Stopped by L. Dale Mitchell this afternoon before the baseball team left for Blacksburg. Talked to Skip Johnson, Peyton Graham and Kendall Pettis.
Quick takeaways:
* Weekend rotation isn't formally set but unless something crazy were to happen it'll be your usual weekend rotation of Jake Bennett, David Sandlin and Cade Horton.
* There very little doubt who the players speak of as the heart and soul of this team. Any guesses? It's Tanner Tredaway. Peyton Graham grabbed headlines in Arlington. Kendall Pettis took home MVP honors in Gainesville. But it's the senior centerfielder Tredaway who is on a tear right now. We'll have more on him in the weekend preview but he's raised his batting average 20 points since the Tech series. He's now hitting .367 on the season.
* Skip talked a lot about Kendall Pettis at-bat after the restart in the 7th. It ended in a strikeout but he put together a quality at-bat.
* The 8th was a carbon copy of what they've done all year. Hustle 2B by a freshman. Big swing by Peyton Graham. Robertson grinds out a walk. Tredaway single. Another freshman makes a contribution. The list sort of goes on and on but it just seemed so familiar with what they've done all season.
* Team went through batting practice this morning and bullpen for pitchers; didn't get out on the field with all of the rain. They'll practice in Blacksburg on Thursday.
* Somehow I completely forgot Kendall Pettis played in the Williamsport on the Chicago Little League West team. Also featured former Sooner signee and current Cubs minor leaguer Ed Howard.
* I asked Pettis and PG both about this team and how they carry themselves on the field. It's like they walk that fine line of cocky/arrogant. I think it's a good thing. It's a little bit of their identity. Anyone that saw the dust ups with the Florida dugout over the weekend are probably aware.
“I think so, for this group especially. We’ve got some rowdy guys and people feed off of it," said Graham. "Whatever we can do to get the momentum in our dugout, we’ll do.”
“We’ve kind of been doubted the whole season," added Pettis. "We were supposed to be picked behind Kansas State and a lot of teams in the Big 12. Nobody expected us to be here. So we’ve always had that chip on our shoulder. I think that’s where the cockiness comes from. PG is going to do what he does. B-Rob (Blake Robertson) is coming from JUCO and those JUCO guys always have that chip on their shoulder. So just having that core group of guys right there is what really gives us that edge.”
Here's some Q & A with Skip:
On super regional match-up with Virginia Tech this weekend:
They really offensive. They've been in the top 10- last month, month and a half- but I know they are really good at what they do. Well coached and it'll be good test for us.
On pitchers carrying the team over last couple weeks ...
Yeah I think that's the biggest thing. I think a lot of it is our offense, too. Because they don't have to go out and worry about being perfect. They can go out and just make pitches. We talk about taking it one pitch at a time, all the time. And they get better every week. That's been the biggest key is just trying to get better every week. Day in and day out because baseball can be a cruel game at times. What you want to do is try to get better at it and maintain your confidence.
Do you stick with the same rotation this weekend even though Jake (Bennett) threw on Monday?
Yeah. It's just like a bullpen for him. If we're having a short week like he did at (Texas) Tech his bullpen would be on Monday. In his bullpen we throw 35-40 pitches and he threw 28 (on Monday). It's a little more intensity probably so I ask him ... he's not sore (but) we'll see what happens. Right now we're sticking with it and if something changes it changes. We're not really naming a starting pitcher yet so I think that's the biggest thing.
You've been to Omaha. You are trying to get to where these guys are wanting to go ... what is it about this group that is special? The way that they have responded to adversity multiple times this year ...
You know we had a text message from Reggie (Willits) Dad during the rain delay. I need to tell ya because it was about David and Goliath. We have a bunch of Davids is what we got. Guys that try to overcome adversity and get out there and play. And that's what has been really fun is seeing those guys get better every week and have that intensity. Our at-bats got better the second half of that game. It was back to being who we were. I think they were really trying the night before (Sunday) to try to win the game and you've just got to go out and execute and do what you can to be your piece. If you're the shortstop. If you're the second baseman. If you're the catcher. You have to do your piece. And we talk to them about one piece at a time. One pitch at a time. Doing what they can one pitch at a time.
Is a perfect example of what John Spikerman was able to do late in the game Monday night? He makes the error in the 7th inning. Has to sit on it for five hours during the rain delay. Then comes out and starts the rally in the 8th with the double ...
Yeah (Spikerman) is a dynamic player. He's intense. That's what is really fun to coach him and watch his athlecism take over. It's fun to watch his at-bats because it's like seeing an old soul in a freshman. He'll take a pitch. Oh that's not it. Then all of the sudden he'll be real aggressive on the next pitch and get a big hit. I thought the first day that really kind of ... the little chopper between first and the mound that he beat out at first base ... really kind of put the nail in the coffin that first day against Liberty. I think that's the biggest thing about him. He's really so dynamic and he gets after it.
