Charlottesville, VA (cvillerightnow.com): After several days of arctic cold, a sunny day on a Baseball field was even more striking than it would’ve been.  Even with a large patch of stubborn snow still embedded in the right field grass, the Virginia Cavaliers took the field in front of the press in truly striking, midseason form.    

Head Coach Brian O’Connor addressed the media for a few minutes as the players emerged from the locker room, and he took a distinctly optimistic tone.  He spoke about the evolution of players over the summer and through the fall like Eric Becker and Luke Hanson.  Hanson looks poised, after seeing time at both second base and third base last season, to lock the hot corner down for the year.  Becker, despite Coach O’Connor saying that there was no decision reached on who would take Griff O’Ferrall’s place at shortstop, looks to be in prime position to take over, boasting both a strong lefty power bat, and clinical glovework.  UVA’s Manager also praised the development of the freshman, with Thomas Valincius, a talented young power pitcher, and James Nunnallee, a gifted, wiry, versatile, contact hitter, receiving particular focus in Coach O’Connor’s answer to the prompt.   

After the Coach’s press conference, the day began with batting practice, fielding, and situational drills, before a four-inning blue vs orange scrimmage.  The pitching in the scrimmage was not the focus, as the four pitchers used were the same deployed in the Fall Blue and Orange games, and none looked to be on track for extended or repeated appearances this year.  As for the hitting though, most striking for the observer is the marketed homerun uptick from spots 1-9 in the order.  Every player who looks to be a member of the starting lineup, as well as a few on the bench, boasts homerun pop in this writer’s opinion.  Both in BP and in the scrimmage, Becker, Harrison Didawick, Jacob Ference, transfer Chris Arroyo, and rookie Aiden Harris hit titanic shots up and over the outfield wall.  Henry Ford, Aidan Teel, and Henry Godbout came close.  Harris was the most impressive hitter on the day in my view, not just launching balls out of Disharoon park in BP, but he also shot a double (a triple without the snow in right) straight down the line in the opposite field.  The power and discipline of the hitters is not something anyone needs to worry about.  Pitching remains a question mark, Evan Blanco and Jay Woolfolk will likely have Friday and Saturday locked up, however, a sunday starter has yet to be definitively chosen.  Between Arroyo, lefthander Bryson Moore, and perhaps even freshman Valincius, there are options.  As for the bullpen, Matt Augustin will be back, but reliable set-up men do not seem to have made themselves known yet.  There is time yet to decide what to do with the late-game pitching situation, and we will give you any updates as we get them. 

Finally, outfield defense does seem to be a question mark now, at least judging by this scrimmage.  There were several balls that were hit to the track but did not leave the yard.  The outfielders, for whatever reason, tough sun angle, the snow patch in right, or perhaps the early time of the preseason, were not able to field these balls cleanly through almost the duration of the four-hour practice.  Aidan Teel looks set to take over for Bobby Whalen in centerfield, with Harrison Didawick in left, and Henry Ford preparing to move to rightfield to free up first base.  The comfort level may be lacking, especially at the corners, but it is another aspect of the game that we will track what will hopefully be an improvement in.   

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