Baseball season is cherished in many people’s eyes, especially Pitman Baseball players. Not only is baseball looked forward to by the players, but also by the fans. The fans are a key aspect to the Pitman’s success in baseball.
Pitman Baseball tryouts are on February 3rd, all students are able to try out for the team. This year, forty freshmen are trying out for the team, however only about thirteen will make the team. This means that twenty seven freshmen will be sent to another sport.
The elite freshman baseball players have a chance of being moved up to J.V, or even Varsity. Last year Matt Carrigg was a freshman, at tryouts the coaches liked his arm, speed, and bat. Carrigg was moved up to Varsity as a freshman and batted over .300 for the whole season.
Pitman baseball players that have 6th period athletics are eligible to participate in 6th period baseball. Sixth period baseball may be an advantage in tryouts, because the coaches have had to look at kids for the past few months.
Coach Acha said, “I am looking for kids that have room for improvement, and also kids that listen to what the coaches are telling them.”
These are some key aspects to making the team, along with being able to maintain a 2.0 grade point average, with no more than one F. However, Coach Acha expects more of his players.
“Grades are the first thing you should worry about,” says the freshmen coach, Coach King. If you don’t have the grades to play, then you’re not playing.”
In the past the Pitman baseball club has been very successful. In 2013 the Pitman Pride Varsity team placed 3rd out of nearly one hundred teams in the central valley. This was a great accomplishment, which will go down in Pitman’s history.
“This year Pitman’s baseball program is projected to be very successful, almost like last year, but hopefully even more successful. We have a great group of kids who are eager to learn and improve there skills,” says freshman coach, Coach King.
The players may not enjoy Coach Snodgrass’s conditioning routines; however he says, “Trust me guys this will pay off.” Along with Snodgrass’s conditioning there are also weight training afterschools two days a week. All of these factors contribute to Pitman’s successful baseball team and seasons.
Come out to tryouts on Monday January 3rd to show your skills, and maybe even land a spot on the 2014 Pitman High School baseball team roster. Coach John Acha will be finalizing cuts sometime after the 17th of February.