Providence College Athletics
1998 Baseball Outlook
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 23, 1998
One could hardly blame Providence College baseball coach Charlie Hickey if he were to rent a billboard or take out an ad in the newsppaper that stated: PITCHERS WANTED!!!
It's not that Hickey's Friars don't have any pitchers, it's just that for the past four years, PC's coaches and fans have been spoiled by a group of pitchers who own most of PC's records for wins, strikeouts, appearances and ERA. That group has now graduated and the Friars will now have to fill the holes.
Gone to graduation are Andy Byron, Jim O'Brien and Ryan Ricciardi. Todd Incantalupo was drafted and signed with the Milwaukee Brewers following his junior season. Between them, the foursome combined to pitch 260 of the 385.2 innings that PC pitchers pitched. The foursome combined to go 20-16 in a year that PC was 26-23 and the four pitchers combined for 181 of the team's 278 strikeouts.
Byron was 5-6 on the year with a 4.62 ERA. For his career, he finished first in innings pitched (281.1), second in wins (22-12), seventh in strikeouts (150) and had a career 4.28 ERA.
O'Brien was 4-3 as as senior with a 4.12 ERA. For his career, O'Brien was 20-13 with a 4.72 ERA and is second on the strikeout list with 189 whiffs. The crafty lefthander was probably the most intense competitor the Friars have ever had.
Ricciardi did a little bit of everything in his career - he started, pitched long and short relief and was the bullpen stopper. In 49 career appearances, the East Providence native was 16-5 with a 4.85 ERA in 159.1 innings.
Incantalupo was the ace of the staff. In just three seasons he made his mark on the Providence College record books. An eighth round choice of the Milwaukee Brewers, the southpaw leaves PC with a 27-8 career record and a 3.68 career ERA. As a frosh he was a freshman All-America with a 10-1 record and as a sophomore he took Third Team All-America honors with a 10-2 record. In his final year at PC, Todd was 7-5 with a 5.55 ERA.
Departing with those four pitchers were three mainstays in the PC lineup over the last four seasons. Second baseman Scott Palmieri graduated with the reputation of being one of the finest fielders in school history. In four seasons, he made just 16 errors in close to 1,000 chances and played more games than anyone ever at PC. As a junior, he helped the Friars lead the nation in double plays with 65. As a senior, he hit .291 with a homer and 24 stolen bases.
Rightfielder Mike Harrington closed out his career with his best year ever. The rifle-armed outfielder led the Friars with a .356 average and had career highs in hits (63), doubles (10), triples (2) and home runs (10) and rbi's (43). Harrington was a Divsion I GTE/Cosida District I All-America.
The third regular everyday player to graduate was first baseman Corey Bike. Bike played in the outfield, at first, and as the designated hitter during his career. He made just five errors in his career for a .955 fielding percentage. As a senior, he hit .274 with three homers and 18 rbi's.
In his second year as the Friars' bench boss, Hickey has a strong nucleus to build on. Despite losing key people in the field, there are players ready to step in and play.
It's on the mound where the Friars will be young and inexperienced. Pitching is what wins games in the BIG EAST so the Friars will be looking for arms to come in and takeover a variety of roles this season. Here's a look at the 1998 Friars:
The Pitching Staff
PITCHERS RETURNING: (6) Rob Corraro, Josh Cox, Marc DesRoches, Mike Galligan, Todd Murray, Doug Wall
PITCHERS LOST: (4) Andy Byron, Todd Incantalupo, Jim O'Brien, Ryan Ricciardi
NEWCOMERS: (9) Drew Brustin, Josh Burnham, Eric Carlson, George Colli, Paul Dembinski, Brett Donovan, Andrew Scott, Mike Stuart, Stephen Virgilio
This is not to say that the Friars don't have pitching. The question is: Will it be good enough to face the test of the BIG EAST? The Friars return six pitchers from last year's staff. Of the six, only Rob Corraro pitched more than 25 innings overall or more than ten innings in the BIG EAST. Two of the six were sidelined with arm injuries and the other three pitched mostly in non-league games.
There are nine newcomers who will be in the hunt for a spot in the Friars rotation. The jobs are there and you can be sure that everyone will get a chance to win one.
Coming out of the fall, ROB CORRARO (Jr., Madison, Conn.) has the most experience. CORRARO is a hard throwing six-foot, seven-inch righthander, who was a 14th-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays out of high school. As a sophomore he was 4-4 in 11 appearances (8 starts) and a 6.24 ERA. Rob needs to gain confidence in his stuff to be an effective pitcher. He needs to cut down on the walks and maybe just get a little meaner on the mound. He's got lots of potential and should get to pitch more this season.
