ENTHUSIASM ENLIVENS THE EMERALD

The pageantry and color rival a holiday parade when the Rock Cats fill New Britain Stadium for one of their Baseball in Education morning games.

The first color you see is yellow. The staggered line of school buses appears solid yellow as it snakes its way out of the Willow Brook parking lot and onto South Main Street toward the junction Ellis Street and Route 9.

The yellow river soon turns the lot into a yellow sea after streams of youngsters flow from the buses toward their seats.

The educational aspect of BIE is something the Rock Cats take rather seriously. A "mad scientist" in his long white lab coat sets up near the Rock Cats dugout, calls on some youthful volunteers, teams them up with Rock Cats players and uses visual aid to drive home scientific fact. Young eyes and ears are riveted.

The team's Hometown Champions program, generally reserved for those in athletic endeavors, honors the accomplishments of the Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy, an ultra-successful magnet school in East Hartford. Principal Art Arpin, teacher Doug Clark and senior Derek Bogner represent the school.

The 10:35 a.m. gametime is approaching, and that's where the Rock Cats interject some pageantry into what was once the mundane activity of playing The National Anthem.

The New Britain High School Junior ROTC presents the colors. Selected fans are asked for assistance, which they cheerfully apply toward displaying a huge American flag that covers a goodly portion of center field. Seemingly on command, the stadium's flag billows in the soft springtime breeze.

"The Star-Spangled Banner" is performed by the John F. Kennedy Middle School.

The results of the Rock Cats' effort are stirring. On a mid-morning weekday bathed in brilliant sunshine with humidity not a concern, The Emerald glistens, filled to the brim with humanity, exuding the enthusiasm and din that only our youth can muster. The yard has that special feel that can inspire a hometown player to great heights.

On this day, the baseball was far from inspiring, but there are some things that just can't be controlled.

PLOUFFE OVERCOMES ADVERSITY

A significant rite of passage for a minor leaguer aspiring for the big time is coping with adversity.

As any professional player will relate, playing baseball well is tough enough without having to battle yourself. Make some mistakes or get yourself mired in a slump and the best tonic is the power of positive thought.

Rock Cats shortstop Trevor Plouffe displayed the ability succinctly last week, leaving his problems in the past, maintaining focus on the moment at hand and reaping the benefits.

On May 30 against Binghamton, Plouffe and the Rock Cats reached a low point. The Twins' first-round selection in the 2004 draft made three errors that helped the B-Mets pile on seven unearned runs en route to a 12-2 victory.

Plouffe could have allowed the ordeal to traumatize him. The Rock Cats have had first-round picks in the past who lost their competitive edge after hitting a bump in the road. Instead, he put together an incredible week at the plate and made every play in the field to earn Eastern League Player of the Week honors.

In the five games after his unfortunate defensive hat trick, Plouffe went 11-for-20 (.550) with a home run, three doubles, five RBI and five runs scored. He raised his season batting average from .247 to .279.

The results of Plouffe's first three professional seasons have been mixed. He posted a .283 mark and made just six errors in 60 games in his first year at Elizabethton in the short-season Class A Appalachian League. In his two full Class A campaigns, he hit .223 and made 35 errors at low-A Beloit and hit .246 with 29 errors at high-A Fort Myers.

The Twins certainly did not let numbers dictate their assessment of the soon-to-be 21-year-old Californian. They promoted him to Double-A and remain very positive about his development.

And by overcoming adversity, Trevor Plouffe showed this week that he is worthy of their respect.