First day of practice, 27 Jan, interviews from TexasSports.com
Head coach David Pierce
On the fall and going forward:
"Honestly, the fall was very productive. When you come into this type of transition, there's a lot of newness for the players. They've been great, receptive. We had a good idea of the type of players we were getting and they've been that and even more so. They've been very good with work ethic and very productive on the field. Moving forward in the spring, the last couple of weeks we've been doing a lot of individual work… It's a new beginning for us. The kids are ready. Really excited and I think they're really hungry."
On what they want to accomplish in preseason:
"It's such a crash course now because we have start dates. We have three weeks before we open up. We really want to focus on getting all of our information in, our calls, our coverages and then have the ability to execute that weekly. Then just getting our arms ready to go. We still have some question marks because of some competition at a lot of positions right now so I think for me, it's going to be how guys respond to the competition and the live at-bats and live innings more than anything."
On which positions are set:
"We're probably set at maybe three position players right now. It's a good thing because we have two to three guys that have depth and they offer different things. We want to really overview that and see who's the best guy. I like to say once you earn that job to start, you have the opportunity to fail. Once a guy becomes that starter, he's going to have an opportunity to play."
On the new playing field:
"Oh it's been great. I think the kids are excited about it. The turf is still playing a little slower than we want. We have some work to do on that which is kind of a work in progress. I'm so glad we were able to get the fences in and if you look at them, you can't really tell the difference until you step into the box."
On the shorter wall in left field:
"That's a little interesting new piece of the program that's definitely going to cause a different kind of play. And I think you'll find that with the fence. It's not just about the home run. It's about creating more balance in the game, but now the fence becomes part of the play where outfielders are going to have to make some decisions because the wall is still 10-foot."
On how to remove some stress from the players regarding expectations:
"That's a great question because that's something I've really been studying since I've been here. I think more than anything it's going through our preparation and really grinding the preparation where they're comfortable and they have confidence in what they do. I really want them to understand the expectations here and to really embrace those as a opposed to running from them. I think that's something we talk about daily."
On the senior leadership:
"We actually have a very large group of juniors and our seniors I think we have five or six of them that do have some experience. With
Kacy Clemens,
Bret Boswell who is a redshirt junior,
Morgan Cooper,
Zane Gurwitz—those guys have been everything you expect out of senior leadership. The leaning on them, that's something they have to create with the younger guys. That's not something I push. That's something that has to be innate within them."
On the team's personality:
"First of all, I think we're talented and what I'd like to see them do is see them understand how talented they could possibly be and really have confidence in themselves to go out and play. To me, there is a sense of hunger where they have a bitter taste in their mouth and they want to make a difference this year."
On Morgan Cooper:
"Right now Morgan would be our Friday night starter."
On the starting rotation being open:
"There's no doubt. We've got five to six guys competing for starting roles right now."
On the freshman class:
"I think we have four to six guys that have a chance to play a lot.
Ryan Reynolds has got the chance to hit for us as a switch-hitter.
Andres Sosa was a great addition and was really impressive this fall at third base so he's going to get some opportunity.
Austin Todd played really well in center field and led the team in hitting in the Fall World Series. Then
Blair Henley was outstanding for us all fall. He's one of those kids that we're looking at as a starting pitcher as a freshman."
RHP Morgan Cooper
On the team's current mood opening up practice:
"We're just ready to go. We went through the whole fall. We've been back in school a couple of weeks and we're ready to get going. Everybody's excited to be practicing and stuff but I mean, really, I'm ready to start playing somebody in a different color jersey. We've been playing each other for a while now. I think we're all ready to use everything we've been practicing, everything that Coach Pierce and all of the new coaches have been saying. We're just ready to get going."
On the biggest change from last season to now:
"I wouldn't say there's a huge change. It's new faces. I think that just brings excitement. I think bringing in the new guys, everybody's just excited to get going. These past couple years have been pretty disappointing and I think everybody's ready to turn that around and get Texas Baseball back to where it needs to be."
