Hurricanes baseball team enters ACC tournament in unfamiliar territory
The silence said it all.
Walking straight to the counter without having to wait in line for one of the Hurricanes’ famed milkshakes was another indicator.
Miami’s baseball team on Saturday concluded the regular season with a losing record for the first time in 67 years, but it’s worse than that in many ways.
Miami’s crowd, traditionally loud with its “rag arm” and other chants, was quiet on Saturday, and there were scores of empty seats as Pittsburgh beat the Hurricanes, 10-7.
Part of the fan reaction may be that Miami (25-29, 11-19) has already clinched one of 12 spots in the ACC tournament. (Only two teams are eliminated in the regular season.)
But part of the silence can also be attributed to this difficult season under J.D. Arteaga, a first-year head coach.
Arteaga, owner of perhaps the firmest handshake in South Florida sports, is not running from the disappointment.
“It’s been very painful, but it’s going to get better,” said Arteaga, who has spent most of his adult life with the Hurricanes, first as a star pitcher and for the past 22 years as part of the coaching staff.
“We’re going to have deeper rosters in the future. We had a young pitching staff. Somebody told me we started the year with only four pitchers with more than five Division I innings.
“That’s where the inconsistencies come in. You’re going to take your lumps. Most freshmen learn the hard way.”
Miami needs a minor miracle — like winning the ACC tournament this week — to reach an NCAA regional. They need to win four games in a row, something this squad has not done all season.
The Hurricanes have won four national titles, but they have won a conference postseason championship just once, taking the ACC crown in 2008.
Miami, seeded 11th out of 12 teams, will compete with Clemson (40-13, 20-10) and Louisville (32-22, 16-13) in Pool B in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Canes play Louisville on Tuesday and Clemson on Thursday..
Miami lost two of three games to Clemson this season, although one of those defeats was by one run. Miami also lost two of three to Louisville, with one of those defeats by one run in extra innings.
So you say there’s a chance …
“The only way to win four in a row is by winning one at a time,” Canes utility infielder JD Urso said. “We’re going to play every game like it’s an elimination game.
“Hopefully we collect some wins, and, before you know it, we’re in a position to move on.”
Despite that optimism, the Hurricanes have been diminished this year by key injuries to left fielder Blake Cyr (broken thumb) and first baseman Jason Torres (elbow).
Torres hit .331 in 39 games, belting seven doubles and eight homers. He drove in 32 runs and had a .914 OPS.
Cyr had a .933 OPS in 25 games, hitting .284 with seven homers. He was Miami’s most established batter, having hit .305 with 17 homers, 63 RBIs and a 1.047 OPS in 60 games last year.
“Injuries always happen,” said Arteaga, who did not bring up the issue and only responded when asked. “Yes, those are key guys, but injuries are always part of a season.
“The depth wasn’t there to pick up the slack. But we don’t have Triple A, and we can’t make trades.”
At the ACC tournament, Miami’s offense will look to third baseman Daniel Cuvet, who on Saturday was named team MVP and also Rookie of the Year.
Cuvet, a 6-3, 235-pounder from Fort Lauderdale, leads Miami in batting average (.344), homers (21), RBI (65), on-base (.427) and slugging percentage (.706).
Among freshmen nationally, Cuvet ranks first in RBI and second in homers and slugging. He is also two shy of tying Pat Burrell’s 1996 Miami record for most homers in a season by a freshman.
Miami has two other .300 hitters — second baseman Dorian Gonzalez Jr. and center fielder Jacoby Long, who both had career years.
Gonzalez, given the fan-favorite award, is hitting .310 with a team-high 16 doubles, eight homers, 47 RBIs and an .870 OPS.
Long is hitting .302 with 11 doubles, one triple, four homers, 34 runs, a team-high nine steals (11 attempts) and an .828 OPS.
Gage Ziehl (4-3, 3.93 ERA) has been Miami’s best pitcher, but the Hurricanes will need stellar performances from fellow starters Rafe Schlesinger (4-5, 5.92 ERA) and Herick Hernandez (3-7, 6.47 ERA) if they are to have a shot in Charlotte.
“You have to have a deep staff or your starters have to go deep into games,” Arteaga said when asked what needs to happen to win the ACC Tournament. “Gage has done a great job (at going deep), and the other two guys have done it, especially earlier in the season. They have to get back to that form and be more efficient.”
Despite all the obstacles this year, Arteaga said he has seen “no quit” in his players.
“It’s been a tough year,” Arteaga said. “I’ve always said I was a (Canes) fan before I was a player or a coach. As unhappy as I’m sure a lot of fans are, I am as well as a fan of this university and how much it means to me.
“I do not like my name (next to a losing record). We have to get better, and we will get better.”
To start, let’s see if the quiet Canes can make some noise in Charlotte.
