KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2010 / SPORTS
7A
BASEBALL
Season begins with some new faces and a new field
Team starts first practice of the year with a Big 12 championship in mind
BY MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kansan.com
The wind and rain in Lawrence didn't stop this year's Kansas baseball team from getting onto the field for day one of practice.
"It's absolutely gorgeous." Price said. The players poured out of the dugout and began sprinting to the
Fall ball's 45 day practice regimen has begun, and yet another season of Kansas Baseball is on the way.
This year's
Still, senior outfielder Jimmy Waters could not hide his excitement to get back onto the field.
"It's an exciting time just with a lot of new faces with the team to go along with the stuff they've done to the field," Waters said.
Hoglund Ballpark is now boasting brand new $1.2 million turf that will put the cleats of the Jawhaws
"It's an exciting time just with a lot of new faces with the team to go along with the stuff they've done to the field."
JIMMY WATERS
Senior outfielder
This year's squad will have a different look to it as the team has lost many important seniors and the field has undergone a facelift.
on some of the nicest ground in baseball.
"It's probably the finest playing surface in the country right now," coach Rich Price said.
Gone are the days of funky hops that make infielders cringe and coaches nauseous. The new
surface is supposed to hold the ball true, and make things much easier across the infield.
infielder really good. The reality of it is there are no bad hops," coach Price said.
"It should make an average
Having such a state of the art field does put more pressure on the infielders. "It's a perfect playing surface. There are no excuses. If you kick the ball, it's all on you." Price said as he clapped a wry smile.
As for the team, Kansas looks
very young, but they still have an array of talent. The team lost its second, third and fourth hitters in the lineup. A lot of the positions are open, and the 42 days of fall ball are where players look to
every day and improve."
This year's team is in a unique situation as they had seven players drafted and six of them signed. "We basically have turned over almost three quarters of our roster," Price said. "We have talent; we're just really young."
"It's a perfect playing surface, there are no excuses..."
Pitching for Kansas will be as big of a question mark as any. Senior
solidify their positions on the team.
solidify their positions on the team. "Everybody is focused on how they are going to get better individually, and when they do that, the whole team comes along." Waters said. "Hopefully I can come out here
RICH PRICE KU baseball coach
Pitcher T.J. Walz leads the rotation as the returning KU Pitcher of the Year.
The pitching staff for Kansas last year was ravaged by injuries, and as a result, consistency was a serious issue for the them. Walz hopes the team can fix that season.
"We need to have a killer instinct attitude and also just throw more strikes," he said.
The youth of the Jayhawks won't change their expectations as they look to come out onto the field and take care of business." The goal has got be to win a Big 12 championship" said Waters.
Edited by Abby Davenport
Chris Neal/KANSAN
Freshman infielder Kaiana Eldridge runs through drills Thursday afternoon during the first practice of the season. This was the teams first practice on the new turf.
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"He definitely puts it in a place that we can go up and make a play on the ball," said sophomore wide receiver Bradley McDougald. "A lot of quarterbacks throw it to a place that makes it easy for the defender to make a play, but he puts it in a place that usually only his receivers can go get it or he's going to locate it for us down field."
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— Edited by Lisa Curran
Monday, September 27 Kansas Union Ballroom,11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oliver Hall, 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Kansas Union, Blood Vessel, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday, September 28 Kansas Union Ballroom, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Hashinger Hall , 2-7 p.m. Kansas Union, Blood Vessel, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
quarterback thus far. The matchup with House should be key in the progression of Webb as a player.
Wednesday, September 29
Kansas Union Ballroom, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Kappa Delta Sorority, 3-8 p.m.
Kansas Union, Blood Vessel, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday, September 30
Kansas Union Ballroom, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
McCollum Hall, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Kansas Union, Donor Coach, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Instent Recreation Center, Blood Vessel, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fridav. October 1
The Kansas offense will have to work around Aggies senior cornerback Davon House, one of the top pass defenders in the nation during the last three years. In his career, House has 39 pass break-ups, 156 tackles and nine interceptions.
Kansas Union Ballroom, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
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Phi Kappa Psi, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Kansas Union, Donor Coach, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Student Recreation Center, Blood Vessel, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
House should test freshman Jordan Webb, but ball security has not been an issue for the Jawhay
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Senior punter Alonso Rojas said he believes the Jayhawks' special teams woes are self-inflicted and correctable.
We'll get it fixed; it's nothing that can't be fixed. I have faith in all of my teammates. I know that they have my back and I don't need to think about it. Just keep executing."
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
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"I don't want to take away any credit from the other teams," Rojas said. "They're executing what they're taught to do. On our part, it's little things. It's the miscues.
MLB
Blue Jays' Bautista hits 50 home runs
TORONTO — On a day of milestone hits, Jose Bautista's big shot won the game.
Bautista hit his major league-leading 50th home run, connecting off Felix Hernandez and sending the Toronto Blue Jays over the Seattle Mariners 1-0 on Thursday.
"We got to see some things happen today that I've never seen before," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "It's a day I'll always remember."
Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki also became the first player with 10 straight 200-hit seasons, breaking his own record with a fifth-inning single.
Bautista became the 26th player in baseball history to reach the 50-home run mark with a first-inning drive off Hernandez (12-12).
"It's really a big honor to be put in that elite group of hitters," Bautista said. "To tell you the truth, I really haven't let it sink in yet, I haven't thought about it too much. Once I do that, then I'll probably have more feelings to describe. Right now I'm really honored and happy."
All 50 of Bautista's homers have been to left or left center. He exchanged hugs and fist bumps with his teammates before trying to get the attention of his parents, who were in the crowd.
"I tried to wave at them," Bautista said. "Everybody was standing up so I don't think they could see me."
Associated Press