Time running out for baseball team to fix its issues
A season that began with a lot of promise for the Miami Hurricanes baseball team now has UM on the outside looking in when it comes to being a high regional seed.
The most recent Baseball America projections, released a day ago, have the Canes as the No. 3 seed in the Lubbock, Tex. regional behind No. 1 seed Texas Tech and No. 2 UCLA and ahead of No. 4 Connecticut. DI Baseball also has UM as a 3 seed, but in Austin, Tex., with Texas the 1 seed, Michigan No. 2 and Bryant No. 4.
It's been a bit of a rough go of it for a Cane team that was ranked No. 1 in the nation after UM took two of three against the Gators on the opening weekend. With a lack of timely hitting, inconsistent pitching and spotty fielding culprits at different times, the team is currently coming off a sweep of App State and has a 27-15 overall record and 15-14 ACC mark.
Which makes the final seven games ultra-important as the Canes jockey for regional positioning.
Miami has a home series against Georgia Tech this weekend, a midweek game hosting FAU and then a final series at Louisville before heading to the ACC Tournament.
Miami is currently fourth in the Coastal behind 16-14 Virginia Tech, 16-11 Pitt and 18-12 Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets will be tough this weekend, as will Louisville which is 16-10 in conference play on the other side of the ACC bracket.
The other remaining game is against a 27-21 FAU team that Miami previously beat handily March 9, 11-2, and beat again March 23, 14-9.
If UM can sweep Georgia Tech this weekend the team would be a half game ahead of the Yellow Jackets.
So there’s a lot at stake beginning on Friday.
“We’re just trying to go on a run, get hot late,” said DH Ray Gil, who is hitting .284 with five homers. “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. It’s baseball, you never have everything figured out. We’re trying to play as well as we can, stay as a team and try to win some games.”
Coach Gino DiMare’s take on UM trying to finish strong and make a strong case for a high postseason seed?
“If it ended right now we’re in the postseason but we need to be playing better,” DiMare said. “The remaining games are going to be a really, really tough battle. If we don’t play well then I don’t feel very good about going to the NCAA Tournament. But if we do play well, with this competition that we’re facing I’d think we’re going to be a very, very dangerous team going into it. Everyone’s been waiting for this team to get it going and we haven’t been able to put all the pieces together. I’m hoping it starts tomorrow. We’ve shown spurts of it. … this is big right here, these last two weekends and the ACC Tournament. If we’re playing well, to our potential, I like to think we can play with anybody.”
DiMare also said that “We need to have a good run here, this is a big weekend for us. Georgia Tech the top of our side of the ACC and our Coastal. We’re in a position where we have a great opportunity to take advantage and really finish well, put ourselves in a better position than we are now.
“This is kind of we’re in a position where we have seven regular season games and really need to turn it up, play well in all facets of the game if we’re going to do anything here. Big series starting tomorrow.”
As a team Miami's hitting .271, and three starters are batting over .300 - Christian Del Castillo (.369, 4 HR, 39 RBI), Anthony Vilar (.302, 4 HR, 36 runs) and Adrian Del Castillo (.301, 3 HR, 32 runs, 31 RBI).
“The end of the season, the home stretch, we have to finish strong,” said Alex Toral, who is hitting .266 with six home runs. “We have a very talented team.
“(These final seven games) the mindset has to be we have to come together as one team. I know a lot of guys are pressing for individual stats, accolades they might want to reach. If we come together as a team, play collective baseball, those individual accolades will come.”
The pitching staff?
That's been an issue, with UM compiling a 4.39 ERA and the starters not being consistent.
Miami's used eight different pitchers are starters this season, and none with five or more starts have under a 5.00 ERA.
That list: Jake Garland (5-2, 5.05 ERA), Alejandro Rosario (5-4, 6.24 ERA), Victor Mederos (2-3, 5.49 ERA), Jordan Dubberly (1-1, 5.30 ERA) and Daniel Federman (4-4, 5.00 ERA).
Because of the above struggles UM put in Alex McFarlane as the Friday night starter the last two weekends. Those are his lone two starts and he is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA.
“I’m glad I’m getting this opportunity,” McFarlane said. “It’s been a long journey. The first two series (this year) I didn’t even play. It was mentally affecting me - at the end of the day I had to make the best of my opportunities. I had some ups and downs this season, can’t let it affect me that much, have to keep going through everything, keep my mentality straight and keep pitching the way I’ve been pitching and help the team win.”
DiMare said McFarlane will start tomorrow and that “If he’s on he’s a potential high pick next year - first or second round pick. That’s the kind of potential he has. But you have to produce on the field. … I’m going with him because he deserves it.”
A solid spot is closer Carson Palmquist - he has 11 saves and a 1.67 ERA.
But you add it all up and there are some deficiencies that need to be fixed in a hurry with the end of the regular season approaching.
And that starts with Georgia Tech this weekend.
“They’re a solid ballclub,” Federman said. “You have to execute no matter who is up. … It’s a big weekend, we all know it. A lot of competition this year, the teams in the ACC seem to be beating each other up. It’s very deep all around. Every game matters. We need to have a good weekend, set the tone for the playoff run.”
* DiMare said Ben Wanger (6 appearances, 3.60 ERA) is back off March 23 elbow surgery and will be available for the Friday game.
"He'll be limited, can't throw him a bunch of pitches," DiMare said. "He'll be watched over in terms of pitch count. He's come along good in terms of the surgery, the process, came back very quickly."