2004 Baseball Preseason Press Conference

Feb. 14, 2004

OPENING COMMENTS
We are about one week away. It's always an exciting time of the year. When you get back in August and start practicing, the season always seems so far away. You start counting down the days. When the players got back in January, we started with our 4 on 1 drills, but at that time you are still over a month and a half away from the season opener. We are excited to begin the season. We've been practicing as a team for about two and a half weeks. We've had two good weekends of intrasquad play and this is our third that we are presently in right now. The weather has been terrible. It was cold to begin with and then the last week and a half, it's been cold and wet. The good thing about the weather, is that we haven't had a lot consecutive days of rain. Therefore, we have been able to accomplish everything we wanted with the exception of postponing one intrasquad.

We are excited about this team in our fourth year. The biggest thing we've talked about with this team, is taking the next step. We've taken the program to where we are considered a good one, but we want to become one of those few elite programs in the country. That's one of our main goals this year. I know I've said this every year, but this is the most talented team we've had. There will be some years when we are rebuilding and that might not be the case. With three straight top 20 recruiting classes, two in the top 10, we are keeping the lockerroom full of talent.

This year's team will be the best one physically that we've ever put on the field. We are ranked in all four polls nationally, and that's an honor. People talk about the expectations, but I am excited about that. The good teams have that type of expectation and want that pressure. That comes with being good. We have two preseason All-Americans in Stephen Head and Seth Smith, the SEC preseason Player of the Year, Head, and the SEC preseason Freshman of the Year, Chris Coghlan. If Coglin is able to win the SEC Freshman of the Year at the end of the season, it will mark the third consecutive year for Ole Miss to have the SEC Freshman of the Year. That says a lot about our recruiting and where the program is going.

Position by Position breakdown
On Friday, Barry Gunther will start behind the plate, Stephen Head will start at 1st base and Cooper Osteen, a junior college transfer from Indian River Community College will start at second base. Shortstop will be senior Matt Tolbert. Coghlan will start at third base. Charlie Babineaux (senior) will start in left field, Miles Franklin, another junior college transfer, will get the nod in center, and of course, Seth will be in right field. Starting on the mound on Friday will be Brae Wright (Sophomore), and on Saturday sophomore Mark Holliman will be on the mound. On Sunday we will start either Stephen Head or Eric Fowler. If Stephen doesn't pitch on Friday or Saturday in relief, he will start the game on Sunday.

Q: Is that how you expect to use Stephen (Head) every weekend, just see where he fits in the best?
A: A lot depends on the other guys. Brae has been very dominant since the fall and deserves to pitch on Friday. Mark has been tremendous the last couple of weekends. He hasn't given up an earned run this spring, and he pitched six innings of very dominant baseball yesterday. Stephen has pitched well. He didn't pitch this fall. It's unfair to him since we haven't seen a lot from him on the mound this year. He is so good as a closer, and those other guys have been so dominant in the intrasquad games that it's nice to know you have that freedom. But, I am not sure it will stay that way.

Q: You talked about taking this program to the next level. What do you see now that can get this program to the next level?
A: The main thing that has hampered us in the past, is the level of confidence and mentally being able to handle some adversity. Every team has to handle adversity no matter how good you are or what league you play in. When you play in the Southeastern Conference sometimes you experience more adversity than you want. Two years ago when it looked like we were on the verge of taking that big step, we didn't do it. Last year was one of those years where I think we were the only team that made it to the NCAA Tournament whose largest win streak was four games. We never seem to be able to put a hot streak together. Although we won 17 conference games, which is the most they've ever won here, and had a great club, we couldn't put a streak together of nine in a row or 11 of 13. If we were able to do that last year, we might have been able to take that next step. The difference this year, is we are mentally tougher. We play with a lot more confidence.

Q: Who is going to be the closer?
A: Stephen (Head) will close on Friday if the opportunity is there and then again on Saturday if the opportunity is there. Eric Fowler has pitched well, so he deserves a shot to pitch. To not pitch Stephen in the first weekend, doesn't make a lot of sense, as the national freshman of the year, who pitched well for the USA Team. If he doesn't pitch Friday or Saturday, he will start on Sunday. We have some other guys who can fit that role. Brian Pettway has pitched in that role for us in the intrasquad games and done well. Another guy who has pitched well for us this spring is Taylor Flower (sophomore). He pitched a few innings last year. He's a lefthanded sophomore from West Memphis, Ark., who throws from a little different angle. He throws a sidearm, which you don't see much from a lefty, and he has a nice fastball.

