Senior Todd Boutwell leads the Tufts baseball team in a very real sense. In addition to being a co-captain, Boutwell is also the team's leadoff hitter.
"He has the best kind of baseball mentality," coach John Casey said of Boutwell. "He understands the game and never lets the little things get him down. He could be 0-3, but he's swinging away. He is our offensive catalyst. He's made himself a better offensive player to the point where he does everything well. He runs well and his defense is strong."
Four years ago, Boutwell came to Tufts from Woburn High School, attracted by the caliber of the Jumbo baseball team. Tufts' 136-year-old program has won three ECAC New England titles in the past seven years and has even had a player (Jeff Taglienti) drafted by a major league club (the Red Sox).
"The program was well respected, and I knew that from talking to people," Boutwell said. "The best part about my career was getting to play with some of the guys who have graduated. It was a real thrill. It's been a real learning experience. All the seasons have been pretty good."
Boutwell has all the hallmarks of a good leadoff hitter, leading the Jumbos in on-base percentage (.514), runs scored (38), walks (28), and batting average (.400) last season. Still, Boutwell is more than a slap-hitting leadoff hitter. His three triples and .609 slugging percentage also led team.
"He has really developed consistency wise, and has become an all-around hitter," teammate and fellow senior Corey Dolich said. "He can hit for power, average, and he is a good fielder."
Boutwell's offensive contributions will be greatly needed as the Jumbos look to replace the offense of departed seniors Zack Brown (.390, 14 RBI) and Mike Gray (.325, 17 RBI).
While there is clearly a lot to be said about Boutwell's abilities on the field, it will be his ability to lead that will be tested this year as well. Boutwell and fellow senior (catcher Joe Suprenant) will be looking to fill the void left both on and off the field by graduated seniors. His teammates and coach believe that he is up to the challenge.
"He's a kid who works his behind off," Casey said. "He's been a great captain because he does it by example."
"He doesn't just put up solid numbers, he gives us stability and leadership," Dolich said.
"Boutwell works twice as hard as anyone," Suprenant agreed. "He's the most consistent in the weight room. He's always pushing himself in the cage. He is the offensive leader of the team. He does everything."
Hopefully for Tufts, Boutwell will be patrolling his position in left field for the entire season. A hamstring problem during his sophomore year sidelined him for a while, and a separated shoulder during the middle of his junior season put him out of action for a week and a half.
"When he separated his shoulder last year, we were a different team without him," Casey said.
The Jumbos went 1-3 during the stretch where Boutwell was on the bench, including a 13-6 loss to UMass-Dartmouth on April 20, and a 5-0 blanking at the hands of Brandeis seven days later.
"The lowest times of my career have been when I have been injured and had to watch the other guys play," Boutwell said. "That has been frustrating."
The Jumbos recovered nicely from a 3-7 stretch, which overlapped with Boutwell's time on the disabled list, to set a school record for wins last season, finishing with a 26-12 mark and advancing all the way to the ECAC finals before losing to Babson.
Can the Jumbos come up with a season to equal the last one? "We don't really know yet," Boutwell said. "We lost a couple of really good leaders in Zack Brown and Mike Gray. If we want to be good, a few guys are going to have to step up."
