In case you missed it, here is a quick rundown of every role Terrapin baseball player Adam Kolarek played in the team’s opening series sweep at the hands of FIU.
In his first ever collegiate series as a position player, Kolarek hit fifth in all three games, finishing 2-for-11 with three strikeouts. In his first ever series fielding a position that isn’t raised 6′6” inches off the ground, Kolarek played 18 innings at first base and four innings in left field, recording 14 putouts and no errors.
And, in his third season as a versatile pitcher for the Terps, Kolarek threw three scoreless innings with three strikeouts and no walks on Sunday to keep the Terps close during the middle innings.
That’s downright exhausting.
Last season, Kolarek was one of the team’s most reliable and durable pitchers. Pitching predominantly out of the bullpen, Kolarek finished with two wins and a 4.68 ERA. But his real value was his ability to pitch effectively in any role. Former pitching coach Jim Farr often used Kolarek for three or four innings of relief, especially when the Terps were still in games.
Kolarek played in the competitive Coastal Plain League in South Carolina during the summer, and built up a good deal of excitement with 54 strikeouts in just 31.1 innings.
The new coaching staff knew all about Kolarek’s hot summer when they first settled in, and new pitching coach Sean Kenny had plans to use him primarily as a pitcher.
But Kolarek, who hit .397 his senior year of high school, had always been a decent hitter and good athlete. So when he picked up the bat and starting playing in the intrasquad scrimmages, it became clear his versatility was going to be put to the test.
“I think we all thought going in that he was going to be strictly a pitcher but nobody has seemed to have been able to get him out,” Kenny said. “He has been swinging the bat as well as anyone we have quite honestly, I think now his role will be split.”
Head coach Erik Bakich added that Kolarek adds a nice left-handed power option.
“He is swinging a hot bat and he has definitely got some pop in his bat,” Bakich said. “And he has got the ability to pitch on weekends whether as a starter or a couple times in relief and also in midweek games. The bottom line is he is gonna get a ton of innings on the mound and a ton of at-bats.”
Lets break it down: At some point this season, Kolarek will start on the weekends, start midweek games, and come out of the bullpen. Did I mention he will also be expected to play either first base or the outfield in the majority of the team’s games and hit in the middle of the lineup?
Sounds draining.
“I am not too worried about,” Kolarek said. “I did it in high school and during the summer and in the Fall, so I am used to the toll. But with all the strength training we go through in the Winter and the Fall that got us prepared for anything. So I think I am ready, it might take some getting used to but I like it. I like to hit.”
Kolarek isn’t the only primary pitcher who will get his chance at the dish.
Bakich added that with limited options becaue of roster limitations and injuries, both closer Dan Gentzler and right-handed set-up man Ian Schwalenberg will be two-way players this season. In two games against FIU, Gentzler played both first and third and went 1-3 with two walks and one strikeout
But Gentzler probably won’t pitch more than 50 innings this season. Kolarek threw exactly 50 last season and will undoubtedly throw more this season. It’s his ability to fill multiples roles both in the field and on the mound that make Kolarek possibly the most important player on the team.
While Kolarek is still relatively new staring down opposing pitchers from the batter’s box, on the mound he will be a veteran jack-of-all trades. Kenny said Kolarek is “still a pitcher, that’s his strength, that’s where his future is.”
Last season his pitching coach would often lament his struggles to finish batters off. Farr said he thought Kolarek would be even more effective if he could mix his 86-88 fastball with an effective breaking pitch. But Kolarek credits his summer success to his growth off the field.
“I think it’s a maturity factor for me,” Kolarek said. “Everyone has to transition from high school to college. Its not always something that’s easy to put your finger on. It’s less that my ability has improved greatly, it’s more about the mental side of baseball you pick up as you grow.”
Michael Lemaire is the Terrapin baseball beat writer for the 2010-2011 season. He can be reached at lemaire@umdbk.com.