Jan. 8, 2002

WACO, Texas - The 16th-ranked Baylor baseball team returns to action Wednesday in preparation for the 2002 season. Preseason training runs all day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before classes begin Monday.

Also worked into this week's practice is the annual Baylor Baseball Coaches Clinic on Thursday afternoon. Head coach Steve Smith said over 700 Texas high school coaches are expected to attend.

With 19 of 24 letterwinners returning from a year ago, the Bears will have plenty of experience on which to build. Preseason all-American Steven White returns to lead a pitching staff that includes 2001 all-Big 12 selections Justin Taylor and Paul Thorp, while all-conference outfielder Chris Durbin will patrol center field and anchor the Baylor lineup.

The Bears, who hold the best cumulative record in the Big 12 since the league began in 1997, will also depend on steady seniors Tim Hartshorn (OF/2B) and Ron Zboril (1B) and junior Mike Huggins (1B/OF).

The Baylor pitching staff returns almost intact from a year ago, having lost just one key member. White and Taylor fill the first two spots in the rotation. Potential third starters include senior Kyle Edens, junior Jared Theodorakos, and freshman Trey Taylor, a third-round draft pick out of high school who spurned the pros to attend Baylor.

Baylor begins the 2002 schedule Feb. 5 at home against Southwest Texas before heading to Houston's Enron Field and the Astros College Classic Feb. 7-9.