Arizona says pitchers aren’t overused as College World Series approaches

In Arizona pitching coach Dave Lawn’s eyes, June might as well be October. And no, it’s not because the heat is getting to him.

Major League Baseball plays its postseason in October, and the NCAA conducts its playoffs in June.

Teams will do whatever it takes to win during the playoffs. Top pitchers throw a lot of pitches, sometimes on short rest. Position players gut their way through injuries.

Criticism be damned.

Arizona ace Nathan Bannister pitched June 3 against Sam Houston State, throwing 96 pitches in seven innings. He pitched again three days later, throwing 102 pitches in seven innings to clinch an NCAA regional. Bannister made his third postseason start in Saturday’s Super Regional-clinching win against Mississippi State, throwing 86 pitches.

Kevin Ginkel pitched three games in a row — two in relief — in the regional, throwing 24 pitches on Sunday, then 86 combined in two Monday games.

Both will be keys during the College World Series. Arizona opens the eight-team, double-elimination tournament Saturday against Miami at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.

“We can do what we do now because we don’t do it, contrary to what others are saying, throughout the year,” Lawn said. “I mean, it’s October baseball. It’s done everywhere. It’s done everywhere, but for some reason, our situation stuck out.”

Lawn was referring to criticism from ESPN baseball writer Keith Law, who, in a succession of tweets during the regional round, criticized Arizona’s handling of its pitching staff. He accused the Wildcats of “pitcher misuse” and for “abusing pitchers” all season long.

Arizona’s coaches — and the pitchers themselves — disagree. Bannister has pitched 132-2/3 innings in 20 appearances (18 starts), more than anyone on UA’s staff. Starter J.C. Cloney (94-1/3 innings in 16 starts) and starter/closer Bobby Dalbec (80 innings in 26 appearances) have thrown roughly the same number of innings as Saturday’s opponents. Miami’s Michael Mediavilla has thrown 98-1/3 innings, and Danny Garcia has thrown 93. They have started 17 games apiece.

“Anyone that says our arms are being abused, it’s not true at all,” said Dalbec, who has thrown 234 pitches in the postseason over two starts. “I’m good at bouncing back after a long day or short day and going long the next day, so it’s pretty easy on my arm; it’s conditioned really well for that. We take really good care of our arms, we have great programs, great rehab programs, so our arms feel great after.”

Arizona’s pitchers were put on a stricter sleep schedule, for example, during the regional series. After Bannister pitched the June 3 game, he tweaked his schedule to include more naps. The naps “trick the body,” Lawn said. It’s a concept UA coach Jay Johnson adopted from Scott Sarver, the former coach at Point Loma Nazarene University.

“I think it’s good,” Johnson said. “We did some unique things during the regional in terms of their sleep and rest patterns in terms of them having naps, waking up, work out, eat, go back to bed, to give them almost a simulation of another day’s rest.

“I just pay attention to everything. … (Sarver) came up with that one time, so that’s been in my back pocket for a long time but this is the first chance I’ve had to use it.”

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Winning the Mississippi State series in two games, thus preventing an “if necessary” do-or-die Game 3 on Sunday, has given the Wildcats — particularly the pitching staff — some much-needed rest.

Not that Arizona’s players feel like they need it.

Dalbec started Game 1 against Mississippi State, throwing 129 pitches in 8-2/3 innings, and said he was more than willing — and ready — to go again in relief on Saturday.

“I would’ve closed the game on Saturday night if they asked me to,” Dalbec said. “They wouldn’t let me do that, but I would have.”

Bannister took the can-do attitude a step further.

The senior insisted on starting Saturday’s game, even though Johnson and Lawn wanted him to pitch Sunday.

“That (Friday) night, he says to Jay ‘I’m pitching tomorrow, just so you know,’ and we’re like ‘OK, well we’ve got some thinking to do. … Easy tiger, pump the brakes,’” Lawn said.

Lawn pulled Bannister aside the following morning and asked him if he would benefit from another day off.

“I said, ‘You have to be honest,’” Lawn said. “And he goes, ‘I prepared this week to throw for today, so I’m throwing today.’”

Bannister allowed three earned runs in six innings in the Super Regional-clinching victory over the Bulldogs.

A week prior, Bannister similarly had no problem going Friday and then again Monday. Similar circumstances might arise should the Wildcats advance through the College World Series.

“There was no doubt I was going to throw that Monday,” Bannister said. “Coach told me Sunday night, and I was ready to go. It’s a win-or-go-home type of deal, so I wanted the ball. There’s no ‘is my arm healthy?’ It’s just let’s go win a ballgame right here, and I think that worked out.”

Inside pitch

•  Dalbec was named the Perfect Game/Rawlings pitcher of the week for his performance against Mississippi State, pitching a near complete-game shutout against the Bulldogs.
•  Johnson said there’s “no decision yet” as to who will start Arizona’s College World Series-opening game against Miami on Saturday.
•  The Hurricanes, Johnson said, are “very talented” with two top lefties in the pitching rotation and an offense that reminds Johnson of Louisiana-Lafayette “in terms of good balance of speed, power and solid hitting skills throughout.” The Hurricanes are ranked No. 3 in the nation and have a 50-12 overall record.