Cards staying busy

The past two weeks have been busy weeks for our players - on and off the field. We participated in the Battle of Plattsburgh Parade and Bed Race on September 11. This past Sunday our players took part in the North Country Down Syndrome Association Buddy Walk. Most of the student-athletes at the college participate in this event.

On the field we have played five intra-squad games over the past two weekends in preparation of our play date this Sunday with Clinton Community College and St. Michael's College.

Saturday is also one of my favorite days - Alumni Day! Numerous alumni come back and play in an informal game and reminisce about the 'old days'!

Cards begin community service efforts

The SUNY Plattsburgh baseball team began doing community service Sunday morning with a hike to the top of Mt. Pok-O-Moonshine. 32 players and 2 coaches, including Coach Doorey, made the trek to the top of the mountain in support of "Peaks for Pets". The team raised over $100 for the cause. Here is a link to the program if you are interested: http://www.peaksforpets.org/.

2010-11 Season Underway

Head baseball coach Kris Doorey began the 2010-11 baseball season with the Cardinals first practice yesterday. The Cardinals welcomed back 22 returners from the 2010 season, and six recruits.

The Cardinals will practice 15 times over the next five weeks and play one day of games later this September.

The 2011 baseball schedule looks has some very successful opponents. Cortland, which finished second in the nation; and, Heidelberg, which reached the College World Series.

Mixed Results During SUNYAC Opening Weekend

We had our first SUNYAC games this weekend, playing two against New Paltz on Saturday at home and then traveling to Oneonta for two on Sunday. I think the transition from home to away with four games is tough and it may have showed a little bit in our performance. The other short end is that we are the only SUNYAC team to face every team’s top two pitchers. When we face each team, we are the only SUNYAC games they play that weekend. That way, they might have their top four pitchers available as opposed to us only having two of our top four.

We threw Dan Tracy and Matt O’Leary against New Paltz, hoping to sweep the weaker of the two teams on the weekend, but that didn’t work out. We split with both teams, and we know that we did not play anything close to our best baseball. It’s disappointing to only get two wins on the weekend, because we go into every game expecting to win. So to not get four is upsetting but to come away with less than three is unacceptable and we know that as well.

Pat Shaughnessy led us on Saturday against New Paltz driving in runs and getting on base when we needed it most. It was a big offensive day for both teams (14-11 and 15-9 were the scores). Tory Bouyea was the leader on offense on Sunday going 4-8 on the day, and Tyler Greene, pictured, pitched his best game of his young career, going 9 innings in a 3-2 win.

However, those games are over with and our next focus is on St. Lawrence who we play again, this time at home. These midweek games are important as well and it’s important to stay focused on the next game, and to not get caught up in the next SUNYAC game. In order to win these games on Tuesday, Wednesday (at Castleton State), and Thursday (at Skidmore), we need to get back to fundamental baseball. We look forward to the challenge that every game presents, and we look forward to getting back on another winning streak.

#17 = Matt Burns

SLU, Clarkson: Tuning Up for SUNYAC Schedule

We ran our winning streak to 18 games (with an 11-4 win at Saint Lawrence) with great pitching performances from starter Marc Plante who got the win, and from reliever Tyler Greene who got a rare four inning save. Our hitters were better today but still not at our best. It was good to see us improve and stay strong in a couple of aspects. We ran the bases better, put a team away when we needed to, and did that by again capitalizing on our opponent’s mistakes.

We still have not played a game at home yet, and to be this good on the road really feels good. Pat Shaughnessy (pictured) has been our best hitter in the last few games, adding another three hits against the Saints. We’re the (type of) team right now that can take a guy off the bench and plug into our lineup to fill that role well on any given day. Greg Larnerd was that guy yesterday, picking up an RBI single early in the game.

We’re still waiting to get back to our hitting that we had earlier in the season and hopefully we’ll get that today in our double header against Clarkson. This is our final tune-up before we turn to SUNYAC play on the weekend, and we want to put together a strong outing worth of at bats, innings on the mound, and defense in the field.

