Leggett says Clemson primed for next year

By: JournalNow Staff | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: June 12, 2009

Two years ago, Coach Jack Leggett of Clemson knew he might not have the pieces to return to the NCAA super regional. This time, he's confident his Tigers are ready to go even further next season.

Clemson lost two straight games at Arizona State, missing out on the College World Series for a third straight season. But Leggett saw a hungry team eager for next year to start and reach the goal they failed to this spring.

"I come off this season with a much better feeling because of the young kids we've got coming back, the attitudes, how hard they're working," Leggett said yesterday. "They got off the bus, saying, ‘OK, we'll be back next year coach, we'll get to Omaha. We know what it takes.' "

That wasn't the case in 2007 after a super-regional defeat at Mississippi State. The Tigers saw 11 position players and eight signees selected in that draft. Gone were most of the core that got Clemson to the 2006 CWS and made a strong run at things a year later.

The bottom fell out in 2008, the Tigers ending their streak of 21 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

This year, the team rebounded to go 44-22, winning a regional at home before falling to the CWS-bound Sun Devils.

Leggett still expects to get hit by the draft -- he said third-rounder Ben Paulsen, the Tigers' first baseman, was likely to sign with Colorado -- but is hopeful his other players were taken low enough to give them pause before choosing to end their college careers.

Even if all the drafted players leave, Leggett's confident he's got talent, depth and a good group of newcomers ready to step in. He sees versatility in almost every area. One thing he'll look for is a return to form for designated hitter Kyle Parker, a freshman all-American who slumped in his sophomore year.

Parker hit 14 homers and over .300 in 2008. His average was way off at .255 and his home runs were down, too. Also, Parker struggled to deliver in the clutch as he had as a freshman.

It could be Parker's increased responsibilities this spring competing for the starting quarterback job with the football team along with playing baseball.

Leggett said he's happy to have a team eager to show more than it has.

"I think they tasted getting to the super regional, getting this close to Omaha," he said. "They're going to be very motivated to go a few steps farther."