After CORRARO, the next pitcher to show some of what he could do in the fall is senior righthander MARC DES ROCHES (Sr., Cambridge, Mass.). DES ROCHES has pitched a limited amount during his career. He made seven appearances last year, all in relief and was 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He struck out eight in 9.1 innings. A hard thrower, DES ROCHES impressed the Friars' coaches with his ability to throw strikes. At 6-2, 210 pounds DES ROCHES could be a diamond in the rough for at least one year.
Expected to get his chance to join the regular rotation is junior transfer JOSH BURNHAM (Jr., Tolland, Conn.) who comes to PC after two years at UConn-Avery Point. BURNHAM is a solid pitcher with the ability to pitch at the BIG EAST level. A hard-thrower with good control, BURNHAM has pitched in important games in the past and should be ready for the challenges of the BIG EAST.
Two returnees who will be given a chance to earn spots are continuing to rehab from major arm surgery. If MIKE GALLIGAN (Jr., Plainville, Mass.) can rebound from major elbow surgery, then the Friars will have a bonifide Division I thrower. At 6-4, 210-pounds, GALLIGAN is another hard thrower who wants the ball. He was 0-1 in 1996 as a freshman with a 4.05 ERA and had a pair of saves. Last spring he was 0-0 in six appearances with one save. He struck out 13 in 8.2 innings before the elbow went. He had "Tommy John" surgery in April and has been rehabbing since then.
TODD MURRAY (Jr., Andover, Mass.) sat out the entire 1997 season after offseason elbow surgery on his throwing arm. MURRAY is a hard throwing righthander who throws strikes. He appeared in 14 games in 1996 and was 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA and a pair of saves. He has the tools to be an outstanding relief pitcher if he can come up with an offspeed pitch to compliment a fastball that moves.
The remaining returnees, JOSH COX (Jr., Cambridge, Mass.) and DOUG WALL (Sr., Durham, Conn.) have experience and will pitch during the week, and in relief during the BIG EAST schedule.
COX was 0-2 with a 4.98 ERA in eight appearances last season. His ability to come in and throw strikes is a key to his success (19 K's, just four walks) in 21.2 innings. That's why he should see action out of the bullpen.
WALL is crafty lefthander who can be a tough pitcher when he has his control. He was 1-1 in 12 appearances (two starts) with a 4.38 ERA. He struck out 11 and walked nine in 24.2 innings. Both WALL and COX failed to give up a run in four BIG EAST appearances covering seven innings.
Hickey will look to the outfield for his main man out of the bullpen. Left fielder, ANGELO CIMINIELLO (Jr.,St. James, N.Y.) pitched six times last year, all in relief. He struck out 10 in 10.1 innings and had one win. CIMINIELLO has outstanding stuff and knows how to pitch. His ability to play in the field gives the Friars versatility, especially in the late innings of games.
Nine new pitchers dot the Friars' roster and they will all get long looks this winter. If one or two of them could step forward into key roles, things might not be too bad in the area of pitching.
Freshman MIKE STUART (Canton, Mass.) is a strong armed lefthander who had a good fall and should get consideration for a spot in the regular rotation. The remaining pitchers, GEORGE COLLI (Fr., Suffield, Conn,), ANDREW SCOTT (Fr., Milltown, N.J.), DREW BRUSTIN (Fr., Duxbury, Mass.), BRETT DONOVAN (Fr., Bronx, N.Y.), PAUL DEMBINSKI (Fr., Brooklyn, N.Y.) and STEPHEN VIRGILIO (Fr., East Williston, N.Y.) give Hickey and his staff plenty of arms to work with on the way to finding a set rotation for the season to come.
PITCHING OVERVIEW: There is no doubt that pitching is the major concern for the Friars this season. Most of the Friars' success in recent years has come because of the strength of their pitching staff. There are no Todd Incantalupo's, Mike Macone's, Andy Byron's or Jim O'Brien's to gobble up innings.
The Friars will have to rebuild from the bottom up. The top returnee is Rob Corraro. At 6-7, 210 pounds he has the potential to be a top notch pitcher. Now's his chance. Following Corraro there are several pitchers who will be really getting their first chances to move into the BIG EAST rotation. Marc DesRoches has taken full advantage of the opportunity to take a spot in the rotation and has done it. A strong fall and winter has him pencilled in as one of PC's top three starters. A hard thrower, Des Roches can throw strikes which is a key factor in winning games.
