53. CREIGHTON
2008 RECORD. Overall: 37-21.
Conference: 16-8 / 3rd in
Missouri Valley
Conference.
Coach: Ed Servais (196-99,
6th year).
First Game, 2009: Feb.
20 at
Sam Houston State
.
OVERVIEW: Ed Servais’ team
will again play to the program’s strengths—excellent defense and polished pitchers
who throw strikes. 1B Darin Ruf, undrafted last June despite being the
Missouri Valley
player of the year, returns for his senior year. He ranks as one of the most underrated
players in the country, but should be noticed if he can continue to develop his
raw power, especially to the pull side. Ruf is an outstanding defender at first,
as are the Creighton mid-field core of 2B Vicente Cafaro, SS Elliot Soto and CF
Robbie Knight. The Blue Jays entire starting rotation returns intact, although there
is no telling how much the team will miss unique switch-pitcher Pat Venditte, who
graduated after throwing a staff-high 86 innings out of the bullpen in 2008.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
C: Scott Thornburg, Fr.
(HS—Lakewood, Colo.).
1B: Darin Ruf (3), Sr.
(*.347-7-52).
2B: Vicente Cafaro (4),
Sr. (.324-5-31).
3B: Jimmy Swift, So. (.188-0-2).
SS: Elliot Soto, So. (.272-0-18).
LF: Nick Becker, Jr. (.413-7-40
at
Jefferson, Mo.
, CC).
CF: Robbie Knight (1),
Jr. (.318-3-30).
RF: T.J. Roemmich, Jr.
(.229-3-14).
DH: Ian Dike, Jr. (.259-0-4).
1/Starter: Jeremy Hauer,
Sr. (8-2, 3.32, 84 IP/55 SO).
2/Starter: Mike Nihsen,
Jr. (5-2, *2.30, 70 IP/40 SO).
3/Starter: Zak Moore, Sr.
(4-7, 5.50, 68 IP/57 SO).
Closer: Kirk Clark (11-1,
4.75 at
Iowa
Western CC).
BEST TOOLS
Best Athlete: Robbie Knight.
Best Overall Hitter: Darin
Ruf.
Best Power Hitter: Darin
Ruf.
Best Strike-Zone Discipline:
Darin Ruf.
Fastest Base Runner (60 time):
Joey Bowens (6.7 seconds).
Best Base Runner: Elliot
Soto.
Best Defender: Vicente
Cafaro.
Best Infield Arm: Elliot
Soto.
Best Outfield Arm: T.J.
Roemmich.
Best Fastball (velocity):
Kirk Clark (91 mph).
Best Breaking Ball: Zak
Moore.
Best Changeup: Mike Nihsen.
Best Command: Mike Nihsen.
TOP FRESHMAN PROSPECT:
Scott Thornburg, c. Thornburg is big
and strong enough at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds to quickly adjust to the rigors of
college baseball. He’ll benefit from catching a veteran staff and should contribute
occasional power with the bat.
TOP SOPHOMORE PROSPECT:
Elliot Soto, ss. Soto, a 13th-round
pick in the 2007 draft, held his own on offense as a freshman and was a standout
on defense. He has very quick hands, natural middle-infield balance and upper-level
arm strength at shortstop. In Soto and his double-play partner Vicente Cafaro, there
may not be a better middle-infield tandem defensively in the college ranks.
TOP JUNIOR PROSPECT: Kirk
Clark
, rhp.
Clark
will fill a more conventional closer’s
role for Creighton with Pat Venditte gone. He has the staff’s best fastball, topping
out at 91 mph, and a deceptive changeup as his best secondary pitch.
TOP SENIOR PROSPECT: Darin Ruf, 1b. Ruf fits the mold of ex-big
leaguer Mark Grace, a 24th-round pick out of college. He’s an excellent
defender with lefthanded gap power and advanced hitting skills, but has never shown
the raw pull power to seriously interest scouts—yet, at least.
--DAVID RAWNSLEY