#17 Matt Burns

Senior Co-Captain's Perspective on Old Westbury Series

(Editor's Note: This was originally to run on Monday.)

This weekend we got another sweep in Long Island, beating Old Westbury 5-4 and 3-1. In the first game, we needed to make a comeback after leading most of the game, and we scored two runs in the top of the ninth to get the win. Matt O’Leary (shown left) pitched a great game and we should have gotten him the win as hitters, but Dan Tracy (right) did well in relief to pick up the win. Simply put, we left too many runners in scoring position. We did not do O’Leary’s performance justice, especially with two outs in the inning. I think the brightest spot on the day was an errorless defensive performance, although it should have been better. We’re looking to fine tune our game right now and we’re so close to doing just that, but if fine tuning some things is the worst part of your game then you must be playing well. I think the one thing we need to work on is putting away teams when we get up on them. We led in both games and stopped scoring.

Tracy threw another great game in the back end of the doubleheader, running his record to a perfect 6-0. You can’t say enough about what it means to a team to have two aces on the pitching staff. They give you a chance to win every single game. They’re both tough to score on. Neither one of them throws a fastball with high velocity, but Tracy will throw a “heavy” one, with means it sinks and makes it hard for hitters to drive the ball in the air. O’Leary spots his pitches better than most and has a great curveball that he can throw to either get ahead of the hitters or put them away with one in the dirt. It’s amazing to have two pitching performances like we did without striking out a single batter. Hopefully this week, we’ll be able to get a look at our other pitchers if the weather permits.

#17 = Matt Burns

Continuing Winnings Ways on the Island

We went down to Long Island on Saturday and swept St. Joseph’s College in what was definitely one of the colder doubleheaders I’ve played in. It could have been worse though, because it was sunny and dry out all day long. We took advantage of strong pitching performances from our top pitchers, Matt O’Leary and Dan Tracy who improved to 3-0 and 4-0 respectively. Both pitchers went the distance in the win, pitching all seven innings, but I think if you were to ask them, they would admit to not being as sharp as they usually are. I only say this because you can take the positive away from the game that even when Matt and Dan do not throw their best games, we are still very capable of getting a sweep on that day. We’re currently riding a 15-game winning streak after dropping that first game of the season and every single player on the team has been contributing. Our versatility of being able to send out multiple lineups on any given day really makes for a tough team to pitch against.

Donny Coolidge ended his season-long hitting streak in the second game on Saturday. He’s been a great cleanup hitter all year long. Something that the stats don’t show all the time is a player’s production with two outs and/or a man in scoring position. Donny has excelled in both of those categories, getting hits in the most crucial situations.

The team mentality remains the same even after our success. We still feel like we need to prove something to ourselves when it comes time to play the SUNYAC games. The out of conference games are always nice to win, but those 12 games we play in conference are by far the most important ones on our schedule. The other ones don’t mean a thing and we keep telling ourselves that we need to stay hungry. The coaching staff won’t let us get complacent and I think it’s good that we’re reminded to never settle for what we’ve already done, but drive towards what we want to get done – a SUNYAC Championship.

#17 - Matt Burns

Offense, Pitching Building Confidence

Our trip to Florida was very successful, winning all nine collegiate games, and playing well against the Minnesota Twins Rookie Team, which consists of all first year professionals. As far as the regularly scheduled games are concerned, we hit the ball extremely well. I think that because our hitting was somewhat of a concern after leaving Myrtle Beach, it’s a big confidence builder that we came down here and did as well at the plate as we have.

The first game we played against Scranton was a fairly sloppy one. We made four errors on defense, which is unacceptable. Getting the win though was important to start the trip off on a good note. The next day, we swept Bethel, who is a very good hitting team. We played real well both games and since that was probably the best team we played on the trip, it was good to get those two wins early in the week. It was especially nice to win the first game so close after having to come back from an early 4-0 hole. The next day, we picked up two more wins against Lakeland. In the first game it took a little too long to start hitting. The score does not show how poorly we hit because we scored a lot of runs at the end of the game. We got two great pitching performances though from our staff.

