Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn expressed excitement Tuesday about the news that right-handed pitcher Mike Bolsinger would return to the Razorbacks for his senior season.

During a phone conversation, Van Horn said from his Razorback baseball office that he hadn’t spoken with Bolsinger since Monday night’s deadline. Bolsinger, who was set to arrive Tuesday night in Fayetteville, slipped to the 33rd round of the 2009 MLB Draft and didn’t agree to terms with the Oakland Athletics.

“I’m glad to have him back and have him be a part of our pitching staff,” Van Horn said. “Whether it’s as a weekend starter, or a middle reliever like this past year, or even as a guy who can close games, we don’t know yet. He’ll have the opportunity to be a starter, though.

“He showed late last season that he could go five, six innings and be effective.”

The Razorbacks received a scare, Van Horn said, when Bolsinger had his appendix taken out a few weeks ago. And that wasn’t the only scare of the offseason.

Van Horn told me that sophomore third baseman Zack Cox, junior pitcher/outfielder Brett Eibner and senior pitcher T.J. Forrest all are dealing with injury issues.

Cox thrived this summer in the wood bat Cape Cod League, batting .344 in 23 games with the Cotuit Kettleers and being named the West’s MVP at CCL all-star game. He singled, tripled and drove in two runs in that all-star game at Fenway Park. But the heavy workload took its toll on Cox.

Van Horn said that Arkansas’ coaches “shut him down” with about five games left in the season and that Cox might have a stress fracture in his hand.

“We’re having his hand x-rayed, and we’ll see if he’s going to be OK for the start of practice (on September 8),” Van Horn said. “He had a tremendous summer. He swung the ball well, and he definitely proved he’s the hitter we thought he was.”

Eibner strained his throwing elbow and made only three starts with the Wareham Gatemen of the CCL. He was impressive in those starts, with 14 Ks in 12.1 innings with a 1-0 record and 2.19 ERA. Eibner also hit .240 (.424 OBP) in 20 games with 3 HR (tying for team high).

Van Horn said Eibner wouldn’t be able to pitch until December.

“He scared us pretty good,” Van Horn said. “He’s rehabbing that elbow right now.”

Forrest had surgery after the season ended for a nerve problem in his right arm. Van Horn said Forrest’s fingertips would get numb during his starts late last season. Van Horn said he thought Forrest would miss some time on the mound during fall practice, as well.

On a more positive front, Van Horn said junior first baseman Andy Wilkins benefitted from his time on the USA National Team. Wilkins played in every game for the 19-5 squad, starting 19, and drove in 16 runs, tying for third on the team.

Wilkins started strong, but his batting average dipped to .232 by the time Team USA finished its schedule by winning the World Baseball Challenge championship in British Columbia.

“It was a great experience for him to travel a lot and get all those at-bats off different styles of pitching,” Van Horn said. “He worked hard and tried his best to get better.”

The Major League Baseball signing deadline has passed, and Arkansas pitcher Mike Bolsinger hasn’t signed. That’s big news for the Razorback baseball program, which will get back last season’s most consistent pitcher. Oakland drafted the senior right-hander in the 33rd round and never could agree on money with Bolsinger.

I just spoke with Mike and he sounded pretty bummed — excited about next season as a Hog, but nonetheless, bummed. He might not be so bummed in the long-run if he can produce on the mound once again next season and improve his draft stock.

Bolsinger said he’d be back in Northwest Arkansas by tomorrow night.

Here’s the story …

Bolsinger Returns To Arkansas
By Ryan Malashock
The Morning News
rmalashock@nwaonline.net
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas pitcher Mike Bolsinger will return to the Razorbacks for his senior season.

The right-hander didn’t sign with the Oakland Athletics before Monday night’s Major League Baseball signing deadline. Bolsinger and the A’s didn’t agree on signing bonus money from the start of their negotiations, after Oakland selected him in the 33rd round of the MLB draft in June.

Bolsinger spent Monday night waiting for a possible call from the A’s, who expressed interest in increasing their offer if they couldn’t sign several of their top picks. The call never came before the 11:01 p.m. deadline.

“I’m a little disappointed, because I thought I had a good season and was capable of signing for something good,” Bolsinger said Monday night from his house in McKinney, Texas. “But also, I feel excitement to come back to Arkansas. It’s great to play there, and we could do some great things this year.

“You know, the disappointment is always going to be there in the back of your mind. I’ve always wanted to go play pro ball and I thought this was the year. There’s always next year, though.”

Bolsinger expected to be picked much earlier in the draft — like teammates Dallas Keuchel (8th round) and Stephen Richards (9th) — and demanded more money than a usual 33rd-round selection.

Now he’ll get a chance to improve his draft position, by likely moving into Arkansas’ starting rotation. Arkansas’ most consistent reliever last season, Bolsinger went 6-4 with a 2.99 ERA and a team-high 79 strikeouts.

Bolsinger said he’d return to Arkansas today. He already has moved to a different apartment in Fayetteville, moving his stuff there last Wednesday. He has enrolled for all his classes, as well, and will start classes Monday.

“I’ll probably wake up early, pack up some stuff and leave around 12 o’clock,” said Bolsinger, who had his appendix removed a couple of weeks ago. “I’ll start working out and throwing and getting my arm back in shape.”

Bolsinger said the drawn out process tore at his emotions.

“It’s been hard because I just wanted to know if it was going to happen,” Bolsinger said. “It’s hard not being signed. But I’ll use it (for motivation). It’s like a kick in the face, and now I want to prove that I’m worth it.”

I touched base this morning with Arkansas pitcher Mike Bolsinger, a 33rd-round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics. And when asked about signing with the A’s or returning for his senior season, the 6-foot-2 right-hander said, “I’ll probably be coming back to Arkansas.”

Bolsinger made a couple of starts this summer for the McKinney Marshals of the Texas Collegiate League, hoping to convince several A’s scouts he was worth more money than Oakland offered. The A’s haven’t upped their offer — not yet, anyway.

The A’s still could do so on August 17, the date of the MLB signing deadline, Bolsinger said. And while he still envisions a scenario in which he signs, he isn’t counting on that happening.

“If anything happens, it will happen on that last day,” Bolsinger said by phone from Texas. “I think they want to see what they’re going to do with some of the guys they picked ahead of me. If some of them don’t sign, they could give me the money I was asking for. If not, I’ll be coming back.”

It’s been a tough last couple of weeks for Bolsinger, who went 6-4 last season with a 2.99 ERA and a team-high 79 strikeouts. While at a Texas Rangers game with several friends, Bolsinger complained about a sharp pain in his side. They left the game early, but the pain only worsened.

When he got home, Bolsinger told his mother that they should go to the hospital. The prognosis: His appendix had burst. Bolsinger had it removed and spent nearly a week “taking it real easy.”

“I’m feeling a lot better,” he said. “I got back to working out late last week.”

Bolsinger also said the prospect of playing one more season for Arkansas wasn’t disappointing at all, saying he hoped to claim a spot in the Razorbacks’ rotation.

“I definitely would want to start, and Coach (Dave) Van Horn has talked to me about it,” Bolsinger said. “They like the experience I’ve gotten and think I could maybe become the Friday night starter. That’s what I’d be working for if I do come back up there.”