Just One More Week Before Baseball Practice Opens

Email Ricky Hazel

We've reached the end of another week and we are now just one week away from the opening of baseball practice for the 2011 season.

By NCAA rule, the Trojans can begin full team practices three weeks before the first game of the season. That means January 28 is the big day.

For those of us who are baseball junkies (GUILTY!) there are several big days in the next few weeks. First is the start of college baseball practice, then comes the day when Major League pitchers and catchers report for the start of spring training (Feb. 13 if you are a fan of the Cincinnati Reds).

After that comes opening day for the Trojans on Feb. 18 and we will be off and running.

Over the last couple of weeks I have been plugging away at the 2011 Troy Baseball Media Guide. Unlike in years past, the guide will only be available online. I hope to have the guide available online by the time practice starts next week, but I have been held up a little while trying to get information from some of our opponents this year.

Last weekend we took head shots of all the players and staff as well as photos of the seniors that you will see on posters, schedule cards, scorecards at the games as well as the media guide. You can see those photos, and even purchase some if you like, in the photo galleries on our web site. You can also find them on Facebook.

We are going to shoot the team photos tomorrow at the field and I'll get those loaded as soon as possible.

Leading up to the season I have already written a series of preview stories. We'll start posting those online once practice gets started.

All of the players bios have been updated online as well. You can see the 2011 Trojans roster to read up on all the players. While I was in a roster groove, I also got the 2011 Troy Rodeo rosters as well as both golf teams updated with new photos. You can see those on their pages on the web site.

Of course, baseball is not the only thing about to get started. Both basketball teams are in the middle of their seasons. The Troy men played a pair of great games at home last week, but dropped a tough one last night at Middle Tennessee. Both teams will be in action tomorrow at Western Kentucky and both games will be televised on Fox College Sports.

Both the track and tennis programs are off and running with their spring seasons and, like baseball, softball will be cranking up soon. Travis Jarome will be working with the softball team this year, as soon as his duties with women's basketball are over. I know that he met with Coach Melanie Davis yesterday and will have some season preview information up on the website soon.

In addition to my focus on baseball, I always have to keep one eye on the football program. As most of you read in the Dothan Eagle, Coach Larry Blakeney filled the opening on his staff by hiring Sean Reagan as the new quarterbacks coach. Sean spent two years as a graduate assistant here at Troy before going with Neal Brown to Texas Tech last year.

The next big event for the Troy football program will come on Wednesday, February 2, which is National Signing Day.

There was also news this week that the Trojans will hold a scrimmage during spring practice in Phenix City. The Trojans are scheduled to open spring practice on Feb. 23 and will hold the first of three spring scrimmages on Thursday, March 3, prior to releasing the squad for spring break.

After the break, the team will return to practice on March 14 with the scrimmage in Phenix City set for 2 p.m. on March 19. Spring practice will continue the next week with the final "T-Day" scrimmage set for March 26 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in conjunction with the University's spring reunion weekend.

I will not be able to make it to Phenix City for the scrimmage that day. In addition to a home baseball game that evening against South Alabama, my former graduate assistant, and former Troy punter, Jason Wright, is getting married that same day in Prattville.

Remember to tune in on Sunday if you get Fox Sports Arizona for the Eastham Energy All-Star Game, which will be played in Tempe, Ariz. Former Trojans DuJuan Harris and Mario Addison will play in that game. Addison also was added for the NFLPA Game (Texas vs. USA) in San Antonio on Feb. 5.