Lentz Returns for Baseball

Last season, then-freshman Schuyler Mann emerged as Harvard’s No. 1 catcher and soon-to-be star.

Then Mann met The Man.

Senior Brian Lentz, the Crimson’s 2000 All-Ivy backstop, returned to Harvard this fall after missing all of the 2002 season, leaving Harvard with arguably the two best catchers in the conference.

Harvard coach Joe Walsh, who calls the duo “the strength of the team,” couldn’t be happier.

“I think we have the best backstop tandem in the country,” Walsh said. “Not only are those guys both quality receivers, but they both hit, and they are both tough.”

Mann established himself as one of the Crimson’s top hitters last season, batting .287 with three home runs and 21 RBI. Among returnees, only junior first baseman Trey Hendricks—last season’s All-Ivy designated hitter—had a more productive offensive season in 2002.

But Lentz’s resume may be even more impressive. In his breakout sophomore season of 2000, Lentz hit .283 and clinched the All-Ivy spot with his defense. He showcased one of the region’s best arms, nailing 19 of 55 would-be base stealers.

Lentz immediately made his presence felt when he returned, especially among some of the younger pitchers.

“Lentz takes control when you are pitching,” sophomore pitcher Rob Wheeler said. “He calls the game. He lays it out there and says, ‘Don’t shake me off, because I know what to call.’”

With no clear No. 1, Walsh plans on platooning the duo behind the plate. However, Walsh assures that both Mann and Lentz will get as many at-bats as possible.

“Both bats are going to be in the lineup,” Walsh said. “They’re both good enough athletes to play other positions, especially Lentz. He could have played three sports here.”

Lentz worked in the outfield sparingly during fall practices, and Mann started a game at first base last season. Both players could see time in the designated hitter spot as well.

Everyone’s Pitching In

When Harvard opens its season with six games in three days this weekend, it’ll need a lot of pitchers. That won’t be a problem.

Of the 29 players on the Crimson’s roster, 19 are listed as pitchers.

“We’ve got enough arms that I feel good about [playing so many games in a short time period],” Walsh said. “When we go four games on the weekend and go during the week, we have to have a lot of starting pitchers.”

This is possible because Harvard has seven players that both pitch and field another position, including four of the 12 freshmen.

Though it will help this weekend—and especially when the Crimson plays 10 games in 10 days over Spring Break—having so many pitchers can make practice a bit of a pain. Walsh began a practice last week by warning all pitchers coming off of bullpen outings to take it easy during infield drills.

But the players that really feel the weight of the pitching staff are the catchers.

With the off-season transfer of junior Mickey Kropf to Vanderbilt, Mann and Lentz are the only two catchers on Harvard’s roster. So on Sundays, when the majority of the 19 pitchers throw live, each member of the tandem can spend up to four or five hours squatting.

Around the Horn

Only two days prior to their first game, the Crimson batters still haven’t hit outside. Though O’Donnell Field did host some pop-up drills last Tuesday, the team will likely depart for Bradenton, Fla., tomorrow without having had live batting practice since the fall….Harvard opened the 2002 season a dismal 3-12 record, including an opening weekend sweep at the hands of national-power Rice. The Crimson will have a good chance at a better start this year, facing weaker squads including Valparaiso, Duquesne and Indiana Purdue–Ft. Wayne this weekend to open its season.

—Staff writer Lande A. Spottswood can be reached at spottsw@fas.harvard.edu.