The clang of the bat, the pop of the glove after the zip of a fastball and, of course, “Play ball!” The oh-so-familiar sounds of spring have returned and your 2008 Husky baseball team is ready to go.
The start of the baseball season is always an exciting time for me. It signals that warmer times are ahead, which is always a welcome plus here in New England. On any given day, you never know who is going to step up and be a hero with a spectacular play. And at the beginning of every season, there is a renewed sense of confidence and hope for a good season.
Let me tell you, there is a lot of confidence on this year’s baseball team. You might wonder why that is, given that last year’s squad finished below .500 in conference and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1992. Despite that, this squad comes back to Friedman Diamond with almost all of the starting regulars still intact, except senior captain and catcher Dan Milano, who they lost to graduation, and then to the Red Sox. However, he was the only Husky to play in more than half the games last year who is not returning.
That leaves a team big on experience. Head coach Neil McPhee loves the depth of his pitching staff this year, and captain/staff ace Kris Dabrowiecki (don’t let the spelling fool you, it sounds like “DOM-bro-vee-et-ski”) shares his optimism. “Dombro” says he believes in the depth of the staff, combined with a solid offense, gives the ’08 Huskies a good shot at going deep in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament in May.
And let’s not forget that they have an extra something to play for this year: defense of their 2007 Beanpot Championship. While not as heralded as the hockey Beanpot, taking home the Beanpot trophy was a nice consolation prize in an otherwise disappointing end to the season. But it also provides a nice stepping stone for a group of guys who are still together and ready for the next step.
“The Beanpot’s a big deal for us,” Dabrowiecki said, “but we … really want to make the tournament, that’s our first goal. We believe we’re one of the best teams in the CAA and we believe we [can] beat any team in the CAA.”
The Huskies have opened the year on an inconsistent note. There are still some kinks to be ironed out with the pitching rotation. Dombro is continuing where he left off last year in his role as an innings eater, but has struggled with controlling the big inning. Last year’s closer/spot starter sensation Ryan Quigley has struggled to regain last year’s form that saw him limit opposing batters to a .218 average.
However, the Husky offense has averaged nearly six runs per game, which bodes well for when the pitching staff hits its stride (and it will). New pitching coach Justin Gordon, who has six years experience coaching in the minor leagues, will see to that. These are guys who come from different corners of the country (and Canada) and they all have had a taste of success with championships before coming to NU. They know what they’re after and they will right the ship.
Furthermore, there are some young components who are being looked to as keys to a successful season. This team has to develop its clubhouse chemistry, which, according to some, is already one of the best in recent memory.
This weekend’s series against Georgia State was a significant one for the Huskies. It was a opportunity for them to go after their first CAA series. It was a tough one, going down to the rubber game Sunday afternoon. They hung in there until an unfortunate eighth inning. But this series speaks to this team’s resolve. After losing the opener, they came back Saturday to bash seven home runs as if to say, “And? Is that all you got?” Despite being down 11-3 after five innings Sunday, they kept clawing back, scoring at least once in each of the next four frames, but dropped the game 17-7.
This is a team that realizes the stakes for this season are high. They are a mentally tough team. They have a coach who is never afraid to throw down the gauntlet and challenge his players. We have seen McPhee’s system work before and he has only finished below .500 in a season four times since 1986. This year, the combination of veteran players and the defense of their thrilling 2-0 Beanpot win over Boston College last year will serve as motivation for this team to take the next step.
Check out 104.9 FM or www.wrbbradio.org to catch all the Husky action. Listen to the baseball team take on rival Boston College Tuesday at 3 p.m. Coverage begins at 2:45 p.m.
– Dan Nettell can be reached
