Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State Baseball Media Day Quotes
February 07, 2002 | Cowboy Baseball
Feb. 7, 2002
Oklahoma State Baseball Media Day Quotes
Head Coach Tom Holliday
Thoughts on this year's team
"I think this is a ballclub that can play with any team in the country and one that believes it can. This has been an easy club to motivate for the coaching staff. The only thing we really have had to do is organize practice. It's nice to have a club that is just counting the days to opening day and playing somebody else. I think our schedule with so many games early on the road is designed for a veteran ball club like this. This club won't care if it is playing in California, Louisiana or Tempe, Arizona, I don't think it will bother them.
I think they are playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulder, they felt like they were a better ball club at the end of the season than what opportunity they got. The word Omaha is very common in their conversation, yet I think winning the Big 12 championship is the first goal. I think most of the returning guys have to convince the new guys that you have to win in this league in order to get yourself placed in an opportunity to win in the post season.
On the preseason rankings
"I felt like we were a deserving top 10, top 15 certainly. We were a little irritated with one that had us ranked at No. 23. I think a lot has to do where teams finished last year and the respect given to them. I watched Miami play already and they have a whole bunch of new faces. I don't think they want the monkey of being told they are number one, two or three. I think the opening ranking has a lot to do with respect and where you finished last season. To return everybody but four or five players from last year's ball club, I thought the ranking was close.
On concerns about the health of the pitching staff
"I think the last two seasons we have ended both of them with a shortage of arms. We start baseball in February, we started throwing on Jan. 7. It does me no good to burn my people up to where they can't answer the bell in May. If you can't win in May you can't win. It's all for naught. We want to win in May. At the same time you want to have 10-12 people in the mix to get to May. That has always been my philosophy. I don't like shrinking the staff to seven or eight guys. I am going to start with six or seven guys who feel like they are starters and let the best guy go out there. Hopefully I don't run out of pitchers at the end of the season. As well as (Scott) Baker pitched last year by the time the games were really important, a lot of people did not know who he was because he was injured. We have to get him back and reestablish him.
On the conference race
"It's really hard to predict, I can only go on what people have returning. I would say Texas and Nebraska probably return good players, good enough to think they will be in the first half. I think the team many people are overlooking is Texas A&M. They finished strong with a lot of young pups, they are only going to get better. Oklahoma's pitching staff is very strong and Texas Tech has already gone out and picked up several Division I wins. I think it is up for grabs. Baylor has another good, young freshman pitcher who has turned down a lot of money. If you look at those things, I think the Big 12 is a strong league. We obviously have to prove that in the post season. I think it is a league in which anybody can win, because of its strength not because of its weakness. Last year Iowa State proved in the tournament with a great show that 1 through 10, it is a tough league. I think we return more people than anybody in the league and we are going out to win it."
Infielders Nebasett Brown and Rob Watson
On last year's finish in New Orleans (Watson)
"It was pretty bad. It left a bad taste in our mouth and a sense of unfinished business. Everybody that is returning knows that and it goes through their head everyday."
On possibly getting to Omaha (Brown)
"Obviously we go into every season thinking that, especially with the culmination of talent we have, its certainly more than I have ever been associated with. With the wealth of experience of returning and some really good newcomers, the potential for the team is really exciting."
On the team (Watson)
"It's nice to have a senior infield with a bunch of guys that have been around the program and know how things go. It's easier when you have new guys coming in and a bunch of returners to build the team. The fall was very competitive and everybody is fired up and ready to go."
On the teams pitching staff (Watson)
"I am excited about it. We have a number of arms that can go out every time and compete. We have all the young guys and some older guys too like (Justin) Meccage and (Nick) McCurdy. It's real exciting because they go out and throw strikes and compete and its a big boost for the younger guys."
On how much Omaha is on their minds (Brown)
"I think the thought in everybody's head is that the season is not going to be over until the middle or end of June and that Saturday afternoon. When we speak of the season, that's what we refer to, ending on a winning note on that Saturday.
On having a strong season and getting a regional at home (Brown)
"I think hosting a regional is a goal, I don't know if it is a major goal, but it would definitely help to have a regional at your own ballpark and have your own fan support. A good amount of wins and a good schedule will get you there."
On their Big 12 goals (Watson)
"Going out and winning the Big 12 is another big goal for us. I like the way things stack up against other teams. The pitching staff stacks up against anybody in the conference and I believe our hitters do also. It is a goal to win the Big 12 first and then the rankings and everything else will take care of itself."
On getting ready for the season opener on Sunday and Monday (Watson)
"Its tough right now being indoors. Everybody is talking about it and doing drills and everything else, you can only do so much before you start getting crazy because you want to get outside."
(Brown)
"I think anytime something was taken from us, like it was in New Orleans, that just makes it that much more enticing and it makes you want to get out there and get after what you should have had last year."
On proving themselves every game (Watson)
"I don't think we have to prove ourselves, if we just play as a team, good things will happen."
(Brown)
"The proof is in the pudding as they say."
Pitchers Nick McCurdy and Joe Weaver
On excitement of this season (Weaver)
"We have so many people back from last season, the five freshmen. Jimmy (Rhodes) is throwing well, we have Nick (McCurdy) back, we have (Mike) Miller back, Meccage came back after this summer and is throwing as hard as I have ever seen him throw. It kind of gets you up and looking forward to it. I think it is going to be special."
(McCurdy)
"We are really excited about it. The team has confidence in the pitching staff, and I don't think we will let them down. We're going to go out and give a strong effort and throw strikes. We have got guys throwing the ball over the plate and that is what you need. You throw it up 17 inches over the plate and let the opposing team put it in play and trust your defense, then your offense. We are going to do fine."
On everybody seeing innings early (McCurdy)
"I see it as keeping everybody healthy. With the guys we have, we have a complete pitching staff. We don't have any weakness to our pitching staff and can afford to do that. It is a plus anytime to do that and save arms for down the road when it really counts. Whenever you can save arms and still have quality arms going everyday, no problem."
(Weaver)
"I think it is good for some of the junior college guys who can come in early and get some Division I experience so that later on down the road if somebody does pop up sore like last year, we will have people ready to step in there and pitch like they have all along, so its not like you are losing stuff."
On the offense (McCurdy)
"I am excited, I think the offense we have is one of the best in the nation. It is going to compete with everybody out there, with every pitching staff and all the big schools. The Big 12 Conference has no room for relaxation. No matter your offense, no matter your pitching, you are never going to have all three working. You are never going to have your pitching staff dominant, your defense and your offense. You just have to go out and perform well everyday as a pitching staff. Don't relax and beat people 25-0, if you can."
(Weaver)
"Everybody is sitting here saying how good our pitching staff is and how it is supposed to be one of the best in the country, yet we go out in the fall and two times so far this semester and get lit up by our offense. That's kind of special when people say you are one of the best and our offense can score, obviously that shows we have one of the best offenses in the country."
On the defense (McCurdy)
"We have an older defense that has been around the game and has played and knows every bounce off a lot of fields. You can't beat that with backups behind them that are outstanding. I love the competition. I just sat back and watched in the fall and saw the great attitude of what we had as far as the defense. When one guy goes down, another guy steps in. I think this season we are a lot more prepared."
(Weaver)
"We have an all senior infield from third to first. It's nice to know when things are going tough on the mound and things are going crazy that we have experienced guys like (Rob) Watson and (Ali) Modami back there to cool you down."
