waltgreenberg
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I Root For: Rice Owls
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UC-Irvine Baseball Preview & Scouting Report
The Diamond Owls look to bounce back from two disheartening midweek losses to #16 UT and #24 Arizona as they welcome yet another ranked team, #23 UC-Irvine Anteaters, to Reckling for a weekend series. Save for Sunday's blowout win over Rhode Island, the 2-3 Owls' play has been characterized by what Coach Bragga called Little League caliber defensive miscues (17 errors in 5 games), poor plate discipline and lack of situational and clutch hitting (we've left double digit runners on base in four of our five games, and have gone scoreless with a runner on 3B and less than two outs on multiple occasions). The one bright spot has been our starting weekend pitching. Time to turn things around.
UC-Irvine comes to town sporting a 2-2 record after taking the weekend series at home vs. preseason Top 25-ranked Washington, but losing at San Diego State on Tuesday. They're currently hitting just .195/.318/.301 as a team, with 7 extrabase hits (2 HRs) and, strange for a West Coast program, no stolen base or sac bunt attempts as yet. They appear to be very patient hitters who work the pitch count-- having received 23 free passes (17 BBs, 6 HBPs), or over 4 per game, but also striking out just over 10 times per game. The Anteaters have been struggling defensively, as well, having committed 8 errors in their four games. On the mound, the experienced Junior/Senior-laden staff, led by consensus first-team all-american RHP Andre Pallante, has pitched to a 3.86 ERA and .241 BAA, and boasting an exceptional 3.5 K;BB ratio. Their pitchers are strike throwers, having walked just 3 batters per game (with only 2 wild pitches over 4 games), while striking out over 10 batters per game. Here's their individual and team stats to date...
https://ucirvinesports.com/documents/201...h=baseball
Below I have including the preseason previews and scouting reports on UC-Irvine from the various college baseball publications...
Eric "Stitchhead" Sorenson tabbed UC-Irvine as one of his breakout teams in his preseason column...
https://d1baseball.com/analysis/five-qui...out-teams/
Quote:– UC IRVINE
2018 Record: 32-24, 13-11 Big West
2018 Finish: A 7-10 finish soured the chances for an NCAA bid.
Why They’ll Be Extraordinary:
The Ben Orloff era should get off to a really nice start as he takes over the program from his former Hall of Fame coach Mike Gillespie. There are a ton of returnees, including a handful of real difference makers in Big West Pitcher of the Year Andre Pallante, Cape Cod League pitcher Trenton Denholm, shortstop Christian Doss, who is a premier-level glove, and incoming JC All American third baseman Brandon Lewis, who was the MVP of the California Collegiate League last summer. This program is primed to take a big step forward in 2019.
Baseball America ranked the Anteaters #25 in their preseason poll and picked them to win the Big West conference...
https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings...ll-top-25/
Quote:The Anteaters challenged themselves right out of the gate this season with a series against Washington, and it paid off, as they scored a series win that could pay big dividends as they push for a postseason bid. The star on the mound this weekend wasn’t Andre Pallante, as you may have predicted, but Tanner Brubaker, who gave up three hits and one run with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings. The early-season gauntlet continues this coming week, as they hit the road for a quality midweek game against San Diego State before heading down to Houston to take on Rice.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/...l-preview/
Quote:Team to Beat: UC Irvine
UCI returns a deep pitching staff led by All-American righthander Andre Pallante (10-1 1.60). Behind him, righthanders Trenton Denholm (4-8, 4.72), Louis Raymond (1-3, 3.48), Taylor Rashi (3-4, 2.97) and closer Jordan Bocko (5-2, 2.98, 8 SV) all return to give the Anteaters an experienced and talented core on the mound in Ben Orloff's first season as head coach. The addition of righthander Tanner Brubaker, who was the 2018 California junior college pitcher of the year, further deepens the staff and gives the Anteaters the pitching necessary to contend in the Big West. Christian Koss (.287/.343/.379), a sure handed shortstop with good range, will anchor the middle of the diamond along with returning second baseman Brendan Brooks (.308/.365/.349). The Big West isn't known for power production, but UCI does have to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick and Cole Kreuter, its two leading power threats. Konnor Zickefoose (.306/.374/.469, 5 HR) and third baseman Brandon Lewis, a junior college transfer, will help provide run production, while Brooks and Koss set the table. No matter how you slice it, the Anteaters will be relying on their pitching and defense to guide them to their first Big West title in a decade. Perennial power Cal State Fullerton and UC Santa Barbara both will have something to say about the championship, but UCI should be up to the challenge.
