If UF's strength this season is going to be speed, the outfield may be the first place people look.
The trio of Avery Barnes, Matt den Dekker and Jonathan Pigott combined for 13 of the team's 25 stolen bases last season among returning players. With new coach Kevin O'Sullivan, expect the team's total to increase and those three to take on the brunt of the larger load.
"We definitely have a quick outfield," Barnes said. "With that, we're going to do our best to try to make plays for our pitchers in the outfield."
Barnes, a junior left fielder coming off an Academic All-Southeastern Conference year, will bat leadoff this season. The Gators will rely on Barnes' speed to get him on base early and often, as well as to make up ground in the outfield.
"You definitely have a little bit more room for error," Barnes said. "Being quick kind of helps you make up for some mistakes."
Barnes hit .293 last season, a .066 increase from his freshman campaign, and hopes to adjust to the outfield after playing most of last season at second base.
"I love Avery in the leadoff spot," O'Sullivan said. "He's a pain in the butt. I mean, he'll slash a ball to the shortstop's right, he'll roll the ball to the second baseman's left, and he's got some power. He's reckless - he's got no fear of failure on the base path. Our offense is going to start with him."
Pigott, a sophomore right fielder, was spread around the field last season. He started 26 games in the outfield but only 10 in right. Still, he feels comfortable in that position and is coming off a selection to the SEC All-Freshman team.
Pigott hit .260 with 14 RBI last year, including a 2-for-2 performance in his first college game on Feb. 9, 2007 against Virginia Military Institute.
He said he's the slowest of the outfielders.
"I don't consider myself slow, but they can fly," Pigott said.
Den Dekker, the Gators' center fielder, comes back from a season that also saw him selected to the SEC All-Freshman team.
He will be the outfield's leader both vocally and diving for catches.
"Matt's going to be a great leader for us in center field," Barnes said. "Yeah, he's young, but he got a lot of experience as a freshman. We're relying on him to kind of just be our backbone out there, keeping us straight, letting us know what we have to do."
Among returning players, he had the second-most home runs (seven) in 2007 as well as the second-most steals (five).
"Matt's definitely a great asset," Pigott said. "He can cover ground like anyone. I played next to him last year, and I'm looking forward to it again this year."
If the young outfielders need to work on anything, Barnes said it's their play as a unit. Only den Dekker started more than 10 games in his current position in 2007. Once the season starts, their trust in each other will grow even if the situations are intense.
"Going as fast as you can, big crowds, sometimes you can't hear one another, so you just kind of have to trust the guy next to you," Barnes said.
UF also added wide receiver Riley Cooper to its outfield corps on Thursday. Cooper will be active for the Siena series.
