New Mexico Lobos Doing Some Big-RPI Hunting

Longtime New Mexico coach Ray Birmingham knows all about the Lobos’ losing records in nonconference play and on the road. Typical of the easy-going New Mexico native, he’s not bothered by it.

“Buddy Gouldsmith is one of our assistants, and he pointed out that we’ve have a losing record every year on the road since 2012, and every year (since Birmingham took over in 2008) we’ve been in the regionals or in the conversation up until the end,” he said.

“(And) look at strength of schedule. Our strength of schedule has been anywhere from first to 10th in the national comparisons . . . we go out to look for RPI. We don’t worry about record. Oklahoma State, (Cal State) Fullerton, (Dallas Baptist), (we’ve played) all really good teams at their place.

“We hunt for RPI.”

Birmingham also successfully hunted for upgrades to his baseball facility, which he says has helped recruiting, specifically bringing in pitching.

“When I first got here, we weren’t going to get the type of pitchers we need. With the facilities situation and this and that, we weren’t going to attract a lot of good arms,” he said.

“When I first got here, we didn’t have a bathroom. Alex Bregman was committed to be a Lobo, back when the facilities were nothing. Then he played with Team USA (2011 18U team) and he took off and saw LSU’s facilities, and bang (he committed to Louisiana State).

“So we cleaned up our facilities and now our locker rooms rival any big league team. Now we have the best facilities, as good as Texas Tech, and now we’re trying to build out to match a Big 12 team, an SEC team.”

If the plan was to bring in better pitching, it has worked, Birmingham says.

“That’s our strength right now,” Birmingham said, although the Lobos rank 10th nationally in scoring and have three games this season in which they scored at least 22 runs. “Pitch our way to Omaha. We’re in an offensive area, more offensive than the West Coast or East Coast. . . . But we’ve spent our money (to recruit) pitching, and we’re trying to develop bats. That’s been the template.”

The starting pitching is led by junior righthander Tyler Stevens (4-3, 3.40 57 strikeouts in 53 innings) and two-way junior lefthander Luis Gonzalez (3-2, 3.86), who recently outdueled Fresno State lefthander Ricky Tyler Thomas, the No. 59 prospect in the Top 100 Draft Prospects.

But the biggest upgrade has been the bullpen, which includes freshmen righthanders Justin Slaten and Cody Dye, and sophomore closer Christian Tripp, brother of Texas Tech transfer Jonathan Tripp.

“It’s not a surprise for me, but it’s been big for us,” Birmingham said when asked whether his young bullpen’s success was a surprising development.

Birmingham noted that New Mexico led Texas Tech 3-0 in the Lubbock Regional last June before blowing the lead in the eighth inning.

“We’re up 3-0 on Tech at their place, and I think we got ’em . . . Their strength is when that bullpen door open their pitching gets better, and I saw that in the regional. You can’t say that about a lot of teams.

“We’ve never had it . . . until this year.”

The Lobos still boast a strong offense, led by Gonzalez (.368/.500/.584), reigning conference player of the year Carl Stajduhar (.326/.391/.536) and senior Jack Zoellner (.354/.435/.646 with team-best eight homers).

An evaluator who saw Gonzalez this season says his most likely role going forward is as a position player, but that he has hit 92 mph on the mound and embraced pitching.

A coach whose team faced New Mexico this season said he always prepares for the offense first.

“They could always rake . . . always had one dude who could rake, or more than one. But it’s a team that plays a little more defense than I thought they would, and they pitch better than I thought they would. And for me, they have one of the best closers. They don’t back off, they didn’t walk guys.”

As for the 8-10 nonconference record, the opposing coach said it wasn’t surprising.

“They know their conference really well. You know tendencies. When you play nonconference, you don’t really know what you’re going to get.

“Lubbock, Stillwater, Fullerton—that’s a trip you don’t make often, and then they went out and pounded some people.”

Although the Lobos are just 18-12, the opposing coach had high praise for them and their coach.

“Ray has some old-school ways and some old-school players. They kind of remind me of Texas Tech the past couple of years.”