I've provided a link for the podcast, but here are some highlights:
-Coach says that we are at 35 players right now and he feels good about the team. Says that the 35 you see now is what we'll go to battle with in the spring time. He discussed how there were 46 players at the start of fall last year and how everyone was initially confused with the new terminology. Said it's good to not have that problem this time around.
-Sean McLaughlin and Jared Walsh are "close" to 100% and Stricklin expects both to be a full go by the spring. Expects Walsh to be a two way guy again and says that McLaughlin will focus primarily on pitching. Said he thinks that McLaughlin can pitch in the big leagues.
-Stricklin discussed Robert Tyler and talked about his maturity and work ethic. Said Tyler's goal is to be the #1 overall pick in 2016. Said Tyler is the hardest worker on the team. Stricklin said that sometimes freshman who come out of the gate with a great season get complacent and think that they have everything figured out. Said Tyler definitely does not fall into that category. I LOVED hearing that.
-The leader right now at 3B (and the only player Stricklin mentioned) is Trevor Kieboom. Said he's 6'4, 230 lbs and really stands out. He discussed how Kieboom wanted to come to Georgia out of HS, signed with Clemson, and then ended up at Chattahoochee Valley CC. Stricklin said he went out to see someone else at Chattahoochee Valley, but Kieboom really stood out to him. He said he felt that Kieboom really "fell in our lap".
-The leader right now at SS is another JC guy who was signed in the late period in Nick King. Stricklin states that he saw something special in King with the first ground ball he took. Said King has some "big league" flash and is ultra athletic. Stricklin also mentioned Tray Logan and Max Ford as a couple of guys who can play in the middle. It appears Michael Bell is the leader at 2B right now.
-Over at 1st, we have a trio of left handed sticks in Daniel Nichols, Walsh, and Morgan Bunting. Stricklin suggested that he is happy with that position right now.
-In the OF, the safest spot on the roster (my words, not Stricklin's) would have to be Stephen Wrenn in CF. Stricklin mentioned Skyler Weber and really likes the jump Skyler has made over the summer. Weber can catch too of course, but it sounds like the plan is for him to play more OF this year. Walsh will get a look in RF too. Then there's Keegan McGovern, who Stricklin described as a "star".... I've heard McGovern is a similar player to Joey Side, thinking back to the glory years. I'm very excited about him. Stricklin also mentioned DJ Smith as a "nice surprise" and noted that Henry Rowling can roam around the OF a little bit. Mitchell Webb was another named mentioned.
-Pitching wise, Stricklin says to keep your eye on Conor Jones as he's made a fantastic jump from last year. Stricklin also mentioned that David Sosebee can be used as a swing guy (like he was last year) depending on whether McLaughlin gets all the way back. They like Jared Cheek at the back end, still.
-At C, we have a lot of numbers, but Stricklin noted that Aaron Rzucidlo (by February, I won't have to look up the spelling of his name) and Josh Day are both coming off of injuries. It doesn't sound like either are available. Stricklin noted that we are losing Brandon Stephens after this year and that we should lose Zack Bowers as well. Stricklin said basically that "Bowers needs to get his bat going" and if he does, he expects Zack to be drafted.
-I wanted to say on that note, I'm glad Brandon Stephens is back. He's been around a long time, obviously, I've heard that he LOVES playing college baseball.... And I don't doubt that. I saw him in the stands several times in 2013, even during some brutally cold games.... Brandon has grown up tremendously since he's been here and that's been really good to watch. I thought that he started getting worn down toward the end of last season, but before that, he was playing the best defense that we've gotten behind the plate in a decade. You know what you're going to get out of 5 and guys like him are what college sports are all about and why I enjoy them so much.
-Stricklin noted that the first full squad practice is Sunday. Did not say a time. The stadium itself is still off limits... The field, locker rooms, and batting cages are fine, but the stadium itself is closed. Said that they can't even retrieve foul balls from there. SO, if you want to come out and watch, you have to go to RF and sit on the hill formerly known as "Kudzu Hill". To get there, I think you have to go through/ around the tennis complex. I'm not sure exactly how that's going to work.... I'm having some trouble visualizing it. I hope to get to see some scrimmages this fall, but it'll certainly be different watching from the OF. Stadium should be FINISHED by Jan 15. That's earlier than I thought and it gives plenty of cushion if things get behind.
-Finally, Stricklin said that Kent State comes here in football next season. That was news to me. Our non-conference opponents next year are listed as Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, Ga Southern, and @tech (boy, that's..... not very compelling). So I guess Kent State is replacing one of those Goliath's. Found that interesting anyway. Last time Kent State came here, 1998, they got a delay of game on the opening kickoff, I remember.... Kicker just stood there and didn't kick it and the ref eventually threw a flag for delay of game.... Quincy Carter hit Champ Bailey on a long TD on the 3rd play of the game and we crushed the Dean Peas lead Golden Flashes 56-3... I'd prefer that we play MAC teams as opposed to Div 1-AA schools... I respect the ball that they play in the MAC and I'd imagine (without looking too deeply into it) that the schools in that conference are one of the reasons why the Big Ten has regressed so much over the past decade.
