2011 Season Preview arm angle adjustment that he did not make until January. It was a fairly natural adjustment for him, producing late sink on his fastball, that resulted in a high number of ground balls. Then he lost it, probably due to us over-using him, and we will take the blame for that. We believe Tom will continue to progress with his stamina and be a valuable middle reliever again this year. “Cass Abercrombie has made a lot of progress and we have a lot of confidence in him. He also made a slight arm adjustment that looks to be paying off for him. He has a good arm and is a good athlete on the mound. He should have an opportunity to see more time on the mound and, as a sophomore, he should be prepared to take advantage of those opportunities.” Both Austin and Abercrombie will likely serve in similar roles to what they did in 2010. The other returning sophomore is left-hander Shane McCain, who opened last season as a member of the weekend starting rotation. In his fourth start of the year he started having elbow problems. After taking a month off to rest, he came back and was dominant against UAB in a tightly controlled pitch-count game. He made just one more appearance before surgery ended his season. “Shane threw late in the fall and threw very well,” Pierce said. “He showed again why we liked him so much as a true freshman, prior to his elbow getting aggravated. He has poise, a lot of know-how and a lot of competitiveness. Now that he is healthy, I believe he will continue getting better with each opportunity.” The rest of the Trojans’ hurlers this spring are new to Sophomore Cass Abercrombie had some good outings in the program. Four of the nine others – Ryan Sorce, Jimmy 2010 and will be counted on for more in 2011. Hodgskin, Garrett McHenry and Nathan Hill – are left- With Sorce and Ray penciled into the weekend rotation, handers, giving the Trojans their best and deepest set of the Trojans have numerous options to fill the third spot. Both southpaws in years. Hull and McCain are candidates, as is Hodgskin, who was Sorce, the younger brother of former Troy closer Chris – one of the highest rated signees ever for the Troy program. now working as a starter in the Seattle Mariners organization “You really don’t like for a freshman to come in with – had a spectacular fall and is in position to be one of the those type of expectations, but Jimmy has handled it weekend starters. His overall development and pitchability, well,” Pierce said. “Like any young player coming in, he has after getting a medical redshirt last year, came as somewhat experienced good things and also had a few outings he of a surprise. probably hasn’t experienced before. “We were going to recruit Ryan out of high school but, “We don’t plan to start the season in a rush. We want to in his senior year, he had to have a rib removed. My only try to develop Jimmy at the right pace and I think we are experience with that particular surgery, the guy that had fortunate to have enough pitching depth to do that. I would it never returned. So, we really didn’t know what to do. like to see Jimmy get involved early like Tyler and Shane He went to UWF and then transferred to Pensacola Junior did, progressing at the right pace. Jimmy has a very bright College so that he could get to Troy. Last year, while at PJC, future because he is made of all the right stuff. He is a hard he had issues with tendonitis, resulting in a medical redshirt.” worker and is very committed to becoming the best that With all of that in the past, Sorce is poised to have a he can be. That will probably be sooner rather than later.” breakout season for the Trojans. The Trojans’ weekend rotation will be determined “Ryan is also very competitive with a lot of know-how in great part by the mix of right and left-handers who and has a lot of intent to succeed,” Pierce said. “I believe end up starting. If Ray and Sorce are joined by McCain or he will be a huge part of our pitching staff, a front of the Hodgskin, then Sorce would likely go on Friday, to break rotation kind of guy. He could close for us and I would up the rotation into a left-right-left combination. If Hull is be very comfortable with that. He has weapons and he is the third starter, then Ray would be the Friday guy, for the fearless. Those guys find a way to get on the mound.” same reason.
2011 Troy University Baseball Media Guide
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