Temple University Athletics
2009 All-Big 5 pick senior Ryan Thomas
2010 Baseball Outlook: Pitching
2.18.10 | Baseball
PHILADELPHIA – The final installment in a three-part series previewing the 2010 Temple baseball season.
Starting Rotation
Team co-captain Matt Mongiardini, returning from a season ending injury last season, leads the way as the Owls' Friday starter once again. An All-Big 5 selection in 2008, a lot will be expected of the Toms River, NJ product.
“Matt made the most of his red shirt year by coming to the field every day with a positive workmanlike attitude. He quickly became a mentor to some of the other players,” said Valli.
Using a deceptive change-up and above average fastball, Mongiardini possess great command that will make him a formidable opponent.
Next in line is sophomore southpaw Dan Moller. Moller (3-6, 6.62 ERA) was called on 14 times in his freshman debut, making nine starts.
“Dan comes back after an impressive freshman season,” Valli said. “He now has a full year of experience and will resume his role as a weekend starter.”
Moller's most valuable asset is his quick delivery, allowing him to get in on hitters with his fastball and set up his slider.
The third slot in the rotation is up for grabs, as the Owls have three trustworthy pitchers who can fill the role.
“Going into the season we need to sort out who our third starter will be,” Valli said. “Ben White will start the season in that spot, with Steve Nikorak and Brian Sustersic having an opportunity to pitch on Sundays come conference time.”
Carrying the load for much of last season, junior Ben White is slated third in the rotation to start the season. Leading the team in games started (13), innings pitched (72.1) and strikeouts (49) in 2009, White utilizes a plus-curveball to stymie opposing hitters.
If Nikorak progresses through the season, he will supply Temple another dependable starter come conference time. As he is recovering from injury, Valli expects to build his strength in the bullpen and eventually ease him into a starting job.
Brian Sustersic, a junior transfer from Daytona State (Fla.), is a powerful right-hander that could fit in the top half of the rotation.
Expect to see sophomore Tyler Horst as the midweek starter in the first half of the season. Horst started six games as a freshman, and again will be throwing against some very good non-conference teams.
“We are expecting Tyler to be our midweek starter,” said Valli. “We think he can do a great job against some strong non-conference competition.”
Bullpen
The five seniors – Ryan Thomas, Mike Click, Matt Blackburn, and Kyle Monahan - returning to the Temple bullpen accounted for 43% of the team's innings in 2009.
Thomas (4-3, 5.03 ERA, 3 SV) started 10 games for the Cherry and White last season, but will be counted on to close this year. A very experienced right-hander, Thomas was an All-Big 5 selection in 2009.
“Ryan can be as good a closer as anyone in the league,” said Valli. “Last season we were forced to use him in a starting role, but now he can be utilized where he is most effective.”
Blackburn made the most of his junior season (3-1, 4 SV), appearing in a team-high 25 games.
Monahan had a record setting freshman season with 26 appearances, and looks to bounce back to the same form after struggling in his last two years.
Click, who found success with a new arm slot last season, will see innings in the middle part of the bullpen rotation. Appearing in 22 games last season, he recorded a 5.34 ERA.
“Mike recovers well and is much more effective from his new arm slot,” commented Valli. “He was easily our best pitcher during the final month of last season, and then went on to have a great summer season.”
Redshirt-freshman Steve Visnic is another pitcher who has become effective with a different approach, dropping down to a submarine-style delivery this past summer.
“Steve changed to a submarine delivery and gives us an option out of the bullpen that is totally different,” said Valli. “This summer and fall he had tremendous success with it, and is another pitcher who operates well on short rest.”
Freshman Jimmy Powers will be the Owls' left-handed specialist out of the bullpen, and will be called upon to throw some critical innings.
Redshirt-freshman Drew Shaw is another southpaw who can be used against left-handed hitters.
Schedule
Again the Owls have coupled an already challenging conference schedule with a competitive non-conference campaign. Before conference play even begins, Temple will have already faced 12 different opponents, a schedule that Temple's staff feels benefits them immensely.
“Playing a variety of opponents maximizes the experiences that our team has,” offered Valli.
To open the season, Temple travels to Florida Gulf Coast on February 19, preseason ranked 38th by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's Fabulous 40. Not only is FGCU ranked, but the Owls will have the opportunity to face Preseason Louisville Slugger All-America left-hander Chris Sale.
The Owls then travel to compete with Mountain West-foe UNLV (February 26-28), followed by a trip to Duke (March 5-7), an ACC team that has improved greatly in recent years.
Action at Skip Wilson Field opens on March 10 with Delaware State, followed by a weekend with Hofstra, Northeastern, and Ivy League runner-up Cornell.
Two NCAA Regional qualifiers are slated for the pre-conference portion of the Cherry and White's schedule. Hosting MAAC Champion Marist at Skip Wilson Field (March 19), the Owls also make a visit to Northeast Conference Champion Monmouth (March 23).
Atlantic 10 competition begins at home for Temple, hosting the top two regular season finishers from last season in Rhode Island (March 26-28) and Dayton (April 2-4).
In between those two conference series' is the Owls' first Liberty Bell Classic game against Lehigh (March 30). This year's tournament championship game will again be played at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Our conference schedule is very challenging, the first three series' against top teams in Rhode Island, Dayton, and Saint Louis,” said Valli. “All the games are important, but hosting Richmond at the midway point could be crucial.”
Other home weekends in A-10 play feature Richmond (April 23-25) and George Washington (May 7-9). The Owls make road trips to Saint Louis (April 9-11), La Salle (April 16-18), Charlotte (April 27-May 2), Duquesne (May 14-16), and St. Bonaventure (May 20-22).
