Q & A With Behrend Baseball Coach Paul Benim
What are your general thoughts on how the season started down in Florida? Where do you feel like your team stands
right now?
Our team performed quite well. The younger pitchers threw well and looked like they had collegiate experience. Spring training is an extremely demanding week. We played nine varsity and three JV games in six days. We are fortunate that our depth enabled us to do several good things. It is however a long season and it isn't how well you start, but rather how you finish.
Who is performing particularly well for the team right now?
The pitching staff competed at a very high level for us. The gave us a chance to win each game. The bullpen with Ryan Smith, Ben Cain and several freshmen was outstanding. Offensively, several guys have maximized their plate appearances. We have had some good at-bats and at the top of our line-up, Mike Stetz, Josh Fyffe and John Gray have created offensively opportunities.
What does the AMCC look like this season? How do you think you will fare against conference competition?
You must be ready to play in each and every conference game. The league is extremely competitive and very open in 2007. Our AMCC road schedule is very difficult and our experienced players will need to perform.
Has anybody really surprised you with what they brought back from the offseason?
The seniors were ready to play and their focus was good. We had some juniors like Joe Breiter, Jason Bartlett, Adam Martin and Paul Henry provide our team will key plate appearances and strong defense this past week.
What is the biggest challenge as your team returns home and prepares for the heart of your schedule?
Our goal always remains the same. We want to get better daily and be at our best during the postseason stretch. Again the league games are tough--anything can happen, but we strive to compete annually for the AMCC championship.
What are your expectations for the end of the season and into the postseason?
Our goal is to compete to win the AMCC championship and continue into postseason play every year. We need to play one pitch of one game at time. The season is not a sprint. It is a test of endurance, depth and several other factors that influence your team's progress and success.