On the trio of freshmen handling the pressure of postseason baseball ...
I think that's the thing where we talk about growing as a team and those guys growing up in a game where you look at (Jackson) Nicklaus. And you look at (Wallace) Clark. And you look at (John) Spikerman and what they've done ... it's really special. They're really sophomores now. They've played enough games now through the fall and in the spring. They understand what we are trying to go through. (Jackson) had a tough week. Then he gets a big hit that ends up being the game winner. Rolls over a ball in the four hole. He's had a great year. Wallace Clark is like maybe one of the unsung heroes. It really helped us getting Cade (Horton) putting him on the mound. Really getting him to focus on pitching and Cade has gotten better every week. I'm really proud of what he's done and the work he's put in. Our strength staff and trainers have done a fabulous job with him to keep him going out there ... he's only 15 months off ... for him to do that is really special.
On how the team is doing from an endurance standpoint coming off the regional and heading to Blacksburg?
Everybody is healthy right now going into it. Which is great. I'm sure they are tired but you're going to be tired this late in the year. You've got to look inside your chest and you've got to play with your heart because that's what really matters this time of the year. And executing your gameplan.
On Tanner Tredaway progression ...
I think his leadership and his comfort level. When you have a guy that is older in there. It was pretty neat. We have an advanced meeting before we play and Reggie (Willits) said, 'anybody have anything to say?' ... And Kendall (Pettis) stood up in the room and goes, "I don't want this to be the last game that Tanner plays. Let's go out and give everything for him". When you see that. Kids are in the media and they're talking about each other ... that's when the culture is right. Peyton Graham was the MVP of the Big 12 Tournament and then Kendall's the MVP of the Regional. That's pretty cool. Two hole hitter and a nine hole hitter. Two different sides. That's what I thought was really pretty cool about it.
Is there a certain level of confidence that Kendall has started to show here over the last couple weeks? Would he have been that vocal prior to his hot streak?
No. he's been a leader since he's been here. He's always been kind of vocal. He played in the Little League World Series. And he's scuffled. I mean you think about the COVID year he only got to play a little bit. Then the summer and all of the sudden he gets back here and gets hurt and really thought his season was going to end. But our training staff and our doctor kept working with it and he got better and better. I've dealt with that injury before. Coach (Clay) Van Hook had the same thing at the University of Texas. He was playing first base in an intrasquad and the same thing happened. So he wore the brace. Got more comfortable. Got it off. I think that's the biggest thing for Kendall. He always plays with a passion. And when he plays with that passion he plays with an edge.
Quick takeaways:
* Weekend rotation isn't formally set but unless something crazy were to happen it'll be your usual weekend rotation of Jake Bennett, David Sandlin and Cade Horton.
* There very little doubt who the players speak of as the heart and soul of this team. Any guesses? It's Tanner Tredaway. Peyton Graham grabbed headlines in Arlington. Kendall Pettis took home MVP honors in Gainesville. But it's the senior centerfielder Tredaway who is on a tear right now. We'll have more on him in the weekend preview but he's raised his batting average 20 points since the Tech series. He's now hitting .367 on the season.
* Skip talked a lot about Kendall Pettis at-bat after the restart in the 7th. It ended in a strikeout but he put together a quality at-bat.
* The 8th was a carbon copy of what they've done all year. Hustle 2B by a freshman. Big swing by Peyton Graham. Robertson grinds out a walk. Tredaway single. Another freshman makes a contribution. The list sort of goes on and on but it just seemed so familiar with what they've done all season.
* Team went through batting practice this morning and bullpen for pitchers; didn't get out on the field with all of the rain. They'll practice in Blacksburg on Thursday.
* Somehow I completely forgot Kendall Pettis played in the Williamsport on the Chicago Little League West team. Also featured former Sooner signee and current Cubs minor leaguer Ed Howard.
* I asked Pettis and PG both about this team and how they carry themselves on the field. It's like they walk that fine line of cocky/arrogant. I think it's a good thing. It's a little bit of their identity. Anyone that saw the dust ups with the Florida dugout over the weekend are probably aware.
“I think so, for this group especially. We’ve got some rowdy guys and people feed off of it," said Graham. "Whatever we can do to get the momentum in our dugout, we’ll do.”
“We’ve kind of been doubted the whole season," added Pettis. "We were supposed to be picked behind Kansas State and a lot of teams in the Big 12. Nobody expected us to be here. So we’ve always had that chip on our shoulder. I think that’s where the cockiness comes from. PG is going to do what he does. B-Rob (Blake Robertson) is coming from JUCO and those JUCO guys always have that chip on their shoulder. So just having that core group of guys right there is what really gives us that edge.”
Here's some Q & A with Skip:
On super regional match-up with Virginia Tech this weekend:
They really offensive. They've been in the top 10- last month, month and a half- but I know they are really good at what they do. Well coached and it'll be good test for us.