Josh Burnham has the tools and the experience to pitch at the BIG EAST level and figures to get his chance early in the year. A real key to the Friars success in 1998 will be the returns of Mike Galligan and Todd Murray. Both righthanders have loads of potential and throw hard. They too, will have some say in how far the Friars can go in 1998. Angelo Ciminiello will be in the everyday lineup in left field and is expected to take over as PC's closer. Returnees Josh Cox and Doug Wall will have a chance to get into the regular rotation either in relief or as starters. Nine new pitchers are on the roster and if any of them can raise their game a level, then the Friars' staff can take on a new look and be competitive in BIG EAST play.
Behind the Plate
CATCHERS RETURNING: (2) Scott Friedholm, Jeremy Sweet
CATCHERS LOST: (2) Chris Caprio, Frank Herrick
NEWCOMERS: (2) Dan Conway, John Nathans
Once again, the Friars are deep at the catching spot with two players returning and two newcomers. Leading the way behind the plate is ALL-BIG EAST and ALL-American candidate SCOTT FRIEDHOLM (Sr., Walpole, Mass.). Offensively and defensively, FRIEDHOLM is as good as they come.
As a junior, FRIEDHOLM played the entire season with a broken bone in his right hand and still had a strong year. He hit .352 on the year with three homers and 30 rbi's while swinging with one hand. Behind the plate, the senior backstop made four errors in 317 chances for a .987 fielding percentage. He threw out 17 of 38 runners trying to steal on him for a 30.8%success rate. He will be a key to the Friars offensive attack and really has his work cut out for himself in dealing with a young and unproven pitching staff.
FRIEDHOLM is so good that backup JEREMY SWEET (So., East Freetown, Mass.) will move to third base to get his potent bat in the lineup. He hit .300 in 19 games with a homer and ten rbi's in just 40 at bats. The Friars' coaching staff hopes he can make the move to add offense to the lineup.
Looking to take over as the backups to FRIEDHOLM are DANIEL CONWAY (Fr., Delmar, N.Y.) and JOHN NATHANS (Warwick, N.Y.). Both newcomers are big, strong backstops with excellent skills. Conway was an All-State catcher in New York and may have an edge in the battle for the top backup spot.
CATCHING OVERVIEW: Catching remains one of the Friars' strengths at least for one more season with Scott Friedholm. There may be no better all around catcher in New England or the BIG EAST. His accomplishments last season with a broken bone in his right hand were remarkable and a totally healthy Friedholm will be a key to the Friars attack. Getting Sweet's bat into the lineup will also be a key. If he can make the move to third, the Friars will be that much stronger. It will also help for the future as Conway and Nathans will see more playing time as they battle to be the top back up to Friedholm.
Aroung the Bases
INFIELDERS RETURNING: (4) Pat Carey, Paul Costello, Jason Hairston, Coley O'Donnell, Mike Pandolfo
INFIELDERS LOST: (4) Corey Bike, Mark Bocuzzi, Julian Bracali, Scott Palmieri,
NEWCOMERS:(3) Mike O'Keefe, Joe Rigabar, James Ziogas,
The infield will be in for a bit of a shakeup this spring as the Friars lost two valuable starters to graduation and two valuable reserves to transfers. Besides the loss of first baseman Corey Bike and second baseman Scott Palmieri, the Friars also lost backup infielders Mark Bocuzzi (Bryant College) and Julian Bracali (Maine) to transfers. Coach Charlie Hickey will be looking for solid defense from the infield because he knows this group can hit.
Leading the way in the infield is freshman slugger MIKE O'KEEFE (Hamden, Conn.). PC's top recruit owns a great bat and will step right in the middle of the lineup. Blessed with tremendous power, O'Keefe will be one of several players in the lineup who will be counted on to pace the PC attack.
At second base, PAUL COSTELLO (Jr., Milton, Mass.) will make the move from third. A late edition to the Friars' infield a year ago, COSTELLO got a chance and never left the lineup. He hit .284 in 67 at-bats with a homer and eight rbi's and made just two errors at the hot corner. His ability to play all the infield spots gives Hickey the versatility to move people around depending on the situation.
