Day-by-day and pitch-by-pitch seems to be Texas A&M head baseball coach Michael Earley's newest mantra. On Thursday's edition of TexAgs Live, Earley joined us to preview this weekend's series with No. 2 Arkansas at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.
Key notes from Michael Earley interview
- We have to continue to play good baseball. We have had some timely hitting, but we've done a lot of things up to that point to give ourselves chances to win. We've capitalized on those chances. The vibes have always been good. It's always better when you're winning. Everyone is feeling good but understands what we have ahead of us.
- It really is taking it day-by-day and pitch-by-pitch. You have to believe it. It's not about looking forward. It's about being in the moment and looking up at the end of the game and seeing what the result is.
- Early on, defense was a recurring issue. Since that, we've been good. We still have errors here and there, but nothing like it was. Nothing abnormal. Little things like slowing the game down and not playing too fast. It was nothing technical, just playing how you're supposed to play.
- For a kid like Caden McCoy, it's just not being afraid. He has come a really long way. He believes he should be out there, and he's correct. It's the hardest part about sports and being on the mound in the SEC. He throws strikes and plays with no fear. He's been like that since the day he got here. Great kid. It shows in how he has performed.
- Mid-week games can be really unpredictable from a planning standpoint. It's hard to plan for mid-week games. You have no idea how or who they are going to pitch. You can do what Tarleton did and mix in a lot of looks. It's just about playing baseball. You go in with a plan, and the plan gets blown up way more than a weekend game. You just have to play good baseball, not really play to the opponent and take care of business.
- Terrence Kiel II has done a remarkable job. I always felt like he was capable of it. I just knew Kiel needed 50 to 60 at-bats this year, if not more. He has completely done everything I could have asked from him on the defensive end and as the lead-off hitter. He's confident and hard-working. He has the drive to be great. There are two things freshmen in the SEC need to be great. You can have them both, but you have to have at least one. You either have to be really strong and physical, or you have to be really confident. Kiel is a strong kid, but he doesn’t lack confidence.
- The biggest thing with Blake Binderup is to repeat. The larger you are, the harder it is to repeat. There are not a lot of tall hitters. We have tried to get him to his position when he swings. When he was taller, he would cut off his front side. It's an awkward position for him. Players want to be comfortable when they hit, but sometimes your comfort isn't working, and you have to be uncomfortable to get better. We are trying to shorten him up. He has to fight to stay short so his strength can play.
- It is hard as a hitter. You want to get up there and get the at-bat over with to find out what happens. You have to preach about every at-bat being a new at-bat. Hitting plays with your head more than any other feat in sports with the failure process. It's about hitting your pitch and not rushing your at-bat. It's not about hitting, it's about getting on base. The name of the game is getting on base. We want you to get hits, but the name of the game is getting on base however you can. That is baseball.
- I think Ryan Prager has made minor mechanical adjustments. He has a high strike percentage. I feel like it's been just a couple of swings or just bad luck. But not to make excuses, he is making adjustments. I think he's going to be great today. When you ask him to make adjustments, he's usually pretty good at it.
- Any team that can run the ball out of the ballpark and get extra base hits, you can't give them free passes. If they are going to hit solo homers, make sure they are solo homers. Make the guys work to get on. Any time you face any team, you don’t want to walk them, but any team you face that can slug, you can't let them walk. It can spiral out of control. You try to limit those guys on base.
- Cam Kozeal is really good. If you are a pitcher, you have to have a plan against the guy. You have to make your best pitch. It's about executing your pitch in your location and nothing more than that.
- When you have back-to-back Thursdays, it's not as bad. When you travel, it changes a few things. We were giving Gavin Kash live at-bats before we got on the plane. We do scouting on the day of the game. Nothing too crazy. It's not that massive of a change.
- There's a chance you'll see both Kash and Caden Sorrell in the field this weekend. Depending on how Kash feels, I think he's pretty close. He will be in that pinch-hit sort of role. It wouldn't surprise me if we saw them in some capacity on the field this weekend. It's a constant evaluation. Sorrell’s value can’t be overstated.
- Baum-Walker Stadium is a rowdy environment. It's everything you think it is. If you don’t love that, I can’t help you. There is nothing better than 14,000 people feeling like they're against you. The best sound in an opposing team's stadium is when it gets quiet. You're playing to make it quiet. Obviously, I love playing at home, but I love feeling that many people against you. There's baseball, too. But if you can find the joy in that, if you stick together and play like that, I think it can be a really cool thing.
