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February 2, 2010
2010 RedStorm Baseball Preview
Rio Grande --- It is a new beginning for the University of Rio Grande RedStorm baseball team as they prepare for the 2010 season. After a record-setting 38-win season in their final year of playing in the American Mideast Conference in 2009, the RedStorm will face new challenges this season in the Mid-South Conference.
Rio Grande returns all but two starters from last year's squad and with another solid recruiting class, the RedStorm can set their sights on challenging for a conference crown.
Rio Grande head coach Brad Warnimont, who enters his ninth season at the helm five wins short of 500 for his career, runs down the keys to having a successful season in 2010. "The key to the success of this year's club will be focus," he said. "All the key elements of a successful ballclub are in place, team speed, power, defense, and pitching depth. The test will be to keep our focus for an entire season with no letdowns."
Warnimont is armed with the deepest pitching staff of his tenure. "The pitching staff is as deep as it has ever been since I've been here," Warnimont said. "The top of the rotation should be very competitive." Among the starting staff is senior Ryan Cramer (Olympia, WA). Cramer went 5-1 in 2009 and worked 44 1/3 innings compiling a 7.31 ERA. Cramer will likely make the move to the bullpen this season.
Fellow senior Tyler Schunk (Cincinnati, OH) is also expected to provide leadership out of the ‘pen and most likely serve as the primary closer for the RedStorm. Schunk posted an impressive 8-4 record last season and registered three saves with a 4.44 ERA. Those numbers were good enough for Schunk to gain All-AMC 2nd Team honors.
Lefthander Jesse Brown (Mt. Pleasant, NC) is one of the hurlers in the junior class that should compete for a spot in the rotation. Brown (5-4, 7.45 ERA) pitched four complete games a season ago and logged 55 1/3 innings. Fellow junior Angel Santiago (Santa Isabel, PR), a 2nd Team All-AMC performer, is back this season after posting a 7-4 mark with a 5.05 ERA with five complete games and two shutouts. He also fanned 68 batters in 73 innings.
Another junior, Desmond Sullivan (Scarborough, ONT) will among those who will take the ball from Coach Warnimont at the beginning of the game. Sullivan went 6-5 with one save and a 4.62 ERA. Sullivan tossed the school's first no-hitter since 2002 and was tops on the staff with six complete games. Also challenging for a spot in the rotation is Illinois State junior transfer Bryan Earley (Cincinnati, OH). Earley was a 2006 44th round draft choice of the Seattle Mariners.
Rio has three sophomores on the staff led by Ryan Chapman (Racine, OH). Chapman posted some solid numbers in his first season in 2009. He went 5-1 with a 4.13 ERA in 20 games as both a starter and a reliever. Chapman garnered 2nd team All-AMC honors. Ben Schlater (Lewisburg, OH) returns as well and pitched some key innings out the bullpen last year. Schlater (0-0, 4.02 ERA) appeared in 11 games and had two saves. Sophomore Richard Hernandez (Beavercreek, OH) also figures into the mix as well.
The freshman class is well-stocked with six arms at Warnimont's disposal, highlighted by Ryan Robertson. Robertson, a Waverly, OH native, was a Mizuno All-Ohio performer as he posted an impressive 8-1 record for the Tigers and a miniscule 0.73 ERA. Robertson also registered 110 strikeouts. Eric Ford (Chagrin Falls, OH) is another impressive young arm. He went 9-4 and posted three saves for Kenston High School . Ford struck out 78 batters. He will also challenge for time in the infield. Another dual role player is Mark Parent (New Albany, OH). Parent should help solidify the bullpen and will also play in the infield.
Chris Pranckunas (Sheffield Lake, OH), Anthony Bills (Columbus, OH) and lefty Sean Zelasko (Bedford, OH) will all provide depth for the bullpen.