Pitcher of the Year: Andre Pallante, RHP, UCI
The junior righthander returns after posting a 10-1 record, which led the conference, and a stellar 1.60 ERA, which earned him All-American honors as a sophomore. He finished second in the Big West with 115 strikeouts and walked just 30 batters in 101.1 innings. With Pallante at the front of the rotation, UCI will be tough to beat on Friday nights.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/...review-no-Quote:25-uc-irvine/
Last Year: 32-24 (13-11 Big West); missed NCAA Tournament.
Final Ranking: NR.
Head Coach (record at school): Ben Orloff (first year).
Top 100 Draft Prospects: SS Christian Koss (No. 78).
The Good News: First-year head coach Ben Orloff inherited a good returning core of players that he was instrumental in recruiting as the top assistant under former head coach Mike Gillespie. That group of returners is led by All-American righthanded pitcher Andre Pallante and shortstop Christian Koss. Junior college transfer Tanner Brubaker will add a big arm to the weekend rotation, joining Pallante and sophomore Trent Denholm, who is coming off a big summer in the Cape Cod League. Seniors Taylor Rashi and Jordan Bocko should bring much-needed experience at the back of the bullpen. Koss will anchor the defense in the middle of the diamond. Offensively, the Anteaters will look to outfielders Mikey Fila and Jake Palmer and third baseman Brandon Lewis to provide the production.
The Bad News: With the retirement of Gillespie, the Anteaters will need to replace his experience and success in the dugout, which will be no easy task considering his track record. Finding consistency on defense will be something UCI will have to improve on after fielding .972 last season. Having Koss back at shortstop is a strong start, but the rest of the infield will have to be solid around him. The biggest concern for Irvine is that for a team that has the potential to advance to the NCAA Tournament, it must overcome the fact that not one player on the roster has postseason experience. In the always difficult Big West Conference, the Anteaters will have to overcome that inexperience down the stretch.
Player To Watch: Mikey Filia, OF.
The redshirt junior is a speedy outfielder with a good arm, and he is primed to have a breakout season offensively for the Anteaters. After spending the majority of last season as a part-time player, Filia finished the season hitting .289/.348/.301. He had just 83 at-bats, but the bulk of them came in the final 15 games of the year. He showed significant progress as an offensive player at the end of last year, which Irvine hopes will carry over into this upcoming season.
Path To Omaha: Irvine will need many players to take a step forward and rely on the strength of its pitching staff. The continued success of righthanders Trenton Denholm and Louis Raymond as starters will allow Orloff to keep the back end of the bullpen strong with Rashi and Bocko. The strength of the bullpen and good defense late in games will be crucial. Over the last five seasons, 43 percent of Irvine’s games have been decided by one or two runs and in such close games the importance of pitching and defense is amplified. Offensively, the team looks balanced, and like his predecessor, Orloff will run an offense that will keep pressure on opposing teams. Irvine is primed to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 and will go as far as its pitching staff carries it.
