Sergakis, Dawson and Tully made the Big Ten’s all-league list, but too bad the list didn’t have room for the Buckeye bullpen. It should have been there.
Omaha – It was announced earlier this week that third baseman Nick Sergakis, left fielder Ronnie Dawson, and starting lefthanded pitcher Tanner Tully were all on the Big Ten’s “first team” all-league team.
All three, of course, were more than worthy.
Sergakis hit .352 and played a spectacular defensive third base.
Dawson came into his own as a power hitter, slamming 12 home runs while hitting .300.
And Tully, as predicted, turned out to be that tough-as-nails #1 starter, winning seven of his ten decision on the year with a 2.31 earned run average.
All three are viable prospects for the upcoming June major league baseball draft.
But the grand omission in all this…someone in that selection meeting should have said, “What about the Buckeyes’ bullpen?” Seriously!
Of course, there was no meeting, as such. It’s done by cumulative votes, I’m guessing. But if Sergakis, Tully, and Dawson are all-league, the effectiveness of Seth Kinker, Mike Horejsei, and Yianni Pavlopoulos, Ryan Feltner and company could well be considered….All-World!
Kinker, Horejsei and Pavlopoulos combined for 80 appearances, and 8-4 record, and a 1.70 earned run average. And only a rough patch by Pavlopoulos early in the year inflated that figure above the 1.70 mark, collectively.
Nick Sergakis playd flawless defense at third and led the Buckeyes with a .352 average
Kinker, the seventh inning man finished 5-1 with a 1.21 ERA.
Lefty Horejsei, finished 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA
And Pavlopoulos, the closer, closed the regular season with a 2-3 mark and 3.12 earned run average.
“It really became a strength for us,” said head coach Greg Beals recently of his bullpen. “And the irony of it is that back in February we really didn’t know what to expect. We thought it might be a weakness because a couple of guys had not had good fall practices.
“But as it turned out those guys seized the opportunity and made the most of it.”
Officially, they finished second in the league in overall statisitic efficiency…by fractions. But when Greg Beals goes to his bullpen at this week’s Big Ten tournament he won’t be thinking in terms of fractions.
He’ll be thinking in terms of fractured bats. Thus, the work of Seth Kinker, Mike Horejsei, and Yianni Pavlopoulos.
Maybe there SHOULD have been a meeting?
Ronnie Dawson led the Buckeyes with 12 home runs and hit .300. (Press Pros File Photos)