Baseball Hoosiers Head into Mercer’s Debut with Full Hearts
2/14/2019 7:44:00 PM | Baseball
By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana baseball, on Valentine's Day eve, released a video making it clear that Jeff Mercer has a Big Red heart.
Mercer's IU coaching career starts at 5 p.m. Friday in Memphis against the host Tigers, weather permitting, and the video left little doubt how much he already loves his new job.
"Thrilled to be a part of it," said Mercer, whose father, Jeff, Sr., was a former IU assistant coach. "Growing up around here, my dad having coached here, I've always wanted to be a part of Indiana University. Very fortunate to have the opportunity to lead the program now. Very excited.
"To me, to be the head baseball coach at Indiana is such an incredible honor. I grew up in this community. I grew up supporting this university. And the people who helped to raise me always loved this university, as well.
"It's really an opportunity for me to give back to the people and the community that gave so much to me. To represent them all, but to provide them with the program they deserve, is an incredible opportunity."
IU's program prospered in recent years under coaching predecessors Tracy Smith and Chris Lemonis, in conjunction with the 2013 advent of 2,500-seat Bart Kaufman Field.
Indiana leads the Big Ten in total wins, conference wins and NCAA tournament appearances since 2008. IU has made the tournament in five of the last six seasons.
The Hoosiers finished 40-19 last year, Lemonis' swan song before taking the Mississippi State job, and concluded with the eyes of Texas upon them – battling the No. 14-ranked host Longhorns to the hilt in the regional final before falling, 3-2. That was after IU sidelined No. 25 Texas A&M, 9-7.
Indiana graduated some serious talent from that squad such as middle-order hitters Luke Miller and Logan Sowers (both alumni of the Indiana Bulls, the amateur baseball program co-founded by Jeff Mercer, Sr.) and starting pitchers Jonathan Stiever and Tim Herrin.
But the Hoosiers return seven regulars from the batting order – including coaches' preseason All-Big Ten picks Matt Gorski and Matt Lloyd – and a slew of experienced arms, versatile closer Lloyd included.
Senior right-hander Pauly Milto (2.03 ERA, 8-2 record, 1.14 WHIP and exactly a strikeout per inning last season) is a proven commodity at the Big Ten level and will open this weekend's scheduled three-game set at Memphis.
Tanner Gordon, a 6-foot-5 junior transfer out of John A. Logan College, is pegged as the Saturday starter – and joined Lloyd and Gorski in receiving All-Big Ten preseason recognition from the conference coaches. Gordon posted a 2.06 ERA and a rather astonishing 104 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched for Logan last spring.
"The chatter about him was really good," Mercer said of Gordon when meeting the media Thursday. "But just from the fall to the spring, I've seen the development of his sinker, the growth of a change-up, to where he's very dangerous against left-handed hitters … just his growth and the pitch-manipulation, his ability to throw to both sides, his ability to hold in the run game and ability to pitch out of the stretch.
"He's really gotten a lot stronger. He's really invested into his lifestyle, his diet and conditioning and weight-lifted. So we'll hopefully be able to see him hold the velocity longer, hold onto his stuff longer. He's done a really nice job. He's thrown a lot of college games – not Division I level, but being an ace, being a guy who has pitched college innings, being an adult, goes a long way. Very, very confident, very excited about him."
Mercer expressed similar sentiments about scheduled Sunday starter Tommy Sommer, a 6-4 lefty out of Carmel and son of IU All-American soccer goalie Juergen Sommer. Sommer went 2-1 with a 3.07 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings as a freshman last year.
"He's grown a lot," Mercer said of Sommer. "I saw him in high school, obviously, and he had good stuff. Very 'projectable.' But his ability to hold the run-game is very mature. He's another adult. His growth, both physically and being able to really manipulate the pitch in the role, has been really good.
"So you feel real confident about him being able to go out and throw on the weekend, at a young age, as a sophomore."
Gordon's arrival and Sommer's elevation into the rotation affords Mercer the luxury of packing IU's bullpen with experienced, proven pitchers.
Cal Krueger, a junior from Jasper (3.02, 7-2, 49 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings last spring) will likely serve as the eighth-inning setup man for senior closer Lloyd (1.54 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, seven saves last year). Junior lefty Andrew Saalfrank, possessed of a devastating breaking ball, fanned 47 batters in 35 2/3 innings – including eight Longhorns in the finale against Texas - could be another force out of the pen.
