The University of Mississippi Athletics
Coaches, Players Address Media At Baseball Media Day
2/15/2010 | Baseball
2010 Media Day Opening Statement
It was an unusual fall, to say the least. However, it has been an exciting spring. Maybe the best two and a half weeks to start a spring, as far as practice. It's possibly the most pleased that I have been watching a team come out of winter break and practice hard in maybe he most difficult conditions, as far as weather. They have handled it great. When you walked out to practice, you saw 33 guys that didn't look like they were practicing in 37-degree weather. They had a lot of bounce and competitiveness. We have challenged them a lot. We do have some new faces and some of the kids that have been around are playing some different roles this year. We wanted to push their competitiveness, and they've certainly answered that call. I am excited to start the season and run this group out there. We have one of the best offenses that we have had in some time. Our pitching staff is inexperienced, but certainly very talented. I think we have just been spoiled over the last couple of years with guys that have pitched here since they were true freshmen. This is one of those years where we are talented, but a lot of the names you just haven't learned yet.
It's an exciting time as it always is. We always joke about the way it feels outside - it's baseball season. I think this is the first press conference we have had where we are pulling the tarp out because of the snow last night. Maybe we are getting all of that bad stuff out of us. The weather seems to look nice the rest of the week. We are excited about that.
It's an exciting time this time a year, but we had a little unusual fall. We've had to deal with some injuries, illnesses and some other things - some adversity. Entering opening day, this team has probably had to handle more adversity as far as different things that have happen throughout the program than any team I have ever had. They have had to jump some hurtles and have been tested already. They have passed with flying colors. The team has been as competitive and has practiced as hard as any team that I have ever had. I like their competitiveness. I am excited about them.
Q: How has Aaron Barrett improved to become your No. 2 pitcher this season?
A: I don't know if you can make one comment or put your finger on one thing. Something that I told him in the bullpen last week was that when he came here I thought he was super talented. He was a guy that had great stuff. This year, he seems to be more of a pitcher, with the great stuff. Last year, he just seemed to be too inconsistent. He had great stuff, but when you struggle sometimes, it is tough to fall back on something. When you pitch, locate and have a plan - I think that makes all of the difference in the world. When I look at him this year, he looks like more of a complete pitcher. He was exciting last year because he had some many different pitches, but when things started to snowball a little bit for him, it was tough for him to correct. His pitches are right where they need to be and he looks more confident. He is more comfortable with his role, and I think it's turned into some better outings for him in scrimmages.
Q: Can you tell how the outfielders are coming along?
A: I think at those positions, you can translate practice into success in the games. In watching those two guys and the way have handled it - it has been tremendous. Tim (Ferguson) has taken over center field after never really having played outfield. It's a big deal to put him out in that position, which is usually your best defensive outfielder. I don't think you are going to realize that it's really his first time out there. He's been great. Matt (Smith) is just a great athlete. It's not often that you get a guy with his size that can basically play any position on the field.
Q: What was the rational in moving Zach Miller from third base back to second base?
A: One of the reasons for moving him over is to get Mike Snyder on the field. We wanted to get another physical guy in the lineup that has a chance to add some power. Zach is the type of guy that can play either position, and play them both well. Although he did a great job at third last year, he has always done a great job at second base. At the time, we were feeling that we might be a better club if we could get Mike Snyder on the field.
Q: How long is Mike Snyder's injury going to keep him out?
A: From what I understand, he sees the doctor Tuesday and usually it is about two weeks. He had surgery last Monday night, and so he is going to miss this weekend. We are hoping to get him back sometime next week. It is just too early to tell, but we might learn more after he sees the doctor.
Q: Has the decreased roster size hindered your team at all?
A: In all honesty, we didn't feel it last year. I know a lot of people did, but because of injuries and other things this year, we have felt it a lot more. Fortunately for us, we have some guys like Matt (Snyder), (Miles) Hamblin, (Zach) Miller and (Alex) Yarbrough who can play different positions. When you have that, it makes it a lot easier. I think it is going to change the way you recruit. Guys that can do more are going to have more value now. We have felt it this year. I don't look at it as a negative, but thankfully we have some athletes that we can move around. I think we might even have three different lineups, because of all the versatility that we are fortunate enough to have. I think you will see a lot of different things.
Q: Has Drew Pomeranz improved over the offseason, or did he show us everything last summer?
