Today we will look at the outfielders for the upcoming 2011 Texan baseball season.

Outfield     
    Senior Tim Rainey will be the centerfielder for the Texans and one of the team's captains in 2011.  Rainey had been dubbed “a human eraser” by the coaches for his ability to cover a lot of ground in the outfield and make plays that are from routine.  He is respected not only by the coaches, but also his teammates, who voted him team MVP last season.  Rainey will be a steady constant for Tarleton both in the field and at the plate.
  
 Junior Andrew Wolfe will see some time at rightfield, sharing duties with Casazza.  Wolfe is a versatile player who can hold his own at all three outfield positions.  Converted from second base, Wolfe learned the outfield quickly and efficiently, starting a number of games in center his freshman year.  This season, Tarleton will benefit from his excellent range and strong arm, and will find a number of ways to use Wolfe.
    
    Leftfield for the Texans this year will be a platoon of talented young athletes.  Sophomores Heath Petty and Taylor James will be a big part of Tarleton's game plan.  Petty has the potential to be a big bat in the Texans line up and saw significant playing time last season as a freshman.  He can play all three outfield positions and with his improvements in the off-season at the plate, the Texans will find a way to get Petty in the game.  James makes up for his lack of experience with a hard-working, 110% effort mentality.  Coaches have taken note of his tendency to back up every play and patience at the plate, which will help James see more time in the field his sophomore year.
    
    Also to be noted are sophomores Chris Patton and Tim Barry, both of whom are ready to fill spots in Tarleton's outfield.  Patton is a natural centerfielder, who can defend and cover a lot of ground.  He brings a lot of energy everyday and has improved at the plate since arriving at Tarleton.  Barry will more than likely split his time between right and left-field.  He has a strong upper body, which give his bat some pop at the plate.  Coaches believe that as long as he continues to get in quality at bats, he may also get some playing time in the designated hitter role.

    The outfield this year for Tarleton will feature a mixture of veterans and youth, both with loads of talent and plenty of experience.  Speed is a major advantage for the Texans this season as the outfielders will be expected to cover a lot of ground.  This will also help at the plate and on the base paths with Tarleton looking to improve on their small-ball game in.  With high expectations and plenty of depth, the Texan outfielders will play a major role in the success of the team in 2011.


Check back tomorrow when we take a look at the catchers and designated hitters for the 2011 Texan baseball season.