2010 BASEBALL PREVIEW: OUTFIELD
By Chris Kowalczyk
2-17-10

This week, VCUAthletics.com is previewing the 2010 Rams’ Baseball team. In today’s final installment, we take a look at the VCU outfield. The Rams open up the 2010 on Friday, Feb. 19 when they begin a three-game set with Charleston Southern in Charleston, S.C.

OUTFIELD (2009 Statistics in parenthesis)
There’s plenty got get excited about with this year’s VCU outfield. The Rams have an interesting blend of speed, power, defensive prowess, experience and youth.

In center, senior Andrew Dimino (.323 BA, 40 R, 25 SB) (pictured, left) will likely get the starting nod. Dimino is a speedy lefty who can generate runs at the top of the lineup. In 2009, he led the CAA in steals and will be asked to run as much, if not more this season. Given the spacious alleys of The Diamond, Dimino will be critical to the Rams small-ball approach at home.

Left-handed hitting senior Matt Leskiw (.343 BA, .440 OBP, 13 SB) (pictured, right) returns to man left field in 2010. Leskiw gives the Rams an outstanding lefty bat, as well as another burner on the base paths. The 5-9, 175-pound Leskiw also showed improved power in the fall.

Junior College All-American John Lenherr is expected to start in right field for the Rams. Lenherr, who bats and throws left-handed, hit .439 with 18 doubles, five homers and 45 RBI for Johnson County Community College last season. In two years at JCCC, Lenherr hit .432 with a school-record 166 hits. VCU Head Coach Paul Keyes expects to use Lenherr in the No. 3 or No. 5 hole in the lineup. Lenherr is athletic enough to play all three outfield positions, but will settle into right field because of his outstanding arm.

“Two things you’ve got to have are guys who can cover ground and steal some bases,” Keyes said. “Also, we’ve got so many small fields in our league that they’ve got to have enough power that when you get on the road in a small yard that you’ve got to hit some home runs.”

With Lenherr, Leskiw and Dimino, the Rams possess three quality left-handed bats. However, how those players respond to left-handed pitching will be critical. If necessary, Keyes can platoon with the talented right-hand bat of sophomore Josh Alford (.281 BA, 11 RBI) or junior Greg Fujii, who could split time between the infield and outfield. Fujii hit .377 with four home runs and 28 RBI last season at San Jose City College.

 Freshman Nick Kime, who Keyes calls, “probably our best pure hitter”, and senior lefty M.L. Morgan (.327 BA, 5 SB) will also compete for innings in the outfield. Morgan is a speedy veteran who gives the Rams another left-handed option.

All in all, Keyes likes what he’s seen in the fall and offseason workouts from this group.

“The outfield, I really feel pretty good about,” Keyes, entering his 16th season at VCU, said. “It’s an experienced group. The addition of John Lenherr solidifies right field for us. We’ve got Dimino back. Leskiw’s back.

“It’s a good group, one that can run and steal some bases with. I thought one thing we did last year was that we weren’t really solid enough in the outfield. Part of that was the pitching staff was not good enough. If the fall is any indication we’ll be a lot better.”