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1/21/2008, 03:14 PM
The University of Oklahoma baseball team met Monday, Jan. 14 to begin individual practices in preparation for the 2008 season. OU last practiced during the annual Red/White Series in the middle of November.
The Sooners will conclude their individual workouts on Feb. 1, when team practices resume.
OU will open the 2008 season at UCLA for a three-game set beginning on Friday, Feb. 22. The season opener is slated for an 8 p.m. (CT) start and will be broadcast on the Sooners' flagship station, KOKC 1520 AM.
The 2008 home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 26 at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners will host Arkansas Pine Bluff at 3 p.m. and the two will conclude the two-game series on Feb. 27 at 3 p.m.
With the season a little over a month away, SoonerSports.com sat down with head coach Sunny Golloway for a question and answer session to learn more about this year's club and what fans can expect this season.
Have you ever been presented with such a large group of newcomers that will be expected to play a large role in the team's success?
Sometimes you have a large turnover, but typically you have enough returning starters that it balances out the transition. This year, we will have new faces at almost every position. It will be a tough transition in terms of getting them prepared for the Big 12, but it's a challenge the coaching staff and players are looking forward to. We have to make sure that they are not trying to get too far ahead of themselves and concentrate on the current situation and live in the moment.
What are your thoughts on adding Mike Bell and Russell Raley to your staff and what they can bring to the table?
Both of them have brought in a breath of fresh air with their thoughts and ideas. Coach Bell (Kenai Oilers) and Coach Raley (Oklahoma) were both players of mine and understand the importance of stressing fundamentals and know that good pitching and defense wins championships. Their experience will help them lead by example and help our kids understand what it takes to win on the diamond.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this team heading into the 2008 season?
The strengths of this team remain to be seen after the fall, but pitching depth and defense are two things that can and need to be strengths. Team speed is another area that we feel confident in, both defensively and offensively. That speed will help us create pressure on our opponents.
Inexperience is an obvious weakness and another area is our middle infield. Most clubs at this point have settled on those position players and we have not. The talent is there but those individuals have not stepped up.
What questions were answered during the fall practices?
Two big questions were answered after the fall and that was who will hit at the top of our order and who will be in our pitching rotation, including our closer. Aljay Davis, Jamie Johnson and possibly Tyson Seng are three guys that have all the components necessary to hit at the top of a lineup. And Stephen Porlier, Andrew Doyle and Chase Anderson are experienced college pitchers that have the poise to be successful as weekend starters. Jake McCarter also shined and showed he can be a quality closer.
Are there questions that still remain before the season gets underway?
Yes. Like we discussed before, the middle infield is still undecided. Also, we are unsure who will hit in the 4 and 5 holes in the lineup. So the power our lineup possesses is a question mark. We need to find out, besides Baker, who can drive in runs. That also means we are still looking to see who our designated hitter from the left and right side of the plate will be.
Who has made the most improvement from the 2007 team up until now?
Aljay Davis. He showed last season that he can be a successful leadoff hitter and a good second baseman. With that said, Aljay is going to remain at the top of the order but we will move him from second to center field. He was originally recruited out of junior college as an outfielder and he has a chance to be a difference maker for us in center.
With the start date of the 2008 season pushed back this year, are there any concerns that the pitching staff will fatigue too early in the season?
I believe our pitching staff will do well with the later start date as long as our starters can give us quality starts (five-plus innings). That will enable us to save our bullpen and not use those relievers too much too early. As coaches, our philosophy will have to change during the non-conference season. We will not be as prone to pull pitchers early in a game and will allow them the opportunity to pitch out of more jams.
Texas, Missouri and Baylor have all been tabbed as potential CWS teams in 2008. Is this season shaping up to be one of the best for the conference?
From top to bottom, the conference will be stronger than year's past and perhaps the strongest it has ever been since it formed over 10 years ago," said Golloway. "There is never an easy game in the Big 12 and this year, any team could emerge in each of the top three spots. That is something I have never seen before in this conference. I believe the Big 12 is the best conference in the nation and I have said that for the past three years. The 10 programs in the Big 12 are as good as any other conference's representatives.
What are your thoughts on playing a tough non-conference schedule in order to prepare yourself better for the challenges of conference play?
The great debate of whether teams should be rewarded at the end of the year after playing a tough schedule still remains. I have always been a firm believer that you need to give your players the opportunity to compete and develop in the most competitive setting prior to conference play. That is what I have tried to do as a collegiate head coach and that is what we will continue to do at the University of Oklahoma.
*Even with my recent distaste for Coach Galloway. I think we will be much better than people give us credit for. The bullpen should be much improved and we return some great guys in the starting rotation. Even though Aljay Davis is moving to the OF. I am sure the coaches will find the right guys for the middle IF. If we can make a good showing at the UCLA games that should be a good sign for the rest of the season. Having a new pitching coach should be good for us as well. Change can sometimes be a good thing. Russel Raley should be able to keep the peace between the players and Sunny. I cant wait for the season to get started*
The Sooners will conclude their individual workouts on Feb. 1, when team practices resume.