In mid-week action, the Owls take on Philadelphia Big-5 rivals Penn (March 17), Saint Joseph's (April 13), and Villanova (May 11), and also compete twice with Delaware.
Starting Rotation
Team co-captain Matt Mongiardini, returning from a season ending injury last season, leads the way as the Owls' Friday starter once again. An All-Big 5 selection in 2008, a lot will be expected of the Toms River, NJ product.
“Matt made the most of his red shirt year by coming to the field every day with a positive workmanlike attitude. He quickly became a mentor to some of the other players,” said Valli.
Using a deceptive change-up and above average fastball, Mongiardini possess great command that will make him a formidable opponent.
Next in line is sophomore southpaw Dan Moller. Moller (3-6, 6.62 ERA) was called on 14 times in his freshman debut, making nine starts.
“Dan comes back after an impressive freshman season,” Valli said. “He now has a full year of experience and will resume his role as a weekend starter.”
Moller's most valuable asset is his quick delivery, allowing him to get in on hitters with his fastball and set up his slider.
The third slot in the rotation is up for grabs, as the Owls have three trustworthy pitchers who can fill the role.
“Going into the season we need to sort out who our third starter will be,” Valli said. “Ben White will start the season in that spot, with Steve Nikorak and Brian Sustersic having an opportunity to pitch on Sundays come conference time.”
Carrying the load for much of last season, junior Ben White is slated third in the rotation to start the season. Leading the team in games started (13), innings pitched (72.1) and strikeouts (49) in 2009, White utilizes a plus-curveball to stymie opposing hitters.
If Nikorak progresses through the season, he will supply Temple another dependable starter come conference time. As he is recovering from injury, Valli expects to build his strength in the bullpen and eventually ease him into a starting job.
Brian Sustersic, a junior transfer from Daytona State (Fla.), is a powerful right-hander that could fit in the top half of the rotation.
Expect to see sophomore Tyler Horst as the midweek starter in the first half of the season. Horst started six games as a freshman, and again will be throwing against some very good non-conference teams.
“We are expecting Tyler to be our midweek starter,” said Valli. “We think he can do a great job against some strong non-conference competition.”
Bullpen
The five seniors – Ryan Thomas, Mike Click, Matt Blackburn, and Kyle Monahan - returning to the Temple bullpen accounted for 43% of the team's innings in 2009.
Thomas (4-3, 5.03 ERA, 3 SV) started 10 games for the Cherry and White last season, but will be counted on to close this year. A very experienced right-hander, Thomas was an All-Big 5 selection in 2009.
“Ryan can be as good a closer as anyone in the league,” said Valli. “Last season we were forced to use him in a starting role, but now he can be utilized where he is most effective.”
Blackburn made the most of his junior season (3-1, 4 SV), appearing in a team-high 25 games.
Monahan had a record setting freshman season with 26 appearances, and looks to bounce back to the same form after struggling in his last two years.
Click, who found success with a new arm slot last season, will see innings in the middle part of the bullpen rotation. Appearing in 22 games last season, he recorded a 5.34 ERA.
“Mike recovers well and is much more effective from his new arm slot,” commented Valli. “He was easily our best pitcher during the final month of last season, and then went on to have a great summer season.”
Redshirt-freshman Steve Visnic is another pitcher who has become effective with a different approach, dropping down to a submarine-style delivery this past summer.
“Steve changed to a submarine delivery and gives us an option out of the bullpen that is totally different,” said Valli. “This summer and fall he had tremendous success with it, and is another pitcher who operates well on short rest.”
Freshman Jimmy Powers will be the Owls' left-handed specialist out of the bullpen, and will be called upon to throw some critical innings.
Redshirt-freshman Drew Shaw is another southpaw who can be used against left-handed hitters.
Schedule
Again the Owls have coupled an already challenging conference schedule with a competitive non-conference campaign. Before conference play even begins, Temple will have already faced 12 different opponents, a schedule that Temple's staff feels benefits them immensely.
“Playing a variety of opponents maximizes the experiences that our team has,” offered Valli.
To open the season, Temple travels to Florida Gulf Coast on February 19, preseason ranked 38th by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's Fabulous 40. Not only is FGCU ranked, but the Owls will have the opportunity to face Preseason Louisville Slugger All-America left-hander Chris Sale.
The Owls then travel to compete with Mountain West-foe UNLV (February 26-28), followed by a trip to Duke (March 5-7), an ACC team that has improved greatly in recent years.
Action at Skip Wilson Field opens on March 10 with Delaware State, followed by a weekend with Hofstra, Northeastern, and Ivy League runner-up Cornell.
Two NCAA Regional qualifiers are slated for the pre-conference portion of the Cherry and White's schedule. Hosting MAAC Champion Marist at Skip Wilson Field (March 19), the Owls also make a visit to Northeast Conference Champion Monmouth (March 23).
Atlantic 10 competition begins at home for Temple, hosting the top two regular season finishers from last season in Rhode Island (March 26-28) and Dayton (April 2-4).
In between those two conference series' is the Owls' first Liberty Bell Classic game against Lehigh (March 30). This year's tournament championship game will again be played at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Our conference schedule is very challenging, the first three series' against top teams in Rhode Island, Dayton, and Saint Louis,” said Valli. “All the games are important, but hosting Richmond at the midway point could be crucial.”
Other home weekends in A-10 play feature Richmond (April 23-25) and George Washington (May 7-9). The Owls make road trips to Saint Louis (April 9-11), La Salle (April 16-18), Charlotte (April 27-May 2), Duquesne (May 14-16), and St. Bonaventure (May 20-22).
In mid-week action, the Owls take on Philadelphia Big-5 rivals Penn (March 17), Saint Joseph's (April 13), and Villanova (May 11), and also compete twice with Delaware.
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