Not only will the Firebirds need to replace 12 seniors from last year's 6-14 squad -- including all nine starters -- but also will offer a revamped schedule. In lieu of the traditional 10 doubleheaders, Free State will have just four twinbills this season, including its Firebird Invitational on April 14.
Instead, the Firebirds will play 12 single games -- starting with today's game at Olathe North -- a move more conducive to baseball, FSHS coach Mike Hill said.
"High school baseball in Kansas is lacking," said Hill, entering his fourth season with the Firebirds. "In the past, we've practiced up to 60 times and only played 10 dates. That's not the way the game is supposed to be played. In fact, it's the opposite."
Also sticking the craw of the Firebirds' coach is the number of games as compared to the college level.
For example, high school and college football teams play a similar number of regular-season games -- nine and 11 respectively. High school basketball teams play 20 games compared to roughly 30 in college. High school baseball teams, however, play just 20 games compared to 56 by their collegiate counterparts.
"So we've gone to a lot of single games this year in order to give us more playing dates," Hill explained. "The kids appreciate that because they don't want to practice five days a week and play once. That's not the way the game's supposed to be."
Highlighting the Firebirds' schedule is two single games with Lawrence High -- at the FSHS field on Saturday and at Kansas University's Hoglund Ballpark on May 7. The starting time for Saturday's game tentatively is noon, but that could be pushed back depending on the weather.
Free State, which has as many seniors on its varsity roster as it does sophomores with six, will field a young team this season. Today's starting lineup will feature four seniors, four juniors, a sophomore and a freshman -- shortstop Kyle Unruh.
Among the team's top returners is senior center fielder/pitcher Jake Coffman, who hit .308 in nine games last season.
"He's a very dependable player, a leader," Hill said. "He's solid offensively and defensively. He's battling some shoulder problems from football season that currently do not allow him to pitch, but hopefully we'll be able to rely on him on the mound."
Other players returning with at least some varsity experience are sophomore shortstop Matt Berner -- who probably will start the majority of the games, but won't start today for disciplinary reasons -- junior catcher Jeremiah Gress, senior right fielder Justin Carlsten and junior pitcher Eric Peterson.
Peterson, who was 1-1 with a save and 3.20 ERA in nine games last season, likely will be the Firebirds' No. 1 starter.
"I think early on, Eric's a little further ahead than the rest of our staff," Hill said. "Josh Swenson has really done some nice things, but he's got to work on his command, keeping the ball in the zone. After that it's really unknown at this point.
"We've got a lot of young guys that need some time and unfortunately we don't have a lot of time to give them."
With so many new faces and so little varsity experience, the Firebirds realize they certainly could be in for a long season.
"High school kids still set lofty goals," Hill said. "If you told those kids they weren't capable of winning a league championship or anything beyond that, they'd probably be a little bit disappointed. They also have to be realistic. When you're 6-14 a year ago and you lose every starter you had, I don't think it takes a genius to figure out we've got some challenges ahead of us.
"We've certainly got to try and get better every day."
-- Sports writer Robert Sinclair can be reached at 832-7185.
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.