Mondays are supposed to be a day off for the Penn State baseball team.
But with less than two weeks until the first pitch of the 2009 season, the Nittany Lions gathered on the AstroTurf Field Monday to take advantage of a rare above-freezing February afternoon in State College.
"What is it, 45 out or something? That's baseball weather for us," head coach Robbie Wine said Monday during the team's Media Day press conference.
Practices began Feb. 1 for the Lions, but with icicles still dangling from the lights lining Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, team drills were kept indoors until Sunday's unseasonable weather allowed the team to move outside.
The move to outdoor practices now allows the Lions to get repetitions at fielding fly balls hanging in the wind and hiding in the glow of the sun.
And with games against Texas and Florida Gulf Coast placed near the start of the schedule, the Lions' head coach stressed the importance of holding outdoor practices.
"If we just played [Big-Ten opponents] all season we'd be better off than going down South and playing all these guys who've been outside for months," Wine said.
"We think we're on track, but there's a lot. Guys are still winning jobs."
The nine days of practice Wine has had to peek at his team were enough for the coach to begin to see a few players jump off the roster and hop onto the lineup sheet.
While the coach said "pitching seems to be wide open," Wine mentioned the possibility of senior Scott Kelley becoming the team's ace pitcher.
"Scott Kelley, he's gone 100 percent pitching and he's become a prospect," Wine said.
Kelley was part of a three-man outfield rotation last season, hitting .287 (8-for-28) and driving in seven runs, but has since made the move to full-time pitcher.
Other possible starters in the Penn State rotation include senior southpaw Mike Lorentson -- whose maturity and control gained his coach's attention -- and senior T.J. Macy.
Junior hurler Calvin Grumley and senior Paul Cianciolo round out the possible pitchers to be placed in the starting rotation.
But with less than two weeks of practices in and the team just now playing in the elements, Wine was quick to mention all the position battles are still truly up in the air -- the way he likes it.
"That's the way it should be," Wine said. "Competition makes the team better."
