David Fox doesn't want to disappoint himself.

That's why when the Faith Christian slugger peruses his gaudy statistical line from last season - the 10 home runs, the 41 RBI, the .596 batting average - he doesn't envision what those numbers could morph into this season.

"Honestly, I haven't thought about it," Fox said. "I just want to go out there and have fun. That was my mind-set last year, and good things happened. I hate to make specific (statistical) goals, because then if I don't reach them, I'm a failure in my own mind."

Fox, a senior center fielder, knows if he's enjoying himself on the diamond, the numbers will come. And odds are, Fox could be enjoying himself plenty with the Eagles this season.

Fresh off a 20-4 mark and trip to the Class 3A semifinals, Faith Christian returns a loaded squad that includes catcher Seve Carbajal, pitcher Zach McCleskey and pitcher- third baseman Josh Anderson, who matched Fox's 41 RBI.

The Eagles lost to eventual champion Roosevelt in the semifinals last season, but Fox said he has been thinking about returning to Pueblo, the state tournament site, ever since.

"Everyone who was on the team last year, and even the new kids who weren't but were down there watching, we kind of have a fire burning in us to take it to the next step," Fox said.

Fox's pitching career also might change this season. He primarily was a closer last season, and coach Gino Carbajal is hoping to find more ways to use Fox's rocket arm.

"We're looking to get a little more out of him on the mound," Carbajal said. "We might give him a start here and there."

One thing Carbajal ensured is that Fox will have protection in the lineup. Whether it's the Nos. 2-3-4 or 3-4-5 spots in the order, Fox will be flanked by Seve Carbajal and Anderson so teams can't pitch around him.

"He's a tremendous hitter," Gino Carbajal said. "He has a lot of discipline at the plate, and when he does get his pitch, he usually delivers."

Fox just wants to enjoy himself.

"It's baseball, so it could never be a bad year," he said.

NOTEBOOK

• Every spring, as the baseball season kicks off, many around the Class 3A circuit wonder if it will be the year Eaton falls back to the pack. It never seems to happen.

Many Patriot League teams nitpick enough to believe they see a chink in the Reds' armor each season, but Eaton always seems to find a way to reach the final four. Is this the season the Reds, who have won eight championships and advanced to the semifinals every season since 1994, put out a pedestrian product?

Don't bet on it. With pitchers Drew Smith and Kyle Ottoson, shortstop Bo McLavey and left fielder Cody Ball among the players in the solid lineup, the Reds appear en route to another Eaton-like season. Asked if, once again, he has a team that could compete for a title, Reds coach Jim Danley said: "I don't think we'll stink up the place."

• Bill Percy last coached at Mitchell in 2000, when he ended an 11-year run with the program. But the Colorado Springs native is back with another hometown team, this time St. Mary's.

The Pirates went only 10-11 last season but many believe they can challenge Lamar in the East Division of the Tri-Peaks League. Son Will Percy, a shortstop, and Nick Grassi, an outfielder, have transferred from Mitchell to join the Pirates, who already had a potent group behind senior pitcher-first baseman Drew Redman.

• If Holy Family four-year starting catcher Bryan Coday is not flying high this spring, he might be next season. Coday, who hit .468, slugged six homers and drove in 27 runs last season, is hoping to play for Air Force next season.

• This season, 3A has adopted the format 5A and 4A use to determine teams for the state tournament. Each league will have an allotted number of teams that advance to the 32-team tournament.

The teams then will be seeded into eight four-team districts, with the winner of each advancing to the quarterfinals. In the past, the classification was paired into four districts, each of which sent its top two teams to the quarterfinals. Count Faith Christian coach Gino Carbajal among those excited about the new format, although he liked the four-district approach as well.

• Also new to the classification this season is the Frontier League. The league is made up of former lower-classification teams The Academy, Denver Academy, Denver School of Science and Technology, former independent Sheridan, former 3A Metro League squads Clear Creek and Platte Canyon and former Patriot League team Bennett.