"Lloyd will be in the back, and with Cal (Krueger), you're looking at a guy who could step into there, as well, as the game plays out," Mercer said. "But Krueger probably in the eighth and Saalfrank – with that breaking ball and certainly a guy who has thrown a lot of innings and can be a really good matchup guy.
"As the season plays out, it's great to have guys like Saalfrank and (Cam) Beauchamp and Braden Scott (a sophomore from Shakamak who transferred in from Olney JC) that could potentially be starters as well. But they'll start out in the pen and give us the ability, certainly early, to not ride our starters (too much)."
There are other newcomers on the pitching staff who could well see meaningful innings, such as in-state freshmen Gabe Bierman (Jeffersonville) and Braydon Tucker (Northview).
"There are a lot of new faces, guys new to the program," Mercer said. "But, realistically, there are a lot of guys who've been in the program, who've worked really hard to improve themselves and are expected to step into a much more prominent role."
That certainly holds true for the position players in the batting order, as well.
Gorski is a superb junior outfielder with plenty of pop in his bat and the speed to potentially bat leadoff. He hit .356 with eight homers and 40 RBI last spring, and stole 24 bases in 27 attempts.
Lloyd, who can play third or first when not on the mound, hit had nine homers and 41 RBI last year.
Junior first-sacker Scotty Bradley – son of Scott Bradley, a nine-year Major Leaguer, and Second-Team All-Big Ten last season after hitting .326 with seven homers – is another big bat in the lineup. So is senior catcher Ryan Fineman (.284, seven homers, 37 RBI).
Fineman is one reason the Hoosiers can satisfy the baseball maxim of "being strong up the middle" defensively. IU also returns its keystone combo of junior shortstop Jeremy Houston and sophomore second-baseman Justin Walker, along with senior centerfielder Logan Kaletha (eight homers, 31 RBI, 14 steals last year).
"You feel really strong up the middle," Mercer said of his prospective lineup. "Any time you have a chance to roll guys out in the middle of the diamond that can control the ball, play great defense and have experience, you feel good about it."
And as is the case with the pitching staff, there is plenty of positional depth and a lot of promising newcomers.
Senior catcher Wyatt Cross has really come on, Mercer said, to the point Fineman can be rested, or could serve as a DH, at least once a weekend.
Mercer pointed to a sophomore quartet of infielders Cole Barr and Drew Ashley and outfielders Elijah Dunham and Sam Crail as certain contributors, potentially starters, and indicated the same for senior infielder Cade Bunnell and freshman infielder Jake Skrine. All could also DH.
"Positionally, Cole Barr is really coming into his own," Mercer said. "Elijah Dunham has done a very similar thing. Jake Skrine has done a great job. Sam Crail. There are several guys. Cade Bonnell will step into a more prominent role … Drew Ashley's been really good … Wyatt Cross is a very talented, very hard-working young man."
Mercer – the 2018 Horizon League Coach of the Year who led Wright State to 77 wins, including six against ranked foes, in just two seasons with the Raiders – has found all the Hoosiers willing to work and to learn.
"I think anytime you come into a new situation, you don't know their desire to learn, or their ability to be intrinsically motivated, and to really have a growth mindset," Mercer said. "You don't know that when you walk in the door but, very quickly (here), that became evident. That they really wanted to improve. Man, they're so smart. They're motivated. They're intelligent.
"And just to see how much they've grown – and certainly coming off a very successful season last year – that's not always the case. Guys can become complacent and just rely on a lot of talent, which we do have, but they didn't act like that. They didn't act like they were going to just walk in and win games on their ability or their track-record of the past."
Lloyd praised Mercer and the new staff – pitching specialist Justin Parker, fellow assistants Casey Dykes and Dan Held, director of player development Scott Rolen and director of baseball operations Denton Sagerman – for providing the Hoosiers "something new to work on pretty much every day."
And Bradley noted the veteran Hoosiers are resting on no laurels. League coaches picked IU to finish fourth (behind defending champ Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois) but the Hoosiers are conceding nothing.
"We feel we can go up against the best in the country," Bradley said. "Obviously a tough ending (last season), but we don't want a regional final as a place to stop. We want to continue to improve on that, obviously, and get further. And it all starts on Friday, so we're looking forward to it."
