Alex Allbritton is moving.
But the UNM baseball team’s infielder isn’t going back to his hometown of Aurora, Colo. He is traveling about 10 feet to his left.
Allbritton, a sophomore, played third base for the Lobos during his freshman year during the 2010 campaign. Now, Allbritton has switched to one of baseball’s most highlighted positions: shortstop.
But he said he feels at home between bases.
“Being a second-year guy, I feel a lot more comfortable,” he said. “But I guess this year I feel I have a little bit more of a leadership role being a returning guy.”
While Allbritton excelled as the Lobos’ third baseman, he was surrounded by a veteran team in 2010. That included former shortstop Daniel Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was considered one of the best shortstops to play at UNM and dazzled fans with great defensive plays.
In the final game of a home series against national powerhouse TCU last season, Gonzalez made a throw out to first base at Isotopes Park that earned him a spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top Plays on May 9, 2010.
Allbritton said there is a little bit of added pressure to replace Gonzalez at the position.
“He was one of the best shortstops that I’ve ever played with,” he said. “He is very, very solid fundamentally, and he never made any errors. It is a little bit of pressure filling his shoes, but I feel like I have confidence, and that I’ll be able to go out and get the job done this year.”
And the man running the team thinks Allbritton will have an All-Mountain West Conference-worthy season.
Head coach Ray Birmingham still speaks highly of Gonzalez, but said Allbritton is more than able to step in for the alumnus.
“Alex has some big shoes to fill,” Birmingham said. “But I think that he is very capable of doing that and becoming a professional baseball player.”
Allbritton isn’t playing professionally yet, but he does have some experience for the Lobos. This season, he is the only returning starter — not only in the infield — but on the team.
In his first year, Allbritton’s opening series was at No. 1 ranked Texas. He was part of a Lobo club that went to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 48 years.
“I mean, I was pretty nervous (last year) going and playing Texas,” he said. “We did have a lot of older guys to kind of calm the nerves. But I feel that everybody on (this year’s) team knows what they have to do, and I don’t feel like I have to guide anybody or do anything special.”
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If anything, Allbritton is a quiet leader. He said he lets his playing do the talking, and when teammates ask about playing big-time baseball schools, he reminds the newest Lobos that he was in the same spot one year ago.
“I am not much of a vocal guy,” he said. “A couple of the younger guys have come to me and if they’re struggling I just tell them, ‘Hey, just calm down. I mean, I was in the same position that you were last year and I was a little nervous.’ Overall, I just try to lead by example by hustling and doing the right things fundamentally.”
Tonight, UNM opens the season at always-difficult Arizona State.
Allbritton said that the team experienced a few nerves because they’re opening against such a formidable foe. But then again, Allbritton reminds himself it’s still college baseball.
“I’ve been told that if (their players) were that much better than anyone else, they would be in the big leagues,” Allbritton said. “They are just another team, and we don’t have to stress it too much.”
