Four Reasons for Optimism for Husky Baseball Fans

Although Husky Baseball experienced a set-back last year as the team finished at the bottom of the Pac-10 conference, the program is headed in the right direction. Here are four reasons Husky fans can be optimistic about this coming year for the Washington baseball team.

1. The Husky ball club has a lot of experience on their roster and several returning starters. The three players who led the team in batting average and the three players who led in homeruns, as well as the RBI leader, are all returning to the club. In fact, out of the nine huskies that led the team in at bats, seven are coming back. Many key contributors are returning to the Washington pitching staff as well. These contributors include two of the three leaders in wins, both of the team leaders in saves, and the three leaders in games started last season. This maturity and experience will help the program win ball games.

2. Coach Lindsay Meggs is entering his third year as head coach of the Huskies. The three assistant coaches on the Washington staff, Dave Nakama, Dave Dangler, and Jordon Twohig, have all been with the program for at least a year, which means that for the first time in two years, the team has not experienced a coaching transition. With a more established coaching staff, better chemistry and camaraderie between the players and coaches can be expected this season.

3. As I discussed in my last post, the Huskies had an excellent recruiting class this year and brought in top-notch talent from both inside and outside the state of Washington. With eight Washington signees drafted out of high school, and a majority of those planning to wear purple and gold this year, it looks like the incoming freshman class could make an immediate impact on the program’s success.

4. As the Huskies are gaining talent, other teams in the conference are losing it. Several of last year’s Pac-10 standouts were selected in the 2011 MLB draft, including four players who were selected in the first round. In fact, two of the first three picks of the draft were Pac-10 pitchers—both from UCLA. The loss of key contributors from other conference teams should make the Huskies more competitive.