KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2010 / SPORTS
5B
Kansas to face some tough teams throughout the season
at LSU (Baton Rouge, La.), 3/12 - 3/14
The Tigers won their sixth national title a season ago, and though the reigning champs are missing a few pieces from their CWS title team, the trip to Baton
Rouge marks a huge early season barometer for the Jayhawks.
No. 3 in Baseball America poll; No. 2 in ESPN/USA Today Coaches', Collegiate Baseball, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association polls
vs. Texas A&M,
4/1 - 4/3
Coach Ritch Price said that to contend on the national level means
being among the top in the Big 12. The three-game series against the Aggies marks the first real test at home for the Jayhawks.
at Texas (Austin, Texas),
4/9 - 4/11
After finishing runner-up to the LSU Tigers, the Longhorns - ranked No. 1 by all four major preseason polls*
are loaded with talent and ready to win it all this year. A few wins down in Austin would bolster any ideas Kansas has about competing for a national title.
*Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, ESPN/USA Today Coaches' and NCBWA polls
vs. Oklahoma 5/21-5/23
The Jayhawks will close out the regular season by playing host to the always-tough Sooners, who — despite losing Big
12 Player of the Year, catcher J.T.Wise — still have enough returners to build on a 49 win season and contend for a 26th conference title.
KEY DEPARTURES
SP - Shaeffer Hall (Junior, Lee's Summit, Mo.) The junior went 5-6 with a 4.18 ERA, including three complete games and a no-hitter on opening day Feb. 20 against Air Force. He was drafted in the 25th round of the 2009 Amateur Draft by the Yankees.
SS - David Narodowski (junior, Vancouver, B.C.)
Narodowski won Big 12 Newcomer of the Year after transferring to Kansas, while hitting .354 with eight home runs and 45 RBI. He was drafted in the 15th round of the 2009 Amateur Draft by the Diamondbacks.
Hall
Narodowski
C = Bucky Areniif (graduated senior, Escondido, Calif.)
Afenir was a mainstay behind the plate for the Jayhawks, starting 179 games during his four years in Lawrence. Afenir posted his best offensive season during his senior year, batting .333 with 10 home runs and 63 RBI. He signed as a free agent following last season by the Yankees.
C - Buck Afenir (graduated senior, Escondido, Calif.)
OTHER PLAYERSTO WATCH
Afenir
SP — Cameron Selik (senior, San Diego, Calif.)
SP — Lee Ridenhour (sophomore, Leena)
The duo combined to win eight games for Kansas last season, and will round out the weekend rotation behind T.J. Walz. Redshirt senior Brett Bollman, who won five games last year, will also see a solid amount of action, especially while Ridenhour recovers from ankle surgery. Don't be surprised to see freshman Tanner Poppe taking the mound sooner than later, as Price says the youngster may have the best arm on the staff.
The pitching staff as a whole begins the season in great health, and promises to be strong. It is bookended by hard-throwing relievers such as sophome Colton Murray, redshirt junior Brett Bochy and lefty hurlers senior Travis Blankenship and redshirt junior Wally Marciel.
Selik
SS - Kevin Kuntz (freshman. Overland Park)
Kevin Kuntz (freshman, Overland Park) Drafted by the Royals out of high school, Kuntz will push Brandon Macias for some playing time at shortstop. Price is excited about Kuntz's potential, and he may be the Jayhawks' long-term answer at the position.
1B - Brett Lisher (senior, Lawrence)
Ridenhour
The Free State product is known for his defense, and will certainly log some innings spelling Zac Elgie at first.
Kuntz
Lisher
Coach Ritch Price quotes from media day:
on moving this weekend's games to Minnesota -
"Obviously we're disappointed to move the series to Monday, but our thought process was with the forecast this weekend, that was the intelligent thing to do. It still gives us a chance to play two games of the three, and get ourselves started at game speed."
- on players benefiting from Thompson's injury -
"If we can survive until Thompson gets back, it'll make our club significantly better."
Price
on being picked to finish second in the Big 12 -
"It's kind of uncharted waters for us. But I'll say this — I do like the swagger that's in the dugout. Those guys think they're good, and I think that's half the battle. We came here to build expectations, and we've gotten to the point that we want to make regionals on a consistent basis."
on tough schedule
"To have our schedule ranked 19th nationally in the preseason polls basically means if we win 35 games, everything else will fall into place."
-on pitching staff-
"We have the best depth in the bullpen that we've ever had — we've got really good arms out there."
Eastern Michigan game location moved indoors
After keeping the Kansas baseball team indoors for the past few weeks, inclement weather has now put the team's home opener at Hoglund Ballpark on hold.
Because of sub-freezing temperatures and snow in the forecast for this weekend, Kansas will instead open the 2010 season at 5 p.m. Monday with a doubleheader against Eastern Michigan at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn
The three-game series against Eastern Michigan was originally slated to begin at 3 p.m. Friday at Hoglund and continue over the weekend.
The move marks the second time in the last four years that the Jayhawks have played games at the Metrodome. In 2007, the Jayhawks were forced to move a home series against South Dakota State to Minneapolis' indoor facility.
The last trip to the Metrodome was successful for Kansas, which earned the team victories in two of its three games. Overall, the Jayhawks are 3-3 all-time at the homes of the Vikings and the Twins.
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