Inside the dugout: a preview of this year's baseball team
Despite the fact that their season opener was postponed, the Hopkins baseball team does not plan on losing any momentum as they open their season on Tuesday, March 4 at home against Messiah. When people think about what 2008 means for the team, many things come to mind. Experience, depth, a mission, high expectations. Payback. This year's roster is one of the deepest that Hopkins has had in almost 30 years, and head coach Bob Babb has a lot to look forward to in the upcoming weeks. Last year, Hopkins was just one game shy of a trip to the College World Series, and that is what is in their scopes for the upcoming season.
Captain and senior shortstop Jonas Fester doesn't think that the Jays lost any momentum with the original opener being cancelled. "Our work ethic has been better than I have ever seen it," he said. "Our team has the ability to be intense without being tense, keeping us focused on improving, but staying relaxed and having fun throughout the process."
Each position is strong for the Jays, on the field and behind the bats, making them the obvious favorite in the pre-season Centennial Conference polls. Around and inside the plates, the Blue Jays have a senior-strong line-up. On the left side of the infield, coach Babb returns Fester at shortstop and Todd Emr at third base. Fester and Emr will make up two-thirds of the captain squad this year. Senior Nate Adelman, who could see some time at all three of the four infield positions, will probably start the season playing second base. He's a solid defensive player, and has a great bat as well. First base is going to be home to senior Matt Benchener, and the Blue Jays hope that he will enthusiastically help them on both offense and defense.
The main theme of the team this year is the mentality of "taking care of business," no matter who it is they are playing. They take one game at a time, or, as Fester says, "one inning at a time". He goes into some detail about this approach. "We have games against some ranked opponents, but who we play is not that important," he said. "We just have to play to our ability and get things done. We had a bus driver named Mac once say, 'There are two things I want you to do for me today ... number one: handle your business, and number two: Handle your business.'" Fester is confident that the guys behind him will be able to back them up.
Captain and senior shortstop Jonas Fester doesn't think that the Jays lost any momentum with the original opener being cancelled. "Our work ethic has been better than I have ever seen it," he said. "Our team has the ability to be intense without being tense, keeping us focused on improving, but staying relaxed and having fun throughout the process."
Each position is strong for the Jays, on the field and behind the bats, making them the obvious favorite in the pre-season Centennial Conference polls. Around and inside the plates, the Blue Jays have a senior-strong line-up. On the left side of the infield, coach Babb returns Fester at shortstop and Todd Emr at third base. Fester and Emr will make up two-thirds of the captain squad this year. Senior Nate Adelman, who could see some time at all three of the four infield positions, will probably start the season playing second base. He's a solid defensive player, and has a great bat as well. First base is going to be home to senior Matt Benchener, and the Blue Jays hope that he will enthusiastically help them on both offense and defense.
The main theme of the team this year is the mentality of "taking care of business," no matter who it is they are playing. They take one game at a time, or, as Fester says, "one inning at a time". He goes into some detail about this approach. "We have games against some ranked opponents, but who we play is not that important," he said. "We just have to play to our ability and get things done. We had a bus driver named Mac once say, 'There are two things I want you to do for me today ... number one: handle your business, and number two: Handle your business.'" Fester is confident that the guys behind him will be able to back them up.
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