Q: How concerned were you with getting Stephen (Head) and Seth (Smith) some rest after they got back from playing with the national team right at the start of the school year?
A: Seth (quarterback on football team) got off a plane and literally went right to the football field. When Stephen got back, his shoulder felt tired, and of course we were trying to get through the fall. We had just started our fall drills, and his shoulder started getting a little sore. We shut him down immediately. He didn't throw the entire fall, even when he was playing the field. We wanted to rest his arm. As far as Seth goes, he didn't get much of a break at all, because they (football) made it to the Cotton Bowl. He got back from that game and probably had one or two days before coming here.

Q: Talk about who will DH this year?
A: Brian Pettway will DH on Friday for us. Birmingham Southern is supposed to throw a lefthander. Brian has been terrific. I knew you guys would want to know today whether Brian or Chris would start at third. Chris has been tremendous offensively and has also done a great job defensively. Brian has played much better defensively as a sophomore and we think he is a very good fielder. It's so tough to play in the SEC as a freshman. We asked him to play leftfield some last year and we even asked him to catch some in the intrasquad games. Then in the SEC Tournament, we put him on the mound. We asked a lot of him last year. I think he will still play some third base this year, and he will definitely play first base when Stephen pitches. But, to start off the season Brian will be the DH. There is nobody better offensively then Brian.

Q: Talk more about Brae Wright and what makes him so good?
A: He is one of those guys that wasn't talked about a lot last year. (T.J.) Beam had such a tremendous year, and then Stephen had an unbelievable year. Mark Holliman threw well early, and I think people forgot about Brae Wright. We counted on Brae a lot at the end of the season . He threw No. 2 at lot at the end of the season. He threw in the regional last year and actually pitched well enough to win. The biggest difference in his game this year, is that he has picked up a slider. Last year he kind of threw a bloopy curve ball. One of the main reasons he couldn't finish the game last year, besides us not scoring enough runs, was he couldn't get the guys with two strikes out. He didn't have that last pitch. He's become more of a complete pitcher this year. This year he will strike out a lot more people.

Q: What is the biggest difference in this year's team and last year's?
A: Talent-wise we are a little better. We have more depth. The biggest difference I've noticed in this year's team and the three previous, is the confidence that they are playing with. When we go through intrasquad games and work on fundamental drills, they seem to focus better and listen more. They seem to understand things much quicker than clubs in the past. That's part of what we've been missing.

Q: Last year you went to Houston early in the season and this year you are going to Mobile before the start of conference play. Is that something you like to do?
A: Two years ago, we played our first four series at home, and then our first trip was to Gainesville. That didn't work out well we all know. The South Alabama trip is one that we owed them. They came here three years ago. Going to South Alabama will be more difficult probably than going to Houston was. They are very good. We aren't playing No. 1 ranked Rice, but you are playing a good South Alabama team three times on their home field rather than two other teams at a neutral ballpark. It will be a good test for us. For people who don't follow college baseball that closely, they've been to a lot of regionals during the last 15 years, more than most programs in the SEC.

Q: Talk about Stewart Lake and what he brings to the program.
A: He's been tremendous. Change is good. Stewart does a lot of things with the offense that we've always wanted to do with our offense. The transition has been easy as far as the offense goes. He has a great personality and the players have taken to him. He seems very laid back, but yet he is very structured. He has a plan every single day. He is a tireless worker. He hits with the players in the morning and at night. I've never seen the players hit so much and be videotaped so much. The players are coming to him to ask him when he is available to throw to them in the batting cages. We had a good fall. For us to hit well was good, considering we had the SEC's best pitching staff last year as far as ERA and 60 percent of those innings were thrown by freshman.