We shut down the next day for our day off and it was a good day to get some rest to prepare for the back end of our trip. Thursday, we played against the Twins team where we let the game slip away in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly. We also had a JV game against SUNY Fredonia, where we got to see what a lot of the guys who don't get a lot of chances to play to see what they can do in game situations. There were definitely some bright spots in that game as well as this entire week.

We’re fortunate bringing our winning streak to 13 games, which is a school record. We wrapped up the trip with sweeps of Minnesota-Morris and Millikin. Our offense continued to roll and the pitching has been solid.

#17 = Matt Burns

Reflecting on The Ripken Experience

We’re back in Plattsburgh following our Myrtle Beach trip, the first of two preseason trips down South. Coming back 4-1 feels good, but we definitely regret letting that first game slip away from us. After getting to 2-1, we swept the final day’s games winning 3-2 over Wilkes and 8-4 over Penn State Abington. Dan Tracy threw a gem in the first game, striking out 11 over 7 innings of work. It was the pitching performance we needed at the time, and one we wanted to see from Dan before heading to Fort Myers. Getting the two outings that we did from him and Matt O’Leary really builds our confidence knowing we can send out our top two pitchers against anyone and have a great chance of winning the game.

One of the highlights and surprises of the trip was getting the type of performance from Anthony Presto, a junior transfer from Orange County Community College. Playing in right field and leading off for all five games, he was a great table setter for us and played great defense. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the range he has out in right, and that allows our pitchers to throw to contact rather than trying to strike everyone out. We might have the quickest outfield in our conference, or at least very close to it. Between Presto, Andrew Gooch, and Danny Roeser, there are not a lot of fly balls that are going to drop in the outfield.

We knew going into our season that we would rely heavily on our pitching and defense, and Tory Bouyea and Pat Shaughnessy playing up the middle was a huge contribution to our success. Having played on the same teams since high school, they always know how each other works. Being strong up the middle throughout the entire defense (catcher, second base, shortstop, centerfield) will always lead to success, and I think we’re better at that this year than many years past. Our hitting has yet to take shape from top to bottom, and once we start rolling at the plate, we’re going to be a very dangerous team to play against.

#17 = Matt Burns

Coolidge SUNYAC Player of the Week

Junior 3B Donny Coolidge was named the SUNYAC Player of the Week following his performance at the Ripken Experience.

Donny batted .429 with a .719 slugging percentage. He collected at least one hit in all five games, including a pair of three-hit games.

Congratulations Donny!


In five games, Donny collected

Reflecting on Season Opener

The first game is done and over with and I think everyone is ready to move on. We came out really flat and it showed right from the first batter when we made an error on an inflield fly ball. (Pitcher) Corey Johnston started the game and didn’t throw too bad. We just could not hit at all. The game ended 6-1 and I think a lot of guys would have been fine with giving up just 6 runs if you asked us before the game. Anthony Presto and Andrew Baio paced us with 3 hits each and really tried to set the table for us. Brian Burns and Marc Plante both threw well out of the bullpen and kept the game close. The bottom line is we did not convert when we had the chances. Whether it was hitting with runners on base, runners in scoring position, or with 2 outs, we just didn’t get the job done. It’s safe to say that everyone’s embarrassed with our effort and performance, but (Friday’s) a new day and we just have to forget about this game. We’re going to go out and try to sweep both games and get to 2-1.

#17 = Matt Burns

Cardinals En Route to the Palmetto State

We’re on our way down to Myrtle Beach right now, riding down on the coach bus all the way from Plattsburgh. Right now, we’re right near Trenton, NJ, so we still have a long way to go. It’s not bad though, between the movies and either reading or just hanging out with the guys on the team, the time moves by a little faster than you would think. It’s actually a pretty good time for the team because we’re hanging out on the same bus for about 18 hours, so you kind of get to joke around with everyone. I like to think it helps build team chemistry, which this team already has plenty of. I’ve said it before, but this team is the closest knit group I’ve been on at Plattsburgh, so these rides are actually more fun than it is a hassle.

