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The season is drawing closer and it is time to set the stage for our 2010 preview, which is slated to begin in mid-January. We take an inside look at the Missouri Valley in one of many of our conference snapshots.
Bradley
2009 record: 17-31
Top returning player: P Joe Bircher
What needs to improve: The Braves didn’t have an impressive ‘09 campaign and have several areas that need work to experience success in the spring. The offense headlines the list. The Braves finished last season with a dismal .259 batting average and had just two hitters that ended the campaign with batting averages over .300. Both hitters have since departed the program. The pitching staff must improve on last season’s 5.51 ERA, and the defense could use some improvement after ending the ‘09 campaign with a .960 fielding percentage. The Braves have a plethora of work to do.
Creighton
2009 record: 31-25
Top returning player: OF Robbie Knight
What needs to improve: The Bluejays don’t have too many areas that need to improve between now and the spring, but power production is the exception. The Jays finished last season with just 37 homers. Also, Darin Ruf, who finished the ‘09 campaign with eight homers, signed a pro contract this past summer. The Bluejays must improve in the power department if they plan on making an NCAA regional. If they don’t hit for more power, their team batting average needs to be better than .299. Team defense and pitching once again appears to be in good hands. Lack of power, though, could hold back the Jays.
Evansville
2009 record:
Top returning player: UTI Tom Heithoff
What needs to improve: The Purple Aces finished last season with a respectable fielding percentage, but have other areas of concern entering the spring. The Aces must improve at the plate and on the mound. The offense ended last season with a .269 batting average. The Aces also finished the campaign with just 29 homers. On the mound, the Aces ended the ‘09 campaign with a 5.44 ERA and didn’t have much quality depth. The Aces must be more consistent on the mound and have more depth. Accomplishing that goal could be tough, though, as the Aces are without a few key arms from last year’s club.
Illinois State
2009 record: 25-23
Top returning player: P Ryan Copeland
What needs to improve: It’ll be interesting to see if coach Mark Kingston can put the Redbirds on the map, much like Lindsay Meggs did with Indiana State. The Redbirds could use some improvements at the plate, where they finished last season with a .281 batting average. They also hit just 17 homers for the season. Those numbers must improve to take a step forward. The pitching staff is an intriguing situation. The Redbirds welcome back a trio of solid starting pitchers, but must find a way to create more quality depth after ending the ‘09 campaign with a 5.47 ERA.
Indiana State
2009 record: 33-21
Top returning player: 2B Ryan Strausborger
What needs to improve: The Sycamores took a huge step forward last season with a solid overall record, but now must move on without coach Lindsay Meggs, who made the move to Washington during the offseason. The Sycamores also have several key bats to replace from a lineup that finished last season with a fantastic .317 batting average. The pitching staff, though, is the main unit that must improve in the spring. The Sycamores ended the ‘09 campaign with a 5.94 ERA. They also had just three pitchers that ended last season with ERAs below five. That’s unacceptable if you’re trying to make a regional.
Missouri State
2009 record: 34-20
Top returning player: P Aaron Meade
What needs to improve: The Bears were close to making an NCAA regional last season, but didn’t have enough style points come Selection Monday. Now they hope to take a step forward even without several key hitters from last year’s club, which finished the campaign with a .302 batting average. The Bears could use some improvement in the field, where they ended the ‘09 campaign with a .961 fielding percentage. Also, it will be interesting to see how the weekend rotation unfolds with the departures of starters Buddy Baumann and Tim Clubb. The Bears have many holes to fill the next months.
Southern Illinois
2009 record: 24-28
Top returning player: P Jimmy Cornell
What needs to improve: The Salukis didn’t have an impressive ‘09 campaign and could use some improvements at the plate and on the mound. SIU finished last season with a .286 batting average, and should have high hopes considering it welcomes back several key cogs from that lineup. On the mound, the Salukis welcome back senior pitcher Jimmy Cornell, but must replace two starting pitchers and a few relievers. The Salukis could be solid if the weekend rotation and offense rises to the occasion.
Wichita State
2009 record: 30-27
Top returning player: P Tim Kelley
What needs to improve: The Shockers took a step back in the wins department last season, but should finish the upcoming season with a much better record. There’s no question what unit on this team must improve to compete for a College World Series berth. It’s the offense. The Shockers finished last season with a .275 batting average, and also had just 33 homers as a team. On the mound, the starting rotation is expected to be exceptional with Jordan Cooper, Tim Kelley and Charlie Lowell leading the charge. But the bullpen must rise to the occasion. The Shockers lacked elite relievers last season. That must change if they plan to greatly improve.