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OMAHA, Neb. — During Florida’s quest to capture a College World
Series championship, a lot has ridden on the shoulders of a quiet,
confident 19-year-old kid, who nearly a year ago spurned $2.1
million to play for the Gators.
Karsten Whitson is mature beyond his age, and he’s pretty darn good
too.
In
nearly 10 months time, the hard-throwing right-hander has never
second-guessed a decision that eventually led him to pitching in
front of 20,000 people and a national audience.
"You know, he's a first-rounder. You're not supposed to keep kids
like that, and they did,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. "That's
why Florida's so good.”
The
freshman All-American, who snubbed the San Diego Padres as the
ninth overall pick in last year’s Major League Baseball Draft,
flashed his electric stuff once more Monday night, flummoxing a
seasoned Commodores lineup peppered with MLB draftees in a 3-1
weather-suspended victory.
In
a critical winner’s bracket contest with another first-rounder on
the mound, Whitson (8-0, 2.43 ERA) was again unfazed by the
atmosphere or magnitude of the game.
“The history with Karsten is the bigger the game, the better he's
pitched. And I’ve seen that over and over,” UF coach Kevin
O’Sullivan said. “He's been through having a ton of scouts at his
games. He's been under the spotlight well before Florida. He’s
competitive and has a plan.”
Whitson matched SEC Pitcher of the Year Greyson Garvin pitch for
pitch Monday night, tossing 4.2 sharp innings and allowing just one
run.
“There was no margin for error, and I was extremely pleased and
proud of the way he pitched,” O’Sullivan said. “The best inning for
me was the first [no runs], and then when he put up a zero after we
scored those three runs. He showed tremendous poise.”
The
freshman continued to flaunt his subtle moxie, escaping
self-induced jams with key strikeouts followed by Tiger Woods-like
fist pumps.
Although the right-hander has yet to throw more than 6.2 innings in
a single start this season, he’s steadily progressed into Florida’s
second-best pitcher and the Gators are 16-2 when Whitson
starts.
While Hudson Randall has definitely anchored UF’s deep staff all
season, Whitson has shown tremendous growth and an affinity for
pitching in major games.
“I
see it as a challenge,” Whitson said. “I think I do a really good
job of channeling my competitiveness into a good area. I don’t try
to do to much.”
Whitson has yet to allow more than three runs in a single start
this year — Randall has allowed three or more runs six times —
while leading the team in strikeouts.
"He
doesn't pitch like a freshman," Corbin said. "He's a big, strong
kid. He throws a big, heavy ball like he's throwing bowling balls
to the plate. He keeps coming. He's poised. He's got command of his
fastball. He throws a breaking ball under the string, below the
knees that makes it difficult on the right-handed hitter because
you have to gear up for a power fastball.”
Whitson acknowledged he’s leaned heavily on last season’s
successful Florida freshmen hurlers — Randall and Brian Johnson —
saying he always picks their brains.
The
flame-thrower, who was consistently sitting around 94 mph Monday,
admitted he could absolutely go deeper into ballgames, but said
it’s all been part of his growth and tutelage under O’Sullivan.
“I
couldn’t ask for anything else. It's been everything and more,”
Whitson said about deciding to come to school. “I’ve had success,
but I’ve matured as a person and learned so many things about
myself and life.”
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Despite his youth, Florida freshman Karsten Whitson (8-0, 2.43 ERA) has flummoxed hitters all season. The powerful right-hander was a key caveat in Florida 3-1 win over Vanderbilt Tuesday in the weather-suspended contest at the College World Series.
