Farmer excited to take over Springfield baseball

As soon as Archie Farmer found out the Springfield baseball team coaching position was open, he knew he wanted it.
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Farmer excited to take over Springfield baseball By Anthony Labor Jr. | Apr 02, 2014 Eagle-Times 0 SPRINGFIELD — As soon as Archie Farmer found out the Springfield baseball team coaching position was open, he knew he wanted it. Farmer has always been involved with baseball in some manner, whether it was playing or coaching, and after his son went to college this year, he decided to take the reigns of the Cosmos' program. "I've always been interested in baseball," he said. "I coached my son throughout the years, so now I don't have to worry about going to his games and it opened up an opportunity for me." Farmer will take over for Larry Partridge, who decided not to coach this season. "I've known coach Partridge for a long time, so when he said he wasn't going to coach, he suggested I should put my name in," said Farmer. "I always knew I could coach and I'm excited to get this opportunity." For Springfield athletic director Joe Brown, it was an easy decision to pick Farmer to fill the coaching vacancy. Farmer has been playing baseball all his life, as he grew up in Texas where he went to Paris Junior College on a baseball scholarship before playing semiprofessional baseball in Dallas. That experience was key when he applied for the job. "We had a lot of strong candidates apply for this job," said Brown. "Archie's experience made him the best fit for the program and the school. "We were looking for longevity when filling this position," Brown added. "We wanted someone who was knowledgeable about the game and was willing to get involved at all level. Archie fit all those." The Cosmos struggled to get anything going last season, as they went 1-15 on the year. One of Farmer's goals for the upcoming season is to finish with at least a .500 record. "We need to eliminate the little mistakes this year," he said. "That cost the team during a lot of games last year, so that can't happen this year if we want to win games." One thing that will slow the Cosmos along with all the other teams around the area, is the snow still on the ground, which keeps the team in the gym and off the baseball field. "Being from Texas, I'm not really accustomed to having to deal with the snow like this," said Farmer. "They are playing baseball down there at the end of February and here it is in April and we can't get outside. Makes it harder and will compact the schedule if the season gets pushed back too much." The Cosmos' first game against West Rutland that was scheduled for Tuesday has already been pushed back due to the snow on the ground with the possibility of more games getting pushed back. One key for Farmer is he has a number of players that can pitch, which will help the team if they are forced to play three or four games a week during the season. "We have a number of guys who can pitch," he said. "That will be key for us if the season gets too compacted during the year." Even though the baseball team is still stuck in the gym for practices, Brown is excited to see the Cosmos in action this spring. "I'm excited for coach Farmer and the team," he said. "They have a great opportunity to improve and build the program for future success."