June 27, 2007 - This 'pen is mightier - By Tim O'Sullivan (The Concord Monitor)

This 'pen is mightier

By Tim O'Sullivan
The Concord Monitor

At some point this summer, Steve Cadoret will probably give up a hit. Chances are Steve Geltz will allow a run. And Ryan Miller may blow a lead. But none of that has happened yet.

"Those guys are kind of nuts, they just go out there and get it done," Concord pitching coach Eric Rollins said of the Quarry Dog bullpen in general and those three relievers in particular. "Our bullpen has pretty much been untouched."

Concord (4-6) is 2-0 when leading after five innings, 3-0 when leading after six and seven, and 4-0 when holding a lead after eight. Those numbers are primarily a result of the work turned in by Miller, Cadoret and Geltz, the closer.

Relievers in the New England Collegiate Baseball League are often desperate to get into the starting rotation, but that trio isn't trying to escape the Q-Dog 'pen.

"These guys have taken to their roles, especially with the three we've gone to a lot, and I think that's a big part of it," Concord Manager Tim Rice said. "They want that role, they embrace it and they've been successful."

"I love being a closer. I love the adrenaline rush, the intensity, the pressure," said Geltz, a sophomore at the University of Buffalo. "Don't get me wrong, I like the prestige of being a starter and I just want to
pitch, but I love closing."

Quarry Dog relievers have allowed 14 earned runs in 44 innings, good for a nice 2.84 ERA. The one pitcher who has struggled out of the 'pen is Del Howell, a talented but inexperienced lefty who made only one appearance on the mound this spring as a freshman at Alabama. Take out Howell's nine earned runs over 4Ï innings this summer, and the Q-Dog relievers have a 1.13 ERA.

The numbers get even sillier when it comes to the big three of Miller, Cadoret and Geltz. Miller, a freshman from Rider, is 1-0 in six appearances with a 1.04 ERA. He's allowed one run and four hits, holding opponents to a .143 average. Cadoret, a junior lefty from Boston College, is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and .000 batting average against in six innings of work, walking seven and striking out eight. Geltz has two saves in five appearances, hasn't allowed an earned run and has given up just one hit in six innings, a .053 batting average against. He's struck out 11 and walked six.

"Those three guys have been unreal for us," Rollins said.

Not only have the relievers embraced their roles, they're experienced in them. Miller had just two spot starts in his 17 appearances at Rider and Geltz was the closer at Buffalo. Cadoret has been nothing but a reliever at BC and made 15 relief appearances last year for the Q-Dogs, when he posted a 2.16 ERA, second best on the team.

"I think that's huge that we have that experience," Cadoret said. "There's a whole different mentality between being a starter and being a reliever. I know it took me a while to make the adjustment."

Miller has been used primarily in the middle innings, setting up Cadoret and Geltz. He's shown a strut not usually associated with middle relievers.

"He's a good kid and a quiet kid, but he doesn't lack for confidence," said Jim Carone, Miller's pitching coach at Rider and the Q-Dogs' pitching coach last summer.

Cadoret is a side-winding lefty whose delivery screams lefty specialist. But he's shown to be effective against both right-handed and left-handed hitters, and Rice has used him accordingly. If he had his way, Cadoret would be used every day.

"He told us earlier that he wanted to pitch in all 42 games. We're like, 'Man, come on,' " Rollins said. "But he really does want the ball every day, and then he goes out there and gets it done, so it's easy to hand him the ball."

"Yeah, I want to set the record for appearances," admitted Cadoret with a goofy grin befitting a lefty.

Geltz has the classic stuff of a closer - a nasty fastball (clocked as high as 94 mph) and the guts to throw it to anyone at any time.

"Early in the season we didn't know who the closer was going to be, but Geltz has just taken it," Rice said. "And our bullpen depth is so good that he can just sit and relax and wait for the ninth and then not hold anything in reserve and pitch for us two or three days in a row."

But no matter who is throwing out of the 'pen, the other Q-Dog relievers are pulling for them. That camaraderie, which can shift to friendly competition, has also contributed to the success.

"We all get along real well, so we root for each other and feed off each other," Cadoret said. "If I see one of our relievers go and strike out a couple guys then I want to do the same thing."