2016 Texas Tech baseball preview: Can the bats carry the young arms?

The pop of the ball in the glove, the ping of the aluminum bats and the famous taunts of the Tech Hecklers will all be heard for the first time in 2016 today at 2 pm when the Texas Tech baseball team opens the season at Rip Griffin Park against Wisconsin-Milwaquee.

Coming off of a disappointing season that saw head coach Tim Tadlock’s team finish 31-24 and miss out on the postseason a year after making the program’s initial trip to the College World Series, the Red Raiders might be the biggest enigma in the Big 12. Picked to finish either in the middle of the pack or near the top of the conference depending on which publication is being referenced, Texas Tech has an odd mix of seasoned upperclassmen and incoming freshmen that will play crucial roles in 2016.

Most are confident that Texas Tech will score runs this year. That has become the identity of the team under Tadlock.

For the third consecutive season, the offense will revolve around 1^st baseman Eric Gutierrez who is now a senior. For his career, Gutierrez has hit .291 with 23 home runs and 133 RBI. He will be looked upon to rebound from a slightly disappointing 2015, in which he hit only four home runs and drove in 12 fewer runs than in 2014, to be the primary run producer for the Red Raiders.

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In addition, senior OF Tyler Neslony with his .313 career batting average and 76 RBI will need to be a force at the plate to help Gutierrez carry the offensive load. Other weapons in the Texas Tech baseball lineup include senior outfielders Cory Raley (.350 average, 21 RBI in 2014) and Stephen Smith (career .289 average with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in two seasons).

These four players will be looked upon to form the core of a potent lineup that may have to score runs in plenty given the questions Tim Tadlock must answer in his starting rotation.

Junior right-hander Ryan Moseley will be today’s opening day starter (the second year in a row he has done so for Texas Tech) and will be looked upon to be the staff ace. In 2015, the Lubbock native went 4-6 with a 3.19 ERA in 17 starts (35 total appearances).

He has held opponents to a meager .219 batting average and has struck out 95 hitters almost doubling the 55 walks he has allowed in his two years as a Red Raider. But behind Moseley, more than half of the 18 members of the Texas Tech baseball pitching staff were not on the roster last season.

Aside from Moseley, the Texas Tech rotation will be a work in progress, especially early in the season. True freshman Ty Harpenau from Arkansas will start game two against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The 2015 all-state honoree held high school opponents to a 0.98 ERA but he will be making a huge jump in competition as he faces college hitters.

Junior lefty Ty Damron will start game three this weekend. In 11 2015 starts, the native of Krum, Texas posted a 3.58 ERA and allowed opponents to hit .278 against him.

Finally, another lefty, freshman Erikson Lanning from Georgia will take the mound in the series finale. The former resident of Flower Mound, Texas returns to the Lone Star State despite having offers from N.C. State, Arkansas, Clemson, North Carolina and Florida State.

The Big 12 will be a rugged league in 2016 (it feels like that is true in every sport). Oklahoma State (9), TCU (18) and Oklahoma (21) are all ranked in Baseball America’s top 25 preseason poll. Meanwhile, Texas Tech is ranked No. 25 in the initial PerfectGame.org poll meaning that the top of the Big 12 is loaded with strong teams.

The memories of 2014’s improbable run to Omaha and the College World Series are still fresh in the mind of Texas Tech fans and more importantly, the Texas Tech baseball players that were part of that special team. After failing to meet expectations last year, Tim Tadlock and his Red Raiders enter 2016 with an edge and the attitude of Omaha or bust.

Next: Videos of the post-OU celebration

Whether or not the team has the talent on the mound will be the key in determining the fate of this year’s Texas Tech baseball team. Today, the enigma that is the Texas Tech baseball team, which is an unusual mixture of seniors and freshmen, will begin to unfold and take shape as two of the Spring’s most beautiful words are shouted at Dan Law Field: Play Ball!

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