One of the rites of spring is the high expectations placed on the Rice program.
Graham & Co. enter 2017 with expectations of going to College World Series
Wayne Graham sits in a chair along the first-base line, surveying a Wednesday practice ahead of his 26th season as Rice’s baseball coach.
Ball, glove and bat are really the only sounds. It’s a serene scene, and one that never gets old for the soon-to-be 81-yearold.
“If it did, it’s time to quit,” said Graham, who suggested last year he’d be intrigued by coaching until he’s 90.
Just like the high expectations that rest above Rice, Graham seems to be going nowhere.
He’s seeking an overdue return to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., a goal that has eluded the Conference USA preseason favorite Owls since 2008.
It’s nothing new for Rice. Actually, the only thing new was not winning either a conference regular-season or tournament title for a 21st consecutive year in 2016.
Early tests for rotation
The curveball ahead of a marquee fourgame series at Texas is the early dent injuries created in the pitching rotation. Junior righthanders Willy Amador (broken nose) and Glenn Otto (shoulder) are not at full strength.
Otto’s throwing was limited this spring, and Rice is expected to take its time in bringing him back fully, meaning his role in the Texas series is uncertain. He’s CUSA’s preseason pitcher of the year and one of the country’s best relievers.
Amador, who took a line drive to the face, is expected to be a key cog on this staff, especially after the lasting impression his 62⁄3-inning outing against LSU left in last year’s regional. The timetable for his return is unknown for now.
Dane Myers starts on the mound Friday, while Ricardo Salinas gets the start in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
“I don’t think it worries us at all,” said Myers, who pitched six shutout innings against Cuban League team Artemisa in Rice’s preseason trip to Cuba earmarked by Fidel Castro’s death. “I’m confident in the freshmen and the rest of the guys in the pen. We should have a good staff.”
Salinas referred to the depth, too, noting freshmen will have an impact.
“You usually don’t see that a lot with a lot of big programs, but this year is going to be a lot different,” Salinas said. “That’s definitely going to be one of our strengths. We’re going to have a lot of depth this year.”
Rice expects the hitting to match the stout pitching.
The Owls’ .273 batting average ranked eighth in C-USA in 2016. Graham believes that only scratched the surface of the kind of hitting the team could produce this year.
That belief is bolstered by sophomore shortstop Ford Proctor, who was tabbed as the C-USA preseason player of the year.
Proctor hopes his bat helps Graham put another deep postseason run under his belt.
“Hopefully, we can take him back to Omaha again this year because he’s taken this program there seven times,” Proctor said.
Schedule challenging from start
Rice will navigate a land mine of a schedule in hopes of that trip to Omaha. Ranked or unranked, Texas is Texas, and a familiar face is in the opposing dugout with new coach David Pierce.
Pierce was a Rice assistant from 200311. Graham joked how scary it is that Pierce knows Rice all too well.
Tuesday’s home opener against alwayssolid Dallas Baptist looms. Southeastern Louisiana, which was in the Baton Rouge (La.) regional with Rice last year, is on tap, as is a trip to preseason No. 1 TCU.
Stanford is around the corner from that. So is the Silver Glove Series with Houston.
Later, the Owls will face a daunting run through C-USA, which produced four other NCAA Tournament teams last year.
“There’s no chance of getting bored with who we play,” Graham said.