baseball coach Tom O’Grady isn’t too concerned that Mother Nature hasn’t agreed with the practice schedule.
Sure, she forced the Minutemen to practice indoors more often than not this preseason, but with the team LHS returns this spring, a lack of proper preparation may not be too much of a problem.
The Minutemen have seven starters back this season from a squad that captured the Middlesex League title and lost just three games in 2010. With all the returning talent, O’Grady is looking forward to another stellar season.
Find out what's happening in Lexingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“It’s really nice when that happens and it usually doesn’t happen that often at all,” he said of returning so many key players. “It’s a really talented group of kids that all came up together. … We have a lot of kids that have been very successful in their careers.”
As of April 5, the Minutemen had practiced outdoors on less than a handful of occasions and not once on their water-logged diamond. Still, O’Grady was confident the team would be ready to go when the season opens tonight, April 8, at Lowell High School.
Find out what's happening in Lexingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Should Lexington need any added motivation it won’t need to look very far. The Red Raiders squad the Minutemen open the season against is the very same one that ousted them from the MIAA North D-1 tournament in a first round matchup that took 10 innings to decide last year.
Lexington had beaten Lowell twice during the regular season, but couldn’t get the job done in the playoffs, when the Minutemen were the top seed.
“They were a very good team, Lowell, and it’s tough to beat a team three times,” O’Grady said. “I know our kids certainly have it in the back of their heads and I know they will be ready to play Friday, that’s for sure.”
But the coach admitted what’s done is done and he and the Minutemen are just looking forward to starting the new season.
As always, competition for the top spot in the Middlesex League should be heated. In order to repeat, O’Grady said, Lexington will have to get past the talent always seems to trot out onto the field and contend with a team that is returning a number of seniors.
“We’re hoping we can duplicate last season, but that’s going to be difficult because there’s a lot of good teams in the league,” the coach said. “I think we have the potential to be a strong contender for the league.”
LEXINGTON BASEBALL SEASON PREVIEW CAPSULE
Coach: Tom O’Grady (23rd season)
League: Middlesex League
Last Year: 18-3 (Won Middlesex League; lost in First Round of North Division 1 tournament)
Returning Players: Seven returning starters and 10 seniors
Key to Success: Take advantage of all the talent that returns from a very solid 2010 Minutemen squad. “We have a lot of kids back that have a lot of experience and, you know, have played a lot,” O’Grady said. “And a number of kids that have played since they were freshmen, so we have a nice nucleus of kids coming back.”
Game to Watch: Lowell ousted Lexington from the postseason and the two will open the season on Friday afternoon.
Coach’s Take: “They’re a really great group of kids that work hard.”
