The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Baseball Team Begins Fall Ball With Tuesday Practice
9/19/2006 | Baseball
Taking the field at Oxford-University Stadium, the Rebels worked together as a unit for the first time this fall after spending the past few weeks working on individual drills.
“It’s an exciting time for us,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “We’ve been doing skill work the last few weeks, and that’s good, but it’s hard to evaluate where we are as a team. Now we all get out on the field at one time and find out where we are and where we need to be.”
The Rebels will go through practices and a couple of intra-squad scrimmages this week with the highlight being Scout Day on Wednesday.
With several new faces in a Rebel uniform, the fall presents an opportunity for Bianco and the Rebels to find out where the team is as it prepares to defend its 2006 title and make another run at the College World Series.
“Our goal for the fall is to implement as much of our system as we can,” Bianco said. “The difference each year is finding different holes and figuring out each position. We’ll get out there and see who has improved and where the new guys fit in.”
It doesn’t end with the players as the Rebels welcome several new faces to the coaching staff as Rob Reinstetle and Carl Lafferty take the field as new assistant coaches and Kyle Bunn moves from the role of a volunteer to a full time assistant. Matt Mossberg also rejoins the staff as an administrative assistant.
“It’s been a good couple of months with the new staff,” Bianco said. “There has seen lots of hours of hard work, especially in recruiting. It will be an interesting fall with so many new coaches. Carl Lafferty will work with the outfielders while, Rob Reinstetle will be working with the infielders.
“The good news is that Kyle Bunn is still with us working with the pitching staff, so there is no learning curve there,” Bianco said. “The neat thing is there is a lot of energy and passion. I think that’s a good thing with new guys on the staff. You may lose some of the continuity and familiarity, but I think change always brings excitement and energy.”
The Rebels will open the 2007 season on February 10, when Ole Miss will take the field against the
