Matt's nuggets
*** Junior utility player Jake Meyers isn’t shy about the the Huskers’ motivation heading into this year. “For me, personally, looking back at the end of last season, I have a sour taste in my mouth. A lot of guys might be happy about making a regional - we wanted to win.” Meyers said the team laid out a few clear goals before this season and that the key one is hosting a regional.
*** Nebraska pitchers were hit with the injury bug in the offseason. Erstad said junior Zack Engelken had surgery and will likely be out until midseason. Coaches also shut down sophomore left-hander Jake McSteen during fall ball because of a shoulder issue. While Erstad expects senior Derek Burkamper to be ready for the long haul, he said the veteran right-hander will probably miss the first weekend series while coming back from some shoulder tightness.
*** Even with the injuries, the Huskers return a deep pitching staff in 2017, including the top three in the rotation in Meyers, Burkamper, and sophomore Matt Waldron. Senior first baseman Ben Miller said it will help the team to have consistent pitching, but the team will pride itself on defense. Head coach Darin Erstad also said junior infielder Luis Alvarado could see some time on the mound this season.
*** Meyers said program alumni and major leaguers Joba Chamberlain, Cody Asche, and Alex Gordon have been around the training facilities during the offseason. Meyers said that while he is hesitant to talk to them during their workouts, players on the current team are motivated by seeing the amount of work the major leaguers do in the offseason. “Guys in the big leagues are getting their work in, so we’ve got to get our work in if we want to get to that level.”
(Matt)
David's nuggets
*** Jake Meyers is one of the few players in the country that can pitch, play in the field and hit. Meyers led the Husker offense last season with a .326 average at the plate, and as a pitcher, his 1.42 ERA was the second-lowest single-season ERA in school history by a pitcher who threw at least 40.0 innings. Meyers gave all the credit to Coach Erstad. “I’m just lucky to have such a great head coach, one that believes in me enough to be able to do that.” Meyers was a preseason All-American third team selection by Perfect Game. He is projected to play pitcher, center field, and shortstop this season.
*** Head coach Darin Erstad said the thing that the team needs to improve most on is having “a sense of urgency." The Huskers started off 3-6 in the team’s first nine games last season. Erstad emphasized that it’s important for the team to get good as fast as possible so they can gear up for Big Ten play. First baseman Ben Miller said that “seeing live ball action” will be a key in how fast this team can hit its stride. The Huskers travel to Tempe, Arizona to take on UC-Riverside in a four-game series beginning February 17.
*** Erstad took full accountability for the bats “going cold” during the Big Ten tournament and the regionals. “The consistency has to get better and that falls on my shoulders. I’m the hitting coach and I run the offense and I need to do a better job than that.” Erstad also mentioned that he has made adjustments to the hitting aspects of practice and has already installed the changes. The Huskers will be looking for better production this season behind key returners Scott Schreiber, Ben Miller, and Jake Meyers.
(David)
*** Junior utility player Jake Meyers isn’t shy about the the Huskers’ motivation heading into this year. “For me, personally, looking back at the end of last season, I have a sour taste in my mouth. A lot of guys might be happy about making a regional - we wanted to win.” Meyers said the team laid out a few clear goals before this season and that the key one is hosting a regional.
*** Nebraska pitchers were hit with the injury bug in the offseason. Erstad said junior Zack Engelken had surgery and will likely be out until midseason. Coaches also shut down sophomore left-hander Jake McSteen during fall ball because of a shoulder issue. While Erstad expects senior Derek Burkamper to be ready for the long haul, he said the veteran right-hander will probably miss the first weekend series while coming back from some shoulder tightness.
*** Even with the injuries, the Huskers return a deep pitching staff in 2017, including the top three in the rotation in Meyers, Burkamper, and sophomore Matt Waldron. Senior first baseman Ben Miller said it will help the team to have consistent pitching, but the team will pride itself on defense. Head coach Darin Erstad also said junior infielder Luis Alvarado could see some time on the mound this season.
*** Meyers said program alumni and major leaguers Joba Chamberlain, Cody Asche, and Alex Gordon have been around the training facilities during the offseason. Meyers said that while he is hesitant to talk to them during their workouts, players on the current team are motivated by seeing the amount of work the major leaguers do in the offseason. “Guys in the big leagues are getting their work in, so we’ve got to get our work in if we want to get to that level.”
(Matt)
David's nuggets
*** Jake Meyers is one of the few players in the country that can pitch, play in the field and hit. Meyers led the Husker offense last season with a .326 average at the plate, and as a pitcher, his 1.42 ERA was the second-lowest single-season ERA in school history by a pitcher who threw at least 40.0 innings. Meyers gave all the credit to Coach Erstad. “I’m just lucky to have such a great head coach, one that believes in me enough to be able to do that.” Meyers was a preseason All-American third team selection by Perfect Game. He is projected to play pitcher, center field, and shortstop this season.
*** Head coach Darin Erstad said the thing that the team needs to improve most on is having “a sense of urgency." The Huskers started off 3-6 in the team’s first nine games last season. Erstad emphasized that it’s important for the team to get good as fast as possible so they can gear up for Big Ten play. First baseman Ben Miller said that “seeing live ball action” will be a key in how fast this team can hit its stride. The Huskers travel to Tempe, Arizona to take on UC-Riverside in a four-game series beginning February 17.
*** Erstad took full accountability for the bats “going cold” during the Big Ten tournament and the regionals. “The consistency has to get better and that falls on my shoulders. I’m the hitting coach and I run the offense and I need to do a better job than that.” Erstad also mentioned that he has made adjustments to the hitting aspects of practice and has already installed the changes. The Huskers will be looking for better production this season behind key returners Scott Schreiber, Ben Miller, and Jake Meyers.
(David)
