Spanish Fork: No. 7 in Preseason Xcellent 25 Baseball Rankings

Toughest game: Spanish Fork drops down to the 3A level this year, which means new opponents in a new region (Region 12). However, one team that joins Spanish Fork in Class 3A is Snow Canyon, one of only two Utah teams to defeat the Dons last year. Spanish Fork worked its way through the losers bracket and defeated Snow Canyon twice to win the state title last season.

Local outlook: On paper, another state title seems almost a given, especially now that the Dons have dropped from 4A to 3A, their second classification drop in three years. Nelson, however, says not so quick.

"Our pitching is very good, but we're dropping down a classification, again," said Nelson. "We're replacing six position players and we have three talented, but untested catchers. You never know until you get into it. I worry about complacency. I think we will be fine, but you never know."

But replacing players is nothing new for Nelson. His 2009 state title team graduated nine starting seniors. In 2010, the Dons won it again with Porter breaking onto the scene with 10 home runs.

"He (Porter) has just unreal power," said Nelson. "His home runs just weren't home runs, they were 500-foot blasts."

Porter is projected as a can't-miss draft choice as a pitcher, as well as a hitter. And Nelson says he's thinking about using his flamethrower as his closer.

Nelson says that might be what it takes to beat some of Utah's other top caliber baseball teams, namely Bingham, Cottonwood, Timpanogos and Syracuse.

"There's a lot of talented baseball teams in Utah," said Nelson. "We've got to bring it all together. If we do, I think we'll be fine."

Overall outlook: The key? Pitching.

But the Dons have more than just pitching. Despite losing six position players from last year's 29-3 team, three of the top hitters return in Porter, Nielsen and Perkins.

Nielsen was actually recruited by BYU as a shortstop. "He's the best defensive player I've coached," said Nelson. Nielsen has committed just five errors in 60 games. He batted .400 and was perfect on 16 steal attempts last season.

Though he throws 97, Porter's biggest asset might be his bat. He set a Spanish Fork High record with 15 home runs, batted .570 and drove in 50 runs. His single-season RBI total ties him for the second-most in state history. His slugging percentage was 1.209 and his on-base percentage was .632

Perkins, who has signed with Utah Valley State, batted .440, drove in 25 runs and collected 14 doubles.

Then Nelson reminds himself that "pitching can compensate for a lot of things."

How does he do it year-in and year-out? Perhaps it's his coaching theme: "You want to be a better player? Be a better person."

Nelson's advice to players and coaches: "When things are going bad work hard. When things are going good work harder."

And develop a little pitching along the way ... it goes a very long way.

Coach quote: "It starts with pitching. Pitching is the key to success. Throw somebody on the mound who can pitch and you've always got a chance to win."
- Jim "Shoe" Nelson