On pitchers carrying the team over last couple weeks ...
Yeah I think that's the biggest thing. I think a lot of it is our offense, too. Because they don't have to go out and worry about being perfect. They can go out and just make pitches. We talk about taking it one pitch at a time, all the time. And they get better every week. That's been the biggest key is just trying to get better every week. Day in and day out because baseball can be a cruel game at times. What you want to do is try to get better at it and maintain your confidence.
Do you stick with the same rotation this weekend even though Jake (Bennett) threw on Monday?
Yeah. It's just like a bullpen for him. If we're having a short week like he did at (Texas) Tech his bullpen would be on Monday. In his bullpen we throw 35-40 pitches and he threw 28 (on Monday). It's a little more intensity probably so I ask him ... he's not sore (but) we'll see what happens. Right now we're sticking with it and if something changes it changes. We're not really naming a starting pitcher yet so I think that's the biggest thing.
You've been to Omaha. You are trying to get to where these guys are wanting to go ... what is it about this group that is special? The way that they have responded to adversity multiple times this year ...
You know we had a text message from Reggie (Willits) Dad during the rain delay. I need to tell ya because it was about David and Goliath. We have a bunch of Davids is what we got. Guys that try to overcome adversity and get out there and play. And that's what has been really fun is seeing those guys get better every week and have that intensity. Our at-bats got better the second half of that game. It was back to being who we were. I think they were really trying the night before (Sunday) to try to win the game and you've just got to go out and execute and do what you can to be your piece. If you're the shortstop. If you're the second baseman. If you're the catcher. You have to do your piece. And we talk to them about one piece at a time. One pitch at a time. Doing what they can one pitch at a time.
Is a perfect example of what John Spikerman was able to do late in the game Monday night? He makes the error in the 7th inning. Has to sit on it for five hours during the rain delay. Then comes out and starts the rally in the 8th with the double ...
Yeah (Spikerman) is a dynamic player. He's intense. That's what is really fun to coach him and watch his athlecism take over. It's fun to watch his at-bats because it's like seeing an old soul in a freshman. He'll take a pitch. Oh that's not it. Then all of the sudden he'll be real aggressive on the next pitch and get a big hit. I thought the first day that really kind of ... the little chopper between first and the mound that he beat out at first base ... really kind of put the nail in the coffin that first day against Liberty. I think that's the biggest thing about him. He's really so dynamic and he gets after it.
On the trio of freshmen handling the pressure of postseason baseball ...
I think that's the thing where we talk about growing as a team and those guys growing up in a game where you look at (Jackson) Nicklaus. And you look at (Wallace) Clark. And you look at (John) Spikerman and what they've done ... it's really special. They're really sophomores now. They've played enough games now through the fall and in the spring. They understand what we are trying to go through. (Jackson) had a tough week. Then he gets a big hit that ends up being the game winner. Rolls over a ball in the four hole. He's had a great year. Wallace Clark is like maybe one of the unsung heroes. It really helped us getting Cade (Horton) putting him on the mound. Really getting him to focus on pitching and Cade has gotten better every week. I'm really proud of what he's done and the work he's put in. Our strength staff and trainers have done a fabulous job with him to keep him going out there ... he's only 15 months off ... for him to do that is really special.
On how the team is doing from an endurance standpoint coming off the regional and heading to Blacksburg?
Everybody is healthy right now going into it. Which is great. I'm sure they are tired but you're going to be tired this late in the year. You've got to look inside your chest and you've got to play with your heart because that's what really matters this time of the year. And executing your gameplan.
On Tanner Tredaway progression ...
I think his leadership and his comfort level. When you have a guy that is older in there. It was pretty neat. We have an advanced meeting before we play and Reggie (Willits) said, 'anybody have anything to say?' ... And Kendall (Pettis) stood up in the room and goes, "I don't want this to be the last game that Tanner plays. Let's go out and give everything for him". When you see that. Kids are in the media and they're talking about each other ... that's when the culture is right. Peyton Graham was the MVP of the Big 12 Tournament and then Kendall's the MVP of the Regional. That's pretty cool. Two hole hitter and a nine hole hitter. Two different sides. That's what I thought was really pretty cool about it.
Is there a certain level of confidence that Kendall has started to show here over the last couple weeks? Would he have been that vocal prior to his hot streak?
No. he's been a leader since he's been here. He's always been kind of vocal. He played in the Little League World Series. And he's scuffled. I mean you think about the COVID year he only got to play a little bit. Then the summer and all of the sudden he gets back here and gets hurt and really thought his season was going to end. But our training staff and our doctor kept working with it and he got better and better. I've dealt with that injury before. Coach (Clay) Van Hook had the same thing at the University of Texas. He was playing first base in an intrasquad and the same thing happened. So he wore the brace. Got more comfortable. Got it off. I think that's the biggest thing for Kendall. He always plays with a passion. And when he plays with that passion he plays with an edge.
