The University of Tampa baseball team is once again at the top of the national polls. After starting off this season at No. 5, and falling to No. 14, it has climbed back up the ranks to claim its current spot at No. 8.
The poll created by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper has seen a lot of traffic over the years by competing schools, fans, scouts, and teams. It is an accurate ranking of baseball programs and how they are playing as the season progresses.
This poll, however useful it may be to the general onlooker, could have major effects on the teams that are featured in it. While it may be a morale booster to some, it may be a morale spoiler to others.
The UT baseball team has seen a lot of fluctuation in the poll this year, but many will wonder if this poll actually has any effect on the team itself.
When starting pitcher Frank DeJiulio, who currently has a team-high five wins on the season, was asked about the ranking system, he responded by saying, “As a player, it’s nice to see your team ranked as Tampa had been the past years, but it’s really not something we pay attention to when the season starts to get going.”
When the polls came out in the beginning of the season and Tampa saw a No. 5 next to its name, a few different emotions came of it.
“It’s the same for the coaches, at the start of the season they like to see Tampa ranked high,” DeJuilio continued. “It makes our team feel well-respected and it motivates us to get to a higher position but it’s not something the players and coaches pay attention to. We pay more attention on how we are going to win weekend after weekend.”
To open the season, the No. 5 Spartans faced the No. 4 Georgia College Bobcats. Any battle between nationally ranked teams, especially teams of this caliber, is bound to gain the attention of D-II baseball followers. Surprisingly, among those who did not pay much attention to the competing teams’ rankings were the UT players themselves.
Third basemen and power hitter for the Spartans, Eric Grabe, who was recently placed on the Tino Martinez Award watch list (an award set aside for the best D-II player of the year), was asked about the feelings of the team before a game against another ranked opponent.
“Knowing that a team is ranked really doesn’t affect the team – we will know if a team is decent or not just by what our coach tells us. Whether the team is ranked number one or not ranked at all we need to show up with the right mental attitude and ready to play.”
While many would assume there is some sort of intimidation factor associated with a ranking, DeJiulio ensured that there is nothing of the sort.
“There is no intimidation factor,” DeJiulio said. “There’s no room for it out on the playing field. Tampa loves when we get challenged by other ranked teams. It brings out the best in our players and the entire team. Just knowing the other team is ranked gives you so much motivation to go out there, perform your best and to show that Tampa is the better team.”
Although games against nationally ranked teams seem vital, games against unranked teams are just as important. Tampa has faced many opponents so far this season and with one month of the regular season remaining, there is plenty of time to see their current spot in the polls change.
Grabe speaks for himself and the rest of the team about the current ranking.
“I really don’t think anyone is thinking much about our rank. As of now, we are mainly focusing on this weekend’s series. I feel that’s the way it should be and I’m confident that that’s how the rest of the team feels, as well.”
While hyped up and deemed significant by those in the NCAA D-II community, the national ranking goes – for good reason – mostly overlooked by the players of the UT Spartans, a team that is featured in it week-in and week-out.
According to the players, each game is as important as the last game, despite the rankings or the rumors. All that seems to matter to the Spartans right now is focusing on their next opponent – unranked Barry University – who, in their opinion, poses the same threat as the No. 4 Bobcats did during that opening weekend two months ago.
DeJiulio’s final comments can arguably be used to sum up the team’s ideology on the matter.
“We just want the best for each other and to win a national championship. In order for that [to happen], we have to pay attention to the things that we can control, like playing good baseball.”
The Spartans will travel to Miami this weekend to face off against Sunshine State Conference foe Barry.
Maya Todd can be reached at mtodd@spartans.ut.edu.