The RoundHouse | 2/16/2024 11:22:00 AM

 By Paul Suellentrop

Wichita State opens the coach Brian Green tenure at noon today (Friday ESPN+) at Little Rock. To this point, Green's public time has been about new players, building a roster, team-building exercises, RV clubs and reviving the atmosphere in the outfield at Eck Stadium.
 
At noon, the focus shifts to the field. Wichita State went 30-25 last season and is picked seventh in the 10-team American Athletic Conference. Little Rock is picked first in the Ohio Valley Conference after going 31-23 in 2023.
 
Three things to watch as the Shockers start the season:
 
A new weekend rotation
 
There aren't many Shocker pitchers with a more varied resume than lefty Caden Favors, who will start on the mound today. In two seasons, he owns nine starts, three straight as the "opener" in 2022, and registered several of the team's best relief appearances in 2023.
 
In 2024, he is Wichita State's top starter.

 "A set role is really going to help him," Green said. "You're going to see a guy who's a little more under control, maybe a little higher slot, and it's opened up him to be more effective to both sides of the plate. He looks really good."
 
Last season, Favors started three games, highlighted by holding Oklahoma to three hits over five scoreless innings in a 6-2 win at Eck Stadium. He enjoyed being busy last season and viewed the chance to pitch three times a week as a sign the Shockers were succeeding.
 
Moving to a starting job means a routine, and he enjoys that, as well. He appreciates the coaching staff's flexibility with workouts, all in the name of prepping him for his start.
 
"It's always nice to know what you're doing," Favors said. "I have a schedule every day. I wake up and I know what I'm doing."
 
Junior college transfer Daniel Zang will start Saturday, followed by freshman Tommy LaPour.
 
"(LaPour) competes his tail off day in and day out," catcher Mauricio Millan said. "For him, I think it's more the mental side of the game, just being so young. It's time to slow the game down. Control his breaths. Control his tempo."
 
Don't get comfortable
 
Not surprisingly, the Shockers will experiment with lineups early in the season. One of the early areas of emphasis is a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
"We're trying to be as creative as we can to lengthen our team," Green said. "The way the offense looks right now, I think, come second half of the year we might have an offense that can do some things."
 
Jordan Rogers will start at second base in the opener. Green said Millan, who caught 54 of the 55 games last season, may also play at second because catcher Alex Birge is hitting so well. Will Stark is another option at second, which could move Rogers to left field.

 
Green's challenge is to manage who's hitting without hurting the defense. He's got several candidates at first base and DH and will work matchups and hot streaks to get the most out of the lineup.
 
The left side of the infield will likely feature freshmen Darnell Parker Jr. and Kam Durnin at shortstop with freshman Camden Johnson one of the candidates at third. Newcomers Ryan Callahan, Derek Williams and Josh Livingston are among the Shockers who will likely fill first and DH, depending on circumstances.
 
"(Callahan) was our best fall hitter," Green said. "He controls the zone really well. He's an on-base guy."
 
Returner Seth Stroh is likely to play right field with senior transfer Dayvin Johnson in center. Sophomore Jaden Gustafson started 13 games last season in the outfield and starts the opener in left.
 
"Stroh had a great fall," Green said. "He hit close to .400 and he's got real power."
 
All together now
 
The coaching staff, faced with a significant makeover of the roster, invested a lot in team building.
 
Green brought in speakers ranging from a Green Beret to former Shocker pitcher and coach Mike Pelfrey. They went to lunch at former coach Gene Stephenson's home and had two leadership sessions with Team Elite Performance. The Shockers volunteered at the Kansas Food Bank and with Special Olympics.
 
The fall started with a week of team exercises away from the field.
 
Veterans such as Stroh, Rogers and Millan, Green said, took prominent roles in building chemistry and relationships.
 
"The locker room vibe is so important," Green said. "We're into 'This is more than just ourselves.' This is about a program and trying to build it."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.