The baseball Hoosiers enter 2019 with Big Red hearts full of confidence.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana baseball, on Valentine's Day eve, released a video making it clear that Jeff Mercer has a Big Red heart.
Mercer's IU coaching career starts at 5 p.m. Friday in Memphis against the host Tigers, weather permitting, and the video left little doubt how much he already loves his new job.
"Thrilled to be a part of it," said Mercer, whose father, Jeff, Sr., was a former IU assistant coach. "Growing up around here, my dad having coached here, I've always wanted to be a part of Indiana University. Very fortunate to have the opportunity to lead the program now. Very excited.
"To me, to be the head baseball coach at Indiana is such an incredible honor. I grew up in this community. I grew up supporting this university. And the people who helped to raise me always loved this university, as well.
"It's really an opportunity for me to give back to the people and the community that gave so much to me. To represent them all, but to provide them with the program they deserve, is an incredible opportunity."
IU's program prospered in recent years under coaching predecessors Tracy Smith and Chris Lemonis, in conjunction with the 2013 advent of 2,500-seat Bart Kaufman Field.
Indiana leads the Big Ten in total wins, conference wins and NCAA tournament appearances since 2008. IU has made the tournament in five of the last six seasons.
The Hoosiers finished 40-19 last year, Lemonis' swan song before taking the Mississippi State job, and concluded with the eyes of Texas upon them – battling the No. 14-ranked host Longhorns to the hilt in the regional final before falling, 3-2. That was after IU sidelined No. 25 Texas A&M, 9-7.
Indiana graduated some serious talent from that squad such as middle-order hitters Luke Miller and Logan Sowers (both alumni of the Indiana Bulls, the amateur baseball program co-founded by Jeff Mercer, Sr.) and starting pitchers Jonathan Stiever and Tim Herrin.
But the Hoosiers return seven regulars from the batting order – including coaches' preseason All-Big Ten picks Matt Gorski and Matt Lloyd – and a slew of experienced arms, versatile closer Lloyd included.
Senior right-hander Pauly Milto (2.03 ERA, 8-2 record, 1.14 WHIP and exactly a strikeout per inning last season) is a proven commodity at the Big Ten level and will open this weekend's scheduled three-game set at Memphis.
Tanner Gordon, a 6-foot-5 junior transfer out of John A. Logan College, is pegged as the Saturday starter – and joined Lloyd and Gorski in receiving All-Big Ten preseason recognition from the conference coaches. Gordon posted a 2.06 ERA and a rather astonishing 104 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched for Logan last spring.
"The chatter about him was really good," Mercer said of Gordon when meeting the media Thursday. "But just from the fall to the spring, I've seen the development of his sinker, the growth of a change-up, to where he's very dangerous against left-handed hitters … just his growth and the pitch-manipulation, his ability to throw to both sides, his ability to hold in the run game and ability to pitch out of the stretch.
"He's really gotten a lot stronger. He's really invested into his lifestyle, his diet and conditioning and weight-lifted. So we'll hopefully be able to see him hold the velocity longer, hold onto his stuff longer. He's done a really nice job. He's thrown a lot of college games – not Division I level, but being an ace, being a guy who has pitched college innings, being an adult, goes a long way. Very, very confident, very excited about him."
Mercer expressed similar sentiments about scheduled Sunday starter Tommy Sommer, a 6-4 lefty out of Carmel and son of IU All-American soccer goalie Juergen Sommer. Sommer went 2-1 with a 3.07 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings as a freshman last year.
"He's grown a lot," Mercer said of Sommer. "I saw him in high school, obviously, and he had good stuff. Very 'projectable.' But his ability to hold the run-game is very mature. He's another adult. His growth, both physically and being able to really manipulate the pitch in the role, has been really good.
"So you feel real confident about him being able to go out and throw on the weekend, at a young age, as a sophomore."
Gordon's arrival and Sommer's elevation into the rotation affords Mercer the luxury of packing IU's bullpen with experienced, proven pitchers.
Cal Krueger, a junior from Jasper (3.02, 7-2, 49 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings last spring) will likely serve as the eighth-inning setup man for senior closer Lloyd (1.54 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, seven saves last year). Junior lefty Andrew Saalfrank, possessed of a devastating breaking ball, fanned 47 batters in 35 2/3 innings – including eight Longhorns in the finale against Texas - could be another force out of the pen.
