Pitching duo thriving in unexpected roles

By Josh Bowe

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Brett Bollman and Brett Bochy have more in common than just a first name.

Both are right-handed pitchers, and both were expected to be significant bullpen contributors before the season started. Senior closer Paul Smyth predicted great things from the duo before the season started.

THIS WEEKEND

Kansas vs. Oklahoma

Norman, Okla.



Game 1: Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Game 2: Saturday, 2 p.m.

Game 3: Sunday, 1 p.m.

“I’ve kind of got the two Bretts in front of me,” Smyth said back in February. “They’re both very, very quality pitchers. I’m really looking for those two guys to link that sixth, seventh and eighth inning.”

But a lot has happened since February. For one, Kansas is the surprise of the Big 12, standing in sole possession of fifth place and only a game back of second-place Oklahoma. That could change when the two teams contest a three-game series this weekend in Norman, Okla.

The pitching staff’s roles have changed, too. Smyth has blown five saves this season and was shut down for a couple of weeks to help his sore throwing arm recover. Bochy, a sophomore, was expected to pitch the eighth inning, but he has seen action in just about every inning but the first. Bollman, a junior, is the Jayhawk’s most effective midweek starter.

photo

Photo by Jerry Wang

Sophomore pitcher Brett Bochy hurls the ball during the Jayhawks' April 26 game against Nebraska at Hoglund Ballpark. Bochy is second on the team in strikeouts despite pitching only 27 innings.

But despite holding down different roles than they expected, the two have thrived. Bochy is second on the team in strikeouts despite only pitching 27-plus innings and is third on the team in appearances. Coach Ritch Price said Bochy’s 4.88 ERA doesn’t really do justice to his performance this season.

“His ERA is still really high because he had those two bad innings. When you’re a relief pitcher, that just skews your stats off the charts, but we’ve been really pleased with his development,” Price said.

Bollman is tied for first in victories with five, and his 1.70 ERA leads the team. Price decided to convert Bollman into a starter because he needed someone reliable to pitch midweek games.

Bollman was shut down for the season toward the end of last year because of arm fatigue. But more than halfway through his first full season as a starter, Bollman said the arm is coping with the change well.

“Last year, the main reason for the fatigue was that I was throwing pretty much everyday, if not back-to-back days,” Bollman said. “When you start, you get a few days off. You get rest.”

Bochy has had to adjust mightily during his sophomore season. On some days, he might be asked to pitch five innings if a starter gets knocked out early.

Other times, Bochy enters the game with a slim lead to protect. Regardless of the situation, Bochy has handled himself well.

“I’ve had a lot of good guys here that have helped me out,” he said. “Paul Smyth has really shown me how to deal with these situations and helped me prepare.”

Bollman, with some help from Bochy, has spurred Kansas to a 16-3 record in midweek games. For many teams, that record can be a blemish on an NCAA tournament resume. But not this year for Kansas.

“Obviously, Bollman is why our midweek record is so good,” Price said.

— — Edited by Andrew Wiebe

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