophomore Jack Murphy will see the bulk of the action behind the plate for Princeton. Murphy showed glimpses of becoming one of the league's top power hitters last season and Princeton will count on that in the middle of the lineup this season. Murphy led the team with six homers and also was strong the field, throwing out 16 runners attempting to steal. Turnham caught quite a bit in the fall and will be used when Murphy needs a day off. Also, freshman Kyle O'Donovan will add depth behind the plate.
OUTFIELD
Princeton boasts a roster of six outfielders, but two of them also see significant time pitching.
Junior Derek Beckman is expected to settle in as the team's everyday center fielder. Beckman raised his average nearly 90 points from his freshman to sophomore year and had a great performance this fall.
“It is time for Derek to really play a bigger role for us,” says Bradley. “He has improved each season and we expect a big step forward this season.”
Junior Andrew Doupe and Berkowitz will also see time in the outfield as well as at designated hitter. Doupe was Princeton's best hitter in the fall, and he provides
Princeton with another power threat in the middle of the lineup. Berkowitz, who spent most of last season at first base, has made the transition into the outfield and is comfortable as a corner outfielder.
Sophomores David Hale and Jon Broscious are both two-way players that will see significant minutes in the outfield, as well as on the mound. Hale came to Princeton as an infielder, but has become an outfielder because its a better mix for a two-way player.
Hale had a breakout year on the mound as a freshman and is poised to break out at the plate as a sophomore. Broscious also has high expectations this spring as he had a good fall and was able to hit for power.
The Princeton outfield will be bolstered by sophomore Brandon Englert and junior Eric Zaziski. Englert is back healthy this season and provides Princeton with some left-handed power, while Zaziski is capable of playing in the outfield or at first base and can add power at the plate.