TALLAHASSEE, Fl. - WTXL — With the season just 20 days away, the Florida State baseball team is in full preparation mode, building up their bullpen and getting guys familiar with positions they don’t normally play. It’s something head coach Mike Martin Jr. says has to be done when you factor Covid-19 into the season.
With so many unknowns going on day to day, versatility and awareness will be key for his guys as they navigate any potential challenges. Their 2020 campaign was ended abruptly by the same pandemic, so this time around Junior and his staff want to make sure their team is ready to play in unfamiliar situations. Trying to accomplish that in three weeks of practice comes with challenges, but at the end of the day, there’s no other way to go about it.
“They really got to be sponges. Generally you’re working with a guy here, but now it’s stopped and everybody’s got to listen. This is where you have to be on a cusp, on bunt defense, everybody’s got to know how to play," says Martin Jr. "If you’re an infielder you better be able to play all of them, the show is going to go on, whoever is available we’re going to play with them. And we’ve got to get our games in, it’s paramount. Keep advising them about bubbling up and doing smart things off the field.”
