TCU’s Howard Responds To Challenge

HOUSTON—When Texas Christian righthander Mitchell Traver went down with a strained lat a week before the season began, it left the Horned Frogs without their most experienced pitcher and presumptive Opening Day starter. Losing its ace was a blow, to be sure, but TCU took the injury in stride and moved on with what it had available.

In its opening weekend series against Loyola Marymount, TCU went with a rotation of lefthander Rex Hill and righthanders Brian Howard and Luken Baker. Between them, they had made a total of four career starts for the Horned Frogs, all by Howard. But it didn’t matter. They won the series, with both Howard and Baker delivering scoreless starts of at least six innings.

No. 17 TCU shuffled its rotation for the Shriners Hospital for Children College Classic, moving Howard to Friday for a showdown with No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette at Minute Maid Park. The junior responded to the challenge, throwing a quality start (6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 K), as TCU won the game, 7-1.

Howard said that after TCU lost starters Tyler Alexander, Preston Morrison and Alex Young and closer Riley Ferrell from last year’s team, he knew he would have to take on a larger role. He took on a different mindset, one that he picked up from coach Jim Schlossnagle and some of the great pitchers the Horned Frogs have produced in recent years.

“The guys before me were unbelievable, which everybody knows,” Howard said. “It was just my turn, I guess I would say. It’s my turn to step up and be the guy that (Brandon Finnegan) was and be the guy that Preston was. Those shoes are impossible to fill for both those guys. I’m just trying to do my best to go out there and help these guys win games.”

While Howard is not yet at the level of Finnegan and Morrison, he has become a critical figure to TCU’s season. So far, he has lived up to the role. After two starts, he is 2-0, 0.69 with 12 strikeouts in 13 innings.

Schlossnagle said Howard’s performance has been calming for the Horned Frogs (4-1).

“It’s crucial for his confidence, but it’s even more crucial for the team’s confidence,” Schlossnagle said. “Because everybody knows how we’ve pitched the last three to four years and all of the big names that were a part of that. And so everybody’s looking to see how we’re going to handle (replacing them). So far, so good. It’s a long season, but Brian’s done great.”

Howard has grown as a pitcher since his freshman year at TCU. He threw 13 innings that season, and remembers having to throw several simulated games in the bullpen just to get work. He threw 46 innings last year, even making four midweek starts, but his development has taken another jump this season.

Pitching coach Kirk Saarloos said Howard has put more weight on his 6-foot-9 frame through his work in the weight room and improved nutritional habits. That, in turn, has allowed him to maintain his stuff deeper into outings.

“I don’t think his stuff has ever been the issue,” Saarloos said. “I think it’s him being able to maintain it. And him doing it tonight for 93 pitches, I thought some of his best innings were his last two, so that’s a good sign for us.”

Howard threw his fastball at 89-91 mph and mixed in his offspeed pitches effectively, particularly his cutter. Howard has worked with Saarloos to develop his cutter since arriving at TCU, and it was working for him Friday.

Throughout his start, the Ragin’ Cajuns made weak contact against Howard’s cutter, which he said is the goal when he throws the pitch.

“I just want it to look exactly like my fastball and have it move about five inches,” Howard said. “Not a lot of break to it. I want them to think fastball the whole time it’s in the air and then all of a sudden it misses the barrel.”

Saarloos said the effectiveness of Howard’s cutter, especially against lefthanded hitters, made for a good matchup against Louisiana-Lafayette.

“Really what it does is give us another pitch to get us deep into counts without them seeing fastballs,” Saarloos said. “In my opinion, it’s a plus pitch. It’s 86-88 mph with good late life.”

TCU has two solid arms following Howard in the rotation this weekend, with Baker throwing Saturday and Hill slated for Sunday. At some point, Traver should be ready to return to the rotation, and freshman Devon Roedahl won his collegiate debut Wednesday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The names might be new, but the Horned Frogs are assembling another solid pitching staff to go with a lineup that Schlossnagle said might be the deepest he’s ever had.

How the rotation lines up exactly will shake itself out over the course of the season, but after two starts, Howard has shown that he will be an integral part of what TCU is hoping to accomplish this season.

“He’s a hard worker and he really, really does a good job in terms of everything (that goes with) pitching, which is a big component of being a great pitcher,” Saarloos said. “You’ve got to be good in all areas and he’s taken a step forward in a lot of those areas.”

Moseley Starts Strong

Junior righthander Ryan Moseley gave Texas Tech a solid start in the first game of the day, as Texas Tech upset No. 9 Houston, 3-2. After giving up a run in the first inning, Moseley settled into the game and picked up the win. Moseley (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K) relies heavily on his sinker, which sat 91-93 mph, touching 94. Even though opposing hitters know to expect the sinker, they still often struggle to do much with the pitch.

“It’s probably pretty frustrating because you’ve got that thing coming in there and you know he’s throwing it and it’s sinking,” Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock said. “And if you don’t have the right idea of what to do with it, you’re just going to hit it (into the ground).”

Not Just A Flamethrower

The first day of the Shriners College Classic ended with Arkansas relief ace Zach Jackson mowing down Rice for three innings to close out a 5-2 victory for the Razorbacks. Jackson, a second-team Preseason All-American, struck out four batters and had allowed one hit.

Jackson came out of the bullpen sitting 94 mph and touching 96 with his fastball, and was still throwing 92-93 in his third inning of work. He also showed his devastating breaking ball and even a changeup, which registered at 89 mph on multiple radar guns. It is that full array of pitches that leads some scouts to believe he can be a starter in the minor leagues.

Jackson said it is his preference to start, but is happy to do whatever Arkansas needs him to do to win.

“If it’s something working for the team, I don’t really care,” he said. “I would like to start, but right now it’s not the best thing for us. We’ve got three quality starters right now and we’re working out some experience in the ‘pen. So once we get those guys going and if our starters keep pitching like they are, we’re going to be a deep pitching staff.”