When we wake up in the morning and get into South Carolina, we’ll start to get ready for our practice session at the complex. We get one of the fields for a couple of hours for practice, and then we’ll head back to the hotel to relax before our game later that night. When you’re one of the few older guys on a young team, you look for other guys to step up and make sure our practices and these road trips run smoothly. Crockett Pack is our only three-year junior, and he is one of those players. He comes to practice every day works as hard as he can, and you can see that his attitude rubs off on everyone else. Crockett is one of those players that does whatever helps our team to win, no matter what the situation is. He’s played a lot as a freshman and sophomore, switching positions from second base to the outfield, and making the adjustment better than most people have. In order for our team to succeed this year, we need him to play often and play well.

(Sports Information Director's Note: The team left campus via charter bus around 3 p.m. Wednesday and have since arrived at their destination. This post was made after their Thursday morning practice in preparation for the season opener later in the evening.)

Cardinals Headed South for Season Openers

It has been a while since the last blog, but our practices have not changed much. We are still working on all of the little things each and every day to make sure we are ready for the beginning of games. Our defense looks very solid right now, our pitching has been taking shape as the pitch counts have increased, and our hitting is coming along as well. With just a couple of days left before we play our first game, I’m going to preview the games we’ll play down in Myrtle Beach this weekend.

The first game is on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against Manchester College (21-18 last season) from Indiana, who we also play the next evening at 6:30 as well. We played them last year in Myrtle Beach, and won 15-4, to close out our trip. Manchester lost a few of their top hitters from last year, including Matty Miller (.435 avg., 12 home runs, 50 RBI) and Corey Oetting (.344 avg., 14 home runs, 58 RBI). However they bring back a lot of production as well, with Ty Foster being their most prominent hitter (.396 avg., 11 home runs, 50 RBI). They only seem to have lost one real contributor from their pitching staff, Colin Denihan (3 wins, 10 starts). Curtis Mallery and Brett Smalley will probably be their #1 and #2 pitchers (5-6, 29 combined starts).

The next afternoon, we play Penn State Berks (22-23-1 last season), who won their conference tournament in 2009. Last year, we played them in a very close game, a 4-0 win, and we expect it to be close again. They return a first team all-conference and NEAC Pitcher of the Year in Brad Swavely (6-2, 6.02 ERA), and their second team all-conference and leading hitter in production in Seth Shultz (.340 avg., 6 home runs, 53 RBI).

On Saturday, we have our last two games, starting with Wilkes College from Pennsylvania. They will probably be our toughest test in Myrtle Beach once again. They finished 29-12 last season, including a 1-1 record against us in South Carolina. They lost the two of their top three hitters in Andrew Garofoli and Geoff Miller (10 home runs and 77 RBI combined). They also lost their ace on their pitching staff in Brad Swavely, but return a lot of their roster on both sides.

The last game of the trip is against Penn State Abington, who also loses their top hitter in Michael Angelo (.430 avg., 31 runs, 8-8 stolen bases). Abington is a team who struggled to field the ball well defensively last season, with a team fielding percentage of .913. We have to make sure we put the ball in play and see what happens when we play them. They are also very aggressive on the bases, so when we’re on defense, we need to make sure we stay awake and be ready for them to steal, hit and run, or try to take the extra base.

#17=Matt Burns

SNOW!!!!

Wednesday wasn't a very good day in the North Country. We received nearly a foot of snow! Luckily we are getting ready to leave for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina next Wednesday.

Lineup Starting to Take Shape

(Monday’s) practice was a real good start to the week. As we’re getting closer to our first trip, the pitchers continue to increase their pitch count. It’s obviously good for them because they’ll be ready to throw deep into a game if need be, but it also benefits our hitters because we can take more live at-bats. I think the closer we get to traveling South for games, the more of a business approach the team is slowly taking at practices. It looks like more and more, the lineup is coming to a finalization for the first few games in Myrtle Beach. There is no doubt some names and the order will change, but there is a good idea where everyone will be and their roles on the team.

