Volume 124 Issue 133
kansan.com
Thursday, April 12, 2012
COMMENTARY Baseball needs new direction
Well Kansas fans,the college baseball season has been bleak to this point. What you're about to read may disturb you.
Nine Big 12 schools field baseball teams. Out of those nine teams, eight of them have won more than 50 percent of their overall games, and the Kansas Jayhawks are the only team that hasn't.
The college basketball season is over, whether we like it or not. The spring recruiting
not. The spring recruiting period is underway, but the Kansas basketball recruiting class is almost set for next season.
In regards to pitching, the statistics aren't much better. In the Big 12, the Jayhawks are sixth in earned run average and batting average, fifth in hits allowed and runs allowed, and eighth in walks strikeouts.
a plethora of statistics show why the Jayhawks have been playing dismal baseball thus far.
The change in season means it's time to focus our attention on baseball.
Kansas baseball is a tough sell for high school recruits who are searching for a program that can prepare them for the major leagues.
Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger is serious about revamping the Kansas football program because it's a cash cow, but if the baseball team's struggles continue, he should make an effort to revitalize the program.
Edited by Jeff Karr
As long as the Texas and Oklahoma schools are in the Big 12 conference, Kansas probably won't find themselves atop the Big 12 standings, but they shouldn't find themselves last in the conference either.
Why are Kansas schools such as Wichita State and Kansas State winning more games than Kansas?
Price significantly changed the baseball program's fortunes during his tenure, but is it time for a new direction?
I understand that Kansas baseball doesn't possess a winning pedigree like Wichita State — a school that has advanced to the College World Series seven times and won the NCAA Championship in 1989 — and that baseball is a non-revenue college sport, but Kansas baseball isn't meeting my expectations.
Despite the Jayhawks' recent woes, they accomplished quite a bit during Ritch Price's time as coach, winning a conference championship, clinching a spot in the NCAA Tournament twice and winning 30-plus games in seven of nine seasons. The Jayhawks' two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2009 doubled the number of appearances they made at the tournament in the 100 years before Price's arrival.
My expectations for Kansas baseball this season weren't lofty — middle of the Big 12 standings would be adequate — but I didn't expect them to be last in the standings. Last season, the Jayhawks finished last in the Big 12, winning only 50 percent of their conference games. They finished four games below .500 overall (26-30).
WICHITA STATE 10, KANSAS 2
INEXPERIENCE SHOWS
ANDREW JOSEPH
ajoseph@kansan.com
WICHITA — Coming off a 16-inning letdown Tuesday against Wichita State, a depleted Kansas pitching staff fell again to the Shockers on Wednesday.
It took the regular nine innings this time, but Wichita State's 10-2 victory handed Kansas its sixthstraight loss. Wichita State completed a season sweep of Kansas for the first time since 2008, dropping Kansas' record to 12-21.
Freshman pitcher Drew Morovick was scheduled to start Wednesday night, but he stayed in Lawrence with flu-like symptoms. Coach Ritch Price did not get word on Morovick's condition until this morning, so the late change in Kansas' projected starter gave junior pitcher Jordan Luvisi his first start as a Jayhawk. With six pitchers used in Tuesday's 16-inning game, Price planned to give his young pitching staff a lot of work Wednesday night.
"We basically didn't have a lot of options," Price said. "After using everybody last night, we thought we would start Jordan to matchup with their left-handers at the start of the game. We tried to send the guys out with the most experience."
Luvisi went two innings and allowed three runs on two hits. Luvisi transferred to Kansas from Pepperdine and has struggled in his short time as Jayhawk. One major difference for Luvisi is the large crowds that they must play in front of. The attendance at Eck Stadium was 4,002, which is considerably more than what Luvisi saw at Pepperdine.
"Coming from Pepperdine we didn't play in big venues like this, so the nerves were a little bit more than usual." Luvisi said, "Just having the experience of pitching in college games helped."