A: He was Superman last June. We have said a lot about that and we will continue to talk about it for years to come. Drew is tremendously talented and is a guy who is going to be drafted very high this June because of that talent. One of the things that comes to my mind when I talk about Drew, that may go unnoticed, is that he is one of the best competitors that we have ever had here. He has always won on the biggest stage. He seems like he wins against the best teams and in the toughest facilities. Another thing that a lot of people don't talk about is his work ethic. Drew came here as a true freshmen when (Lance) Lynn and (Cody) Satterwhite were the marquee guys. He changed his body by gaining nine pounds while losing six percent body fat. He threw hard in high school but came out of the bullpen as a freshmen throwing 96 and 97 mph. People forget that he was actually the setup guy. His work ethic and the way he goes about things off of the field has continued to improve. Not just here, but in the summer with the USA National Team. He has put himself in a great position.
Q: How is this team's offense shaping up?
A: I think we will have more power than we have in the past. When I look at this lineup, I see a lot of guys that have the possibility of hitting homeruns and guys that can hit in the middle of the lineup. I think we have more left-handed options than we have had in quite some time. I think that is going to help the offense. Yes, we lost Jordan Henry, a guy who broke the school record for stolen bases. People forget that Tim Ferguson stole 18-of-19 bases last season. He is a guy that has the ability to steal 40 bases. We have that one guy that can really steal (Ferguson), and we will have some other guys that can do it too. I think it will be similar to last year in that regard. We are going to just have a little more juice in the lineup. Last year's offense hit for average, and what made it really good was that we hit with runners in scoring position. I think this team can do that, but will have a little more power than last year's club.
Q: Who are you looking at to pitch mid-week games?
A: Right now, I would say Matt Tracy would start on Tuesday night against Arkansas State. Matt was one of four guys when we got down to the wire for the three weekend starters. Matt pitched as well as anybody from September until now. We are really happy with his progress and the way he pitched in the fall and spring. He looks likely to be that guy. He will also throw some relief this weekend. Depending how much he throws over the weekend, it looks like he will be that guy on Tuesday. The other guys could be (Matt) Crouse, (Brett) Huber and (Eric) Callender - any of those relief guys.
Q: Are you going to use more than one catcher throughout the season?
A: Right now, they are both catching great. With the injuries, we are going to use (Miles) Hamblin at some different positions. He will catch some this weekend, but the guy that will start this weekend is Taylor Hightower.
Junior OF Matt Smith
Q: How is your arm holding up with you playing in the outfield?
A: My arm is great. I haven't had any problems except for when I tore it two years ago. There is no pain, it is still strong and it is playable. There are no problems. It feels good.
Q: What was it like to know you were going to become an everyday outfielder?
A: When I first got here, I was recruited as an outfielder. The biggest thing for me anywhere, even in the outfield, is my footwork. I have gotten a lot better with it, and there is always room for improvement. I'm comfortable and confident. Just running and catching it is the main thing.
Junior LHP Drew Pomeranz
Q: Did you ever experience any arm problems after pitching so much last summer?
A: I feel good. Once I got back here, I took about two months off from throwing. I didn't necessarily need it, but the coaches thought it was a good idea and I agreed. I haven't experienced any dead-arm or anything. I feel as good as I did last year.
Q: How have you improved?
A: Every year you pick up a little. You certainly learn the most after freshman year about location and stuff like that. You try to build on all of that a little more each year in the summer and in the fall.
Q: Are you heavier that last year?
A: No, I've actually lost a little bit of weight.
Junior OF Tim Ferguson
Q: How unusual was the fall with the injuries and illnesses?
A: It was a little strange. We had a lot of guys out. I was out for a few weeks with a sprained ankle, Trent Rothlin was out with mononucleosis and Tanner Mathis had surgery. A lot of guys were out, but we are so deep that it didn't really hurt us too much. It was different seeing different guys at different positions. It was weird, but at the same time we had guys step up.
Q: Who are some of the pitches who you struggled with in practice that we don't know about yet?
A: One of guys that stands out is Matt Tracy. He doesn't throw exceptionally hard, but he throws so much off-speed and he keeps you guessing. When he throws his 86 mph fastball, it looks like 96 mph. Trent Rothlin has great stuff. Of course Drew (Pomeranz) is unbelievable and (David) Goforth throws hard. There are so many guys.
Q: What was it like to know you were going to become an everyday outfielder?
A: It was tough at first, but I got used to it quickly. Coach (Matt) Mossberg and all of the coaches did a great job with teaching me the logistics of it - the spin of the ball and finding the warning track. It is a lot more fun for me. I can just let my speed and athleticism take over, run and catch it.
