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Baseball gears up for late opener, new schedule

Feb. 12, 2008

By Brian Bateman
Sports writer

Maintenance men were in full force Monday at Baylor Ballpark, fixing up the stadium for the team's Feb. 22 opener.

Varnishing the visitor dugout benches and closing holes in the protective net behind home plate, the maintenance crew shared the field with the other men in green.

With just 10 days until preseason play begins, the Baylor baseball team is finishing up off-season duties.

"The team's mentality is a lot tougher," Lorena outfielder Ben Booker said. "Everybody's not just joking around, we're like, 'Hey, let's get down to business.'"

Early on last season the Bears struggled, but a late-season push helped them make the Big 12 championship game before falling to Texas A&M University, 14-6.

Finishing with a 35-27 record, the team's youth had been a question mark, but the off-season helped gnaw at their inexperience.

"When we came in we had the title of No. 1 recruiting class," sophomore outfielder Aaron Miller said. "We were really raw and we didn't find out what kind of team we were until late."

Miller, who spent time last year soaking experience from the older players, expects the team's maturity to be a factor this season, even if he's not the one leading.

"Baseball is a game of losing, and there's a lot of stress that comes with that," he said. "I've always wanted to be a leader, but we probably have 10 other guys on the field that want that. Last year there were a bunch of guys that I went to when I needed to talk. I want to be the guy they can come to and just talk baseball."

Even the classroom has been good to the Bears, with all 41 players combining for an average 3.09 GPA.

"I think one of the ways you evaluate maturity is just how they do in class," head coach Steve Smith said. "I don't think we have a single player that enjoys school more than they do baseball. I think that's a pretty strong indication of a good team."

The biggest addition this off-season was the solidified pitching rotation.

Redshirt freshman Shawn Tolleson, who was out last year with Tommy John surgery, came along well, along with several other pitchers, Smith said.

With the changes in scheduling forcing five-game weeks, it is crucial for the Bears to have depth on the mound.

"Where we're going to have a definite advantage is the pitching depth," Miller said. "We're not going to have to deplete our big arms."

The rule changes restrict teams to starting practice Feb. 1 and capping the first game Feb. 22.

Forcing a later schedule, it is designed to give northern schools an equal footing with warmer, southern schools.

But not every player enjoys it.

"I mean, if you went to the north it's good for you," Booker said.

"I lived in Texas all my life, so it's tough having to wait around for another month."

But the start of last season, when temperatures were nearing 32 degrees at game time, wasn't their best experience.

"Our first few games were cold with a wind chill of 15," Miller said. "It was freezing."

Weather concerns aside, Smith is content with the structure and experience the Bears have in place from spring practice.

"The best thing is just having a bunch of returning players," he said. "We don't have to teach it all from scratch again."

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