FIRST OF 3 PARTS
When asked what his starting lineup would be to begin the season, Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso has a different answer this year.
"Depends on the starting pitcher," he said.
The 2013 Hawaii baseball team, especially on the infield, could field two completely different lineups depending on righty-lefty matchups as the season gets under way Friday against No. 6 Oregon at Les Murakami Stadium.
In 2012, four different positions, including shortstop and second base, had the same player start all 55 games in that spot.
INF BY THE NUMBERS
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Pi‘ikea Kitamura’s hitting streak heading into the season. Kitamura hit .351 (13-for-37) in the final nine games after going 0-for-3 on May 5 against New Mexico State.
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Returning starts at catcher for UH. Sophomore Trevor Podratz started twice behind the plate last year and spent the rest of his time as a designated hitter.
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Home run hit by a UH first baseman last season. Four different players combined to hit .188 (31-for-165) in that spot in 2012.
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Walks drawn by second baseman Stephen Ventimilia, which ranked 99th in the country. Ventimilia was second on the team as a freshman with a .399 on-base percentage. .
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Hawaii’s batting average as a team in 2012, which ranked 247th out of 291 teams.
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Throw in third base, where Collin Bennett played all but once, and UH’s starting lineup rarely fluctuated.
"We knew we needed more depth and more left-handed hitters because we didn’t have it last year," Trapasso said. "We wore down by the end of the year."
Expect that to change this season, as UH is capable of playing as many as three different guys at different spots.
Senior Pi‘ikea Kitamura, who moves back to third base to start the year, is the one player firmly entrenched as a starter — at either third or short.
Outside of that, Trapasso is capable of playing any number of combinations, with up to 11 players in different spots.
"At least early in the season, we have the depth to go with a different lineup against a left-handed pitcher than a right-handed pitcher and then those spots will play itself out," Trapasso said.
Sophomore Stephen Ventimilia started every game at second in 2012 and hit .293, leading the team with 42 runs, 34 walks and 17 stolen bases.
But even his spot could change, as freshman Andre Real provides a potent bat from the right side.
Ventimilia, who played summer ball for the Wenatchee AppleSox in the West Coast League, had his offseason stunted by a lower back issue that began last summer.
"There are aspects where I may be a little behind and I’m going to have to make the adjustment but there’s no excuses anymore," Ventimilia said. "The season is here and it’s time to step up."
UH could potentially go three deep at catcher, where Trevor Podratz is the only returnee to have started a game behind the plate.
Punahou graduate Tyler Young transferred from Cal State Monterey Bay, where he started 70 games and hit .286 as a sophomore. Redshirt freshman Alan Baldwin, a Kailua alumnus who can also play outfield, is also available to catch.
UH struggled to get offensive production out of the first base spot last year. Trapasso hopes he addressed that with the additions of junior-college transfers Marc Flores and Jerry Kleman.
Returnee Max Duval has had a strong showing in the fall and spring and is also a valuable asset defensively, where he committed just two errors and posted a .995 fielding percentage as a junior.
Junior Austin Wobrock is a plus defender at shortstop and freshman LJ Brewster is another guy making it tough to figure out how to get all the deserving players opportunities, Trapasso said. "The hardest job I might have is finding a place for LJ Brewster because he’s a freshman we’re very high on," Trapasso said. "Getting him some playing time is something I’ll have to work at."
