For the Ohio baseball team, a season of what-ifs has turned into an off-season of what now.
The Bobcats entered the year with the Mid-American Conference preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year, as tabbed by Baseball America. Ohio also had been favored to win the conference based on its deep pitching staff and select stud hitters.
After losing their season finale Sunday, the Bobcats now must face an off-season that could change not only the complexion of the team, but also the lives of many of its players.
Don't be mistaken. This team had the potential to win. Tomorrow might not be so bright. Pitchers Marc Cornell, Chris Bova and outfielder Dan Lunsford are gone. Where they will be is anyone's guess, Cornell in particular.
Last spring, scouts raved of Cornell's 98-mph heater spliced with a sick slider and an excellent change-up. But that came before an arm injury dropped his stock from sure-fire first rounder to a fifth-round pick. Still, Baseball America touted Cornell as one of the best pitchers in the country.
So Cornell came back, hoping to regain his form and to help the Bobcats take a MAC title, while resuming his education as a sports industry major and enjoying life as a college student. But the MAC season started about a month too early for his arm, and Cornell could not regain command until it was almost too late.
Then he blinked Western Michigan for 12 strikeouts in six innings, only to struggle again in his next outing and to disappear for the team's final series. The question is, which pitcher does the Major League scouts think he is -a lock for a big league rotation spot, or a player whose arm troubles could plague a career? Let's make one thing clear -if it's a question of work ethic, Cornell will shine.
Next on the list is junior catcher Ben Crabtree -pegged to be the league's top hitter after a monster 2003 campaign followed by a great summer in the prestigious Cape Cod League. The catcher had a solid season this year, but his numbers were wounded by an early-season wrist injury. Crabtree appeared to be a lock to get taken in the top 10 rounds, but now it might not even be a possibility that the catcher could return next season. It is anyone's guess where he could land.
Right-handed hurler Adam Russell, another junior, is a name that could be seen on draft day. Russell is 6 feet, 8-inches tall and has the make-up to be a Major Leaguer. His numbers were solid, though not phenomenal. But he has a solid fastball and already has been drafted once, though he appeared to tire late in games. Still, former Ohio southpaw Walt Novosel struggled the second or third time through college lineups, and now he's tossing darts in the Minor Leagues as a reliever.
The last junior who could be left with a life decision is outfielder/catcher Phil Sabatini. Sabatini is arguably the greatest athlete among all Ohio Bobcats, let alone the baseball team. He became the first Ohio student-athlete to reach Ultimate Elite Athlete status, which comes with completing a set amount of physical goals set by Ohio strength and conditioning coach Sonny Sano.
At best, Ohio coach Joe Carbone tries to replace two great starting pitchers and a solid outfielder. At worst, he could be looking at an entire rotation overhaul and replacing the better part of an already suffering offense. The hard-nosed skipper has gotten great production from players replacing early-entry draftees, like when third baseman Brian Colopy came close to replicating the production of former third baseman Adam Fox.
Carbone might have passed former coach Bob Wren for the all-time leader wins at Ohio, but a pleasant draft day for his players could make it difficult to push that total up a whole lot next year.
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Eric Pfahler
