February 6, 2007

Pete Hughes is familiar with the Atlantic Coast Conference, but he is still learning about his new team as he prepares for his first season as the head baseball coach at Virginia Tech.

Hughes, the head coach at Boston College the past eight seasons, took over the Tech helm when veteran coach Chuck Hartman retired following 28 seasons in Blacksburg and 47 years as a collegiate head coach. His first game with the Hokies is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 13, at UNC Charlotte.

"I'm familiar with the league," says Hughes, who guided BC during its first season of ACC competition last spring. "I've also got a pretty good feel for our team personnel-wise, but you never know what you've got until you're in the heat of the battle ... when you are really competing with a team."

Hughes takes over a Tech program with a long winning tradition that has struggled the past two years in its transition from the Atlantic 10 and BIG EAST conferences to the prestigious ACC. The Hokies' back-to-back losing seasons in 2005 and 2006 marked the first consecutive losing records in the sport since 1957-58.

"The ACC ... it's the best league in the country," Hughes says. "There are no off weekends. But I'm not going to get caught up in the league right now. I'm going to get caught up in making Virginia Tech the best baseball program it can be this year."

During fall practice, Hughes and his staff evaluated the personnel, dictated the tempo at which the staff coached and at which the players would be expected to play, and changed work habits to the level the staff was used to.

"I think our kids have made adjustments," Hughes says. "I think they are in shape and I believe their work ethic has improved. It was a productive fall from that standpoint."

Tech will be heavy on experience in 2007, especially in the field, where seven starters return. The key to success, however, lies elsewhere.

"We have some very good senior leaders, but most of them are positional players," Hughes points out. "Our biggest question mark is going to be on the mound. In order for us to have success this year, we need to maximize our abilities on the mound."

None of the pitching roles were solidified in the fall, but seniors David Cross, Greg Fryman and Adam Redd, along with junior Randy Buffington, will be on hand to help anchor the staff. Last season, they combined for 78 appearances and 221.2 innings of work.

Veterans abound at the Hokies' other positions, led by senior shortstop Warren Schaeffer, who has missed just two games during his Tech career, while starting the remaining 158.

"Defensively, this will probably be the best team I've ever coached," Hughes says. "That includes outfield play and infield play."

Offensively, Hughes likes to use aggressive play to force the action, no matter where or whom he is playing.

"I really want us to be aggressive offensively, both at the plate and on the base paths," Hughes says. "I'm not sure we're comfortable doing that yet, but that's how I want to play.

"We need to play well at home and steal a couple of series on the road," he adds. "The keys to stealing wins are don't walk anybody, play good defense and get two-out hits. That's a team that is fundamentally sound, confident and competitive. If we can do those three things, we'll steal some wins, we'll overachieve."

Hughes is anxious to find out just what kind of competitors he's got. His goal is a simple one.

"It's to be better than we were last year," he says, "and I think we can do that."

Catchers
Coach Hughes and his staff listed catcher as one of their major concerns following fall practice. With returning starter Matt Foley coming off wrist surgery and limited depth available, plenty of attention will be paid to the position during the preseason.

Foley, who now has a clean bill of health, heads into his senior season with a chance to put any disappointments from his first three seasons behind him and become a team leader.

No one would like that better than Hughes.

"We're looking for senior leadership in the catcher position," Hughes says. "To have that this year would be a bonus. Matt has gotten himself in the best shape of his career and has a chance to have a great year. He's a key for us. To have success this year, we need for him to have a good year, handle our pitching staff and stay healthy."

Foley, who has 72 career starts behind the plate, is a good receiver with the ability to throw out runners. His hard work in the strength and conditioning program should help him improve at blocking low pitches.

Freshman walk-on Anthony Sosnoskie was one of the most pleasant surprises of the fall, working his way into the No. 2 slot behind Foley. Sosnoskie got better every week, both behind the plate and in the batter's box, and will play an important role this spring.

Infielders
The starting infield is expected to remain intact from last season with the only variation at first base, where starter Sean O'Brien might be used at times in the outfield.

The strength will remain up the middle where senior shortstop Warren Schaeffer and junior second baseman Matt Hacker will team-up for the third consecutive season. Last year, they committed a combined total of just three errors in ACC play, and only 17 overall.

Schaeffer fielded .969 with seven total errors and enjoyed his best season offensively with a .286 batting average. His 30 runs scored, 12 doubles and three home runs were also personal bests.

Hacker, who fielded .960 on the year, finished second in batting on last season's squad with a .296 average. He led the team in runs scored (44) and hits (64) and tied for the lead in doubles with 14.

Senior Bryan Thomas returns at third base, where he has been a starter the past two seasons. He batted .294 in 2006 and led the team in runs batted in with 48. Thomas would like to return to the form that saw him hit .384 overall and .396 in ACC games as a sophomore.

O'Brien led the team with a .317 batting average last year after missing the entire 2005 season due to shoulder surgery. He batted .372 on the way to first-team all-BIG EAST and freshman All-America honors as a starter in 2004. O'Brien has improved his defensive play around the first base bag and picked up some speed after dropping weight in the fall. He will be one of the keys to the Hokies' offense.

Sophomore Luke Padgett, who also has the potential to give the Hokies' an offensive boost, will provide depth at the corner infield positions. If Padgett has a good preseason at the plate and cuts down on his strikeouts, the coaches are likely to find a spot for him in the lineup. That could lead to O'Brien seeing some time in the outfield, where he began his Tech career.