D1Baseball picked UC-I to finish second to Cal St.-Fullerton in the Big West, named Jr RHP Andre Pallante (2018: 10-1, 1.60 ERA, 115 Ks in 101 IP) a first team preseason all-american and Big West Pitcher of the Year and JUCO transfer 3B Brandon Lewis Big West Newcomer of the Year...
https://d1baseball.com/season-preview/20...-big-west/
UC Irvine
Quote:UC Irvine is a program going through massive change right now. Gone is the old war horse, Mike Gillespie. The maestro of college baseball here in SoCal has retired after 31 years as a head coach at either USC or UCI. The one taking the reins of the Anteater program is Ben Orloff, a former shortstop for the Eaters and a player that coach Gillespie told me way back in 2009, “He is going to be a great college baseball head coach some day.” Yes it’s true, the old taskmaster saw something in the youthful Orloff from way back then that would lead him to eventually get the UCI head honcho gig. Very cool.
Well, Orloff will inherit a very solid squad from his former coach — one that many are listing in their preseason rankings as a sleeper pick out of the Big West, and with good reason. The pitching staff will be one of the most experienced in the country as six of the top eight flingers returning are in their senior year. Big West Pitcher of the Year candidate Andre Pallante (10-1, 1.60), Trenton Denholm (4-8, 4.72), Louis Raymond (1-3, 3.48) and Taylor Rashi (3-4, 2.97) combined for 47 starts on the mound a year ago. There is plenty of “bling” in those four arms as well since Pallante pitched for Team USA last summer and is a preseason All-American, Denholm had a big summer in the prestigious Cape Cod League and Raymond was the staff ace in 2017 before missing half of last season with an injury. Pallante pitched at 91-94 and bumped 95 for Team USA, along with a quality curveball and a hard slider at 84-86. Denholm, who posted a 0.00 ERA in 21.2 Cape League innings, features an 89-92 sinker and an above-average changeup, along with a serviceable curveball. In addition to that, the Anteaters welcome in RHP Tanner Brubaker, who was the California JC Pitcher of the Year last spring and could be penciled in as the Saturday starter after a solid fall. And we still haven’t mentioned Jordan Bocko, a senior RHP who went 5-2, 2.98 with eight saves a year ago. He could be the best closer in the conference after getting tabbed Honorable Mention All-Big West last year. Bocko can bump 90 and mixes in a decent slider and changeup effectively.
In the field, the Eaters retain the services of the double-play duo of SS Christian Koss (.287/.343/.379), who spent last summer playing in the Cape Cod League, and 2B Brendan Brooks (.308/.365/.349), who led the team in hitting as a freshman. Koss is one of the best players in the West, with above-average range and a plus arm at shortstop, along with average pull-side power and an emerging bat. The only other returning starters are OF Jake Palmer (.298/.430/.340) and Konnor Zickefoose (.306/.374/.469), so there will be a lot of new blood out in the field, especially if Zickefoose isn’t back from injury by opening day. Two big instant difference-makers will be powerful 3B Brandon Lewis, a JC transfer who was the MVP of the California Collegiate League last summer, and OF John Jensen, also a JC transfer who brings in a big lefthanded bat.
Perfect Game ranked the Anteaters #23 in their preseason poll, named Andre Pallante first-team all-american....
https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/Vie...icle=16006
Quote:Starting Pitcher
Pallante quietly enjoyed one of the best seasons in the nation, with a 10-1 record spanning 15 appearances, all starts, and a 1.60 ERA. He did a nice job limiting baserunners, both in the form of base hits (77) and base on balls (30) in just over 100 innings of work. What Pallante lacks in ideal height as a 6-foot righthander he makes up for in pitching moxie, throwing a true four-pitch mix for strikes, getting good movement on all four of his offerings while pounding the lower quadrants of the strike zone. His fastball sits at 89-92 mph, peaking higher in the early innings and maintaining his velocity well deep into starts thanks to his repeatable delivery and sturdy lower half. His upper-70s to low-80s slider is his second best pitch, followed by a low-70s curveball and a changeup that hovers right around 80 mph.
