Tanner unsure of who to start at second base next weekend
As part of the Opening Day ceremonies, 2011 College World Series MVP Scott Wingo joined his former teammates on the mound to be honored for the 2011 national championship.
He and 2010 College World Series MVP Jackie Bradley Jr. were slated to throw the ceremonial first pitch to former catchers Robert Beary and Brady Thomas. Bradley went first, throwing his pitch from just in front of the mound.
Then Wingo, in an unconventional move, trotted to his former position of second base and threw his pitch from there. The group left the field, allowing South Carolina’s first game of the 2012 season to begin without them.
And while USC coach Ray Tanner is well aware that Wingo won’t be returning to second base, he’s still not sure who belongs in that role after starting three different players in that spot during the Gamecocks’ opening weekend sweep of Virginia Military Institute by scores of 2-1, 3-2 and 13-1, respectively.
“Second base is still up in the air for me,” Tanner said. “I guess a couple weeks ago I thought we may go in one direction or another, and after this weekend, I’m not sure what we’re going to do at second base.”
Tanner is between freshmen Connor Bright and TJ Costen, as well as junior college transfer Chase Vergason, who was the favorite at second base heading into the season. Bright started the season as a utility option, having the ability to play at shortstop, second base, or third base. Tanner described Costen as having ability, but lacking efficiency.
“I don’t think Vergason has played as well lately as he did early,” Tanner said. “He was pretty solid and sort of handled himself better than those guys did. Offensively and defensively he’s sort of a better quarterback in the middle of the infield than those guys were because he’s a little bit older. I just think it got bunched up a little bit. Those guys have some ability.”
Outside of second base, Tanner stuck with LB Dantzler at third base and Joey Pankake at shortstop, with Christian Walker holding the post at first base for the past two seasons. Tanner described Pankake as doing OK, saying that he laid back on a ball that he “probably should have got.”
“Last year, (former shortstop Peter) Mooney got off a little slow, but he had (third baseman Adrian) Morales on one side and Wingo on the other,” Tanner said. “Now we’ve got three new guys out there. Who are they going to lean on? Walker’s all the way over on first base.”
Dantzler carried a reputation in junior college that he was a hitter, but not a great defender. He attributes that to a switch from outfield to third base late in his career, but said repetition in scooping ground balls has helped him.
“He’s gotten the feel for what he needs to be doing and moving around,” Tanner said. “I didn’t have to coach him as much today as I did the first two days. He has a feel now for in-game situations.”
Though Tanner said that Dantzler has been better than he anticipated at third base, as he made a diving stop then throw to first base for the last out of Game 2, Dantzler has lived up to his hype as a hitter as he spent most of the weekend in the four hole behind Walker. In the fourth inning of Game 3, Walker’s single was followed by Dantzler’s first home run of the season for the Gamecocks.
“Me and LB always talk about — we joke about it — being one of the most feared 3-4 combos in the country,” Walker said. “Hopefully, it’s foreshadowing to the season.”
While some roles are cemented and others are still in question, when opening weekend had concluded with three victories, the time to honor the former heroes had passed.
“It’s a little bittersweet because you want to see Adrian (Morales) at third,” said senior pitcher Michael Roth after Friday’s game. But before he could continue, he turned to Dantzler, Morales’ replacement, sitting beside him, “No offense, buddy, I still love you.”