It wasn’t quite spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., but Monday’s opening day of the spring high school season here in Central Maine sure felt like it. With the thermometer nudging 70 degrees, many players went outside and practiced in shorts and T-shirts.
“This is unbelievable,” Cony softball coach Rocky Gaslin said of the weather.
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The Rams practiced on a field behind the school but Gaslin estimates their regular softball field will be ready later in the week.
This week is devoted exclusively to pitchers and catchers in baseball and softball. Next week, practices open for spring sports in general.
For the opening week, baseball teams are allowed eight pitchers and two catchers while softball teams can use any combination of pitchers and catchers as long as that number is 10 or less. The first countable date for spring sports is April 12, although many teams get under way during vacation week, April 15-21.
At Hall-Dale, pitchers got to throw off the mound, something they rarely get to do before the second or third week in April.
“We can play a game on it,” Hall-Dale coach Tim Johnson said of his field. “I think tryouts are going to be outside. We’ve never done that before.”
The early week of practice is built in by the Maine Principals’ Association to allow pitchers more time to get their arms in shape.
“It’s really just to get reps and (for) mechanics,” Cony baseball coach Don Plourde said. “Those are the two things to get guys conditioned for the upcoming preseason. We start slow.”
Plourde said it takes at least a month if not five or six weeks before a pitcher’s arm is in top shape and he’s capable or throwing 80-85 pitches. Although high school teams usually settle into a three or four man rotations by midseason, the old adage “you can never have too much pitching” is especially true for a season that lasts less than two months.
Pitching depth is far less important in softball where one pitcher often pitches most every inning during the season. Gaslin has at least three strong arms in returning senior Emily Soule, Erskine transfer Sonja Morse and freshman Arika Brochu.
“It’s not really a problem,” he said. “We have three very good pitchers, we’re fortunate.”
Johnson, who is the athletic director at Hall-Dale, is returning to coach baseball for the fifth time in his career.
“I was pretty excited the last couple of days,” he said. “I had a hard time focusing. It was great to be back out there.”
Several coaches are making debuts in softball and baseball this spring.
New softball coaches include Ginger Shaw at Gardiner, Paul Rodrigue at Mt. Blue and Tom McCafferty at Mt. Abram. In addition to Johnson, new baseball coaches include Chris McLaughlin at Gardiner, Pete Dennis at Oak Hill and Jesse Lacasse at Winslow.
Gary Hawkins — 621-5638
ghawkins@centralmaine.com
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