A brisk wind which dropped temperatures into the low 20s at times couldn't keep MTSU's baseball Blue Raiders off the field Monday for their first practice of 2005.
"Just being outside taking ground balls on real dirt and letting pitchers throw off real mounds was great," MTSU head coach Steve Peterson said after watching his players go through their paces as a team for the first time since fall practice ended in October.
"It was not a very good practice. Being outside was great," he said. "It will be very easy for us to get better."
The more time outside the better — despite the cold — because the Blue Raiders have just 25 days to get ready for their season opener Feb. 18. The Blue Raiders start with a weekend series against Ball State of the Mid-America Conference.
"My goal right now is to be good enough to win on Feb. 18," Peterson said. "We'll try to get better from there."
One way to get better is to play, and the Blue Raiders have an ambitious intrasquad schedule ahead of them.
"We'll attempt to play nine intrasquad dates," Peterson said. "That could be anything from six innings to 10 innings."
The first two will be Friday and Saturday.
"If the weather holds, we'll take Sunday off then come back with an intrasquad on Feb. 1," Peterson said. "Our plan that day is for all our pitchers to get an inning. We want to get them as many opportunities on the mound as we can."
Pitching is one of the great unknowns for the Blue Raiders, especially starting pitchers. With all three of the weekend starters who pitched down the stretch in 2004 gone, the pitchers who pitched the club into a Sun Belt championship and a trip to the NCAA Regionals, the pitchers who remain will have assert themselves.
Peterson is optimistic.
"I like the overall attitude of this staff," he said. "I can see a sense of urgency. It's not a panic mode, but they understand. They were very responsible about how they've come back.
"Last year's staff was the best in the Sun Belt Conference," he said. "The year before they were the worst. Just like Chris Mobley stepped up and John Williams showed up, we've got guys who will make a difference for us. Everybody on the staff will have to contribute. Fans may not see those contributions, but a guy who can give us an inning six or seven times will help us save an arm for the weekend."
Peterson has Eric Blevins and Matt Scott penciled in for starts the first weekend.
"The third starter will evolve in the next three weeks," he said.
Peterson also has some answers to find in the outfield, especially in center field where he has to find a replacement for four-year starter Chuck Akers.
"I know what I can do. Now I have to figure what I want to do," he said. "I couldn't make a decision in the fall because of injuries. We'll need some intrasquads to help sort it out."
How the center-field question is answered could affect how the rest of the outfield is put together, he said.
A December bout with mononucleosis and tonsillitis has slowed sophomore catcher Michael McKenry.
"He'll be all right," Peterson said, "but you can't rush him. That means Tommy Decker and Alex Watson will have to step up."
Barring injury or a spring performance that can't be overlooked, the infield is probably set.
"We don't have a lot of the same guys from last year, but we've got guys who work hard and can do it," Peterson said. "This team must be very competitive among each other, particularly in the outfield and on the pitching staff.
"It will be interesting," Peterson said. "I can't wait to hear what the groundhog tells me."
The groundhog will have his say on Feb. 2 at the annual Groundhog Day luncheon.
