Normally when a team is predicted to finish in the middle of the Atlantic Coast Conference, they feel disrespected or slighted. That is not necessarily the case with the University of Virginia baseball team.
Coming into the 2004 season, the team was predicted to finish sixth in the ACC Baseball Coaches' Poll. They wound up, however, finishing second in the ACC in the regular season and hosting a regional event in the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers were predicted to finish seventh in the ACC last season, but they managed to secure a berth in the ACC Tournament's final round. Even with the past predictions and the results of the past two seasons, Virginia head coach Brian O'Connor is not taking much notice of the preseason polls.
"We don't put any stock into preseason rankings," O'Connor said. "We come out to play every day and to compete."
After a slow start last year that included being swept at Wake Forest and starting 5-10 in the ACC, Virginia went on a tear over the final five weeks to earn a 14-14 mark in conference play. The strong finish helped the Cavaliers gain a No. 2 seed in the Corvallis Regional at Oregon State University. However, for Virginia to surpass last season's success, they will have to replace several players at several positions.
After losing a number of leaders from last year's 41-win team, establishing new leadership during fall practice was a priority. O'Connor will look to seniors Tom Hagan, Mike Campagna and Mike Ballard, as well as junior Casey Lambert, to captain the team this spring.
"Our captains have done a tremendous job of getting the players ready this year [and] showing the young players how to win and do things," O'Connor said.
While Lambert, who was placed on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watch list, is honored to be a captain, the new promotion has not changed his outlook on his individual or the team's preparation.
"It's definitely an honor that my fellow teammates have a lot of respect for me and the other captains," Lambert said. "But, other than that, it doesn't change who we are and the way we go out and handle our business."
Ballard, a lefty starter from Virginia Beach, will also see his role with the team change in a more tangible way. This season, the lefty will be asked to pitch on Friday, compared to his usual slot on Saturday or Sunday in 2005.
"You know, it's not too different," Ballard said. "Last year, I pitched in some Friday games. Friday, Saturday, Sunday -- it doesn't matter. All you have to do is just go out there and pitch."
One of the players Lambert and Ballard have helped mentor is freshman Jacob Thompson. Thompson has pitched well enough in practice to earn the start Saturday against Coastal Carolina.
"He is an outstanding prospect," O'Connor said. "His development has been excellent and has given him the opportunity to start Saturday."
Sean Doolittle was named a first team freshman All-American for his performances with the bat and at first base, but the southpaw also made a name for himself as a pitcher in 2005. This year, though, his role as a pitcher remains unclear. He may be asked to close if Lambert moves into a starting role or he may receive some starts on the weekend.
Doolittle's role this year will be similar to 2004 ACC player of the year Joe Koshansky. Both players hit cleanup and pitched in weekend games. Last year, though, Doolittle allowed four runs and five hits in two-and-two-thirds innings and picked up two postseason losses. O'Connor believes that Doolittle will not have the same problems at the end of this year's season.
"He ran out of gas last year because we used him too much," O'Connor said. "But he's more than capable of putting a game on his shoulders."
In the infield, freshmen Jeremy Ferrell and David Adams will be asked to step into starting roles at third base and second base, respectively.
"They are very mature players for their age, and I expect both of those kids to come in and contribute right away," O'Connor said.
Behind the plate, junior Beau Seabury will replace Scott Head as catcher.
"[Seabury] is a talented catcher, and I think he will be a very good replacement for Scott," O'Connor said.
In the outfield, junior Mike Mitchell will be a full-time starter, joining fellow junior Tim Henry and sophomore Brandon Guyer.
With so many freshman and returning players in different roles, the team will need to mesh quickly. Virginia will begin its season with three games in South Carolina. The Cavaliers face The Citadel Friday before a pair of tough games against Coastal Carolina Saturday and Sunday.
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