Throughout the 90’s, Mark McGwire was regarded as a Hall of Fame shoe-in, hitting home runs at a blistering pace and breaking some of baseball’s most unattainable records. Fairfield baseball boasted some impressive numbers of its own, with a potent offense including league-leading stolen bases.
After 2000, McGwire couldn’t buy a vote to Cooperstown and his reputation in the sporting world dwindled considerably, as did his performance.
Fairfield experienced a somewhat similar drop-off, going on a six-year playoff drought and regularly finishing in the bottom five of the MAAC. The glory days were over and their resurrection was not in sight.
That was then … this is now.
Players and coaches agree the 2007 Stags are closer than ever to getting back to where they used to be: an annual contender in the MAAC Championships.
“Once the younger players get some college-level experience, I’m sure they will step up and be able to compete with usual powerhouses of the league like LeMoyne and Manhattan,” said senior pitcher Ed Kamintzky.
From 1990 to 2002, Fairfield boasted some powerhouse-esque numbers, but began to decline following the new millenium. The Stags finished with 20 or more wins 10 times and were the MAAC South Champions four times.
According to Head Coach John Slosar, two-sport athletes greatly bolstered the Stags’ power and speed during this era.
“In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, we had some key players who were also football players,” said Slosar. “The football coach and I really cooperated and if he saw somebody who he really liked and was a very good baseball player, he’d make me aware and we would both recruit or vice versa.”
“The opportunity to play two sports attracted a lot of people, so we would usually have three to five football players in addition to people we just brought in for baseball,” he added.
While these athletes were in no way wholly responsible for the squad’s success, there was a correlation. Fairfield’s last 20-win season came in 2002 – the final year of the football program. The following season, Fairfield posted a 7-34-1 record.
When football stopped, baseball lost a key source of players with both power and speed.
Coach Slosar said that the program definitely felt the loss, as some years the Stags did not post strong power numbers or did not steal many bases.
For example, in 2004, the Stags hit only 14 home runs and stole only 30 bases. Two years prior, in 2002, Fairfield hammered 36 home runs. Three years before that – in 1999 – the Stags swiped a MAAC-leading 120 stolen bases.
Now, the 2007 Fairfield lineup boasts a physical toughness comparable to that of the past.
In addition to Brian Rudolph, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior right fielder who missed last season, the Stags’ roster includes players like freshman David Dudish, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound third baseman. Clearly, the days of 5-foot-6 players like Phil Rizzuto are long gone.
Assistant Coach Patrick Hall said that toughness is definitely a selling point for the 2007 Stags.
“[This year] We have more kids that work extremely hard, along with talent,” said Hall.
“We’re much more physical than we’ve been in the past. We’re bigger and we’re stronger and we’re much faster,” he added.
In addition to 11 returnees, the Stags have 17 new players on their roster – three are transfers and the rest are true freshmen. Roughly half the members of the incoming class are pitchers.
Kamintzky said the Stags as a whole are different from what they were years ago.
“I think the team is more athletic and gritty than we have been in the past,” he said.
Pitcher Rob Gariano ’10 said the team’s hard work ethic is especially evident among the freshmen.
“We’re going to go at it and we’re going to go at it hard,” he said. “We’re coming here to win.”
Gariano said the hard work of all the players creates a positive competition on the team.
“I think all the freshmen coming in makes the older guys say, ‘If I don’t work hard, they’re going to take my spot. It makes them work even harder,” he said. “It’s better for the whole team.”
Coach Slosar said the team’s “blue-collar” work ethic and overall attitude distinguishes it from some of the other teams during the program’s most recent rebuilding phase.
In addition to physical and mental toughness, both Slosar and Hall said the squad’s depth and athleticism are keys to success.
As far as getting back to the level of power and speed present during the 90’s and early 2000’s, Slosar said that the Stags might be on the right track.
“It could be the style of play … where we’re able to generate more offense in a variety of ways,” said Slosar.
While Slosar said it is hard to give a timetable for when he expects the Stags to attain the same level of on-the-field results, he said he is very confident in this year’s squad.
“We know the talent level and what the expectations are,” he said. “We feel we have more tools.”
Coach Hall and Kamintzky are also optimistic about this coming spring and they both expect results.
“Hopefully we should be able to see them this season,” said Kamintzky. “I think that there are numerous guys on the team that have the potential to be All-MAAC caliber players.”
“I believe this year we have a legitimate shot to make a good run at the playoffs,” said Hall.
Fairfield begins their conference play following spring break and will face Quinnipiac and Niagara in their first home games.
Highlighting Fairfield’s season is the matchup with Conn. rival Sacred Heart University.
As the first game the two have played in recent memory, the Stags and Pioneers will take the Bridgeport Bluefish Stadium in the Arena at Harboryard complex on May 1.
If Fairfield is able to establish themselves over the MAAC season, they will take to the MAAC Championships in Fishkill, New York in late May.
For Kamintzky and Slosar, this could be the season to see a great showing at the tournament.
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