The University of Mississippi Athletics
Coach Bianco Answers Your Questions
4/26/2005 | Baseball
April 26, 2005
OXFORD, Miss. - Head coach Mike Bianco answers your Ole Miss baseball questions each Monday. This is the second session in the series of Q&As that will continue throughout the remainder of the season. So fans, keep sending in your questions as you keep track and keep rooting for your Ole Miss Rebels.
Q: What is the cause of the inconsistency?
-Kyle from Hazlehurst, Miss.
Bianco: Certainly when you look at what we've done over the last 10 games or so, the biggest factor is the pitching. Statistically, without a doubt, we just haven't gotten the job done on the mound. But there have been other issues. We've been in games where maybe it wasn't our best game on the mound, but we've had opportunities to win. And if we would've been able to extend a lead here or there or play better, it might have happened. I certainly think over the last 10 games if you want point to one area, it's pitching. We must pitch better. But the good news is we're better than the way we're pitching right now, and I have no doubt that we'll pitch better as the season progresses.
Q: After losing the last three series, do you think this team has a chance to regroup and make a run at the College World Series?
-Jamey from Memphis, Tenn.
Bianco: No doubt about it. I don't think this team is any different physically than we were three weeks ago. I think we took a big blow mentally, but the good news is we didn't take a blow physically. We struggled not because we lost a player on the mound or a player in the field because of injuries, we just haven't played real well. So to me, I'm optimistic for the second half of conference play.
Q: With all the experience on the team, especially with the starting pitchers, is it harder or easier to make improvements/changes or do you just let them work it out because they have proved in the past what they can do?
-Lance from Johnson City, Tenn.
Bianco: I think it's a combination of all those things. I think it makes you feel better about the staff knowing that they've had success before. For somebody that's never had success, it's hard to be optimistic when things don't go as well. Certainly I think Mark Holliman's an ace and Matt Maloney's an ace. Stephen Head and Eric Fowler are becoming aces. With that being said, yes I think it makes it easier knowing that they've done it and have experience. As far as physical changes, we've worked and talked about different things with individual pitchers, but to me the bottom line is making some critical pitches at critical times in the game. And that's what we haven't done over the past 10 games. We've had chances to get out of the inning, but we didn't. We didn't make the right pitch at the right time, and therefore instead of getting out of the inning and leaving runners on base, we've given up two or three runs and let them extend the inning.
Q: When you go out to the mound, do you already have your mind made up to make a change, or do you get input from the pitcher and catcher? And can a pitcher ever talk you out of taking him out?
-Bill from Jackson, Miss.
Bianco: No, I've never been talked out of taking a guy out, and yes when I'm going to take a guy out and bring a guy in he's told before I walk out to the mound. We call it walkie-talkies in the dugout. The pitcher in the pen is told that he's going into the game.
Q: What is your theory on swinging early in the count as opposed to taking pitches and working a pitcher deeper in the count?
-Daniel from Cleveland, Miss.
Bianco: Well, I think it depends on the pitcher. We like to be aggressive at the plate and hit the ball early in the count, rather than to fall behind and get into defensive counts. To me, the better offensive clubs are the ones that are going to attack more and be more aggressive. That's not to say that you are swinging at bad pitches, it means that you're not taking strikes. But, with that being said, I think you have to take the game apart, in a sense, and if the pitcher is walking people, then we have two different take signals. And the reason we have two is because you give it enough you want to make sure the other team doesn't realize when you're taking or not. We believe that taking pitches is part of the game as well. But it's a decision by me when we're going to take and when we're going to be aggressive at the plate.
Q: How many players on the team this year do you see having a future in professional ball. Also, out of that group who do you see making it all the way to the Major Leagues?
-Theron from Senatobia, Miss.
Bianco: As far as this year's team, guys that are eligible for the draft and guys I think will get drafted are Matt Maloney, Mark Holliman, Anthony Cupps, Eric Fowler and possibly Tommy Baumgardner on the mound. And as far as hitters Stephen Head, Brian Pettway, Cooper Osteen, Barry Gunther and possibly Mark Wright are guys that I think have an opportunity to get drafted. As far as making it to the big leagues, the odds of making it are so slim that I don't know if anybody can have a good chance at choosing the right guy that makes it.
Ask Coach Bianco your question.
