Auburn Baseball Looking Up

The Tigers and Coach John Pawlowski, who have struggled in recent years, are rolling in 2010. Heading into this week's games, Auburn is 9-2 and appear to have a no quitting attitude.

Auburn has six starters back on the field from 2009. Coming off a season in which Auburn hit a school-record 102 homeruns, they’re looking to continue hitting well in 2010. Brian Fletcher and Trent Mummey, who are entering their third season as starters, are especially looking for big offensive numbers, since they were two of the team’s leaders in hitting last year. However, Mummey suffered a severe sprain of his right ankle two weeks before the season and has not returned. Hopes are that Mummey returns by SEC play, which starts on March 19.

With Mummey missing action, the Tigers have been hitting well for average. Seven of the eight Tigers, who have played in all eight games, are hitting at least .300. The long ball has definitely been missed though. Auburn only has five homeruns on the year, Fletcher hitting four of those. Another three year starter, Hunter Morris, was named a preseason First Team All-American by Baseball America. Although Morris is hitting .350, he has yet to hit a homerun, something he’s been known to do often.

Pitching was Auburn’s true weakness last year. Entering 2010, two of Auburn’s weekend pitchers, Jon Luke Jacobs and Grant Dayton, are returning starters. However, so far this year junior college transfer Cole Nelson has been the star. Nelson is 2-0 with a .073 ERA in 12.1 innings, striking out 15. The bullpen has returning players such as closer Austin Hubbard and relievers Sean Ray, Michael Hurst, Bradley Hendrix, and Cory Luckie, who missed 2009 with an injury.

Auburn has several familiar faces on the team to the local crowd. Pitcher Zach Blatt graduated from Opelika High School and is entering his second season for Auburn. Replacing Mummey in centerfield is Auburn High School alum Creede Simpson, who transferred home after one season at Northwest Florida State College. The two high school rivals both play regularly as teammates.

Auburn began the year on the wrong foot as five errors were committed on Opening Day, resulting in an Auburn loss. Since then, the Tigers have been on the ball. After winning the final two games of the opening series against Southeast Missouri State, Auburn held the first Auburn Baseball Tournament, hosting Boston College, Missouri, and Florida Atlantic. Brian Fletcher played an incredible tournament and after the five games (also two vs. Davidson) that week hit for .636 average, 3 homers, and a 1.545 slugging percentage. This performance earned him NCBWA National Hitter of the Week and CollegeBaseballInsider.com Southeast Region Hitter of the Week.

The Saturday game against Missouri was the highlight of the weekend. The Tigers didn’t prevail, but the loss was overshadowed by a memory-filled day for Auburn baseball. Auburn created the “Wall of Fame” on Plainsman Park’s newly padded wall. Former coach Hal Baird introduced Gregg Olsen, Frank Thomas, Tim Hudson, and Bo Jackson as the four former Tigers that now forever have their legacy on the wall.

Tim Hudson, a member of the Atlanta Braves, played as a pitcher and outfielder for Auburn in 1996-1997. Baird referred to the Phenix City native as one of the greatest two position athletes he’s ever seen. Hudson was named the Rotary Smith Award winner in 1997, making him the player of the year. He was a sixth round pick to Oakland in 1997.

Gregg Olsen was a Tiger from 1986-1988. Olsen is the only Tiger to ever be named an All-American twice. He had an outstanding 1987 season, going 11-1 with 10 saves and a nation leading 1.26 ERA. The season’s performance got Olsen an invitation to play for the USA National Team later that year. Olsen was drafted fourth in the 1989 draft and later won the 1989 American League Rookie of the Year as a pitcher for the Orioles.

Frank Thomas, also commonly known as “The Big Hurt,” was a part of Auburn’s baseball team 1987-1989. Thomas recently retired after 19 years in Major League Baseball. As a Tiger, Thomas wrote his name all over the record books. He finished his career with a .382 batting average (second all-time), a .722 slugging percentage (a school record), and 49 homeruns (third in school history).

Bo Jackson is undoubtedly the most famous Auburn athlete of all-time. Jackson won the 1985 Heisman Trophy and stunned people with his football abilities. He also played baseball in 1983, 1985, and 1986. In 1985, Jackson hit .401, 17 homeruns, and 43 RBIs, earning him a selection on the ABCA All-South Region Team. Jackson went on to be a fourth round pick to the Royals, and in 1989 was selected as an All-Star and ended up being the MVP of the game.

Although Auburn has had outstanding players in the past, we must all come back to reality. Auburn has not had much success recently. The Tigers have struggled since Hal Baird retired in 2000. Auburn has had three coaches in the last decade, Steve Renfroe, Tom Slater and John Pawlowski. Auburn hasn’t made the SEC Tournament, which the top eight SEC teams make each May, since 2003. However, on the bright side, the Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament once since ’03. Auburn has been picked to finish fifth in the SEC West in all three major publications in 2010. If that prediction comes true, Auburn won’t make the tournament again. Although Mummey is still on crutches, the Tigers have been offensively productive, and with only a little time before SEC play starts, Pawlowski probably feels optimistic about his team’s chance of getting back to Hoover.

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