WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2003
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 3B
Price looks to make fresh start,changes
New coach wants to do much more than just rebuild
By Daniel Berk
Kansan sportswriter
dberk@kansan.com
If the word rebuilding is used once during the 2003 Kansas baseball season, one thing is for sure; it will not come from the mouth of coach Ritch Price.
A year after finishing the season seven games below. 500, and a 5-21 Big 12 Conference record, it was out with the old and in with the new for the Kansas Baseball squad. The Jayhawks said goodbye to former coach Bobby Randall and hello to the new coach, Price.
Although there will be a lot of changes from last season and little will remain the same, Price will not term this season as a rebuilding one.
"Right now, we have a lot of talent," Price said. "We are worried about this season. We want to be as successful as we can right now. We had a team meeting earlier, and it was said that the term 'rebuilding' will not be used around here."
Some people might not think that the Kansas baseball job is a glamorous one among Division I baseball. Price disagreed.
Even though the team has not had a winning season since the 1997 campaign, Price thought that coaching in Lawrence was a big opportunity.
"From the day I got the job, I have been thrilled," Price said. "I have called this job a sleeping giant because I think representing KU is a very special opportunity, and I am glad to have it."
The Jayhawks will start their 2003 season Friday as they travel to Hawaii to play six games in three days at Hawaii-Hilo.
Kansas opens the season with the biggest question mark coming from behind the plate, as senior Beau Thompson was lost for the season, suffering stress fractures in his back that will end his career. Senior transfer Sean Flynn is the expected opening-day starter and junior Jake Kauzlarich will back him up.
Perhaps the most unproven part of the team is the pitching staff. The Jayhawks have lost three quality starters from last season; two were drafted into the big leagues. Price said a lot of talent would take the mound for Kansas this season. Some players who will look to fill the void are sophomore Tom Gorzelanny, senior Pat Holmes and juniors Ryan Knippschild and Josh Duran. All four of those pitchers are left-handed, which Price planned.
"Left-handers frequently use other pitches to get batters out," Price said. "They all have a chance to be successful at this level."
The infield is led by senior first baseman Casey Spanish, whom Price said was a good runner and a tremendous athlete. Last year, Spanish had a .291 batting average and drove in 26 runs.
Second base will be manned by freshman Ritchie Price, and third base is still being battled for by junior Kyle Kilgo and sophomore Travis Metcalf. Senior Brandon Shepard, who started 49 games last year will run shortstop.
The outfield might be the strongest part of the team, consisting of three upper classmen. Senior Kevin Wheeler will be the team's starting right fielder and will also see some time on the mound this season. Junior Ryan Baty will start in left field. He
started all 51 games for Kansas last season. The team's center fielder will be junior Matt Tribble. All in all, Price said this could be a good season for Kansas.
"I think we have the potential to surprise people," Price said. "We have good team speed and are physical with the bat. I also think we have upgraded defensively from last year."
The Jayhawks will tackle a schedule this year that will be tough, both inside and out of the conference. Inside the conference, the defending national champion, Texas Longhorns, will do battle with Kansas, along with another team that made it to the College World Series — the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Outside of the conference, Kansas will travel to Baton Rouge, La., to play Louisiana State and will also face in-state rival Wichita State and Arkansas. The schedule excited Wheeler.
"I am really looking forward to taking on tough competition this year," Wheeler said. "I think our out-of-conference schedule will help us out a lot once we get into conference play."
Edited by Leah Shaffer
NASCAR schedule to make venue shifts
The Associated Press
CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR put tracks on notice Tuesday that the 2004 Winston Cup schedule could look a lot different under a realignment plan that might move races to different parts of the country.
That could be bad news for historic tracks such as North Carolina
Speedway in Rockingham and Darlington Raceway in South Carolina facilities that are clinging to two Winston Cup races a year.
"We cannot expand within the current schedule, we're racing 38 weekends, and there's no more room to add another week," said NASCAR vice president George Pyne. "So we're now looking within the schedule to see if any moves make sense geographically."
The realignment plan was just one of many issues NASCAR addressed, including its new policy to reduce congestion in the garage by sweeping fans from the area whenever cars are on the track.
But it was the possible changes to the 2004 schedule that drew the most attention.
NASCAR has a set list of criteria it will be looking for track owners to meet in order to keep its current race dates.
Among things NASCAR will be studying are tracks that need significant upgrades, have trouble selling tickets, have a history of poor weather on race weekends, or are in small markets that lack adequate hotels and restaurants.
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