By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.comCHINA GROVE ó Chris Cauble has a question concerning his Carson baseball team:
“How can you be young three years in a row?”
That’s what the veteran coach is facing in the third year of the school. If senior Scott Ashby isn’t ready to play because of ailing shoulders, Carson could be starting all underclassmen.
But then he makes a strong statement concerning his Cougars:
“My guys feel like they can play with anybody and that’s a big part of the battle right now.”
After stunning the local baseball world by making the playoffs in its first year of existence, Carson failed to repeat in 2008, going 10-14.
“We came in our first year and were really excited about pulling everybody together from five different schools,” said Cauble, who made the move across the county after a successful stint at West Rowan. “We felt the returning team had a chance to be a little better last year. But we hit a midseason slump and missed the playoffs by the skin of our teeth.”
If Cauble gets effective pitching, Carson has the talent elsewhere to be a playoff contender. He said his lineup 1-through 9 can hit. His infield is as good as any around.
Cauble is really excited about what he has up the middle: junior second baseman Julio Zubillaga, sophomore shortstop Gunnar Hogan and junior center fielder Zack Grkman.
Hogan and Zubillaga were expected to be one of the NPC’s top combinations last year but a preseason arm injury sidelined Zubillaga.
Grkman filled in admirably at second.
“Zubie started as a freshman, hit well and made zero errors,” Cauble said. “We were expecting him to have a great year.”
So Hogan had to step up as a freshman ó and he came through. He was all-county and All-NPC, hitting a robust .375.
“He’s one of those special players,” Cauble said. “Once Gunnar figured out he fit in, his fielding got better. He did a great job.”
So with both of them back, where does that leave Grkman?
During Palomino season last summer, Cauble tossed out the idea of Grkman moving to center field.
“With him being a defensive back in football and with the speed he has, we moved him,” Cauble said. “He did a remarkable job for not playing the outfield. So we’re real strong up the middle.”
Cauble is fitting pieces together because of injuries. Besides Ashby’s sore shoulders, Joseph Basinger and Zach Gragg are coming off knee injuries. Zubillaga is testing his arm, and Weston Snow has rotator cuff problems. Catcher Tyler Freeze was hit in the eye twice last year.
So far, everyone but Ashby is recovering nicely.
“Basinger’s hitting missiles,” Cauble said of a sophomore who came alive during the Legion season.
Basinger’s knee injury has forced a move from catcher to first base and designated hitter.
“His rehab is way ahead of schedule,” Cauble said. “He’ll take that bulldog mentality from behind the plate to first. Nothing’s going to get by him.”
Junior Patrick Bearden is coming off the jayvees to work at third base. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has worked hard in the offseason.
“He’s a lot quicker and has good feet,” Cauble said. “He possesses a lot of pop in his bat.”
Also playing in the infield are freshman Josh Martin and junior Caleb Wilson.
“It’s as good an infield as I’ve ever coached,” Cauble said. “I’d rank it up there with the ones at West that were dominant.”
Cauble listed seven potential pitchers, led by senior lefty Nich Glass. He saw limited action in 2008 but came on this past summer.
“He’s a crafty left-hander who’s gotta keep it low,” Cauble said. “I’m looking for him to be our ace.”
Jesse Park, Justin Morrison and Kyle Bridges are also lefties. Cauble called Bridges crafty. Morrison is a middle man. Park has a good changeup, slider and curve and has picked up 5-to-6 miles per hour on his fastball.
Freeze will catch and pitch. Cauble said he was the hardest thrower on the team.
Snow, a right-hander, will be worked in slowly.
“He’s one of our hardest throwers and has a real bulldog mentality on the mound,” Cauble said.
But the bright spot on the mound is Will Misenheimer, a 6-4 hurler, who threw from a submarine angle for the first time last season.
“Will came in confident,” Cauble said, praising Misenheimer’s sinking fastball and a slider. “I’m hoping he can throw the last two or three innings of every game.”
The staff will be a work in progress.
“We’ve got a lot of good arms, but they don’t have a lot of varsity experience on the mound,” Cauble said. “Their job is to keep the ball in the park so we can play defense.”
Catcher Freeze started every game as a freshman but his time was limited in 2008 due to the eye injuries. He gives Cauble a left-handed stick and will hit in the heart of the order.
“We need him to take a leadership role behind the plate,” Cauble said.
Gragg, a sophomore, is fighting for the catcher’s job. He has a strong bat.
“Whomever is not catching will play somewhere,” Cauble said.
Cauble hopes he gets Ashby back at full strength in left field. He needs his leadership and his speed but rehab from football injuries is progressing slowly.
“He’s got some power in his bat,” Cauble said. “He runs well. If he can’t throw, he’ll be in a DH role.”
Right field will be manned by senior Kenny Karriker and Snow.
“Kenny has a lot of power while Weston is more of a singles and doubles hitter,” Cauble said. “They’re pretty much neck-and neck. It will depend on who’s hitting better.”
Junior Caleb Scrackengast is also an outfielder. Senior Matt Peeler is an outfielder by trade and can catch.
Mitch Galloway is a big right-hander who could see mound time or duty at third.
Cauble likes that these Cougars have adopted the team concept. There are no “me-first” guys on this club.
“It’s a whole different atmosphere,” Cauble said with a smile. “There’s a genuine like on and off the field. The kids are hanging out together and they’re pulling for each other. Everyone has a role to accept and everyone has to do their role for us to be good.”
So far, so good, for the Cougars.
“Practice has been extremely fun this year,” Cauble said.