The tough part of the trip probably lies with the coaches, who have to decide who to bring and who to leave back home. We only take 24 guys to Myrtle Beach, partly because it is only a five game trip, but also because we rarely take everyone on road trips. Florida is the only trip where everyone is guaranteed a spot on the bus. It adds some pressure for them because they have to take a roster down South that is not only competitive in every aspect, but flexible as well. If something happens to a player, whether it is injury, fatigue, or even an early season slump, you need to be able to find a capable player for that spot, particularly on defense. You need at least one extra catcher, one player for the corner infield positions, one for the middle infield, and an extra outfielder. Deciding how many to take of each while also balancing the pitchers traveling can be the difference between a successful trip and one that had some holes. I think more than anything, whoever are the 24 guys that travel, each one will be ready to do his role and help our team win. We want to win all five games in Myrtle Beach, realizing that 4-1 would also be a good record. I think anything below that is unacceptable and that is the way we are preparing every day.

#17 = Matt Burns

Are You Ready for Some...Baseball?!

Chip Cummings Field on the Plattsburgh State campus is clear of snow and ice in the month of February--an unusual but welcome sight.

The Cardinals open their home schedule on Saturday, April 10, with a State University of New York Athletic Conference doubleheader against New Paltz, starting at noon.

Cardinals Rev Up Conditioning

(Tuesday’s) practice was probably the toughest in terms of conditioning that we have had so far. It was not out of punishment or stemming from a problem we had. Rather it is just something we need to do, especially at that level of intensity, every now and again to make sure we can push ourselves. I think it is best when it comes out of nowhere and surprises people. That way you can really see who is willing to push themselves to go a little harder when they are tired. It goes without saying that baseball is not a contact sport; never has and never will be. However, the grind of the season (40+ games in two months) is what can wear down a player. Conditioning is a huge part of being able to make it through those doubleheaders in Florida and four games on a weekend.

We now have less than three weeks until we head down to Myrtle Beach and there isn’t a person on the team who can wait for it. I try to tell them that these next three weeks are just as crucial as any practice during the season. These are what will prepare us for our first games and we cannot afford to just “get by” all of them. We need to continue to stay focused and work hard and only then will we be ready for our first game. I think everyone has continued to work hard, whether they are pushing themselves or feel like they are being pushed to do more, and it continues to be a major positive in what we are trying to accomplish this season.

#17 = Matt Burns

Cardinals Complete Week#2

Saturday morning’s practice was a real good finish to the second week of practice. This week seemed to move along much more quickly than last week, and it is important to settle down and make sure you are doing the right things in those practices, or else you may be wasting the time. We got to play live situations on the infield today, taking the hitters and pitchers from the cage to out in the open. Every time we get to do something like that, I think every one gets a little more anxious to finally get outside and on the field. Our infield continues to look real good defensively, especially up the middle with Tory Bouyea at shortstop and Pat Shaughnessy at second base. A lot of the guys on the team are impressed with how well they are working together, especially the pitchers who have the two of them working for them.

I think the toughest thing for our team continues to be the same repetitions we are working on every day, but that is what is going to be key in our development as a team. To be able to work on the little parts of the swing and anything on defense so many times is what allows the plays and feel of the game be ingrained in our minds. That way, when something we may have worked on a countless number of times in practice comes up during a game, it is something we know exactly how to execute. If you have to constantly be thinking and guessing your next move, you’re already a step behind the teams you’re facing. Sunday allowed us to relax for a day, watch the Super Bowl as a team, and get ready for next week’s work.

#17 = Matt Burns

Cardinals Try New Approach to Workouts

Practice on Wednesday was different than any other practice I’ve experienced here. It was definitely a change of style on Coach Doorey’s part, but everyone that came up to me throughout the practice really seemed to like it. Instead of outfielders working together on defense while infielders hit, the practice worked in stations where players worked as pairs throughout the practice. Position players worked on defense for their positions and everyone got different offensive drills in. Hitters went through cycles of hitting coffee lids, swinging through wiffleballs, hitting basketballs and soccer balls (to work on driving through the ball), and taking rapid swings. As catchers, we worked on everything from throws to second to our usual blocking and framing drills. Everything we did had a purpose and a certain amount of repetitions we had to work towards.