The shortstop position will belong to PAT CAREY (Sr., Stony Point, N.Y.). Carey joined the Friars last season as a transfer from Rockland Community College and had a solid first season at Hendricken Field. He surprised some with his pop at the plate as he hit .323 with five homers and 25 rbi's. He also made just 11 errors and had a .910 fielding percentage at short. The Friars also turned 37 double plays on the season. With a year's experience, Carey should have an even better year in 1998.
Backing up at both second and shortstop will be MIKE PANDOLFO (Sr., Westbrook, Conn.). One of the most versatile players on the PC roster, PANDOLFO has played everywhere in the Friars' lineup. He can back up any of the positions and do it well. Pandolfo hit .269 in 25 games last year and drove in 17 runs. A total team player, PANDOLFO is one of those players that every team needs to win.
At third base, JEREMY SWEET (So., East Freetown, Mass.) will get a chance to show what he can do. The Friars will look to get his bat in the lineup everyday. As a freshman he backed up SCOTT FRIEDHOLM behind the plate and also saw some duty as the designated hitter. If he can make the transition and field adequately at the position he will add to an already potent lineup.
COLEY O"DONNELL (So., Sudbury, Mass.) will see some duty at first base, but is expected to spend most of his time at designated hitter. A lefthander with outstanding power, O'DONNELL hit .265 with two homers and 16 rbi's in limited playing time during the season.
Also seeing time in the infield will be sophomore JASON HAIRSTON (Rockville, Md.). Hairston makes things happen at the plate with his speed and quickness. He will back up all three infield spots, play in the outfield and see time at designated hitter.
Two newcomers will look to fill backup roles this season in the Providence infield. JOE RIGABAR (Fr., Oneida, N.Y.) comes to Providence as an outstanding shortstop while JAMES ZIOGAS (Fr., Bristol, Conn.) has played third base and hopes to see playing time during his rookie season.
INFIELD OVERVIEW: The infield has always been a strong spot for the Friars and will be counted on to again have a strong year. The infield will have to play at its best at least early until the pitching staff gets in order and PC's coaching staff can decide on a consistent rotation. Fielding-wise, the middle of the infield is solid with Pat Carey at shortstop and Paul Costello at second. They both have great arms, tremendous range and the instincts to anticipate plays. It will take them some time to get used to each other. The new players come at the corners. At first base Mike O'Keefe brings power and offense to the lineup and is an adequate fielder. At third base, PC will try to move backup catcher Jeremy Sweet into the lineup to provide more offense. If that doesn't work, Mike Pandolfo can move to third or second and Costello can move over to third. Jason Hairston is another option since he can play short, second and third. His speed and explosive offensive skills will force the Friars to get him in the lineup as much as possible. Coley O'Donnell can play first base, but will most likey serve as the team's top designated hitter. Joe Rigabar and James Ziogas will get to learn by watching and perhaps see some duty during the games early in the week.
In the Outfield
RETURNING OUTFIELDERS: (4) Angelo Ciminiello, Rudy Mauritz, Keith Reed, Brian Tamul
OUTFIELDERS LOST: (2) Mike Harrington, Dan McGovwan
NEWCOMERS: (1) Mike Scott
The Friars lost just one key player in the outfield in Mike Harrington who led the team in hitting a year ago with a .356 average. Back are the other two starters, two valuable reserves and a promising freshman to battle for just three outfield spots.
Leading the way is centerfielder BRYAN TAMUL (Gr., Pawtucket,R.I.) who is in his fifth year at PC after redshirting as a freshman due to a broken wrist. TAMUL came into his own last season just like people had been expecting since he arrived at PC. The speedy outfielder hit .345 with team highs in homers (9) and rbi's (51). He also stole seven of 11 bases. He's most valuable in the lead off spot where he can use his speed to make things happen. He's got great line drive power and hits in the clutch. In the field he covers a lot of ground
The left fielder is ANGELO CIMINIELLO (Jr., St. James, N.Y.). CIMINIELLO may be the Friars top all around hitter. He hit .331 last season with four homers and 39 rbi's and continues to improve. He also pitched in relief during the year and is expected to see more time on the mound this year. His versatility will be a key to any success the Friars have this season. He was an All-BIG EAST selection as a Utility Player for all the positions he played during the year.
The rightfielder is expected to be KEITH REED (So., Auburn, Mass.) who was named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team last season. REED is a raw talent just waiting to burst out and his skills will be needed in the 1998 Friars' attack. As a freshman, REED hit just .200, but showed tremendous power with five homers and 19 rbi's in just 60 at bats. He drove in 19 runs on just 12 hits. In the field, REED has excellent speed and a tremedous throwing arm. He could crush some of the Friars' all-time power records by the time he's done on Hendricken Field.