Wichita State scored at least one run in the each of the first four innings, and Luvisi ran into trouble in the first inning. After a Johnny Coy RBI ground-out scored the game's first run, Wichita State's Casey Gillaspie
Out of the five pitchers Kansas used in Wednesday's game, only Colin Toalsain had pitched more than five innings pitched this season with 9.1 innings pitched. The five pitchers combined for just 15.3 innings pitched heading into the ballgame, and freshman pitcher Taylor Rappaport made his first appearance of the season.
Redshirt freshman pitcher Jaydee Jurgensen was the only KU pitcher to hold Wichita State scoreless. The Shockers scored in every inning besides Jurgensen's perfect fifth and sixth innings. Jurgensen has battled arm injuries for two seasons, and despite losing nearly 10 mph off his original fastball velocity — topping off at 80 mph — he found a way to neutralize the Wichita State offense.
took Luvizi deep for a solo home run over the left-field wall.
"It was really just a matter of going out there and trusting my stuff." Jurgensen said. "Even though I've had arm problems, I still have a chance to help the team and be ready whenever there's the opportunity."
Before tonight's game, Jurgensen faced one batter and hit him with the pitch. Price was pleased to see Jurgensen respond to the challenge amid his lengthy arm recovery.
- Edited by Bre Roach
"We've altered his delivery because his velocity has been way down since it was in high school, but I have great admiration for how hard he's worked," Price said. "He's really tried to make the necessary adjustments to be effective at this level."
"I'm hoping we'll take a step forward and relish this opportunity." Price said.
The Jayhawks face a huge challenge this weekend as Baseball America's No. 2-ranked Texas A&M visits Hoglund Ballpark on Friday. Kansas will hand the ball over to sophomore pitcher Frank Duncan in hopes to end the losing streak.
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Sophomore outfielder Tucker Tharp catches the ball in the outfield in a game earlier this season. The Jayhawks played Wichita State Wednesday night and lost 10-2.
FOOTBALL
Weis adjusts line up during spring practices
Wide receiver Marquis Jackson evades a tackle in a game last season. After having a chance to watch his team, coach Charlie Weis is making some changes to his line-up during spring practices.
KATHLEEN GIER
kgier@kansan.com
After two weeks of spring practice, football coach Charlie Weis has had a chance to look at the team and has mixed feelings about what he has seen. He beamed about quarterback Dayne Crist during yesterday's press conference, but noted lingering questions about depth at positions across the board. This is a time for adjustment in the university sports scene, and his football team, which is preparing for its first season under a new coach, is no exception.
TRAVIS YOUNG/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The team is also adjusting after losing leading rusher James Sims, who has been suspended for the first three games of the season following a DUI arrest. But Weis will keep him productive while he is gone.
"We going to have the best show team running back in the country," Weis said of Sims' new role of preparing Kansas' defense for opponents in scrimimage. "The only way to not get rusty is to go over there and run show team."
One way Weis is adjusting is by
At the running back position, the Jayhawks have sophomore Brandon Bourbon, sophomore Tony Pierson and Sims. That leaves a deep roster at wide receiver with six options for Kansas.
Weis said the Jayhawks would focus on getting Pierson more touches this season, but there is a challenge because he and running back coach Reggie Mitchell have to discover a balance to keep him productive, but fresh and injury free for the 13 game season.
"You are in a catch-22 now, because every time he touches the ball, he has the chance to score a touchdown." Weis said.
That is where the other ball-carriers will support Pierson and keep the offense moving forward.
moving sophomore wide receiver Marquis Jackson over to running back during spring practice. Jackson adds size and a physical element to the position that Weis has not seen from other players.
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That depth and versatility gives the coaches the ability to keep adjusting throughout the season to keep the ball with the hot hand.
They can tap their helmet when they want to go out, but I will wave them back in," Weis said. "You can get a break after you score."
Currently, training is a balance between weight-lifting for maintenance and conditioning. After
"I don't care how tired they get.
practice, Weis plans gassers, which is an attempt to increase the team's stamina.
"You can't play this game without having stamina," Weis said. "That is true on both sides of the ball and special teams."
The focus will be on short-burst running and weight training to prepare the Jayhawks for a tough and physical Big 12 season.
Edited by Corinne Westeman
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