https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/Vie...icle=16008
Quote:Head Coach: Ben Orloff
Conference: Big West
2018 record: 32-24 (13-11 Big West)
2018 finish: Did not play in postseason
Top returning hitters: IF/OF Konnor Zickefoose (.306-5-27), OF Jake Palmer (.298-0-17), OF Mikey Filia (.289-0-4), SS Christian Koss (.287-1-17), DH Jacob Castro (.247-0-12), 2B Brendan Brooks (.308-1-23)
Top returning pitchers: RHP Andre Pallante (10-1, 1.60 ERA, 101.1 IP, 115:30), RHP Trenton Denholm (4-8, 4.72 ERA, 74.1 IP, 48:25), LHP Dylan Riddle (0-0, 2.25 ERA, 12 IP, 10:6), RHP Taylor Rashi (3-4, 2.97 ERA, 63.2 IP, 47:26), RHP Jordan Bocko (5-2, 2.98 ERA, 45.1 IP, 47:18), RHP Louis Raymond (1-3, 3.48 ERA, 31 IP, 19:7), RHP Alonzo Garcia (1-0, 4.81 ERA, 24.1 IP, 18:11)
Top newcomers: 3B Brandon Lewis, RHP Tanner Brubaker, OF John Jensen, LHP Darius Garcia, 2B Sam Ireland
Top 2019 prospects: RHP Andre Pallante, SS Christian Koss, RHP Tanner Brubaker, 3B Brandon Lewis, OF Mikey Filia, OF John Jensen
Why they’re here: Big West’s best staff. The Big West is usually won by the team with the best pitching staff and this year that honor goes to UC Irivne. Led by ace Andre Pallante, who went 10-1 with a 1.60 ERA a season ago, UCI’s staff took another step forward with the addition of junior college transfer Tanner Brubaker, who went 13-3 with a 1.70 ERA at Saddleback College. Additionally the back end of the bullpen is led by a pair of senior righthanders, Taylor Rashi and Jordan Bocko. Each posted an ERA below 3.00 and combined for over 100 innings, giving the ‘Eaters enviable front-end talent and depth throughout.
Difference maker: Dynamic duo up the middle. Supporting UCI’s deep pitching staff is a very solid middle infield tandem of shortstop Christian Koss and second baseman Brendan Brooks. Brooks led the team in hitting a year ago (.308) while Koss was named one of the top prospects in the Cape Cod League last summer thanks to his superior defensive tools and bat-to-ball skills. With junior college transfer Brandon Lewis at third, along with Jake Palmer and Mikey Filia roaming the outfield, this team has intriguing pieces on offense as well.
Fun fact:Ben Orloff was the Big West Player of the Year in 2009 while a member of the UCI’s baseball team. He served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator prior to being named the program’s head coach in July of 2018, taking the reigns from legendary skipper Mike Gillespie.
Here's collegebaseballdaily's preseason writeup on the Anteaters...
http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2019...-big-west/
Quote:UC Irvine (2018 Record: 32-24, 13-11)
UC Irvine had some big wins over TCU and UCLA in 2018 as they finished tied for third in the Big West at 13-11.
Returning Players
Jake Palmer will be back in the lineup after hitting .298 last year in just 141 at-bats with 36 runs scored. Shortstop Christian Koss is back after hitting .287 a year ago. Mikey Filia will see a bigger role in the offense after hitting .289 in limited time last year.
Andre Pallante will be one of the best pitchers in the conference coming off a year in which he posted a 1.60 ERA in 101.1 innings pitched with 115 strikeouts. Jordan Bocko posted a 2.98 ERA in 2018 over 45.1 innings pitched with 47 strikeouts and 8 saves.
Newcomers
Brandon Lewis is a transfer who has a shot to earn some playing time on the infield. John Jensen is a JUCO transfer that is versatile enough to play on the infield and in the outfield for UC Irvine. Tanner Brubaker is a JUCO transfer that will have a chance to make an impact in the pitching staff this year.
Outlook for 2019
“We need to improve in all areas coming into 2019. We think if healthy, we can have pretty good starting pitching and a deeper lineup.” – Head Coach Ben Orloff.
(This post was last modified: 02-21-2019 11:17 AM by waltgreenberg.)
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