2009 Outlook: Pitching

We begin our position previews with the Husker pitching staff. Last year, Nebraska ranked among the Big 12 leaders in ERA and strikeouts despite losing six pitchers to the Major League Baseball Draft. In 2009, the Huskers will look to blend in another youthful staff, highlighted by sophomore right-hander Michael Nesseth.

Entering last season, questions abounded about the Husker pitching staff, as the Huskers lost seven draftees from the previous season and had a new pitching coach in Eric Newman.

The staff answered those questions in resounding fashion, ranking second in the Big 12 in saves (17) and strikeouts (8.48/9 innings), while finishing third in both ERA (4.18) and wins (41).

The Huskers will have a youthful look this spring, as they replace five draftees, including the entire weekend rotation, and bring back six pitchers who saw action last year.

“I told the pitching staff when we met that people’s expectations for us last year were pretty low, and I think we did a pretty darn good job,” Newman said. “This year, I think they are lower, but they have an opportunity to do something special.”

“One of my former coaches said ?everyone has a path to victory that is different.’  We may not have three guys that we roll out every weekend like last year, but that does not mean we can’t be just as good. I like the depth we have and the competitiveness this staff showed in the fall. For us, the key will be to find roles for people that they can be successful in. We need to embrace the opportunity and challenge of the competition, and I think we will.”

The returnees are led by sophomore right-hander Mike Nesseth, who is the front-runner for the Friday night spot. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder worked out of the bullpen last year, going 4-1 with four saves and a 3.58 ERA. He was at his best down the stretch, going 2-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his last 13 outings, striking out 31 over 17.2 innings. Nesseth worked exclusively as a starter in the Northwoods League over the summer, where he was rated the No. 2 prospect by Baseball America.

“I never coached a guy who made that big of a jump not only in his velocity, but also in his breaking ball and command,” Newman said. “As the season went on, he kept getting better and better and was consistently around the zone.
“He has really worked hard on adding a third pitch to help the transition to the rotation,” Newman said. “If you take a guy with two plus pitches like he has and add a third pitch, he can really put together a special year.”

While Nesseth will likely be at the top of the rotation, senior Erik Bird’s adaptability may be his best trait. Bird went 5-1 with a 4.05 ERA in 17 appearances last season. He worked extensively as one of the Huskers’ midweek starters, going 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA in seven starts, including a shutout of No. 5 Wichita State. The right-hander has been used in short and long relief in his career and his versatility and experience make him a wildcard on the staff.

“I expect Erik to pitch a lot for us, but we will wait and see what role he fits into best,” Newman said. “He did a great job as a mid-week starter, and that allows us to expand his role this year.”

Three other returnees who will play a major role in the Huskers’ fate are sophomore right-handers Matt Freeman, Casey Hauptman and Michael Mariot. The trio combined for 27 appearances a year ago and potentially could comprise a significant chunk of the Huskers’ starting pitching spots.

“That sophomore group is a big key for us,” Newman said. They all had opportunities to get their feet wet last year and experience moments of both success and failure. We used them a lot in mid-week games and found roles that helped us be successful. Them taking that next step this spring is important for us.”

Freeman worked out of the bullpen exclusively as a freshman, going 0-0 with a 4.66 ERA in nine appearances. Freeman enjoyed a solid summer in the Coastal Plains League and continued that improvement in the fall to put himself in contention for a starting spot.

Hauptman was effective as both a reliever and spot starter, going 1-0 with a 4.34 ERA in 10 appearances. He showed the ability to dominate at times, tossing 15.2 consecutive shutout innings over a span of six outings  and was the only one of the Husker true freshmen to pitch in the NCAA Tournament. Hauptman pitched well in Hays (Kan.) over the summer, going 5-2 with a 2.92 ERA. He has proven to be a consistent strike thrower early in his career and is one of the front runners to take a starting role.