OU will open the 2008 season at UCLA for a three-game set beginning on Friday, Feb. 22. The season opener is slated for an 8 p.m. (CT) start and will be broadcast on the Sooners' flagship station, KOKC 1520 AM.
The 2008 home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 26 at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners will host Arkansas Pine Bluff at 3 p.m. and the two will conclude the two-game series on Feb. 27 at 3 p.m.
With the season a little over a month away, SoonerSports.com sat down with head coach Sunny Golloway for a question and answer session to learn more about this year's club and what fans can expect this season.
Have you ever been presented with such a large group of newcomers that will be expected to play a large role in the team's success?
Sometimes you have a large turnover, but typically you have enough returning starters that it balances out the transition. This year, we will have new faces at almost every position. It will be a tough transition in terms of getting them prepared for the Big 12, but it's a challenge the coaching staff and players are looking forward to. We have to make sure that they are not trying to get too far ahead of themselves and concentrate on the current situation and live in the moment.
What are your thoughts on adding Mike Bell and Russell Raley to your staff and what they can bring to the table?
Both of them have brought in a breath of fresh air with their thoughts and ideas. Coach Bell (Kenai Oilers) and Coach Raley (Oklahoma) were both players of mine and understand the importance of stressing fundamentals and know that good pitching and defense wins championships. Their experience will help them lead by example and help our kids understand what it takes to win on the diamond.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this team heading into the 2008 season?
The strengths of this team remain to be seen after the fall, but pitching depth and defense are two things that can and need to be strengths. Team speed is another area that we feel confident in, both defensively and offensively. That speed will help us create pressure on our opponents.
Inexperience is an obvious weakness and another area is our middle infield. Most clubs at this point have settled on those position players and we have not. The talent is there but those individuals have not stepped up.
What questions were answered during the fall practices?
Two big questions were answered after the fall and that was who will hit at the top of our order and who will be in our pitching rotation, including our closer. Aljay Davis, Jamie Johnson and possibly Tyson Seng are three guys that have all the components necessary to hit at the top of a lineup. And Stephen Porlier, Andrew Doyle and Chase Anderson are experienced college pitchers that have the poise to be successful as weekend starters. Jake McCarter also shined and showed he can be a quality closer.
Are there questions that still remain before the season gets underway?
Yes. Like we discussed before, the middle infield is still undecided. Also, we are unsure who will hit in the 4 and 5 holes in the lineup. So the power our lineup possesses is a question mark. We need to find out, besides Baker, who can drive in runs. That also means we are still looking to see who our designated hitter from the left and right side of the plate will be.
Who has made the most improvement from the 2007 team up until now?
Aljay Davis. He showed last season that he can be a successful leadoff hitter and a good second baseman. With that said, Aljay is going to remain at the top of the order but we will move him from second to center field. He was originally recruited out of junior college as an outfielder and he has a chance to be a difference maker for us in center.
With the start date of the 2008 season pushed back this year, are there any concerns that the pitching staff will fatigue too early in the season?
I believe our pitching staff will do well with the later start date as long as our starters can give us quality starts (five-plus innings). That will enable us to save our bullpen and not use those relievers too much too early. As coaches, our philosophy will have to change during the non-conference season. We will not be as prone to pull pitchers early in a game and will allow them the opportunity to pitch out of more jams.
Texas, Missouri and Baylor have all been tabbed as potential CWS teams in 2008. Is this season shaping up to be one of the best for the conference?
From top to bottom, the conference will be stronger than year's past and perhaps the strongest it has ever been since it formed over 10 years ago," said Golloway. "There is never an easy game in the Big 12 and this year, any team could emerge in each of the top three spots. That is something I have never seen before in this conference. I believe the Big 12 is the best conference in the nation and I have said that for the past three years. The 10 programs in the Big 12 are as good as any other conference's representatives.
What are your thoughts on playing a tough non-conference schedule in order to prepare yourself better for the challenges of conference play?
The great debate of whether teams should be rewarded at the end of the year after playing a tough schedule still remains. I have always been a firm believer that you need to give your players the opportunity to compete and develop in the most competitive setting prior to conference play. That is what I have tried to do as a collegiate head coach and that is what we will continue to do at the University of Oklahoma.
*Even with my recent distaste for Coach Galloway. I think we will be much better than people give us credit for. The bullpen should be much improved and we return some great guys in the starting rotation. Even though Aljay Davis is moving to the OF. I am sure the coaches will find the right guys for the middle IF. If we can make a good showing at the UCLA games that should be a good sign for the rest of the season. Having a new pitching coach should be good for us as well. Change can sometimes be a good thing. Russel Raley should be able to keep the peace between the players and Sunny. I cant wait for the season to get started*