Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Coach Dave Van Horn entered the season with only a couple of questions to answer before SEC play started. The fourth-ranked Razorbacks (17-2) returned a deep and talented pitching staff, their entire infield and some experienced outfielders mixed with talented newcomers hungry for playing time.

There is not a coach in America that wouldn’t take that deal in a heartbeat. Success on the field and on the recruiting trail has put Razorback baseball in the reload, not rebuild category.

The biggest unknown was who would step up and replace catcher James McCann, a second round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers. McCann, an anchor on defense, was not only an outstanding catcher; he was an extension of the coaching staff on the field and more than held his own at the plate.

Arkansas was also left to figure out where the power would come from after 66 percent of the home run power in 2011 moved on to professional baseball.

As the Hogs enter SEC play with a consensus Top 10 ranking and at No. 4 in one poll, the questions seem to have been answered and then some.

Sophomore catcher Jake Wise (.289, 1 HR, 8 RBI) has done an outstanding job handling the vaunted Razorback pitching staff while doing a decent job at the plate. Wise’s maturation from his freshman year was expected and thus far he has come through while highly recruited freshman John Clay Reeves (.176) has struggled offensively.

The shocker has been the home run production as the Razorbacks rank No. 8 in the country with 18 home runs in 19 games after only hitting 38 in 62 games last year. Maybe the hitter friendly, shortened right-center field fence has helped a little bit. Doubt that pace keeps up in SEC play, but given the smaller size of some SEC ballparks it’s likely the Hogs blow past the 2011 team total.

Of course everything is made easier in baseball when you have dominant pitching. The staff is No. 11 in the country in ERA. The Razorbacks have the luxury of a legit Friday night ace in junior DJ Baxendale (5-0, 2.45 ERA) and can follow that up with sophomore Ryne Stanek (4-0, 1.12 ERA), who would likely be the ace of any staff in the SEC outside of Florida or South Carolina. The hard throwing and more polished Stanek is emerging as a elite level pro prospect with some pro scouts kicking his name around as the first overall pick in the 2013 draft.

Veteran lefty Randall Fant (1-1, 4.40 ERA) anchors the weekend rotation for now and must perform to stay there. The relief pitching has been nearly untouchable with incredible depth for college baseball. Van Horn has been able to go situational without much drop off as each guy trots in from the bullpen.

Arkansas will put Baxendale on the mound at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Stanek gets the start for Saturday's 3:05 p.m. game and Fant is up for Sunday's 1:05 p.m. game.

Closer Barrett Astin (1-0, 5 saves, 0.00 ERA) has been lights out, only allowing three hits all season and striking out 20 strikeouts 15 2/3 innings. Lefty Cade Lynch (1 save, 1.08 ERA) and right handers Colby Suggs (1.17 ERA in nine appearances) and Brandon Moore (2-0, 1.04 ERA) have shut teams down when the starting pitching has faltered. The Hogs have also received situational help from various newcomers that have taken advantage of limited opportunities for mound time. Will be interesting to see how they perform as the bright lights and big stage of SEC baseball starts up this weekend.

Alabama (8-9) enters having won three of its last four. Alabama has experienced some growing pains after losing numerous key contributors from a 2011 campaign that had them reach the NCAA Tournament and beat the Razorbacks three out of five times. The Tide, predicted to finish third in the SEC West, return 21 lettermen and six position player starters including eight seniors but only return 30 percent of their 2011 innings pitched.