SMALLS TALK: College Baseball's Opening Day

Today, every team in the country takes the first step in their journey to Omaha. 

It doesn’t get much better than college baseball. The camaraderie, the pressure, the fans, the passion – my four years in college were the most fun I’ve ever had on a baseball field. From mid-February to (hopefully) late June, you travel the country, representing your school and playing baseball with your friends – and the best part is: every game matters.

That’s the beauty of college ball – there are no guarantees; you live and die with every pitch. The season isn’t long enough for you to take your lumps and hope the cream will eventually rise to the top. You let a losing streak or a slump go on for too long, it may cost you your season. Wins become more valuable, losses more costly. You have 56-games to script your resume and prove to the committee that your team deserves a shot at the NCAA tournament more than the other 300 teams. And that journey begins today.

Today, teams all over the country are taking that first step toward their ultimate goal – everything they’ve been working all Fall and Winter for is finally here. The early mornings, the late nights, the workouts, the sprints – today, it’s all worth it.

In college, your team is your family. Unlike Minor League Baseball, your roster is set – there’s no revolving door; you work with the guys you have. You pull for one another, you play for one another – the team’s success is all that matters.

Today, everyone has a chance. Every team controls their own destiny, there’s optimism in every dugout. Enjoy it. Take it all in – the game, the fans, the college atmosphere, your buddies playing beside you – it doesn’t get much better than this.

Good luck to college ballplayers all around the country as you begin your quest toward Omaha. There will only be one team dog-piling at the end of the season, however – who do you think it will be?

SMALLS TALK Series
On-Field Composure
When did "Can I have your autograph" turn into "Give me a ball"?
Baseball Needs a 24/7 Show
Top 10 Things to Do in the Dugout During a Day Off
The Spit Hit
Being Friends with Pitchers
The Yankee Core
Opening Day
You Play Right Field?
It's Not Always Sunny in Arizona
Tee Work
Helmet for Pitchers?
Approaching Spring Training
Top 5 Things I Won't Miss About My Local Gym
Getting New Equipment
Last Day at Work
My Bat of Choice
The Superstitions and Quirks of a Ballplayer
The Art of the Autograph
Greensboro's 'Bat Dogs'
Tim Kurkjian is a Man Among Boys
Baseball Movie All-Star Game: Starting Lineups
Walk-Out Music
Pre-Draft Medical Questionnaires
The Ryan Howard Namesake
The Magic of the Rally
Jeter and A-Rod, How Times Have Changed
Summer Leagues - Cape Still Cream of the Crop?
SportsCenter Commercials are Better Than Most Shows
Schilling's Bloody Sock
Red Sox Nation Goes Crazy, JD Drew Can't Be Bothered
Minor League Hats are the Way to Go
Who Has the Best Uniforms in College Baseball?

COLLEGE to PRO: Team Dynamic

Minor League Baseball is not about championships. It's not about making friends, or winning baseball games- it's about player development. Every player begins his season looking to get better, achieve personal success, and finish up the year at a higher level- and if the team wins, well that's great, too- I guess.

It's a concept that has taken a while for me to fully grasp- winning is secondary? I'm not pulling for my teammates?

I spent four years in college putting the team first, and I wasn't alone- that was our mentality. Nothing was more important to me than my teammates and our collective success. The team was a unit- we were best friends on a mission to win baseball games and finish our season in Omaha. We were a family, really. All that time spent together, how could we not be? We shared a common goal and rallied around it- there was nothing any of us wouldn't do for one of our teammates.

Now I'm not saying that people don't want to win in pro ball- it's just not a main focus. And when you take winning out of the equation, you're really no longer a team- you are now 25 individuals trying to achieve individual success. And in our sport, sometimes that works- after all, baseball is an individual game with merely a team concept. Guys hit back to back home runs: it's good for both of their stats, and it's good for the team- regardless of whether or not helping the team was a part of their motive.