Scott Stricklin Podcast
-Coach says that we are at 35 players right now and he feels good about the team. Says that the 35 you see now is what we'll go to battle with in the spring time. He discussed how there were 46 players at the start of fall last year and how everyone was initially confused with the new terminology. Said it's good to not have that problem this time around.
-Sean McLaughlin and Jared Walsh are "close" to 100% and Stricklin expects both to be a full go by the spring. Expects Walsh to be a two way guy again and says that McLaughlin will focus primarily on pitching. Said he thinks that McLaughlin can pitch in the big leagues.
-Stricklin discussed Robert Tyler and talked about his maturity and work ethic. Said Tyler's goal is to be the #1 overall pick in 2016. Said Tyler is the hardest worker on the team. Stricklin said that sometimes freshman who come out of the gate with a great season get complacent and think that they have everything figured out. Said Tyler definitely does not fall into that category. I LOVED hearing that.
-The leader right now at 3B (and the only player Stricklin mentioned) is Trevor Kieboom. Said he's 6'4, 230 lbs and really stands out. He discussed how Kieboom wanted to come to Georgia out of HS, signed with Clemson, and then ended up at Chattahoochee Valley CC. Stricklin said he went out to see someone else at Chattahoochee Valley, but Kieboom really stood out to him. He said he felt that Kieboom really "fell in our lap".
-The leader right now at SS is another JC guy who was signed in the late period in Nick King. Stricklin states that he saw something special in King with the first ground ball he took. Said King has some "big league" flash and is ultra athletic. Stricklin also mentioned Tray Logan and Max Ford as a couple of guys who can play in the middle. It appears Michael Bell is the leader at 2B right now.
-Over at 1st, we have a trio of left handed sticks in Daniel Nichols, Walsh, and Morgan Bunting. Stricklin suggested that he is happy with that position right now.
-In the OF, the safest spot on the roster (my words, not Stricklin's) would have to be Stephen Wrenn in CF. Stricklin mentioned Skyler Weber and really likes the jump Skyler has made over the summer. Weber can catch too of course, but it sounds like the plan is for him to play more OF this year. Walsh will get a look in RF too. Then there's Keegan McGovern, who Stricklin described as a "star".... I've heard McGovern is a similar player to Joey Side, thinking back to the glory years. I'm very excited about him. Stricklin also mentioned DJ Smith as a "nice surprise" and noted that Henry Rowling can roam around the OF a little bit. Mitchell Webb was another named mentioned.
-Pitching wise, Stricklin says to keep your eye on Conor Jones as he's made a fantastic jump from last year. Stricklin also mentioned that David Sosebee can be used as a swing guy (like he was last year) depending on whether McLaughlin gets all the way back. They like Jared Cheek at the back end, still.
-At C, we have a lot of numbers, but Stricklin noted that Aaron Rzucidlo (by February, I won't have to look up the spelling of his name) and Josh Day are both coming off of injuries. It doesn't sound like either are available. Stricklin noted that we are losing Brandon Stephens after this year and that we should lose Zack Bowers as well. Stricklin said basically that "Bowers needs to get his bat going" and if he does, he expects Zack to be drafted.
-I wanted to say on that note, I'm glad Brandon Stephens is back. He's been around a long time, obviously, I've heard that he LOVES playing college baseball.... And I don't doubt that. I saw him in the stands several times in 2013, even during some brutally cold games.... Brandon has grown up tremendously since he's been here and that's been really good to watch. I thought that he started getting worn down toward the end of last season, but before that, he was playing the best defense that we've gotten behind the plate in a decade. You know what you're going to get out of 5 and guys like him are what college sports are all about and why I enjoy them so much.
-Stricklin noted that the first full squad practice is Sunday. Did not say a time. The stadium itself is still off limits... The field, locker rooms, and batting cages are fine, but the stadium itself is closed. Said that they can't even retrieve foul balls from there. SO, if you want to come out and watch, you have to go to RF and sit on the hill formerly known as "Kudzu Hill". To get there, I think you have to go through/ around the tennis complex. I'm not sure exactly how that's going to work.... I'm having some trouble visualizing it. I hope to get to see some scrimmages this fall, but it'll certainly be different watching from the OF. Stadium should be FINISHED by Jan 15. That's earlier than I thought and it gives plenty of cushion if things get behind.
-Finally, Stricklin said that Kent State comes here in football next season. That was news to me. Our non-conference opponents next year are listed as Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, Ga Southern, and @tech (boy, that's..... not very compelling). So I guess Kent State is replacing one of those Goliath's. Found that interesting anyway. Last time Kent State came here, 1998, they got a delay of game on the opening kickoff, I remember.... Kicker just stood there and didn't kick it and the ref eventually threw a flag for delay of game.... Quincy Carter hit Champ Bailey on a long TD on the 3rd play of the game and we crushed the Dean Peas lead Golden Flashes 56-3... I'd prefer that we play MAC teams as opposed to Div 1-AA schools... I respect the ball that they play in the MAC and I'd imagine (without looking too deeply into it) that the schools in that conference are one of the reasons why the Big Ten has regressed so much over the past decade.
Scott Stricklin Podcast
