UCF Baseball season is around the corner.
The Knights held media day early Friday afternoon right before they hit the field for their first practice of the preseason. Opening Knight is just three weeks away as the Knights host Siena the first weekend of the season, Feb. 15-17.
Coach Greg Lovelady, entering his third season in Orlando, will look to get UCF back to a NCAA Regional after narrowly missing the cut last year with a 35-21 record. During his first season in 2017, UCF won the American Athletic Conference and snapped a four-year drought with a berth in the NCAA Regionals.
Lovelady went in-depth on a variety of topics during his 25-minute interview (posted above). Here are the highlights:
On the mound, UCF lost Thad Ward, JJ Montgomery and Bryce Tucker to the MLB Draft and Joe Sheridan will be out for an extended period after undergoing surgery (more on him later), so lack of returning experience has definitely been a primary concern. They tried to address that shortcoming with some older additions, which included junior college and graduate transfers.
Chris Williams returns to anchor UCF's starting rotation, but there was a chance the Fort Lauderdale native could have seen his career come to an unceremonious end. Because he spent the 2015 season with UCF's club team, there was an issue with his eligibility status and UCF had to lobby the NCAA to restore his redshirt senior season, only recently receiving the positive news. However, he is suspended for UCF's first nine games which coincides with the amount of games he pitched for UCF's club team. As a result, Williams will miss both the Siena and Auburn series.
"It was a real possibility (his career could have been over)," Lovelady said about Chris Williams. "I slept this week for the first time in months. I'm thankful for the compliance department. Cam Walker and his staff did a tremendous job. I thank the NCAA for doing what I think was the right thing for Chris. He was working under a false pretense of information. It wasn't his fault. I would have been crushed if he missed an opportunity to get drafted and miss Senior Day and everything that comes with this experience."
Though it's too early to name a starting rotation, it seems JUCO newcomer Trevor Holloway and returning starter Jordan Spicer have an opportunity to secure spots. Because of his past experience, Grant Schuermann, a grad transfer from Furman, could have the edge to be the Friday night starter until Chris Williams returns from suspension.
Trevor Holloway, who played his freshman season at High Point and last season at Chipola College, has already turned heads.
"He's been great," Lovelady said. "A much-needed addition. He's got some D1 experience being at High Point as a freshman and started on their weekends. He obviously went to Chipola and all the success they've had. J.J. (Jeff Johnson) has done such a great job building that program as perennial National Champions every year. He pitched a ton down the stretch in big games. He's real methodical and analytical. He's in (pitching coach) Nick Otte's office every day trying to get better. He had success in the fall and did a great job. I've been very impressed with his work ethic and maturity."
Joe Sheridan suffered a torn labrum last season, undergoing surgery in May. The initial thought is he would miss this entire season while he continued to recover, but Lovelady isn't ruling out a late-season return.
"I wouldn't say it's 100 percent (that he's out for the year)," Lovelady said. "It's a week-by-week thing. He's throwing now. He'll be throwing off the mound on Monday for the first time. He's been tossing and doing rehab stuff. That will be a situation where once he gets healthy, we'll figure out where we are in the season and how much we want to risk putting him out there. It will be a group decision between Joe, his parents, trainers and coaching staff. There's no time frame, but we haven't closed the door on him pitching this year."
Offensively, UCF must replace Rylan Thomas who led the team in batting average (.343) and home runs (13).
Lovelady believes Tyler Osik (.310, 56 RBI, 9 HR) is poised to take a big jump.
"Tyler Osik has done a great job since last year in trying to be better, kind of taking over the role that Rylan left," Lovelady said. "He's put himself in a great spot to have a great year. He's worked tremendously hard. He has a chip on his shoulder after not being drafted. He's trying to prove people wrong."
Other players expected to lead the offense include Dallas Beaver, Griffin Bernardo, Ray Alejo and Matthew Mika.
Bernardo was a freshman last season who at times seemed unsure of himself.
"Griffin Bernardo had a great summer and fall," Lovelady said. "Really matured. He looked like a different player this fall just in how he carried himself. Last year as a freshman he was unsure, kind of scared to mess up. I think if affected him. The confidence he gained this summer, when he walked back on campus he was a different person. The results in practices have matched that. I think he's got a chance to have a great year."
Dallas Beaver is poised to take over Rylan's spot as first baseman. Anthony George is back from injury and looks to replace Logan Heiser as UCF's primary catcher. Beaver will also catch, so when he's behind the plate Tyler Osik will likely move from the outfield to first base.
"Anthony George had a great fall for not swinging a bat and seeing live pitching for seven or eight months," Lovelady said. "He was one of our better hitters the entire fall."
Nothing is set in stone, but this could be the projected infield lineup:
C - Anthony George
1B - Dallas Beaver
2B - Matthew Mika
SS - Brandon Hernandez
3B - Griffin Bernardo
Lovelady was then asked about outfield competition.
"Ray (Alejo) is out best defensive player, playing center field," he said. "Chandler Robertson, another JUCO kid who came in last year, he might have been a little overwhelmed and underappreciated what this is all about. He's played really well. Dalton Wingo showed some glimpses last year. He's a year older and has matured. He's got an opportunity to do some good things. Gephry Pena is a freshman that has super tools. He's really fast, a great defender, hard worker. His bat needs to come around, but he can help us on the defensive end. Jordan Rathbone, a JUCO kid from Washington, has an opportunity. He's got some power in his bat. We have some options.
LF - Tyler Osik
CF - Ray Alejo
RF - TBA
One of the biggest questions of preseason is determining the bullpen makeup, given the departures of Thad Ward and closer Bryce Tucker. Garrett Westberg is the favorite to assume the closer role.
"I think we've got a lot of guys at the end of the game that can help us," Lovelady said. "I want to see how David Litchfield bounces back. He threw well in live BP last week. He's getting the cobwebs off him. He can help us."
Litchfield, who joined the program last year after transferring from St. John's River College (JUCO), missed the entire 2018 season to injury.
Lovelady spoke extensively about team psychology and his desire to better connect with his players. He's already seeing a team that he believes is building a stronger camaraderie.
Prior to Lovelady's interview, I had asked the players about their favorite baseball players growing up. I posed the same question to Lovelady, who idolized one of the game's best defensive catchers of the 1990s.
"Charles Johnson is my hero," Lovelady said. "Obviously being a Miami kid and with me being a catcher and him being a catcher at Miami. I tried to emulate everything he did. People used to laugh at me because I'd put the ball between my legs when throwing back to the pitcher. That's what C.J. does. I'd never been more nervous in my life than when Charles would show up to practice or games at Miami. I wanted him to believe the catching job was in good hands. I remember an alumni game when he came in and played and I'm catching. He tapped me on the shin guard with the bat and I about passed out. Here's my hero within arm's reach of me. He was my favorite player... I had a signed poster of him in my room. That's who I wanted to be my entire life. I got to live it a little bit, not as good as him, but I got to catch and follow in his footsteps. That's why I wear No. 23. That was his number."
As a youth growing up in the 1980s, Lovelady followed the Atlanta Braves.
"There were no Marlins at the time," Lovelady said. "Dale Murphy was one of my favorite players. Bob Horner, Ken Oberkfell. I can name the whole starting lineup in the 80s because of the Braves and TBS."
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