Two pitchers threw live again, and they continue to work through their cycle with their respective partners. The position players tend to see the work they put in because we work as separate groups, but I can promise that between the cardio, lifting, and swimming they do in and outside of practice, every pitcher is working toward being stronger and more productive for the team.

Former players--current assistant coaches Zack Welch and Billy Davis--have been a major part in helping our team grow. Zack works with the outfielders and catchers while Billy is a part of the pitching aspect now. Every single day they are making sure our team is getting enough work in as individuals and as a team based on their knowledge of the game. It’s so easy to listen to players who have had that success on this level and then become a part of the staff, wanting to see the program continue to succeed. I think often times, those who play a smaller role in the development of the team are overshadowed by the success of someone like Coach Doorey, but every coach on the staff contributes towards what we are always working for: a SUNYAC championship.

#17 = Matt Burns

Cardinals Practice "Small Ball"

(Tuesday’s) practice was again a lot of tee work and a little bit of live pitching. The pitchers are on their regular weekly routine now of throwing light bullpens, heavy bullpens, live pitching to hitters, conditioning and long toss. Every day there is some conditioning and I feel like there is a greater urgency to have our pitchers build their stamina than in previous years. Once the pitchers realize the importance of this, they tend to work a little bit harder so they can be the guy to pick our team up in a tight spot.

One thing we focus on a lot in winter practices is running the bases. Along with defense, there is not any part of the game that can take you out of a good situation if you make a mistake fundamentally. Whether it is going from station to station or trying to take the extra base, you need to have solid execution. We also started to work on bunting in live situations today which is another big part of our game. If we need to move a man to the next base late in the game, there is no room for error and our coaches stress that principle when we run these drills. With all of the things we are beginning to work on, we need to keep the same intensity throughout the next few weeks leading up to our trip to Myrtle Beach the opening weekend of March.

#17 = Matt Burns

Hitters Face Pitchers for the First Time

Monday was the beginning of live at-bats for our team. Only two pitchers, Matt O’Leary and Dan Tracy, threw to hitters, so only a few guys got to take real at-bats. It felt good to get in the cage for the first time and see real pitches. The two pitchers have been wanting to face live hitting as well and the both of them looked good for it being their first time out (during this preseason).

Matt O’Leary, pictured, will be our ace this year again, after taking over the role in his freshman season last year. He is coming off a rookie campaign that ended with a 7-2 record (tying the school record for wins in a season), a 3.55 earned-run average, and won the Rookie of the Year in both the SUNYAC and the ECAC. O’Leary, however, continues to be one of the most motivated players on the team. Very rarely is something good enough for him. He is the type of pitcher who will strike out a hitter on a missed location and be upset with himself because he did not execute (the spot). He always wants to be better and as an older player on the team, I really appreciate that. It makes every other pitcher on the staff want to work harder and be better. Those are the type of players every team needs in order to have a successful season.

#17 - Matt Burns

Defense Intensifies, Pitchers Get Work

I think Friday’s practice went pretty well defensively. We weren’t doing the same team situations but the infielders got a lot of work on grounders in different ways. The middle infield was turning double plays, the third basemen were working on charging bunts or softly-hit grounders, and the first basemen were working on making different plays. As catchers, we got more work on blocking the ball. We realize that it is expected that the catchers block everything they’re capable of getting to, so we get all the work in we can. Lateral movement for catchers is huge in helping a pitcher because if they feel they can throw any pitch they want with a man on base and not worry about him advancing on a ball in the dirt, it adds to the pitcher’s confidence tremendously.

