The weather has turned a bit and Opening week is here.  Liberty Baseball has been ready to turn the page for quite a while on what proved to be one of the more disappointing seasons in 2023 in the programs history.  Very little went right in 2023 other than the development of a young core that the Flames could build around along with a handful of veterans.  The offseason also saw quite a few changes including the departure of both assistant coaches in Tyler Cannon and Matt Williams.  However,  as usual the Flames reloaded with Tyler Robinson from Campbell and former Flames SS Matt Williams who had spent the last several years as a scout following a successful MILB career with the St. Louis Cardinals.  Head Coach Scott Jackson moved quickly to get his top target in each situation.  Robinson's name has really exploded onto the seen with the development of power arms like Cade Kuehler and Thomas Harrington among others.  Williams had been a slick fielding SS that Coach Jackson was involved in recruiting during his first one year tenure under then head coach Jim Toman.  Also, the Flames will step into CUSA for their first season where they've been picked 2nd in the pre-season poll behind power house Dallas Baptist and just in from of Louisiana Tech.  CUSA is going to challenge the Flames and also provide 2 big time power house mid major series late in the year that the Flames haven't had since Coastal departed the Big South.   DBU and La Tech have both hosted regionals within the last 2 years.  The league also touts some strength in the middle of the projections between SHSU, MTSU, WKU & KSU in the future.  

The Flames also re-loaded the roster and got completely healthy at several spots.  Promising lefty starters Garrett Horn and Nick Moran both appear to be fully healthy and likely to slot in in the Friday and Sunday roles.  Cole Hertzler looks poised to be the Saturday starter for the Flames that will also break up the 2 lefties in the rotation.  Hertzler was another one of the bright spots in 2023 as he emerged as 1 of the more reliable arms out of the bullpen.  As of now it looks like newcomer RHP Bryce Dolby will get the nod in the midweek.  He was a highly sought after pitcher that signed with Ole Miss the prior year but did not enroll.  He has excellent pure stuff that will sit in the low to mid 90's and has another huge frame at 6'5 215 pounds.  The midweek starter is always a key role for the Flames with the challenging mid-week schedule that the Flames will play to keep that RPI up.  When the Flames have been at their best they've had a reliable mid-week starter.  We even saw Jim Toman start the Flames ace in some of those huge mid-week ACC matchups back in the day.  

In the bullpen there are a number of new additions that could make impacts including Spencer Williams as a matchup lefty and Ben Roberts who is a hard throwing 3/4 RHP that has hit as high as 97.  True Freshman and local LCA & Gretna product Ben Blair has lit up the radar gun this Spring as well hitting as high as 96 while sitting 92 to 93.  He's a starter down the road but this year should factor into the bullpen.  Then there is a handful of other incoming guys like Brandon Dahlman, Garrett Mclaughlin & Cale Bolton that have transferred in that will look to contribute.  Maddex Labuda, Ty Goodson, Terry Kaler & Josh Swink are incoming freshman that will battle for a role as well.  At the backend Trey Carter, Graham Edwards & Trey Cooper are locked into key roles giving the Flames 3 power arms for the later innings.  I expect Cooper to take a big step forward this year and give the Flames a power lefty out of the pen in the late innings.  Talor Grubbs is back as well and will have a chance to contribute. Ryan Butler is likely to be the long man which is a key role as well.  He's been in the program for 3 years now and has taken steady steps forward and provides a different look that can also provide length should a starter be knocked out.  Dylan Mathieson and David Marshall are 2 more arms that will look to try to make an impact in their sophomore years.  As previously noted, the bullpen will change throughout the season and you can almost guarantee 1 or 2 guys will come out of nowhere to be key contributors.  Lots of depth, different looks and velo in the pen.  

Talented freshman Tanner Marsh will get the nod at short and will have a chance to be another 3 or 4 year started as the program has been blessed to see 3 of those guys in the past 15 years including Cam Locklear, Dalton Britt & Matt Williams.  He's a wiry toolsy RH hitting SS that can run and has shown some pop.  Proven veteran stalwarts Noah Rabon & Aidan Sweat will lock down LF and 2B where they will provide excellent defense, .300 plus BA, and both can run.  JUCO transfer Easton Amundsen appears to have the inside track to start the season at 1B.  Another physical presence that demonstrated good power with 10 HR's and 52 RBI's to go along with 8 2B's and 2 3B's in 169 AB's while hitting .314.  He also showed some real raw power in Summer Ball with the wood bat.  True Freshman Mac Dye is likely to find a lot of time early behind the plate as the Flames nurse Hillier's arm and Horton's hand back to health.  Once all are healthy the Flames have 3 reliable catching options.  Cam Foster is back at 3B after a really solid sophomore campaign that saw him take a step forward followed by a steady showing up on the Cape with the Bourne Braves.  Kane Kepley and Cam Troyer are back in CF and RF respectively and look to take steps forward.  Both look more physical and seem to be driving the ball more than last year.  Brayden Horton is also back after a great freshman season that saw him becomes perhaps the Flames best pure hitter for much of the season.  He will factor in at Catcher, 1B, DH & perhaps even LF once he's fully healthy from a broken hand.  The Flames have penciled in the ECU series for his return but it looks like he may be a bit ahead of schedule.  Liberty has some depth with John Simmons, Nathan Keeter, Joe Waters, Brian Mclellin & Todd Hudson.  Hudson gives the Flames a power LH bat should they want to spot start him against some righties and he will likely factor into the bullpen equation as well.  Mclellin will provide depth at SS, 3B and 1B as the former Cal signee has been a bit hobbled during the Spring as well. 

Expected Strengths

-I think the OF defense is going to be incredible this year.  Kepley, Troyer and Rabon are going to be as good of an outfield defensively as we've seen at Liberty collectively.  I also think they are going to swing the bat and steal 30 to 40 bags between the group.  Sweat is going to be rock solid at 2B as well which is a place the Flames have had trouble the last couple years defensively.  

-I think the lineup has the chance to be as good as we've seen in a number of years.  I don't think it will necessarily slug homers to beat teams but there is a chance that happens if Amundsen  proves to be a double digit threat to go along with Cam.  Over half of the lineup is going to be able to run and put pressure on the opposition as well.  This lineup could have the most base stealers of any in recent memory.  

-The back end up of the pen should be a strength with Carter, Edwards & Cooper there plus anyone else that steps up.  

-I've heard repeatedly from multiple players that the team is as tight knit as any group in recent memory.  That alone won't be the factor in a successful season or not but it certainly helps the odds.  

Questions:

-Starting Pitching looks like a question mark to many but I actually think it could turn out to be a strength.  My one concern is length.  Can the Flames get 6 or 7 innings out of this collective group of starters consistently?  That will be the key to keeping the bullpen fresh.  The power arms like Horn, Hertlzer & Dolby will have to find ways to get hitters out early in the count to make it late into the game.  

-Do the Flames have enough power?  You don't have to have power to win but it's been difficult to beat heavy hitting clubs likes Wake Forest, UVA, VT & FGCU the last couple years.  

-The middle relief is perhaps the biggest question mark of the team.  There a loads of talent there but very few proven commodities.  That's the norm around the country this time of year.  There just isn't enough proven pitching to go around and every program will have to develop their own guys.  Good news is that there are quite a few talented arms in the mix.  Who will step up?

-Can Spencer Williams or Josh Swink become the matchup lefty to come in and retire the opposition's best LH hitter late in the game?  Trey Cooper could also be in play here but I see him going against both RH and LH hitters and getting 3 to 6 outs.  Every programs needs that lefty that can come in and get the key out.