Irish Baseball Preview: Ready to work

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This week, Rosemount baseball coach Trevor Monroe discovered just how much dedication he can expect from his 2009 squad.

Scheduling early morning scrimmages is nothing new for the Irish.

But early this week, Rosemount had its 12 players show up for a 5:30 a.m. scrimmage against Farmington.

Getting solid participation at 5:30 a.m. — in the middle of spring break week — showed Monroe all he needed to see.

“They showed up and were excited to be there,” Monroe said. “They were ready to go. We’ve got some good kids that are working hard. It’s kind of a whole new group of kids, just a couple kids back from last year.

“We’ve had early scrimmages in the past and haven’t always had guys excited about that. It goes to show what we are working with this year.”

There is reason for the players to work hard. With so many departed seniors from last year’s state tournament team, there are lineup spots up for grabs.

But Monroe doesn’t believe that’s the only motivating factor.

“I think that’s just the way this group handles things,” Monroe said.

Third baseman Brett Thaden and catcher Matt Foley return as the team captains.

Senior Justin Wallace will lead the pitching staff after working as the No. 3 pitcher last season.

There are some unknowns when it comes to the staff behind Wallace.

Thaden might see some time on the mound, along with Chris Couillard, Chris Adams, Michael Robohm, Brady Loew, and Jake Turner.

Loew received playing time at the end of last season and might find a spot at shortstop or in the outfield.

Adams might also see time at first base, while Couillard and Robohm likely will slot into the outfield. Turner can play second base and outfield. Jordan Wilhelmi can also play second.

One aspect Monroe knows he can count on is his coaching staff.

“I feel I have the best coaching staff,” Monroe said. “We have guys that put in a lot of time outside of practice time. It goes unrecognized, but these guys have done a lot for our program.”

Luckily for Irish fans, everyone seems to be putting in the extra time.

Tags: sports, rosemount, irish, baseball, preview