SectionsBaseball Bears peg Casey to be closer
Jon Poorman
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: Sports
The Missouri State baseball team is looking to build on its 40-17 record from last year and continue that success into the 2009 season.
They have many returning starters pitchers and position players. However, there is one question about Bears baseball that might remain a mystery to fans: Who will replace Matt Frevert as the Bears closing pitcher this year?
Coach Keith Guttin explained that pitchers with the same talent as Frevert are hard to find. Not only will the Bears have to replace his talent, but they will also have to deal with replacing his experience.
"He had experience in that role, he liked the role, had the great ability to get strikeouts, and was very dependable in terms of his command," Guttin said. "Matt had a very good mound presence. He was always the same, never changed expressions. He had a lot of good qualities."
Pitching coach Paul Evans said agreed.
"He had good velocity, good experience, and he was just that veteran guy out there you could bring in late in the game," Evans said.
Frevert, a first team all-conference selection in 2008, posted a 6-1 record with eight saves and 42 strikeouts. Now that he has graduated, there is big hole to fill in the Missouri State bullpen.
So, what does it take to be a successful closing pitcher in Division-I baseball?
"Well I think it takes a short memory more than anything else because they're not all going to work out the way you want, and you just have to let them go," Guttin said "I think the ability to bounce back and the ability to throw a great deal, about three times a week, are also things you need to be able to do as a closer."
So with those things in mind, the coaches have chosen a closer they believe they can rely on when the game is on the line: His name is J.C. Casey.
Casey is a Springfield native and a sophomore at Missouri State. He received valuable playing time as a freshman, pitching 16.1 innings for the Bears.
What was more impressive, though, was the way he played over the summer. Casey played with the Hornell Dodgers in the New York Collegiate league.
They have many returning starters pitchers and position players. However, there is one question about Bears baseball that might remain a mystery to fans: Who will replace Matt Frevert as the Bears closing pitcher this year?
Coach Keith Guttin explained that pitchers with the same talent as Frevert are hard to find. Not only will the Bears have to replace his talent, but they will also have to deal with replacing his experience.
"He had experience in that role, he liked the role, had the great ability to get strikeouts, and was very dependable in terms of his command," Guttin said. "Matt had a very good mound presence. He was always the same, never changed expressions. He had a lot of good qualities."
Pitching coach Paul Evans said agreed.
"He had good velocity, good experience, and he was just that veteran guy out there you could bring in late in the game," Evans said.
Frevert, a first team all-conference selection in 2008, posted a 6-1 record with eight saves and 42 strikeouts. Now that he has graduated, there is big hole to fill in the Missouri State bullpen.
So, what does it take to be a successful closing pitcher in Division-I baseball?
"Well I think it takes a short memory more than anything else because they're not all going to work out the way you want, and you just have to let them go," Guttin said "I think the ability to bounce back and the ability to throw a great deal, about three times a week, are also things you need to be able to do as a closer."
So with those things in mind, the coaches have chosen a closer they believe they can rely on when the game is on the line: His name is J.C. Casey.
Casey is a Springfield native and a sophomore at Missouri State. He received valuable playing time as a freshman, pitching 16.1 innings for the Bears.
What was more impressive, though, was the way he played over the summer. Casey played with the Hornell Dodgers in the New York Collegiate league.
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