Q: Talk about the catchers.
A: Barry has been here for three years. Barry has played in SEC games and started some SEC games. He comes from a great high school baseball program. He has worked hard to get in shape and has worked hard on his throwing. He has thrown the ball great in the intrasquad games. He has handled the pitchers well, in receiving and blocking the plate. He has so much confidence getting the signals, that he is no doubt our No. 1 guy. Justin Brashear, the highly-touted freshman, has done well, especially offensively. It's not what he hasn't done, it's more of what Barry's done. Another guy who has played well is Xan Barksdale. Xan had a tremendous fall and has swung the ball well. He will see some action this year in a DH role or possibly as a pinch hitter.

Q: Talk about the SEC West
A: It's always tough, and it seems to get tougher each year. It's always going to come down to the last weekend. Somebody is going to have to beat somebody on Sunday to win it. That's what is so great about the SEC. It's very competitive every weekend, especially on our side. There is never a down year. A down year in our division would be an up year in most conferences.

Q: Talk about Birmingham Southern.
A: Birmingham Southern turned Division I a few years ago. They have done great job in not only NAIA but in Division I. Coach (Brian) Shoop is a Ron Polk disciple, that coached at Mississippi State. He's done a great job there in building a tradition. It's not by any means an easy opener for us. From what I've seen so far, they have a solid lefthanded pitcher who is a junior.

PLAYERS

Stephen Head (Sophomore - infielder/pitcher)

Q: How beat up did you get last year and how do you feel now?
A: Other than the knee problem, I was fine last year. I feel great today.

Q: Talk about what you learned from this summer and playing on the USA National Team that can help your game.
A: When you go out there, you realize that they put their pants on the same way you do. It gave us the confidence we needed to get to the next level. We were able to come here and tell the rest of the team that we had just played with the best players in the country, and it's not as hard as they think. Half the guys on the USA Team didn't join the team until later, because they were playing in the college world series.

Q: Did you talk to any of the guys on the USA Team about the college world series?
A: They talked about it a lot. Half the guys on the team had been there and some had done very well. It just makes you want to go there even more.

Q: Talk about Coach Lake and what he's like to work with?
A: Me and Seth didn't get to meet him until two days after we started fall practice. But, coach (Ray) Tanner (Head coach at South Carolina) had told us a lot about him in the summer and said we would like him. He's been tremendous so far. I've been hitting with him in the mornings before class. He's been willing to get up early and work with me. He's full of ideas, and he really knows his hitting.

Matt Tolbert (Senior - infielder)

Q: Matt you've been here a long time, talk about why this team might be ready to take that next step coach was talking about?
A: It's a lot different than my first year. I can tell the difference from my first, second and third year. We've gotten a lot better every year. I believe we are going to make it to Omaha, and I believe everyone else thinks we will too. Everybody gets along well and the confidence is high. Everybody listens really well. We have a lot of great freshman and junior college transfers. We have good chemistry on the team. Everybody plays well together and communicates well. This is my last year, so we have to make it to Omaha.

Q: Talk about getting drafted after last season and deciding to come back.
A: I knew I wanted to come back. I felt like I owed coach Bianco and other the coaches for four years of hard work. Also, we didn't accomplish what I thought we could. I wanted to go to the College World Series, and we didn't make it. I plan on doing that this year. After the season if I stay healthy, I'll give pro ball a try. I couldn't leave and have them make it to Omaha, and I am not there to be a part of it.

Q: Talk about moving to shortstop.
A: I've played shortstop ever since I could walk, so it's not that big a deal. I like it a lot, because you get more balls hit your way, usually three to five a game.

Q: With a chance to improve your draft status for this year, are there things you want to work on, and with defense being your strength, does playing shortstop allow you to play defense more?
A: I haven't thought about the draft a lot. The better we do as a team, the more that will help my draft status.

Seth Smith

Q: What did you learn this summer from playing with the USA National Team?
A: We learned a lot by just talking with the best players in the country and a couple of the best coaches in the country. If you go out there and play hard everyday good things will happen.

Q: Did you pick up anything in your game that can you use to help you this season?
A: I gained a lot of confidence. Going out and playing with the best players in the country everyday gave me confidence that I can play with anyone. It helped me step up my game to another level. Before the summer, I didn't really believe I belonged with those guys, but after it was over I realized that I was just as good as they were and could do it.

Q: Talk about your role last year in becoming more of an RBI guy, driving in a lot of runs.
A: Depending on the situation, I am going to do whatever I can to drive in runs and get on base or score myself.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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