Anchoring the catching position is senior Tyler Plumpton (Peterborough, ONT). Plumpton (.403 BA, 7 HR, 47 RBI) was a 1st Team All-AMC performer in 2009. He set school records in at-bats in a season (216), hits (87) and total bases (131). He also led the team with 19 doubles.
Backing up Plumpton will be sophomore Taylor Hill (Milford Center, OH) and freshman Cameron Kirby (Radnor, OH). Hill saw a lot of time with the junior varsity team in 2009.
Junior Francisco Ramirez (Columbus, OH) returns as the starting first baseman. Ramirez (.377, 5 HR, 38 RBI) was a force in his first season with the RedStorm. He earned honorable mention All-AMC honors last season and figures to be one of the top offensive threats in the MSC this season. In addition to pitching, Cramer will provide some depth at first base. He saw most of his time as a designated hitter last season and hit .316 with a home run and six RBI's.
Senior Jimmy O'Brien (Wadsworth, OH) and junior Dominick McAllister (Columbus, OH), back from injury, will also be in the mix for playing time at first base and both should provide some power off the bench. Freshman Tyler Hayslip (Clarksville, OH) is expected to do the same.
Second base will be anchored by junior transfer Christian Frias (Salinas, PR). The slick-fielding Frias has emerged from a number of candidates at the position and appears to have seized the starting spot. Frias is the Godson of future Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar. Warnimont sees Frias as an ideal situational hitter. Parent and junior Michael Lynch (Lyndhurst, OH) will provide back-up for Frias. Lynch batted .360 with a home run and 27 RBI last year while playing second and in the outfield.
Junior Brad Konrad (Maumee, OH) returns at shortstop after earning honorable mention All-AMC in 2009. Konrad (.335 BA, 53 RBI) recorded 72 hits and scored 54 runs to go along with 26 stolen bases. Ford and Bills will provide depth at the shortstop position.
Schunk moves from the outfield to the hot corner in 2010 and, according to Warnimont, has made the adjustment to third base just fine. Schunk (.341, 6 HR, 47 RBI) had a very productive first season with the RedStorm. When Schunk is on the hill, Rio will have plenty of options to choose from. Sophomore Jacob Cooke (South Charleston, OH), freshman Joe Stolpa (Galloway, OH), West Virginia State transfer Robbie Easterling (Proctorville, OH) and freshman Jared Azar (Belpre, OH) are among the candidates.
The outfield is the most experienced group on the team and may be the deepest. Three seniors man each of the starting positions. Ryan Yakura (Pickering, ONT) returns in centerfield. Yakura led the team with a .539 on-base percentage last season and established a new school record for runs scored in a single season with 57. He earned 2nd Team All-AMC honors with a .398 batting average and 22 stolen bases.
John Storey (Wheelersburg, OH) returns in right field after a .305 batting average and 19 RBI's last season while Chris Mahon (Hamilton, OH) is in left field. Mahon dealt with some injury issues in 2009, but still managed a productive year (.370 BA, 3 HR, 21 RBI). Lynch will also battle for time in the outfield.
Junior Brandon Lay (Columbus, OH) is another veteran who will press for time and add depth to the corner outfield spots. Lay (.326, 4 RBI) was solid in a reserve role a year ago. Sophomore Derek Green (Bean Station, TN) should add depth and speed and fellow sophomore Josh Allen (Lebanon, OH) will give the RedStorm some punch off the bench.
Three freshmen will also be challenging for playing time in Zach Jordan (Proctorville, OH), Phillipe Dumont (Columbus, OH) and Zelasko.
Rio has been picked to finish fourth in the eight-team Mid-South Conference. "I think that's probably where I thought we would be, somewhere in the middle," Warnimont said. "I thought we might be a little lower being the fact of the strength of the new conference and the reputation of the conference."
Warnimont believes he has assembled a strong team, although it is not a finished product as the opener approaches. "We've got a lot of proving to do in the conference and it's going to be very, very competitive for us and we hope we're up to the challenge."
Rio is scheduled to open up the season this weekend at UVA-Wise, weather permitting.
