NU takes look at its pitchers in fall practice
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By CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
Eric Newman sent 10 of his 14 available Nebraska pitchers to the mound during last Friday’s exhibition at Iowa to conclude fall practice.
Two days earlier, the same number threw in the Red-White intrasquad game.
Ordinarily, using that many arms would be cause for alarm. But in this case, it’s business as usual for Newman and the Huskers — the product of six pitchers who figured to have major roles next season signing with major-league organizations last summer. Four of those players were taken in the first nine rounds of the MLB Draft.
“It’s definitely a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity,” Newman said. “It’s pretty wide open again.
That’s a near-identical situation to what Newman faced in his first season at Nebraska last year. The good news is he shouldn’t find it as daunting, since the Huskers posted the third-best earned-run average in the Big 12 en route to finishing third, making the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed and winding up with a 41-16-1 record.
“I think when you’re in this situation, you always have a little bit of wonder in your mind. But that’s kind of the exiting part of it, too, because somebody’s going to have to do it,” Newman said.
Last week, NU pitchers allowed Iowa hitters just five singles. And in the Red-White game, despite the wind blowing out to straight center, the final score was just 5-4.
Right-handed sophomore Mike Nesseth, who had his summer cut short because of arm soreness, emerged this fall as the top candidate to be Nebraska’s No. 1 starter. Last year, Nesseth went 4-1 with a 3.58 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 372/3 innings — all as a reliever.
“He’s leaving little doubt for us to consider that,” head coach Mike Anderson said of a move from the bullpen.
Two other right-handed sophomores, Michael Mariot and Matt Freeman, along with left-handed junior college transfer Jordan Roualdes, also are getting strong looks for weekend starting spots.
Anderson noted that Joe Broekemeier, a third-year sophomore righty who has yet to see action for the Huskers because of injuries, had an encouraging fall and is in line for a reliever’s spot. Another sophomore righty, Casey Hauptman, who had a stretch of 152/3 scoreless innings last season, also is in that mix.
Two more right-handers, senior Erik Bird and freshman Kash Kalkowski, figure to be working the the back end of the bullpen. Kalkowski also will have opportunities to hit and play in the outfield.
Nebraska’s returning pitchers accounted for just eight of the 58 starts in 2008. Bird had seven of those, while Mariot got the other.
In addition, the returnees accounted for eight of last year’s 17 saves. Nesseth had four of those, while Erik Anderson, who’s questionable for this season because of a bothersome elbow, had three.
Against Iowa, Nesseth pitched two innings of hitless ball, while Roualdes, right-handed junior Jed Hanson and Broekmeier logged one apiece. Right-handed freshman Nick Ludemann also notched a scoreless frame, while Mariot bailed Freeman out of a wild outing to end a last-inning threat.
Of the 14 who threw for the Huskers this fall, seven have never played a game for them.
“It’s almost identical to the situation last year in that there’s a lot of question marks,” Anderson said. “Guys are going to have to fit roles.”
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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