In this file photo, Kansas third baseman Travis Metcalf attempts to get Arkansas-Little Rock’s Matt Spatafora out as he steals third base. The Jayhawks lost seniors Ryan Baty and Matt Tribble to graduation and need to replace their run production.

The heart of the Kansas baseball team’s lineup is gone, along with most of last season’s run production. The team will look to three upperclassmen to fill the void left by Ryan Baty, Matt Tribble and Travis Metcalf — last season’s Jayhawk version of Mantle, Gehrig and DiMaggio.

Last May, Baty and Tribble finished their Kansas baseball careers as seniors. Metcalf cut his career a year short when the Texas Rangers drafted him in June.

“Those are three of the best players I’ve coached in my career,” coach Ritch Price said.

Without a doubt, the absence of the “big three,” as Price refers to them, will shake up the lineup. Last season, Baty and Metcalf accounted for 30 of the team’s home runs. Metcalf broke the program record when he finished the season with 18. Baty set his own record by holding down a 21-game hit streak, the longest ever in Kansas baseball history.

Tribble committed only two errors in 226 chances in his career, and held the previous long hit streak of 20 games.

Together these guys led the team into ranking first in the Big 12 conference for batting average, hitting .316 as a team and posting their second consecutive 30-victory season. The trouble now is continuing the trend of offensive improvement without the “big three.” Price said the number one task was to find suitable replacements to fill the run-producing bulk of the lineup.

The next round of dominating hitters could be junior Matt Baty, junior Ritchie Price and senior Sean Richardson.

All three were named to the 2005 Preseason All-Big 12 second team on January 13.

Richardson led the Jayhawks last year with 69 RBI while hitting a solid .332. He knocked 12 home runs and stole eight bases last season. His performance earned him the team’s most valuable player honor.

Price raked in 47 RBI along with a .339 batting average.

Matt Baty secured the leadoff spot in 2004 by hitting a consistent .344 and stealing 26 bases. Baty also led the Big 12 in runs scored with 62.

“They are three of the best hitters in our conference,” Coach Price said of this year’s hitting trio. “Those three are looking forward to this challenge.”

Price and Baty have gained serious experience, now starting for their third year. During their freshman season they were two of only seven freshman who started in the Big 12. Coach Price will utilize their talents as he tinkers with the lineup in the preseason.

Baty will lead off again this season, as the ability to reach base and quickness between the bases becomes increasingly important without the home run support like last season. Richardson, who hit better than .400, will move from the two hole to the three.

Also expected to erupt at the plate is right fielder A. J. Van Slyke. Price said the junior was ready for a breakout season.

Andy Scholl will take over in the clean up spot. Coach Price acknowledged his progress last season during his first year at Kansas after transferring from Lamar Community College.

“We will do a better job of hitting with runners in scoring position,” Price said.

More steals and hit-and-runs will weigh heavily into the new mix as well, he said. Whatever the goal, new leaders must emerge for the jayhawks to have success.