TicketsMay 5, 2011
By Shawn Sell
GoBEARCATS.com
Coming out of high school in Warsaw, Indiana, Braden Kline had a reputation as a defense-first player at one of baseball's most difficult positions, catcher. College coaches liked what they saw with the glove and figured his offensive skills would improve with experience. When talking about Kline, now a junior three years later, it would be easy to assume that what is being said about him now was actually a description of a completely different player.
Upon arrival at UC in 2009, Kline found himself number three on the catching depth chart behind starter Jimmy Jacquot and back-up Nick Rohlfs. In his freshman year, Kline had to endure something he wasn't used to--sitting on the bench. During that first season in Bearcat Red and Black, Kline played in just 10 games, yielding only eight at-bats. While Kline was able to keep sharp facing his own team's pitchers during practice, it really wasn't the same.
"You can take all the at-bats you want in simulated games, but there is nothing quite like getting in there against another (team's) pitcher," he says. "It's always exhilarating for me. It was really hard (sitting out), but it's great the way it's turned out."
When the calendar flipped to 2010, Kline's situation hadn't changed all that much as he still found himself stuck behind Jacquot and Rohlfs. He earned a start behind the plate on February 27th against Purdue, but then recorded just more eight at-bats from then until April 24th. And then, a breakthrough. As April turned into May, Kline became a regular name in head coach Brian Cleary's starting nine. From April 24th through the end of the season, Kline hit at a torrid .339 pace, collecting seven multi-hit games along the way. Finally, Kline was given his opportunity and he seized it.
"I never really got a chance to play my freshman year and then last year I got a chance in a game and proved myself," he recounts. "I think Coach (Cleary) liked the way my at-bat was. I had to work really hard to keep myself up with it and that's what I attribute my success to, my hard work."
As 2011 kicked off, Kline once again looked like a man without a position. The catching spot was full with Rohlfs and newcomer Jake Saylor and the DH spot belonged to freshman Justin Glass. But then fate intervened on Kline's behalf and the rest is history.
"I was playing behind our catchers in our simulated games and Coach (Cleary) liked the way I was swinging it," Kline says. Then (starting outfielder) Jamell (Cervantez) got hurt and there was a spot open out there. He asked how I felt about playing the outfield. I just wanted to help out the team, that's what I am all about. So I tried it out during practice and it went pretty well. I really enjoy playing out there a lot."
"Early in the year, we were struggling to find some offense," Cleary adds. "You look at him and go `he has swung the bat really well in the opportunities that he has got,' even going back to last fall. We asked ourselves where can we put this guy in to get his bat in the line-up and left field was really the only option. So we asked him and he said he thought he could. He has done a really good job considering that he has gone out there cold and learned on the go. It's not that he hasn't made any mistakes out there, but he has done a much better job than I thought he might for a guy that hasn't spent that much time out there. It's really been a two-fold thing; we have gotten serviceable defense and a bat in the line-up that has been good for us."
To say Kline's bat has been good may be a bit of an understatement considering his stats. After collecting a hit in his final game of 2010, Kline opened 2011 by hitting safely in 15 consecutive games, batting .429 (24-for-56) during the 16-game hit streak. He enters this weekend's series at West Virginia leading the Bearcats and ranking sixth in the BIG EAST with a .355 average. To Cleary, the success Kline has enjoyed at the plate kind of defies the odds of scouting and recruiting.
"He was somewhat highly recruited but we really thought he was going to be a defense first catcher and we really didn't bank on him being all that offensive," Cleary admits. "It just really shows how baseball recruiting and scouting goes. I think if you rewind the clock, everybody would say this guy was going to be a very good catcher, but maybe not as much at the plate and as it turns out he is playing left field because of his offense. He has certainly become a much better hitter than I thought he would."
Looking back, Kline has no regrets on his decision to become a Bearcat or the way his career has played out. While he does admit he misses his natural position behind the plate, Kline is just happy to be a Bearcat and contributing for his team. It was obvious from the first time he stepped on UC's campus that Kline was destined to call Cincinnati his college home.
"I had played on a (high school) summer travel team for two years and we came to Cincinnati and played (at Marge Schott Stadium)," he says. "I just loved playing here. I saw the field and I met Coach Cleary and just really felt like this was a great place to play and I am really happy I ended up here."