On how confident he is in turning it around:
"Very confident. I mean we have all the talent in the world. I think every year Texas has all the talent in the world—it's just a matter of if we're going to make it happen or not. We've been saying it a lot but these past few years have been pretty embarrassing—very embarrassing actually…We're not going to make excuses. We're going to come out here and the best nine guys, whether it's a freshman or a senior, we're going to get out here and play and we're going to play our hearts out."
On the pitching staff:
"We've got some good arms—I won't lie. But once again, it doesn't really matter what we have on paper or what the radar gun says because when it comes down to it, everybody wants to beat us. Everybody comes in here, whether it's a Tuesday or a Friday, and wants to beat us—more than probably anybody else in the country and that's just something we've got to handle. We've got to use that to make us better. As far as arms go, we have plenty of arms, but when it comes down to it, we still have to go out there and play."
On what they need to accomplish during preseason:
"Since we've been back, we've only been able to do individual stuff. Pitchers have been able to do PFP with the pitchers. Hitters have been hitting with the hitters. As a unit, we've got to get going and clicking as a unit. We have pitching, we have talent. We've just got to put it all together and we've got to mesh."
On the fences:
"They've still got to hit it. Yeah, it will probably make a difference. Some balls in that past that have hit the wall are going to go out but the mentality as a pitcher is, they've still got to hit it."
On where he is now health-wise compared to last year:
"First of all, going in last year I was coming in a little bit limited [after Tommy John Surgery]. Kind of had to work my way into it… This year it was a little different. I got to pitch in the fall for the first time in two years. And now I'm coming into the season fully healthy. I'm going to be firing on all cylinders right out of the gate. I think that's good for me. I don't have to work into anything. I can forget about the injury. I don't have to worry about it anymore. I don't have to talk about it anymore. On the slider, it's just another tool. It's just another thing I can use to get hitters off-balance. I can show them the curve ball. I can show them the slider. One's a little harder, one's a litter softer. It's just another tool I can use to get people out, righties and lefties."
On the main thing that jumps out about this year's team:
"We have some freshman that have come in and really impressed me, hitting-wise. I don't really remember a time that a freshman has impressed me so much as a couple have this year. At first, it comes out and everybody's ready to go and the nerves kind of take over a bit but once we got going, there were a couple guys that opened my eyes a little bit to how mature they are at such a young age.…
Ryan Reynolds and
Austin Todd really impressed me a lot and here lately, Sosa has impressed me too. For their age, they're very, very mature."
On if he's taken a leadership role:
"I'm probably not one of the most vocal guys. I kind of just like to do my thing and lead by example. I guess so, but I don't really get into people's faces a lot. I think the seniors as a whole, we've kind of all got tired of what's happened in the past couple years. I think that's kind of made all of us enter into a leadership role. The senior class, we went to the world series our freshman year. We know what it's like, we know what it takes but we've got to find a way to show the younger guys this is how we do it and use that however the best we can."
INF/OF Zane Gurwitz
On getting Texas Baseball back on track:
"I think having a new atmosphere this year, it'll be a lot less pressure. We're really excited about this season just with all the changes that we have. There's just a lot of great feeling in the locker room, on the field. Everyone's just really excited to start the season."
On the competition for playing time:
"It creates a good atmosphere because yes, everyone is kind of competing for a spot again, but it brings up the intensity. It makes other players better because no one has a set position. Everybody has got to compete for one and prove themselves to a new coaching staff. It just elevates the game and the competition."
On the fences coming in:
"I didn't know that they were going to come in this year. I was told it was going to be next year or the year after so I'm glad I'll at least get one year of it and see if it makes that big of a difference. It's still a big field but I'm exited to see what happens."
On who will be the first to rob a home run in left:
"Hopefully somebody on our team."
On the new staff:
"They're great. They're all very personable guys. They know when it's time to be tough and they also know if you need some help or you need someone there to talk to. They have a good balance… It's cool to see their dynamic and how devoted they are to us, the team."
On his position:
"To be determined. I've been working in several different positions so I guess it's just where Coach Pierce feels like putting me when it comes to game time."
On if he thinks this team could return to Omaha:
"I really do. I think our pitching staff can be incredible this year and I think we have great hitting, great leadership to lead the way. If everything comes together like we hope it does, I think we should have just as good of a chance as anyone else."