Everyone has been getting more and more swings in the cage against a pitching machine. It may seem tedious to be taking swings off the tee or soft toss, but working on top hand and bottom hand swings makes the transition to live pitching that much easier. It’s easier to correct the small mistakes in a swing there than facing live pitching or the machine. Pitchers will start throwing to catchers on Saturday and begin throwing their bullpen sessions and to hitters on Monday. Everyone’s excited to finally see some real situations off actual pitching. I think it’s crucial that everyone continues to work on the little things before getting ahead of ourselves in the next couple of weeks. If we can internalize the mental aspects of offense and defense, the physical parts will come easy.

#17 = Matt Burns

Team Completes Thursday's Workout

We got to add live defensive drills to the mix on Thursday, with base runners in every type of situation. It was the first time everyone was in the middle of a real situation and there was definitely a little rust. I think everyone was disappointed with the execution and we all realize that building on the efficiency is needed. As a player, you try to remind yourself that the physical errors will happen from time to time. These first few days you just want to make sure you’re in the right position and not making mental mistakes to cost the team. With repetition will come execution, and there will definitely be many more repetitions. We prided ourselves on being the best defensive team in the SUNYAC last year, and we expect nothing less than to do the same this year. There is no doubt we have all the tools at each position to do so and the coaches have been doing a good job focusing on defense the majority of the time so far.

That is not to say we haven’t been hitting however, as we got more work off the tee and from the pitching machine today. In past years, we have not done a lot of video work. This year, however, everyone has been getting camera shots of swings and defense. It really helps to not only hear what you need to correct, but to see it as well when it is played back to you. I personally feel I benefit better from seeing what I’m doing wrong as well, rather than just hearing it. It’s been a good first week so far and we’re hoping to continue that into the weekend.

#17 = Matt Burns

Cardinals Start Work on Defense

We began to hit a little more at Wednesday’s practice. Some of it off the pitching machine and the rest as batting practice, but either way it was good for everyone to get some swings in. The catchers continued to get blocking and framing work in today, and the infielders got more ground balls. For the first time since being back this semester, however, we worked on team defensive drills and situational defense. A main focus, like with every team, comes during first and third situations along with the times during the game that a team is probable to bunt.

During the drills, but especially during games, you like to have a player in the infield who can control the situation and understand every possible outcome, and I think Tory Bouyea (pictured) is that type of player.

Tory took over the starting shortstop role early in the season last year and immediately took our defense and offense to a new level. I personally believe he was far and above the best complete shortstop in the conference last season. He understands his role on offense, rarely has a bad at-bat, great in the field, and has well above the average understanding of the game. It puts my mind and the minds of others on the field at ease knowing he’ll rarely be out of position or not be doing something to help the team in any aspect. He constantly pushes himself and others to work harder and I can tell you every player, I especially, appreciate that.

#17 = Matt Burns

(Tuesday’s) practice was even better than yesterday’s. I think that’s what everyone wants to see; the things we work on from day to day need to improve in efficiency with the more repetitions we take. Position players again worked off the tee and soft toss while the pitchers worked through their early stages of mechanics. More and more is being asked of our pitchers as far as conditioning and only time will tell if it pays off but it should help tremendously with our starters being able to throw deeper in games. When you can get a starter into the seventh inning, it takes a lot of pressure off of the bullpen and lessens the work they need to do in high pressure situations. To see those guys doing more sprints, long distance, swimming, and lifting, it really makes you think they’ll be able to hold up throughout the grind of the entire season.

I try to tell all of our players that every drill we do is with a purpose, and if we don’t always have that purpose in mind, the drill becomes less productive. Whether it is catchers working on blocking and framing the ball, outfielders working on accuracy of throws home, or infielders taking ground balls, every drill needs to be at 100% and everyone needs to push the next guy to do just that. The coaches have been doing a great job explaining certain things to players, especially demonstrating fundamentals. I think it’s necessary to something to model after and understand why it is we do everything in these drills.

#17 = Matt Burns

First Day of Practice

We had our first practice today - and part of it was outside! Hard to believe, but we practiced baseball outside in Plattsburgh, NY on January 25! Good opening day workout.

