Club sports, though present at almost all universities, lie hidden in obscurity. They aren't listed on any "official" college athletic website, and many of them don't even have websites of their own, much less their own sanctioned leagues. But there are always exceptions to the rule: enter club baseball. The National Club Baseball Association is an organized league which hosts more than 120 teams, including the Tigers.
The Tigers, who had been practicing in Dillon Gym all winter to get their arms loose for the spring season, had their first outdoor practice Monday. The practices themselves are pretty standard: the players do infield and outfield work, take batting practice and have some intrasquad scrimmages. What's not so standard is the ease with which Princeton has positioned itself as a prime contender in the NCBA.
"We should be really good this year and have a good chance to win our league. It's pretty impressive since this is only our second year in the NCBA," junior Dave Rosen said. Rosen plays shortstop and pitcher for the Tigers and is both the president and captain of the team.
The Orange and Black are in the Mid-Atlantic North Conference of the NCBA, along with Rider, TCNJ, Villanova and Delaware, and have the skill to match, and potentially outmatch, their opponents.
"During the winter we saw a lot more players than we had in the past which was nice and some very good talent which will add depth we've never had before," junior Marco Matos said. "We have a bunch of returning guys, especially in the '08 class who look like they will add a lot to the lineup, offensively and defensively."
Freshmen to contribute
The influx of diaper dandies on the team has also provided the Tigers with a new dimension of talent.
"We have gotten freshmen who are extremely dedicated and work very, very hard," Matos said. "We have big freshmen who look like they will add incredibly to the lineup quickly."
Matos is talking about six feet, six inches Bryan Berry and 6'5" Andrew Chavarria. Berry's 225-pound and Chavarria's 260-pound frames are sure to provide some stellar power for Princeton this season.
The extent of new interest in Princeton club baseball has been so great that the team currently has 48 active members, 18 over the allowed maximum for an NCBA roster. To that end, Rosen has scheduled non-league games so that those who aren't on the roster will still be able to get some playing time.
But despite the Tigers' talent and depth, they have lost their ace pitcher, senior Brady Becker, to an injury he suffered in the fall. Becker was a key player on the team and will be very hard to replace.
"We have great speed and good defense right now, and hitting will come as the season moves forward, but our question mark will be pitching," Matos said.
To that end, Matos, who has been resting up for the season as the Tigers' catcher, will also be able to help out on the mound. If one pitcher is not able to do it all this season for the Tigers, a very deep pitching staff should help get the job done.
Fun on the diamond
In contrast with the intense preparation that the players undergo for the season is the fun they have playing the game.
"It's a lot of fun to just play baseball in a very stressless environment with friends and that's why I play," Matos said. "It's just pure enjoyment for the game at this point."
In the past, attendance by the players was a problem for the Tigers. Like many other Princeton athletes, players were forced to juggle academic and other extracurricular commitments with season games.
This year, however, Princeton has a much younger team and making it out shouldn't be an issue.
"If we can get our core guys out there to most of our games, I don't see a reason to ever lose," Matos said.
Though there is a tendency to underestimate newcomers, the Tigers are looking to squash all doubt and show that they have what it takes to win their league and advance further.
"I'm pretty excited for the team and have no doubts we will surprise a lot of teams who aren't even considering us to be competitive," Matos said. "I'm not even sure what we get if we win the league, but I think we have great chance to find out."
Whatever prize or trophy the players might receive, one thing's for sure: they will win respect.
The Tigers have their first game at Rider on April 5 and look to start their season off right by swinging for the fences against the Broncos.
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