QUEENS, N.Y.- On October 7th, the Millennium Phoenix Baseball Team played a scrimmage game against Madison High School at Parade Grounds Field 3, their first game played since having six of their best players graduated last year. In the aftermath of their departure, the baseball team is in full rebuild mode for this year’s off-season.

According to Brian Friedman, the Head Coach of the Millennium Phoenix baseball team, “the team definitely lost a huge chunk of the team, but that doesn’t mean I am going to hold the team to lower expectations. We lost a lot, but that just means that everyone now has a shot at earning a starting spot on the team. People are going to be hungry to play, and I’m excited to see how this year goes.” In light of losing a majority of his best players, Coach Friedman still has confidence in his players and in his team. Every player on the team will be looking to impress both on and off the field to prove to Coach Friedman that they deserve a spot on that field, and considering how long the baseball team’s year is, there will be many opportunities for everyone to shine.

The Millennium Phoenix Baseball team held tryouts from September 26th to September 29th. Once the coaches decide which players made the team, the baseball team practices three times a week until indoor workouts begin in November. Once indoor workouts begin, the team works out four times a week. This routine will continue until the team goes to Florida for a week of spring training, where the student athletes will play baseball every day during the school year’s Mid-Winter break. Once the season begins in March, the schedule will become more hectic, as they will be busy five days a week either playing games or practicing.

Elijah Abrams, a senior first baseman on the team stated, “it’s definitely an extremely long, and draining activity. It’s the only sport that starts in the beginning of the year, and ends in the last month of school. We play literally all year.” Abrams also added, “it’s just a lot of work. We practice from 3:30 to 6, to go home, eat, shower, do all your homework, then wake up early the next day and do it again.” Sounds like the Millennium Phoenix Baseball team not only has a lot of ground to make up, but a lot of hard work ahead of them.