Mariot was a pleasant surprise for the Huskers after not starting a varsity game at the high school level. The right-hander compiled a 2-0 mark with a 6.75 ERA in eight games, working as the Huskers’ primary long reliever. He continued to develop and was arguably one of NU’s best hurlers in the fall. He capped a strong fall by earning the save in NU’s exhibition win at Iowa and is a strong contender for one of the weekend slots.

While the trio of sophomores could be used in a number of roles, junior Erik Anderson will look to help clamp down the back of the bullpen. Last season, he went 1-0 with three saves and 4.11 ERA after arriving in January. With a full year under his belt, Anderson will be counted on to provide a veteran presence for the relief corps.

Three other returnees who didn’t pitch last year are also poised to become major contributors for the Husker staff. 
Left-hander Eric Rose was in line to work extensively in the bullpen last season but suffered an shoulder injury in the final week of preseason drills. Rose has regained the form he had prior to missing the last two years with injuries and could give the Huskers a valuable bullpen arm.

Another pitcher the Husker coaches are anxious to see fully healthy is sophomore Joe Broekemeier, who battled back injuries the past two seasons. He was rated as the top prospect in the state of Nebraska by Baseball America in 2006 and capped an impressive fall by tossing a pair of shutout innings in his start in the Red/White Series. He will likely work out of the bullpen in middle and short relief.

A former all-state pick at Lincoln Southwest, Sean Yost has added nearly 25 pounds since arriving at NU and has begun to fill out his 6-foot-6 frame. He was Baseball America’s No. 1 prospect in the state in 2007 and may have some of the best natural stuff on the staff. Yost gained valuable experience last summer, going 3-2 with a save in 12 games for Beatrice to help the Bruins to a third-place finish at the National Baseball Congress Tournament.

The Huskers also welcome eight pitchers to the staff, including junior college transfers Jordan Roualdes, Adam Bailey and Jed Hanson and freshmen Kash Kalkowski, Nate Kerkhoff, Nick Ludemann, Taylor Massey and Josh Raburn.
Of the newcomers, Roualdes has the best opportunity to crack the weekend rotation this spring. He comes from South Mountain (Ariz.) Community College, where he went 5-1 with a 3.13 ERA. The left-hander showed good control, striking out 64 and walking 26 over 72 innings of work.

Roualdes is joined by one of his teammates from South Mountain CC, left-hander Adam Bailey, who will also play outfield for the Huskers. Last season, Bailey went 1-1 with four saves and a 1.13 ERA over 16 innings. He also has pitching experience at the Division I level, making 10 appearances at Arizona State to help the Sun Devils reach the 2007 College World Series.

Hanson is another two-way performer who will add depth to the bullpen. One of the Husker reserve catchers, he impressed the staff with a live arm and good control in the fall and is being converted to a reliever.

Kalkowski dominated the high school ranks in the state, earning first-team all-state laurels the past three seasons. Last year, he was 6-1 with three saves and a 1.51 ERA, fanning 65 over 55.2 innings to lead Grand Island to its first state title. A 49th-round draft pick by Tampa Bay, he was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska and could be used as a starter or possible closer candidate.

Kerkhoff also brings a championship background to the Husker program after helping Blue Valley (Kan.) High School win a state title last year. He garnered first-team all-state accolades after compiling an 8-2 mark and a 1.24 ERA. The left-hander impressed with his control and poise, putting him in line to play a key role in the bullpen.

Ludemann comes from one of the state’s top programs in Creighton Prep and was considered by many the state’s top pitching prospect prior to his senior year. He was limited by a shoulder injury last spring, but showed he was healthy, dominating at times in the fall. He could be used in a number of roles, depending on his health and adjustment to the collegiate ranks.

Massey comes to Nebraska after a distinguished career at Weatherford (Texas) High School. An all-state honoree, the left-hander went 11-2 with a 1.29 ERA and six shutouts as a senior. He was effective in the fall and will be used in short and middle relief as a true freshman.

Another all-state pick, Raburn went 6-0 with a 1.21 ERA at Creighton Prep, fanning 47 in just 34.2 innings as a senior. Unfortunately, he underwent season-ending surgery in the fall and will redshirt this season.