The Virginia baseball team is set to open the 2008 season this weekend when it hosts Lehigh in a pair of doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday.
The series was scheduled to start today but was postponed due to anticipated inclement weather.
The series kicks off a very busy start to the season for the No. 17 Cavaliers as they will play nine games in 10 days, all at home, including six games in the first two weekends of the season. The more condensed schedule is the result of a new start date imposed by the NCAA in an effort to try to level the playing field between Northern and Southern schools. Teams used to be able to start whenever weather permitted, which tended to be much earlier for Southern teams, giving them an advantage. Yet players have expressed excitement, rather than concern, for the opportunity to play more frequently.
"It makes it more realistic," junior second baseman David Adams said. "If you go to the big league level, they're playing every day. Six days a week. I think it's awesome we're getting to play five games a week. It'd be nice if we got to play that sixth game ... If you truly love the game of baseball, then you're going to love playing every day."
Something to look for this Sunday will be how the outfield situation plays out. Virginia will probably start an all-freshman outfield as all five outfielders from last year were lost either to graduation or the MLB draft. Coach Brian O'Connor could experiment with various options. Freshman David Coleman is expected to be the opening day starter in right field. Left field is still undetermined as O'Connor could choose from either freshman John Barr, freshman Dan Grovatt, sophomore Mark Riffee, senior Patrick Wingfield or freshman Phil Gosselin O'Connor maintained that he plans "to go with the hot guy out there."
The only piece of the outfield that appears set right now is freshman Jarrett Parker starting in center field.
"Jarrett Parker has really emerged as the guy [in center field]," O'Connor said. "Since we've been back from holiday break, his game has really changed ... When the game starts to slow down a little bit, they show the kind of player they can be, and Jarrett Parker has done that in these four weeks that we've been back."
The pitching situation will also be something to look for. Standout junior Jacob Thompson, who went 11-0 with a 1.50 ERA last year, will start the season opener, followed by senior Pat McAnaney, junior Andrew Carraway and sophomore Jeff Lorick to close out the series. Senior Michael Schwimer, along with senior Jake Rule and freshman Robert Morey, could all see action as relievers in the series as they audition for the closer job.
"The first six ballgames we'll have six different starting pitchers," O'Connor said. "We'll find out who will do the job for this team in the first couple weeks ... Andrew Carraway had a fantastic summer this year in summer ball and he came back this fall, and he and Pat McAnaney out-pitched everybody on the pitching staff."
Although the Cavaliers are favored against Lehigh they are making sure not to underestimate their opponent.
"We scout every team. You can't take anybody lightly," Adams said. "If you take anybody lightly, that's when somebody will knock you on your butt ... they're a tough group of guys. I think we have to come out with our A-game to beat them."
Virginia is focusing on doing all the little things right in its first game as the Cavaliers are eager to get on the field and get to work after a long off-season.
"You just want to come out and have some fun, respect the game and play as a team," Adams said. "If you do those things, I think good things will happen. Ultimately, the beginning of the year is the time to work out all those kinks because the end of the year is when you need to be strong"
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