Thanks Harold. Glenn, last year you started off with a couple of injuries in pre-season that seemed to plague you throughout the rest of the year. What kind of off-season training have you done to prevent such injuries this season?
Actually the first injury last year was really something that I couldn't do much about. That's when I ran face-first into the fence in our very first practice (laughs). The other injury, which was a pulled quad muscle, did bother me on and off, but I think that was more of a case of not stretching out enough. I don't think there was much that I could have done during that off-season to prevent that. So, this off-season I did the same: nothing. Of course, I did stay away from any chain-link fences.

How do you respond to those who think you've lost a step in left field?
Well, they're right, to a point. I'll be 32 by opening day and I know I can't run like I did when I was 24. But, I still have good speed and I think that I get a better jump on the ball now than when I was younger. I substituted a little bit of speed for experience. I don't dive as much as I used to, but I'm gonna force myself to do that more this year. I'm no Jaime, but I can still run the bases and run down my fair share of balls in leftfield.

Not to give any secrets away, but you've been working on pulling the ball lately in practice.
Yeah, I have been doing a bit of that, but I think some of it's because my timing is off. I haven't hit live pitching for 4 months, so it's going to take me a few games to get my opposite-field shot down. But then again, having my timing off is kind of a blessing in disguise; I don't want to screw up my entire swing, but at least knowing how to pull the ball might come in handy at some point. After my second or third at-bat, a team might shift over to the right on me, so being able to pull the ball might be a big bonus in that situation. I'm still going to stick to my bread-and-butter right-field poke, but I may surprise people every once in awhile.

Let's talk about the Hawks. You've lost a couple of good women in Malinda and Kathleen, but you're hoping to sign both Suzie and Sandy, which would really bolster your outfield. And with all of your men returning, it looks like you'll be able to keep your team nucleus pretty much intact. What are you thoughts on the upcoming season?
Well, as always, it depends on the other teams in the division. But in terms of team strength, I think signing Suzie and Sandy would definitely be an upgrade for us. Malinda and Kathleen are good players, don't get me wrong, but it's rare to find a player like Suzie. She's a very good outfielder and she can hit for power. She's definitely a Division 1 player. Nothing is finalized yet, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. As for the rest of the team, everyone else is returning, so I think the team chemistry that you started to see halfway through the fall season will definitely carry over to the spring. Plus, everyone's healthy. I think the injuries to Justin and Robin hurt us a bit, so hopefully we can avoid that this year. Overall, I think we have a good mix and I think we'll definitely be battling for a playoff spot.

Even though you've only had 2 practices, how do you see the Thursday's team shaping up? Do you think you've upgraded since the fall?
It is kind of early, but I think we've pretty much stayed the course in terms of personnel. Most everyone is coming back, plus I think we'll probably add a player or two along the way.

Anyone in particular?
It's interesting that you bring that up because we just had a chance meeting with this guy named Patrick at our last practice. He was looking for a team to play on, but we sort of put him off at first. Then we saw him hit! He was smacking liners all over the place. He's a big guy and he took a couple out, including opposite field. So he may be a good pick-up for us, but that's ultimately up to Barney. Also, there's a very slight chance that Matt might be returning, but that's just speculation at this point.

Speaking of Barney, what are your thoughts on the coaching change?
Honestly, I don't see that it will be that much of a change. Barney coached about half the games last year and did a great job. And in the games that Darrell coached, he did a fine job as well. In softball, once you're on the field, the amount of coaching you can do is a little more limited than in baseball. There's no hit-and-run, stealing, etc. I think the main thing a coach in softball needs to worry about is the lineup. And in terms of Darrell and Barney, they both make similar lineups, so I think the effect on the team will be minimal. Of course, since Barney is my roommate, maybe I can influence his lineup a little bit (laughs).

Any predictions for the upcoming Florence tournament?
Hopefully we can win a couple this year. The tournament director may put us in a lower bracket, so that definitely will help. But still, I think we have a pretty good team going down. We might not have the power-hitting that we've had in years past, but everyone pretty much knows the level of play down there and we'll be ready. The only thing that scares me is the 9:00 game Saturday morning (laughs). If we get in a lower bracket and get past that first game, we might do better than people think.

Glenn, one last thing before I let you go: Any truth to the rumor that you might be cutting down to just playing on two teams?
No, no, that's just a rumor. I'll be playing as much as I can for a while, at least. These lunkheads are stuck with me out in leftfield. Of course, I have been working on my pitching when that day comes when the skills aren't there in left anymore. But for now, I'll still be playing whenever I can get the chance.

Alright, that was leftfielder Glenn Arnold from The Hawks and from Thursday's. Back to our ESPN studios and Harold Reynolds……