"There are five pitchers who are immediately in the mix," Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang said. "Certainly the older guys need to lead us."
The "older guys" are seniors Pete Yodis and Dan McCall and junior Justin Nash, who Hindelang said would be the top three starters this year. Yodis, who started the first game of the season against Wake Forest last Saturday, was 7-4 for the Lions last year with a 3.69 earned run average and led the team with 114.2 innings pitched.
"Yodis is our number one guy," Hindelang said. "We're going to count on him to get some wins in tough games."
Nash pitched five strong innings at Wake on Sunday, and will likely be the No. 2 starter for the Lions. He compiled a 5-3 record last season, striking out 47 in 95 innings.
McCall made 13 appearances last year, 11 of them as a starter. He was 5-2 with a 3.86 ERA, and will be the top southpaw on a team heavy with righties.
"We expect him to be solid, and rely on him because our lefties are limited," Hindelang said.
Vying for the fourth spot in the rotation will be a pair of freshmen, right-handers Aaron Tressler and David Aardsma. Tressler, one of four State College High products on the Penn State roster, got the last two outs on Sunday and already has the attention of his coaches.
"We have been pleased with his performance, work ethic and ability," Hindelang said.
Aardsma hails from Colorado, where he won the Gatorade Player of the Year Award in the state after going 10-1 for nationally acclaimed Cherry Creek High School.
The Lions are hoping that the two rookie hurlers can give them a solid five-man rotation, but are also considering using Tressler out of the bullpen.
Junior Mike Watson will reprise his role as the key right-hander out of the pen. He was 8-1 with five saves in 22 appearances last year. Fireballing lefty Kevin Damiano, a sophomore, will also be used as a closer.
"Obviously, we're looking for a repeat of last year from Watson," Hindelang said. "Damiano is well suited to be a closer. He's a power pitcher from the left side and he's got that bulldog mentality."
If the young pitchers can step up and pick up some solid innings, the team will fare well come tournament time. With the losses of Dan Goebler to graduation and Mike Russo to the majors, the Lions have a staff that is short on arms but not on talent.
"Our main advantage is that we have a lot of experience," Yodis said. "You need that when you are playing three games in a row during conference games."
Netwall, a 32nd round selection by the Colorado Rockies last year, is one of the top catchers in the country. He hit .347 last year with nine home runs and 41 RBI. He was second-team All-Big Ten and a finalist for collegiate catcher of the year. He excels behind the plate at blocking balls and has a rifle-like arm for throwing out would-be base stealers. This year, he'll key the heart of the lineup and provide leadership.
"He's a five-tool player behind the plate," Hindelang said.
Lindert, who redshirted last year after transferring from Jefferson Davis Community College, enters the season as the number two catcher.
Hot on Lindert's heels is Harter, who like Netwall was a selection in the 2000 MLB Draft, taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the 39th round.
"With development he'll be a great impact player," Hindelang said. "He's our catcher of the future."
Penn State should have few worries at catcher, and if it can get productive outings from its starting rotation, should be fine, at least in the early part of the season. Hindelang's concerns are how well the staff will hold up down the stretch, and who else will step up late in the year when shoulders start to get sore and the stakes are higher.
"We certainly need four starters by the time the league play rolls around," he said. "And for the Big Ten tournament, we need seven key pitchers, where there's not a significant dropoff between the so-called top guy and the seventh."
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