Martinez, Melendres Embracing New Roles for Miami
Oct. 15, 2010
By: Rob Dunning
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Harold Martinez and Nathan Melendres have seen and experienced plenty their first two years in Coral Gables. But with the University of Miami baseball team opening fall practice Thursday at Alex Rodriguez Park, it became apparent pretty quickly a new challenge is ahead.
Both players have started from the first day they stepped foot on campus and both have shown they belong on this level. But with so many veterans off of last year’s team gone, Martinez and Melendres are being called upon to lead the `Canes in 2011.
Head coach Jim Morris knows how important it is to have leaders, and he is looking at these two juniors to embrace that role on and off the field.
“Harold got a lot better last year and he needs to get better again this year,” Morris said Thursday before practice. “He needs to be a guy that hits in the middle of the lineup, knocks a lot of runs in, improves on defense and goes high in the draft.”
It is obvious Morris expects big things from Martinez, who led the ACC with 21 homers as a sophomore in 2010. The expectation is also there for Melendres.
“[Harold] is the type of guy that is going to carry you and help you – like a Nate Melendres,” Morris said. “Nate is in that same category right now. This is a big year for him. He is a talented player that should hit two, three, somewhere in the middle of the lineup.
“It’s time for them to get it done,” Morris added.
Melendres closed out the 2010 season as one of the team’s hottest hitters, finishing the year hitting over .300 with nine homers and 14 stolen bases. On Wednesday, Melendres didn’t shy away from his new role.
“I am focused, ready to [lead] and exceed to my highest potential,” Melendres said. “Harold and I can definitely carry this team.”
Both have plenty of experience, combining for 231 starts in two seasons. Now it is time to take the next step. Guys like Yasmani Grandal, Chris Hernandez, Kyle Bellamy and Jason Hagerty have done it the last few years as Martinez and Melendres grew up. Now it’s their turn.
“Team unity is the first thing you have to work on, especially with a lot of new guys,” Melendres said. “We need to come together and understand what it means to play like a team, help each other, work with each other and compete against each other.
“We are definitely going to push them to be the best baseball players they can be this year,” Melendres added.
Twenty-four of the 35 on the fall roster are either freshmen or sophomores. The team is young, but the potential is there. And while the Hurricanes have advanced to the NCAA Tournament a record 38 straight years, it’s ultimately not enough.
“We have a great team with a lot of great players and lot of talent,” Martinez said. “Anything short of Omaha is a failure. The only expectation is to go to Omaha and win a national championship. That is our goal every year, no doubt.”
The goal is the same. The leaders have changed.
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Some other notes around the start of fall practice…
– Morris has said it time and time again and he reiterated it again on Thursday…pitching is the name of the game. Arguably the biggest storyline heading into fall practice is the potential starting rotation for the `Canes. With Chris Hernandez, David Gutierrez and Jason Santana all having moved on, Eric Whaley, Travis Miller and Steven Ewing are the most experienced starters on the staff. Of those three, Whaley’s late-season performance as a freshman last year has Morris looking to the big right-hander to start on Friday nights.
“He needs to be our ace,” Morris said. “We expect him to do it. I don’t know who two, three and four are going to be, that’s the biggest thing in fall practice. But we expect him to be our top guy.”
Behind Whaley, Miller, Ewing and a handful of freshmen will all get their chance to prove themselves this fall. E.J. Encinosa – one of UM’s top bullpen arms last year – will also get a look.
“Everybody gets a shot at this point,” Morris added.
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– As uncertain as the Hurricanes’ starting rotation may be heading into the fall, the bullpen is one of the team’s strengths starting with former Killian High teammates Daniel Miranda and Sam Robinson. Miranda – an All-ACC performer a season ago – had five wins and five saves in a team-high 34 appearances last season while Robinson (1-0, 1.27 ERA) was one of the top lefty specialists in the country in 2010.
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– While it is entirely too early to know who will be where come February, there are a few positions to pay attention to over the next few months. Morris said transfer Cade Kreuter – son of former MLB catcher Chad Kreuter – has been practicing at first base in place of departed Scott Lawson. Sophomores Michael Broad and Zeke DeVoss are spending time at second base, while junior David Villasuso is the top candidate to replace All-America catcher Yasmani Grandal.
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– The 2010 fall roster consists of only two seniors – outfielder Chris Pelaez and right-handed reliever Michael Rudman. Pelaez was one of the team’s top hitters in 2010 and is expected to be a big part of Miami’s offense again this year. Rudman is working his way back from an injury that sidelined him for the entire 2010 season. Expect him to be one of pitching coach J.D. Arteaga’s late-inning options from the right side.