Sr. IF Zach Miller
Q: Who are some of the pitches who you struggled with in practice that we don't know about yet?
A: (Trent) Rothlin's pitches end up everywhere. That is what is so exciting about seeing him on Sunday. Louisiana-Monroe is going to struggle with him. Aaron Barrett had his breaking ball breaking about two feet a couple days ago. It is definitely challenging facing them. It is so good to see our pitchers are improving each and every day. Drew is going to do his thing everyday. They are all just going to work hard every pitch.
Assistant Coach Rob Francis on the Infield
First of all, I want to say that it is a baseball cliché, but I genuinely believe it - this is the only sport on earth where the defense controls the ball. It is a catch-throw game, and if you can't catch it, you can't throw it. We take a lot of pride in it, and the guys have done a great job overall and are collectively getting better.
Matt Snyder - Matt is a sophomore who you are well aware of with his offense and moon-shot homeruns that he has hit for us here. As a first basemen, we are really excited to see what he can do for us this year. He is probably one of our most improved defensive players. A lot of people take first base for granted - you are just supposed to keep your foot on the base and catch it or pick it if it's on the ground. Well, there is a lot more to it than that. Matt has done a nice job of learning and understanding the position. I think his development, like a lot of the younger guys, is going to be a work in progress. Where they are now, certainly won't be where they will finish. Just like three weeks ago when we started practice, they are much further along and it really has us energized. Matt will continue to work this year and will be very valuable to us at first base.
David Phillips is another guy we're going to experiment with over there. We use that term because we have a lot of versatility and flexibility with our infielders. That's something you will see more of in college baseball with the new roster cap - guys who can do more than one thing with their athleticism at this level in a competitive environment. It's advantageous for us as a coaching staff to explore that. David's done a nice job the past few weeks. He has pretty good feet for a guy who plays a lot of outfield. He has awareness around the bag and is someone we want to see more of over there.
Matt Smith is also in the mix. When you look at his 2008 campaign and 2009 campaign you see growth defensively. It's the little things and not always the errors and the fielding percentage. It's the confidence the pitchers have to make the pickoff, fielding bunts and knowing when to stay back and when to attack. He's gotten better at that, and having his ability at first base is something that's comforting.
At second base, we'll start with Zach Miller. He will be a huge factor for us in the field. Last year he played a huge role for us at third base and made it look really easy. I give him credit - not just for the abilities he's blessed with - but what makes him so good is his 'team first' mentality. He can play the right side of the infield and then move to the left side and immediately be an all-star. A lot of that is his sheer determination to help the team in whatever role we ask.
Alex Yarbrough has worked his tail off defensively. He came in and had to adjust to the speed of the game and understanding how quickly to get the ball airborne - out of the glove and over to first base. It's understanding that runners here are all quick and getting them out as quickly as possible is key. He is a guy who understands that. I couldn't be more pleased with his progress - not just with what he's done at second, but in work at shortstop and third base. We're excited about his ceiling and think it's very high. He can do a lot for us.
Speaking of shortstop, everyone in this room is well aware of the difference a shortstop can make. Kevin came in last year and had no experience in the league from kind of an unknown place. He got here and looked like he'd been doing it his whole life. It makes us sleep easier at night knowing you have a guy there who can make all the plays. It's not just making the routine plays or the spectacular ones. It's the confidence he gives the whole infield. He brings a calm feeling to the whole infield.
At third base we have a couple of guys. Miles Hamblin is a super athletic kid who catches for us as well. He's gritty, tough and a gamer. He's a guy who is not going to have any indecisiveness when the ball is hit to him. He's been impressive because most of his work has been catching. Throwing him over there has been neat to see and see how he's handled the position. He'll be in the mix at third.
We already know what Zach Miller can do over there, and the team mentality will allow him to contribute in whatever role we need.
Matt Smith is also super athletic and in the few days we've had him over there, he's done a nice job of playing through. We're excited to see what he can do for us over there in the event that he's not playing right field or first base. He's going to be a guy who wears an awful lot of hats.
One guy who is not here because of injury is Mike Snyder. Before his appendix was removed a week ago, we were really happy with how far he's come and the list of players may have started differently before the surgery. He will be in the mix when he gets healthy. He's impressed me with his dedication to his craft. The coaching staff has challenged him to get better defensively. He's had to learn a lot about the speed of the game and how we play and read the baseball. He's really dedicated himself to that and we're excited to see what he'll become here. One thing that's real impressive is he is a guy who looks like a big-leaguer. He has impressive tools that we'll continue to work upon and I'm certain you'll see growth.