"Lloyd will be in the back, and with Cal (Krueger), you're looking at a guy who could step into there, as well, as the game plays out," Mercer said. "But Krueger probably in the eighth and Saalfrank – with that breaking ball and certainly a guy who has thrown a lot of innings and can be a really good matchup guy.
"As the season plays out, it's great to have guys like Saalfrank and (Cam) Beauchamp and Braden Scott (a sophomore from Shakamak who transferred in from Olney JC) that could potentially be starters as well. But they'll start out in the pen and give us the ability, certainly early, to not ride our starters (too much)."
There are other newcomers on the pitching staff who could well see meaningful innings, such as in-state freshmen Gabe Bierman (Jeffersonville) and Braydon Tucker (Northview).
"There are a lot of new faces, guys new to the program," Mercer said. "But, realistically, there are a lot of guys who've been in the program, who've worked really hard to improve themselves and are expected to step into a much more prominent role."
That certainly holds true for the position players in the batting order, as well.
Gorski is a superb junior outfielder with plenty of pop in his bat and the speed to potentially bat leadoff. He hit .356 with eight homers and 40 RBI last spring, and stole 24 bases in 27 attempts.
Lloyd, who can play third or first when not on the mound, hit had nine homers and 41 RBI last year.
Junior first-sacker Scotty Bradley – son of Scott Bradley, a nine-year Major Leaguer, and Second-Team All-Big Ten last season after hitting .326 with seven homers – is another big bat in the lineup. So is senior catcher Ryan Fineman (.284, seven homers, 37 RBI).
Fineman is one reason the Hoosiers can satisfy the baseball maxim of "being strong up the middle" defensively. IU also returns its keystone combo of junior shortstop Jeremy Houston and sophomore second-baseman Justin Walker, along with senior centerfielder Logan Kaletha (eight homers, 31 RBI, 14 steals last year).
"You feel really strong up the middle," Mercer said of his prospective lineup. "Any time you have a chance to roll guys out in the middle of the diamond that can control the ball, play great defense and have experience, you feel good about it."
And as is the case with the pitching staff, there is plenty of positional depth and a lot of promising newcomers.
Senior catcher Wyatt Cross has really come on, Mercer said, to the point Fineman can be rested, or could serve as a DH, at least once a weekend.
Mercer pointed to a sophomore quartet of infielders Cole Barr and Drew Ashley and outfielders Elijah Dunham and Sam Crail as certain contributors, potentially starters, and indicated the same for senior infielder Cade Bunnell and freshman infielder Jake Skrine. All could also DH.
"Positionally, Cole Barr is really coming into his own," Mercer said. "Elijah Dunham has done a very similar thing. Jake Skrine has done a great job. Sam Crail. There are several guys. Cade Bonnell will step into a more prominent role … Drew Ashley's been really good … Wyatt Cross is a very talented, very hard-working young man."
Mercer – the 2018 Horizon League Coach of the Year who led Wright State to 77 wins, including six against ranked foes, in just two seasons with the Raiders – has found all the Hoosiers willing to work and to learn.
"I think anytime you come into a new situation, you don't know their desire to learn, or their ability to be intrinsically motivated, and to really have a growth mindset," Mercer said. "You don't know that when you walk in the door but, very quickly (here), that became evident. That they really wanted to improve. Man, they're so smart. They're motivated. They're intelligent.
"And just to see how much they've grown – and certainly coming off a very successful season last year – that's not always the case. Guys can become complacent and just rely on a lot of talent, which we do have, but they didn't act like that. They didn't act like they were going to just walk in and win games on their ability or their track-record of the past."
Lloyd praised Mercer and the new staff – pitching specialist Justin Parker, fellow assistants Casey Dykes and Dan Held, director of player development Scott Rolen and director of baseball operations Denton Sagerman – for providing the Hoosiers "something new to work on pretty much every day."
And Bradley noted the veteran Hoosiers are resting on no laurels. League coaches picked IU to finish fourth (behind defending champ Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois) but the Hoosiers are conceding nothing.
"We feel we can go up against the best in the country," Bradley said. "Obviously a tough ending (last season), but we don't want a regional final as a place to stop. We want to continue to improve on that, obviously, and get further. And it all starts on Friday, so we're looking forward to it."
The baseball Hoosiers enter 2019 with Big Red hearts full of confidence.
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