RUDY MAURITZ (Sr., Trumbull, Conn.) is one of the hardest working players on the Friars' roster and will start the season at designated hitter with COLEY O'DONNELL. A year ago, MAURITZ hit .222 with 11 rbi's as a designated hitter and lefthanded pinch hitter off the bench.
Also backing up in the outfield will be JASON HAIRSTON (Rockville, Md.). One of the fastest players on the team, Hairston can make things happen at the plate. As a freshman, he hit .291 in 55 at-bats with four rbi's and three stolen bases. He can run with the best of them and can play all three outfield positions.
Rounding out the outfielders is MIKE SCOTT (Fr., Darien, Conn.). He will learn by watching the first year and hopefully get some playing time during the weekday games. A solid hitter, SCOTT could also see some pinch hitting duties during the year.
OUTFIELD OVERVIEW: Providence is deep and talented in the outfield. All three positions provide power, speed and solid defense. Ciminiello is a pure hitter with good line drive power and hits in the clutch. How much he pitches this season will be dictated by how the younger pitchers come along. His versatility will allow the PC coaches an opportunity to get some of the younger players playing time in important games.
Bryan Tamul blossomed into the all-around talent in 1997 that many had predicted for him when he was recruited out of high school. He should have a tremendous year. Blessed with power, speed and excellent baseball skills, he will be counted on to pull this young team together especially early in the year. He has to be a leader on and off the field and take control of games in center field.
When Keith Reed is mentioned, PC's coaches just smile. Reed has tremendous raw talent that is being developed every day. Here's a player who strives to get better with each game and practice. As an everyday player this season he should blossom into one of the most talented hitters the Friars have ever had.
Rudy Mauritz will most likely see most of his playing time at the designated hitters spot. A contact hitter, Mauritz hits in the clutch and is also a valuable pinch-hitter. Jay Hairston has tremendous speed and really gives PC's offensive attack a shot in the arm when he's in the lineup. He's the type of player that can turn a bunt into a double or score from second on a bloop single. He should see more playing time especially when Ciminiello pitches.
Freshman Mike Scott has potential. He just needs a chance to play. With the players ahead of him, he just needs to work hard and be ready to take advantage when he gets a chance to play.
1997 Friar Team Leaders
Games Played.....Scott Palmieri (49), Mike Harrington (49), Scott Friedholm (47), Angelo Ciminiello (47)
At Bats.................Scott Palmieri (199), Mike Harrington (177), Bryan Tamul (174), Angelo Ciminiello (172)
Hits......................Mike Harrington (63), Bryan Tamul (60), Scott Palmieri (58), Two tied with 57
Runs.....................Scott Palmieri (45), Mike Harrington (44), Bryan Tamul (40), Angelo Ciminiello (39)
Rbi's.................... Bryan Tamul (51), Mike Harrington (43), Angelo Ciminiello (39), Scott Friedholm (30)
Doubles................Bryan Tamul (20), Scott Friedholm (19), Angelo Ciminiello (15), Corey Bike (12)
Triples..................Bryan Tamul (5), Mike Harrington (2), Scott Palmieri (2), Coley O'Donnell (2)
Home Runs..........Bryan Tamul (9), Mike Harrington (8), Pat Carey (5), Keith Reed (5)
Total Bases..........Bryan Tamul (117), Mike Harrington (101), Angelo Ciminiello (86), Scott Friedholm (85)
Stolen Bases.......Scott Palmieri (24), Bryon Tamul (7), Angelo Ciminiello (6), Two tied with three
Walks...................Scott Friedholm (34), Angelo Ciminiello (20), Corey Bike (20), Mike Harrington (18)
Average.............Mike Harrington (.356), Scott Friedholm (.352), Bryan Tamul (.345), Angelo Ciminiello (.331)
Wins.....................Todd Incantalupo (7), Andy Byron (5) Three tied with four
Era........................Jim O'Brien (4.12), Andy Byron (4.87), Todd Incantalupo (5.55), Rob Corraro (6.24)
Innings.................Todd Incantalupo (86), Andy Byron (81.1), Ryan Ricciardi (49.2), Rob Corraro (49.0)
Strikeouts.............Todd Incantalupo (62), Andy Byron (50), Jim O'Brien (48), Rob Corraro (36)
Appearances.......Ryan Ricciardi (13), Andy Byron (12), Doug Wall (12), Todd Incantalupo (12)
