Jan. 29, 2010
The Texas A&M baseball team opened practice in preparation for the 2010 season on Friday at a cold and windy Olsen Field. Selected quotes are below and audio clips are available through the links to the right.
HEAD COACH Rob Childress
"It's opening day for us and for Division I baseball teams across the country. Today is the day we can officially start our practice season, and we didn't expect anything different weather-wise (42, overcast and windy). It could be a lot worse, we could have a foot of snow on the ground and it could be about 10 degrees. But the rain is out of here and we have the opportunity to get out on the field. We feel lucky to do so."
On the difference in the polls starting 2009 and 2010... "This time last year we were talking about how it's not how you start, it's how you finish. We definitely wanted to finish ranked No. 1 in the country, but we didn't do a very good job of handling the external expectations. But the internal expectations for the program never change. Our goals are the same, and that's to finish at the top of the Big 12, have the opportunity to host come postseason play, and do our very best to get to Omaha each and every year. This season is no different. We aren't ranked in any poll to start this season, and it's something we'll have to earn each and every day, starting today."
On the team... "I'm excited about the nucleus that we do have back. This group has a chip on their shoulder, and they practiced very hard from day one in August until now, and today is just another day for them. When you start talking about a nucleus of Caleb Shofner, Joe Patterson...offensively that's a great place to start. Adam Smith is another one that had a really good fall for us. On the mound, we've got Ross Hales back. He's getting really close to being healthy. (There's also) Nick Fleece, Barret Loux, Ross Stripling...we've got a good group of guys back that know what we expect on a daily basis."
On opening the season with Seton Hall... "We've got a very tough non-conference schedule. Seton Hall has a very good program. Rob Sheppard does a great job. They run an offense very similar to ours, a high-pressure offense. They lost a couple of their weekend arms, and they'll have some young guys out on the mound, but it's going to be a good test for us opening up February 19th."
On having the offensive weapons back and possibly adding more speed... "I think we may be a little bit faster than we were last year. We've got several junior college transfers here that will be able to step in and be productive players for us right away. (Associate Head Coach) Matt (Deggs) has done an incredible job, along with Coach (Justin) Seely and Coach (Mike) Clement, in getting these guys prepared, and they'll continue to do so over the next three weeks."
On having competition for the starting jobs... "I really feel that way. We have a lot of competition going on at each and every position. You've got Brodie Greene to the outfield. We've got two young guys in right field that are battling it out each day in Brett Parsons. They are getting after it each and every day, they are pushing each other, and competition is good."
On the health of the pitching staff... "Barret Loux is 100 percent and did an incredible job in his first two bullpens and throughout skill instruction. Ross Hales I'd say is about 75 percent...I don't know if he'll be ready when we start the season but, again, it's not how you start it's how you finish. And we need him 100 percent when we finish. Another young man that had surgery, Steve Martin, is close to being ready to go. He has been on the mound the last couple of weeks and it's been exciting to watch. I feel like Ross Hales is going to make a 100 percent recovery and be ready to help us this year at some point."
SENIOR CF Brodie Greene
On the challenges ahead in the Big 12... "It's I think obviously the best conference in the country out there. We are an under-the-radar team this year. We don't have that target on our backs and no one really knows about us, but we have some things going for us. We have a great group of guys and we like flying under the radar. We'll sneak up on people."
On the move to center field... "It feels good. K.C. (Kyle Colligan) did a great job for the last three or four years, and I'm going to go out there and try to fill his shoes as best I can and provide to the team what I can being out there."
JUNIOR C Kevin Gonzalez
On the feeling in the clubhouse now compared to a year ago today (ranked No. 1 to start 2009)... "It's not really different. Every year we want to finish in Omaha as champions. Last year I felt like we put ourselves ahead of things, concentrating mostly on going to Omaha rather than the game ahead of us. This year we decided we are going to take things one game at a time. All we're worried about right now is Seton Hall. We're just going to have fun, go out there and just play one game at a time."
On the offense as a whole and adjustments made from last year to this year... "I feel like we're more closely knit this year than we were last year, and that's going to help us a whole lot. We've got some good hitters that have just come in to the program that are going to see a lot of playing time."
On the pitching staff... "We have a lot of good, young arms this year. Our team is young and our pitching staff is young, and they have a lot to learn. But they like to compete and they pound the zone. With a young staff, we're going to be throwing a lot of people out there. We have a deep bullpen too."