Bingham head coach Joey Sato has his team focused on the present, and has the Miners poised for another championship run.
File photo by Heston Quan
Nothing matters more than the next 200 feet.
That's the philosophy guiding
Bingham (South Jordan) during the 2013 baseball season. The Miners do not want to reflect on coming up short in their quest to win a second consecutive Class 5A baseball title last spring. And the MaxPreps No. 58-ranked team refuses to start looking ahead at championship possibilities this time around.
It is all about focusing on the next 200 feet — symbolically representing the distance illuminated by car headlights on a darkened road at night. It entails doing little things at practices and games that will make the big picture come into focus.
"We worked hard in the off-season and have tried to focus on what's in front of us," senior catcher
Jacob Druce said. "The next 200 feet. We just work as hard as we can each and every day. That's all we try to focus on at the moment. Nothing in the future. Just what we're going to be facing that day."
Brady Lail pitching for Bingham at the
2011 Hard 9 National Classic.
File photo by Heston Quan
Expectations are sky-high for Bingham in 2013. The Miners are the preseason No. 1 Class 5A team in Utah. Replacing top players like leading pitcher Brady Lail, who was drafted by the New York Yankees, and top hitter Max Dimick, who led the team in RBIs and runs scored, is never an easy task. Still, Bingham is loaded with talent and experience at every key position.
At the same time, the Miners learned the hard lesson last season that loads of talent and experience don't guarantee championships. Every game is a battle.
"We have a huge target on our back," senior pitcher/infielder
Chase Tavonatti said. "Every time we play a team, they're always coming out to play (their best). So we always have to play our best."
Bingham will get a chance this week to measure its best against a cadre of top national teams.
The Miners are one of 16 teams who will participate in the prestigious USA Baseball National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C. this week. Their first opponent on Wednesday afternoon will be T.C. Roberson from Asheville, N.C.
Bingham is included in a tournament field that features top high school teams from California, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee. The Miners are the lone school from Utah to receive an invitation.
Testing itself in national tournaments is nothing new for Bingham. The Miners have represented Utah well in these tournaments and it has paid off in building their team each time they have done it.
"If you go down there and play those good teams and compete really well against these teams, you come back here and compete really well here," senior pitcher/outfielder
Brennon Lund said. "If you're tough there, you're tough back here."
Bingham played at the USA Classic in Memphis during the 2012 season. They posted a 4-0 record and won the USA Classic title with a 6-4 championship game victory over Memphis University School. In 2011, Bingham participated in the Hard 9 National Classic in Fullerton, Calif. The Miners went 2-2 playing against nationally-ranked teams from California, Arizona, Florida and Tennessee.
Doing well at past national tournaments has strengthened Bingham going into regional play upon its return to Utah. The Miners feel confident they can produce similar results this spring.
"Going out-of-state and playing those (teams) before our region starts helps us more than anything," Tavonatti said. "Playing those really good teams makes you be really disciplined just to win a game there. So when we come back and play in region, it helps a ton."
Winning a second state title in three years would be right in line with what Bingham fans have come to expect from this program over the years. The Miners have won a total of 20 state titles in baseball and have remained a powerhouse under longtime coach Joey Sato.
Such a winning tradition makes even trying out for the team a huge deal. Earning a roster spot also means much more than at some other schools.
Still, Bingham is not about to take anything for granted. As far as the Miners are concerned, the season will be won 200 feet at a time.
"That's always been a point of emphasis for us — focus on what's in front of you," Druce said. "Always work hard and prepare yourself for the day ahead."
