FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said the Razorbacks had considered making the change to their weekend pitching rotation for a couple of weeks.
Auburn’s series win against Arkansas, which included Sunday’s 13-2 victory, made it a reality.
Van Horn said Monday he is pulling junior Brett Eibner from the starting rotation and replacing him with freshman DJ Baxendale for this weekend’s series at Ole Miss. It’s one of several changes Van Horn announced Monday, which includes moving junior Jordan Pratt into the closer’s role and making senior Mike Bolsinger the first reliever out of the bullpen.
The decision to pull Eibner, a two-way player who has divided time between pitching and center field all season, is the biggest. It comes Arkansas’ recent slump and Van Horn thinks the move will help Eibner on offense while improving its pitching and defense.
“He can get his mind more on hitting and playing defense and then we’ll have an option to bring him out of the pen,” Van Horn said. “And just say, ‘Hey, maybe one time through the lineup just go get them.’”
Eibner - who leads the SEC in home runs (16) and is tied for third in RBIs (55) - has compiled a 3-4 record in 11 starts. He is the only Arkansas pitcher who has been in the weekend rotation all season, but has struggled in his last two outings.
He gave up three runs in 3 1/3 innings against Auburn on Sunday, running into problems the second time through the Tigers’ potent lineup. Van Horn said it’s a pattern that Eibner has been following lately.
“Almost every outing he’s had three to four quality innings,” Van Horn said. “It seems like the second time through he just starts missing spots and they’ve seen him a little bit too much. I think that has to do with notbeing a full-time pitcher. ... One time through is maybe all he’s conditioned for.”
The move will give Arkansas much more continuity on defense throughout the weekend. The Razorbacks have kept Eibner’s bat in the lineup, but were making wholesale changes on defense to accomplish it.
Collin Kuhn moved from right field to center field Sunday, while Zack Cox went from third base to second base. Bo Bigham, Arkansas’ starting second baseman, played right field. Andy Wilkins moved to third base, while Monk Kreder started in Wilkins’spot at first.
“We were juggling three to four positions to keep his bat in there and to keep everybody in the lineup,” Van Horn said. “It worked for a few weekends, but I think Sunday, the combination of not being able to make a few plays and then Brett not having a real good outing ... We just feel like maybe defensively it’s going to help us.”
Pratt (2-0, 3.71 ERA) will move into the closer’s role after making an impression on Van Horn. He said the junior has done a good job of “coming in and giving you everything he’s got for a couple of innings.”That included a two-inning stint to help Arkansas beat Missouri State 5-4 last Wednesday.
Bolsinger, who allowed six runs in an inning of work Sunday, will move up in the bullpen. The former Friday night starter struggled in the closer role, but Van Horn said he will remain a key arm.
“He’ll probably be the first guy we start bringing in instead of waiting until the seventh or eighth or we’re down three or four runs,” Van Horn said. “Maybe he’s the guy we bring in in the fifth.”
The changes mean stafface Drew Smyly (7-0, 2.19) will be joined by two freshmen in the rotation.
Baxendale (0-0, 3.79) will start Saturday, while lefthander Randall Fant (3-1, 3.38) will be on the mound Sunday. Baxendale, who started the series finale against Georgia because of Fant’s suspension, will make his third start after spending the first half of the season as Arkansas’ closer.
“We just want to put some guys out there that will get after it,” Van Horn said. “He’s a great competitor. He wants the ball. It will be a big test for him in that environment this weekend.”
Sports, Pages 16 on 05/05/2010