INF Bret Boswell
On opening up the season:
"We're excited. We're really excited. This is the tightest I think we've ever been since I've been here. We're really looking forward to what we've got coming for us."
On the fences:
"It's going to be a lot different especially with the walls in the gap, bringing them in. You've just got to keep that same swing on it. Not try to do too much. There's probably going to be people that come in here now and think they can put it out easily. It still plays pretty big but there's a little bit of difference, I can already tell."
On the position competition:
"I think we've got one spot that's set and I think everything else is still up in there. Really nobody knows anything at this point. Everybody's battling for every spot and everything is pretty much wide open right now… I think the Friday night starter is the one spot that's everybody knows."
On progress during the offseason:
"Coming into this year, I've got a lot more confidence thanks to the summer and the Big 12 Tournament last year. That's really the big thing for me, just having that confidence and going up there and being prepared to do what I can. I think coming into this year I've kept that with me so I'm looking forward to this year and hopefully it's going to be a lot of fun."
On the changes to the offensive approach:
"It's going to be a lot more of an explosive offense I think so it really should be fun to see."
On where he sees himself playing:
"Really wherever they put me. They had me in the fall at short and third, now they've got me at second base a little bit so it's up to them. I don't really know where exactly it's going to be but wherever it is, hopefully I can make an impact."
On what clicked over the summer:
"I think it was a change of scenery and just being around new people, forgetting everything that happened last year. All that put together just really helped a lot."
1B Kacy Clemens
On getting things back on track:
"Of course a new coaching staff, new field, new fences, a lot of fresh stuff around here. For sure we're definitely bought in to the new guys. We're ready to implement what they taught us and see what our experience that we've had in the past and what they're teaching us now will translate to on the field."
On the fences coming in:
"I think it changes the mindset of a few people. We joke with the pitchers about it saying we've got a little more of a chance now but yeah, this field is normally a graveyard. It still is a big yard, don't get me wrong. I think that we'll see a few more homers to right and left-center for sure, triples maybe not so much because those gaps are a little bit smaller now. Outfielders are going to be able to range more, but on the flipside of that, more balls are going to go out. …We'll see what happens."
On what this team needs to accomplish before the season starts:
"I think the biggest thing is learning our defense, all of our calls, stuff like that. Making sure we know everything to the T so that when we get on the field, there's no situation that's going to really be difficult for us. We'll know exactly what we're doing. I think we've got a good enough staff to be good. Good enough athletes on the infield and outfield and hitters to be good. We'll just see how the chemistry changes over the course of the season."
On the offensive approach:
"Well, I'll kind of tell you a little joke. Something that I noticed is that we were scrimmaging in the fall and there were two outs and nobody on base and I had a 3-0 count in the box. I look down at Coach Allen and I was waiting for the take sign and I sat there and I waited. I wasn't getting in the box until he gave it to me because I knew I was going to get it and he went like this 'Hit it. Hit the ball.' So now, that's kind of the mindset. We're getting in the box. We're here to rake. We're not afraid of anybody. There's no more playing for one run. We're playing to score every single inning. That's kind of our mindset now."
On getting back on track:
"I think the toughest thing is when you lose around here, it's a big deal. You can lose at other schools and it'd be normal, but here it doesn't happen. There's a reason why we represent this Longhorn on our chest and it's because we come here, we're the best in the country and we come here to win and that hasn't happened. That happened my freshman year and that was one of the best years of my life. We got to Omaha and everybody was fired up.… That's what we're looking to do this year. We want to go to Omaha and win. That's the only thing I care about. I couldn't care less about anything else. We're here to win and represent this university right."
On how to avoid putting pressure on themselves:
"I think that's a question a lot of people are definitely thinking about. All the sports are kind of trying to figure out what changes need to be made and how to move forward and how to make Texas great again. I think we're not putting pressure on ourselves for that at all. I think we're excited. I think we're excited to bring happiness to Austin with this baseball season for sure. It's going to be fun and I think we're going to win a lot of ballgames."
http://www.texassports.com/news/2017/1/27/baseball-tracking-the-longhorns-first-day-of-practice.aspx