The first day of practice went pretty well. It’s not often we’re able to get outside on the turf field for the first day. Usually the weather doesn’t let us get out there for at least a couple of weeks so it was good for the position players to get outside. The infielders took a lot of ground balls and outfielders worked on tracking fly balls in the gaps. The first few days don’t consist of a lot of throwing; rather we get back into things working on fundamentals first. Catchers worked on blocking, receiving, framing, and getting into positions to throw on a steal. All of the position players also got to work off of the tee throughout the practice. Pitchers were inside working on their mechanics without throwing bullpens.

It’s also to get conditioning in early in the practices indoors. That way we don’t have to worry about guys being in game shape when it’s time to travel south for the first games. Everyone was real anxious to get going for the first day and I think without doing a lot of hitting or throwing it was a good start. It’s real good to see from top to bottom every guys working hard and wanting to get better with everything we’re working on.

#17

Matt Burns introduction

As the introduction stated, my name is Matt Burns and I’ll be the one who’s writing all about not only our season, but what we go through over an entire year as a Plattsburgh State student-athlete. I graduated from Ellenville High School in 2006 and as any player could tell you, the four years (of College) go by faster than you would think. This season, however, I’m more excited about than any other year I’ve been here. With less than two weeks left before practices start, I see our team in a good position to do well. We have, in my opinion, the hardest working team since the program has been re-established at Plattsburgh (in 2002).

Graduation was tough on us last year. We lost a lot of talent and leadership, and it is always tough to find players to step in and fill those roles. I don’t think anyone has the mindset that we are trying to replace those guys, because every team has to establish themselves separately from previous seasons. Rather, we have both returners and newcomers who can take those spots and do more than hold their own. This is evident when you see the entire team doing more than what they’re asked in every way. We have more guys lifting and working out than ever before. There are a number of players helping out other guys do a little better in the classroom. It’s not about personal achievements or setting records, rather every guy on the team from top to bottom knows winning is the most important thing.

I think everyone knows that in order to get where you eventually want to be as a program, you must first take the smaller steps. Plattsburgh has been in the SUNYAC playoffs for seven years running now, and last year we got our first win in the tournament. Without a doubt, it was the best feeling I’ve had since being here. Now, it’s more than that. We expect to be in the playoffs again this year and this time, getting to the finals and do our work in those games. It’s not enough for our team to just be in the tournament. We focus on each game all season long, and never look to the next one, but we always have that goal in our minds.

Coach Doorey keeps us focused in every aspect. I think the fact that we’re playing for someone who started a program out of nothing, built a winning program while winning multiple (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year awards in such a short time span, it really makes everyone want to work a little harder on and off the field. We go out into the area and do a lot of community service. We work hard in the classroom because we know part of being a student-athlete is doing well in school as well as on the field. For any guys who might have trouble adjusting to a different workload or for newcomers and transfers who may not be accustomed to Plattsburgh, we set up hours in the library and learning center for those guys to have time to get work done there.

There is no doubt this year’s team has a great opportunity to do well. From top to bottom, everyone seems focused and driven to do well. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation for my last year here, and we’re all looking forward to the first practice.

#17

Welcome to Cardinals Baseball 2010!

Happy New Year! The 2010 baseball season is almost here and we are always willing to try something new to stir interest! This year we are going to have senior co-captain Matt Burns provide a diary of the season.

Matt will let you in on the daily doings of SUNY Plattsburgh baseball players and how they balance academics, athletics and community service.

Matt has been through it all in his first three seasons. As a freshman and sophomore Matt was a utility infielder. Trying to find a way for more playing time, he became a catcher and served as the Cards starting catcher in 2009. This season, Matt will see playing time as a catcher, infielder and designated hitter.

As a captain, Matt is one of the men responsible for the team working hard on the three-prong Cardinal baseball approach: Athletic Excellence, Academic Achievement, Community Service.

Our players worked very hard this off-season under the guidance of Matt and fellow co-captain Alex Read. Academically our team achieved a 2.9 grade-point average for the fall semester. And, our players performed over 500 hours of community service during the fall semester.