The last guy I want to mention is a jack-of-all-trades in Jordan King. He's an in-state guy who played at Meridian Community College and is similar to Zach Miller with his team first mentality. We've put him at second, third and short - he hasn't been a guy who has had difficulty with that. It's been fun to put him in different roles and see him have success. He seems to be all over the field and has made some great plays for us and some very acrobatic plays.
Obviously, it's never where you start but where you finish. I've been impressed with the commitment from this group of guys with regards to coming early and staying late. I've been impressed with the growth. I take a lot of pride in teaching the game and watching that growth and that's been fun the last few weeks to see that work and see how much better we've gotten. I'm really excited to see how that continues a couple of months from now.
Q: How does a player like Kevin Mort work on getting better than he already was last season?
A: I think it starts with some of the stuff he's already done in the weight room. You look at him physically and he's not uber impressive, but he's someone who has worked hard and put on a little weight. He's gotten faster - which helps him defensively and offensively. I think some of the work has already been done with his strength and conditioning. It will also be neat to see how he improves with a year of experience under his belt. I want to see how that helps him take his game beyond where it is now.
Q: What are some of the things you've done with Matt Snyder to help him at first base?
A: Matt's big thing we've worked on is his lower half awareness and how your feet work when you field. There's an awareness you have to have on balls that are hit harder and some that are hit harder, lefty vs. righty and things like that. We've spent a lot of time working on his feet and ways to get him better moving to his left and right. We've spent a lot of time with footwork drills. We've also spent time on picking balls in the dirt and things like that. The more balls we get at him and the more he plays, the more he will figure that out. Matt Smith is a great example of that from a couple of years ago. Just playing there and getting used to the speed of the game, they usually figure it out.
Assistant Coach Matt Mossberg on the Outfield and Hitters
It's kind of a different year. It seems in years past there has been a lot of depth. That's not to say we don't have that this year, but we have cycled through a lot of older guys. Some key losses are Jordan Henry, Logan Power, Jeremy Travis and Michael Hubbard - every one of those guys had the ability to play center field and played their whole lives with the exception of Jordan Henry. This year it's a bit different with some converted outfielders.
Tim Ferguson came in as an infielder and is one of the most athletic players and dynamic players on our roster. We've moved him to the outfield and he has taken to it like a fish to water. He'll play center field. We're excited about that and the progress he's made has been unbelievable. Matt Smith is kind of a jack of all trades. Outfield was his primary position when he came in as a freshman, but he's been playing first base. He may play first or third, but you will see him in right field quite a bit.
A couple of other returners are David Phillips and Taylor Hashman. Both are the main returners who supplement the outfield this year. Both of those guys have a work ethic that is off the charts and have improved tremendously defensively.
One newcomer this year is true freshman Tanner Mathis who is tremendous defensively. He will see time in left field. He could also play center field if needed. Expect to see him out there quite a bit early on.
Shifting to the offense, we had some key losses from last year and it seems like a lot. But, the good news is we had 12 guys last year who had 100 or more at bats - which is unheard of really. We had a lot of depth offensively last year, and we lost guys who logged a lot of playing time, but we have a lot coming back. We've done a good job recruiting and a good job of developing the talent that's been here, so we don't feel like we'll miss a beat offensively. We have the returners and young guys ready to step in and be impact guys for us.
Some of the guys back include Tim Ferguson, Matt Smith and Zach Miller who were the top three offensively among the returners. But we also have Matt Snyder who hit around .300 last season and led the team in home runs, so we expect big things from him. In addition, David Phillips, Kevin Mort and Taylor Hashman all saw significant time as starters last year and will help bolster our offense. Taylor Hightower converted to a switch hitter when he got here last year and has worked very hard to do that. You will see him a lot in our lineup hitting both right-handed and left-handed. We're excited about him and Mike Snyder who can hit in the middle of our lineup.
Newcomers we expect to have an impact in our offense are Alex Yarbrough, who led the team in hitting in the fall and the spring. He's been dynamic offensively and is also a switch hitter. Tanner Mathis has had tremendous success since he stepped foot on campus. Miles Hamblin we look to be in the lineup offensively. Jordan King has also had a great fall and spring offensively.
Most importantly, I'm enthusiastic about this offense and group of hitters. Since Coach Bianco has been here, he's never shied away from lofty goals. As a program we're always trying to push the envelope and achieve those goals. How far we've come, but there is still a way to go. We lost a lot of guys, but we have a lot here. One of our goals is to be one of the best offenses in the country and we have the personnel to do that.
