2017 Bison Baseball Preview

SHAWNEE - Oklahoma Baptist had a special baseball season in 2016, winning the NCCAA national tournament, but the 2017 version, on paper, may have more potential.
 
While this year's edition might be one of the best, 2016 will always have a place in Coach Bobby Cox's heart.
 
"I think special is the word for it. In all my years of coaching we've been successful and done a lot of good things here. Last year was one of my most satisfying seasons," said Cox. "It was our first year Division II, first year in the Great American Conference. The year before we had an outstanding club and lost a lot of those guys whether to graduation or the draft and some guys who just decided not to come back so it was a complete rebuild of the program, starting from scratch. To see those guys be recruited and decide to come and then to buy in and compete on an everyday basis; then to watch that run at the end of the season will always be special when I look back on my career. Just a good time all the way around."
 
If the 2017 squad looks better, it is because the pitching staff isn't as thin. Jinny Parra returns as a career 30-game winner and has a shot at surpassing Bison legends Darrin Fowler and David Hocking's record career 35 wins.
 
"The core strength of this club will be its pitching. You start with Jinny Parra who is topping off possibly one of the best pitching careers" said Cox. "That was a record I didn't think would ever be broken and he has a chance to do that. Just an outstanding young man and a great arm. Carson McPherson is back off a very good year and worked hard off season. This is a very deep, very experienced pitching staff and innings will be really tough to come by. Last year, six or seven arms is all we had. We were very shallow and we were able to not have a lot of injuries."
 
Handling that staff will be newcomer Juan Gonzalez and returning catcher Austin Whittaker.
 
"We have two good catchers," said Cox. "The new guy, Juan Gonzalez, is a junior college transfer and he's pretty special behind the plate and a very good offensive player. Austin has made leaps and bounds in this strength and he just continues to improve every day. Those are the two main guys that will handle the pitching staff."
 
One of the biggest holes left was at first base, where Brandon Cuddy leaves an enormous void.
 
"I don't know that you can replace Brandon; he had an outstanding senior year," Cox said. "I hope at a lot of positions we'll be a little better offensively and that will make a big difference. We've got a couple of guys. Nick Burnham is a 6-6 two-way guy who will pitch. He is an extremely good defensive player, making the switch from outfield. Bob English, who also pitches, will be a serviceable backup in that role. Those two guys will start there.
 
One thing Bison fans didn't get to witness was the full out speed game of the middle infield combo of Kevin Olmeda and Dustyn Cook, who were slowed by injury.
 
"Kevin Olmeda is back at second. He had a good fall and good offseason," said Cox. "He had an injury plagued junior year and that affected him throughout the year. Kevin is a plus runner and he had a hamstring injury never got over. Kevin's game is his speed and that wasn't a factor last year. He's an extremely good defensive second baseman.
 
Dustyn Cook had a quad injury early in the year and missed significant time. He's looking for lot better year offensively. Defensively he's as good a shortstop as you want. We're banking on him staying healthy and providing more with his bat."
 
At third, Zane Gelphman might be the starter with Kyle Abblitt moving to more of a super-utility player.
 
"Kyle Abblitt is back and he had a really good fall and will be a guy that can play a little shortstop if needed, kind of take Trevor Ezell's role a little bit. He's an extremely hard worker. Zane Gelphman had a big fall. He's a big guy with a lot of upside. He is a very good defender with potential to hit double digit home runs. He's just now tapping into his ability."
 
The outfield is loaded and returns starters Hunter Heath and Joe Moran.
 
"The outfield is very good, very deep, and all are very good defenders," said Cox. "Joe is a plus defender in left and center. Hunter is stable in right field and he's going to have to be one of those guys that is a big left-handed stick in the middle of the lineup. We expect both those guys to have big senior years for us."
 
Austin Cooper, Josh Timms and Brett Berghammer will compete for the third spot, though Berghammer was a late addition who hasn't been with the team long.
 
"Cooper is back," Cox said. "He spotted us a lot in the outfield and can play any outfield position and he's a plus runner. He's getting better by the day. Timms is a very good defensive outfielder with a lot of pop. He is capable having a really good breakout year. We haven't gotten to see Berghammer, but he was an extremely successful player out of Skyline – home of Matt Page and Julian Merryweather."
 
So what can Bison fans expect from the 2017 squad?
 
"I think its capable of winning as many games as the club did last year" said Cox. "On paper the pitching depth is better. Defensively, this is a better ball club than last year overall. Whether this club is as hungry as that one last year is a question. That club faced a lot of adversity and had a little chip on its shoulder. It was on a mission to let everybody know we were going to come out and compete every day. We will have to see if this club has that hunger. From what I've seen in the weight room, in the locker room and classroom, I think they do."