Miners excited about pitching staff

PALMER — Part of the experience of pitching in a summer developmental league goes beyond playing your typical role. Sometimes, it’s all about redefining your role.

This year, the Mat-Su Miners feel they’ve put together a staff of arms that can be used in a variety of roles.

“Some of the guys are young and have pitched in some roles. They’re going to have to expand those roles up here,” Mat-Su first-year head coach Chris Gordon said recently.

Gordon knows what to look for in an Alaska Baseball League staff. The Millegan College pitching coach has taken over Mat-Su’s role of head coach after serving as the Miners pitching coach during the 2011 season. Gordon said a focus during the college baseball season has been watching his players’ inning totals.

“We’ve been monitoring it pretty closely,” Gordon said.

Gordon said he feels pretty confident about most of the totals. Washington freshman righthander Tyler Davis has thrown in 64 innings this season and Monmouth sophomore southpaw Andrew McGee has worked in 76 innings. Those are two of the larger numbers on the squad.

McGee has had a successful sophomore campaign. He was 7-4 with 61 strikeouts. He made 11 starts and also saved five games.

Davis was 2-4 as a freshman with 38 strikeouts.

Wichita State sophomore Foster Vielock and Dallas Baptist freshman Jay Callhoun could be among the pitchers to watch in 2012. Vielock was 0-2, but had a 2.47 ERA in 25 appearances. He also saved one game and fanned 48 hitters against only 19 walks. Calhoun was 3-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 appearances.

Mississippi State freshman lefty was 1-0 with a 1.40 ERA in 25 innings. Central Florida junior Jimmy Reed also had solid numbers, sporting a 2.33 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 19 innings.

Gordon said he could see a player like Vielock making starts early in the season for the Miners. But he’s eager to see what everyone has to offer.

“That’s what’s exciting about the first few days. Get in the bullpen and look at their stuff, and match them into roles,” Gordon said of his roster of pitchers.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.