Baseball Players Meet with Media to Discuss Season
6/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 8, 2005
Jeff Mandel, Sophomore RHP/1B
About the performance of himself, Abe Woody and Ryan LaMotta throughout the season:
"I think we have really come together and have understood what each others strengths and weakness are. We really understand what situations we will be used in and we prepare together when those situations occur. We are such a close pitching staff it has become easy for use to back one another up."
On the differences and similarities between himself, Woody and LaMotta:
"Ryan (LaMotta) is a little different than me and Abe (Woody) because he has a little more confidence in his change-up and curveball. Ryan (LaMotta) works three pitches while we work fastballs and sliders and add a little sink to the fastball. It's really a difference in movement as opposed to the types of pitches we have."
On what it would mean to have Baylor go to the College World Series:
"After a disappointing season last year, it would mean a great deal to this team. It would mean we understood our weaknesses and we have improved and accomplished something great as a team. We want to make it to the World Series for our team and for our school."
Trey Taylor, Senior LHP
On deciding to go to Baylor and to forego the draft out of high school:
"Definitely. Ever since I have been at Baylor I made a decision to stay focused and not look back at what might have been. I have enjoyed my four years here and to get to this point has been great. I hope it can go for a couple of more weeks because I am not ready for my career to end yet. The big goal has always been to reach the World Series and that is what I am striving to help this team achieve."
On the success this year compared to last year:
"Last year was a big disappointed for everyone involved. It was painful to go through; but, it says a lot about the character of this team in the way we have responded this season. I look forward to this weekend. Clemson is going to be a great opponent."
On the Baylor pitching staff:
"We are all very supportive of one another. We have a lot of fun while we are out there. We enjoy our time together and its great to have the arms in the bullpen that can come out and back a starter up. It has been a great year for our pitching staff."
On the turning point this season:
"If I had to say there was a point this season where I thought we had a team capable of going far, it was the Texas series. We had lost a couple of series and there were a lot of doubters. They were number one in the nation at that time and we went in and swept that series. I think that was probably the weekend that really got us on track."
On Jeff Mandel:
"His home run in the 12th against Stanford was something out of The Natural. He is an outstanding athlete and he has been a great addition to our team."
Josh Ford, Senior C
On catching the pitching staff:
"It has been a lot of fun because they have great stuff day in and day out. Any guy that we run out there we have a lot of faith in. We have a lot of different guys who compliment each other. I think one of our strengths is that the staff can mix it up. We have guys that can throw hard and guys who can change speeds and mix their pitches. Every one of our pitchers have different pitches they can throw for strikes."
