Big Numbers, Little Us

We passed the first test Monday with a very nice all-around effort in our preseason exhibition game against EDS, a 22-0 victory.

In just four innings, we scored 22 runs, banged out 14 hits, got solid pitching and played very well defensively, making the few plays we had to make.

But like myself and the coaching staff have been saying the past few days, this is no time to get too comfortable with ourselves.

We proved we have an outstanding lineup -- Jeremiah Schaeffer hit two grand slams and drove in 10 runs while Sam Few, Denis Douglas, Carson Simmons and Brendan Douglas each had two hits. Our pitching is solid, with solid two-inning outings by Few and Simmons. And our defense looked solid.

But it was clear that this was not EDS' starting lineup. They are a much better team than we saw Monday, and there is no question they will be one of the toughest teams we face this season. We must keep working hard and striving to get better as we get closer to opening day Monday vs. the team many are predicting as the frontrunners to win our league in 2007 -- Augusta Christian.

Myself and Coach Williamson and Coach Agee all were pleased with how the players responded on Tuesday in practice. We covered a lot of ground, again, and the intensity level and work ethic Tuesday were strong. We're proud of how everyone remains focused on our goals and remain true to our BIG TEAM LITTLE ME mentality.

Keep up the good work, and we'll see you at Aquinas later today.

One Week to Go

It all started 41 days ago -- eight players and a coach going through conditioning and throwing drills on a freezing cold afternoon at the St. Mary's playground.

Here we are six weeks later, ready to begin our final week of the preseason, putting the final pieces to the puzzle together as we get set to open the 2007 season against Augusta Christian on Monday, March 5.

Our final week of the preseason will feature a pair of exhibition games, including Monday's game against rival EDS at Eisenhower Park. We'll close out our preseason Saturday with an exhibition game against the Augusta Heat, a USSSA travel ball team that plays tournaments virtually year-round.

Sandwiched in between the exhibitions Monday and Saturday will be a week of practices designed to put our team in position to begin the quest to reach our goals in 2007. Our practices this week will be our final chance to tie up the loose ends and cover some very important elements of our game. There will also be a couple of great opportunities for our team to bond, develop team chemistry, and strive to live out our BIG TEAM LITTLE ME motto.

It is crucial for the success of our team that everyone attend each session this week. We've had players in and out the past few weeks due to illness, and the coaching staff understands the circumstances. But if you are physically able to be there, SMS baseball must be our priority this week.

So, get healthy, take care of your schoolwork in advance, clear your schedules, and be there at every session this week. Since there is no school Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, you all will have plenty of time to take care of any other responsibilities during the day.

After Monday's exhibition game, we will practice Tuesday at Eisenhower at 4:30.

On Wednesday, we will be attending the Aquinas baseball home opener against Butler at 4 p.m. at Aquinas. We will use this time not only to support Aquinas and get a taste of high school-level ball, but we will also use this time to meet as a team and cover some important ground. Attendance Wednesday is mandatory -- we will meet at the Aquinas field at 3:30 p.m., and players are required to stay until at least 5 p.m. Those who must leave to attend Social or other events may leave at 5 p.m.

On Thursday, we will practice at Aquinas from 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, we are back at Eisenhower at 5 p.m., and on Saturday, we will play the Augusta Heat. Players should arrive by 9:15 a.m. -- first pitch is at 10 a.m.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, we will hold a season-opening party for all players and coaches at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Few. The theme for the party will be SMS BASEBALL 2007: MIRACLE ON DIRT. You'll find out what that means when you get there.

The Fews have been very gracious and generous to offer us the use of their home (which, in case you didn't know, has a batting cage in the back yard!) and they will also be providing food for the team, so a special thank you to Indee and Trey Few for their hospitality! The party is tentatively scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Please check the Web site and your email for the confirmed time and directions to the Fews home.

As we wind down the preseason, I want to thank all the players, our outstanding coaches, Marc Williamson and Jeff Agee, and all the parents who have made a big commitment to our baseball program the past six weeks. Special thanks to several of our dads who have helped at practices, including Joel Simmons, Wayne Pace and Mike Anderson. I'd also like to thank our school staff, especially principal Keith Darr, assistant principal Joe McBride and our athletic director Barbara Shine for all your support of the baseball team. Part of our goal is to reward you all with a championship in 2007.

BIG TEAM Little Me

At the opening of our preseason practices in late January, one of the first things we asked of our players — in particular, our eighth graders — was to come up with a slogan for the 2007 season. Earlier this week, they unveiled their motto — BIG TEAM LITTLE ME.

It’s a simple concept but I think the boys did a fantastic job summing up the philosophy we are trying to put in place with the SMS baseball program. Simply put, BIG TEAM LITTLE ME means putting the goals of our team above individual players, above any one player’s personal goals.

But words don’t mean anything unless our actions follow. You can guarantee that myself and the other coaches will follow this philosophy in 2007. We hope our players — and even our parents — will also take these words to heart.

BIG TEAM LITTLE ME tells me these boys mean business about reaching our goals. There is no need to publish these goals here in a public forum — everyone involved with SMS Baseball knows our goals very well.

I’m looking forward to seeing how our players — how these 15 young men — put these words into action over the next few months.

We made a promise to the boys that we would have T-Shirts made with this motto. Check out the sample to the right for an idea on how the shirts will look. We want our players to wear them with pride and help send a message to everyone at St. Mary’s that, in 2007, SMS Baseball will work hard to live by these words.

You also may notice ay www.stmarysbaseball.com a photo of a cap. It’s a sneak preview of our new caps for the 2007 season, and they will feature an emblem that comes from the St. Mary on the Hill crest and is a tribute both to our school and our great parish. I hope everyone likes the look, and in case you’re wondering, our shirts and caps should be ready next week.

Special thanks to former SMS baseball coach Mel La Pan, owner of Harrington’s Sportswear, for donating the caps and for working with us on the t-shirts.

Welcome to SMS Baseball 2007

Welcome to the the official online journal of St. Mary's Baseball. Over the next few months, we'll be chronicling every aspect of the 2007 SMS baseball season, with regular updates on what's happening with our team.

Here, our players and parents can check in for up-to-date news and notes on the team, and eventually, we will be adding baseball instructional articles and other tips to help our players develop both on and off the field.

There also will be a chance for our players and families to stay connected to each other and share their thoughts on our team.

I hope you find this new feature at www.stmarysbaseball.com to be informative and fun, and hope it helps us all grow closer together as a ballclub, as we strive to attain our goals for the 2007 season.