Q: When you say Yarbrough led the team in hitting, do you mean average?
A: I'm speaking specifically of average, but it's like when someone says this is the best offense in the country - what are you going by? Are you going by batting average, slugging percentage, OPS percentage? I don't really know, but something in your heart tells you this kid is leading the team in hitting. Yes, it's been batting average, but that's not always the best indicator. But he's had the best at bats and best numbers.
Q: Can you talk about Tanner Mathis and his ability offensively?
A: Jordan Henry was that dynamic spark plug at the front of our lineup last year. You have to feel any good offense has someone like that leading off. Mathis was recruited to be that type of player, and he knew that. He's comfortable in that role and we've been very pleased with him in that role. He has gotten on base, hits the ball to all fields and can hit the ball to all fields. He hit for a high average, stole bases and does all the things you look for a lead-off hitter to do.
Assistant Coach Carl Lafferty on the Pitching Staff and Catchers
The first thing I want to say is this staff is one I am excited about. There will be a lot of new faces and some familiar faces stepping up and taking on new roles. Our starting rotation for this coming weekend will be Drew Pomeranz (Friday), Aaron Barrett (Saturday) and Trent Rothlin (Sunday). David Goforth will move into that closer role that Jake Morgan filled so well for us last season. Also in the bullpen you will see guys like Brett Huber who had a tremendous fall. A new face from Meridian Community College is Eric Callender, along with Rory McKean who is back and has done a tremendous job for us over the years. Matt Crouse is a junior college transfer from Young Harris College who is talented and has been exceptional in the fall and really competes on the mound. Also, a guy who has come into his own as a pitcher and a hitter is Matt Tracy. Matt has thrown the ball as well as anyone.
A lot has been said about our pitching staff and the new faces we'll have with guys moving on, but we're Ole Miss and one of the things we've always done is pitch well. We'll continue to do that this year. We're very excited about the opportunities for these new guys.
David Goforth threw a lot of innings last year in front of Jake Morgan as almost a setup guy. He has a tremendous fast ball and tremendous make up on the mound and that's what you look for in a closer. Last year Jake Morgan had great stuff, but he was able to stay focused and make the pitch which is what we talk about here. You see that with David. He's a gritty kid who really competes and has the ability to make the pitch. The situation never gets too big for him.
We're proud of the progress Drew Pomeranz has made and he's one of the most talented pitchers in the country. I've seen him mature quite a bit and he has two years of SEC experience. I see big differences in his command - not only his fastball, but his knuckle-curve. That separates pitchers when you can throw your secondary stuff in the zone. Aaron Barrett started for us last year and didn't have the success he might have wanted. He's physically gifted and has great stuff. I think this year you'll see he's really learned to pitch. Lastly, Trent Rothlin pitched at Clemson as a freshman and transferred to Walters State Community College. He was tremendous for them last year. He is a guy with a deceptive delivery and he commands his fastball and slider well.
We've also had good catchers here, as well. A lot has been said about Miles Hamblin and his versatility, but he has been tremendous behind the plate for us with his physical capabilities and his leadership. He comes from Howard College who won the junior college national championship last year with a record of 63-1. That tells you the kid is a winner.
Taylor Hightower was highly touted out of high school and deservedly so. He is tremendous defensively. He learned to switch hit and that tells you about his make up. Learning to do that in the SEC as a freshman is not easy, but his determination and gifts physically allowed him to do that. I think that also allows him to be a great catcher.
We've always had a great pitching staff and all of our guys compete, but a lot goes into the guy you are throwing it to. Brett Basham and Kyle Henson were the two most recently. These two catchers and the guys who will be behind the plate are the same caliber of players and we are very confident in their ability to handle the pitching staff.
Q: Can you talk about what you saw in Trent Rothlin that earned him a starting role in the rotation?
A: Trent had mono and missed a lot of the fall, so we caught a glimpse of him at the end. He has tremendous stuff and just came out this spring and has pitched very well. You watch his at bats against hitters - even our good hitters - and you see the difficulty they have and know he has a terrific arm and will give you a chance to win on the weekend.
Q: Who do you see in a setup role?
A: That's a great question with David Goforth moving to closer. Brett Huber is a talented guy who we thought would have a chance to pitch immediately out of high school but got sidelined with Tommy John surgery. He had a tremendous summer playing in a wooden bat league up north. He did the same in the fall and the spring. We expect him to fill the role Goforth did last year where Goforth was the bridge to Jake Morgan, Brett can be the bridge to David Goforth. He also has the capability to close as well.
