2000 Season Outlook – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/25/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The 2000 Buckeyes will undoubtedly use the lessons learned from last season in their yearly quest for the ultimate goal – a berth in the College World Series. A total of 24 student-athletes return from a team that finished just one win shy of a College World Series berth. The core of this group consists of 16 returning letterwinners, four all-Big Ten selections and one All-American.
Four All-Big Ten’s Return
Last season, the baseball team had nine student-athletes named to the all-Big Ten team. Of these nine, four are returning this year first team selections pitcher E.J. Laratta and second baseman Chad Ehrnsberger, second team selection pitcher Cory Cox and third team selection shortstop Trent McIlvain.
All-American Ehrnsberger
Chad Ehrnsberger was named to the 1999 National College Baseball Writers Association All-American team. A second team selection at second base, Ehrnsberger led the Buckeyes with 16 home runs and 73 runs batted in. These numbers placed him third in both categories in the Big Ten Conference. Ehrnsberger also carried a .356 batting average and a .648 slugging percentage.
The New Millennium
Regardless of the year, decade or century, the goal of Bob Todd’s Buckeyes is always simple and always the same. Just play baseball. Fundamentals and education are the key to success of any organization whether it be a corporate setting, a workroom floor or a ball club.
Ohio State has proven to be the dominant team of the Big Ten and a national contender every season. The Buckeyes made their 11th appearance in 12 years in the conference tournament last season, a streak that Todd’s troops intend to bring into the new Millennium. Young Pitching Staff
Youth will be served as Ohio State enters this year without any seniors on its pitching staff. But the returning young arms carry good experience. Leading the way is Preseason All-American and reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year E. J. Laratta. He returns after a 10-3 freshman campaign that also earned him first-team all-Big Ten and Freshman All-America honors. Looking to build off a solid freshman year is strong-armed Nate Smith. Fighting for other spots in the starting rotation should be Brandon Steen, Kevin Wynk, Kyle Brown or Jason Bullens. In the bullpen, second team all-Big Ten selection Cory Cox returns after leading the conference with nine saves last year. Lefthander Kevin Goodrum is versatile enough to be used as either a starter or a reliever. Hard throwing Matt Kamalsky, a transfer from the University of Miami (Fla.), should bolster the bullpen.
Reloading the Offense
Even with the losses of All-American Mike Lockwood and three-time Big Ten hitting leader Jason Trott, the Buckeyes will reload with a plethora of weapons, Leading the way for the Ohio State offense is All-American Chad Ehrnsberger. All he did last season was lead OSU with 16 home runs and 73 runs batted in. To help bolster the lineup are returning starters Trent McIlvain, Jason Turner and Jason Driscoll. Exciting freshman Nick Swisher will add instant pop to the lineup. He dominated in the Scarlet and Gray World Series with an .800 batting average and a pair of home runs.
A Look at the Schedule
The 2000 season will begin on Feb. 25 in Millington, Tenn., as the Buckeyes compete in the Service Academy Baseball Classic. The other spring tournaments scheduled are the North Florida Baseball Tourney in Jacksonville, Fla. (March 3-5), the Winthrop Classic in Rock Hill, S.C. (March 10-12) and the Aggie Continental Airlines Tournament in Commerce, Texas (March 17-20). The Buckeyes have 15 home dates scheduled at Bill Davis Stadium. The three Big Ten weekends are against Iowa (March 31-April 2), Indiana (April 21-23) and Michigan State (May 12-14).
Laratta All-American
The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association has named Ohio State pitcher E.J. Laratta to its 2000 Preseason All-America baseball team. The sophomore hurler was a third-team selection.
Laratta returns after a stellar 1999 season. He carried a 10-3 record with a 3.74 earned run average and 59 strikeouts. At the conclusion of the season, he was named a Freshman All-American, first-team all-Big Ten and the 1999 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The sophomore was the Big Ten Conference’s only representative on the NCBWA Preseason All-America team.
Fall Recap
Ohio State’s version of the “Fall Classic,” the Scarlet and Gray World Series, resulted in a 3-1 series win for the Scarlet team. E.J. Laratta went 2-0 in the best-of-five classic and Nick Swisher paced the Scarlet offense by going 8-for-10 (.800).
Bill Davis Stadium
This year’s squad marks the first entire OSU team never to play a collegiate game at old Trautman Field, the former home of Ohio State baseball. The Ohio State baseball program will call Bill Davis Stadium its home for the fourth consecutive year. This year’s senior class was the first group to play in Bill Davis Stadium as freshmen three years ago. In a short period of time, the venue has established itself as one of the premier college ballparks in the nation. Last year was highlighted when Ohio State earned the right to host the Big Ten Tournament, NCAA Regional and NCAA Super Regional.
In 1998, lights, a batter’s eye in centerfield and the matrix scoreboard for animation were added. Last year, expanded seating was added as additional bleachers were added along both foul lines to increase the stadium capacity to 4,450. This year, the baseball office has been relocated inside the stadium making Bill Davis Stadium the true home of the Ohio State baseball program.
1999 Draft Picks Excel
The Buckeyes had two players drafted in the Major League Baseball June Draft. Mike Lockwood, selected in the 23rd round by the Oakland Athletics, played in the Northwest League for the Southern Oregon Timberjacks. He led his team with a .361 batting average and also knocked in 51 runs. Justin Fry, selected in the 26th round by the Philadelphia Phillies, played in the New York-Penn League for the Batavia Muckdogs. Fry carried a 1.35 earned run average with a team-high six saves.