Backup for the middle infield positions will come from sophomore Nate Clark, who may be one of the Hokies' most underrated players due to the presence of Schaeffer and Hacker. Clark is a solid defensive performer in his own right, and does some things offensively that fit in well with the coaching staff's philosophy.

Freshman third baseman Brandon Lower, the only newcomer to the infield, impressed the coaches during the fall, but will miss the season after undergoing hip surgery in early January.

Outfielders
Despite the departure of Sheldon Adams and Billy Marn, who combined for all but four of the starts in left field last season, Tech's outfield is filled with experienced players. The player to watch, however, may well be a rookie.

Freshman Steve Bumbry, whose father played 14 years with the Baltimore Orioles, was one of the pleasant surprises of the fall, displaying excellent defensive skills and a good approach at the plate. His performance vaulted him into an opportunity for early playing time and a starting job in left field. The left-handed hitting newcomer can also handle the center field duties if needed.

Speedy senior Nate Parks returns in center, where he has started 94 games over the past two seasons. The coaches love his 33 walks and 30 stolen bases from last season, but he will have to cut down on his 39 strikeouts and put the ball in play on a consistent basis in order to help Tech be successful.

Like Parks, returning right fielder Jose Cueto struck out too much in 2006. Cueto took a big step toward remedying the problem during the fall, reclaiming his job with hard work on every phase of his game. The junior outfielder has the ability to be a key contributor to the Hokies' offensive plan.

Sophomore Sean Ryan provides additional experience in the outfield. Ryan, who rates as the Hokies' best defensive outfielder, can play any of the three positions and could challenge for a spot if his offensive skills continue to improve.

Starting first baseman Sean O'Brien could also see some action in the outfield when the Hokies want to get their best offensive lineup in the game. O'Brien saw some time in right field as a freshman. Meanwhile, junior college transfer Travis Willson, another outfield candidate, will be sidelined for the season after undergoing wrist surgery.

Designated Hitters
The leading candidates for the designated hitter spot are likely to be sophomores Luke Padgett and Sean Ryan, although others could emerge as the spring unfolds.

Padgett got the most starts at the DH spot last season (20) and has good power potential. If he shows consistency with the bat and makes more contact, the coaches will find a spot for him, which could include designated hitter duties.

Ryan, meanwhile, continues to show progress at the plate and provides additional speed to the lineup. If his defensive skills are needed in the outfield, the coaches could rotate Ryan and junior Jose Cueto between the right field and DH spots.

Pitchers
There's no debate about the biggest question mark on the 2007 Tech squad. It's the pitching staff.

Heading into preseason practice, no defined roles had been assigned. Every member of the staff was being prepared as if they would be pitching opening day.

"We (the staff) didn't come in until June, so there is nothing in stone," says associate head coach Dave Turgeon, who oversees the pitching staff. "We are going to try to maximize what we have and put every guy on the pitching staff - whatever his abilities - in a position to use those abilities in a positive way to help us win baseball games."

The Hokies will be counting on a nucleus of upperclassmen to help provide leadership and innings.

Included in that group are senior Adam Redd and junior Randy Buffington, who rank as two of the team's best competitors on the mound. Redd has proven to be a bulldog during his 47 career appearances at Tech. He has posted a career 7-2 record and 3.94 earned run average. Buffington, the hardest thrower on the staff, has pitched in 39 games over two seasons and could play a big role this spring after showing much-improved command of his pitches during the fall.

The team will also be looking for substantial contributions from seniors David Cross and Greg Fryman, who like Redd and Buffington, are right-handers. Cross led the 2006 team with 14 starts and 79.1 innings pitched. He has the pitches and ability needed to be successful in the ACC. Fryman also has the experience and potential to be a contributor. He was second to Cross in starts (11) last year, while pitching in a total of 17 games. He now has 40 career appearances.

Lefty Evan Fredrickson and right-hander Rhett Ballard, two young pitchers who picked up some valuable experience last year as freshmen, could push for expanded roles this season. Fredrickson has outstanding potential, but must gain a better command of his pitches. He finished 0-3 during his 12 appearances in 2006, but allowed just 21 hits in 22.2 innings and held opponents to a .244 batting average. Ballard also showed some potential, appearing in 19 games - six as a starter - and posting a 3-3 record. He worked 55 innings, the fourth-highest total on the team.

The wildcard of the staff might be senior left-hander Andrew Wells, who has seen little action since suffering an elbow injury in 2004. Wells was drafted out of high school and started 22 games during his first two seasons at Tech. Now, as a fifth-year senior, he has made tremendous strides and has a chance to pitch injury-free for the first time in almost three years. If he returns to form, it could provide an important boost for the staff.

Right-hander Scott Stoehr and southpaws Josh Canova and Casey Herald are the other returnees from last year's squad. Canova saw the most action of the three, pitching in 12 games in relief and compiling a 1-1 record. Rob Waskiewicz, who was redshirted last season after undergoing elbow surgery, is still recovering and is not expected back until sometime during the season.

A group of newcomers - true freshmen Brandon Fisher and Rob Whitley, and sophomore walk-ons Brett Fox and Dave Zappacosta - will round out the he pitching staff.

"Overall, we know where we're deficient and know where we have to improve as a team," Hughes says. "I just want our kids to be competitive and work hard because we have no margin for error. We have to maximize our abilities."